Every AR, VR, MR, and spatial computing term you need to know — defined clearly and concisely. From 6DoF to WebXR, the most complete XR glossary online.
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Every AR, VR, MR, and spatial computing term you need to know — defined clearly and concisely. From 6DoF to WebXR, the most complete XR glossary online.
The Industry Directory for XR, AR/VR & Spatial Computing.
Whether you are a developer, enterprise buyer, journalist, or XR newcomer, the vocabulary of augmented reality, virtual reality, and spatial computing can feel overwhelming. This glossary covers 150+ essential terms - from foundational concepts to cutting-edge techniques - so you always have a reliable reference. Bookmark it. Share it. Use it.
An open-source web framework built on top of Three.js that lets developers create WebXR scenes using HTML-like markup. A-Frame is popular for rapid prototyping and browser-based VR/AR experiences. Related: WebXR, Three.js.
Digital human representations driven by artificial intelligence, capable of realistic facial expressions, lip sync, voice synthesis, and conversational interaction. AI avatars are increasingly used in XR for training simulations, virtual customer service, and social presence applications.
A wireless PCVR streaming feature by Meta that allows Meta Quest headsets to connect to a gaming PC over a local Wi-Fi network, streaming high-quality VR content without a physical cable. Related: Virtual Desktop, Wi-Fi 6E.
A self-contained XR headset with built-in compute, storage, battery, and displays - no external PC or phone required. Examples include Meta Quest 3 and PICO 4. Related: Standalone VR Headset.
Digital reference points tied to real-world positions that allow AR/MR content to remain fixed to a specific physical location across sessions or multiple devices. Anchors are fundamental for persistent AR experiences. Related: Spatial Anchors, World Locking.
Google's XR operating system platform, built on Android, designed for headsets and smart glasses. Announced in partnership with Samsung, Android XR powers devices like the Samsung Moohan headset and integrates Gemini AI.
Rendering techniques that smooth jagged edges ("jaggies") on 3D geometry. In XR, common methods include MSAA (Multi-Sample Anti-Aliasing) and FXAA (Fast Approximate Anti-Aliasing). Smooth edges are especially important in VR where the display is very close to the eye.
A technology that overlays digital information - images, text, 3D models, animations - onto the user's view of the real physical world. AR can be delivered through smartphones, tablets, or dedicated AR glasses. The real world remains visible at all times. Related: MR, XR.
Google's AR development platform for Android devices. ARCore enables motion tracking, environmental understanding (plane detection, depth), and light estimation, allowing developers to build AR apps for Android phones and tablets.
Apple's AR development framework for iOS and iPadOS. ARKit provides world tracking, scene understanding, face tracking, and LiDAR-based depth sensing, enabling AR apps on iPhones and iPads as well as visionOS experiences on Apple Vision Pro.
A technique developed by Meta that synthesizes intermediate frames when the GPU cannot maintain the target frame rate. ASW uses motion vectors and depth data to extrapolate new frames, reducing judder and maintaining smooth perceived motion even under GPU load. Related: Asynchronous Timewarp.
A reprojection technique that adjusts the last rendered frame to account for head movement that occurred between render time and display time, reducing perceived latency and motion sickness. ATW operates at the compositor level, independently of the application. Related: Reprojection, Motion-to-Photon Latency.
A powerful open-source 3D engine built for the web, with robust WebXR support. Babylon.js is feature-rich - physics, PBR materials, post-processing - and is often chosen for more complex WebXR applications compared to A-Frame. Related: WebXR, Three.js.
The horizontal field of view region that both eyes can see simultaneously in a VR headset. Higher binocular overlap (closer to the human eye's ~114 degrees) increases the sense of depth and immersion. Related: Field of View, IPD.
A compact optical design used in some AR glasses where a beamsplitter reflects light from a microdisplay toward the eye. Birdbath optics are simpler and cheaper to manufacture than waveguides but tend to have lower transparency and a narrower field of view. Related: Waveguide, Pancake Lens.
The real-time capture and mapping of a user's full body movements into a virtual avatar or interaction model. Body tracking can be achieved via camera-based computer vision, wearable sensors, or combinations thereof. Related: Hand Tracking, Face Tracking.
A passthrough camera feed rendered in full color (as opposed to black-and-white), allowing users to see their real environment through a video feed with accurate color representation. Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro feature color passthrough. Related: Passthrough, Video See-Through.
