Introduction to Augmented Reality
Augmented reality is the long run, and it’s lots more socially acceptable than virtual reality. This was the surprising message from Chief Oculus Scientist Michael Abrash at F8. During his keynote, Abrash laid out an ambitious vision for the way augmented reality will eventually turn into as ubiquitous because the pc.
The Limitations of Virtual Reality
That Oculus’ top scientist spent nearly half an hour talking almost exclusively about augmented reality, not virtual reality, could seem surprising. Especially considering Facebook just released its first real social VR app for Oculus, Facebook Spaces. But Abrash made it clear why Facebook is so heavily invested in augmented reality. Virtual reality won’t ever be as ubiquitous as AR because it would never be socially acceptable to make use of VR headsets in public, even when you could achieve this safely.
The Social Acceptability of Augmented Reality
On the opposite hand, "full AR" will only require transparent glasses that appear like the eyeglasses people already wear. This makes augmented reality a more practical and socially acceptable option for on a regular basis use. As Abrash said, "Bright as the long run of VR is though, and knowing what my team at Oculus Research is working on I’d say it’s extremely shiny indeed, there’s one key area that may never be VR’s strong suit: all the time on, go-everywhere, mixed reality." He also emphasized that "social acceptability is an absolute requirement for anything we wear in public."
The Future of Virtual Reality
That may sound obvious, since anyone who has tried a VR headset could let you know it is not socially acceptable to wear outside a gaming setting. Abrash’s remarks, nevertheless, were among the strongest words we have heard yet on why Facebook is investing so heavily in augmented reality. It’s also a little bit of a reality check for the VR community. "Bright" as the long run of VR is, it suggests there are some very real limits to how far the technology can go.
The Role of Virtual Reality
That doesn’t suggest that there isn’t any place for virtual reality, nevertheless. "VR shall be probably the most immersive strategy to interact with the virtual world and it would revolutionize how we work and play," Abrash said. But if it is not something that shall be socially acceptable in public, it raises the query of whether VR will give you the chance to expand beyond its area of interest appeal. If everyone could have AR glasses in five or 10 years as Abrash predicted, how many individuals will even want clunky VR headsets?
Conclusion
In conclusion, augmented reality is the long run, and it’s more socially acceptable than virtual reality. While virtual reality has its limitations, it would still play a major role in the long run of technology. However, augmented reality is prone to turn into a more ubiquitous and practical option for on a regular basis use. As Abrash predicted, AR glasses will turn into as common as eyeglasses, and it would be interesting to see how virtual reality evolves in response to this shift.
