| Edge Computing |
A distributed computing paradigm bringing computation and data storage closer to the location needed
in order to decrease latency and increase security. |
| Embodiment |
The feeling of being immersed in the virtual space through sensory feedback, interactivity, and
spatial awareness. |
| Extended Reality (XR) |
All real and virtual environments and interactions generated by technology and wearables. An
umbrella term for Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) collectively.
|
| Eye Tracking |
Use of cameras and sensors in a headset to calculate where the user’s eyes are directly looking. Can
enable gaze control by the user and allows the capture of user data. |
| Field of View (FOV) |
Refers to the angle, measured in degrees, within a user’s visual field of view in a headset. |
| Foveated Rendering |
Eye tracking integrated with a virtual reality headset to reduce the rendering workload by reducing
the image quality in the peripheral vision. The centrally located fovea in the human eye is where
the focus is sharpest. |
| Game-based learning |
Learning experiences re-packaged as games to increase engagement with and retention of the content.
Can promote critical or strategic thinking and be used to support students otherwise not engaged.
|
| Gamification |
The digitization of non-game applications into formats that use point scoring, paths of engagement,
rules of play, and a reward system to encourage a specific response and enhance the sense of
personal achievement. |
| Gaze |
Direct point of vision measured by XR headsets to allow hands-free interaction with the digital
experience. |
| Geolocation |
Identification of the geographic location of a user or device. |
| Gesture |
A non-verbal form of communication, usually movement of hands, face, or other parts of the body.
|
| Global Agency |
The ability of a user to interact with a virtual world or experience and have a significant impact
on it. |
| Guardian System |
Boundaries in the real world set up digitally to guide users in moving safely inside an immersive
virtual environment. |
| Hand Tracking |
Hand tracking captures the movement of a user's hands, allowing actual hand movements to replace
controllers and allow the user to more naturally interact with 3D objects in an immersive
world. Hand movements may be tracked from the HMD, haptic gloves, or wearables. |
| Haptics and force feedback |
Vibrations and force feedback delivered via controllers, wearable gloves, or full -body haptic suits
to simulate real-world touch and force, enhancing the realism of interactions. |
| Head Mounted Display (HMD) |
A hardware unit — e.g., a VR headset — worn on the user's head that provides the vehicle to
visualize and immerse in virtual software content. |
| Head Tracking |
Tracks the position of the user’s head in an HMD in order to orient the virtual environment to the
user’s point of view. |
| Heat Maps |
A data visualization tool that uses eye traking to show areas that are most interesting from the
users point of view. |
| Hotspot |
An interactive location to release more content or options in an immersive space. |
| Humanics |
The human ability to understand the digital landscape and computational data and remain interactive
and holistic in human communication. |
| Imaginality |
The ability to have originality of ideas and ambitions and keep up with lateral thinking and unusual
logic. |
| Immersion |
A psychological state of being in a virtual environment. |
| Intelligent Agency (IA) |
An autonomous entity to act in, and influence, an artificial environment to direct and complete the
goals set out. |
| Internet of Things (IoT) |
A system of related computing devices, software, objects, animals, or people with unique identifiers
(UIDs) and the ability to transfer data through a network without requiring human to human or human
to computer interaction. |
| Interpupillary Distance (IPD) |
The distance between the pupils of both eyes. Some HMDs offer the option to adjust the IPD to
improve vision. |
| Latency |
The delay between a user’s action and the technology’s reaction. Low latency is critical to a
comfortable VR/AR experience. |
| Local Agency |
The ability for a user to make small changes in a virtual environment or experience. |
| Locomotion |
The way in which a user moves through a virtual environment. |
| Low-Code / No-Code Development |
Allows you to develop interactive experiences with a visual, often drag-and-drop-based, approach.
Code Snippets support this movement making it easier and faster to develop experiences. |
| Mesh |
A collection of polygons in 3D space forming a shape. |
| Metaverse |
The world you are in when you are in virtual and augmented reality, or the collective world of all
combined virtual or augmented spaces. |
| Mixed Reality (MR) |
Allows physical and digital objects to be persistent and to co-exist and interact in real
time. |
| Navigation |
The way in which you can move through a virtual environment. |
| Non-Player Character (NPC) |
A character players do not have control over and whose actions are often based on predetermined,
algorithmic, or responsive behavior. |
| Occlusion |
Hiding an object from view by the positioning of other objects in the user's line of
sight. |
| Performant |
The ability of an immersive experience to run at a high enough frame rate to not cause judder. There
are many techniques used to optimize content to make it performant including reduction of the
polygons in a 3D asset. |
| Photogrammetry |
A process in which multiple photographs of a person, object, or place are stitched together to
create a 3D digital twin. |
| Pixel |
In a digital image, the smallest physical point and element of a picture represented on a screen.
|
| Polygons |
A plane figure defined by a number of straight lines to form a closed polyginal circuit. 3D objects
are formed when polygons are rendered into a wireframe. |
| Portal |
A location in a virtual space that allows the user to pass through into another 3-dimensional world.
|
| Positional Tracking |
Mapping a user's movement in the physical world onto the virtual environment.May be limited by room
size and cable length (if the headset is connected to a computer). Not all headsets allow positional
tracking. |
| Presence |
When users naturally perceive the virtual system and fully sense that they are part of and in a
physical environment. |
| QR (Quick Response) Codes |
A matrix barcode that contains digital information about an item, object, person, place, or
location. Activated by a smartphone camera, the code pulls up the linked information.
|
| Refresh Rate |
The speed, measured in frames per second (FPS) or hertz (Hz), at which images are displayed in a
virtual environment. The accepted minimum refresh rate for a comfortable VR experience is 90 FPS.
|
| Rendering |
Through a computer algorithm, the generation of 2D and 3D images processed to increase efficiency
and performance at the highest standard possible. |
| Shading |
Shading is the illusion of depth perception, which is achieved through the variation of color and
texture of an object. |
| SLAM |
Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM) enables 6DoF by positioning the user relative to the
environment. Where 3DoF allows you to only Pitch, Yaw, and Roll your head, SLAM adds Up/Down
Left/Right and Back/Forth. |
| Spatial Audio |
3D Audio effects built into the surround-sound environment of the experience. |
| Spatial Computing |
Human interaction with a computer in which the machine retains and manipulates responses to real
objects and spaces. |
| Technosphere |
The connectivity of the global network. |
| Teleportation |
Using a controller to transfer from one point to another without traveling the physical space
between locations. |
