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Virtual and augmented reality continue to successfully transform entertainment because the immersive digital environment creates an unforgettable and unique experience. According to Statista, the value of the VR gaming market was estimated at $7.7 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow to $45.09 billion in 2027. In this article, we will delve into the most interesting cases that demonstrate the limitless possibilities of AR and VR in entertainment. We will explore the fusion of technology and craftsmanship, from exciting sports competitions to amusing theater shows in VR that blur the line between reality and the virtual world. Explore Unusual VR Events That Redefine Entertainment Unconventional VR Games in the World of Entertainment One of the most popular areas where virtual reality is used is gaming. According to an IDC survey, 64% of virtual reality users said that the gaming industry is the industry where VR will thrive the most. That’s due to virtual reality being an immersive digital space in which you can create any setting and game tasks. VR is best suited for quests, shooters, and other genres where you need to move in space and perform tasks with controllers or hands. One of the original representatives of VR games is Job Simulator, where a headset user lives the life of an ordinary office worker. The essence of the game is performing all the tasks in the office of those times when many processes were not yet automated. The entire gameplay is complemented by bright graphics and specific humor. So, in this game, you can throw a stapler at the boss, fire employees, throw various objects in all directions, including food, etc. Lights, Camera, VR! The Next Chapter of Theatre and Movies in Virtual Reality Virtual reality is the next step in cinema after 3D and IMAX. VR can serve as an excellent tool for conveying the mood and idea of the movie since the main function of the movie itself is to immerse the viewer in the story. Read also: Virtual Reality Entertainment – A New Look In Storytelling  Speaking about theater, in the age of modern technology, live theater performances are also getting their boost with XR. One of these directions is the immersive theater, in which a viewer in a VR headset is directly immersed in the theatrical production itself. The distance between the viewer and the actors is thus reduced to a minimum. In an immersive theater, the destruction of the fourth wall takes place and the audience can experience the story as if they were in the same room with the actors. One of the leaders of this innovative direction is the National Theatre in London. A few years ago, they opened an immersive storytelling studio, which is designed for two main functions: developing and showing VR stage plays. Since the studio’s inception, the National Theatre has produced a number of successful XR productions, including the surreal Alice in Wonderland-themed AR stage play wonder.land and VR documentary Home/Aamir about refugee life. “It’s definitely not just for gaming. It’s definitely not just for performance. It’s a new technology and everyone’s trying to work out what it means to them. I’ve noticed that theatre makers respond well to it because they are used to an environment whereby the performer works in a 360 space and the audience can look wherever they want, any particular point in time,” said Toby Coffey, head of digital development at National Theatre.  Painting in a New Dimension. Wonders of VR Art Virtual reality has become a convenient platform for artists who create their works of art. Using digital space as a tool to draw installations, the level of an artist’s performance depends only on their imagination. The author no longer needs to buy an easel, canvases, expensive paints, or modeling clay. All you have to do is put on the VR glasses, and all the digital tools are at your fingertips. One of the most famous tools for creating a picture in virtual reality is Google Tilt Brush. An artist can use a controller and a virtual brush to create a sculpture or paint a 3D picture. Thus, a user wearing VR glasses is not limited only to a virtual easel. They have the opportunity to paint the entire space around them with virtual paint, literally creating an immersive picture. Gesture VR app allows you to create new 2D and 3D pictures in a digital studio with access to more than 200 models of people, animals, fantasy creatures, etc. Also, in virtual space, artists are able to control the lighting and poses of models and involve several friends in the creative process. In addition, Gesture VR gives an artist the option to draw both on a virtual easel and on real paper. Virtual Reality Takes Center Stage. The Thrilling Integration of VR in Sports and Public Events VR in Sports Entertainment Virtual reality has become widely used in sports. In general, it is used in several areas: training, amateur games, competitions, and virtual visits to events. As for training, virtual reality provides an athlete with the most realistic training conditions, without the need to allocate a separate room and equipment. And sometimes it is difficult to create a believable environment in the real world, depending on the place of training and the amount of money. Read also: The Way VR Improves Sports Training Experience  Speaking about visiting competitions, spectators put on VR headsets to get to, for example, virtual football or car races. A sports fan does not need to spend extra time and money to get to the stadium, and VR headsets provide the effect of presence, which is completely absent during watching the competition on TV. In addition, wearing headsets, a viewer can watch sports competitions from any angle: both from a seat and from the field itself. This is allowed in Xtadium app for Quest 2-3 VR glasses, where the viewer has an assortment of events to attend virtually, from Nascar races to boxing matches. The…

