What Is Mixed Reality? - Difference To Virtual & Augmented Reality Explained

2023 Author: Sheila Hailey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 15:18

Microsoft explains Mixed Reality very clearly in the following video:

Microsoft explains Mixed Reality

• Mixed reality means mixed reality.
• This means the mixing of reality and artificial, computer-generated 2D or 3D objects (virtual reality).
• To be able to experience these artificial realities, you still need special glasses such as the Microsoft HoloLens.

Mixed reality is the intersection of people, computers and the environment. The graphic illustrates this.

Trivia: Microsoft coined the term "mixed reality" in the era of Windows 10. But it has been known at least since 1994.

The first virtual reality attempts of the 90s looked like this:

Start photo gallery (6 photos)

Mixed Reality: The Difference to Virtual & Augmented Reality

You understand the term better if you know the difference between virtual reality and augmented reality:

	Virtual reality	Augmented reality	Mixed reality
Real world available?	-	Yes	Yes
Interaction with the real and virtual world?	-	Yes	Yes
Interaction between real and virtual world content?	-	-	Yes

So what makes Mixed Reality stand out is that objects / subjects of the real and virtual world can also interact with each other. In the Microsoft video above, it is clear to the Skype virtual object and the virtual flower that there is a real-world table on which they are “placed”. So when you move the table, these objects move with you (and don't stay in the air) so that they behave like real objects in the real world.

As another example, you can see a picture of Virtual Reality below :

• With virtual reality there are only virtual objects.
• The real world does not exist for the virtual world.

In contrast , augmented reality means that virtual objects are projected over the real world. However, the artificial objects cannot interact with real world objects.