AR, VR and MR have become more and more popular in the past few years, and before we start to introduce their applications, let's go over the differences between the three members of this family.
The difference between AR, VR and MR:
Augmented Reality (AR): digitally created content is superimposed on the user's real world.
Virtual Reality (VR): blocks out the real world to create a fully digital, immersive experience for the user.
Mixed Reality (MR): Overlaying the user's real world with digitally created content that you can interact with.
Here's a table to help you understand the distinctions more clearly:
So Pokémon Go is MR? Because it can take in Pokémon (interactively)? Don't get me wrong, MR's reference to "interactive digitally-created content" isn't just about being able to tap on digitally-created information that pops up to get more information, or, for that matter, tame Pokémon Go. MR-generated digitally-created content is able to incorporate real-world imagery, and can be zoomed in, zoomed out, rotated, and even edited, amongst other things, with digitally-created content. Here's a better idea of what MR is.
Have you noticed that when you look at a 3D digital image in a movie, it doesn't turn as you move around, so you can move around to look at it from behind, above, below, and from all angles to view or edit it in a way you can't in AR, or even in most VR apps?
In a side note, there's even a debate about whether Pokémon Go is AR. Because AR is theoretically supposed to generate or bring up digitally created content by recognizing certain real-world images, and PokémonGo relies on location to bring up digital images, many argue that Pokémon Go can only be called Location-Based Gaming, not AR. I don't think it's too much of a stretch to call Pokémon Go a Location-Based AR game, or maybe you could call it an AR game.
In recent years, AR has shifted from a mode where you could only point a smartphone or tablet at something in the real world, and then recognize it and have the app bring up the information, to a mode where you can use AR glasses to achieve the same function. And because you don't need to hold a mobile device to use it, it makes it more convenient to use, and AR glasses should gradually become the new trend of AR applications.
VR wearables (e.g., HTC VIVE, Playstation VR, ...) allow gamers to go beyond just looking at the screen.
VR wearables (e.g. HTC VIVE, Playstation VR, ...) allow gamers to no longer only look at the screen to play video games, but to enter the 3D stereoscopic real-world environment. However, the downside is that it blocks out real-world images, so unless there is a well-designed sensing device to go along with it, most of the applications in education and training will be limited to just watching 3D stereo digital content.
MR mixes AR and VR, so devices like Microsoft's Hololens not only take AR to the next level (interactively), but also allow VR to be more integrated into everyday work and life.
Applications of AR, VR, and MR in education and training
We've divided these emerging technologies into three main categories:
Education: This refers to the imparting of knowledge, and encompasses both school and workplace education.
Training: refers to functional or skill training, including school and workplace.
Performance Support: The provision of relevant and important information to assist in the performance of a job when it is needed, usually in conjunction with the preceding term.
This introduction will not be limited to school education, but we will show you some applications outside of school to help you understand the potential of these new technologies, and to help you think about how to utilize them.
For your convenience, we have labeled each application as Education (E), Training (T), or Performance Support (PS). Examples of applications that fall outside of these three categories (e.g., entertainment, consumer, marketing, therapeutic, etc.) will be omitted from this article.
Medical
The two biggest reasons why AR/VR/MR is getting more and more attention in the medical field (hospitals and medical schools) are:
1. Time/cost savings (E/T/PS):
Many medical schools/hospitals are already using AR/VR/MR for teaching or surgical training. In teaching, students wear AR/VR glasses to view 3D structures and organs of the human body, and can even "take out" an organ for a closer look. For surgical training, students or interns put on AR/VR glasses and practice surgery on virtual cadavers using a 3D Holographic Anatomy program. This saves students ten hours in a traditional cadaver lab, and on a more practical note, cadavers are not easily accessible, so surgical simulation can ease the burden on hospitals or schools in this area.
2. Collaboration (T/PS)
Whether it's a surgical simulation or an actual surgery, or any other medical diagnosis, a professor, a senior doctor (chief), or even a remote doctor or specialist can provide advice or give instructions to the doctor performing the surgery or diagnosis, through the image (what we call a POV (Point-of-View)) coming from the AR/MR glasses worn by the doctor. The doctor can then give advice or instructions that he or she can see on the display of his or her eyewear.