With the advent of augmented reality, a new wave of technological advancements has flooded fields and farms, changing the way we approach farming. The integration of augmented reality makes agriculture more efficient and productive and offers agricultural professionals a variety of applications that bridge the gap between the physical and digital realms. In this article, we will explore in more detail the areas of AR application in agriculture and the advantages it provides to the agro-industry. AR Takes Root: Enhancing Training in Agriculture  AR training in the workplace has already proven its effectiveness. This type of training is successful because the training itself and the consolidation of employees’ skills are turned into an exciting gamified process with digital prompts, superimposed on the real space. In addition, augmented reality training provides more realistic scenarios that can occur while working with the equipment. In agriculture, farmworkers can use AR to perform certain tasks related to growing and harvesting crops, complying with safety rules, and handling equipment in a safe and controlled environment. Using AR training, employees of agricultural enterprises become more confident in themselves and their skills, more motivated during task performance, and the number of incidents and errors is significantly reduced. Read also: How To Improve Your Manufacturing With VR Training  AR Empowers Farmers to Safeguard and Monitor Plants As a rule, AR plant monitoring apps are used to monitor the growth of plant crops, identify various pests and diseases, as well as collect data on the nutrition and condition of the soil, and the number of fertilizers received by a plant. In addition, agriculture workers visualize real-time data on air temperature and humidity levels through augmented reality. For example, Insider Navigation, a company that works on AR experiences for indoor spaces, together with Visionaries 777’s sister company, AR Automation has developed an AR app for farmers who grow indoor plants in pots. Using the tablet, the planter points the camera to see data about the soil, lighting, humidity and the condition of the plant itself superimposed on the real plants. In addition, with the help of a tablet, the user can adjust the amount of LED light, as well as the ventilation and irrigation systems. “By using the INS SDK, AR Automation can deliver stable and accurate indoor tracking in a constantly changing environment, such as in vertical farms where plants are continuously growing and lighting is constantly changing”, said Nicolas Guyon, Co-Founder of Visionaries 777. Revolutionizing Remote Assistance and Troubleshooting for Farmers in Agriculture Using AR apps in agriculture, farmers receive real-time remote support from experts and technicians. They can use smart glasses or mobile devices to transmit real-time video, allowing experts to see and assess the situation. With the help of augmented reality, experts overlay digital notes and instructions, offering step-by-step assistance to the farmer. AR remote support minimizes lag time, as enterprise employees can quickly solve problems with the help of experts, even in remote or hard-to-reach areas. Typically, this kind of remote support for farmers is usually used to repair equipment. For example, SoftServe’s Reskill AR Solution is designed for remote maintenance of tractors. Instead of waiting for the technician to arrive, the farmworker remotely communicates with a specialist and visually shows the problem with the transport. Empowering Farmers with Enhanced Farm Management and Navigation Another area where AR applications are used in agriculture is management and navigation within an enterprise. With these applications, farm owners can see the total area of the fields, as well as track the location of tractors in real-time. For example, Farm Insight AR app allows the manager of an enterprise on the field itself to see through the smartphone camera digital pointers where and at what distance this or that tractor is located. Also, using Farm Insight, a manager can see the entire area of the fields from a bird’s eye view on the device. Such applications as Farm Insight significantly facilitate the management of an enterprise, because the work can be monitored remotely without entering the office. If the manager is in the field, he is better oriented in space and can optimize the coordination of work on the harvest. Read also: From Outdoors to Indoors: AR Navigation as Game-Changer    The integration of augmented reality is transforming agriculture and opening up a range of opportunities for industry professionals. With AR applications for agriculture, such as virtual crop research, precision farming, and real-time data visualization, the agribusiness industry is transforming and increasing its productivity. In its turn, the work of the farmers themselves becomes easier, they can improve their work skills, track the condition of their harvest, and repair their equipment much faster. Augmented reality is a powerful tool that has the potential to shape the future of agriculture, ensuring a sustainable and prosperous agricultural industry for generations to come. Image: Pixabay.