A handheld input device used in VR to interact with virtual environments. Modern VR controllers incorporate 6DoF tracking, buttons, triggers, thumbsticks, and often haptic feedback. Some platforms (Meta Quest, Apple Vision Pro) also support controller-free hand tracking.
A hardware component that measures the distance from the device to surfaces in the environment. Depth sensors enable scene reconstruction, occlusion, and hand/object tracking. Common depth sensing approaches include Time-of-Flight, structured light, and stereo cameras. Related: Time-of-Flight, LiDAR.
A virtual replica of a physical object, system, or environment that is synchronized with real-world data. In XR, digital twins allow engineers and operators to visualize, simulate, and interact with real-world systems - from factory floors to city infrastructure - in an immersive environment.
The screen technology used inside an XR headset. Common types include LCD, OLED, Micro-OLED, and MicroLED, each with different trade-offs in brightness, contrast, response time, and power consumption. Related: OLED, Micro-OLED, MicroLED.
A command sent from the CPU to the GPU instructing it to render a specific mesh with a specific material. Excessive draw calls are a major performance bottleneck in real-time XR rendering. Batching and instancing are common techniques to reduce draw call count. Related: Rendering, Shader.
The application of XR technology in professional and industrial contexts - training, remote assistance, design review, warehouse logistics, healthcare, and more. Enterprise XR often prioritizes durability, manageability, and ROI over consumer entertainment. Related: XR Training, XR for Remote Assistance.
The overarching umbrella term for all immersive technologies that merge the physical and digital worlds: Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR). XR describes the full spectrum from fully real to fully virtual. Related: AR, VR, MR.
The distance between the eyepiece lens and the user's eye at which the full field of view is visible. Headsets with larger eye relief accommodate eyeglass wearers more comfortably. Related: IPD, Field of View.
Technology that measures the orientation and movement of a user's eyes in real time. Eye tracking in XR enables foveated rendering (rendering at full quality only where the user looks), gaze-based interaction, and social presence features like natural eye contact in avatars. Related: Foveated Rendering, Eye-Tracked Foveated Rendering.
An advanced form of foveated rendering where the high-resolution render region dynamically follows the user's gaze in real time, as detected by built-in eye tracking hardware. This is significantly more efficient than fixed foveated rendering. Related: Foveated Rendering, Eye Tracking.
Real-time capture of facial expressions - brow raises, smiles, mouth movements - typically using cameras and computer vision or dedicated face sensors. Face tracking enables expressive social avatars and is used in Apple Vision Pro's Persona feature and Meta's Quest Pro. Related: Body Tracking, AI Avatars.
The angular extent of the observable world visible through an XR headset at any given moment, measured in degrees. Human binocular vision spans roughly 200 degrees horizontally. Consumer headsets typically offer 90-120 degrees horizontal FOV. Higher FOV increases immersion. Related: Horizontal FOV, Vertical FOV, Binocular Overlap.
A subset of hand tracking focused on detecting the individual position and bend of each finger joint. Fine-grained finger tracking enables precise pinch gestures, virtual keyboard typing, and detailed hand-object interactions. Related: Hand Tracking.
A form of foveated rendering where the high-resolution region is fixed at the center of the display (where most users tend to look), without using eye tracking. Less adaptive than eye-tracked foveated rendering but requires no eye tracking hardware. Related: Foveated Rendering, Eye-Tracked Foveated Rendering.
A rendering optimization technique that concentrates computational resources on the central region of the field of view (where the eye is focused) while reducing quality in the periphery. Exploits the eye's limited peripheral acuity to save significant GPU cost. Related: Fixed Foveated Rendering, Eye-Tracked Foveated Rendering.
The number of image frames rendered and displayed per second, measured in Hz or fps. XR headsets typically target 72, 90, 120, or even 144 Hz. Higher frame rates reduce judder and motion sickness. Related: Refresh Rate, Judder, Motion-to-Photon Latency.
A compact lens design used in many VR headsets that uses concentric grooves to refract light, reducing weight and depth compared to conventional lenses. Fresnel lenses are cost-effective but can produce "god rays" (light artifacts) with bright content on dark backgrounds. Related: Pancake Lens, Waveguide.
