Mixed reality: applications for the immediate future

This new technology, in which the interactivity of virtual reality and the visual power of augmented reality are mixed, it is being introduced with increasing force into the market. In this article, Virtual Bird explains what this technique consists of and the wide range of sectors in which it is being introduced.

Mixed reality is a trend that is getting stronger in the market every day, since it is a technique capable of adopting virtual environments with the physical world in real time. What allows, mainly, It is the possibility of interacting with objects and/or people, both real and virtual.. A concept of virtual reality and augmented reality combined, with which a large part of the existing limitations in these technologies are eliminated and increases the possibilities considerably. Mixed reality promises to influence the future more than we imagine.

This new technology is a space in which the interactivity of virtual reality and the visual power of augmented reality are mixed..

“This mixture of forces allows us to fully enter a real environment, with the particularity of being able to interact with virtual components and depending on the need, you can go from combined environments to augmented environments or 100% virtual in a very natural way for the user. Virtual reality and augmented reality until recently were two large, separate worlds., but in the last year we have begun to see a convergence between both technologies, thanks to the strong support in the development of devices and platforms by Google, Microsoft, Samsung, Acer, HTC, Oculus, Unity…”, confirms Ari Lisjak, founder and CEO of Virtual Bird.

to understand, in general terms how it works, The system first scans the outside environment to introduce a real object or person into the virtual world., It is then recorded in real time and in three-dimensional images, and enter the virtual world, where the user can see it through a virtual reality viewer that has cameras on the front.

The information captured by the viewer camera will be the code with which the computer can generate the corresponding virtual images and place them in the virtual scene., depending on the position and rotation of the marks.

After this, The surface is analyzed and the device is enabled so that it can place the visual elements in the exact places. mixed reality, so, creates new spaces in which both real and virtual objects and people interact.

Within the concept of mixed reality, it can be based on a virtual environment where three-dimensional objects from real space scanned are incorporated into the environment., or the other way around; that is to say, have real environments where virtual elements are included, more similar to augmented reality.

Mixed reality is in the process of improving the experience of its two predecessors (VR/AR), since it includes some technical aspects such as the integration of elements, with greater precision and interaction with the user, and gesture recognition, allowing the user to both zoom in and out.

In the very near future we believe that there will be no difference between virtual and augmented reality devices., and it will just be a matter of choosing the type of experience you want to have. the same device, whether glasses or contact lenses, will project the desired reality.

Benefits and applications

Mixed reality also has the ability to adapt, that allows you to continue, advance and improve processes in different industries. Companies can offer interactive products to their customers, new catalogs or 3D replicas represented in reality. Sectors such as entertainment, turismo, medicine, architecture, manufacture, retail, education and many more already see the benefits in their products and services.

To delve deeper into the implications of mixed reality we can review an example within the field of education.. Mainly in improving students' learning methods, through simulations of tasks built virtually in a real environment.

Another sector in which mixed reality operates is entertainment., perhaps it is the discipline that is making the most progress, mainly due to the success that virtual and augmented reality systems are having. We already have great new movie releases that will be available in virtual reality version, like the remake of Top Gun 3D and VR.

Medicine is another field that is experiencing a very positive transformation as virtual elements can be displayed that help during a surgical intervention., training of nurses and doctors simulating medical cases, accidents, etc.

In design and architecture they also have a supporting hand in mixed reality., Because through it, virtual buildings or constructions can be projected onto a real scenario to verify different environmental parameters., of the terrain and the environment in general. It is also possible to view the interior finishes of the units, such as the types of floors., wall and cabinet colors, etc. Wouldn't it be a dream to be able to see the house we are going to build?, finished before starting?

Additionally, thanks to the new standard Web VR of browsers, you begin to have the possibility of viewing virtual reality content from the web; that is to say, without having a local application on the device. The latter, in conjunction with the large increase, in quantity and variety, of devices available on the market and the rapid reduction in their costs, will make virtual reality, increased and mixed is within reach of the masses in the short term.

Finally, communications can be more fluid, because mixed reality allows elements such as simultaneous translations. This will help make remote work increasingly lighter and more popular., In addition, there will be tools developed for this purpose very soon and it will be possible to interact more easily around the world..