Unlock the World of Virtual Reality

What is Mixed Reality?

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) offer distinct experiences, while mixed reality (MR) combines elements of both, making it a promising tool for educators and trainers.

Team members using Data Projections's AR technlogy to look at a virtual globe

Explore a Virtual Environment with Data Projections

A man using virtual reality to build a 3D model of a mechnical arm

Virtual Reality
Headsets

The process of substituting actual reality with an entirely different virtual world

A student using VR to surf the web and learn about online robotics courses

Mixed Reality

Requires a few technologies to function, but they are compact and intuitive for people to use.

A hand getting ready to push an AR button

Augmented Reality

Adds elements to the existing environment by overlaying virtual elements on actual reality.

Augmented Reality vs. Virtual Reality

As for AR and VR, both are promising technologies for consumers and the commercial sector. Here's what they can do:

A pair of hands holding up a tablet to a piece of machinery and letting AR technology breakdown what parts of the machinery need to be fixed — Augmented Reality technology works by overlaying virtual elements on actual reality. Unlike virtual reality, AR technologies add elements to the physical world where the user can view three-dimensional images. AR technology doesn't require a headset that screens out the user's surroundings. AR can be delivered using a smartphone, a headset with a transparent lens or even a pair of glasses. Microsoft Hololens and Google Glass are two primary examples of AR hardware, and Pokemon Go is a compelling example of how AR can be deployed on mobile devices.

AR is not as immersive as VR, as you will see below, but it does allow the user to keep track of their natural environment with both virtual and real objects so that it can be used around the home and in public.

A group of people in a shared virtual reality experience using Data Projections VR headsets — Virtual reality systems have been around, depending on your definition, for years, decades or even longer. It's long been difficult to define exactly what VR is because that requires a definition of what simulated environments would look like. Now, with modern head-mounted displays like the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Playstation VR, the definition is easier to grasp.

VR is the process of substituting actual reality with digital visual elements. This environment is artificial and replaces the user's actual surroundings with a virtual real-world environment. In other words, don't expect to see your desk or sofa once the VR headset is put on. VR is designed to fully replace the user's environment, and it is usually delivered using a headset that blocks out the outside world. Such headsets can be connected to a PC, like the Vive or Rift, or they can be used with a smartphone instead, like the Google Cardboard, Google Daydream or Samsung Gear. In the near future, there will be mobile VR headsets that don't require either a PC or a smartphone.

PC-connected VR systems are much more powerful and can deliver greater visual fidelity and more advanced software. However, these systems require a powerful PC, and they cost several hundred dollars, so they represent a significant investment. But, like with any technology, eventually, the cost will come down, and the value will go up.

A person interacting with a virtual display of a heart through a Data Projections VR Headset — In some ways, the future is already here. Both AR and VR have been adopted by consumers and businesses, and the applications of VR and AR are practically endless. An obvious one is gaming, which is what the Vive, Rift and Playstation VR are focused on. This is only the beginning, though, as both AR and VR have the potential to revolutionize the way people are taught, make things and engage with brands. Beyond gaming, this is what AR and VR offer:

**1. Education -** VR in education may soon overtake gaming as the leading market. Imagine putting on a headset and finding yourself surrounded by dinosaurs, inside a space station, or sitting in the front row at the Coliseum. Virtual reality technology enables users to take a tour through history, shrinking themselves down to the size of bacteria or watching a classic piece of literature come to life by putting you in the scene. Museum exhibits could be paired with a device so that they play animation or video on the screen when in range allowing museum visitors the immersive experience of the content.

**2. Advertising and Retail -** AR is best suited for marketing and retail potential, as users can wear or carry their augmented reality AR device with them at all times. AR software could be used to bring up specials or sales when the device is in view of a retail business, a restaurant or a department store. This interactive experience enhances the real-world environment with computer generated visuals. AR can bring up customer reviews for quick reference, business hours or contact information if needed. Once in store, AR could be used to deliver coupons, direct people around the building or allow people to order something that is out of stock.

