Augmented and Virtual Reality

What is the difference between AR and VR? This article explains: virtual reality creates a totally immersive simulation, and augmented reality adds labels, captions, and other helpful overlays to a user’s view of his environment. In class, we had the opportunity to experience augmented reality ourselves!

We discussed apps like Office Lens, Bing Translate which can be used to aid everyday professional and personal tasks. We also explored Quiver Vision, Zoo Kazam, and Merge Cube, which can be used for educational purposes and bring a diagram to life. 

QuiverVision

I had the opportunity to try on VR goggles and receive a short training on how VR can be used in practical application. The most fascinating part of the experience for me was the medical demonstration. I felt like I was really in the room - it is easy to imagine getting very comfortable wearing the goggles for extended periods of time.

VR allows trainees to retain information better than they could from traditional books or manuals. AR can help increase our attention spans.The cost of VR equipment remains a barrier, and there is discussion that using the headsets for longer than an hour can cause the user to become disoriented.

The article explains that the scanning technologies have improved, but how that image is displayed has remained the same since the 1950s.

Imaging can now be performed in real time at the point-of-care during procedures, both big and small. AR could be used in surgeries and other technical procedures to increase the surgeon's accuracy by overlaying the patient's scans on their body, allowing the surgeon to focus without having to turn their head back and forth between a 2D image and the patient. This also reduces cost by making better use of the display screens.

Further, "AR’s potential ability to concurrently display imaging data and other patient information could save lives and decrease medical errors." While the future looks bright, "It will take gifted computer scientists and visionary physicians to make augmented reality an actual reality in medicine." The authors write that their hope is that AR in health care will be just as commonplace as use of a stethoscope.

AR also has something to offer for the general public. Target now allows customers, via AR, to see what furniture will look like in their space before purchasing it. Customers start by taking a photo of their space. This article explains, "when you choose a virtual item from the product list, just tap "See it in your space" and position and scale the couch wherever and however you want." From there, customers can add the item to their cart. 

Preview of Target's AR app