Virtual Reality or Augmented Reality? Find out the difference here!

In today’s world, we frequently come across news and articles about two cutting-edge technologies, namely Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). While these are often associated with entertainment content, such as games and movies, their use cases actually extend far beyond that. To understand the possibilities each one brings, let’s dive into their concepts and analyze where they converge – and where they differ.

What is Virtual Reality?

Virtual Reality (VR) is a human-machine interface technology designed to recreate a sense of reality for an individual within a computer-generated fictitious environment. This immersion occurs in real-time using computational equipment like computers, VR headsets, and more. VR technology has been discussed and applied for quite some time. In the 1950s, the U.S. Air Force built simulators for tests, and in 1962, filmmaker and VR expert Morton Heilig invented what he called the Sensorama — a cabin combining 3D movies, sounds, mechanical vibrations, scents, and fans to immerse users convincingly in a motorcycle ride through Brooklyn.

As with many inventions, VR initially had military applications in the 1950s but has gained prominence today, becoming more accessible to the general public due to decreased equipment costs, such as VR glasses, and increased computational power to fuel these immersive experiences. Speaking of costs, VR glasses are a crucial component, with prices ranging from $200 (Oculus GO) to $500 (HTC Vive), or approximately R$ 5,000.00 in Brazil for the latter. Worthy of note is the Playstation VR, which plays a significant role in the entertainment industry, albeit at a relatively higher price of $359. It’s essential to consider that most VR glasses require a computer to generate and render the virtual environment’s images, and depend on powerful computers and GPUs (Graphic Processing Unit) to create a convincing experience.

Virtual Reality use cases in companies

Now that we’ve clarified involved concepts and hardware, let’s check some examples of how it can be used in the corporate environment:

1. Training: Safety training, for instance, where the learner first engages in a virtual and controlled environment before interacting with the real one, like a factory.
2. Proofs of Concept: Simulation of the ergonomics of a new car through the virtual simulation of its cockpit or interaction with a new product virtually.
3. Education: Universities use VR to deepen teachings in fields like medicine and engineering, making theory more tangible and aiding student content absorption.
4. Remote Maintenance: Industries utilize VR to enable a technician to remotely fix equipment, using a real operator as an interface.
5. Pain Treatment: Through partnerships with universities, companies can alleviate patient pain by diverting their focus with VR games during medical procedures.

What is Augmented Reality?

Augmented Reality (AR), as the name suggests, seeks to integrate virtual information with the “real” world that our eyes perceive. Slightly different from VR, AR does not create an entirely new world but adds elements to our existing one. The history of AR is relatively recent, with the first military applications dating back to 1992 with U.S. Air Force’s Armstrong laboratory’s Virtual Fixtures system.  used lenses and robotic arms to give the impression that the robot’s arms were the user’s.

In recent years, AR has gained popularity through gadgets like the Nintendo 3DS portable console, featuring AR games and cards, as well as in smartphones and tablets. A well-known example of this technology is the Pokémon GO phenomenon. Currently, AR works with surface recognition, such as QR codes, allowing cameras to capture height, depth, tilt, and various factors of the real environment. Advanced technologies don’t require such artifacts, recognizing real things like walls, corners, objects, and people, augmenting reality with real-time generated objects on the screen (or lens, in the case of AR glasses).

In terms of devices, several allow experiencing AR, such as:

1. Smartphones and Tablets: These devices, equipped with cameras to capture the real world, screens for AR visualization, and processors to generate it, are currently the most popular means of interacting with this technology.
2. Glasses and Lenses: A prime example is Google Glass, seemingly ordinary glasses that project AR information. A simple application would be Google Maps, where you can overlay the map with real streets on the glasses’ lenses.
3. HUD (Heads-Up Display): A technology used in fighter jets to project relevant information on the aircraft’s glass. Nowadays, it’s used in various car models to display information like speed, autonomy, GPS navigation, among others.

In terms of costs, AR is more flexible than VR, as any smartphone allows AR applications. AR glasses, like the Lenovo Mirage series, can be found for approximately $300 to $400.

Augmented Reality use cases in companies

Beyond entertainment, Augmented Reality is making its mark in the corporate environment, for example:

1. Video Conferences: Besides transmitting participants’ images, it can render 3D graphics and plans, enhancing content.
2. Interactive Catalogs: Products and parts capture the consumer’s attention. A simple paper catalog becomes an interactive one when the customer has a device or app capable of interacting with Augmented Reality.
3. Prototypes: Enables the visualization of prototypes in a real environment. For instance, projecting a 3D piece of furniture in a space or a virtual part in a vehicle’s compartment.

Closing thoughts: Virtual Reality vs. Augmented Reality

In terms of availability and cost, Augmented Reality is simpler, as it is already used in the vast majority of smartphones and tablets on the market, while Virtual Reality requires specific glasses and significant computational power. In terms of immersion, they have slightly different approaches. VR aims for a deeper immersion, while AR leverages the real world and inserts new elements and information.

Despite their differences, both complement each other, aiming to create an enriched (partially or entirely) reality. They are highly relevant technologies to be chosen based on the specific business scenario, considering the aspects of each.