Virtual Reality vs. Augmented Reality: Key Differences and Applications

This article delves into the differences between Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), exploring their features and providing real-world examples.

Virtual Reality (VR)

• Virtual Reality completely disregards the real world, transporting the user to an entirely different environment.
• VR replaces the real world with a simulated one, offering full immersion.
• Although the user doesn’t physically move, they experience a sense of movement due to the virtual environment and the VR device they are wearing.

Example: Oculus Rift

Augmented Reality (AR)

• Augmented Reality combines aspects of actual reality, virtual reality, and real-world surroundings.
• AR enhances the surrounding world, making it more interactive and digitally manipulable through computer vision and object recognition.
• As the name suggests, AR augments the real world by adding additional information or elements.
• AR systems are highly interactive and operate in real-time.
• It’s used in 3D environments and enhances perceptions and interactions with the real world.
• Significant advancements in the medical industry have been made possible by AR, improving patient safety and making disease diagnosis more efficient and leading to early detection.

Example: Hololens

Companies like Qualcomm, Aurasma, Layar, and Magic Leap are actively promoting and developing products in the Augmented Reality (AR) space.

Applications of VR and AR

VR and AR find applications in various fields, including:

• Education
• Gaming
• Engineering
• Medical
• Military
• Commercial
• Industrial

AR Applications in Medical and Healthcare

Here are some specific applications of AR in the medical and healthcare industry:

• Keyhole Surgery: AR enhances surgeons’ efficiency during surgery by providing an “X-Ray vision” effect, allowing them to precisely visualize the placement of medical equipment and the inner workings of the patient’s body.
• Accu Vein: This device digitally maps and displays vasculature on the patient’s skin in real-time, enabling doctors to verify vein patency and avoid valves.
• EyeDecide AR App: This application offers patient engagement tools for healthcare providers. Developers use the camera to simulate the vision of patients affected by specific conditions.
• SimX: This AR medical simulation software replaces physical simulations with customizable, high-definition, 3D virtual patients. The software allows projecting a virtual patient onto any empty bed in a hospital setting.

Key Differences

While the line can sometimes be blurry, the primary differences between Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality devices lie in:

• Comfort of wearing the hardware
• Performance of the hardware
• User-interactive controls
• Software developed for the product