This is not the only application, but here are some examples of other applications:
Medication use: Assisting healthcare professionals in identifying the correct medication, even if they are not trained to do so. This simplifies the needs of pharmacists and doctors and reduces the chance of medication errors. (PS)
Intravenous: Assist caregivers in locating a vein to administer an IV. Don't be skeptical, AR glasses can help you see veins that aren't visible to the naked eye, which reduces the time of healthcare professionals and the suffering of patients. (PS)
Preliminary treatment: A hospital emergency room doctor on duty can make an initial diagnosis of a patient through the POV of a paramedic in an ambulance, or at the scene of an accident, and send instructions to the paramedic to carry out the initial medical treatment in order to increase and minimize the chances of the patient surviving and expanding the damage. So, perhaps in the future, the public **** place next to the fire extinguisher or AED (Automated External Defibrillator) will be placed at the same time a pay a AR glasses, ㄧ but out of the Wifi connection will automatically call 119/120 attendance center, so that the user can be from the remote firefighters or paramedics to provide immediate assistance or instructions, such as the use of fire extinguisher fire extinguishers, or how to use the AED to first aid patients who need emergency medical assistance. patients in need of emergency medical assistance. (PS)
Military, police, and firefighter trainingIn the United States, the U.S. military is a major promoter of education technology because they want to train their troops quickly and efficiently. The U.S. military began using technology such as AR/VR a few years ago to train soldiers in combat, weapons handling, or maintenance of weapons, vehicles, and other equipment.
Wearing AR glasses and utilizing AR for weapons training or equipment maintenance can avoid mistakes and increase the speed of training and maintenance, so new soldiers can get up to speed quickly. (T/PS)
AR can also be used in combat, to give an example that we are all familiar with. A few years ago, Taiwan made a big fuss about the Apache helicopter incident, and if you're not only concerned about the actress, you should have noticed the helmet, which is worth more than 60,000 U.S. dollars. Why was that helmet so expensive? It's because the tactical helmet can project 12 items of cockpit information (such as weapon sights or night vision goggles) onto a monocular screen in the right eye, making it easy for pilots to read all the important information quickly. Other helmets for fighter pilots and tank drivers can also use AR to allow them to quickly access important information or attack. (T/PS)
The biggest advantage of using VR for combat training is that it allows for a wide variety of scenarios. If you've ever been in the military, you know that there's only so much terrain on the field, but with VR, you can design situations and terrain on demand, and the enemy is no longer just a humanoid figure. (T)
Using technology like AR/VR to train soldiers for combat, weapons handling, or equipment maintenance has an even more important advantage, which is that all the processes will be recorded, whether the operation is correct, whether the aim is accurate ... and other information will be recorded and analyzed. The information will be recorded and analyzed to provide training units with the right training to improve the soldier's performance.
Similar concepts are certainly not limited to the training of military personnel, but also to the training of public security and firefighting personnel, who are exposed to dangerous situations on the job. The technology provides a variety of scenarios for simulation training to enhance the ability to correctly and quickly respond to real situations in the future and to protect your own safety. (T/PS)
And public security officers wearing AR glasses can connect to the crime center database and image recognition to help identify wanted criminals or stolen cars, and fight crime more efficiently. (PS)
Technical maintenance services
AR can provide immediate assistance to help maintenance personnel to do equipment repair and troubleshooting work, which can include almost all the work you can think of, such as factory machine repair and maintenance, office copier maintenance, elevator maintenance, telecom repairs, car maintenance .... etc. Through AR smart glasses and a proprietary app, maintenance personnel can be provided with detailed steps to follow to perform inspection and repair work. Of course, this is also a very useful tool for the training of new personnel. (T/PS)
Can't solve a problem in the field? No problem, the app will call in a high-level in-house technician to remotely assist with troubleshooting or replacing parts. AR/MR allows the remote expert to see what the person in the field is seeing (POV) and to talk or display text, pictures, or even directly mark the location of the part to be dealt with on the field person's AR/MR lens display, guiding them to perform the repair work. (PS)
The great thing about using AR/MR glasses is that field personnel no longer need to hold a cell phone or tablet in their hand to point it at the device to be repaired, or to listen to or watch instructions from the company, but rather have both hands available to perform the repair work. Of course, if you don't have AR/MR glasses, you can still use your phone or tablet, but it's just not convenient to hold it in your hand.
Don't think that repairers are the only ones who can use this technology, but consumers themselves can, of course. In the future, photocopiers, automobiles, electrical appliances maintenance, replacement of RO cartridges ....
