VR or AR. What to choose?

Virtual reality invites a person to experience something new and to get unique experiences. You can become a spacecraft pilot, execute an operation or try a new hair color – without leaving your home. Artificial intelligence creates the world that imitates the real one. Which technology to choose?  

What are VR and AR?

VR stands for virtual reality built with the help of technology. Its visual imagery and context are limited only by imagination of a developer. Virtual reality participant is isolated from the world with the help of a headset or a helmet and controllers.   

AR stands for augmented reality, where the world the person sees is changed with the help of buildup of digital objects. Using the camera of your mobile phone or tablet, you can augment the real world with game characters or change your look with the help of masks and filters in a social network.    

Similarities and differences.

VR and AR realities are similar for a regular person. Both technologies visually change the world around you. Both work based on tracking – they track a person in a real and virtual world. 

Plunging into VR world, a person gets modeled experience. Interaction with the world around isn’t just limited, it’s fully changed because it’s isolated from reality. A person sees a completely different world, where objects and environment are replaced by digital models.      

When a person interacts with AR technology, the world around them remains the same, except for augmented digital objects. You don’t fully plunge into another world, you can interact with the environment around you. 

The two technologies are also different in terms of the use of devices.   

If you want to get into VR world, you need a computer and a headset or helmet, a controller or special gloves. To make plunging into VR world more realistic, you may need specially equipped rooms, maximum effect on the organs of the senses, including scents and sense of touch.

AR is limited by the phone or tablet camera, you don’t get the effect of detailing and plunging that VR can provide.    

Where are VR and AR used?

Virtual and augmented realities are used in different areas. They are mostly used for playing, but they can also be useful:     

– in medicine - aspiring physicians and surgeons improve their knowledge of anatomy, perform surgeries;   

–  in science – experiments with chemical and reactive material are safe for people and environment; 

– in architecture – using VR, they create a virtual presentation, while a designer can use AR technologies to change the color of walls and add items.   

What to choose: VR or AR?

It’s worth noting that both technologies are important in the modern world. VR isn’t only about rooms for playing, and AR isn’t only about a cat mask in social media. 

If you are looking for something to have fun, be sure to try VR world. It’ll be useful no matter what your request is: you may want to use some educative content or go to space in virtual world. VR technologies give the emotions that you can never experience in the real world.   

The principle of virtual reality broads our horizons, because even simple games are both entertaining and useful at the same time – they help to improve reaction. Using VR as entertainment for a group of people is one more of its undeniable advantages: you can make any celebration or important event better with the help of VR.