The 1990s was the decade in which the first-ever AR and VR gadgets were released. Since then the continuous improvement of AR and VR has made it into one of the most futuristic gadgets of human history. In the year 2020, when the majority of the world population were confined in their home, the demand for augmented reality and virtual reality sky-rocketed. From entertaining ourselves to doing business, they showed people a new way to work and conduct meetings.
Difference between AR and VR
AR (Augmented Reality)
AR enriches or augments the reality for the user by adding digital content or objects in the user’s viewpoint. It utilizes the camera to get information of surroundings and based on that it displays the content. Filters that are used in Snapchat or Instagram to display a hat, glasses or moustache in your face are an example of AR-enabled apps.
VR (Virtual Reality)
A VR takes the user into an immersive 3D digital environment created by a computer and gives the freedom to view and interact with the surroundings. A virtual reality gear uses a headset, high-definition camera and hand controllers to move the character. VR arcade is trending in various industries to train, educate and entertain people.
VR futuristic gadgets
Along with motion sensor and controllers, VR has more exclusive gadgets that allows more physical movements for the player and give them precise controls. Here are the top trendy VR gadgets in the market.
Haptic VR gloves VR gloves are designed to give extreme precision in hand movement and unlock a wide variety of interactions, experiences, gestures and movements. They are mostly used in the medical field, designing and object control to give students and workers an immersive experience and better feedback of the work.
VR bodysuit VR bodysuit is a high-tech wearable suit that allows the user to dive into the virtual world isolating them from the real world. The suit provides real-time sensory feedback such as vibration, force feedback, ultrasonic feedback and electronic stimulation. Furthermore, different suits are implanted with different motion capture systems such as gyroscopic systems, optical tracking systems and hybrid systems. In addition, the suit comes with a climate control system that allows users to feel warmth or cold based on their virtual environment.
VR face mask VR face mask is a new invention and in its budding stage, in 2015 a company “FeelReal” presented a prototype mask that gives a different combination of smell using 6 base ingredients. Along with the smell, it gives a light breeze to the cheeks of the user to imitate blowing wind in the VR.
VR treadmill VR treadmill is an omnidirectional mechanical system that allows the player to move in all directions while physically staying in a single place. The treadmill uses inertial sensors to track your position, length of the steps and movement pace and sends the data to the computer to make similar movements in the game.
AR futuristic gadgets
With VR allowing users to immerse them in virtual reality, augmented reality brings virtual elements into reality. With the unlimited possibilities, tech giants are using AR to create high-tech gadgets and provide seamless experiences to their customers. Here are the two sensational AR gadgets that are launched or planning to be launched in the market.
Google glass A Google glass is a high-tech wearable glass that displays information directly into the user’s field of vision. It is an Android device that is controlled by voice and motion. It comes with a built-in camera to take photos and record videos. This smart wear uses LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) to display information on the lens.
Apple glass It is another high-end product of apple whose launch date would be revealed in 2022 or 2023. Similar to Google glass, this futuristic eyewear allows users to see information on both lenses and control them using motion or voice commands.
Uses of AR and VR
Healthcare Healthcare is taking more digitalized way of treatment and training new staff. For example, VR is used to teach new staff to perform surgery in a safe environment. At the same time, AR is a new innovative step taken by the health industry to help surgeons check all the surgery details on the screen without using their hands.
Uses in Military The military has been using VR for a long time to train their soldiers. The war simulation helps soldiers to experience real battles without being harmed. Whereas AR-enabled devices such as a head-mounted display to show the blueprint or satellite imagery directly on the soldier’s field of vision.
Education AR and VR’s nature allows teachers and students to have an immersive study session in fascinating ways. For example, AR allows graphs, models, and diagrams to look realistic, allowing students to have a greater understanding of the concept. Whereas VR opens up the possibility of online virtual classrooms where students can interact with each other.
Conclusion
VR and AR are continuously improving and are adopted by different industries. It is estimated to reach US$1,274.4 billion by 2030. So these are the most trending VR and AR gadgets used by major industries in the world.