Technology has improved immensely in the past years. Nowadays, we can alter reality with just an app. Something that I learned this week are the differences between virtual and augmented reality. Before, I never really looked into how they were different as I thought that these types of devices or apps were all virtual reality. However, I learned that virtual reality refers to a “complete immersion experience that shuts out the physical world” using devices such as Oculus Rift or Google cardboard (Kiger, 2020). Augmented reality uses the camera on smartphones to change the environment, similar to what is done on apps like Pokemon Go. I had no idea that these two were different from one another. They also mentioned there being mixed reality and extended reality, which are a mixture of both augmented and virtual reality. Learning about these opened my eyes to the insane developments that have occurred over the years.
Reading about how augmented reality devices can have an impact on children with Autism was also very interesting. In Roderick (2017), they discuss how augmented reality can help children with Autism improve cooperative play and also build up their confidence. With these devices, they are able to control the reality around them. This increase in confidence may be due to children having a sense of responsibility and the feeling that what they do makes an impact. Augmented reality also decreased isolation and solitary play amongst kids with Autism. Apps like these are continually improving the lives of kids and giving them a sense of belongingness every day.
VR and AR has a long way to go. Although previously it was used mostly for gaming, it has shifted into therapeutic use as well. According to the WellnessVR article, they discussed how VR has been used to help relieve anxiety and increase positive mental wellness amongst seniors. By allowing them to alter their environment from a stale and dark nursing home room to the sunsets in Puerto Rico, they found that this not only reduces stress and anxiety in seniors, but also increases concentration, decreases worry, and strengthened awareness for the elderly. This can continue to grow within the therapy community. They can also use VR and AR for military training or readiness. Simulating what it is like in a warzone and testing the readiness of the soldier can provide who is mentally capable to be in such an environment. This can be similarly used for astronauts, police officers, pilots, etc. VR and AR have so many benefits, and they will continue to grow as the world does.
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