AR/VR/MR

Today, modern technologies provide incredible opportunities in numerous areas, including the hotel business. This technology creates a deep connection between the guest and the hotel, overturning the usual idea of hospitality. Virtual reality allows you to surprise guests with immersive unique experiences that are not only exciting but also facilitate the activities of the establishments themselves.

In this article, we’ll look at how virtual reality revolutionizes the hospitality industry and helps to deliver unparalleled guest experiences.

Exploring Diverse Dimensions of VR in Hospitality

There are several main areas where virtual reality is most often used in the hotel industry, including virtual tours, staff training, and VR entertainment.

Enhancing Guest Experiences through VR

VR hotel tours are one of the most popular directions where virtual reality is typically when dealing with hospitality. Before checking in, guests can take a trial visit to the property in VR to assess the hotel environment. This technique will help to better understand where exactly they want to stay, in which room, and whether this hotel meets the requirements.

“One of the reasons why VR marketing has taken on a viral tone, arises from the fact, that guests will be provided with a hands-on point of view when making an important booking decision. Using such technology clearly illustrates that the property in question is keeping abreast of the latest digital trends. Today, VR tours can be easily placed on an online platform, through the rise of cost-effective software packages,” according to Keystone Hospitality Property Development.

For example, the Atlantis Dubai Virtual Tour shows future customers what the hotel looks like, starting with the exterior and ending with the appearance of the hotel rooms. The experience was filmed in the 360o format.

Thriving Frontier of VR Entertainment in Hotels

Once your guests have checked into their hotel rooms, they should receive high-quality entertainment offered by the hotel chain itself. These can be virtual reality rooms for guests to spend their free time.

For example, the Polish spa resort Czarny Potok also has a virtual reality room where visitors can play various games in VR headsets.

In addition, virtual reality can be used as a preview of real entertainment available. Before your guest tries, for example, sightseeing, they can get a preview of a tourist destination they could go to. Consider a VR tour of the ancient city of Petra in Jordan.

Navigating Future of Hotel Reservations through VR

Another area of virtual reality that is developing in the hotel industry is VR booking. Similar to virtual sightseeing, a user can see the chosen vacation spot for themselves, though the range of possibilities of VR booking is wider.

So, a VR headset user sees a digital globe of the Earth in front of them and decides on the point where they want to go. Next, they interact with a 3D model of the plane, which clearly shows the seats that can be reserved. Moreover, there is an opportunity to rent a car and choose the price of this rental. With virtual booking, users can select a payment method by scanning and adding a digital credit card.

Virtual booking from Amadeus IT Group provides such options to users with VR glasses.

VR’s Role in Transforming Hotel Staff Training

In the hotel industry, virtual reality is used not only to serve customers but also to improve customer service. Virtual reality training, which fully reproduces the real work environment in digital reality, is an effective tool to improve the efficiency of hotel staff. For example, the Best Western Hotels chain recorded a 71% decrease in the number of customer complaints after the introduction of VR training.

Virtual training is already used by the famous Hilton network. In this training, employees use VR headsets to immerse themselves in the digital space that reproduces the hotel.There, they perform various tasks typical for the hotel staff: cleaning the room, preparing a cart with lunch, and checking in guests.

The integration of virtual reality marks a revolutionary step towards improving the guest experience and redefining the hospitality industry. With the introduction of virtual reality in hotels, guests are no longer limited by physical boundaries. Virtual tours of hotels and attractions allow them to go on exciting journeys and explore these places without leaving their homes. Once a decision is made, users can completely organize their own trip through VR booking in a gamified form. Virtual reality in the hospitality industry has also paved the way for more comfortable and faster service with the help of VR training for hotel staff.

The combination of technology and hospitality has created a new dimension of travel planning where potential guests can virtually walk through hotel rooms, imagine their stay, and make informed decisions.

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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.

The power of touch has long been recognized as a potent sensory modality. With the rise of Extended Reality (XR) technologies, touch, or more precisely, haptic feedback, has found its profound significance. Especially in hazardous industries, where direct training poses risks, XR combined with haptic feedback offers a revolutionary approach.

Understanding Haptic Feedback

At its core, haptic feedback simulates the sense of touch and movement. This tactile feedback, when incorporated in digital interfaces or XR environments, provides users with realistic sensations ranging from a gentle breeze to a jolt from a virtual electric shock.

The Evolution of Haptic Devices

While the rudimentary concept of haptic technology revolves around vibrations, contemporary haptic devices offer far more intricate feedback.

