XR glossary: understand the terms before choosing a device

Technical labels are useful only when they answer your question. Use this glossary to separate what a device displays, what it tracks and what it needs to connect. The terms below explain capabilities; they do not certify a particular product or replace its exact specifications.

XR: extended reality#

XR is an umbrella term used across augmented and virtual reality. It describes a broad field, not one device shape or feature set. An XR label alone does not tell you whether a product has transparent lenses, cameras, a standalone processor or a required phone.

VR: virtual reality#

VR presents a virtual environment that replaces your view of the physical surroundings. The experience may run on the headset or use separate computing hardware. Read the system requirements before treating a headset price as the cost of a complete setup.

AR and MR: augmented and mixed reality#

AR adds digital content to a view of the physical world. MR describes experiences that blend physical and digital elements; Microsoft treats it as a spectrum. These labels overlap in industry usage. Ask what the software actually understands or interacts with in your room.

Passthrough: a camera view of the room#

Camera passthrough shows the surroundings on the displays inside a headset. Optical see-through lets you look through lenses at the surroundings themselves. Android’s device documentation distinguishes these approaches. A camera view and a direct view are different systems, even when both let you see your desk.

AI glasses: check the inputs and outputs#

AI glasses describes eyewear with assistant-related functions, rather than a single display category. Google distinguishes audio glasses from glasses with a display. Check what the exact product can hear, capture and show: assistance through speakers does not establish that it can display your laptop screen.

Display glasses: ask which kind of display#

In Choosense’s buying guides, wearable display glasses generally means an external screen for another device. VITURE’s Pro/One setup is an example of that connection model. Some platforms use “display glasses” for a smaller interface instead. Confirm whether the product accepts your device’s video output or supports only particular visual features.

3DoF: three degrees of freedom#

3DoF tracks rotation: turning left or right, looking up or down, and tilting your head. It does not directly track movement through the room. For a screen advertised as anchored, ask how it behaves when you lean or change position, not only when you turn your head.

6DoF: six degrees of freedom#

6DoF adds positional tracking to rotation: movement forward and backward, sideways, and up and down. It describes tracked motion, not a guarantee of tracking accuracy or support in every app. Headset and controller tracking can also differ; check both when evaluating an experience.

FOV: field of view#

FOV describes the angular extent of the view. Check whether a quoted figure is horizontal, vertical or diagonal before comparing numbers. Valve’s optics discussion explains why fit and the position of your eyes relative to the lenses affect the view you actually get. A larger advertised FOV alone does not settle text clarity.

IPD: interpupillary distance#

IPD is the distance between your pupils. Lens spacing is a related device adjustment, not the same measurement. Meta explains that aligning the lenses with your IPD matters for clarity. Check the exact model’s adjustment method and supported fit range; a software setting does not necessarily move the lenses.

DP Alt Mode: video over a USB-C connection#

DisplayPort Alternate Mode allows DisplayPort video to use a USB-C connection. USB-C describes a connector; it does not, by itself, confirm that a particular device outputs video. Verify the source port, cable, glasses and power together. Charging successfully is not proof that the video route is supported.

OpenXR: a software standard#

OpenXR is a royalty-free standard from Khronos that gives developers a common interface for XR applications and devices. It helps with software portability. It is not an app store, a cable standard or a promise that every OpenXR app supports every headset. Check the app’s own supported-device requirements.

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Topics: XR · Smart glasses · Display glasses · VR · Compatibility

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