Introduction

Welcome to the future!

In this blog we will explore the exciting changes that are unfolding in the world of technology. We will examine various aspects of Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and the changes that will happen in our day to day lives as a result of these up and coming technologies. I hope you enjoy following along as this blog develops and I welcome, and look forward to reading any comments that you may have on these topics.

Virtual Reality, and a bit later, Augmented Reality technologies are going to transform the way human interactions occur on a global scale not seen since the rise of the Internet in 1995. While these two areas are very much related, they have very different applications, limitations and implications when considering the inherent nature of each of these technologies.

VR VS. AR: Similarities & Differences

VR, by definition, attempts to replace reality itself, by immersing the user in a totally new environment. This is an exciting prospect especially for gamers and folks who wish to visit places they will never have the opportunity to ever actually go to. Although the VR experience will by definition, be more immersive than AR, the applications are more limited than that of AR. While the person may feel as if they have been "Teleported" to another place there is one major side effect. The person becomes almost completely unaware of their actual Real World surroundings. Add to this, the very real possibility of mobile VR technology with the introduction of Google Cardboard, Facebook's Gear VR (and others). I have said it several times. It is only a matter of time before someone literally and unknowingly steps out in front of a Bus while immersed in VR. So, if your going to do VR on the go, make sure you are going to stay indoors or go with a designated trip sitter.

AR, on the other hand, has a potential for a much broader range of applications where it can be leveraged. These applications range from near complete immersion, where only a few Real Life elements are present, to situations where the person is completely aware of their physical environment, with additional information present as an "overlay". Overlays or "AR Layers" can be as simple as a clock readout. or as complex as a complete backdrop that completely surrounds the user's immediate real world environment.

Regardless of the differences between these two approaches to virtualization and augmentation. Both areas have profound implications regarding the way humans will interact with each other and their environments. Although it appears that Virtual Reality will become the first of these technologies to hit the mainstream market, they are both equally profound in the way our landscape will be perceived in the very near future.

Please stay tuned for weekly updates to this blog as we explore various aspects of VR, AR, and You.