– Glove-based Systems: Pioneering the future of touch in XR, these gloves simulate intricate textures, temperatures, and resistances. Users can virtually touch a hot surface or feel the graininess of sand.

– Vest Systems: These aren’t your average vests. They’re equipped to simulate everything from the impact of a bullet to the gentle tap on the shoulder.

– Treadmills and Platforms: Beyond letting users walk or run in a virtual space, these devices offer gradients, and resistances, and even simulate different terrains.

– Haptic Controllers: These handheld devices can simulate weight, resistance, and more. They’re often used in XR setups where precision is required, like machinery operation or surgical training.

Spotlight: Some XR Haptic Innovations

1. Manus Meta Gloves: Advanced haptic gloves that simulate intricate tactile experiences within virtual spaces, ideal for hazardous industry simulations.
2. SenseGlove: Offering unparalleled haptic feedback, this device simulates realistic touch sensations, ensuring authentic training experiences in hazardous industries.
3. Electric Haptic Vest: A revolutionary vest that provides electric haptic feedback, enabling users to feel virtual impacts, touches, and temperature changes, enhancing training realism.

These innovations are setting the benchmark for immersive XR training in high-risk sectors, ensuring both safety and efficacy.

Incorporating Haptics in XR Training for Dangerous Industries

Haptic feedback is not just a fancy addition; it’s a necessity in industries where mistakes can be catastrophic.

1. Realistic Hazard Simulation: XR environments equipped with haptic feedback allow trainees to understand and feel dangerous situations, like the rumble of an impending mine collapse or the heat from an electrical malfunction.

2. Skill Refinement: Fine motor skills can be honed in a virtual space. Imagine a trainee learning to operate a chainsaw; with haptic feedback, they can feel the tug, the resistance, and even the vibration, all without the real danger.

3. Emergency Protocols: Virtual emergencies can prepare employees for real-world crises. These drills aren’t just visual or auditory; haptic feedback ensures they are physically intuitive.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Haptic XR Training

The fusion of haptic devices and XR promises a future where training for even the most hazardous jobs is thorough, intuitive, and above all, safe. As the fidelity of haptic feedback continues to improve, the line between virtual training and real-world operation will further blur, leading to a workforce that’s adept and prepared for any challenges.

In an era dominated by technological advancements, haptic feedback stands out as a game-changer for XR training in dangerous industries. It’s not just about seeing or hearing; it’s about feeling, and that tactile element ensures that trainees are not only knowledgeable but are also instinctively prepared for real-world scenarios.

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In healthcare, technological advances are constantly changing approaches to patient care and physician training. And augmented and mixed reality are among such innovations that have captured the attention of both healthcare professionals and researchers. Thanks to AR and MR, there are new ways to sharpen the work of surgeons and present educational materials for students and interns who are learning to work with patients.

In this article, we will explore in detail the intricacies of mixed and augmented reality in healthcare and explore their applications and benefits.

Primary Benefits

Modern hospitals are increasingly paying attention to augmented reality because it provides doctors and patients with such benefits as

Improving processes visualization in education. As it has been repeatedly proven, immersive technologies can significantly improve the success rate of students who will become doctors. The first case is a digital visual accompaniment to books on the study of anatomy, which allows you to understand the structure of the human body better. The second one is interaction with a digital human body, which is an alternative to autopsies of real ones in cases when medical students do not have the opportunity to visit a real morgue. In addition, through a smartphone screen or MR glasses, students can independently interact with the digital organs of the body and learn more about their components.

Reducing the percentage of medical errors. The introduction of immersive technologies in hospitals and medical facilities reduces the percentage of medical errors, some of which can even lead to fatal consequences: from an incorrect diagnosis to an error during surgery. So, 40,000 to 80,000 patients die every year due to doctors’ mistakes. To reduce patient mortality and optimize the process of diagnosis and treatment, doctors are introducing augmented reality for training interns and AR-projection for training and direct operations.

Increasing patient engagement. Visual digital content that can be interacted with allows not only professionals but also patients to better familiarize themselves with the processes in their own bodies. And augmented reality can be useful for studying the algorithm of health care and rehabilitation, where immersive technologies transform classic monotonous exercises into an exciting, gamified process.

Spotlighting the Effective Use Cases of AR and MR

AR at the Operating Table: Inspiring Applications Shaping Surgery’s Future

With the help of augmented and mixed reality, collaborations between doctors during surgeries become easier and more accessible. Especially when experienced doctors need to advise young interns during complex surgical procedures. Like, for example, the Proximie medical AR platform for professional specialists, which allows them to virtually move into the operating room and consult other specialists from the beginning to the end of a complex procedure.

