As if we didn’t have enough with real life, technology is making other types of realities available to us . So far there has been more talk about the virtual and the augmented , but the mixed one is also fighting for its place and its business.
But what exactly is mixed reality ? How is it different from augmented and virtual? What does it contribute over one and the other?
Mixed reality, the best of two worlds
Mixed reality is used as an independent concept from other reality technologies. As a stand-alone concept, mixed reality combines the best of virtual reality and augmented reality .
Mixed reality (sometimes called hybrid reality or MR) aims to combine the best aspects of virtual reality and augmented reality. It also refers to the entire spectrum of situations that encompass what lies between virtual reality and real reality. In this case, mixed reality can include augmented reality, augmented virtuality, and other mixed configurations.
But sometimes this term is also used to talk about the whole range of reality technologies , making room for all possible variations and compositions of real and virtual objects.
In any case, mixed reality, whether as a stand-alone concept or used to refer to the entire spectrum of situations between real reality (i.e. the real world) and virtual reality, tries to combine the best of virtual reality and augmented reality. When the real and virtual worlds merge, new environments and visualizations become possible where physical and digital objects can co-exist and interact in real time.
The virtual is winning the battle
It should be remembered that virtual reality is the umbrella term for all immersive experiences . To do this, content can be created using aspects of the real world , purely synthetic content, or a mix of both.
It is probably where the industry is investing the most at the moment. Content display hardware is wide and varied: from sophisticated lenses to other more modest designs that each user can build at home. In addition, in recent times, cameras that allow the creation of this type of content are also beginning to appear on the market.
On many occasions, virtual reality can be confused with 360° video , since it is an immersive experience that uses pre-filmed content from the real world as its central axis. We could say that 360° video is a version of virtual reality created only with content from the real world.
Is mixed synonymous with increased?
Also, it should be noted that there is a current of opinion that considers that the term “mixed reality” seems to be fading away in favor of “augmented reality” . This is due to the fact that the focus on virtual reality has led to a poor distinction between these two types of realities. For this reason, they now come to be used interchangeably, and whenever that happens, one term will inevitably be favored over the other. Right now, augmented reality is winning the battle.
But virtual reality is actually an overlay of content on the real world . However, this content is not anchored or part of the real world, so they cannot interact with each other.
How mixed reality works
Instead, mixed reality is an overlay of synthetic content on the real world that is anchored and interacts with the real world image by overlaying virtual ultrasound images. The key feature of mixed reality is that synthetic content and real-world content are capable of reacting to each other in real time.
In mixed reality environments, users seamlessly navigate through real and virtual environments at the same time. Instead of residing in a completely virtual world (ie virtual reality), virtual objects are anchored in the user’s real space and augment their real environment, making virtual interactions seem “real.”
These interactions mimic our natural interaction behavior : they appear as larger objects as you get closer, and change perspectives as you move around an object.
Thus, the spectrum of Augmented Reality could cover several aspects, as shown in this graph.
This spectrum (ie the Mixed Reality Continuum) covers all possible variations and compositions of real and virtual objects. On the spectrum, starting from the far left, is the natural world where nothing is computer generated. The most correct point on the spectrum is the virtual environment where everything is computer generated.
Holography of reality
To enjoy this mixed reality it is also necessary to have adequate equipment . Among the hardware associated with mixed reality available today is the Lenovo Explorer .
These headsets are compatible with the technology being developed by Microsoft who, however, has avoided entering the debate on augmented or mixed reality and has chosen to introduce another term: “holographic computing”.
Computer-generated holography, or holographic computing, refers to the digital production and manipulation of holograms . Such holograms are printed on film or animated with a three-dimensional screen. Such screens use the same interference mechanism to display the hologram.
We need special glasses or films that can see and identify these holograms. These holograms have no physical existence, therefore conventional ways of interacting with a computer like clicking, tapping, swiping, etc. They make no sense. This computer uses user gestures and voice, that is, natural user interaction mechanisms.
Of all the realities we’ve talked about in this article, mixed reality seems the furthest from reality . However, it is not impossible to imagine a future where synthetic content can react and even interact with the real world in some way.
In fact, it is already being used in various fields, such as surgery and the military. It remains to be seen the development and continuity of all these projects and initiatives.
