

What’s the difference between AR, VR, MR & XR?
AR, VR, MR & XR, do you know the difference between each of them and their specific use cases? When you’re just starting out learning about the different virtual technologies it can be confusing defining what sets them apart and more important how you can use them in real-world settings.
We’ll clearly explain each technology so you can fully comprehend what they are and when they can be used so you can harness their full potential. So, first a brief explanation of each…
What is Virtual Reality (VR)?
Virtual reality is when you interact with a fully immersive digital environment using a VR headset. Headsets will generate realistic sounds, images and other sensations that transport you to a completely different reality.
On the spectrum of user immersion, VR platforms are considered high immersion, because users feel as though they’re fully immersed in a different world. It’s heavily used in the world of gaming, but also has wide applications for enterprises wanting to train and upskill their employees.
Many industries are using VR for health and safety-based training and hazard recognition, where staff can enter virtual worlds and recognize hazards in a range of environments from warehouses, substations, workshops and construction sites.
What is Augmented Reality (AR)?
Augmented Reality uses our existing environment and adds elements to it using a screened device, mobile and tablets are the most popular mediums that utilize AR. AR is considered low immersion as users are still very present in their physical world.
AR Snapchat and PokemonGo are great examples of Augmented Reality, where elements exist simultaneously with our physical reality.
What is Mixed Reality (MR)?
Mixed Reality, or Hybrid Reality as it’s sometimes referred to, is a blend of virtual and augmented reality, helping to produce visualisations where the physical and digital interact together in real time.
Mixed reality devices gather information about our surroundings and seamlessly place information and content within that space so users can interact with it. Unlike VR, users can still interact with their physical space, placing it in the middle of high and low immersion.
Mixed reality training works extremely well in manufacturing training environments where engineers can receive and act on information and instructions in real time relating to components through an MR headset, helping to increase accuracy and speed when working on assembly and maintenance.
What is Extended Reality (XR)?
Extended Reality is the umbrella term for any technology that alters reality using digital elements to create real-world environments. Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality and Augmented Reality are all different types of Extended Reality.
What’s the difference between Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality?
Augmented reality is simply a view of the real world, with an overlay of digital elements. Mixed reality offers the same concept, the real world with an overlay of digital elements but with mixed reality, this goes one step further and the physical and digital elements can interact with one another. Mixed reality sits nicely between AR and VR on the immersion scale.
Now you know the different types of virtual technologies, we can explore them a bit further…
What industries are using XR and how are they using it?
Every industry can benefit from XR in some way but the industry’s leading the adoption of XR technology are engineering and manufacturing, retail and consumer and professional services with learning and development being one of the most prevalent uses and with so many benefits, it’s easy to see why…
· VR platforms offer a high amount of learner engagement for all different types of learners, improving learner retention and recall.
· There is much less risk involved in virtual reality environments.
· The cost savings from using XR training are significant through remote training and eliminating the need for factory and site shutdowns.
· It takes less time to learn with VR training, and results in fewer mistakes.
· VR can attract the best job candidates because it shows business prioritize innovation and employee development.
· Training can be tracked to evaluate the effectiveness of the VR training.
Aviation
XR has a wide range of applications for safety and maintenance in the aviation sector. Using VR aviation training, staff can practice aircraft maintenance procedures, practice repairs and improve their ability to identify and repair any hazards on aircraft materials as well as engage in flight deck training, cabin crew training and aircraft inspection training to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.
Learn more about Aviation VR Training
Automotive
XR technology is great for onboarding for automotive factory environments where most new members of staff typically learn specific operational procedures by shadowing an experienced operator.
By building a virtual digital twin of the factory and the different lines and equipment within it, staff can immerse themselves and train virtually.
The result? When trainees visit the site for the first time, they’re already familiar with the different types of equipment and operating procedures. Customer using interactive digital twins for VR automotive training are seeing a 50% reduction in on-the-job training and can drastically increase the number of staff members being trained at a single time.
Oil, Gas & Energy
There are a whole host of safety use cases in the oil and gas industry that users can train for in VR such as welding, working at heights, working in confined spaces, fire safety, machinery operation and PPE safety to name a few. By using VR energy training, users can head out into the field confidently and perform these procedures with reduced risk and error.
Learn more about Oil, Gas & Energy Training
Medical
With people on the receiving end of medical procedures, the treatment and equipment they encounter must be of utmost safety. XR training in the medical industry means that medical professionals can practice and perfect complex procedures in risk-free environments, enhancing the quality of care for patients.
It’s not just medical professionals who can benefit from VR medical training, biomedical engineers who work on equipment like electro-cardiovascular, ventilation, anaesthesia operating theatre and MRI equipment can also benefit from maintenance and repair training in VR.
Military & Defence
Military and defence are extremely high intensity environments, where each and every move can have consequences and therefore mastering procedures and safety training is paramount. XR training can be used in the military and defence sector across a range of scenarios:
- Medical Training: VR medical training can be utilised to prepare medics for battlefield medical procedures that require quick and urgent care.
- EOD Training: The significance of EOD training can be hard to replicate in real-life, but VR can be used to simulate the identification, handling and disposal of explosive devices.
- Equipment and Vehicle Simulations: Crews can practice operation, manoeuvres, fire drills and communication in a realistic virtual environment with XR.
Learn more about Military VR Training
Food and Beverage
The food manufacturing industry must meet strict safety and quality standards and therefore training and staying up to date with these requirements is crucial.
XR training is perfect because it provides realistic simulations to train employees in a range of scenarios:
- Equipment Operation and Maintenance: MR and VR training can be used to train employees how to maintain and repair food processing machinery by practicing troubleshooting, learning the correct assembly and disassembly of machinery and gaining familiarity with equipment and their controls.
- Quality Control and Inspections: VR scenarios can be created to help employees identify defects, practice quality control protocols and learn about specific inspection criteria.
- Food Hygiene: Factories need to carry out regular audits and swabs for pathogens such as Salmonella and Listeria. Traditionally this is a manual paper-based exercise and open to error. When working with a client we provided hands free operation that meant users could carry out swabs and accurately map the location using the HoloLens 2 device.
The results of swab where then overlaid on to a real-time digital twin of the facility and if swabs did come back positive, users were guided to the correct location using holographic wayfinding to begin the cleaning process.
Construction
Construction sites can be one of the most fatal environments for employees, with increasingly stringent safety procedures. Getting staff to take safety seriously is crucial in this sector. VR construction training provides an effective, fun and trackable method of safety training, ensuring workers physically carry out the training that they’ll be doing on-site. From working at heights, confined spaces, line and equipment opening and more there are a range of options for safety training in VR.
Learn more about Construction VR Training
Pharma
With a range of complex and high precision processes in pharma manufacturing, failure to comply with processes or even the loss or contamination of products can cost companies hundreds. VR pharma training can be used to streamline the pharmaceutical manufacturing processes and medical device packaging processes as well as improve safety through risk and safety training.
Manufacturing
The manufacturing industry can hugely benefit from XR training and because it enables staff to perform faster maintenance and repairs, training in a safe-risk free environment, collaborate with others from anywhere in the world helping to improve efficiency and keep equipment and machinery operating at optimal efficiency.
