Mixed reality: a guide to immersive environments

Mixed reality, or mixed reality, is a rapidly evolving set of technologies that are redefining the way users interact with digital environments. Over the past 40 years, with the advent of first personal computers and then smartphones, users have interacted with the digital predominantly through screens, graphical user interfaces, and mouse and cursor movements.

More recently, technologies have emerged that transcend this paradigm and open up new possibilities for immersive and interactive interaction in which the screen is partly replaced by visors and wearables and traditional 2D graphical interfaces evolve toward 3D immersive environments based on conversational interactions. In this evolution, digital and physical space will be increasingly interconnected to the extent precisely that we can speak of mixed analog and digital reality.

This not-too-distant scenario is the result of a path of evolution of augmented reality and virtual reality devices and applications on the one hand, and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technologies that enable the creation of conversational speech interfaces on the other.

Users are adopting these tools from the world of entertainment, and with the spread of affordable visors and wearables they will become increasingly integrated into everyday life. This phenomenon makes it necessary for companies to rethink their digital processes and environments to meet the needs of a user base that will increasingly expect immersive environments as alternatives to classic smartphone apps and websites. Thus, a driven evolution of emerging user habits is on the horizon, but it may also find declination in new opportunities for companies. In the corporate context conversational interfaces and immersive environments can be used to bring to life digital humans that can support internal communication, foronboarding and training. In the areas of marketing, sales, events and retail immersive apps for VR and XR viewers can generate a wow effect and functional engagement to increase conversions. In sectors related to the design of spaces and environments, such as civil and construction engineering, architecture and design, mixed reality solutions can become an ally in the development and management of environments and objects, up to and including the creation of true digital twins of cities, homes and products.

This is a development that appears futuristic, but in fact as early as 2024, many solutions have been developed that enable this type of scenario, and in 2025 they are becoming even more concrete.

In this guide, we will go over thehistorical evolution of these environments to understand what technologies, devices, and applications are emerging in 2025 and what are the props for businesses.

The landscape of immersive technologies is more complex today than ever before: if once, for example, it was possible to easily distinguish between augmented reality and virtual reality, today the boundaries are much more blurred. All of these technologies fall under the broader concept of augmented reality (XR), which includes all forms of interaction between the physical and virtual worlds: mixed reality represents in this context a crossroads between AR and VR, allowing a seamless transition from an augmented reality experience to a fully virtual one and creating interactive environments. Technologies, then, that were once separate can now be easily integrated into a single immersive environment. However, before exploring the potential of this hybrid continuum, it is good to clarify the technical terms in order to identify, at the level of technology and user experience, the main differences between augmented reality and virtual reality to eventually arrive at mixed reality.

Augmented reality is a technology that “adds” information to the real environment, integrating virtual elements to create anenriched visual experience in which digital content merges with the physical environment. A simple example of augmented reality was Pokemon Go, the game launched in 2016 that, through the screen of one’s device, allowed one to see and catch Pokemon that appeared to appear in the real world.

Today the functionalities and applications of augmented reality are much more varied and complex: in some cases, AR is limited to a simple integration of information without any interaction, while in other cases it enables more dynamic and interactive experiences. One example is interior design apps that allow virtual placement of furniture and decorations in a real environment: in this case, the user can choose a piece of furniture and previsualize the configuration of the space by virtually placing it and visualizing how it integrates with the physical environment.

Virtual reality, unlike AR, allows for a fully immersive experience separate from the physical world, in which the user is placed in a digitally generated synthetic 3D environment. In this space he can move freely, interact with the environment and manipulate the objects present, all with the impression of being in another place. This technology finds use in a variety of fields: in education VR can be used to simulate complex or risky work or training situations, while in real estate, virtual tours allow people to explore unrealized buildings even remotely. A relevant difference from augmented reality lies in the type of devices used to access these experiences: while AR can also be enjoyed simply through smartphones or tablets that allow virtual elements to be superimposed on the physical environment simply through the camera, virtual reality requires more specialized tools such as VR viewers that can offer a 360-degree view and total immersion in the virtual environment.

Mixed reality is the evolution of augmented reality and virtual reality and offers an immersive experience that combines the physical and virtual worlds in a hybrid continuum. For this reason, the most comprehensive and exhaustive definition is that of extended reality, or XR: it makes less and less sense, in fact, to consider AR and VR as separate technologies, as these are increasingly integrated seamlessly within the concept of extended reality, which allows mixing and dosing virtual and real elements depending on the type of experience.

For example, if a person wants to visualize how a hanging painting would look, he or she can do so by “projecting” thevirtual object onto the real wall: in this case, the augmented reality component will be dominant, as all other physical elements will be kept as visible and realistic, while the integration in VR occurs only to simulate the painting.

If, on the other hand, the goal is to visualize a different floor, the experience lies somewhere between AR and VR: the user will have the same perception of the real room, but the floor will be changed to a virtual element different from the original.