**3. VR for Real Estate -** Real estate companies can develop virtual space versions of available properties, allowing would-be home buyers or renters a chance to examine the property remotely, and even add virtual furniture to the home to see what it would look like once filled up.

**4. AR and VR for Healthcare -** Future medical professionals require exhaustive training before they can put their knowledge to work, and both VR and AR systems can help provide that knowledge. With VR, surgeons are placed in the operating room and can review a huge array of treatment scenarios. With AR, surgeons can operate on special dummies with embedded AR tags. These tags can point out structures in the body or instruct the surgeon where to make an incision.

**5. Manufacturing and Quality Assurance -** AR is already a primary technology for many manufacturing facilities. In these facilities, AR devices can provide assembly instructions in the industrial manufacturing environment without the need for paper and alert quality assurance personnel as to what requires inspection. Greater productivity can be achieved as a result using the digital content.

Transform Your Reality with Empowering Features

Augmented, virtual, and mixed reality have a wide range of benefits that are transforming industries and enhancing our daily experiences.

Expands learning possibilities
Diverse simulations
Real-time data
Immersive lessons
Remote collaboration
Wide device compatibility

A man monitoring kids as they play with VR headsets

Dynamic Collaborations in AR and VR Using ClassVR

Our strategic alliances are the driving force behind our innovative AR and VR solutions, setting new standards in immersive technology. ClassVR is fully equipped with all the necessary tools for teachers to captivate students and seamlessly integrate virtual reality into their classroom environment.

Boost Lesson Engagement with Cutting-Edge ClassVR Headsets

St. Mark sought to elevate their lesson engagement through innovative approaches. Integrating additional technologies into their already impressive lineup posed a challenge, yet Data Projections presented an ideal solution. ClassVR headsets, complete with the award-winning software from Data Projections. The implementation of ClassVR commenced in the summer of 2019,

Read the St. Mark Case Study Here

The St. Mark Catholic School logo

Mixed Reality Learning

AR and VR clearly have a lot to offer to educators, but mixed reality may be the most effective teaching tool of the three.

What is MR? It's best thought of as a hybrid between AR and VR. MR is much like AR in that virtual items are represented in the real world. Unlike AR for education, though, MR anchors virtual objects to real-world objects. So, for example, MR could use a student's desk as a platform onto which virtual objects can be placed on top of it. What MR takes from VR is interactivity, as these virtual objects can be picked up, moved around and manipulated in a host of other ways.

Mixed reality learning requires a few technologies to function, but they are compact and intuitive for people to use. A special display, a set of glasses, a stylus for interacting and software are all it takes to deliver an interesting, useful MR experience. A single classroom could accommodate a dozen or more of these MR stations.

How can MR help teach students in their real-world surroundings? The possibilities are truly endless, and we're only beginning to tap its potential. Take a basic biology lesson, for example. This is what it might look like in MR:

The student sits in front of the MR display, puts on their glasses, picks up the stylus and starts the lesson.
The lesson is about human anatomy. The MR display and glasses work together to project a virtual image onto the student's desk. This image could be of anything, but for this lesson, it's an image of a human heart.
The student uses their stylus to spin the heart around and examine it from every angle. No matter how the student angles the object, it looks exactly like it should from that angle. Perhaps the heart is animated and beats so the student can see, with near-lifelike visual fidelity, how the heart and nearby anatomical structures operate with every beat.

That is exciting enough, but it's only one example. MR can be used to simulate physics, explore the universe, learn about climate patterns, try out science experiments without making a mess or investing in expensive equipment, learn artistic concepts in a 3D environment and much more. As more developers enter the MR market, it's likely that future students will have access to an entirely new way of learning, one that is more engaging and relevant for the workforce they will enter.

As the technology improves for AR, VR and even MR, better control options (such as haptic touch feedback) and smarter applications will likely swarm the market. They are already powerful educational, marketing and productivity tools, but they are slated to be even more effective as this technology continues to evolve.

Uncover Limitless Opportunities through Virtual Reality

Let's Connect