AR & VR — The Cutting Edge Technologies Of Today
Technology has been changing our lives in many wonderful ways. Today, with just one tap on your mobile phones or laptops, you can connect with your dear ones who might be sitting continents apart. Be it messaging, calling or face timing, technology has made all of our lives easier. And in the years ahead, we’ll probably be able to see and feel people as if they’re sitting right next to us, even if they’re thousands of kilometers away.
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality(VR) — two terms that until few years were mere concepts being showcased at tech events, are all geared up to turn such desires into reality. These twin technologies are taking the platform to another level letting you experience things in virtual, that is extremely close to reality.
What Are These Technologies Exactly?
Imagine, you are at your home and want to play a game. You start a driving game and contrary to what everyone uses i.e., a controller, you control the steering wheel of your gaming car by just moving your hands in the air. Or how about you enjoying a live Coldplay concert with your friends right from your home, sitting in your comfortable couch instead of waiting in a long queue only to have people trample you over in their excitement.
Very convenient, right? This is what Virtual reality, or VR, is about.
VR, basically, is a three-dimensional computer-generated environment that can be explored and interacted with by a person. The person becomes a part of the virtual world, gets immersed within the environment and is able to perform a series of actions or manipulate the objects. Through head-mounted displays, data gloves or wand, it makes you think you are actually living inside a completely believable virtual world where not just you respond to what you see but what you see also responds to you.
Augmented Reality, on the other hand, is the technology that expands our physical world by adding layers of digital information to it. It, unlike VR, doesn’t create a whole new artificial world, but only adds digital elements to the existing environment. The biggest example of this technology is the famous AR mobile game, Pokémon GO, that requires capturing virtual creatures called Pokémon which appear as if they’re in a real-world location. The face filters you see on Instagram and Snapchat is also because of the use of AR technology. How about the next advancement in AR lets you dynamically interact with different characters of Game of Thrones or have your feet tapping with the dancers of La La Land. It seems surreal, right? But these aren’t far-fetched possibilities given the pace AR technology is developing at.
Applications of AR and V
Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, said -
“I do think that a significant portion of the population of developed countries, and eventually all countries, will have AR experiences every day, almost like eating three meals a day. It will become that much a part of you.”
And could he had been more right? Look around, the impact these immersive technologies are creating is altering the perception of the world. You will find different industries adopting them one way or another. They are evolving the course of gaming, media, and communication. And this is not where it ends, but it’s a start. Let’s dive into the industries where these technologies are making a spot.
1. Gaming
How many of you instantly think about gaming on hearing the names of these amazing technologies?
In the year 2000, ARQuake, the first unfamous Augmented Reality game was launched that required players to wear head-mounted displays along with a backpack containing wearable computers and gyroscopes. Cut to 2016, when Pokémon GO got launched and it put the AR on the mainstream map, not forgetting that it only needs a smartphone with an unlimited data plan and GPS services. Since then, AR is getting a lot of attention in the gaming field with gaming companies offering services that enhance the gaming experience. Exciting times for the gamers, right?
Also, any Harry Potter fans here? We have good news for you guys. Very recently, in June 2019, Niantic and Warner Bros Games San Francisco launched an AR game for Harry Potter fans called Harry Potter: Wizards Unite where you could learn and use spells, charms, hexes, and potions. Isn’t this a childhood dream come true?
Talking about Virtual Reality in a gaming environment, it makes you experience a rather new level of interaction. With an immersive experience, players can not only observe the game environment but can also control and modify it wearing VR gaming hardware. The boundaries of VR are extending further and new genres are being introduced. The most popular one is the VR shooter games. VR racing, horror, adventure, city-building, casinos, and gambling, etc. are the other ones that are liked by the users.
Source: thinkmobiles
2. Healthcare and medical training
- VR in relaxation and meditation
Virtual reality has proved to be a successful tool in the healthcare industry. For starters, it helps in calming and relaxing your body. Various apps, using VR technology have made the meditation visual and more engaging by using just a VR headset.
- VR therapies
Have you ever heard about Virtual reality therapy? It’s a distraction technique used to help patients of all ages cope with pain on a level that goes beyond simple distraction resulting from watching TV or reading a book. It does not just heal acute pains from burns, wounds, childbirth, and surgeries, but chronic pain also. The patients who are suffering from dementia or hallucinating, are also getting help with VR reconnecting them to reality temporarily.
- VR in pediatric care
Medical treatments get very stressful, especially for children. Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Stanford, California has launched the largest virtual reality program called Childhood Anxiety Reduction through Innovation and Technology- CHARIOT that makes the best use of technology by handing over VR gaming devices to children when they are undergoing surgeries in an effort to engage and distract them reducing the level of stress and anxiety.
- AR in medical training
When it comes to Augmented Reality in healthcare, medical students are getting the maximum benefit. Students can analyze clinical cases and practice with them by applying different diagnostics and treatment techniques. The teaching techniques have improved. For example, there’s an AR anatomy teaching tool that lets the wearers examine a 3D representation of the human body navigating through every layer of the body part to make students understand how it works.
- AR in surgeries
Even surgeons are getting help from AR technology. A company called Augmedics has come out with an AR head-mounted display device called Xvision that lets surgeons see through the skin and tissues of the patient. It creates 2D and 3D images of the patient’s anatomy onto the surgeon’s retina in real-time reducing the risk of complications and succeeding even in complex cases.
Source: orthoworld
