# Extended Reality in Applied Sciences Education: A Systematic Review  
[PERSON]  
1 Department of Information Management, National Taichung University of Science and Technology,  
Tachung 404, Taiwan 1  
1 Department of Information Management, National Taichung University of Science and Technology,  
Tachung 404, Taiwan 1  
continue to redefine workplace requirements, the cultivation of these competencies has become increasingly essential in preparing students for future career landscapes characterized by rapid change and technological integration. With the continuous advancement of immersive technologies, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) have increasingly demonstrated their pedagogical potential in applied sciences, redefining experiential learning through technologically enhanced instructional methodologies [2]. [PERSON] and [PERSON] (1994) proposed the Reality-Virtuality Continuum, a conceptual model delineating the spectrum between real and virtual environments [3]. As depicted in Figure 1, AR occupies the leftmost end of the continuum, seamlessly integrating virtual imagery into real-world settings, while VR represents the complete immersion within virtual environments, offering learners a wholly synthetic instructional experience. MR resides at the intersection of these modalities, blending real and virtual spaces to provide highly flexible and interactive user experiences. Collectively referred to as Extended Reality (XR), these technologies augment user engagement and interactivity, thereby broadening their applicability across diverse educational contexts [4]. These three technologies fall under the broader category of Extended Reality (XR) but exhibit significant differences in immersion levels, hardware requirements, and learning contexts. Virtual Reality (VR) provides users with a fully immersive digital environment, typically achieved through head-mounted displays (HMDs) or other sensor-based devices, effectively detaching them from the real world [5]. In educational settings, VR enables the simulation of complex surgical scenarios, allowing students to practice repeatedly in low-risk environments [6]. Augmented Reality (AR) overlays digital information or objects onto the physical environment, enabling users to perceive both real and virtual elements simultaneously, usually via mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets [7]. AR can be used for concretizing abstract concepts, such as molecular structures and chemical reactions, by offering visualizations that enhance comprehension [8]. Mixed Reality (MR) offers a more advanced integration, not only merging virtual and real environments visually but also enabling bidirectional interaction between users and digital objects in physical space [9]. MR supports highly interactive learning scenarios, such as mechanical assembly simulations in engineering disciplines, where students manipulate virtual models to observe their impact on real-world systems [10]. Furthermore, these applications provide  
Figure 1: Continuum of reality and virtuality in XR technology [4]. an opportunity to customize learning experiences for individual students, accommodating different learning spaces and preferences, thereby enhancing inclusivity and accessibility in education. However, the adoption of different XR technologies is contingent upon their respective hardware and software requirements. VR systems generally require high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs) and enclosed head-mounted devices to deliver a fully immersive experience. While AR offers greater accessibility, its display size and interaction precision are constrained by mobile device capabilities. MR headsets, such as the HoloLens, provide superior immersion and interactivity but come at a significantly higher cost, posing challenges for large-scale educational deployment [9, 11, 12]. Despite the advancements in XR technologies over the past two decades, their adoption in educational contexts remains uneven.