Glossary

Are you confused about the different terms used in VR production? Unsure whether VR or AR is right for you? Or whether you need a 3D model or a digital twin? We’ve created this glossary to help you make sense of the technical jargon and industry-speak.

Our Virtual Services & Experiences

360 Virtual Tour
An interactive and navigable version of a real-world environment, usually captured in 360 imagery or video. Examples include buildings, vehicles or other spaces, such as our St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Personalised Navigation Tool.

360 Video
Immersive video footage, captured in all directions using 360 cameras, that allows a viewer to look around, as with our Giant Immersive Installation for London Zoo.

Virtual Reality (VR)
Fully immersive digital experiences that are delivered via a headset. See our Royal British Legion example, where we delivered a history lesson in VR.

Augmented Reality (AR)
Digital overlays on real-world environments. They may use a headset, but can also use a phone or tablet camera. Commonly used in sales contexts, such as ‘trying on’ clothes or viewing furniture within your home. Take a look at our McVities demo.

Mixed Reality (MR)
Combined, interactive physical and digital worlds.

Extended Reality (XR)
An umbrella term used to refer to VR, AR and MR as a whole.

Virtual Events & Activations
Online immersive and interactive events designed to engage with your audience, such as our Spotify VR Treasure Hunt.

Immersive Brand Experiences
Branded virtual experiences used for awareness, engagement, consideration and conversions. Check out our Thales 3D Metaverse Gallery as an example.

Interactive 3D
3D objects, spaces or worlds that can be interacted with by a user. Take a look at our XLH 3D Exhibition case study for inspiration.

Interactive Installations
Immersive and interactive installations that are often used in real-world spaces and situations like trade shows, conferences, or open days, such as our Pizza Hut Virtual Restaurant Experience.

Virtual Training
Training courses that take place remotely and online, often using Extended Reality technology for immersion, engagement and retention.

Can be used for teaching impractical, unsafe or high-consequence subjects, such as in medicine or hazardous situations, as seen in our Digital Realty VR Training Program.

Virtual Open Days & Exhibitions
Virtual experiences for places like universities, properties or exhibitions that allow people to attend from anywhere in the world, and see the place for themselves, often with interactive and rich media elements.

Check out our Virtual Open Day for the University of Kent for more information.

Our Core Technologies

3D Models
Static digital assets, such as objects or spaces, recreated and simulated in 3D. They may be fully virtual or use real imagery, known as photogrammetry.

Digital Twins
A virtual, interactive replica of a physical system (such as objects or places) which can be used in VR various applications like training tools or other installations.

3D Environments
Digital spaces recreated and simulated in 3D that allow a user to see, interact and move around in. They may incorporate 3D-modelled objects.

Persistent Virtual Worlds
Like 3D environments, but Persistent Virtual Worlds are fully-realised and always on digital spaces that allow multiple users to enter and leave as they please, explore, and interact with both the environment and each other.

Metaverse
Another term for a persistent virtual world, but sometimes much larger in scope and scale.

Real-Time Rendering
Instant visuals that are created by a graphics or game engine, such as Unity or Unreal Engine. These are used in VR applications and virtual worlds, as well as computer games and other visual media.

Spatial Computing
The process of interacting with digital content within a 3D space, such as a virtual world.

Volumetric Capture
The recording of real people or environments in 3D, which can be used to add immersion and realism to VR applications.

Photogrammetry
Using real photography to create 3D models, which offer exceptional detail and realism.

Motion Capture (MoCap)
The capturing of movement which can be used for animation or analysis, such as in a medical context.

Strategic & Conceptual Terms

Immersive Storytelling
The process of creating and communicating a narrative through an interactive environment, such as our Pladis (McVitie’s) New Employee Experience.

Phygital Experiences
Experiences that combine physical and digital elements for maximum immersion and engagement.

Location Based Experiences (LBE)

This form of entertainment is designed for immersive, interactive audience experiences within a physical environment. See our London Zoo project at the Outernet, London to see what’s possible.

Spatial UX
The process of designing user experiences for virtual digital environments, including how users interact with and get feedback from digital elements.

It focuses on spatial awareness, movements, gestures and how objects relate to each other within this digital context, often to maximise intuitiveness and immersion.

