Today the concepts of virtual and augmented reality are common and familiar to many users. With the help of artificial intelligence (you can read more about it at Britannica), interactive worlds are created where ordinary human life is shaped with varying degrees of similarity. Feelings are transmitted to the user through their senses. First, vision, hearing, and touch are used for this purpose. In some cases, even smells can be involved. Thanks to this technology, people can do the most unpredictable and ordinary things at the same time:
- Search for Pokémon in their city.
- Try on a dress online.
- Participate in a battle of fantasy characters and even become a pilot of an aircraft.
In this article, together with iGaiming expert Max Bet, we will try to understand how VR and AR work and the areas of life where they can be applied.
Operating Principles Of Virtual Reality
Virtual reality is entirely computer-generated. The peak of the popularity of this technology dates back to 2018. It is believed that this was when people began to actively adopt devices used in virtual reality – special goggles and helmets. This headset is connected to a computer, smartphone, or game console. There are one or two displays inside it where a particular picture is displayed. Traditionally, the viewing angle is about 100 degrees. This is enough to eliminate the screen effect and fully immerse the user in an unusual artificial world.
Such technologies as gaze focusing, foreground or background blurring, and picture movement after human eyes are introduced to enhance the effect of presence. It is worth noting that such features are not present in all existing models but only in the best VR goggles. Another important technology that is used during their work is tracking. It comes in two varieties.
| Internal | The sensors and wide-angle cameras with backlighting are located directly on the helmet and record the position of the body and surrounding objects. The main motion-sensing devices are the gyroscope and accelerometer. One of the main drawbacks of this method is that it can be inaccurate. The system does not always recognize hands behind your back or crossed legs. The problem is solved by the controllers that the user holds in his hands. Not only do they capture the movements but they also help control the inventory. |
| External | In the room, special sensors are placed opposite each other on tripods or other high surfaces that short-circuit the playing space. With the help of high-frequency flickers, they constantly monitor the slightest changes in the position of the player’s body and transmit the data to the computer to correct the picture on the display. The method is as accurate and effective as possible. |
Thanks to these methods, users can spend their time in virtual reality games most interestingly and excitingly possible. Today we know a lot of exciting entertainment products that can be used with virtual reality goggles. The most popular of them include:
- Star Wars: Squadrons;
- Elite: Dangerous;
- Assetto Corsa;
- Star Trek: Bridge Crew;
- Keep Talking, and Nobody Explodes.
It is possible to enjoy games not only in virtual reality mode. An excellent method is the use of gambling entertainment in online casinos. This pastime option will appeal to those who want to take a break from daily routines and earn money. Finding the perfect place to spin the reels is possible by using SlotsUp. This is a unique platform where you can find an explanation of slots hit frequency and a list of the best virtual casinos. Users can learn all the latest information about the best software providers and test their luck by playing demo versions of slots.
What Is Augmented Reality
Previously, games virtual reality enjoyed the highest demand among users, but the situation has changed slightly after the active expansion of AR technology. Augmented reality superimposes a graphic image on the real one, creating a single plane users see on their screen. All the fans of social networks are familiar with this technology. Different masks are superimposed on the person’s face. Thus, users can create unique and exciting content. The principle of augmented reality in games and other areas is based on neural network training. It learns to recognize objects and markers of reality and record the location.
Today, this technology is actively used by many users. For example, people can use a cell phone to measure distances without a measuring tape or see a real-time star map. And all these things are more straightforward than they may seem at first glance.
VR And AR: Similarities And Differences
Virtual reality and augmented reality are two different trends in the IT industry with obvious distinctions in their application fields and different accessibility for users. However, there are certain similarities between them. They:
- are created based on similar technologies;
- serve the same purposes;
- are the result of the development of IT technologies and are improving in parallel;
- have great potential for breakthroughs in science, medicine, industry, and other areas.
The differences in these technologies are much more significant. Virtual reality creates a world without borders because the user is completely immersed in a fictional space with VR goggles, which blocks the accurate perception of life. AR has graphics superimposed on the accurate picture. The first technology requires special helmets and even entire rooms equipped with specific hardware, while the second requires mobile devices.
Areas Where Virtual And Augmented Realities Are Used
Today, these technologies are actively used in various fields of human life. For example, augmented reality and art represent one of the most compelling examples. Users can visit museums with an AR guide, enjoy unique paintings and installations, and learn more helpful information than when looking at an object in a usual way. In addition, augmented and virtual realities can be actively used in education, medicine (you can read more about this here), science, and engineering. One could say that their scope of application is virtually limitless.