Thanks to the combination of digital technology and real estate, augmented reality has become the tool that has changed the way we observe, improve, and sell real estate. According to a study by Deloitte, 50% of investors believe that AR should be a priority in real estate.   In this article, we will look at a variety of augmented reality solutions in the real estate sector, from virtual tours to simplified service processes. We will also look at notable examples of augmented reality applications for real estate and discuss the profound impact that AR has on revolutionizing the showcasing, design, and management of real estate. Bridging the Gap Between Virtual and Physical Property Experiences The first way augmented reality is used to sell real estate is to visualize a design, superimposed on a real room. So, imagine you are planning to buy a new house or apartment, but the property that the realtor shows you is not renovated. To improve the presentation of the home, the realtor uses the camera of a portable gadget to demonstrate various interior design options on the bare walls and floor. Using AR, buyers can complement their future apartments with digital home decor elements (from furniture to wall color and floor type) to get a better understanding of what their apartment will look like. “We do this by creating a trigger point inside a home, which an augmented reality app will scan and bring up whatever image or video we choose,” said Kyle Rank, Vice-President and Managing Brocker in Fonville Morisey Realty. From Virtual to Reality: Augmented Reality’s Impact on Property Visualization in Real Estate As a rule, virtual tours are used in two cases: if the client does not have the opportunity to go and see the real property, or when the client is offered a project of a future building or an apartment. The first option offers a client a presentation of his own room or house on his desk, through the screen of the gadget. Another advantage of AR viewings of digital real estate is that the customer has unlimited time to view it. While visiting a real house or apartment with a realtor, he has from 15 minutes to an hour to inspect everything, depending on the size and nuances of a type of property. For example, Vossle has developed an AR presentation in which a smartphone user can zoom in and view a digital model of a room from the inside. To create this experience, WebAR technology was implemented augmented reality for browsers, which is actively used in the field of sales, for example, in e-commerce. Speaking about the second option, a customer has the opportunity to see the future digital house in the real area. Thus, a client not only understands how the finished building will look, but also how well this building will fit into the real environment. Realar Places is one of the examples of AR real estate tours. In this experience, a smartphone user overlays and “visits” a digital home superimposed on a real-world location. “Realar brings any home design to life right there in front of you in 3D without the need for extra equipment. It allows you to visualise the home as if you were standing outside a real building and then go inside to get the full room-by-room experience,” said Dan Swan, Realar co-founder.  AR Real Estate Management: Innovations for Landlords and Tenants Once your customer has purchased their home, they have a possibility to report issues directly to the company’s representatives if something wrong happens in the house or apartment. And augmented reality greatly facilitates the communication process. The customer can not only verbally report defects in the construction of the house (including problems in the electrical network and sewage), but also visually show this defect by scanning the problem area with the help of an AR program, leaving digital notes that explain the problem. Meanwhile, service center staff can remotely provide digital guidance to help resolve the issue quickly and efficiently. AR program from Fixzy Assist is one of these use cases. The company’s employees remotely help tenants and homeowners with solving problems, from a broken water pipe to fixing an Internet cable. The program, which does not require installation on the device, has already proven its effectiveness. So, after its implementation, downtime was reduced by 95%, and customer service improved by 19%.  Unlocking the Power of AR in Real Estate: From Data Collection to Business Intelligence With the help of augmented reality, real estate companies can collect and analyze data received from their customers. For example, AR app receives data when a user points the camera to a certain part of the digital room or house. It also monitors the convenient of the application and which real estate models customers pick (if the application allows them to choose several options). This real-time data helps to improve the real estate AR application. Also, AR applications allow companies to make business decisions regarding the sale of real estate according to such criteria as: Demographic information. For example, by age, gender, marital status. Singles will probably want to buy a small one-room apartment, while a family with several children will be more comfortable with a large house or multi-room apartment. The main trends of the market. The list of the most popular designs of houses and apartments. What characteristics of real estate do customers pay attention to? This includes not only the most fashionable interiors and exteriors but also the functionality of the real estate: type, construction, area, number of rooms, materials that are used in the building, etc. Augmented reality has certainly revolutionized real estate sales, offering a number of benefits that enhance the industry. From virtual tours to remote AR consultations, augmented reality in real estate has become a convenient tool for buyers and realtors. The implementation of AR makes the presentation of a house or apartment more understandable and exciting. Customers can better see and modify the designs of their…

This article was written by our CEO Olga Kryvchenko and originally published on Linkedin. To get more biweekly updates about extended reality, subscribe to Olga’s XR Frontiers LinkedIn newsletter.  Virtual reality (VR) has been making headlines for ages, and the invention of standalone VR headsets like the Meta Quest 2 and HTC Vive Focus has untethered us from our clunky computers. But there’s one burning question on everyone’s mind: Why do VR apps look like they’ve time-traveled from the 90s? The culprit? Standalone headsets have to cram all their gizmos, like batteries, processors, and memory, into a fashionable face-hugger. Consequently, they can’t quite flex their graphical muscles like their desktop counterparts. These headsets come with mobile processors that, bless their hearts, try their best but can’t hold a candle to beefy desktop CPUs. Plus, limited RAM puts a damper on their dreams of breathtaking visuals. Another hiccup is that standalone VR headsets often sport lower-resolution displays, forcing developers to squeeze out every last pixel of quality. To keep things smooth and enjoyable, they might also prioritize performance and battery life over graphics, resulting in visuals that are more reminiscent of a potato than a Picasso. But fret not! There are ways to soup up VR apps for standalone headsets. Just