Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in Everyday Applications

 

INTRODUCTION

This paper explores Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in everyday applications, in multiple industries, and the privacy implications of these technologies. Augmented Reality is the technology of using wearable headsets that allow the projection of images or tools into the real world. On the other hand, Virtual Reality “transports” the user into a virtual world. Both Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality technologies are used to create a more immersive and interactive experience for the user. I believe Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality have a lot of beneficial use cases depending on the industry it is in.

In addition, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality is relevant to Information Technology because of how much information or data both process regarding the user and their habits or surroundings. As both Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality became more mainstream, there is an increase in awareness of the security aspect of the information being shared with such devices. Understanding and providing protection for this information is highly important and continuing to integrate Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality into many industries is a challenge.

TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW

Although Augmented Reality has been a concept since the late 1960s, Augmented Reality technology is still relatively new and upcoming and has yet to be fully cemented into reality such as in the educational, healthcare, business, and entertainment industries. The invention of mobile devices such as phones really popularized the idea of Augmented Reality. For example, Augmented Reality saw a peak when the mobile phone game Pokémon GO was released in 2016. Pokémon GO is a mobile game whose main feature is being able to see the Pokémons in the real world using your smart device such as your phone and capture said Pokémon. On smartphones, the camera on the back of the phone is used to allow the computer to “see” and inside it utilizes sensors like a gyroscope to identify position of things in the real world such as depth or the way an object is facing. After gathering all this information, it is then processed through software for the computer to generate digital content such 3d models as in the case of Pokémon GO.

Also Augmented Reality itself has many other applications. In the retail industry we have online shops like Firmoo that allow you to try on a particular pair of glasses to see how it would look like as if you’re in person looking into a mirror at the store. This would allow a boost in sales. In the tourism industry, we have services like Augmented Reality that layer on extra information or visuals to help you throughout the tour.  In addition to tours, navigation in general can benefit from Augmented Reality. In the healthcare industry, Augmented Reality is used to allow one to practice in a more realistic scenario to hone their skills before meeting the patients. In some cases, it is even used by patients to help them in a recovery environment. Lastly in the educational industries, Augmented Reality may be used to overlay 3D models or diagrams for students to experience or learn something more efficiently. It can also be used to provide language translations in real time. From the scholarly journal “Augmented reality and virtual reality revolutionize rusiness transformation in digital marketing tech industry analysts and visionaries during Coronavirus (COVID 19) "With augmented reality, engineers can quickly test products ... which lets businesses prevent safety hazards” (Ekmeil et al., 2021).

While Virtual Reality on the other hand was also a concept in the 1960s, it wasn’t popularized until around the 2010s. Virtual Reality use from the 1960s, 1980s and even 1990s was largely limited due to hardware and software as well as high costs. Fast forward to 2010s with the release of devices like the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR, these three devices that allowed Virtual Reality to be reborn were due to multiple advances prior in technology that allowed Virtual Reality to be stronger, more realistic, more responsive, and more immersive. Advances like graphic processing, motion sensors, high-resolution displays, 360-degree tracking of motion, haptic feedback, and even AI are some of the technologies that allow for all of this to happen. Virtual Reality commercial usage saw a peak in 2022 with the Meta Quest 2 headset. The Meta Quest 2 headset was originally released in 2020 with a more affordable price point compared to its predecessor. However, what caused the Meta Quest 2 headset to reach its popularity was because of COVID-19 pandemic. With more people stuck at home, the Meta Quest 2 was a source of new entertainment and a way for people to socialize. Virtual Reality is still dominated by headsets from Meta, with the Quest 3 being a popular recommendation in the year 2025 despite being released at the end of 2023.

Virtual Reality in the past was used in research labs, aviation, and even in the military. However, Virtual Reality today is included in industries such as Education, Healthcare, Business, Entertainment, and Tourism. Firstly, in the education industry, simulations combined with Virtual Reality are often used for pilots in training or racecar drivers. Secondly, the entertainment industry has limitless possibilities for games, movies, sports, exercise, concerts, and other social activities. One of the most popular entertainment uses of Virtual Reality is VRChat. It is a socializing platform using a Virtual Reality headset that connects to player worlds where you can meet other players to chat, hangout, explore, and play games. VRChat allows you to create your own avatar to be whatever or whoever you want. The game VRChat was first released in the beginning of 2017 on Steam, a gaming platform. Third, in the healthcare industry, according to Li Na Lee, Mi Jeong Kim, and Hwang, Won Ju in the scholarly journal “Potential of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Technologies to Promote Wellbeing in Older Adults”, “An advantage of VR and AR is enabling users to have tremendous experiences of a new world; thus, older adults have an immersive experience of some places, which they could not otherwise visit because of their physical impairment and reduced mobility, without having to spend time and energy” (Lee et al., 2019).

LEGAL ISSUES

However, even with the benefits of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, there are still issues. With Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality being a more recent technology, there aren’t many laws that help regulate the devices. For example, in the case of VRChat you can create an avatar of whatever or whoever, but this can cause conflict with those that need a license. This is an example of intellectual property. Another issue that arises is when an Augmented Reality device provides misleading information that can endanger the user, or if a Virtual Reality device malfunctions during a simulation, there is no clear fault. One such real life example of Augmented Reality causing danger to the user is in the case of Pokémon GO. Users were going to places that were not safe or prohibited such as cemeteries, military installations, and private properties. In terms of liability and safety, Pokémon GO caused increases in vehicular damage, injuries, and fatalities. In the abstract of a paper called “Death by Pokémon GO: The Economic and Human Cost of Using Apps While Driving” Pokémon GO caused around $5.2 to $25.5 million in crashes while playing Pokémon GO in the first 148 days of its release (Faccio & McConnell, 2017, p. 1).