A device, connected to the Internet, allows a doctor not only to see the entire process of the operation but also to superimpose body scans and X-rays on the patient’s body and point out to another specialist the areas that he should pay attention to.

How AR and MR Revolutionize Symptoms Recognition in Healthcare

Augmented reality training will help doctors determine the symptoms of a patient’s disease in a certain organ of the body. An example of such an application is the EyeDecide app created by OrcaMD, which allows you to simulate the activity of the human eye during a particular disease.

This application was created so that doctors could more clearly show patients the consequences of a particular disease. For example the patient can learn about how the eye with cataract disease sees.

AR and MR’s Impact on Medical Training Success

Virtual and augmented reality training has long proven its effectiveness due to the fact that the employee acquires new knowledge and consolidates new skills in the most realistic environment. AR training for physicians is no exception.

Like, for example, the CAE AresAR app that was built for medical students who use Microsoft Hololens 2. In this application, students learn the structure of the human body using the example of a digital copy of it lying on a real hospital bed. Also, doctors and students can interact with digital organs and study not only their structures but also how they work. For example, the video shows students zooming in on a digital model of a beating heart.

How AR and MR are Reshaping Patient Evaluation

Besides of the professional help of doctors, patients can independently monitor the state of their own health. Augmented reality can give even greater independence in self-treatment and rehabilitation, with the visual digital content superimposed on the real world, they get more information about the state of their body and get more familiar with instructions on how to behave during a deterioration of health.

This option for patients is provided by the Know My Beat AR application, developed by British specialists. With this application, patients can independently monitor their own pulse and also learn to identify the symptoms of fibrillation themselves.

Augmented and mixed reality provides innovative and comfortable treatment of patients in various directions — from surgeons who receive AR instructions in real time to medical students who work with complex anatomical models. Thanks to digital technologies, doctors can quickly and clearly learn the skills of treating patients and reduce the percentage of medical errors. Meanwhile, patients can actively participate in their treatment plans through interactive visualization. As we look to the future, the convergence of AR with healthcare promises even more breakthroughs — from improved diagnostic accuracy to personalized therapeutic interventions.

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In the era of social media and binge-watching series on streaming services, people seem to be gradually forgetting about reading paper books. And this concern is confirmed by statistics from Wordsrated, which shows that in 2022, more than half of Americans have not read a single book.

How can you solve this problem and develop modern literature? In this case, augmented reality can come to the rescue, allowing readers to go on interactive journeys blurring the lines between fiction and reality. In addition, AR experiences that appear on the pages are also actively used for educational textbooks, which help teachers better familiarize students with the subject being studied.

In this material, you will learn in more detail how modern immersive technologies contribute to the development of a paper book and motivate the audience to read.

Augmented Reality Books: Exploring Magic Between Pages and Screens

Augmented reality books, also known as a-books, are paper books that contain markers on their pages that activate AR. Immersive digital content is brought to life with the help of smartphone applications. This function allows you to better visualize the concepts that the author of the book wanted to convey to their audience.

To activate augmented reality for a book, a reader must download a smartphone app that uses a camera to scan pages with QR codes or 2D images. Thus, a-books combine the additional possibilities of modern digital technologies and the traditionalism of real paper

books. For example, specialists at the Institute of Advanced Technologies at the University of Surrey are actively developing books with augmented reality, which will provide additional multimedia information along with the text on the pages.

“I’m not suggesting that this is going to be augmenting every single book, but there would be maybe fantasy novels, or user manuals, children’s books where you get all sorts of content coming out of the book; potentially wedding albums, where you could have a very precious item in itself and that would be the link to some multimedia, videos, and things like that,” said Dr. Radu Sporea, senior lecturer of the Institute of Advanced Technologies.

Empowering Next Generation of Learners with AR Books

In terms of education, augmented reality provides an opportunity for students to go beyond just reading theoretical material with 2D images. WIth AR, students have a chance to see the material being studied from all angles and even interact with it. Such a function is especially relevant for many subjects, from geometry and physics to foreign languages and history.

When children and teenagers study these sciences using augmented reality, their concentration level during the learning process is proven to increase. About 72% of students said they were more likely to participate in an AR-powered studying process.

For example, an illustrated guide with an augmented reality mobile app was released for Japanese English learners. By pointing the smartphone screen at the pages of the textbook, the student sees the animated characters of the book in front of them in AR and also listens to their dialogue. Thus, augmented reality not only makes learning more interactive but also allows you to save on audio cassettes and discs, which are usually included with textbooks for learning a foreign language.

