Decoding Quantum Computing for AR/VR Space: A Systematic Review

The emergence of digital and cognitive Web 3.0 demands a move towards immersive applications that drive innovation across verticals like Industry 5.0, gaming, healthcare, and allied sectors. These sectors are led by key developments in Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR), which offer end users a nuanced, haptic, and immersive Quality-of-Interaction (QoI). To manage end-user QoI, AR/VR applications rely on real-time, high-fidelity simulations, AI-driven control, and Next-Generation Wireless Communication Networks (NWGNs). Future applications face pressing needs for high computational capacity, resource optimization, parallel processing of vast amounts of data, and unbreakable security beyond classical cryptographic primitives. Integrating Quantum Computing (QC) into the AR/VR space offers transformative potential to overcome these challenges. Recent surveys have explored the potentials of AR/VR and QC in isolation, but the convergence of these fields remains largely unexplored. This survey aims to bridge this gap by exploring the potential of decoding QC into the AR/VR space. We systematically review existing surveys and present background discussions on QC, quantum AI, quantum resource optimization, and the role of NWGNs in QC-assisted AR/VR. Furthermore, we present a reference architecture for QC-assisted AR/VR, supported by a detailed solution taxonomy. Open issues and future research directions are outlined, and we discuss a novel case study of a QC-enabled Industrial Metaverse integrated with AR/VR. This survey serves as a pivotal resource for researchers and industry leaders aiming to pioneer the next generation of AR/VR experiences powered by QC systems, thereby shaping the future of immersive technologies.