A novel 3D scene representation technique that models scenes as millions of 3D Gaussian "splats" rather than polygons or NeRF volumes. Gaussian Splatting enables real-time rendering of photorealistic scenes captured from photos/video and is rapidly gaining traction for XR visualization. Related: NeRF, Photogrammetry, Point Cloud.
The application of generative AI models - for images, 3D assets, audio, text, and more - within XR contexts. Generative AI enables rapid creation of virtual environments, NPC dialogue, personalized content, and dynamic world-building in real time. Related: AI Avatars, Neural Radiance Fields.
glTF (GL Transmission Format) is an open standard file format for 3D models and scenes, designed for efficient transmission and loading in real-time applications. GLB is the binary container version of glTF. glTF is widely used in WebXR, AR Quick Look, and cross-platform 3D asset pipelines. Related: USD, USDZ.
The real-time detection and mapping of a user's hand and finger positions using cameras and computer vision, without requiring physical controllers. Hand tracking enables natural, controller-free interaction in XR. Meta Quest, Apple Vision Pro, and HoloLens all support hand tracking. Related: Finger Tracking, Controller.
Physical sensations - vibrations, force, texture - delivered to the user to simulate touch in a virtual environment. In XR, haptics are most commonly delivered via vibration motors in controllers, but advanced solutions include haptic gloves and ultrasonic mid-air haptics. Related: Haptics.
The study and use of technology that simulates the sense of touch in digital interactions. In XR, haptics enhance immersion by letting users "feel" virtual objects, surfaces, and events. Related: Haptic Feedback, Controller.
The general term for any XR device worn on the head, encompassing VR headsets, AR glasses, and mixed reality headsets. HMD is the hardware category that includes everything from Meta Quest to Microsoft HoloLens to Apple Vision Pro. Related: Standalone VR Headset, AR Glasses.
A display technology that creates the perception of three-dimensional images that appear to float in space, using interference patterns of light. True holographic displays are still largely research-phase; some devices (like HoloLens) use the term loosely to describe waveguide-based see-through displays. Related: Light Field Display, Waveguide.
The field of view measured left-to-right across the width of the display. Horizontal FOV has the greatest impact on the sense of immersion and peripheral vision in VR. Related: Field of View, Vertical FOV.
The degree to which a technology objectively envelops a user's senses - wider FOV, higher resolution, lower latency, and spatial audio all increase immersion. Often distinguished from "presence" which is the subjective psychological sensation of "being there." Related: Presence.
A broad category of technologies that create immersive experiences by stimulating one or more human senses - sight, sound, touch. Includes VR, AR, MR, 360-degree video, spatial audio, and haptics. Synonymous in many contexts with XR. Related: XR, Extended Reality.
A tracking approach where cameras and sensors on the headset itself map the environment and track the device's position - no external base stations required. Used by Meta Quest, Apple Vision Pro, and most modern standalone headsets. More portable than outside-in tracking. Related: Outside-In Tracking, SLAM.
The distance between the centers of the two pupils, typically 54-74mm for adults. Headsets that match the display/lens separation to the user's IPD produce sharper images and reduce eye strain. Many headsets offer mechanical or software IPD adjustment. Related: Eye Relief, Binocular Overlap.
A stuttering or smearing artifact that occurs in VR when the frame rate drops or display persistence is too high relative to head movement speed. Judder breaks immersion and can cause motion sickness. Low-persistence displays and stable frame rates minimize judder. Related: Frame Rate, Persistence, Reprojection.
The delay between an action (e.g., moving your head) and the system's response (e.g., updating the image). Total system latency includes tracking, rendering, display, and optical delays. High latency causes motion sickness and breaks immersion. Related: Motion-to-Photon Latency.
A display technology using liquid crystals modulated by a backlight. Earlier VR headsets commonly used LCD panels (including the original Oculus Rift CV1's companion panels), but modern headsets increasingly use OLED or Micro-OLED for better contrast and black levels. Related: OLED, Micro-OLED.
A rendering technique that uses lower-polygon versions of 3D models when they are far from the camera or in peripheral vision, saving GPU resources. LOD systems are essential for maintaining performance in complex XR scenes. Related: Polygon, Mesh, Draw Call.
Light Detection and Ranging - a depth sensing technology that emits laser pulses and measures their return time to build precise 3D maps of environments. iPhone Pro models and iPads include LiDAR scanners, enabling fast, high-quality AR plane detection and occlusion. Related: Depth Sensor, Photogrammetry, Point Cloud.