Finally, if you want to visualize a room in a totally immersive way in which nothing of the real world is visible you will have to enter a completely virtual reality that no longer has any augmented reality element.

Thus, the main advantage of mixed reality is the ability to enjoy two technologies in a single experience by modulating and “dosing” the percentages of augmented and virtual reality from a single device: mixed reality viewers.

In the past, accessing augmented reality required only a common device with a camera, such as a smartphone or tablet, through which virtual elements could be integrated with the real world. Virtual reality, on the other hand, requires specialized viewers, such as Oculus, which allow full immersion in entirely virtual environments. Today, with the spread of mixed reality that dynamically integrates augmented and virtual reality, state-of-the-art visors that can seamlessly combine both worlds are needed, such as the Meta Quest 3 and theApple Vision Pro, which offer immersive, hybrid experiences in which the user can easily move between the real and virtual.

The AppleVision Pro is Apple’s first XR viewer, described as the first “spatial computer” designed to offer an advanced mixed experience and therefore placed on a higher price range than Meta viewers. This viewer is designed for maximum comfort and visual quality, with an ergonomic design that distributes weight better than other devices and high-quality materials. Using internal tracking technology, which eliminates the need for external sensors, the Apple Vision Pro can detect user and environmental movements accurately and quickly. Unlike many viewers, the Apple Vision Pro is designed to operate without a controller, using an innovative system of hand tracking, eye tracking and voice commands, which allows for natural and intuitive interaction. The interface allows the user to navigate the digital environment with natural gestures and movements, turning the viewer into a versatile intuitive tool. However, despite the promise of revolutionizing theXR experience, the Apple Vision Pro has already faced amajor turnaround, as Apple recently announced that the visor will no longer be produced-a decision primarily related to positioning the device more as an experimental tool for developers than as a product intended for mass consumption.

The Meta Quest 3 represents Meta’s latest generation of standalone viewers, designed to operate independently of the computer, without the need for cables. Compared to the Quest 2, this new model offers significantly greater comfort: it is lighter and features pancake lenses that are less prone to chromatic aberrations and optical distortions (especially at the edges of the image) as was the case with the Quest 2’s previous fresnel lenses. As a result, graphics performance is greater and the increased resolution provides sharper and more detailed images. The substantial technological difference to be highlighted between Quest 2 and Quest 3 is Quest 3 is also the first full-featured XR visor, capable of delivering augmented reality experiences as well as virtual reality with improved, full-color Passthrough technology, which enables seamless switching between augmented and virtual environments. Accessibility has also been expanded: the Quest 3’s costs are reduced compared to other similar products, making the high-quality XR experience more affordable for a wide audience. Finally, interaction with the digital environment can take place either through hand movements, thanks toadvanced hand tracking, or through the use of controllers, enabling versatile and intuitive interaction.

The areas of use of AR and VR technologies are varied, from in-company training to previsualization of environments and workspaces and their virtual staging. From corporate real estate to retail to the organization of immersive events: here’s how these technologies can respond to different needs and provide increasingly customized solutions.

Virtual reality is redefining the landscape of events, making them more dynamic, inclusive and memorable, and creating new opportunities for interaction. With the use of the latest generation of VR viewers, events can now take advantage of interactive digital installations, immersive spaces and virtual reality applications designed to stimulate multiple senses simultaneously, thus offering immersive interaction. Virtual reality also makes it possible to expand the global reach of events, overcoming geographical barriers and reducing the environmental impact associated with travel, thus supporting a more modern, sustainable and inclusive vision of event organization.

Virtual tours represent a great opportunity for the real estate sector, as they allow spaces to be enhanced and shown even at a distance, thanks to the adoption of technologies ranging from immersive 360° videos to mixed reality environments. In the real estate sector, for example, it is possible to create virtual tours that allow people to visit houses that have not yet been built, and to carry out realistic simulations of fittings, obtaining realistic plans of what the final result will be. Mixed reality also offers significant advantages for the management and organization of corporate spaces in corporate real estate. It makes it possible, for example, to design environments such as offices and workspaces with a clear idea of where furniture items are placed. This has a positive impact on several fronts: it reduces the time and cost of designing and approving spaces by eliminating mistakes and late changes, makes for faster and more informed decisions, and engages internal company stakeholders with immersive experiences that improve project communication.

In the corporate environment, mixed reality can be used to create Digital Humans, virtual avatars that can be integrated into internal communication processes and corporate onboarding to guide new hires through an integration process with a personalized approach. Digital Humans can answer questions, provide information about the company, and show procedures while the user visually interacts with their surroundings. This mode not only makes the experience more stimulating, but also facilitates understanding of the company culture, making new employees more comfortable. In addition, the use of mixed reality allows physical limitations to be overcome, enabling Digital Humans to be available at any time and place.