BMW Automotive developed AR glasses and related apps as early as 2007 to provide its maintenance shop technicians with repair and replacement of auto parts.
Hyundai Automotive launched an AR technology manual app in 2015 for car owners to use, and as long as they use a smartphone or a tablet, they can get how-to information for maintenance such as motor oil, brake fluid, and air filters. to information for maintenance. The app offers movies, 3D superimposed images showing various areas (as owners scan different locations of their vehicles) and other automotive-related information. (PS)
Schooling
Using AR/VR can provide students at all levels of schooling with an immersive, multi-sensory experience that is much more effective than traditional methods such as lectures, word cards, or textbooks. Here are a few examples for reference:
When teaching about the planets of the solar system, AR/MR/VR is used to display 3D images of the planets in motion, and students can use the controller to tap on a planet to bring up more detailed information. (E/PS)
Geography classes use AR/MR/VR to display a 3D globe that students can view from all angles, and tap on a country to bring up detailed information about that country. (E/PS)
Chemistry classes use VR to first let students simulate the experimental process, so that they can familiarize themselves with the steps and possible explosions or fires, so that they can effectively avoid dangerous accidents during the real experiments. (E/T/PS)
Textbooks or extracurricular books can be paired with mobile devices or AR glasses to display 3D images and related information on specific pages, increasing students' impression, making it easier for them to comprehend, and boosting their interest in attending classes or learning. (E/PS)
Architecture students no longer need to spend time making design models, but only need to use mobile devices or AR/MR glasses and appropriate applications to display his design in 3D, which is beautiful and accurate, and does not need to remake the model when the design is modified, saving a lot of time. (PS)
New to the school district? Getting lost in your classroom? No problem, AR apps can guide you to your specific building or classroom. (Note: Some stores and commercial buildings are already using similar apps to provide directions. In the future, if you go to a supermarket, hypermarket or shopping center, you can use AR apps to guide you directly to the display location of the product you want to buy or the store you want to visit, so you don't need to walk around looking for the product or the location of the store anymore). (PS)
Arts and talentWear VR to visit famous zoos, museums, or textbook historical sites, landmarks, or buildings, and enjoy them at your own pace, even with animated displays to deepen your impression and understanding. The application provides detailed information on the screen based on what you're currently viewing.
Did it inspire you? Yes, in the past, it was a lot of work to organize outdoor classes, worrying about the weather or getting into a car accident. In the near future, all of this can be done in the classroom (some museums are already offering this service), and outdoor education will be a thing of the past. On the downside, it's a bit unrealistic, but on the upside, it will save schools and parents a lot of money. (E/PS)
In terms of talent learning, AR glasses can help guide you through the steps of learning a musical instrument, painting, sculpting, knitting, and more. Especially for students who are starting to learn musical instruments, with AR glasses and related apps, they can display fingering and music scores of various musical instruments, practice with them, correct their mistakes, and record the process, so that newcomers can easily get started. (E/T)
Fitness/exercise
When you're biking, running, or walking outdoors or in the field, AR glasses can instantly display your heart rate, fatigue, calorie consumption, goals, and much more, such as maps and GPS positioning
In the future, when you're at the gym, you can no longer just watch the TV screen in front of you as you run or ride a bike, Bicycles, treadmills, and other fitness equipment will adjust the angle of uphill or downhill, resistance, and even feel the vibration of the ground or the river depending on the virtual location you experience. Of course, all the relevant information will also be displayed on the device screen.
Schools can also enjoy the benefits of such applications, such as using VR with apps and sensors to train soccer goalie defense, baseball batting practice, or tennis swings, regardless of the weather, and with just a few clicks of an indoor court.
This is the first time I've seen an AR/DCS device in action. In addition to education and training, AR/VR/MR has a wide range of applications in life that are full of imagination. I believe that AR/MR will be the mainstream in the future, because they do not jump out of the real world, so it is easier to integrate into real life, education and work; AR can be used flexibly on mobile devices (especially cell phones), AR glasses can be very lightweight, and the price continues to drop, so AR should become an indispensable part of the future life of a portable tool, and if you match it with AI ( Artificial Intelligence), it is even more like a tool to help the user to understand the reality of the world, and to help the user to learn more about the world. Artificial Intelligence) is more like being equipped with a personal intelligent assistant. The main application of VR will be in creating virtual immersive experiences that are costly, dangerous, or not easily accessible in the real world.