An advanced display concept that reproduces the full light field of a scene - the direction and intensity of light rays from every point - allowing users to naturally focus at different depths. Light field displays could solve the vergence-accommodation conflict. Still largely experimental. Related: Holographic Display, Vergence-Accommodation Conflict.
A collection of vertices, edges, and polygonal faces that define the shape of a 3D object. Meshes are the fundamental geometric building blocks of real-time 3D graphics in XR. Related: Polygon, Level of Detail.
Meta's operating system for XR devices, powering Meta Quest headsets. Horizon OS is Android-based and now open to third-party hardware partners (Asus ROG XR, Lenovo), creating an ecosystem around Meta's XR platform. Related: Android XR, SteamVR.
A term describing a persistent, shared, interconnected virtual world or network of worlds where people interact, work, socialize, and transact - often via avatars. The concept spans gaming (Fortnite, Roblox), social XR (Meta Horizon Worlds), and enterprise virtual collaboration. The metaverse remains a vision more than a fully realized product.
Commercial transactions conducted within virtual or mixed reality environments - purchasing virtual goods, digital fashion, virtual real estate, or accessing services within a metaverse platform. Related: Spatial Commerce, Virtual Try-On, Digital Twin.
An emissive display technology using microscopic LEDs for each pixel, offering extremely high brightness, wide color gamut, and long lifespan. MicroLED is considered a key display technology for future AR glasses because of its high efficiency and small form factor. Related: Micro-OLED, OLED.
A type of OLED display built directly onto a silicon backplane, enabling very small display sizes with very high pixel density (high PPD). Used in Apple Vision Pro and many high-end enterprise headsets. Offers excellent contrast and color, though at high cost. Related: OLED, MicroLED, Pixels Per Degree.
A spectrum of experiences where digital and physical elements coexist and interact in real time. MR goes beyond AR by enabling virtual objects to interact with real-world surfaces and objects - occluding, casting shadows, or being occluded by physical things. Related: AR, VR, XR.
An open-source OpenXR runtime developed by Collabora, enabling XR applications built on the OpenXR standard to run on Linux and other open platforms. Monado supports a range of headsets and is a key component of the open-source XR ecosystem. Related: OpenXR.
The total time elapsed from a physical head movement to the updated image appearing on the display. For comfortable VR, motion-to-photon latency should be below 20ms, ideally under 12ms. High latency causes motion sickness. Related: Latency, Asynchronous Timewarp.
An open-source, cross-platform toolkit from Microsoft that provides input handling, spatial mapping, and UI components for building MR applications on HoloLens, Windows Mixed Reality, and other platforms. MRTK3 adds OpenXR support. Related: OpenXR, Microsoft HoloLens.
A neural network-based technique that learns to represent a 3D scene as a continuous volumetric function from a set of 2D photographs, enabling photorealistic novel view synthesis. NeRFs enable creation of immersive XR environments from photos. Related: Gaussian Splatting, Photogrammetry.
A computer vision capability that identifies and classifies real-world objects from camera input - recognizing furniture, hands, tools, or products. In XR, object recognition enables context-aware digital overlays and smart AR interactions. Related: Scene Understanding, Semantic Segmentation.
The correct rendering of digital objects being hidden behind real-world objects (or vice versa) in AR/MR. Proper occlusion is critical for realism - without it, virtual objects appear to float unnaturally in front of everything. Requires accurate depth sensing. Related: Depth Sensor, Scene Understanding.
A display technology where each pixel emits its own light, enabling perfect blacks (pixel turns completely off), high contrast ratios, and fast response times. OLED headsets deliver excellent visual quality for VR. Related: Micro-OLED, MicroLED, LCD.
Valve's API and runtime interface for VR devices, providing the foundation for SteamVR. OpenVR preceded OpenXR and was widely used for PC VR development. The industry has since moved toward OpenXR as the common standard. Related: SteamVR, OpenXR.
An open, royalty-free standard from the Khronos Group providing a unified API for XR applications and runtimes. OpenXR allows developers to write code once and target multiple headsets and platforms - Meta Quest, Windows Mixed Reality, HoloLens, PlayStation VR2, and more. The de facto industry standard for XR development. Related: OpenVR, SteamVR, Monado.
