Mixed Reality: Merging VR and AR to Reshape Tech Landscape

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies have sparked immense enthusiasm in the consumer electronics market, with tech giants rushing to enter the space. After acquiring Oculus VR in 2014, Facebook is set to launch its first VR headset this year, while Samsung, Sony, and HTC also plan to roll out their VR products. The influx of capital signals that VR is poised to become the next mainstream entertainment technology. Beyond entertainment, U.S. home improvement giant Lowe’s is developing Holoroom, a 3D AR tool allowing customers to design spaces and step into 3D models to experience their creations.

Historically, market expectations for VR and AR have been overly inflated, but today’s ultra-high-definition displays, affordable motion and position trackers, and high-quality video content lay a solid foundation for mixed reality. Over the next 30 years, these technologies will go mainstream: AR glasses will overlay real-time relevant information onto the physical world, while VR headsets will deliver deeply immersive experiences by integrating sight, sound, smell, and touch.