look at Nintendo Switch games, where simplified graphics still spell success. As of December 31st, 2022, the top-selling Nintendo Switch games include Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. These games prove that less can be more, even when it comes to graphics! And with WebXR technologies, developers can create virtual experiences for the web that even basic PCs can handle. Take, for example, our WebXR Las Vegas Strip app, which brings the glitz and glamour of Sin City right to your phone/PC – it’s like having your own pocket-sized Vegas vacation! As tech gets better and better, we’ll soon see standalone VR headsets with graphics capabilities that’ll knock our socks off. In the meantime, developers can jazz up their apps using the tricks up their sleeves, ensuring users have a whale of a time in the virtual realm. And hey, there’s good news on the horizon! New Qualcomm chipsets and Apple’s M3 generation promise to pack a punch, giving VR headsets the performance boost they’ve been craving. The future of VR is looking brighter by the minute, and soon we might be laughing at the days when standalone headsets struggled to bring our wildest virtual dreams to life. Image: Unsplash

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the concept of the metaverse emerged as an innovative vision of the future. With its potential to transform industries and our vision of modern technology, the metaverse has captured the interest of many innovators, entrepreneurs, developers, enthusiasts, etc. As the metaverse and conversations around the technology gain momentum, it is quite important to understand the ins and outs of this phenomenon. That is why we offer you a list of interesting books where you can discover various insights and strategies that will help to make your digital universe successful and profitable. The Metaverse Handbook: Innovating for the Internet’s Next Tectonic Shift by Scott “DJ Skee” Keeney and QuHarrison Terry The Metaverse Handbook by Scott “DJ Skee” Keeney and QuHarrison Terry explains the nature of the metaverse, its history, and successful use cases of the technology. In addition, the book also touches on aspects of NFT, Blockchain, XR, and Web 3.0. Scott “DJ Skee” Keeney is the founder and CEO of DXSH and Chief Metaverse Officer at TSX Entertainment. QuHarrison Terry is a well-known entrepreneur and author of another successful manual, The NFT Handbook. Also, his works have been translated into 9 languages and have been included in the charts of a considerable number of well-known publications, including WIRED and Forbes. The Metaverse Handbook also offers the reader new strategies and opportunities that the metaverse provides.  The book is written for professional digital developers, business leaders, and creatives who work in the field of digital technologies. The book is available on Amazon. Into the Metaverse: The Essential Guide to the Business Opportunities of the Web3 Era by Cathy Hackl Into the Metaverse: The Essential Guide to the Business Opportunities of the Web3 Era by Cathy Hackl is a guide for those who want to use the metaverse for business purposes. Cathy Hackl is a Web 3.0 futurist and strategist who works with a wide range of companies. Hackl is also the co-founder and head of the metaverse department at Journey, which works with many well-known brands. You can read more about Hackl and her achievements in our article about influential women in the field of XR. Into the Metaverse Guide describes in detail the metaverse and its importance to businesses. The book also gives insights into how you can profit by understanding the concepts behind this technology, including games, artificial intelligence, synthetic media (images, texts, videos, sounds, and other AI-generated content), and spatial computing. The book also tells how to manage the business in the metaverse, using the example of industries that have already successfully implemented this technology (fashion and marketing). The book is available on Amazon. The Metaverse: And How It Will Revolutionize Everything by Matthew Ball The book by Matthew Ball tells about what the metaverse is, how it arose, and describes already successful use cases of virtual networks which use the principles of the metaverse (Fortnite, Roblox, Minecraft). Matthew Ball is the former head of strategy at Amazon and the author of a number of essays and books about the metaverse. In particular, the book The Metaverse: And How It Will Revolutionize Everything received a lot of positive reviews from professionals, including Tim Sweeney, head of Fortnite at Epic Games, and John Richitello, the head of Unity. This book is also recognized as an international bestseller in the USA, Canada, The United Kingdom, and China. This book is a collection of essays where the author provides a comprehensive explanation of the metaverse, explores the role of blockchain, Web 3.0, and NFTs, and predicts which major players will dominate the metaverse. The Metaverse: And How It Will Revolutionize Everything is written for professionals in the field of the metaverse and enthusiasts interested in the development of this technology. The book is available on Amazon.  Step into the Metaverse: How the Immersive Internet Will Unlock a Trillion-Dollar Social Economy by Mark van Rijmenam In Step into the Metaverse by Mark van Rijmenam offers an insightful discussion of how the modern world will gradually change with the introduction of the metaverse, as well as the challenges business leaders, customers, politicians, and those interested in the new technology will face. Dr. Mark van Rijmenam is a future technology strategist, digital speaker, and founder of Datafloq, a one-stop source for big data, blockchain, and AI. The book opens a debate about the possibilities of an open and interoperable metaverse and explores the great and hidden potential of different types of entertainment in the metaverse, including music, sports, and games. The book also reveals the latest methods of how brands can interact with customers in the digital space. Another important topic that is raised in the book is the problem of security in the immersive Internet and how to deal with data leakage, impostor avatars, and adjust the rules of using the network. The book is available on Amazon.  What is the Metaverse?: The Virtual Future In A Guide and the Best Cryptocurrencies To Invest in 2022 by Peter Zakin The book What is the Metaverse? by Peter Zakin explains why the metaverse is the future of today’s technology and describes the case of Meta trying to create his own metaverse. Peter Zakin is a co-founder of Macro and an investor in Upfront Features, a company that invests in early-stage technology companies. The book What is the Metaverse? covers in detail such topics as the metaverse, NFTs, cryptocurrencies, Web 2.0 and Web 3.0, VR/AR, virtual real estate, purchasing virtual lands in the metaverse, and more. The book is available on Amazon.    The selection of books mentioned above offers a variety of thoughts, ideas, and strategies that will help the reader better understand the metaverse and its basic principles. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a developer, or simply interested in the technology, these books will provide you with the resources to deepen your understanding of the metaverse and prepare you for future work with it.