An AR display approach where the user sees the real world directly through transparent optics (waveguides, half-mirrors), with digital content projected as an overlay. Used by Microsoft HoloLens and most AR smart glasses. Related: Video See-Through, Waveguide.
A tracking approach that uses external base stations or cameras to track the headset and controllers. Examples include the original HTC Vive (with SteamVR Lighthouse base stations) and PlayStation VR2. Offers highly accurate tracking but requires environment setup. Related: Inside-Out Tracking.
A compact lens design that "folds" the optical path multiple times through partially reflective elements, enabling much thinner headsets than Fresnel lenses while maintaining wide FOV. Used in Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro. Related: Fresnel Lens, Birdbath Optics.
A feature where cameras on the headset capture the real-world environment and display it on the internal screens, allowing users to see their surroundings while wearing a VR headset. Passthrough enables MR experiences without optical see-through optics. Related: Color Passthrough, Video See-Through.
A VR headset that requires connection to a gaming PC for rendering. PC VR headsets leverage the PC's powerful GPU for high-fidelity graphics but sacrifice portability. Examples: Valve Index, HP Reverb G2, HTC Vive Pro 2. Related: Tethered Headset, Standalone VR Headset.
Wirelessly streaming VR content rendered on a PC to a standalone headset over a local network. PCVR streaming combines PC-quality graphics with the freedom of a standalone headset. Key solutions include Meta Air Link and Virtual Desktop. Related: Air Link, Virtual Desktop, Wi-Fi 6E.
How long each pixel is illuminated per frame cycle. High persistence causes motion blur during head movement in VR. Low-persistence displays (strobing) dramatically reduce blur at the cost of some brightness. Related: Frame Rate, Judder.
The technique of generating 3D models and environments from overlapping photographs. Photogrammetry is widely used in XR to create realistic digital replicas of real-world objects, spaces, and landscapes. Related: LiDAR, Point Cloud, NeRF, Gaussian Splatting.
A measure of display resolution relative to the angular field of view - how many pixels correspond to each degree of visual angle. Higher PPD means sharper, less pixelated images. Human visual acuity at the fovea is approximately 60 PPD; most headsets achieve 20-40 PPD today. Related: Resolution, Field of View, Micro-OLED.
A dataset representing a 3D shape or environment as a collection of discrete points in space, each with X, Y, Z coordinates and often color data. Point clouds are produced by LiDAR scanners, depth cameras, and photogrammetry. Related: LiDAR, Photogrammetry.
The basic building block of 3D geometry, typically a triangle. 3D models are made of many polygons forming a mesh. Polygon count affects rendering performance; XR experiences require careful polygon budgeting for real-time performance. Related: Mesh, Level of Detail.
Tracking the physical position (X, Y, Z translation) of a headset or controller in space, enabling a user to walk around and have that movement reflected in the virtual environment. Positional tracking is the "T" part of 6DoF (translation). Related: 6DoF, Inside-Out Tracking.
The subjective, psychological sensation of "being there" in a virtual environment - the feeling that the virtual world is real and you are physically located within it. Presence is the ultimate goal of immersive XR and is influenced by visual quality, tracking accuracy, audio, and haptics. Related: Immersion.
The application of physically-based ray tracing rendering - simulating the path of light rays - to XR content for photorealistic reflections, shadows, and global illumination. Real-time ray tracing in XR remains computationally demanding but is becoming feasible on high-end PC VR setups with modern GPUs.
The generation of images fast enough to maintain interactive frame rates (typically 72-144+ fps in XR). Real-time rendering requires careful optimization of geometry, shaders, textures, and draw calls. It differs from offline rendering (used in film VFX) where individual frames can take minutes or hours.
How many times per second the display is updated, measured in Hz. Directly related to frame rate - a 120Hz display updates 120 times per second. Higher refresh rates reduce motion sickness and improve smoothness. Related: Frame Rate, Persistence.
A technique that reuses a previously rendered frame, adjusting it for the current head orientation, when the GPU cannot render a new frame in time. Reprojection maintains smooth head tracking even when frame rate drops below target. Includes asynchronous timewarp and spacewarp. Related: Asynchronous Timewarp, Asynchronous Spacewarp.
The number of pixels on a display, typically expressed as width x height per eye. Higher resolution produces sharper images and reduces the "screen door effect." Modern headsets range from ~2K to ~4K per eye. Related: Pixels Per Degree, Screen Door Effect.
