Mixed reality as a concept aggregates all kinds of approaches to let users experience digital environments in the real world. Most prominent are visual devices like virtual or augmented reality glasses, however there are also devices for other senses, like headphones, gloves and other tactile augmentations. The spectrum (also known as the Reality-[[Virtuality]] continuum) within mixed reality range from total replacement of senses to optional augmentation of specific aspects. Here is a list of the most prominent ones, from least invasive to complete replacement: * **Physical Reality**: The state of things as they "actually exist" through our human senses without any technology. Example: Driving a car in “real life” * [[Augmented Reality#Mode 1 Annotated Reality]]: Using devices to provide information alongside the physical reality, usually context aware to some extent. This can be done via screens, headphones or similar. This is sometimes also called "Second Screen". Example: Using a GPS navigation device or Heads up Display to support wayfinding. * [[Augmented Reality#Mode 2 Extended Reality XR and Mixed Reality MR]]: Technology that seamlessly incorporates digital information into the respective sense, thus combining the digital and physical reality into one coherent perception. Example: Seeing directions integrated into the view of physical reality. * [[Augmented Reality#Mode 3 Augmented Virtuality]]: Artificially created sensory experiences of people, environments and objects, which can include sight, touch, hearing, and smell, completely replacing the original sensory input, that match the physical reality.  Example: Replacing visual perception with digital input, where the simulation matches reality. * [[Virtual Reality]]: Artificially created sensory experiences of people, environments and objects, which can include sight, touch, hearing, and smell, completely replacing the original sensory input. Example: Replacing visual perception with digital input to transport you from your living room to a race track. While the distinction between these "modes" makes sense from an experience point of view, the technology will eventually be able to switch between them. So for example glasses or headphones will eventually be able to block out external input as well as pass through external input or become transparent. However specialized solutions will remain as a niche segment. As a result users are able to inject purely digital elements seamlessly into the physical world, creating a believable mixed reality, which is the sum of both. Eventually users will be able to control the level of digital input, ranging from no digital augmentation to fully replacing all input. ## Key drivers for Mixed Reality With mixed reality, digital screens and interfaces will follow your world, extending and changing as they are needed. This will continue to the point where they are not screens anymore, but fully volumetric augmented experiences, which will seamlessly integrate into the real world environment. Compare this to the mobile phone, which we use the same way: We take it out whenever we need it to augment our daily routine with communication, wayfinding, information and other things. But instead of having an extra screen, imagine the phones’ output as an overlay over your natural vision. As mobile phones became ubiquitous in our life, mixed reality will do the same thing. ![[Microsoft HoloLens 2 for industrial applications.png]] *Microsoft HoloLens 2 for industrial applications, Microsoft, https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/hololens/* If smart physical environments with digital abilities and behaviors exist, then users need to be able immerse themselves in this physical-digital hybrid world in a tangible and very relatable way. As these systems interact with environments, personal scenarios might have inadvertent effect on the physical reality, for example allowing or blocking access to rooms or buildings. Thus it is vital that users understand their impact in these digital-physical environments. And this brings us to mixed reality.  If all the above is about extending the physical world with digital abilities, behaviors, entities, capabilities, Mixed Reality allows users to immerse themselves fully in this physical-digital hybrid world in a tangible and very relatable way. In that sense, mixed reality is a magic window into these digital layers, making them visible and actionable for users. They do not replace the real world input, but augment it, weaving things that do not exist into the user’s model of reality. ## Summary **What it is**: Allow users to immerse themselves fully in physical-digital hybrid dimensions in a tangible and very relatable way. **What it enables**: Every digital aspect of a thing or an environment of things can be experienced and manipulated directly, even without deep knowledge of the technologies involved. ## Articles & Posts [Supponor are the sports industry’s global solution for live in-game virtual advertising](https://supponor.com/) - Through Supponor’s cutting edge virtual placement technology, non-existing advertising spaces are enabled for the TV broadcast coverage of a sporting event, without the need for surfaces and cameras to be modified, or for physical advertising to exist. [RIP: The fallen heroes of virtual reality (redbull.com)](https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/rip-the-fallen-heroes-of-virtual-reality)