Today, artificial intelligence is a driving force that transforms and facilitates a whole range of fields: from creating texts and images to improving the performance of entire applications. Moreover, AI is becoming an essential element in developing virtual and augmented reality. Artificial intelligence has already become an assistant for developers of such companies as Magic Leap, Unity, and others. In this article, you will learn more about the solutions and benefits that AI brings to the development of extended reality. AI and XR: Perfect Fusion for Immersive Experiences Companies involved in the development of extended reality applications can use artificial intelligence for various purposes. Here are some ways in which AI can be applied. Personalized Realities: Power of AI in Customizing XR Experiences AI can analyze data on the behavior and preferences of VR users to offer more personalized and immersive content. For example, AI can customize the virtual environment to a user’s individual needs, as well as suggest content or interactive elements that may be of interest to a user. Enhancing Interactions: AI’s Role in Developing XR Assistants AI can be used to develop virtual reality agents with advanced intelligence. These agents can interact with users, answer questions, provide information, and create more realistic scenarios. The use of AI makes it possible to create agents that can adapt to the user’s actions and demonstrate intellectual behavior. Magic Leap has already successfully implemented artificial intelligence to provide better and more realistic XR experiences to improve human interaction. They are already using AI algorithms to develop digital models in AR, one of which is the MICA hyperrealistic human. Using these AI algorithms, the creators managed to give their digital model eye movements, facial expressions, and behavior that are as close as possible to a living person. “AI components were added to track a user and look them in the eye. Additional AI elements were added for body language and posture. Our team focused on natural facial expressions, we wanted MICA to emote in believable ways,” said John Monos, vice president of Human-Centered AI at Magic Leap. Power of AI in Analytics and Development AI can analyze the collected data while using virtual reality applications to identify patterns, trends, and problems. This information can be used to improve the development process and optimize the user experience. For example, AI can help identify the most popular features or discover bottlenecks in an application that need optimization. Alex Volkov, Qualium Systems head of XR development, wrote an article about AI implementation in game development and how it optimizes and speeds up the work of a game developer, using ChatGPT as an example. “In fact, it can save up to 60–70% of the time required for task implementation. Being a professional developer, I knew how to implement a task from scratch, but still needed to write each line of code, optimize it, and debug it. However, with ChatGPT, I managed to save a lot of time on the first point and focus on the last two points,” said Volkov.  You can read the full article about game development using AI here.   Rise of AI in XR: Enhancing Content Analytics and Recognition AI can be used to recognize and analyze content in virtual reality. For example, AI can automatically analyze video and audio materials, detect objects or events in VR scenes, and also provide speech recognition and natural language processing functions. AI-Enhanced XR: Revolutionizing Safety and Management Practices AI can help manage and secure the virtual space. For example, artificial intelligence can control and optimize resources, manage virtual objects, and keep users safe by preventing unwanted situations or interactions. For example, Unity is working on developing its own AI algorithm for honing the work of 3D models. “Unity enables the real-time training of models based on unique datasets produced in the creation and operation of RT3D experiences. Through this training, we can build ever-richer services on top of Unity and provide extraordinary capabilities for our partners to leverage Unity as a data creation, simulation, and training engine for their own needs. Natural-language AI models incorporated into the Unity Editor and runtime train on real code and images. That real-usage training data is abstracted from its initial use (it’s not captured or recorded as-is), however, this learning enables Unity’s customers to substantially increase their productivity,” said a blog post.   These are only a few examples of how XR companies can use artificial intelligence. The application of AI depends on the specific needs and goals of the company, as well as on available technologies and resources. Image: Unsplash.

