Glossary
Terms used in accessibility research and practice. Each entry has a definition, common aliases, and category tags.
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- Augmented Reality(also: AR)
- A technology that overlays digital information—such as images, text, or 3D objects—onto the real-world environment in real time, typically viewed through a head-mounted display, smartphone, or tablet. Unlike virtual reality, augmented reality maintains visibility of the physical…
- Degrees of Freedom(also: DoF, 3DoF, 6DoF)
- In virtual and extended reality, degrees of freedom refers to the number of independent movement axes available to a user within a virtual environment. Three degrees of freedom (3DoF) allows rotational head tracking only — looking up/down, left/right, and tilting — which is…
- Hand Tracking(also: Gesture Tracking, Hand Gesture Recognition)
- A technology that detects and tracks the position, orientation, and movements of a user's hands and fingers without requiring physical controllers, typically using cameras and computer vision algorithms. In extended reality, hand tracking enables hands-free interaction through…
- Head-Mounted Display(also: HMD, VR Headset, AR Headset)
- A wearable device worn on the head that places a display in front of the user's eyes to present virtual or augmented content. HMDs range from fully immersive VR headsets (like Meta Quest) that replace the visual environment to AR glasses that overlay digital information on the…
- HoloLens(also: Microsoft HoloLens)
- A self-contained, wearable mixed reality headset developed by Microsoft that overlays interactive holograms onto the user's real-world environment. HoloLens uses spatial mapping, gaze tracking, gesture recognition (air-tap), voice commands, and a physical clicker for…
- Immersive Virtual Reality(also: IVR, Immersive VR)
- A form of virtual reality that uses head-mounted displays (HMDs) with near-full field of view, positional tracking, and often gesture-based controllers to create a sense of being physically present in a virtual environment. Unlike desktop VR or 360-degree video, immersive VR…
- Mixed Reality(also: MR)
- A spectrum of technologies that blend real and virtual environments, allowing digital and physical objects to coexist and interact in real time. Mixed reality encompasses both augmented reality (digital content overlaid on the real world) and augmented virtuality (real-world…
- Spatial Mapping(also: Environment Mapping, 3D Environment Scanning)
- A technology used in mixed reality and augmented reality headsets that scans and creates a digital representation of the physical environment in real time. Spatial mapping identifies surfaces such as floors, walls, tables, and ceilings, enabling virtual objects (holograms) to be…
- Video Passthrough(also: Passthrough, Camera Passthrough)
- A feature in VR headsets that uses external cameras to capture the real-world environment and display it on the headset's internal screens, allowing users to see their surroundings without removing the headset. Video passthrough enables augmented reality experiences on VR…
- Virtual Reality(also: VR)
- An immersive technology that creates a fully computer-generated environment, replacing the user's view of the real world with a simulated one. VR is typically experienced through a head-mounted display that tracks head and body movements to update the virtual scene in real time.…
- XR Accessibility User Requirements(also: XAUR)
- A W3C document that provides accessibility guidelines and user requirements specifically for extended reality (XR) applications, including virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality. XAUR identifies the diverse needs of users with disabilities in XR environments and…
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