Because I’ve been involved in virtual reality and augmented reality from its inception, I’m frequently asked for explanations and definitions as the metaverse grows in popularity. People are particularly interested in learning about the metaverse’s capabilities and potential threats. With similar queries cropping up all the time, I decided to compile a list of the most relevant definitions in one spot. So here we go:

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are the two cornerstones of the immersive media area. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have been around for over 30 years, with VR first appearing in the late 1980s and AR in the early 1990s.

The main distinction is the user’s sense of presence. In virtual reality, the user is immersed with a simulated environment, whereas in augmented reality, the user is immersed in a world that is both real and virtual.

As a result, the following definitions emerge:

VR is an immersive and interactive virtual environment that is experienced in the first person and gives the user a strong sense of presence.

AR is an immersive and interactive environment in which virtual content is physically registered to the real world and experienced in the first person, giving the user a strong sense of presence in a mixed real/virtual area.

A user must be able to interact with virtual information in natural and engaging ways in order to have a true VR or AR experience. This sets VR apart from 3D movies and simulations. It also distinguishes AR from “heads-up displays” (HUDS), which project non-immersive material such as text, data, and flat images into the user’s line of sight.

Virtual reality and augmented reality were the most often used terms in academia and industry for decades, although other terms have gained popularity in recent years. For example, the term “extended reality” (XR) was coined to encompass the complete range of VR and AR capabilities and has since evolved into a useful umbrella term for a variety of immersive media.

The term mixed reality (MR) has also gained traction, but it’s a bit of a misnomer because it’s essentially a synonym for augmented reality. When Microsoft released its revolutionary HoloLens headset in the mid-2010s, it used the concept “mixed reality” in its marketing materials. People have been looking for ways to distinguish between AR and MR since then, but it’s primarily a matter of personal preference.

More confusion has arisen as a result of certain businesses marketing smart glasses with ambiguous terminology, referring to them as AR/MR when they are actually heads-up displays that project non-immersive content into the user’s line of sight. When contrasted to actual augmented reality eyewear like Microsoft’s HoloLens and Snap’s newest Spectacles, such devices can be highly beneficial, but they can also generate market confusion.

To add to the perplexity, the term “metaverse” has recently gained a lot of traction. The term has its origins in 1990s science fiction, but it wasn’t widely used until Facebook (now Meta) backed it up with marketing muscle. The following is a definition:

TO metaverse is a persistent and immersive simulated world that huge groups of simultaneous users encounter in the first person and share a strong sense of mutual presence. It can be entirely virtual (i.e., a virtual metaverse) or layers of virtual information placed on the physical world (ie an augmented metaverse).

Some argue that a metaverse should also include clear norms of conduct and a fully functioning economy. While many worlds will have these characteristics, it feels overly restrictive to include them in the description. Similarly, some people anticipate that all virtual and augmented worlds will be linked into a single interoperable metaverse, with elements shared between them. While many worlds will most certainly share features and substance, some will undoubtedly stand alone and still qualify as a metaverse.

No, the metaverse isn’t a novel concept. There.com, which launched in beta in 2001, was the first dedicated metaverse I ever encountered. Even by today’s standards, it was outstanding. Soon after, Second Life appeared, which was likewise spectacular and quickly attracted a significant following. ActiveWorlds was another early metaverse that may have predated the two mentioned above, though I didn’t encounter it until 2006.

Of fact, previous metaverse platforms did not include modern notions like Web 3.0 or NFTs, which are now part of the discussion. Many people are perplexed by these new words, so it’s important to provide some background and explanation.

The discussion of Web 3.0 and NFTs in relation to the metaverse has nothing to do with immersive capabilities. Rather, they concern whether metaverse data is stored centrally by platform providers (such as Facebook user data) or disseminated across networks (like cryptocurrency on blockchain). Both are valid options for constructing a metaverse, but distributed networks allow for more interoperability and data security. Still, the platform providers will have to select which option to adopt.

Before moving on, it’s worth talking about NFTs because many people mistakenly believe they’re “digital collectibles.” Yes, they’re highly popular for that purpose right now, but the NFT is a far bigger concept targeted at transferring ownership of digital goods.

NFTs remind me of vehicle identification numbers, or VINs. In the real world, you and I could both possess a white Tesla, both brand new from the manufacturer and nearly identical. In a vast parking lot, we could walk to our cars and be unsure of who owns which one. The VIN number on each car, which is connected to your title and tracked in a variety of databases, could readily determine ownership.

The same thing could happen in the metaverse – you and I could both possess virtual Teslas that look the same and are parked in the same virtual parking lot. We may be perplexed as to who owns which. Instead of using VIN numbers to resolve this, many metaverse platforms will most likely use NFTs linked to each virtual car to track such ownership (and to every other virtual object that can be owned).

This is significant since an NFT establishes ownership irrespective of collectability. We may look back in the future and chuckle at the irrational speculation markets for NFTs that exist right now. Instead, we’ll recognize that the principal purpose of an NFT is to identify which automobile in a virtual parking lot belongs to you. Because NFTs are decentralized, it may also allow you to move that virtual car from one platform to another.

Finally, haptics is a concept that some people are unfamiliar with.

The term “haptics” refers to the addition of a tactile sensation to computers. Tactile sensations (such as texture and vibration) are felt through the skin, while force sensations (such as weight and resistance) are felt via the muscles. The majority of haptic feedback devices on the market today focus on tactile sensations (because of cost). However, by giving virtual objects tangible realism, gear that also provides force sensations makes VR and AR substantially more immersive and intriguing.

Overall, immersive media is a rapidly evolving field with a lot of overlapping terms. The diagram below should assist to clarify the terminology:

Consumers should be informed that many people in the sector are now misusing these terms. Every virtual environment is not a metaverse; every pair of smart glasses does not deliver an AR/MR experience; and, even if it is a desirable goal, it is not assured that all virtual worlds will be interoperable. On the other hand, as the market matures and consumers become more knowledgeable, our language will undoubtedly become more exact. Until then, the definitions listed above should help clear things up.

Louis Rosenberg is a pioneer in the disciplines of virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence. For the US Air Force, I created the first interactive AR system (the Virtual Fixtures platform) in 1992. He went on to start the early virtual reality business Immersion Corporation in 1993, which he took public in 1999. He later launched Outland Research, a pioneer in the field of augmented reality (2004). Rosenberg received his PhD from Stanford, served as a professor at California State University, and was given over 300 patents for his work in virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence. He is the founder and CEO of Unanimous AI, a startup that enhances group intelligence in shared spaces.