Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, though still fairly new to the market, both have a bright future ahead of them. While VR and AR do seem like one in the same, there are many differences between the two. Virtual Reality fully immerses the user into a 360 degree, 3D realm, taking them into a completely new reality. Currently, many of the devices on the market, such as the Samsung Gear and Oculus Rift, utilize a head strap which allows the device to be hands free. However, there are some devices including the Google Cardboard and Mattel’s View-Master that require the device to be held to one’s face for use. In the future, VR will have several beneficial and life changing applications including: simulation for space travel, aircraft flight, parachuting, driving, and medical practices; as well as applications in the entertainment industry for games, amusement park rides, and movies.
Augmented Reality, on the other hand, imposes 3D graphics onto the user’s current view of the actual environment. Most AR products are considered “wearables,” coming in the form of glasses that allow users to remain engaged in the real world, while still being able to experience the information AR has to offer. AR’s growth is expected to be most prominent in three areas: tourism, retail and healthcare. The tourism industry will utilize AR for sightseeing and museum visits; whereas retail applications will be more focused on consumers being able to have product reviews at the point of purchase. The healthcare industry will be exploring applications like providing anatomical images of X-Ray and MRI scans pre-surgery. VR and AR are the latest and greatest technologies that everyone wants to find applications for to improve their lives and businesses; and it’s estimated that by 2020 AR and VR could hit $150 billion in revenue.
Below is the infographic by Value Coders:
