XR stands for eXtended Reality. It's an umbrella term encompassing all real-and-virtual combined environments and human-machine interactions generated by computer technology and wearables.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
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What it Encompasses: XR includes technologies like:
- Virtual Reality (VR): A fully immersive digital environment that replaces the real world. Users typically wear a headset to experience VR.
- Augmented Reality (AR): Overlays digital information and graphics onto the real world. Examples include smartphone apps that add digital elements to your camera view or smart glasses that display information.
- Mixed Reality (MR): Combines elements of both VR and AR, allowing digital objects to interact with the real world. MR experiences can range from simple applications where virtual objects appear in your real-world environment to more complex scenarios where users can manipulate and interact with those objects.
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The Purpose of XR: XR technologies aim to enhance or replace our perception of reality, offering new ways to interact with information, entertainment, and each other.
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Spatial Computing: The concept of spatial computing is closely related to XR. Spatial computing focuses on understanding and interacting with the physical world using digital information. XR is often used to realize spatial computing applications.
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Examples of XR Applications:
- Gaming and Entertainment: Immersive VR games and AR apps that enhance real-world experiences.
- Education and Training: VR simulations for training in hazardous environments or complex procedures. AR overlays for interactive learning in classrooms.
- Healthcare: VR for pain management, rehabilitation, and surgical training. AR for assisting surgeons during procedures.
- Manufacturing and Engineering: AR for visualizing designs, assisting with assembly, and performing remote maintenance.
- Retail and Marketing: AR apps that allow customers to virtually try on clothes or see furniture in their homes before buying.
In summary, XR is a broad term that covers the spectrum of technologies blending the physical and digital worlds, aiming to create more immersive and interactive experiences.
