From Gaming Technology to Industry

What is Mixed Reality of MetaQuest 3?

If you frequent Facebook, you have probably come across the promotion of MetaQuest, now in its third version. It is a virtual reality experience accessible with a new headset promoted by the giant Meta. To be precise, it is more than virtual reality; it is Mixed Reality.

Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality: What’s the Difference?

Mixed Reality (MR) combines two digital realities: Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR).

Virtual Reality

consists of a computer-generated simulation. It happens through a VR headset that blocks out the surrounding world and replaces it with another. This is why it is considered virtual. Motion sensors allow the computer to reproduce in the headset what the user expects in a real world. For example, moving the gaze upward, the virtual world will rotate accordingly.

Augmented Reality (AR)

in contrast, does not exclude the surrounding world but adds simulated elements to it. In this case, a camera captures the real environment, and a computer processes it in real-time to produce a view of objects realistically placed in the environment. The processor must consider the camera’s movements, recalculating the objects’ positions and keeping the scene realistic. This technology is generally applied to tablets and smartphones.

Mixed Reality

These two seemingly distant approaches find a common application in MetaQuest technology, enhancing their specific characteristics. A headset no longer excludes the surrounding world, but like augmented reality, it reproduces it enriched with virtual elements, leading to a fully immersive experience. Essentially, the user is presented with the real context through a headset while being able to interact with virtual objects, which are not real but appear realistic and seemingly present around them. In fact, these headsets are also equipped with a camera designed to display the surrounding environment. The result is the ability to see the physical world through the VR headset, but with superimposed objects and effects.

Where Mixed Reality Is Used

In Gaming

Investments in gaming are driving, although costs are still high. VR technology is very popular in gaming and is paving the way for mixed reality games. Some of the biggest tech names, like Meta and Microsoft, are already impacting the MR gaming sector with products like the Meta Quest series and the Microsoft HoloLens series.

In Healthcare

Mixed reality in the healthcare sector has applications in training students in urgent scenarios such as surgical interventions. In a surgical environment, surgeons could use MRI to scroll through patient documents or even visualize internal anatomy without physically interacting with the patient.

In Retail

In retail, mixed reality aims to create a more engaging experience for shoppers. In Italy, SHINSOFTWARE, a company with a 3D augmented reality and 3D platform, uses tools to optimize the 3D design of a brand’s merchandise and present it attractively to customers. Any commercial product can gain more attention thanks to virtuality.
On the consumer side, 3D modeling applied to the digital twin is becoming increasingly popular. It offers shoppers a clearer evaluation of products during online purchases. Conversion rates are higher, and returns are reduced by up to 80%.

In Sports

Virtual involvement is also becoming interesting in sports. Early experiments are being tested in specialized companies offering mixed reality competitive sports platforms. It allows users to compete in both the virtual and physical worlds.

In the Workplace

SHIN SOFTWARE has been working in the 3D world for years, covering every business need and asserting that virtual worlds offer new opportunities. It can help companies experience what is commonly called the metaverse. Remote training is making a leap in quality in the industry. The workforce is now diversified between office presence and remote work. We are now in an era where the workplace itself is virtualized or tends to be.

The Evolution of Mixed Reality in Italy

Apple launched its mixed reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro, at the beginning of 2024, effectively joining the offerings of Meta and other minor competitors. With the arrival of these new products on the market, mixed reality is rapidly gaining ground, paving the way for new concrete applications. In Italy, there is still some caution towards technological changes, but companies slow to seize these opportunities may find it more challenging to adapt in the future. SHIN SOFTWARE provides professional and constant support to anyone wanting to approach the world of three-dimensional interactivity.