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New technologies have completely changed our environment and our interactions with the world. In recent years the term extended reality seems to have taken over the scene. To a certain extent, it has blurred the lines between other terms such as virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. We will explore how these concepts interact with each other and how they may impact our lives in the future.
What is Extended Reality (XR)?
A Pokémon that appears on our screen and crosses our path in the street? A 360° tour of a property for sale in another country? A coloring book whose figures appear in 3D once they have been painted? These are all examples of extended reality.
The extended reality, abbreviated as XR, is the general name given to technologies that create computer-generated environments and objects. This concept encompasses both the forms of XR that have already been developed and those that will be established in the future. The various technologies are differentiated and defined primarily by the relationship between the real and virtual worlds.
While with augmented reality users perceive virtual objects as an extension of the real world, with virtual reality they are immersed in a purely virtual world. Another defining feature of extended reality is that it is an immersive technology in all its forms.
Augmented Reality: An Extension of Reality
Augmented reality (abbreviated as AR) technology incorporates virtual objects and data into the real world and thus extends or augments it. The virtual elements can be images, text, or animations. In any case, with augmented reality, the real environment is still perceived as predominant. The user’s interaction with virtual objects is limited to non-existent.
Augmented reality is so far the most widely used form of extended reality. Its success is mainly justified by the fact that the technical requirements are minimal. With a simple smartphone, tablet or computer, augmented reality can already be enjoyed, making it easily accessible to end-users. In addition, there are special AR glasses that project virtual objects in front of the wearer’s eyes. In this case, the outside world remains visible.
A particularly well-known and successful example of augmented reality is the game Pokémon Go, which is available as an app for iOS and Apple. It ranks among the most popular games for mobile devices and is, with revenues in excess of one billion euros, the most successful AR game to date.
In Pokémon Go, the mobile device displays digital figures (Pokémons) in the real world and thus extends reality. Augmented reality has also found its way into our lives on social media: with filters, users supplement their photos or videos with virtual objects such as hats, sunglasses, or even make-up, for example.
Virtual Reality: The Virtual World
Virtual reality, abbreviated as VR, achieves a 360° environment generated entirely by computer. Users are fully immersed in the virtual world and interact with it while the real world disappears.
In contrast to augmented reality, special equipment is required for this XR or extended reality technology. With a virtual reality headset, users perceive the virtual world visually, while the real world disappears completely and remains hidden during use. Thanks to the closed system, the degree of immersion is particularly high and allows the user to fully immerse themselves in the virtual world. In general, these devices require a connection to a computer. The best-known example of a VR headset is the Oculus Rift.
The following video provides a good summary of the differences between virtual and augmented reality.
Mixed Reality: A New and Complex Reality
Mixed reality, abbreviated as MR, combines elements of AR and VR in a practical way. In this case, it is the most modern and complex immersive technology. This form of extended reality links the real world with virtual environments and creates a new context. The user interacts with both the real and the virtual environment at the same time, and physical objects in the real world influence the digital elements. The use of this technology requires an MR headset and particularly high processor power.
An example of a mixed reality device is Microsoft’s HoloLens, introduced in 2015. These glasses display 3D objects close to the user through a transparent display. The display of the equipment has integrated sensors, speakers, and its own processor. Nothing else is required for use.
The Applications of Extended Reality
The extended reality market is continuously growing. At the moment, the entertainment industry is the main pioneer and is investing in the development and expansion of technology. However, XR and its range of application possibilities are also gaining importance in other sectors, such as medicine, the military, industry, and tourism.
1. The Entertainment Industry: From Video Games to Events
In the entertainment industry, the most common field of application of extended reality is video games. This is because this industry discovered the advantages of VR technology relatively early on and made it available to its customers. However, the new technologies also offer endless possibilities for music or sporting events.
Interested parties could attend events from home with few requirements beyond an internet connection and, thanks to extended reality and a virtual environment, experience these events as if they were actually in the concert hall or theatre. In this way, event organizers could increase their ticket quotas dramatically.
2. Real Estate Sector: Viewing and Planning
In this sector, extended reality offers a great advantage for companies and customers: those interested in a flat or a house can visit the property comfortably from their homes, which facilitates the work of real estate agents and owners. In addition, when planning the construction or renovation of a property, this technology allows architects and designers to make their ideas visible.
