The Immersive Glossary

XR, VR, AR, MR, spatial computing, 6DoF, passthrough, volumetric capture… Immersive creation has developed its own vocabulary, borrowing from computing, cinema, video games, digital art and live entertainment.

This glossary brings together some of the most common terms used across the immersive industry, from technologies and creative formats to production and distribution.

A

AR — Augmented Reality

Technology that adds digital content to a view of the physical world. AR can be experienced through smartphones, tablets, glasses or headsets, with virtual elements appearing in relation to the user’s surroundings.

Avatar

A digital representation of a user inside a virtual environment. Avatars can range from simple icons to realistic bodies and may reproduce the user’s movements, facial expressions or voice.

C

CAVE — Cave Automatic Virtual Environment

An immersive room where stereoscopic images are projected onto several walls or surfaces around the user. Developed in the early 1990s, CAVE systems provide spatial immersion without requiring every participant to wear a headset.

Computer Vision

A field of computing that enables machines to interpret images and video. In XR, computer vision is used for hand tracking, object recognition, spatial mapping and headset positioning.

D

Digital Twin

A digital representation of a physical object, building, environment or system. Digital twins are used for visualization, simulation, training, heritage, architecture and industrial applications.

DoF — Degrees of Freedom

The number of ways a device can track movement. XR systems generally distinguish between 3DoF and 6DoF.

E

Embodiment

The sensation of having or controlling a body inside a virtual environment. Tracking, avatars, interaction and spatial feedback can contribute to the feeling that a virtual body belongs to the user.

Eye Tracking

Technology that detects where the user is looking. It can be used for interaction, analytics, accessibility, avatar animation and rendering optimization.

F

Field of View — FOV

The extent of the environment visible to the user at any given moment, usually measured in degrees. A wider field of view can increase the feeling of being surrounded by a virtual environment.

Foveated Rendering

A rendering technique that concentrates graphical detail where the user is looking while reducing detail in peripheral vision. When combined with eye tracking, it can reduce computing requirements without significantly affecting perceived image quality.

Free-Roaming VR

A form of VR experience in which participants can physically walk through a tracked area rather than remain in a fixed position. Free-roaming experiences are commonly presented in dedicated venues and may accommodate several users simultaneously.

G

Gaussian Splatting

A technique for representing three-dimensional scenes using large numbers of spatial Gaussian primitives. It can produce detailed, photorealistic representations of captured environments and is increasingly used for immersive storytelling, heritage and spatial media.

Gesture Tracking

Technology that detects movements of the hands, arms or body and translates them into digital interactions.

H

Hand Tracking

Technology that tracks the position and movement of a user’s hands without requiring physical controllers. It allows users to interact with virtual interfaces and objects through gestures.

Haptics

Technologies that provide physical sensations in response to digital interactions. Haptic feedback can range from controller vibrations to gloves, vests, floors and other systems capable of simulating touch, impact or resistance.

Head-Mounted Display — HMD

A display device worn on the head and positioned in front of the eyes. VR and mixed-reality headsets are forms of HMDs.

I

Immersion

The sensation of being surrounded by or deeply engaged with an experience. Immersion can be produced through VR, projection, spatial audio, scenography, performance or combinations of several techniques.

Immersive Installation

A spatial artwork or experience designed to surround or involve its audience. It may use projection, screens, sound, sensors, physical scenography, interactive systems or XR technologies.

Immersive Storytelling

Storytelling designed around spatial, interactive or embodied forms of experience. Unlike conventional screen-based storytelling, the audience may be able to look, move, explore or influence how the narrative unfolds.

Inside-Out Tracking

A tracking method in which cameras and sensors located on the headset determine its position relative to the surrounding environment. It removes the need for external tracking cameras or base stations.

Interactive

A system or work that responds to actions taken by its user or audience. Interaction can involve choices, movement, gestures, voice, gaze, touch or other forms of input.