Generative AI in 3D
The process of using generative AI, such as Gemini, Claude and others to create digital assets, often speeding up the production process.

Key Technical Terms

Stereoscopic
Separate images are delivered to each eye in VR or 360 applications. This is how human eyes work in real life, so it creates depth and realism to the virtual environment.

Monoscopic
A single, flat image. Lacks depth and immersion but is simple and efficient to create and deploy.

Field of View (FOV)
The extent of the observable environment to the user, usually measured in degrees. Normal human vision has an FOV of around 200°–220° horizontally and 130°–150° vertically.

6DoF (Six Degrees of Freedom)
How movement is handled within a 3D environment such as a VR experience or computer game.

The user can move in three directions:

• Up or down
• Forward or backwards
• Left and right

As well as rotate:

• Pitch (lean up and down)
• Yaw (look left and right)
• Roll (lean left and right)

3DoF (Three Degrees of Freedom)
As above but rotational movement only; the user remains in a fixed spot within the digital environment.

Frame Rate (FPS)
Measured in Frames per Second (FPS), this defines the smoothness of the experience for the viewer. Higher framerates are desirable but require more computing power and larger file sizes.

UK TV is broadcast in 25fps, but modern computer games are played in 60 or even 120fps.

Latency
The delay between an input from the user, such as head movement or using a hand controller, and the response on the screen.

Usually measured in milliseconds (ms), between 15 and 20 ms is ideal for a natural and immersive experience. High latency has been known to cause motion sickness in VR applications.

Platforms & Hardware

Game Engines
A software and production environment that allows us to build and render digital environments. Commonly also used for computer games.

They contain tools for movement and interaction physics, sound, animation, lighting and visual effects, as well as creating characters, behaviours and rules.

We use Unity or Unreal Engine, depending on your needs.

WebAR
Augmented reality that can be used within a browser such as Chrome or Safari. Doesn’t require a dedicated app.

Mobile AR
Augmented reality design for mobile devices.

Custom XR Platforms
Bespoke extended reality platforms that we build for brands.

Location-Based XR
Extended reality that uses GPS, Visual Positioning Systems (VPS), and sensors to tie it to a physical space, for example, to bring up additional information at a museum, art gallery or historical site.

VR Headsets
A headset that contains two high-definition screens in front of the eyes to display the virtual environment, and uses sensors to track movement.

They can also contain headphones and be paired with handheld controllers (haptics) that allow users to interact physically with the virtual world.

We can build for any VR headset but often recommend the Meta Quest 3, HTC Vive Pro 2 or Apple Vision Pro.

AR Devices
Devices that can display augmented reality content, such as phones or tablets, smart glasses, or the Microsoft HoloLens 2.

Sensors & Tracking Systems
These enable spatial interaction, such as looking or moving around the environment. VR headsets often use a combination of:

• Gyroscope and accelerometers to measure rotation and acceleration (movement speed)
• Magnetometer to measure direction
• Internal or external cameras to track the user’s position within a space

Together, these enable 6DoF (Six Degrees of Freedom).

Haptics
Technology that allows users to physically interact with the environment, and receive feedback such as touch, pressure or vibration. These can consist of hand controllers, gloves or even full body suits.

Photo & Video Cameras
Used to capture high-quality images and video used in our virtual experiences.

Drones
Used to capture high-quality aerial shots, such as for our Big Ben Virtual Tour, which required permission from:

• The Civil Aviation Authority, including the Secure (military) Wing of the CAA
• The Metropolitan Police
• Westminster City Council
• The Palace Estates Team
• The Serjeant-at-Arms of the House of Commons
• National Air Traffic Services (NATS)
• Natural England

Production Language

Experience Design
The process of designing the overall look, feel and experience of immersive user journeys in a virtual setting, such as defining the start and end point(s), routes which can be taken between them, and what will be seen or interacted with along the way.

Immersive User Journeys
The specific path(s) through a given experience or world.

Interaction Design
The process of designing how users interact and engage with virtual objects and the environment.

Environment Design
The process of designing and building virtual spaces.

Optimisation
The process that ensures the virtual experience performs consistently across multiple devices. It takes into account computing power, screen resolutions, storage limits and connectivity options.

Prototyping (XR)
The process of building and testing initial versions of a virtual experience to test the concept and identify potential issues.