ABSTRACT
Recent advancements in positioning and depth sensing using sensor technologies, graphic processor units and artificial intelligence led to the development of generalized and affordable virtual and augmented reality devices. These developments make it possible for individuals to immerse themselves in state-of-the-art simulations with real-world physics and scenarios. Public, scientists, decision-makers and professionals can benefit from virtual and augmented reality applications to simulate various environmental scenarios for a realistic and safe workspace that allows repetition and precise measurements. The primary focus of this chapter is to review the available literature on the effectiveness and efficiency of using virtual and augmented reality approaches in the environmental domain. The chapter presents seven case studies to demonstrate potential benefits of mixed reality (XR) as an educational tool in environmental sciences for K-12 and college-level students, an exhibit for community outreach to increase awareness and to present data resources in an engaging way, a decision support system for environmental planning and disaster management and a training platform for technical staff and first responders. Finally, future directions are provided for augmenting conventional data communication tools with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) for next-generation environmental information systems.