In addition, augmented reality can be useful in learning art, where the visual is a key component. Like, for example, a concept from the Torch company, supplemented the book on the art of Ancient Greece with AR projections of famous sculptures, bas-reliefs, and other works. Instead of just reading about these works and seeing photos that only show one angle of them, readers can explore the statues in their entirety and from all angles in the AR mode.

Exploring AR Books in Fiction: Where Imagination Takes Flight

Speaking about fiction, the main function of the book is to immerse readers in the world skillfully written by the author, to convey a certain moral of the story, or simply entertain and distract the reader from routine. Augmented reality for books makes the story more three-dimensional and allows you to more clearly show the author’s original idea and immerse the reader in his imagination.

In addition, augmented reality for books is an effective and interesting way to attract the attention of young people to books. According to the American Psychological Association, one in three teens in America hasn’t read a book in a year, attributing it to social media and gaming.

The gamified process of reading a book, whether it is a standard fiction or a comic book, can interest a young audience in reading. In this way, they not only read textual descriptions but also see three-dimensional images of the characters and their environment. Nine out of ten children said they would read more books if they contained augmented reality.

Moreover, AR is able to attract the audience of a book franchise that has already gained worldwide popularity. In 2012, a book with augmented reality “Wonderbook™: Book of Spells” based on the universe of “Harry Potter” by J. K. Rowling was released for PlayStation. A specially prepared Wonderbook (marked book) activates digital AR content that transforms the book into an ancient spellbook. The experience is possible with the Playstation Eye camera and a controller that turns into a magic wand in augmented reality.

Augmented reality has created new opportunities for audiences who can read books and interact with digital visual content on their pages. Thus, the gap between the author’s idea and the reader’s imagination is greatly reduced when they see the universe and its characters. For teachers, augmented reality is a convenient tool that helps to more easily convey the studied subject, thereby positively affecting the concentration of students.

AR technology is an effective way to support the book business, as augmented reality complements the traditional reading experience instead of replacing it.

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Hello, LinkedIn readers! Today, I want to dive into an exciting topic that’s been rippling through the landscape of education – Extended Reality (XR).

Let’s start with a quick clarification. By XR, I mean the whole suite of technologies that include Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR). Each of these has distinct features, but they all share a common goal: to blend the digital world with the real world in meaningful ways.

Now, there’s been a lot of buzz lately about how XR is set to replace traditional classroom settings and the teacher’s role within it. However, I’d like to gently steer the conversation in a different direction. XR isn’t here to replace our beloved teachers but to adjust and enhance the learning process. It’s a tool, not a teacher substitute. To help illustrate this, I’ll be sharing a few examples from across the YouTube landscape.

First, let’s take a look at the CurioXR channel on YouTube. This fantastic platform creates XR educational content that breaks complex topics down into immersive experiences. Take, for example, their interactive lessons on the solar system. Students can walk around the planets, watching as the solar system spins and works in real-time.

Next, let’s discuss an impressive use of XR in the field of chemistry. I’d like to direct your attention to this VR Chemistry lessons app showcased on YouTube. Imagine being a student and having the ability to interact with atomic models in 3D, conduct experiments without the risk of dangerous chemicals, and see chemical reactions unfold right before your eyes. It’s an extraordinary way to deepen understanding and curiosity. Yet, this too doesn’t replace the teacher; it’s a tool that provides teachers with a new way to engage students and explain complex chemistry concepts more effectively.

Another great example is the YouTube video ‘VR in Education: The Future of Learning,’ which explores the benefits of XR in the classroom. It shows how students can dive into history by walking through historical sites or explore human anatomy by stepping inside a larger-than-life human body.

Again, it’s not about replacing teachers but augmenting the learning process. XR can transport students to places textbooks cannot and give them firsthand experiences that enhance their understanding. It provides a depth of learning that’s hard to achieve with traditional methods alone.

Moreover, XR can accommodate different learning styles better. Some students learn by doing, some by seeing, and others by hearing. With XR, all these needs can be met in one place, making education more inclusive and accessible.

But, despite the promise of XR, it’s essential to remember that it’s just another tool in our educational arsenal. No technology can replace the human connection, empathy, understanding, and passion a teacher brings to the classroom. The purpose of XR isn’t to replace these aspects but to support them.

To conclude, it’s clear that XR has enormous potential to transform how we educate. However, this doesn’t mean it will replace our teachers. Instead, it’s set to work in tandem with traditional learning methods, adjusting the process to make it more engaging, immersive, and effective. Let’s look forward to an exciting future where technology and teachers work hand in hand to shape the minds of tomorrow!