3. Traditional Commerce and eCommerce
Using extended reality, companies can let potential customers try their products before they buy them. Immersive technologies bring added value, especially to digital shops. When shopping online, the customer usually does not have the possibility to see the product live or touch it before finalizing the purchase. Thanks to XR, it is now at least possible to see the product in its virtual version.
4. Training: Simulation of Dangerous Situations
Armed forces, medical personnel, pilots, or astronauts: many professional groups can hardly train in dangerous situations without endangering other people. By using XR technology, they would have the possibility to experience such situations in a safe environment in order to practice their behavior and prepare themselves adequately.
The Challenges of XR
Some augmented reality applications are already parts of our daily lives, such as the Pokémon Go app or the filters used in social networks. The use of virtual reality is progressing especially in the field of video games, although the technical requirements are still an obstacle on the road to success. The use of mixed reality, on the other hand, is mostly limited to businesses.
For all of the above-mentioned forms of extended reality to find their place in everyday life, a number of challenges still need to be overcome. Mainly, they relate to high costs in developing the underlying technology and the devices required to take advantage of it (VR headsets/glasses, high-end smartphones/computers). Over time, however, innovation in this field will surely make it accessible to anyone.
Extended reality is the umbrella term. It encompasses virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality, and the relationships between them. Virtual reality immerses users in a completely artificial digital environment while augmented reality superimposes virtual objects in the real-world environment. And, the mixed reality not only superimposes but also anchors virtual objects to the real world, with which it interacts.
XR is the promise of the future of immersive technologies. As these technologies and the market matures, it will be easier to access them, move from one to the other and mix them, as they will end up converging into a single one that we do not differentiate, and which we will probably access from the same device.
Meza ya maudhui[Hide][Show] Teknolojia mpya zimebadilisha kabisa mazingira yetu na mwingiliano wetu na ulimwengu. Katika miaka ya karibuni neno hali halisi iliyoongezwa laonekana kuwa limetumiwa sana. Kwa kadiri fulani, imeficha mipaka kati ya maneno mengine kama vile hali halisi, iliyoongezwa, na iliyochanganywa. Tutachunguza jinsi dhana hizi zinavyoingiliana na jinsi zinavyoweza kuathiri maisha yetu katika siku zijazo. Uhalisi uliopanuliwa (XR) ni nini? Pokemon inaonekana kwenye skrini yako na hupita njia yako barabarani. 360 ° Tour ya mali ya kuuza katika nchi nyingine Kitabu cha kupaka rangi ambacho picha zake huonekana katika 3D mara tu zinapopakwa rangi? Hizi zote ni mifano ya hali halisi iliyoongezwa. Uhalisi ulioongezwa (XR) ni jina la jumla linalopewa teknolojia zinazotengeneza mazingira na vitu vilivyotengenezwa na kompyuta. Dhana hii inajumuisha aina zote mbili za XR ambazo tayari zimetengenezwa na zile ambazo zitaanzishwa katika siku zijazo. Teknolojia mbalimbali ni tofauti na kufafanuliwa hasa na uhusiano kati ya ulimwengu halisi na virtual. Wakati na ukweli kuongezeka watumiaji kutambua vitu virtual kama upanuzi wa ulimwengu halisi, na ukweli virtual wao ni kuzamishwa katika ulimwengu wa virtual tu. Kipengele