Extended Reality Explained

The pandemic era introduced most of us to a novel way of life, one straddling between virtual and physical realms. From working remotely to ordering online and receiving goods right at our doorsteps, everyone has made digital adjustments to our daily routines, which remain with us to this very day.

In many ways, it’s inevitable — and there’s no going back to the pre-pandemic status quo. Digital experiences, products, and services will remain a key priority for both consumers and providers moving forward.

This development has been hastened by the emergence of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) — all of which, when combined, form what is called extended reality (XR).

Extended reality is fast becoming an indispensable weapon in the modern-day business environment — and an in-demand technology helping companies across industries to improve their digital experiences.

What is extended reality (XR)?

Extended reality, often referred to as XR, is an umbrella term for any singular or combination of technology that alters reality by adding digital accouterments to physical environments or by creating an entirely new virtual environment. This may include technology such as augmented reality, mixed reality, and/or virtual reality.

Basically, any new technology that bridges the physical plane with the virtual will fall under XR. 

What’s the difference between XR, VR, MR, and AR?

The discussed types of realities are some of the most prominent technologies that fall under the umbrella category of XR. Let’s take a look at what distinguishes each of these three technologies from each other.

Virtual 

Virtual reality is a 3D visual environment generated by computers. Users may be partially or fully immersed in simulated virtual realities through tools like headsets and haptic touch devices. VR can generate realistic, lifelike sensory elements within a virtual world.

Augmented

This type, as the name implies, augments the real world by overlaying images onto it. Examples of AR technology at work include Instagram and TikTok filters as well as AR-based video games like Pokémon Go.

Mixed 

Mixed reality intersects the gap between AR and VR, blending real and virtual elements that interact in real time to create complex environments.

Extended 

It contains VR, AR, and MR, including current and future immersive technologies that extend our perception of reality by blending visual and real-world elements. Other technologies that may be categorized as XR include artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). XR covers the entirety of virtual and physical worlds.

What are the benefits of XR?

XR offers a host of benefits, particularly when it comes to enhancing digital experiences, such as:

1. Enhanced learning experiences
   
   XR helps improve learning experiences and knowledge retention by enabling direct interaction and hands-on learning experiences. Users can more easily grasp concepts through interacting with virtual objects and immersive experiential learning scenarios.
2. Efficient training and development
   
   The immersive environments of XR offer more realistic training scenarios, interactive educational materials, and a more stimulating training and development experience. 
3. Enabling remote work and collaboration
   
   XR supports remote work and collaboration through virtual meetings and productivity tools that help improve output, save on travel costs, and foster greater cooperation across organizations. 
4. Facilitating novel entertainment experiences
   
   Virtual reality events are trending, with multiple artists diving into virtual worlds by running concerts and art exhibits using a variety of XR platforms in 2021. In the future, we can expect more virtual conferences, meetups, and concerts in fully virtual environments.

Other XR use cases

More and more organizations are leveraging XR to extend valuable customer and user experiences across industries. Here are some examples:

1. Marketing
   
   Brands can tap into the new frontier of virtual worlds, offering new marketing and advertising paradigms to engage new audiences.
2. Real estate
   
   Real estate professionals can use XR to organize virtual tours for potential buyers and tenants. At the same time, architects and civil engineers can use the technology to present designs, and construction plans, and create realistic virtual models.
3. Crypto and blockchain projects
   
   XR may be well-backed by the blockchain technology and become more secure than it could ever be. Implementing cryptocurrency into XR could attract more attention to the technology, allowing users not to only discover the virtual reality, but also make some money.
4. Healthcare
   
   XR technology can help healthcare professionals provide more accurate diagnoses and analyses, besides providing immersive training environments for aspiring professionals.
5. Tourism
   
   Companies in the tourism industry can offer virtual tours of travel destinations to give customers a sneak preview before committing to buy tickets or make reservations in a particular area.
6. Manufacturing
   
   XR tech can help companies in the manufacturing sector develop more efficient processes, enhance safety protocols, and provide effective training plans.

The future of XR 

XR technology is the next great frontier for industries—but it isn’t without its hurdles to mainstream adoption. For instance, XR technology relies on harvesting massive amounts of very granular, personally identifiable information from users—including habits and emotions—all of which need to be protected.

XR technologies also tend to be expensive to implement, restricting it to corporations or organizations with the budget capable of leveraging the technology.

Nevertheless, the future looks bright for XR. Every passing day brings us one step closer to overcoming the gaps and expanding to greater mainstream adoption of novel XR technologies in the coming decades.