If you’ve had experiences with XR in education or have thoughts on its role in the future of learning, please share in the comments below. It’s always great to hear from you!

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In this article, we will explore the impact of augmented and virtual reality on national parks, specifically how they are changing our experience of visiting natural landscapes. We focus on free virtual tours that allow us to see the beauty of national parks without leaving home. We will also reveal the main advantages of augmented reality, which enrich the visiting of real parks with the help of digital content with interesting information.

In particular, we will share our experience of creating tourist VR excursions using the example of the Carpathian Mountains Virtual Tour and Medieval Fortress Virtual Journey. We will also explore other famous AR/VR use cases, e.g., the State Parks of California, giving us a unique perspective on our national parks’ historical and ecological significance.

Discovering Benefits of AR and VR in National Parks

Virtual and augmented reality offer such benefits to national parks as

Getting informative content on the spot. When visiting parks and other historical places, visitors usually don’t know about this or that type of plant or even in which part of the park they are. With the help of an AR application, a tourist can simply point the screen at a particular plant and get additional information about it.

Speaking about orientation in place, AR navigation will come in handy here, which guides the tourist in the right direction with the help of digital pointers.

Visiting places that aren’t accessible for you. During the COVID-19 pandemic and home isolation, virtual tours of museums or national parks were one of the popular alternatives to visiting real tourist locations. Even though the pandemic began to gradually fade away, virtual tours continue to be relevant. By visiting free tours on museums or park websites, an Internet user saves money on the ticket, car fuel, and transportation. Especially when a person does not always have an opportunity to get to the place where, perhaps, he would like to go. “The advantage is that you can go somewhere and experience the same feelings without leaving your home. Virtual guides have musical accompaniment, the effect of presence thus allows you to immerse yourself in the environment. This is all about VR. Plus, not all of us can go to Papua New Guinea or somewhere else to look at bamboo, baobabs, etc. Or go on safari. Therefore, these are opportunities to visit somewhere without spending additional funds,” said Oleksandr Ivanov, project manager of Qualium Systems.

Drawing attention to ecology, rare plants and animals. As you know, there are more than 35,000 species of endangered plants and animals in the world, 99% of which are endangered due to human activities. With virtual and augmented reality for parks that are the home for these species of animals, it becomes possible to tell about these endangered species to a wider audience. As of July 2023, there are almost 7 billion people in the world who have smartphones, which is more than 86% of the entire population of the planet.

Qualium System’s Virtual Tours of National Parks

Qualium Systems has great experience in developing VR excursions. Carpathian Mountains Virtual Tour is an application for Meta Quest, created as part of The World Of Carpathian Rosettes — Activities For Preserving The Cultural Uniqueness Of The Carpathians project by the Euroregion Carpathians — Ukraine association with the financial support of the European Union. The main goal of this program is to preserve the cultural uniqueness of the Ukrainian Carpathians.

The main challenge in the development of this virtual tour was to introduce more than 260 photo and video materials into the program while providing the VR headset users with such an experience as if they were visiting a real museum.

In this application, a tourist can explore virtual settlements in the Carpathians, both with the effect of presence in these settlements and from a bird’s eye view. There is also the option of a “bicycle trip” available. A tourist can “ride” along the Franko route, which is a path in the forest, famous Ukrainian poet Ivan Franko liked to travel.

Also, our developers are working on another virtual tour of the medieval fortress in the Ukrainian town of Tustan. Unlike the previous tour, a VR headset user will not only be able to see the digital environment with exhibits but also interact with them.

“With the help of VR, you can not only be there, in that museum, but also take the artifacts, examine, bring them up to your forehead. You could see everything down to every crack,” said Oleksandr Ivanov, project manager of Qualium Systems.

Unveiling Diverse Use Cases of AR and VR in National Parks

Our company pays attention to virtual tours and giving people the opportunity to see places that are inaccessible to them due to various circumstances. We constantly monitor the latest trends in the modern IT industry, and there are other famous examples that will be mentioned later.

Virtual Reality Adventures in California State Parks

The California Department of Parks and Recreation has introduced virtual and augmented reality tours for 9 parks located in the state of California. In the Virtual Adventurer mobile app, tourists get a guided tour that tells the story of each of the parks, including Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park, Montana de Oro State Park, Old Town San Diego Historic Park, and others. Moreover, futuristic holograms and 3D reconstructions are also involved.