In the age of digital technologies, augmented reality is gradually changing the way children learn about their environment, develop their thinking, and acquire new skills. With the help of digital models superimposed on the real world, the learning process for preschool and elementary school students turns into an exciting experience. After all, it has been proven that a gamified approach increases concentration and the effectiveness of a child’s learning. As for adults, 67% of students said that gamified learning is more motivating and engaging than traditional classroom learning methods. If adults like gamification and modern technologies, children will be even more interested in augmented reality experiences. What are the ways of encouraging children to study? In this article, you will learn more about successful use cases in the field of children’s educational content, as well as the main advantages of AR in the industry. Designing Interactive and Educational AR Experiences for Children There are several important factors to consider when developing an AR application for children. Oleksandr Ivanov, Qualium Systems Project Manager, shared his thoughts on the key factors you should pay attention to, including Ease of use: Make sure the app is easy for kids to use, and has an intuitive and simple interface. Safety: Ensure the development of a safe environment where the child can use the application without the risk of harming themselves. Learning aspect: Make the app educational and interesting, providing opportunities for children to learn new things and develop skills. Visual effects: Use bright colors, attractive graphics, and realistic AR elements to engage and engage children. AR Education for Young Minds: Advantages of Augmented Reality in Learning Publishers of children’s books and developers of educational toys are increasingly paying attention to augmented reality because it offers them a number of advantages, including Active and playful learning process. Augmented reality contributes to the fact that a child actively participates in the study of a particular subject. Instead of passively listening to a lecture during class or reading books with schematic pictures, a schoolchild or kindergarten student can independently touch and modify digital 3D objects. In addition, with the help of AR, reading a book can be turned into an interesting experience of communication with animated digital characters. The ability to show abstract concepts to a child. Augmented reality allows you to visualize those concepts that are usually quite hard to explain for educators. After seeing an AR installation of a certain phenomenon, the child will have a clearer understanding of the subject. Thus, the kid begins to perceive educational material more easily. An increased concentration on the educational process. Gamified learning provides a child with a much easier and simpler way to concentrate on learning. AR itself is a new and exciting experience, and playing with digital objects can be not only entertaining but also educational. Engagement in modern technologies. Zoomers and Gen Alpha children are among those who use portable gadgets the most. 79% of Zoomers (13-20 years old) said that they cannot live without smartphones. Taking into account further trends in technological development, children born, for example, in the second half of the 2010s, are much more open to technical innovations than their parents. Increased child’s creative thinking. Playing with AR objects and changing their external characteristics, kids also develop their imagination and artistic thinking. For example, AR coloring books can help with it. Spotlight on the Most Successful Augmented Reality Experiences FastAR Adventures: Exploring the Exciting World of Augmented Reality Learning for Children The Ukrainian company FastAR has developed a whole series of educational books and educational board games with augmented reality. Among the range of their products, we can find alphabets and textbooks on mathematics, as well as manuals on the study of space, the human body, animals, including dinosaurs, etc. For example, this video shows how to use the digital alphabet: point your smartphone camera at the pages of the textbook, and each illustration on the page begins to “come to life” with the AR: both each letter of the Ukrainian alphabet and the characters associated with it. Arloon Plants AR App Takes Children on a Virtual Journey Arloon Plants is an AR smartphone app that helps kids learn about plants. The application itself has several sections: plant structure; the process of plant development (including blooming and reproduction); seasons;  exercises and tests; a garden where the child can learn about different types of bushes, flowers, and trees; houseplant care rules. In the last chapter, the child learns how to properly “water” a virtual flower and observes how it grows. This feature is also available in augmented reality, where a digital plant is superimposed on the real world. A child can also take a picture of the AR flower to capture its progress. Applaidu by Kinder: Elevating Children’s Learning Applaidu is an edutainment app by Kinder for children aged 4-9 years. This game includes mini-games, an option to create your own book and other features for child development. Smartphone and tablet users can access Applaidu in the following way: each Kinder Surprise and Kinder Joy toy comes with an instruction with a QR code that gives access to download this free application. The app also includes an augmented reality option, where by scanning a Kinder toy, you can activate a digital animal that can be controlled using voice commands. In the game, you can also create your own virtual character or use a ready-made one. Disney’s AR Coloring Book Transforms Children’s Art into a Magical Journey With augmented reality, classic coloring books can be turned into an exciting immersive experience that develops the child’s artistic skills and inspires further creativity. That’s why Disney released an AR coloring book, in which children can not only paint cartoon characters but also “animate” them. To begin with, you need to download the smartphone application for the book. Then, this app uses the smartphone camera, which is directed to Disney coloring pages. Next, a child, with the help of parents or friends, paints a 2D…