L

LBE — Location-Based Entertainment

Entertainment designed to be experienced at a specific physical location rather than primarily at home. In immersive media, LBE includes free-roaming VR, immersive exhibitions, interactive installations and other experiences operated in dedicated venues.

Locomotion

The method used to move through a virtual environment. It may involve physical walking, teleportation, joystick movement, redirected walking or other navigation techniques.

M

Metaverse

A term used to describe persistent, shared digital environments in which users can interact through avatars. Its meaning varies considerably and can refer to individual virtual worlds, interconnected platforms or a broader vision of a spatial and social internet.

Mixed Reality — MR

A form of spatial computing in which digital content and the physical environment can coexist and interact. MR commonly uses environmental tracking and passthrough or transparent displays to place virtual objects within the user’s surroundings.

Motion Capture — MoCap

The process of recording the movement of a performer and applying that movement to a digital character or object. Motion capture is widely used in games, animation, virtual production and immersive experiences.

Motion Sickness / Cybersickness

Discomfort that can occur when visual movement in an immersive environment conflicts with signals from the user’s body and inner ear. Symptoms can include nausea, dizziness, headaches or disorientation.

P

Passthrough

A headset feature that uses external cameras to show the physical environment to the wearer. Digital elements can then be displayed over or alongside this camera view, enabling mixed-reality experiences.

Photogrammetry

A technique for creating three-dimensional models from multiple photographs of a real object, person or environment. It is frequently used to reproduce real locations for VR, heritage and documentary projects.

Point Cloud

A collection of points positioned in three-dimensional space, often generated through LiDAR or other scanning techniques. Point clouds can represent the shape and spatial structure of physical environments.

Presence

The psychological sensation of actually being located inside a mediated environment. Presence is related to immersion but describes the user’s perception rather than the technical characteristics of the system.

R

Real-Time Rendering

The generation of computer graphics quickly enough to respond immediately to user movement or interaction. Game engines such as Unity and Unreal Engine are commonly used for real-time immersive experiences.

Room-Scale VR

A VR setup that allows users to physically move within a defined tracked space. The user’s real movements are reproduced inside the virtual environment.

S

Six Degrees of Freedom — 6DoF

Tracking that detects both rotation and physical movement along three axes. Users can turn their head, move forward and backward, move sideways, and change height while their position is reproduced inside the virtual environment.

Social VR

Virtual environments designed around interaction between multiple users represented by avatars. Social VR can be used for entertainment, performances, meetings, education or shared cultural experiences.

Spatial Audio

Sound designed to appear as though it comes from specific positions around the listener. Spatial audio can respond to head movement and plays an important role in orientation, presence and storytelling.

Spatial Computing

A broad term describing computing systems that understand and use three-dimensional space as part of their interface. It can encompass VR, AR, MR, spatial interfaces, environmental mapping and other technologies connecting digital content with physical space.

Spatial Mapping

The process by which a device creates a digital understanding of the physical environment around it. It can identify walls, floors, surfaces, objects or geometry so that digital content can respond to the real space.

Standalone Headset

An XR headset containing its own computing, tracking and display systems, without requiring a separate computer or game console. Meta Quest and PICO headsets are common examples.

T

Telepresence

Technology that gives a person the sensation or ability to be present in another location while remaining physically elsewhere. Telepresence can involve video, robots, avatars, volumetric capture or immersive environments.

Three Degrees of Freedom — 3DoF

Tracking that detects rotation around three axes but not physical movement through space. Early mobile VR headsets commonly offered 3DoF tracking.

Tracking

The process of detecting the position and movement of a headset, controller, hand, body or object. Reliable tracking is fundamental to most interactive XR experiences.

V

Virtual Production

Production methods combining real-time digital environments with filmmaking techniques. Virtual production can involve game engines, motion capture, camera tracking and LED volumes, allowing physical and digital elements to be combined during shooting.

Virtual Reality — VR

A medium in which users experience a computer-generated or captured environment through a headset that responds to their movements. VR generally replaces most or all of the user’s view of the physical world.

Virtual World

A digital environment in which users can navigate, interact and potentially meet other users. Virtual worlds may be persistent and can exist independently of VR headsets.