“The app also supports and enhances the department’s Reexamining Our Past Initiative by developing content for parks that tells a more complete, accurate, and inclusive history of people and places,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero.

Great Barrier Reef’s Virtual Realms

As mentioned above, virtual excursions allow gadget users to get to places they would be unlikely to get to in real life. The same is true for the underwater attractions. Not every tourist wants to spend their time and money not only to reach, for example, Australia but also to train diving skills and buy a wetsuit with an oxygen cylinder.

In this case, one can explore the Great Barrier Reef in the 180 video format without the need to dive into the real ocean. This two-minute experience was created by ECOVR for Meta Quest. The main purpose of the virtual coral reef excursion is meditation and relaxation.

Free Virtual Tour to Ambrym Volcano

Short VR tours also come in handy when a user wants to see natural places that contain potential danger while sitting on their cozy couches. For example, you can explore a virtual tour in the 360 video format from Red Bull, which tells about a scientific expedition to an active volcano on the island of Ambrym, the Republic of Vanuatu, the South Pacific Ocean. The video is also accompanied by an audio narration that tells about the features of the Benbow volcano and how dangerous this expedition is.

Thanks to virtual reality tours, we can now discover the wonders of the pristine landscapes, whether we are physically present or miles away. Free VR tours of natural national monuments can deepen our understanding of the importance of preserving rare and endangered species of plants and animals. VR excursions also provide more knowledge and a clearer understanding of the ecological status and historical significance of national parks.

As augmented and virtual reality continue to evolve, their potential impact on strengthening the bond between humanity and nature holds promise for the future, inspiring us to become better stewards of our beloved national parks and the environment as a whole.

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Spatial computing is a fast-growing field that is set to create a new way of interacting with the world around us. This technology has the potential to revolutionize many industries, from healthcare and education to manufacturing and more. The potential is seen by such well-known companies as Apple, Meta, Magic Leap, and others, which work with spatial computing and mixed, augmented, and virtual reality. By 2032, the total value of the spatial computing market will grow to more than $512 billion, compared to $87.5 billion in 2022.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the concept of spatial computing and try to explain how it differs from mixed reality, as well as its potential impact on various industries.

Rise of Spatial Computing. Historical Overview

According to Wikipedia, the term “spatial computing” was first coined in 2003, in the eponymous research paper by Simon Greenwold, a former researcher in the Aesthetics and Computation group at the MIT Media Lab and current head of Story As… Simon Greenwald. The original definition of spatial computing is “a human-machine interaction in which the machine retains and manipulates referents to real objects and spaces”.

With the development of immersive technologies, modern spatial computing primarily describes a direct human interaction with technologies and digital content. For example, spatial computing involves the use of gestures, head and eye movements, voice commands and their integration into the digital interface of a device, such as the latest Apple Vision Pro.

As defined by Apple, spatial computing is a technology that seamlessly blends digital content with the real world. For example, this technology is useful for remote work, games, or movies, where a headset user can expand the screen to gigantic dimensions, making home viewing more like a real cinema experience.

Spatial Computing vs. Mixed Reality. Understanding Key Differences

There is a popular opinion that the term “spatial computing” is not so innovative. According to some experts, this technology works on the principle of mixed reality, popularized by Microsoft with the help of Hololens MR glasses. And indeed, according to Vladimir Grygoriev, Qualium Systems tech lead, both mixed reality and spatial computing impose digital objects on the real space, considering the physics of the space.

“In fact, many devices already do the same spatial mapping as Apple does. And what is Apple planning to present, what is the main innovation and the difference? First, they want to add such image quality that a person will not feel the artificiality of it on devices. Meaning, you have a cup standing in front of you, and when being touched, it falls, spills, and breaks. But when you take off your glasses, it does not even exist,” Grygoriev said.

On the other hand, when releasing the newest headset, Apple plans to use “spatial computing” as a collective term for other areas, such as spatial rendering, spatial mapping, spatial interactions, etc. The innovation of Vision Pro is also about its functionality, with the interface allowing you to turn on several applications at the same time.

“Apple will provide an option, that allows you to run a bunch of applications in small windows in your room. It will also give other people access to your space. You can make 5–10 different screens, where various types of content are being sheared. Then you can close some apps and, wearing a headset, go from the dining room to the kitchen while checking your online chat,” Grygoriev said.