Learn more about extended reality with our selection of books for developers, students, enthusiasts, and those interested in modern technologies. Our selection touches on various aspects of the development of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, as well as their application areas, and highlights the work experience of specialists who worked with various XR programs and apps. Whether you are a beginner or a professional, these XR books will give you more theory and practical use cases that will provide you with new knowledge, skills, and inspiration for your future work. The VR Book: Human-Centered Design for Virtual Reality by Jason Jerald Jason Jerald’s book covers how to create VR experiences with user-centered design. Dr. Jerald is the Co-founder and Principal Consultant of NextGen Interactions, which develops VR content. Creating such experiences is quite a difficult task. And quite often the reasons for the failure of VR programs and applications are not the limitations of the technology itself, but a poor understanding of a user perceiving and interacting with this technology. This book provides useful tips on how to improve your virtual application and make it more user-friendly. A reader will find out more about how to make their experience more intuitive and the causes of motion sickness in virtual reality. This book is intended for VR designers, programmers, engineers, students, teachers, and other professionals who work in the field of immersive technologies. You can buy the book here: https://www.amazon.com/VR-Book-Human-Centered-Virtual-Reality/dp/1970001127  Augmented Human: How Technology is Shaping the New Reality by Helen Papagiannis The book by Dr. Helen Papagiannis covers the essence of augmented reality, the possibilities of this technology, in which direction AR can evolve, and how augmented reality is already changing our interaction with modern technologies in various areas of life. Dr. Helen Papagiannis is a leading expert in the world of augmented reality and the founder of XR Goes Pop. You can read more about her and other outstanding women in XR here.  In the book, a reader will also learn about the technical features of AR-friendly gadgets, new approaches to storytelling in augmented reality, how our doppelgangers can learn the behavior of the original physical object and much more. The Augmented Human Guide is intended for designers, developers, students, business leaders, artists, educators, and anyone who is just curious about AR. You can buy the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Augmented-Human-Technology-Shaping-Reality/dp/1491928328  Creating Augmented and Virtual Realities: Theory and Practice for Next-Generation Spatial Computing by Erin Pangilinan, et al. In this book, Erin Pangillian, along with Steve Lukas and Vasanth Mohan, evaluate the development of virtual and augmented reality and offer advice on how to improve the skills of designing XR experiences. Pangillian is an entrepreneur, computer designer, software developer, and author of her own blog. Steve Lukas is the director of product management in Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.’s XR business group. Vasanth Mohan is the founder of FusedVR and the VR developer of the Nanodegree Course. The book by the aforementioned developers offers readers instructions and techniques on how to create convenient and practical applications, and these instructions are supported by theoretical material and examples of successful use cases. The authors also interviewed other experienced developers in the industry, such as Timoni West, Vice President, Virtual and Augmented Reality at Unity, Victor Prisacariu, Professor of Information Engineering at the University of Oxford, and Nicolas Meuleau, Director of Game AI at Unity. Creating Augmented and Virtual Realities is for designers, artists, and developers working with ARKit, ARCore, spatial maps, and cross-platform applications for virtual reality headsets. You can buy the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Creating-Augmented-Virtual-Realities-Next-Generation/dp/1492044199  Augmented Reality: Principles and Practice by Dieter Schmalstieg and Tobias Hollerer The book by Dieter Schmalstieg and Tobias Hollerer tells in detail about augmented reality technology and how AR changes the human perception of modern technologies. Dieter Schmalstieg is an Austrian computer scientist, professor, and head of the Institute of Computer Graphics and Vision at Graz University of Technology. Tobias Hollerer is a professor of Computer Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Schmalstieg and Hollerer’s book describes in detail augmented reality from a technological perspective, revealing the nuances of developing AR applications, from types of displays and trackers to building and interacting with 3D objects. This book is intended for developers, students, engineers, researchers, and those interested in the development of augmented reality. You can buy the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Augmented-Reality-Principles-Practice-Usability/dp/0321883578  Performing Mixed Reality by Steve Benford and Gabriella Giannachi In this book, Steve Benford and Gabriella Giannachi explore the topic of mixed reality as a tool for live performance enhancement. Benford is a Professor of Collaborative Computing in the School of Computer Science at the University of Nottingham. Giannachi is a Professor of Performance and New Media and Director of the Center for Intermedia at the University of Exeter. Performing Mixed Reality highlights the topics of how immersive technologies are transforming the theater. In the book, the authors describe the theory and practical use cases of using mixed reality for live performances, drawing on work and research carried out in the Mixed Reality Laboratory at the University of Nottingham. The book also includes interviews with lab researchers and artists. These insights give a reader a more comprehensive understanding of how to implement MR. The book was originally published in August 2011, but the most recent reissue came out last November. Book Authority listed it as one of the top XR books to read in 2023. You can buy the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Performing-Mixed-Reality-Steve-Benford/dp/0262546507    The books mentioned in this article will give you a deeper understanding of the vast potential of extended reality that is currently changing our world. You can also discover new techniques and practical skills to make your applications more efficient and convenient for customers. So, start reading and explore the limitless world of XR, where you are sure to find something for yourself. Image: Unsplash.

