Hi, I’m Gina Sipley, an Instructor of Reading and Basic Education and Women’s Studies from Nassau Community College. Simulations are environments that simulate activities that otherwise would be difficult or even impossible because of safety concerns, geographical distances, or just to overcome limitations of time and space.
Cramer Branding Agency wrote that both augmented and virtual reality “have the remarkable ability to alter our perception of the world. Where they differ, is the perception of our presence.” Virtual reality is able to transpose the user. In other words, bring us someplace else. Through closed visors or goggles, VR blocks out the room and puts our presence elsewhere. Augmented reality, however, takes our current reality and adds something to it. It does not move us elsewhere, it simply “augments” our current state of presence, often with clear visors.”
Virtual reality refers to computer technologies that use software to generate realistic images and sounds and sensations that replicate a real or an imaginary environment. They are meant to stimulate and make you think that you are there in that virtual environment. These immersive experiences can range from cheap and affordable to expensive and costly depending on how detailed the virtual reality simulation is.
Augmented reality is a live direct or indirect view of a real-world physical environment whose elements are augmented. Using, components like, computer-generated sensory input, video graphics, and G.P.S. data, things that are not normally there, in reality, appear visually when you’re using an augmented reality simulation.
Another popular form of simulations is virtual labs. Virtual labs are helpful to allow someone to participate in labs online that they would usually do in person.
For example, there are virtual labs online that allow the dissection of virtual animals. Participants opposed to vivisection can still gather the information and experience a somewhat similar situation without harming a living animal.
3D modeling and 3D printing refer to the process where you develop something on a computer and then send it to a 3D printer. The printer will fill that three-dimensional object with material.
The material can consist of paper, plastic, rubber, metal, chocolate or almost anything you can think of and the printer takes those materials and forms that 3D object.