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Aside from the legal issues of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, there are ethical issues as well. There is a risk of addiction, overuse, or dependency. One such product of Augmented Reality is glasses that overlay information for the user to use. They may rely on this information during a speech or in a meeting, formal or informal. There was an ad on television showcasing Augmented Reality glasses that would help you with topics to ask the other person on a date. Things like what to say with regards to how to answer questions or ask questions and reminders of information on the other person like their interests you saw in their dating profile. In Virtual Reality, some ethical issues that can be present are your identity and its authenticity. Like in VRChat, one picks their avatar, and this combined with other technology like voice changers can hide one’s true identity. This can be used in malicious ways to harm other Virtual Reality users as there is no real way to enforce this.

SOCIAL IMPACT

On top of legal issues and ethical considerations, both Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality have their social impact as well. Like using a computer or phone, many people have an online persona or identity. When it comes to the digital world, cyberbullying or harassment is a problem, especially when people feel more anonymous behind their screens. In terms of Virtual Reality, cyberbullying and/or harassment can feel worse as these devices are much more immersive, leading to the users believing it is much more real. Another social issue of Virtual Reality is weakened face to face interactions. Some users may find their time to be more enjoyable online in these immersive environments compared to reality. In a way, these devices may be an escape, and some may use them to avoid issues instead of solving them.

SECURITY ASPECTS AND CHALLENGES

Next, security is also an important aspect of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. A vulnerability of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality is weak authentication, no fingerprint or face recognition to unlock devices like on smartphones, often only a password is required. Furthermore, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality allow access to a lot of third-party apps and games. This may lead to unsafe downloads or installation of spyware or other malicious software. Regarding data security and privacy, there are some solutions and strategies that can address these challenges. The first solution is to use end-to-end encryption to secure data streams like audio. Secondly, a solution is to minimize what data to collect in the first place and keep the data to absolutely the necessary unless allowed by the user. Another solution to weak authentication is using biometrics like eyes since a lot of these devices are worn on the face around the eyes. And if using biometrics conflicts with data collection then try multi factor authentication like with phones. Equally important, a strategy for identity theft and cyberbullying and harassment is stronger laws and enforcement. Finally, a strategy for third-party apps containing spyware or malicious software would be to screen the app before allowing it onto a safter platform like Steam, or Google’s Play Store.

CONCLUSION

In summary, this paper explored what Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality really mean and their use in everyday applications. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality are both immersive devices that bring you more information to the real world or take you to a different world in the case of Virtual Reality. Both Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality are used in educational environments as well as healthcare, business, and entertainment industries. The privacy implications of these technologies, such as the legal side of things, were addressed, like data encryption, and social issues like dependency or addiction and weakened face-to-face interactions were examined. The challenges these Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality devices needed to address to be successful were also examined, and some solutions and strategies such as stronger authentication or multi factor authentication as well as end-to-end encryption were provided. In the future, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality will continue being used in everyday applications and hopefully provide more benefits to society while minimizing concerns and risks.

REFERENCE PAGES

Ekmeil, F. A. R., Abumandil, M. S. S., Alkhawaja, M. I., Siam, I. M., & Alaklouk, S. A. A. (2021). Augmented reality and virtual reality revolutionize rusiness transformation in digital marketing tech industry analysts and visionaries during Coronavirus (COVID 19). Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1860(1) https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1860/1/012012

This paper is important to my research because it talks about the use of both Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in multiple industries and its benefits. For example, it has a list of benefits such as marketing, expediting design and assembly, reduce expenses, and so on. It also talks a little about the future of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality and what the use will be like.

Faccio, Mara and McConnell, John J., Death by Pokémon GO: The Economic and Human Cost of Using Apps While Driving (February 2, 2018). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3073723 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3073723        

This paper is important to my research because the topic is relevant and supports my paper by being an good example of Augmented Reality use and social and ethical implications. It provides data and is recent to the use and popularity peak of Augmented Reality.                  

Hayes, M., & Downie, A. (2024, April 4). What is augmented reality?. IBM. https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/augmented-reality 

This is important because it explains what is Augmented Reality is and a little of Virtual Reality. It also lists some use cases for Augmented Reality.

Lee, L. N., Mi, J. K., & Hwang, W. J. (2019). Potential of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Technologies to Promote Wellbeing in Older Adults. Applied Sciences, 9(17), 3556. https://doi.org/10.3390/app9173556

This paper is important to my research because the topic is relevant but also gives information of potential benefits. The paper specifically talks about the use of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality for older adults and lists benefits such as ways to stimulate cognitive and physical training. It also talks about some challenges of the use of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality.

Nebraska Library Commission. Virtual Reality. (n.d.). https://nlc.nebraska.gov/tech/kits/vr.aspx

This is important because it explains what Virtual Reality is and how it is made.

            OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (December 14 version) [Large language model]. Retrieved from https://chat.openai.com/

Taghian, A., Abo-Zahhad, M., Sayed, M. S., & Abd El-Malek, A.,H. (2023). Virtual and augmented reality in biomedical engineering. Biomedical Engineering Online, 22, 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12938-023-01138-3

This paper is important to my research because it talks more in depth of the use of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in the biomedical industry. The paper lists the benefits of the use of Virtual Reality in the biomedical industry compared to the use in other industries. The paper also mentions two surgeries specifically that use Augmented Reality such as Spine surgery and Oral maxillofacial surgery.

What is virtual reality?. Virtual Reality Society. (2017, June 30). https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality/what-is-virtual-reality.html

This website is important because it explains where Virtual Reality is used such as military, healthcare, fashion, business, sport, construction, programming, education, entertainment, media, film, and so on. This page has a lot of information about Virtual Reality in general