What is Reality?
As we await getting our realities challenged at WWDC23 and the official announcement from Apple on their new reality device, it may be worthwhile to explore the AR/VR space to get familiar with the history behind these technologies. So, here goes.
Immersive technologies like Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), and Extended Reality (XR) are sometimes misunderstood and lumped together. However, a closer examination reveals key differences that impact their use and market potential. The combined market value of these technologies is projected to hit $125.2 billion by 2026. UX designers have a pivotal role in propelling this technology revolution by creating increasingly engaging and immersive experiences.
To fully grasp these technologies, one must understand the term "reality" in its context. The perception of reality varies individually, influenced by genetics, past experiences, and the data gathered by our senses. This concept helps explain why even fictional or digital experiences can evoke real emotional responses, a trait leveraged by immersive technologies.
The Virtuality Continuum, a concept introduced by Paul Milgram and Fumio Kishino in 1994, presents a spectrum ranging from a wholly physical to a completely digital environment. This theoretical framework aids in understanding the differences and similarities between AR, MR, VR, and other potential technologies. Each technology resides at a different point on this spectrum, depending on their level of immersion and the degree of blending between the digital and physical realms.
Extended Reality (XR) serves as an umbrella term, encapsulating any technology that modifies reality by integrating digital elements to any degree, thereby bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds. XR encompasses AR, MR, VR, and future technologies along the Virtuality Continuum.
Augmented Reality (AR) superimposes digital elements onto the real-world environment. However, these digital components do not interact with physical elements. AR experiences lean towards the physical world end of the Virtuality Continuum and are transforming sectors like gaming, healthcare, and manufacturing. AR's potential is exemplified by AccuVein's use of AR to project an image of a patient's veins onto their skin, enhancing injection accuracy by 350%.
Mixed Reality (MR), sitting at the center of the Virtuality Continuum, allows for interaction between digital elements and the physical world, dynamically adapting to environmental inputs. As a UX designer working with MR, one needs to master the technology's vast potential, creating immersive experiences that necessitate continuous learning and adaptation.
Virtual Reality (VR) creates a fully-immersive digital environment, blocking out the real-world surroundings. It's positioned at the entirely digital end of the Virtuality Continuum. VR generates genuine emotional responses, a phenomenon tied to the human tendency to construct reality based on sensory input. The "Walk the Plank" VR experience demonstrates this, with participants finding it difficult to walk a physical plank atop a virtual skyscraper, despite understanding the artificial nature of the situation.
AR, MR, VR, and XR are all technologies that modify our perception of reality to varying degrees by adding digital elements into our physical world. Their placement along the Virtuality Continuum depends on the extent to which they incorporate digital elements and their interactivity. UX designers looking to harness these technologies need a clear understanding of each to design experiences that maximize the strengths of each technology. This knowledge is crucial for career advancement in the rapidly evolving field of UX design in immersive technologies.
WWDC23 kicks off at 10am Pacific Time and can be watched on the official Apple website, via Apple TV, and on YouTube.
Strap in for what is surely going to be the biggest Apple launch in years!
