What are immersive technologies (AR, VR, MR, XR, metavers)?

These technologies are not new and have evolved a lot since their appearance, whether it is software or hardware, and especially virtual reality headsets. As the 21st century progresses, immersive technologies are both more and more numerous and more advanced.

Thus, we will try to understand each immersive technology in this article, from augmented reality to metaversthe trendy term of the moment. Their multiple uses in different sectors, such as video games, tourism, retail, social networks and many others participate in their democratization, showing the impact of virtual reality on society and making us more familiar with it.

The stakes around these technologies are not only financial, because if we are submerged by the metaverse wave lately, it is also socially that they could prove to be a real leap forward. Indeed, the global pandemic and the various confinements have re-launched the debate around remote work and connectivity between individuals. And if our reality has its own limits, the digital reality, that is to say the one created by Man, could bring another dimension.

But what are immersive technologies and what are they (AR, VR, MR, XR, metavers)

What is Extended Reality(XR )

To fully understand all these technologies, we must first look at the virtuality continuum, developed in January 1994 by Paul Milgram, Haruo Takemura, Akira Utsumi and Fumio Kishino. This continuum is the boundary between virtuality (virtual environment) and reality (real environment). Thus, it encompasses all possible variations and compositions of real and virtual objects. This continuum is now part of a larger framework: the extended reality. It is a superset which includes the whole spectrum from the complete real to the complete virtual. It therefore covers the various immersive technologies: augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, but also the metaverse.

What isAugmented Reality?

Augmented reality is a technology that allows to integrate virtual elements in 3D (in real time) within a real environment. The principle is to combine the virtual and the real and give the illusion of a perfect integration to the user. The augmented reality perceived through AR glasses is rather called mixed reality, which we will see below.

Our Instore Activation application uses this technology. It allows, through his smartphone, to project a realistic visualization of concepts and design proposals (virtual object) directly in the point of sale of a customer (real place).

What is VirtualReality ?

Virtual reality is a technology that allows you tobe immersed in a virtual environment created from scratch in 3D, or from real 360° shots. To be immersed, you can use a virtual reality headset or a smartphone equipped with a VR adapter like a cardboard. Thus, you can turn your head 360° around you, move in space and interact with the environment through controllers.

Our Retail Staging application allows you to immerse yourself in these two types of virtual environments:

• digital twins: this is simply a digital replica of an element, whether it is an object, a place, or a process. It is the equivalent of Google Street View.
• virtually reconstructed shopping environments: a 3D environment is created from scratch.

There are several ways to move within these environments:

• on a smartphone or tablet
• on a PC
• with a VR headset and controllers

What is Mixed Reality?

Mixed reality is a term that designates the devices of visualizations of 3D content through a dedicated support (helmet or glasses). By definition, this term is a mix between augmented reality and virtual reality. To experience MR, you will need an Augmented Reality headset. With these devices, the user's position is calculated in real time and it is possible to physically interact with the virtual elements through gestures or joysticks.

What is theMetaverse ?

For some time now, it's the new king of the party. The craze has increased with the change of name of Facebook and the positioning of the different web giants like Microsoft, Epic Games, Apple and therefore Meta (ex-Facebook).

The notion of metaverse appeared in 1992 with the novel Snow Crash, written by Neal Stephenson. His vision is based on the way the Internet could evolve by relying on virtual reality.

It combines the prefix "meta" (meaning "beyond") and "universe" which refers to virtual space. This term represents a fictitious virtual world created artificially by a computer program. This parallel world would allow users to move, interact socially and sometimes economically, in the form of an avatar.

To understand the metaverse, we need to look at different games that approach it. In 2003, the game Second Life was one of the precursors of the genre. It allowed to embody virtual characters in a world created by the residents themselves. Nowadays, the video games Fortnite and Roblox are the leaders of this genre. They have made it possible to follow virtual concerts of Travis Scott, Ariana Grande or Zara Larsson, through his avatar.

What future for immersion?

To understand the stakes around immersive technologies and more particularly the metaverse, one must see the interest brought by the various actors of the field. Already in strong growth for a few years, the sector has become more dynamic with the craze generated by this virtual universe. GAFAM and other web giants are investing massively to develop it and take advantage of it.

The next step of immersion is in the use of virtual or augmented reality headset or glasses in everyday life. Indeed, this would allow to mix virtual and real. On the other side, Meta's video gives a glimpse of what the metaverse could allow.

We are entering a new chapter!

If you want to offer an immersive experience, contact us now! We can help you with augmented reality, virtual reality or metavers. We are the recognized specialists in 3D applied to retail!

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