VR, MR, AR and XR - what's the difference?

Virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), augmented reality (AR) and extended reality (XR) - four terms that are increasingly being used in both leisure and business. But what do they mean?

XR- Extended reality refers to all real and virtual environments that combine human, machine and interaction. It can therefore be said that extended reality is the umbrella term for all forms, i.e. VR, MR and AR. Extended reality always involves technology as well as wearables (computer technologies that can be worn on the head or body). XR blurs the boundary between reality and the virtual world and immerses you acoustically, visually and/or haptically in another world.

MR- Mixed reality or hybrid reality consists of digital and real objects that interact with each other in real time. They are placed next to each other and can interact with each other in real time. For example, digital objects can be placed in an environment and rotated or edited there.

VR- Virtual reality allows users to completely immerse themselves in a digital world that has nothing to do with reality. The VR glasses enable a 360-degree 3D view and the brain is deceived.

AR- augmented reality - enables users to combine virtual information and objects with the real environment and superimpose them. Text, animation, images or information are therefore superimposed on reality. Users are therefore still in the real world and can interact and recognize what is happening.