Volumetric Capture

A technique for recording people, objects or environments as three-dimensional data rather than conventional flat video. The resulting content can be viewed from different positions inside an immersive environment.

Volumetric Video

Moving three-dimensional imagery created from volumetric capture. Unlike traditional video, which presents a fixed camera viewpoint, volumetric video allows viewers to observe a recorded subject from different positions.

X

XR — Extended Reality

An umbrella term commonly used to describe technologies and experiences combining physical and digital realities, particularly virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality. Its boundaries remain flexible and the term is often used more broadly for the immersive sector as a whole.

360° & Spatial Formats

180° Video

Spherical or stereoscopic video covering approximately half of the viewer’s surroundings. It concentrates image quality in front of the viewer while retaining some of the immersive qualities of spherical video.

360° Video

Video captured in every direction around the camera. Viewers can look around freely, usually from a fixed recorded position. 360° video can be monoscopic or stereoscopic.

Stereoscopic

An imaging technique that presents slightly different images to each eye to create the perception of depth.

Monoscopic

An image presented identically to both eyes. Monoscopic 360° video surrounds the viewer but does not provide stereoscopic depth.

Production & Distribution

Multiplayer

An experience allowing several participants to interact within the same digital environment, either remotely or from the same physical location.

Onboarding

The process of introducing users to an immersive experience, its controls and its rules. In public venues, onboarding can also include headset fitting, safety instructions and preparation before entering the experience.

Operator

A person responsible for running an immersive experience for the public. Operators may manage equipment, onboarding, troubleshooting, hygiene and visitor flow.

Throughput

The number of visitors an experience can accommodate during a given period. Throughput is particularly important for location-based experiences because it directly affects venue capacity and operating economics.

Capacity

The number of participants who can experience a work simultaneously. Capacity can differ considerably between individual VR experiences, multiplayer systems and projection-based installations.

Footprint

The amount of physical space required to install and operate an immersive experience. It may include the active experience area as well as technical, onboarding and safety spaces.

Turnkey

A project or technical system delivered in a form intended to be installed and operated with limited additional development. In LBE distribution, turnkey solutions may include hardware, software and operational documentation.

Touring

The circulation of an immersive work between multiple venues, festivals, museums or cities. Touring often requires adapting the technical setup to different spaces and operating conditions.

Distribution

The process through which an immersive work reaches venues, platforms or audiences after production. Unlike film distribution, immersive distribution may involve hardware, installation, technical support, staff training and physical logistics.

Exhibition

The presentation of an immersive work to the public. Depending on the project, exhibition can range from individual headset stations to large-scale installations, free-roaming spaces or projection environments.

Experience

A widely used term for an immersive work or project. It reflects the fact that XR audiences often do more than watch: they may explore, interact, move, perform or participate.

Creative Language

Agency

The degree to which users feel that their actions can affect an experience. Agency does not necessarily require branching narratives: even small interactions can create a sense that the user’s presence matters.

Branching Narrative

A narrative structure in which choices lead to different scenes, paths or outcomes. Branching narratives are used in interactive films, games and immersive storytelling.

Gaze

The direction in which a user is looking. Gaze can be used as a storytelling tool, an interaction method or an input detected through eye tracking.

Interactive Narrative

A story whose progression or presentation can respond to actions taken by the audience. The level of influence can range from selecting between predefined choices to freely exploring an environment.

Narrative Environment

A space designed to communicate story through architecture, objects, sound, characters and interaction rather than relying solely on linear narration.

User

The person interacting with a digital system or immersive experience. In artistic contexts, other terms such as visitor, participant, player or audience member may be preferred depending on the relationship created by the work.

Participant

A term often used instead of “viewer” for immersive works in which the audience has an active or embodied role.

Immersive

A broad adjective describing experiences designed to create a strong sense of involvement, spatial presence or sensory engagement. The term is not limited to XR and is also widely used for exhibitions, theater, installations and live entertainment.