Mixed reality (MR) is a new kind of digital experience that combines the benefits of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Mixed reality enables users to work with digitally-rendered objects and data in the same physical space as their real world by seamlessly blending virtual elements into the user’s view of the real world. In this blog post, we’ll explore exactly what mixed reality is, how it differs from AR and VR, and how businesses can take advantage of its unique advantages to create more engaging experiences for customers or employees.

What is Mixed Reality?

Mixed reality is a merging of real-world and virtual-world objects in a single view of the world. It allows you to see both the real and virtual worlds at once, and to interact with both of them as though they are part of the same environment. Mixed reality is a combination of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). MR allows for both virtual content such as 3D models and real-life objects or people to exist in the same physical space. MR devices create a bridge between the real and virtual worlds by placing digital content in a user’s field of view. Because the device knows where the user is looking, it can overlay digital content on the objects in their field of view.

How is Mixed Reality Different from Augmented Reality?

MR and AR both involve digitally-generated content being projected into a user’s real-world environment. The key difference between MR and AR is that AR generates virtual content based on what is actually present in a user’s environment, while MR allows users to add virtual objects to their real-world surroundings. Mixed reality will often combine virtual elements with real-world elements to create truly immersive experiences. For example, an MR device could display your calendar on your desk, while the chair next to you is an animated character. MR and AR are both examples of computer-generated imagery (CGI). CGI is a type of visual illusion in which a computer-generated image is blended with real-world images or video to create a new hybrid reality. Many modern computer graphics rely on CGI to generate images that appear life-like or photorealistic.

How can businesses benefit from Mixed Reality?

Mixed reality is a new medium for brands to create interactive experiences with customers. MR can help brands create more engaging and immersive experiences that bridge the gap between real-world and digital content. Mixed reality allows brands to create more personalized experiences by bringing virtual content into a user’s real-world environment. One of the biggest benefits of MR for brands is the ability to create hybrid or mixed reality experiences that combine the best of both worlds. MR is able to take the best elements of both VR and AR to create a new kind of digital experience that is better than both VR and AR individually. MR’s ability to combine real and virtual objects allows brands to create more personalized experiences that are able to take advantage of both real-world data and virtual objects. MR-based experiences can also help businesses reduce costs and increase reach by enabling experiences to be viewed without a headset.

Conclusion

The hype around virtual and augmented reality has been building for years, and now there’s a new kid on the block: Mixed Reality. While the other two are already established technologies that have been used in industrial settings and gaming, MR is a more recent innovation with a wider scope of applications. MR is able to take the best elements of both VR and AR to create a new kind of digital experience that is better than both VR and AR individually. MR-based experiences can also help businesses reduce costs and increase reach by enabling experiences to be viewed without a headset. If you’re a digital marketing manager, product manager or even a marketing team member, it’s important to understand the difference between these three emerging technologies and their potential applications.