Tracking the orientation (pitch, yaw, roll) of a headset - which direction you are looking. Rotational tracking alone gives 3DoF experiences. Combined with positional tracking, it creates 6DoF. Related: 3DoF, 6DoF, Positional Tracking.
The ability of an XR system to interpret and model the geometry, surfaces, objects, and semantics of the real-world environment using sensors and AI. Scene understanding enables proper occlusion, physics, and context-aware AR overlays. Related: Semantic Segmentation, Object Recognition, SLAM.
A computer vision technique that classifies every pixel in an image into a category (floor, wall, hand, person, etc.). In XR, semantic segmentation enables intelligent, context-aware digital overlays and physics interactions. Related: Scene Understanding, Object Recognition.
A small program that runs on the GPU and determines how surfaces are rendered - including lighting, color, reflections, and special effects. Shaders are fundamental to visual quality in XR and must be highly optimized for real-time performance. Related: Real-Time Rendering, Draw Call.
Full spatial tracking allowing movement and rotation in all six directions: forward/back (surge), left/right (sway), up/down (heave), plus pitch, yaw, and roll rotations. 6DoF lets you physically walk around virtual spaces and feel true presence. The standard for modern VR headsets. Related: 3DoF, Positional Tracking, Rotational Tracking.
An algorithmic technique that allows a device to simultaneously build a map of an unknown environment and track its location within that map. SLAM is the core technology behind inside-out tracking in modern XR headsets. Related: Inside-Out Tracking, Scene Understanding.
Eyewear with embedded electronics that can display information, capture media, or provide audio - without the full immersion of AR glasses. Examples include Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses (camera, audio, AI assistant) and Snap Spectacles. Related: AR Glasses, Head-Mounted Display.
AI systems that understand and interact with the physical 3D world - combining perception (SLAM, scene understanding), reasoning (object relationships, intent), and action. Spatial AI is the intelligence layer enabling XR devices to understand and respond intelligently to their environment. Related: Scene Understanding, SLAM.
Persistent, shareable anchors tied to specific real-world locations that allow multiple users or sessions to share and maintain consistent AR/MR content placement. Used in enterprise and collaborative AR applications. Related: Anchors, World Locking.
Audio rendered in three-dimensional space so that sounds appear to come from specific directions and distances, matching the visual scene. Spatial audio uses head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) to simulate how sounds reach the ears from different directions, greatly enhancing XR immersion.
Shopping and commercial experiences delivered in spatial or XR contexts - virtual showrooms, AR product visualization, virtual try-on, and immersive brand experiences. Spatial commerce blurs the line between e-commerce and physical retail. Related: Virtual Try-On, Metaverse Commerce.
A computing paradigm in which digital information and interactions are embedded in and organized around the physical world and three-dimensional space. Spatial computing encompasses XR hardware, spatial AI, 3D interfaces, and the software stack enabling them. Apple popularized the term with Apple Vision Pro.
Valve's VR platform and runtime, providing a software layer between VR applications and hardware. SteamVR supports a wide range of PC VR headsets and includes the OpenVR API and Lighthouse tracking system. It is transitioning toward OpenXR support. Related: OpenVR, OpenXR.
A depth sensing method that projects a known light pattern (e.g., grid, dots) onto a surface and analyzes its deformation to calculate depth. Structured light is used in iPhone Face ID sensors and some XR depth cameras. Related: Depth Sensor, Time-of-Flight.
A cable connecting a VR headset to a PC or game console, providing power and high-bandwidth data transmission for PC VR setups. Some tethers also carry DisplayPort/HDMI signals. Related: PC VR Headset, USB-C, DisplayPort.
A VR headset that must be physically connected to an external computer or console via a cable to function. Tethered headsets access far greater compute power than standalone devices. Related: PC VR Headset, Standalone VR Headset.
A 2D image applied to the surface of a 3D mesh to add color, detail, or surface properties (roughness, metalness, normal maps). Texture quality and compression significantly impact both visual fidelity and performance in XR. Related: Shader, Mesh.
A JavaScript library that simplifies 3D graphics rendering in the browser using WebGL. Three.js is the foundation for many WebXR experiences and tools, including A-Frame. Related: WebXR, A-Frame, Babylon.js, WebGL.
