July 5, 2023: For the new device of Apple, it will have its customary set of privacy policies in place. Continue reading to know all about it. Ever wondered what is AR, VR, MR, ER? Simply explained in the ReferencePepper!
The first-ever mixed reality headset from Cupertino-based Apple, the Vision Pro, was introduced on June 5 at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2023.
The visionOS operating system powers the mixed-reality headset, which will be available for purchase in the US early next year. It supports two types of technology: augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies.
But what is AR and VR?
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are both technologies that offer immersive experiences, but they differ in their approach and level of immersion.
Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that overlays digital information, such as images, videos, or 3D models, onto the real world.
Augment means ‘to add’ or ‘to enhance something’. It enhances our perception of reality by adding virtual elements that appear to coexist with the physical environment. AR is typically experienced through devices like smartphones, tablets, or smart glasses, which use cameras and sensors to recognize the real world and superimpose virtual content onto it. This technology has various applications, from gaming and entertainment to education, navigation, and industrial training.
A few examples to help you relate:
- Educational Apps: Many educational apps utilize augmented reality to make learning more interactive and engaging. For instance, there are apps that allow students to scan textbook pages or worksheets with their smartphones or tablets to reveal 3D models, animations, or additional information related to the topic they're studying.
- Gaming: Augmented reality games are quite popular among young people. Pokémon Go is a great example where players can use their smartphones to capture virtual Pokémon creatures that appear in real-world locations. This game encourages players to explore their surroundings, search for Pokémon, and engage with friends who are also playing the game.
- Filters and Lenses: Apps like Snapchat and Instagram offer a variety of augmented reality filters and lenses that allow users to add fun effects to their selfies or videos. From adding funny hats and glasses to transforming into different characters or creatures, these filters can be entertaining and provide a creative way to express oneself.
- Virtual Try-On: Some online shopping apps or websites use augmented reality to allow users to virtually try on clothes, shoes, or accessories. By using the device's camera, users can see how an item would look on them without physically trying it on. This can be useful when shopping for clothes or experimenting with different styles.
- AR Coloring Books: There are augmented reality coloring books available where, after coloring a page, kids can use a smartphone or tablet to scan the artwork and see their colored creations come to life in 3D on the screen. It adds an extra layer of interactivity and magic to traditional coloring activities.
Virtual Reality (VR), on the other hand, creates a completely immersive, computer-generated environment that replaces the real world. VR devices, such as headsets or goggles, completely immerse the user in a virtual world, blocking out the physical surroundings. Through high-resolution displays, motion tracking, and sometimes handheld controllers, VR technology simulates a realistic and interactive experience. Users can explore and interact with the virtual environment as if they were physically present, offering a sense of presence and immersion. VR is widely used in gaming, training simulations, virtual tours, and therapeutic applications.
A few examples of VR to help you relate:
- VR Gaming: Virtual reality gaming is becoming increasingly popular. With VR headsets, you can immerse yourself in a virtual world and interact with it. Games like Beat Saber, where you slice blocks with lightsabers to the rhythm of music, or VRChat, a social platform where you can meet and interact with people from around the world in virtual environments, are engaging and entertaining experiences.
- VR Education: Virtual reality can also enhance learning experiences. Imagine being able to explore ancient civilizations, walk through the solar system, or dive into the depths of the ocean—all from the comfort of your classroom. VR educational applications provide immersive experiences that make learning more interactive and engaging.
- VR Travel: Virtual reality allows you to "visit" different places around the world without leaving your home. Through VR travel experiences, you can explore famous landmarks, museums, or natural wonders. For example, you can virtually climb Mount Everest, visit the Louvre Museum in Paris, or swim with dolphins in the Great Barrier Reef.
- VR Art and Creativity: Virtual reality can be a medium for artistic expression. There are VR applications that let you create 3D sculptures, paint in three dimensions, or design virtual worlds. These tools enable you to unleash your creativity and bring your imagination to life in a whole new way.
- VR Simulations: VR simulations can provide realistic experiences that help with training and skill development. For instance, flight simulators allow you to experience what it's like to fly a plane, while medical simulations can let you practice surgeries or learn about the human body in an immersive and safe environment.
Simply explained:
AR stands for Augmented Reality. It's like adding a layer of virtual information on top of the real world. Imagine you have a special pair of glasses or use your smartphone. With AR, you can see and interact with virtual objects or information that appears to be in the real world. For example, you could look at a table through AR glasses and see virtual characters sitting on it or see virtual arrows guiding you in the right direction while walking.
VR stands for Virtual Reality. It's like stepping into a completely different world. When you use VR, you wear a headset that covers your eyes and ears. This headset creates a simulated environment that looks and sounds realistic, but it's not the real world. It can make you feel like you're somewhere else entirely. You can explore and interact with this virtual world as if you're really there. For example, you could put on a VR headset and feel like you're swimming underwater or standing on top of a mountain.
In one sentence: AR enhances the real world by overlaying digital elements, while VR creates an entirely new, immersive virtual world, cutting off the user from the real-world environment.
AR adds virtual things to the real world, while VR takes you to a whole new virtual world.
But there are more:
- Mixed reality (MR)— combining AR and VR elements so that digital objects can interact with the real world, means businesses can design elements anchored within a real environment.
- Extended reality (XR)— covering all types of technologies that enhance our senses, including the three types previously mentioned.
Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/
Back to the main article:
The Apple Vision Pro's image streams won't be available to developers from other companies, an Apple engineer confirmed before the release of the device. Apple prohibits access to the camera, claiming privacy issues.
John Marc Hickey, Apple's Platform Compatibility Engineer said, "When apps request camera and microphone availability, expect different values to be returned than iPad and iPhone. When querying a microphone, apps will receive a single front location microphone. When querying camera, apps will find two cameras. The back camera returns a black camera frame with a no camera glyph. This is a non-functional camera to support apps that assume back camera availability. When querying for front camera, apps find a single composite camera. If no spatial Persona is found on a device, then no camera frames will return to apps.”
When utilizing the Apple Vision Pro to make a FaceTime call, that is a video call, a "Persona" of the user will be used in place of the standard front-camera video stream. Personas are digital representations of the user that are made using machine learning methods developed by Apple to show the individual's face and movements of the hands in real-time. The employment of Personas in meetings is also rumoured to occur with tools like Zoom and WebEx.
VisionOS will display a dark stream with a "no camera" indicator in the middle for the back camera. This would avoid crashes of applications and keep programmers from creating their own unique artificial intelligence solutions.
Priced at $3,499 (or around Rs. 2,88,500), the Apple Vision Pro will be marketed in the US beginning in 2024. It has two excellent quality micro-OLED screens and uses visionOS. It is driven by a new R1 chipset and Apple's M2 processor.