kingine cha kufafanua ya hali halisi kupanuliwa ni kwamba ni teknolojia immersive katika aina zake zote. Uwezo wa kweli ulioongezwa (AR) ni teknolojia ya hali halisi inayojumuisha vitu vya kweli na data katika ulimwengu halisi na hivyo kupanua au kuongeza. Vitu virtual inaweza kuwa picha, maandishi, au uhuishaji. Kwa vyovyote vile, kwa hali halisi iliyoongezwa, mazingira halisi bado yanaonekana kuwa makubwa. Mtumiaji wa mwingiliano na vitu virtual ni mdogo kwa kutokuwepo. Ukweli ulioongezwa ni hadi sasa aina inayotumiwa sana ya ukweli ulioongezwa. Mafanikio yake ni hasa haki na ukweli kwamba mahitaji ya kiufundi ni ndogo. Kwa kutumia simu mahiri, kompyuta kibao au kompyuta, hali halisi iliyoongezwa inaweza kufurahishwa tayari, na kuifanya iwe rahisi kwa watumiaji wa mwisho. Kwa kuongezea, kuna miwani maalum ya AR ambayo huonyesha vitu vya kawaida mbele ya macho ya mtumiaji. Katika kisa hiki, ulimwengu wa nje unabaki kuwa unaonekana. Mfano maarufu wa hali halisi ya kuongezeka ni mchezo wa Pokémon Go, ambayo inapatikana kama programu ya iOS na Apple. Ni moja ya michezo maarufu zaidi kwa vifaa vya rununu na, na mapato zaidi ya euro bilioni moja, ni mchezo wa mafanikio zaidi wa AR hadi sasa. Katika Pokémon Go, kifaa cha rununu huonyesha takwimu za dijiti (Pokémons) katika ulimwengu halisi na hivyo kupanua ukweli. Ukweli ulioongezwa pia umepata njia katika maisha yetu kwenye media ya kijamii: kwa kutumia vichungi, watumiaji huongeza picha zao au video na vitu vya kawaida kama kofia, miwani ya jua, au hata vipodozi, kwa mfano. Virtual Reality (VR) ni hali ya kweli ya virtual, ambayo inatoa mazingira ya 360 ° yaliyotokana na kompyuta. Watumiaji ni kabisa kuzamishwa katika ulimwengu virtual na kuingiliana na hilo wakati ulimwengu halisi kutoweka. Tofauti na hali halisi iliyoongezwa, vifaa maalum vinahitajika kwa XR hii au teknolojia ya hali halisi iliyoongezwa. Kwa headset ya hali halisi, watumiaji huona ulimwengu wa kawaida kwa macho, wakati ulimwengu halisi unapotea kabisa na unabaki kufichwa wakati wa matumizi. Shukrani kwa mfumo uliofungwa, kiwango cha kuzamishwa ni cha juu sana na inaruhusu mtumiaji kuzamisha kabisa katika ulimwengu wa kawaida. Kwa ujumla, vifaa hivi huhitaji kuunganishwa na kompyuta. Mfano unaojulikana zaidi wa vichwa vya sauti vya VR ni Oculus Rift. Video ifuatayo hutoa muhtasari mzuri wa tofauti kati ya hali halisi na kuongezeka. "Mixed Reality: A New and Complex Reality (MR): ""Mixed Reality"" ni mchanganyiko wa VR na AR." Katika kesi hii, ni teknolojia ya kisasa na tata zaidi ya kuzamisha. Aina hii ya hali halisi iliyoongezwa inaunganisha ulimwengu halisi na mazingira ya kawaida na kuunda muktadha mpya. Mtumiaji huingiliana na mazingira halisi na ya kawaida kwa wakati mmoja, na vitu vya kimwili katika ulimwengu halisi huathiri vipengele vya dijiti. Matumizi ya teknolojia hii inahitaji headset MR na hasa nguvu ya juu ya processor. HoloLens ni kifaa cha hali halisi cha Microsoft, kilichotengenezwa mnamo 2015. Miwani hii inaonyesha vitu vya 3D karibu na mtumiaji kupitia kuonyesha wazi. Maonyesho ya vifaa ina sensorer jumuishi, wasemaji, na processor yake mwenyewe. Hakuna kitu kingine kinachohitajika kwa ajili ya matumizi. Matumizi ya Extended Reality Soko la hali halisi iliyoongezwa linaendelea kukua. Kwa sasa, sekta ya burudani ni waanzilishi kuu na ni kuwekeza katika maendeleo na upanuzi wa teknolojia. Hata hivyo, XR na mbalimbali yake ya uwezekano wa maombi pia ni kupata umuhimu katika sekta nyingine, kama vile dawa, kijeshi, viwanda, na utalii. 1. