Escaping from the real world is the tendency of humans. Of course, not all the time but a yearning effect leads us to watch movies, television, and play games.
With technology growing at an abnormal speed, many concepts have evolved and are being practised, too, like Virtual Reality and Augmented reality. That’s not all. Extended and Cross reality has been the talk over the years.
Though these two are similar in a lot of ways, there are key differences between the two.
Key Takeaways
- Extended reality (XR) is an umbrella term that refers to a spectrum of technologies, such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), that blend the physical and digital worlds to create immersive and interactive experiences.
- Cross reality (CR) is a type of XR that refers explicitly to integrating virtual and real environments, where users can seamlessly transition between the two and interact with virtual objects in the real world.
- While both XR and CR offer immersive and interactive experiences, CR focuses explicitly on seamlessly integrating virtual and real environments.
Extended Reality vs Cross Reality
Extended Reality is the combination of Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR) that gives users the experience of immersion between the real and virtual world. Cross Reality consists of VR and AR in which users can interact with both real and virtual worlds concurrently.
Extended Reality is the environment with the virtual and real-world combined and the human interactions generated by the systems. These systems can be wearables too.
The intensity of virtual experience can range from partial to completely immersive. Extended Reality is a combination of ”All the real Environment” and ”All the Virtual Environment”.
Cross Reality is a type or a kind of Mixed Reality where it unifies Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and also reality itself. This is an environment that can interact either way.
That means to, say you do something in the virtual world, the real world can get affected. It is possible with a wide range of software and hardware that includes top-class sensors too.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Extended Reality | Cross Reality |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | An environment that contains the real as well as the virtual world. | An Environment that can help to interact with both sides; real and virtual. |
| Base Function | Extended Reality is a platform to have a virtual and real-world feel. | Cross Reality uses the Extended Reality to interact with both worlds. |
| Technology Combination | It is wholly real and whole virtual. | Cross Reality Is the combination of Augmented, Virtual, and Mixed Reality. |
| Immersive levels | Range from partial to a completely immersive experience. | One can alter the changes in the real world by making a change in the virtual world. |
| Technological Function | Extended Reality is used to create AR, MR, and VR. | Cross reality utilizes AR, MR, and VR to superimpose the functions. |
What is Extended Reality?
Extended Reality is the environment that includes all the real world and virtual world objects. It is the environment that helps in creating.
- Augmented Reality
- Virtual Reality
- Mixed Reality
The term Extended reality is one coined to connect all the real world and virtual realities in one phenomenon. While VR is the completely Digital Atmosphere, AR is the real-world aspect with a digital layoff. The mix of them is the Mixed reality.
Having said this easily, the concepts are a bit complicated as these technologies grow every minute. With the endless work going on to make excellent immersive experiences, Extended reality is all set to pull people to different dimensions. The experience of
- Vision – Sight
- Sound – Hearing
- Feel – Touch
- Feel – Smell
- Feel – Taste
Scientists are working on bringing the 6th sense too. Though the ”Vision – Sight” is an old technique, the other 4 aspects are growing daily. Imagine tasting a strawberry you do not find in your home.
The sensorial experience created in the extended reality is something amazing. The 3D version of the audio and multidimensional visioning aspects makes life completely adventurous.
All you can do is switch on a gadget that can take you to a different world.
What is Cross Reality?
Cross Reality is an immersive technology that shall bring the interaction between the real and virtual world. All these can happen with the help of AR, MR and VR. Yes, Cross reality combines the functionality of all three.
It uses AR and VR mostly. This technology helps take real-world objects to the virtual world and vice versa too.
Scientists have been working on this daily to make it work for the Military too. The advanced techniques have made it possible to interact with either side of the world.
The shortcomings of VR, as you shall find the difference between the real and virtual worlds, are completely nullified using the Cross reality gadgets.
The Cross Reality applications are still under scientific research as you may feel like you are living in a different world. Yes, the immersive intensity is absolutely the highest.
You can activate action in the real or virtual worlds by activating it in the opposite worlds. Sounds Matrix completely, isn’t it? But that’s how the technology works.
Though Extended reality contains AR, VR, and MR, Cross reality is the one that superimposes these three technologies to bring a sea change in user experience.
Main Differences Between Extended Reality and Cross Reality
- The main difference between Extended Reality and Cross Reality is the former is the platform by itself, whereas Cross Reality helps in the interaction between both the real and virtual worlds.
- Extended reality consists of Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality, but Cross Reality also belongs to Extended Reality at the same time, making use of AR, VR, and MR.
- Extended reality is the platform set to interact with either side of the world, while Cross reality helps in the real world interaction with virtual and vice versa.
- The immersion level in Extended reality depends on how AR, VR and MR work. The Cross reality creates its immersion level in the extended reality.
- AR, VR, MR and Cross Reality are created in Extended Reality, while Cross Reality makes use of AR, MR, and VR.
- https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/1866029.1866050
- https://picture.iczhiku.com/resource/paper/WyKdWgWtppRFkxBc.pdf
I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️
