The digital economy has been improving impressively from virtual and augmented reality. We are in a world where we are more digitally inclined and bringing virtual reality and augmented reality will close the gap between the physical and digital world. A lot of people still do not know the potentials of augmented reality, they still see it a technology for gaming, entertainment and technology gimmicks.
Virtual reality and augmented reality often is confused for one another, maybe because of the reality behind it (You know, the reality can be confusing) but let me quickly differentiate the both.
Virtual reality is a computer generated replacement/simulation of an environment. It changes your entire real environment into a digital world designed to fill your senses. It makes you feel you are somewhere else even when you haven’t left your physical environment. You can call it mental teleportation.
“Virtual” being something in effect, though not in actually or in fact (15th century) – Douglas Harper Etymology Dictionary.
Augmented reality is a different mix from virtual reality; instead of transforming your entire environment, it enhances your real world with computer generated reality. If you have used snapchat lens face filter, then you have used primitive concept of augmented reality.
Mixed Reality is anchored to look like the real world although has more like an augmented reality.
The generation
Robert Scoble and Shel Israel described the world of AR and VR as the beginning of the 4th transformation
1st Transformation
Computer running on text based systems
This was the computer user interface for portable computers enabling humans to compute difficult arithmetic problem. This was the first transformation that has led to other transformation.
2nd Transformation
Computers running on graphical user Interface.
This made computer become easy to use and lead to a commercial production of computers in homes since people could use a computer that had good graphics. With the graphical user interface (GUI), computers users where able to communicate with the system through symbols, pictures and visual characters.
3rd Transformation
Mobile computing
The transmission of data and voices via mobile devices created an era where people could have access to data over a network using a mobile device giving rise to connectivity, social engagement with the emergence of social media platforms and access to personal data on a personal device.
4th Transformation
Artificial Reality and augmented reality
Currently, Augmented and virtual reality is being used for entertainment and gaming but in the future, there are more to the both. Imagine waking up and having your augmented reality lenses show the weather on one side, the time the sun will set on another side. You will be able to check out movies showing in the cinema using an AR glass as well as check details about a house for sale or rent. The ability to get every detail on your glass without distorting your real world view
shutterstock/Gorodenkoff
The 4th transformation is going to reach its peak when hardware, applications, IoT (Internet of Things) and 5G network. There need to be AR Smart glasses ready to display properly as well as have a good field of view. The glasses needs to be lighter so as not to overweigh consumers. Software that could work better than the Microsoft hololens (The lens is doing well).
Augmented reality is trying to put all the worlds information right in front of our eyes but it I yet to reach its potential.