Extended reality is a technology that is already revolutionizing and improving the automotive industry. With augmented and virtual reality brands can facilitate car design and manufacturing processes and improve interaction with customers who buy cars. No wonder, XR has been successfully implemented by famous brands, like Audi, Toyota, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, etc. Exploring XR Technology Benefits Brands are increasingly paying attention to extended reality in automotive industry due to its number of benefits, including Facilitating car design and prototyping process. Using XR, engineers and designers can project new car designs in a more convenient and sophisticated way. In VR/AR, automotive workers can consider potential design flaws and car behavior on the road in the early stages of production. Projecting new cars in XR allows companies to save money and time. Improving shopping experience. Virtual showrooms and test drives are convenient solutions for your customers, since they don’t have to spend their time reaching an actual showroom to buy a physical car. VR showrooms also allow brands to keep physical items in good condition without any concerns about damage while customers test virtual cars. Reducing Environmental Impact. Immersive technologies are an ecologic solution for automotive brands. Using virtual showrooms and test-driving, the number of fumes that pollute the air is reduced. According to the research, 60% of automotive brands have an ecologic strategy called “Mission Zero”, that targets improving their cars as much as possible: zero accidents, zero injuries, zero emissions, and zero unplanned stops to provide additional services. And extended reality allows companies to optimize the car designing process without unnecessary money costs and harmful emissions.  Enhancing employee training. Immersive technology training has long been proven to be an effective and engaging way to improve the skills of a company’s employees. For example, virtual reality allows you to recreate a workplace using photorealistic graphics, sounds, and even senses, provided by body trackers. Augmented reality gamifies the real workplace, turning standard training into a more interesting gaming experience. Virtual reality for training is also used in manufacturing.You can read more about successful cases here. Improving communication between employees. Using immersive technologies, employees of the same car company in different parts of the world can meet in the same digital space and discuss the technical nuances of car models. For example, Mercedes-Benz introduced remote technical support for workers in mixed reality through Microsoft Hololens 2 called Dynamics 365 Remote Assist. With the help of communication in MR, a Mercedes-Benz service center car mechanic can solve a complex problem with a car without leaving their workplace and receive qualified assistance from the brand’s service center. Putting on Microsoft Hololens 2, a mechanic sees in front of them both a digital screen with an expert and virtual instructions that are superimposed on a real car engine or other parts of the car. The main purpose of introducing this remote support is to improve the efficiency of mechanics, speed up the problem-resolution process, and reduce costs and environmental damage due to trips related to vehicle repairs. How Automakers Use XR to Sell More Cars Explore Your Dream Car in Virtual Reality High-quality virtual showrooms allow customers in VR glasses to see and try a digital model of the car before purchase. In addition, in such showrooms, there is an opportunity to customize the car to your own tastes and preferences. Audi has released a virtual showroom that allows customers in VR headsets to view a virtual car before buying a real one. In this VR experience, a customer has access to such options as a virtual test drive, customization of the model (changing the color of the body, the design of the wheels, etc.), checking the engine and interior, etc. Audi also placed their virtual car on the surface of the moon to convey a certain mood of the model and attract the customer. This video shows an example of how a customer checks a virtual Audi model in a specially designated room. From Concept to Reality: The Role of XR in Car Design Virtual reality allows you to project a new car design in a more detailed and sophisticated way. Instead of constantly using classic 2D sketches, designers create a new car model in VR with a clearer understanding of how the final product will look in reality. Designing a new car model is better in virtual reality thanks to photorealistic graphics and the ability to peel off and examine the details of the car’s design in maximum detail. For example, the automotive brand McLaren is already actively using VR to design new racing cars. With this technology, designers draw lines in VR directly on a 3D model using controllers, and there is also an option to switch between 2D and 3D modes. “As a designer, you are thinking, how does it translate? But now, because we accelerated that process of “sketches straight into 3D”, it’s been much quicker, far more efficient. It still takes the craftsmanship of the drawn lines, you can capture that subtlety of line, then you can tweak it and affect it, and really tune that volume. Because for us, proportion is king,” said Rob Melville, design director at McLaren Automotive. XR in Automotive: Game-Changer for Employee Training Augmented reality allows automotive factory workers to produce new cars faster and more efficiently with digital training and instructions. For example, Toyota introduced Dynamics 365 AR training for its employees based on Hololens 2 MR glasses. Using these glasses, the employees of Toyota manufacture hone their own skills and gain new knowledge in a specially designated room. Working with models, for example, of an engine or a car door in the MR glasses, they receive tasks and instructions on how to perform these tasks. “Augmented reality and the ability to provide additional information to an engineer or a team member on the shop floor, while they are doing their job, stands to have a huge potential impact. We launch a new model every three years, our team members have to re-learn or…