Implementing Spatial Computing and Mixed Reality

Spatial computing is used in such areas as

3D Modeling. Due to the fact that spatial computing technology can seamlessly integrate digital objects into real space, a user of an AR/VR headset can design a 3D model of their future project, whether it is a building, a car, a room, etc. With spatial computing, a user has the ability to zoom in and out a digital object, view it from all sides, etc. This gives the user the opportunity to see the future construction in more detail and correct errors that can cause serious financial losses. For example, in this video, an engineer wearing Hololens 2 glasses projects a future car model on his desk.

Remote collaboration. With spatial computing and mixed reality, employees who are in different places can collaborate and see each other. It can be either a completely virtual environment (for example, a virtual office) or an MR option, in which the employee can see a digital screen with the image of their colleague or his own digital avatar in XR-glasses, without leaving a physical workplace. One of the interesting cases of remote collaboration through MR is the concept of mixed reality from the Airbus airline company. The company’s employees work with customers on the aircraft’s family cabin design. The concept offers a full recreation of the virtual cabin on portable devices, as well as the possibility of collective work of MR-glasses users on a digital model of the cabin superimposed on the real world.

Training and skill development. Mixed reality and spatial computing have found their application for training employees in various fields. The convenience of MR training lies in the fact that the employee acquires practical skills at work with the help of digital instructions that are smoothly superimposed on the workplace. Mixed reality and spatial computing are not only implemented to train doctors and factory workers. For example, mixed reality is used to train military pilots for the F-16, F-18, and F-35 fighter jets. During training from Varjo, the pilot sits in the cockpit with a real control panel. A pilot, while training in MR glasses, sees a real image of himself in the cockpit alongside a virtual environment that reproduces the training ground.

Spatial Computing Technologies. Where and How They’re Making an Impact

Empowering Medical Professionals: Spatial Computing’s Role

Spatial computing is already finding its application in the field of medicine. This technology allows you to create interactive digital twins of patients, so that doctors can examine the body from any angle and see a better picture of their diagnosis, more accurately select drugs and create a treatment plan. Also, digital 3D projections are actively used both during surgical interventions and during training.

For example, the Lynx company, in collaboration with the research center INSERM, created a mixed reality program for training medics and conducting surgeries. Thus, surgeons in MR headsets can visualize a patient’s organ they are going to operate on before and during the procedure itself, calculating all possible risks and consequences. The doctor can also add scans of the patient’s real organs and data from their medical record to provide a more realistic experience. During the operation, the doctor in MR glasses is able to monitor the processes in the patient’s body in real time and manipulate digital content using hand gestures.

How Spatial Computing Enhances Architectural Processes

With spatial computing, architects and designers can create interactive presentations. Such presentations can reassure the client in a more efficient way and show them how the final product will look. In this way, it is possible to present the project more transparently and clearly so that a customer pays attention to the design flaws, which will be eliminated in the future.

The development of architectural projects with the help of spatial computing allows you to take into account the nuances of the future building and calculate possible design errors.

For example, the French real estate firm BNP Paribas Group, together with Magic Leap and Vectuel & RF Studio, developed “the POD”, a special capsule with virtual reality glasses, a client enters into and puts on the glasses. In them, he sees a virtual tour with digital models of the future buildings that can be purchased, as well as a visual tutorial on purchasing real estate.

Spatial Computing’s Role in Modern Manufacturing

In manufacturing, spatial computing is used in several directions, such as virtual training, navigation, remote support, creating a digital double of the supply chain, tracking processes in the chain in real-time, etc. Thanks to spatial computing, an employee receives digital instructions that facilitate his work without leaving the workplace.

The American manufacturing company PBC Linear released an AR training for factory workers using tablets and AR glasses. The main goal of introducing the augmented reality is to reduce the training time of employees from three weeks to three days.

“The first thing we do is we record an operator running through the procedures of the machine. Whether it’s a start-up, tool touch-off, blow-off, or any sort of quality. We’ll have someone standing behind them recording and asking questions. They then take those recordings and those questions up to either their computer to author the instructions, or in front of the machine they’ll put on a HoloLens or Magic Leap and they’ll start creating those instructions, just as the tool maker operator laid out for them. And within just a few hours they’ll have a virtual reality or augmented reality version of that same training,” said Beau Wileman, the Factor of the Future Manager.

Spatial Computing Technologies. Future of Learning in Digital Age

Immersive technologies have been proven to enhance the student’s ability to learn new material and consolidate theoretical skills. According to Arbor XR, students are almost 4 times more emotionally connected to the learning material and 4 times more focused on learning.

With mixed reality and spatial computing, a traditional classroom lesson can be turned into an interesting adventure by visually showing an interactive digital model of the learned subject.