Tracking only the rotational orientation of a device (pitch, yaw, roll) - you can look around but not walk through space. 3DoF was common in early mobile VR (Google Cardboard, Daydream) and basic controllers. Contrasts with the full spatial freedom of 6DoF. Related: 6DoF, Rotational Tracking.
A depth sensing technology that measures the time for emitted infrared light to reflect off surfaces and return to the sensor, calculating distances with high accuracy. ToF sensors are widely used in XR headsets for hand tracking and environment scanning. Related: Depth Sensor, Structured Light, LiDAR.
The world's most widely used real-time 3D engine for XR development. Unity supports all major XR platforms via its XR Plug-in Framework and OpenXR support, making it the most popular choice for building VR and AR apps across Meta Quest, Apple Vision Pro, HoloLens, and more. Related: Unreal Engine, OpenXR.
Epic Games' high-fidelity real-time 3D engine, known for stunning visual quality and used in AAA XR experiences, location-based entertainment, and enterprise visualization. Unreal's Lumen and Nanite technologies push real-time realism into XR. Related: Unity, OpenXR.
A universal connector standard supporting high-speed data, video (DisplayPort Alt Mode), and power delivery. In XR, USB-C is used to connect PC VR headsets, charge standalone headsets, and enable wired PCVR via Meta Quest Link. Related: DisplayPort, Tether.
A framework developed by Pixar for representing, composing, and collaborating on 3D scenes. USD has become the standard for professional 3D pipelines and is central to Apple's spatial computing ecosystem (USDZ) and NVIDIA's Omniverse. Related: USDZ, GLTF/GLB.
A zero-compression, single-file archive format of USD, optimized for AR Quick Look on Apple platforms. USDZ files enable AR product visualization on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro directly from Safari or apps without special software. Related: USD, GLTF/GLB.
A display or optics approach that dynamically adjusts the focal distance of the display to match where the user's eyes are focused, addressing the vergence-accommodation conflict. Varifocal displays have been demonstrated in research headsets but are not yet in mass-market consumer devices. Related: Vergence-Accommodation Conflict.
A source of visual discomfort in VR/AR where the eyes converge (point toward) a virtual object at one distance, but must focus (accommodate) at the fixed focal plane of the display. VAC causes eye fatigue and is a key unsolved challenge in XR optics. Varifocal and light field displays aim to solve it. Related: Varifocal, Light Field Display.
The field of view measured top-to-bottom. In most headsets, vertical FOV is smaller than horizontal FOV. Increasing vertical FOV improves the feeling of a tall, encompassing virtual space. Related: Field of View, Horizontal FOV.
An AR/MR approach where cameras capture the real world and display it on internal screens - as opposed to optical see-through where you look through transparent lenses. Passthrough on Meta Quest 3 and the Apple Vision Pro's external display mode are examples. Related: Passthrough, Optical See-Through.
A popular third-party app for Meta Quest that streams PCVR content wirelessly from a gaming PC, offering high-quality streaming with HEVC/AV1 encoding and support for SteamVR/OpenXR titles. Related: Air Link, PCVR Streaming, Wi-Fi 6E.
An AR-powered feature allowing consumers to visualize products - eyewear, clothing, makeup, furniture - in their real environment or on their body before purchase. Virtual try-on is a major use case for mobile AR and smart mirrors in retail. Related: Spatial Commerce, AR.
Apple's operating system for the Apple Vision Pro spatial computer. visionOS combines elements of iOS/iPadOS with a 3D spatial windowing system, eye and hand input, and deep integration with ARKit and RealityKit for immersive app development.
A technology that fully replaces the user's visual (and often auditory) environment with a computer-generated simulation, typically experienced through a head-mounted display. VR creates a sense of presence in virtual spaces. Applications range from gaming to training to therapy. Related: AR, MR, XR, Presence.
An optical component used in AR glasses that guides light from a miniature display into the user's eye across a thin, transparent pane of glass or plastic. Waveguides enable slim, glasses-like AR form factors. Key players in waveguide technology include Lumus, Dispelix, and WaveOptics. Related: Optical See-Through, Holographic Display, Birdbath Optics.
A JavaScript API that enables hardware-accelerated 3D graphics rendering in web browsers without plugins, using the GPU via OpenGL ES. WebGL is the foundation for browser-based 3D and XR applications. Related: Three.js, WebXR.
