Considerations for extended reality, augmented reality and mixed reality design

This article describes emerging digital media environments with a focus on extended-reality (XR) spaces that take our visual awares beyond the flat two-dimensional screen or computer monitor. These media environments include digitally-generated content in the form of characters such as the avatar, the robot or cyborg. These digital entities express or embody a variety of audiovisual communication forms; data streams, animations, algorithms and programs. The evolution of digital media includes the increased use of 360 degree viewing environments. We move toward the hyper-realistic rendering of avatars and robots who exist in three dimensional space of our “real world”. Unlike previous media characters depicted in movie or video projections, these new media forms seem to “make real” images and characters. They embody our digital files as separate spatial entities in the real space alongside us. Rather than accessing virtual worlds through the portal of the computer screen, we are evolving toward an augmented or mixed-reality environment. We now visualize our data and bring our digital files into the "real" space with us using sophisticated techniques in 3D computer graphics, laser and holographic technologies. The article discusses extended reality against a humanist background which considers the history of media and the ethical questions raised by such technology. This inquiry focuses on philosophical questions that may be relevant not only to scholars but also to the designers, producers, programmers, educators and researchers of virtual and cyber environments across a wide range of fields.