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Sekta ya Burudani: Kutoka Michezo ya Video hadi Matukio Katika sekta ya burudani, uwanja wa kawaida wa matumizi ya hali halisi iliyoongezwa ni michezo ya video. Hii ni kwa sababu sekta hii iligundua faida za teknolojia ya VR mapema na kuifanya inapatikana kwa wateja wake. Hata hivyo, teknolojia mpya pia hutoa uwezekano usio na kikomo kwa ajili ya muziki au matukio ya michezo. Watu waliohusika wanaweza kuhudhuria matukio kutoka nyumbani na mahitaji machache zaidi ya uhusiano wa mtandao na, shukrani kwa hali halisi iliyoongezwa na mazingira ya virtual, uzoefu matukio haya kama kama walikuwa kweli katika ukumbi wa tamasha au ukumbi wa michezo. Kwa njia hiyo, waandaaji wa matukio wangeweza kuongeza kiasi cha tiketi zao kwa kiasi kikubwa. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Katika sekta hii, hali halisi iliyoongezwa inatoa faida kubwa kwa makampuni na wateja: wale wanaopendezwa na ghorofa au nyumba wanaweza kutembelea mali kwa urahisi kutoka nyumba zao, ambayo inawezesha kazi ya mawakala wa mali isiyohamishika na wamiliki. Kwa kuongezea, wakati wa kupanga ujenzi au ukarabati wa mali, teknolojia hii inaruhusu wasanifu na wabunifu kuifanya mawazo yao yaonekane. 3. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Biashara ya jadi na eCommerce Kutumia hali halisi iliyoongezwa, kampuni zinaweza kuruhusu wateja wa uwezekano kujaribu bidhaa zao kabla ya kuzinunua. Teknolojia immersive kuleta thamani iliyoongezwa, hasa kwa maduka digital. Wakati wa ununuzi mtandaoni, mteja kwa kawaida hana uwezekano wa kuona bidhaa moja kwa moja au kugusa kabla ya kumaliza ununuzi. Shukrani kwa XR, sasa ni angalau inawezekana kuona bidhaa katika toleo lake virtual. 4. Uwe na uhakika Mafunzo: Uigizaji wa Hali za Hatari Vikosi vya Silaha, wafanyakazi wa kitiba, marubani, au wanaanga: vikundi vingi vya kitaaluma haiwezi kuzoezwa katika hali za hatari bila kuhatarisha watu wengine. Kwa kutumia teknolojia ya XR, watakuwa na uwezekano wa uzoefu hali kama hizo katika mazingira salama ili kufanya mazoezi ya tabia yao na kujiandaa vya kutosha. Kwa mfano, katika hali ya sasa, matumizi ya hali halisi ya kuongezeka ni sehemu ya maisha yetu ya kila siku, kama vile programu ya Pokémon Go au filters zinazotumiwa katika mitandao ya kijamii. Matumizi ya hali halisi ya virtual yanaendelea hasa katika uwanja wa michezo ya video, ingawa mahitaji ya kiufundi bado ni kizuizi kwenye njia ya mafanikio. Matumizi ya hali halisi mchanganyiko, kwa upande mwingine, ni zaidi ya mdogo kwa biashara. Kwa ajili ya aina zote zilizotajwa hapo juu za hali halisi iliyoongezwa kupata nafasi yao katika maisha ya kila siku, changamoto kadhaa bado zinahitaji kushindwa. Hii inahusiana na gharama kubwa za maendeleo ya teknolojia ya msingi na vifaa vinavyohitajika kuitumia (vichwa vya VR, glasi, simu mahiri, kompyuta). Hata hivyo, baada ya muda, bila shaka uvumbuzi katika uwanja huo utafanya iwezekane kwa mtu yeyote. Ukweli ulioongezwa ni neno la jumla. Inatia ndani hali halisi ya virtual, hali halisi iliyoongezwa, na hali halisi iliyochanganywa, na mahusiano kati yao. Uhalisi halisi huingiza watumiaji katika mazingira ya dijiti ya bandia kabisa wakati hali halisi iliyoongezwa inaweka vitu vya kawaida katika mazingira ya ulimwengu halisi. Na, hali halisi mchanganyiko si tu superimposes lakini pia anchors vitu virtual kwa ulimwengu halisi, ambayo ni maingiliano. XR ni ahadi ya siku zijazo za teknolojia immersive. Kadiri teknolojia hizi na soko zinavyokomaa, itakuwa rahisi kuzipata, kuhamia kutoka moja hadi nyingine na kuzichanganya, kwani zitaishia kuungana katika moja ambayo hatuwezi kutofautisha, na ambayo labda tutapata kutoka kwa kifaa kimoja.