A W3C web API that enables AR and VR experiences directly in web browsers, supporting headsets, AR-capable phones, and more. WebXR allows users to enter immersive XR experiences through a browser URL - no app install required. Related: OpenXR, A-Frame, Babylon.js, Three.js.
The extension of Wi-Fi 6 into the 6GHz frequency band, providing more available spectrum, reduced interference, and lower latency. Wi-Fi 6E is the recommended network technology for high-quality wireless PCVR streaming. Related: Air Link, Virtual Desktop, PCVR Streaming, Wi-Fi 7.
The next generation of Wi-Fi, offering theoretical speeds up to 46 Gbps, multi-link operation (using multiple bands simultaneously), and ultra-low latency. Wi-Fi 7 will enable even more reliable and higher-quality wireless XR streaming. Related: Wi-Fi 6E, PCVR Streaming.
Playing PC VR games and applications wirelessly by streaming rendered content from a gaming PC to a standalone headset over a local Wi-Fi network. Related: PCVR Streaming, Air Link, Virtual Desktop, Wi-Fi 6E.
A technique that keeps virtual content precisely aligned to physical space across head movements and session restarts, preventing drift. World locking systems use a combination of SLAM and spatial anchor data. Related: Spatial Anchors, SLAM, Anchors.
The umbrella term for all immersive technologies - AR, VR, and MR - that extend or alter human perception of reality using digital technology. XR is the industry-standard shorthand encompassing the full spectrum of immersive experiences. Related: AR, VR, MR, Spatial Computing.
Applications of XR in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry - including virtual walkthroughs of unbuilt designs, collaborative BIM review in immersive environments, and on-site AR overlays for construction guidance. Related: Digital Twin, Enterprise XR.
Clinical and medical applications of XR - surgical training simulators, phobia treatment via VR exposure therapy, pain distraction during procedures, anatomy education, and AR-guided surgery. Related: XR Training, XR Simulation, Enterprise XR.
Using XR to allow remote experts to see through a field worker's camera (or AR glasses) and annotate the real-world view with guidance, arrows, and instructions in real time. Key enterprise use case for platforms like PTC Vuforia Chalk and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Remote Assist. Related: Enterprise XR, Smart Glasses.
The measurable return on investment from XR deployments, typically expressed through reduced training time, decreased error rates, lower travel costs, improved safety outcomes, or increased sales conversion. Demonstrating XR ROI is critical for enterprise adoption. Related: Enterprise XR, XR Training.
The use of XR technology to simulate real-world scenarios for training, planning, or testing - from surgical simulations to military exercises to industrial safety drills. XR simulations offer safe, repeatable, and scalable training environments. Related: XR Training, Enterprise XR, Digital Twin.
Using VR or AR to train workers in skills, procedures, and safety - from warehouse associates to surgeons to pilots. XR training improves retention, reduces risk, and scales without needing physical equipment. One of the highest-ROI enterprise XR use cases. Related: Enterprise XR, XR Simulation.
The XR industry moves fast. Terms evolve, new standards emerge, and technologies that were research experiments become commercial products. Reality Atlas updates this glossary regularly to keep it accurate and complete. If you spot a missing term or an outdated definition, reach out to the team.
Explore more on Reality Atlas: hardware comparisons, company profiles, job listings, and the latest XR industry news and research.
XR stands for Extended Reality — an umbrella term covering Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR). It describes any technology that extends or replaces human perception of the real world with digital content.
AR (Augmented Reality) overlays digital content onto the real world, which you can still see. VR (Virtual Reality) replaces the real world entirely with a simulated environment. MR (Mixed Reality) blends both, allowing digital objects to interact with the physical world.
6DoF (Six Degrees of Freedom) means a device can track movement in all six spatial directions: forward/back, left/right, up/down, plus pitch, yaw, and roll rotations. This enables you to physically walk around and lean in a virtual space, creating a much more immersive experience than 3DoF.
Foveated rendering renders only the area where your eye is focused at full resolution, while peripheral areas are rendered at lower resolution. Eye-tracked foveated rendering uses real-time eye tracking data to follow your gaze, dramatically reducing GPU load without perceptible quality loss.
OpenXR is an open, royalty-free standard from the Khronos Group that defines a common API for XR applications and runtimes. It allows developers to write XR code once and deploy across multiple headsets and platforms without platform-specific rewrites.
