Virtual Reality vs Augmented Reality: The Difference

HASMIT RAJPUT
HelixTech
Published in
3 min readApr 27, 2019

A lot of transformative technologies keep coming and revolutionized our lifestyle and change our daily routine. With such promises, we can see that Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are holding the power to change the future of experiencing the world. They are definitely going to change the way we look at the world. For many people, both terms might be confusing and they even consider this two-term as same. These technologies are replacing many of the existing means of entertainment so it is the most basic requirement that we should be able to distinguish them.

Augmented Reality (AR)

Think about a business card where you can pop out of card to greet your user. So augmented reality is basically a way through which we can add new digital elements in reality via our smartphones. It can be defined as, “ an enhanced version of reality created by the use of technology to add digital information on an image of something. ”

Augmented Reality basically is the result of technology developed in apps, usually for mobile devices. AR tend to utilize camera from smartphones to pop out digital content on the real world. Pokemon Go mobile game utilized this capability of augmented reality to make this fantasy game happen in the real world. The gaming industry has been using this technology as a front runner. While the retail industry is trying to catch up with them to be the pioneer of this technology. Making an interactive map and navigation system is also one of the most talked applications. Last year in Google IO 2018, they announced the use of augmented reality in google maps to make navigation a fun activity with the help of a character that will help you navigate the street.

Virtual Reality (VR)

Virtual Reality is a recreation of real-world experience in the digital environment with complete immersion that shuts out the physical world. When you view Virtual Reality, you are viewing a completely different reality. Extending on the example of office card in virtual reality you can take them on tour of your office by not taking them physically to your office. With virtual reality, you can move around and look in every direction as if you were physically there.

Photo by Samuel Zeller on Unsplash

You can view virtual reality through a special VR viewer, such as Oculus Rift. Other virtual reality viewers use your phones and virtual reality apps, such as Google Cardboard. Using virtual reality apps, you can explore places where you have never been, such as the surface of Mars, or the top Mount Everest, or areas under the sea. Virtual Reality is also transforming the world of healthcare which helps young students and doctors performed surgeries that are performed rarely. It can also be used to tell a story about a particular location and historical facts about the same location. This will make the learning of historical facts where immersive as kids will feel like they were actually present in that point of time. Facts will stay with them forever. Similar to an app created by Helix Tech for TimeLooper.

Verdict

Perhaps both of the technologies have their own applications in the real world. They can’t be compared on a linear basis on which one is superior. Each of them has their own ability to have add value to a business.

Looking for a consultation on which technology you should be using for your entrepreneurship venture.

Still Confused? or Got an Idea and Need validation.

Book a 30-minute free consultation with us and learn about our development process

Shoot an Email at startup@helixtech.co

Reach us at +919823245881

Skype ID: /helixtech7

--

--

HASMIT RAJPUT
HelixTech

Currently working as a Digital Marketing intern at Helix Tech.