Mixed Reality Overview

Principles

Definition

Mixed reality is an academic concept and research field exploring the convergence of physical and digital realities, characterized by the real-time interaction and integration of real-world and computer-generated elements to create immersive environments and novel human-computer interfaces.

Ontological type

Core Technologies

Interaction Techniques

Applications

Key developments

Key Figures

Wearable Educational MR era

Mark Billinghurst[1] is a prominent researcher in wearable and augmented reality during the Wearable Educational MR era, with affiliations at University of Washington[3] and the National University of Singapore[4]. His key contributions in this era include collaborative augmented reality[7] and shared-space interfaces that embed interactive overlays into physical environments, as seen in Mixing realities in Shared Space: an augmented reality interface for collaborative computing[8] and Mixed Reality Benefits for Design Perception[9], which collectively advanced multi-user collaboration and context-aware design. Frederick P. Brooks[2] is a foundational figure in MR for education and field workflows during this era, with affiliations to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill[5] and North Carolina State University[6]. His contribution is captured by What's real about virtual reality?[10] (1999), which framed how realism, cognition, and presence influence educational MR design and paved the way for practical usability and task-oriented demonstrations in wearable systems.

Embodied Mixed Reality Training era

Sabine Webel [1] was a leading figure in embodied mixed reality training during 2011–2017, with involvement across universities and research centers such as Hunan University [3] and Nankai University [4]. Her key contributions include Evaluating virtual reality and augmented reality training for industrial maintenance and assembly tasks [5], An augmented reality training platform for assembly and maintenance skills [6], and Design Guidelines for the Development of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Training Systems for Maintenance and Assembly Tasks [7], which advanced empirical evaluation, platform development, and guideline-based design in this era. Xiangyu Wang [2], associated with Hunan University [3] and Nankai University [4] during this era, contributed to AR in the built environment and architecture, with works including Research trends and opportunities of augmented reality applications in architecture, engineering, and construction [8], and Augmented Reality in built environment: Classification and implications for future research [9]. These works informed research agendas, taxonomy, and interoperability considerations for embodied MR learning in engineering and industrial ecosystems during 2011–2017.

Unified Collaborative MR era

Mark Billinghurst [1] is a prominent researcher associated with the University of Minnesota [3] and University College London [4] during this era. In this era, Billinghurst's work across Mini-Me [6], A User Study on Mixed Reality Remote Collaboration with Eye Gaze and Hand Gesture Sharing [7], and Mixed Reality Remote Collaboration Combining 360 Video and 3D Reconstruction [8] advanced embodied interaction, shared gaze and gesture channels, and the integration of 360 video with 3D reconstructions to support remote collaboration and situational awareness, which were crucial for scaling collaborative MR in distributed teams. Michael Nebeling [2] is a prominent researcher associated with the University of Michigan [5] during this era. His contributions through What is Mixed Reality? [9] and Creating Augmented and Virtual Reality Applications: Current Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities [10] synthesized definitions, best practices, and opportunities, providing foundational guidance for developers and researchers navigating MR technology in education, manufacturing, and related domains.