{"id":17750,"date":"2021-09-24T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-24T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teachonlinecn.wpengine.com\/tools-trends\/articles\/ten-facts-you-need-to-know-about-augmented-reality-ar-and-virtual-reality-vr\/"},"modified":"2026-02-03T12:35:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T17:35:22","slug":"ten-facts-you-need-know-about-augmented-reality-ar-and-virtual-reality-vr","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/teachonline.ca\/fr\/tools-trends\/articles\/ten-facts-you-need-know-about-augmented-reality-ar-and-virtual-reality-vr\/","title":{"rendered":"Ten Facts You Need to Know About Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Confused about what\u2019s what in the virtual world? If so, you\u2019re certainly not alone.<\/p>\n

The simplest way to think about augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) is that they are a bridge between the digital and physical worlds, letting you take in information and content visually \u2014 the same way you take in the world.<\/p>\n

The following is a handy guide to deciphering what\u2019s what in the high-tech world of AR and VR.<\/p>\n

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    1. Augmented Reality (AR) And Virtual Reality (VR) <\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Augmented Reality (AR) lets the user experience the real world<\/strong>, which has been digitally augmented or enhanced in some way. You can look at a car engine, for example, and the AR glasses you wear will explain all the parts, their functions and, on command, how to replace specific parts.<\/p>\n

      Virtual Reality (VR) removes the user from the real-world experience<\/strong>, replacing that experience with a completely simulated one. The user experiences the world as if he or she were somewhere else (e.g. a museum, on a roller coaster, on a beach).<\/p>\n

      When AR and VR are combined, the result is mixed reality (MR).<\/b><\/p>\n

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        1. The difference between AR and VR<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          The differences are best explained by looking at uses. VR applications are best suited for simulation or complete immersion on another experience. Think of a remote collaboration with 3D elements, point-of-view training \u2014 \u201cWhat does it look and feel like to be at a crime scene?\u201d \u2014 and virtual tours. One example is the guided tour of the Van Gough Museum in Amsterdam<\/a>.<\/p>\n

          AR applications, on the other hand, are best suited for technical training. Companies that are facing knowledge gaps and expertise loss as workers retire are capturing that knowledge digitally and sharing it with less-experienced workers via AR tools. Honeywell is one example.<\/p>\n

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            1. Extended Reality (XR)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              XR is an emerging umbrella term for all the immersive technologies, including those we already have \u2014 augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR)<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 as well as those that are yet to be created. All immersive technologies extend the reality we experience, either by blending the virtual and real worlds or by creating a fully immersive experience.<\/p>\n

              Mixed reality is a combination of real space augmented with digital information and virtual reality. This requires special equipment (e.g., Microsoft’s HoloLens, approximately $3,000) and a great deal of programming.<\/p>\n

              In some cases, users enter a space in which the walls have been painted with a green coating that enables images to be projected onto them, so that the user is immersed in the images and feels that they are in a different place.\u00a0 When combined with AR and VR technologies, this \u201cdifferent space\u201d can be a hospital operating theatre, an aircraft flight deck or a factory.<\/p>\n

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                1. There is a lot of interest in AR\/VR and XR technologies<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                  As more baby boomers retire and birth rates fall in the developed world, skills are in demand and in short supply. AR enables skills transfer from experienced workers to novices with real-time, real-world practical advice and information conveyed \u201cjust in time.\u201d A new worker can stand in front of a complex machine and be guided by an experienced expert in the effective use of the equipment, reducing errors and cutting costs.<\/p>\n

                  5G, the superfast broadband now available in many urban areas across Canada, enables AR\/VR to be deployed more easily. 5G enables the Internet of Things (IoT) and AR\/VR to be available on such fast networks.<\/p>\n

                  There are other advantages:<\/p>\n