When discussing Virtual reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) it is important to note the clear distinction that physical hard makes between the two. VR is dependent on use of assistive technology such as an Oculus Rift headset that enables a digitally simulated environment for the user to interact with, whereas AR is an interactive experience with real world surroundings superimposed with computer generated graphics (Green, 2018).

As with most modern technology a large testing board to long term successful implementation into everyday society is how it fairs with adaptation from the gaming community. The best examples of AR in a gaming environment would be the Pokemon GO application played on phones and tablets.  This popular  game allows users to catch monsters using players’ phones with real world backgrounds (pokemongolive.com, n.d.).

Similarly the computer game Minecraft has adapted the VR technology to enhance the open world crafting and exploration game to a new level by allowing players to now envelop themselves within a 3D environment (minecraft.net, 2020).

Image credit: Pxfuel.com

VR & VA in GLAM environment

Museums and libraries have adapted to use both of these technologies to enhance their user experiences and engagement.

The University of Newcastle has produced a fully immersive experience allowing users to tour three of the campus libraries to view specific area or to zoom out and view the different levels from a doll house perspective (newcastle.edu.au, 2020).

With the current Covid 19 situation there is no better time to be able to take a virtual tour of some of the best known museums of the world. From the British Museum in London to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, these informative interactive tours are perfect for both escaping the confines of your house as well as immersing yourself in the cultural history of another country (timeout.com, 2020).

The National Museum of Singapore currently has an exhibition of work by William Farquhar with the installation transforming his drawings into three dimensional animations (nhb.gov.sg, 2020).

The inclusion of such technology within the GLAM industry is an indicator of this technology staying for the long haul.  If the computing and technology industry that spawned this technology is anything to go by, it will be interesting to see how it evolves over the next decade.

References

Greene, D., & Groenendyk, M. (2018). Virtual and Augmented Reality as Library Services. Computers in Libraries, 38(1), 4-7.

Minecraft, (2020). Explore minecraft in VR. Retrieved from https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/vr/

National museum of Singapore, (2020). Story of the forest. Retrieved from https://www.nhb.gov.sg/nationalmuseum/our-exhibitions/exhibition-list/story-of-the-forest

Pokemongolive, (n.d.). Frequently asked questions. Retrieved from https://pokemongolive.com/en/faq/

University of Newcastle, (2020).  Virtual tours. Retrieved from

https://www.newcastle.edu.au/library/access/places-and-spaces/virtual-tours