What is Augmented reality?
Augmented reality (AR) adds digital elements to a live view often by using the camera on a smartphone. By the very name it arguments or enhances the present reality.Examples of augmented reality experiences include Snapchat lenses and the game Pokemon Go.
What is virtual reality?
Virtual reality (VR) implies a complete immersion experience that shuts out the physical world.
Using VR devices such as HTC Vive, Oculus Rift or Google Cardboard, users can be transported into a number of real-world and imagined environments such as the middle of a Antartica or even the back of a dragon.
What are the applications?
Due to its advantages such as — combination of real and virtual worlds, real-time interaction and accurate three-dimensional registration of virtual and real objects-it has found application in various and almost every sector such as gaming, Space, industrial applications,Maps, etc. For example-In Medical field, there is applications of VR and AR in surgical training, physical therapy and rehabilitation has huge scope and offers immense benefits.
Virtual Reality has enabled students of medicine to have the ability of practising complex surgeries without stepping into the operating room.
Also, Augmented Reality can produce a 3D representation of a patient's anatomy that allows surgeons to map out the surgery ahead of time while acting as an adjunct to radio-graphical imaging.
In physical rehabilitation, a variety of applications have been developed, mainly for balance and gait training in Parkinson’s Disease.
What are other types of realities?
In a Mixed Reality (MR) experience, which combines elements of both AR and VR, real-world and digital objects interact. For example-Microsoft's HoloLens
Extended Reality (XR) is an umbrella term that covers all of the various technologies that enhance our senses, whether they’re providing additional information about the actual world or creating totally unreal, simulated worlds for us to experience. It includes Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR) technologies.