For example, the Titans of Space MR app for the Meta Quest glasses will be useful for those who study astronomy. In this app, the option of virtual tours of the digital universe with interactive models of celestial bodies is available. Students travel on a board of a spaceship and can see, for example, the digital solar system up close.

Spatial Computing Revolutionizing Advertising

In today’s technology era, marketers and advertisers are increasingly paying attention to XR. It is confirmed that with the help of interactive content, customers become more interested in the product offered. Knowing this, 90% of companies already use or plan to introduce mixed reality in their advertising campaigns.

In October 2022, at the NFL games, Gilette created an MR ad for the stadium with a large digital model of the razor.

Spatial computing continues the development of technological innovations that blur the boundaries between the physical and digital worlds. Like virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, spatial computing is a transformative force that will carry on shaping industries for years to come. Advanced devices like Apple Vision Pro offer users a new way of interacting with digital objects that respond to the physics of the real environment. Therefore, the technologies of spatial computing and mixed reality have come in handy in such areas as manufacturing, architecture, mechanical engineering, education, etc.

In recent years, IT and immersive technologies are one of the most popular fields that people choose for their future careers. According to Statista, as of January 2023, the number of IT workers was 3.1 million, and by 2032 the number of workers will exceed 6 million. Among those starting to work in the field of IT and XR, there are both young professionals and those who have career experience in other fields and want to change their lives. And free online courses, which introduce a beginner to the essence of the matter in an interesting and accessible language, are useful for future developers.

In this article, we offer an interesting selection of the best free XR training courses online. Whether you’re looking to develop XR experiences for Unity and Magic Leap 2, shoot a 360o film, or create your own metaverse, our selection of courses will provide you with the necessary skills and knowledge needed for those just starting their XR journey.

Create with AR: Face Filters by Unity

A training course for those new to AR application development, including creating face filters. This course is designed for those willing not only to learn the basics of programming applications on Unity but also to expand their portfolio with new cases, which will make it much easier to enter the field of XR.

The course is divided into three parts:

Get Started With AR. The future developer will learn the types of features in augmented reality, such as AR face filters, and AR markers that allow you to place digital content in real space. One will learn how to integrate a finished 3D model design into a game.
Create a basic face filter. The main goal of this segment is to create your own customized AR face mask, including creating face trackers and using various textures, 3D models, and other components that can be used for an AR mask;
Create an interactive face filter. In the final part of the course, the student has to make their mask interactive. In particular, developers also learn to add a user interface to the created mask and use visual scripts to program functions.

A student is able to independently monitor their own progress and mark the completed lessons on the page.

The entire course is available here: https://learn.unity.com/course/create-with-ar-face-filters?uv=2021.3

Virtual Reality Development Specialization by the University of London

A virtual reality training program by the University of London is designed for beginners and consists of 5 courses. Its total duration is 6 months, 4 hours per week, with a flexible schedule.

Each of the 5 training courses contains the following information:

Introduction to virtual reality. Students get acquainted with the concept of virtual reality, its history, and basic principles;
3D Models for Virtual Reality. In this course, students will take the first steps in developing 3D models for VR, the basic principles of digital content development, and overlaying models in a digital environment. Students will also learn the basic principles of one of the most common VR engines, Unity3D;
Interactive design with 3D models in VR. Students will learn to work with a key aspect of virtual reality, i.e., creating user interaction with the digital world. The course will cover the basic principles of creating interaction with virtual reality, taking into account the natural movements of the human body. In the end, students will receive useful advice from experts in the field of XR, and the main task to consolidate the result will be the creation of their own project where a person interacts with virtual reality;
Creation of interactive 3D characters and dialogues. Students will learn to create communication between users of virtual reality, in particular the psychology of communication in VR, the basic principles of animation of 3D characters, in particular, game characters that will be used by the player and NPCs that will interact with a real player;
Creating the First VR Game is the final course of the curriculum from the University of London, in which students have to create their first game in virtual reality and learn all the main stages of its development: idea, storyboarding, prototyping, testing, and implementation.

The hosts of the Virtual Reality Development Specialization program are Professor Marco Gillies and Dr. Sylvia Xueni Pan. Gillies is an Academic Director of Distance Learning and Deputy Head of Computing at the University of London. Pan is a senior lecturer at the Virtual Reality department of the same university.

You can sign up for the course here: https://www.coursera.org/specializations/virtual-reality

Extended Reality for Everybody by Michigan University

A learning program from the University of Michigan that introduces students to the general concept of extended reality. Its total duration is 3 months, 7 hours a week. The main goal of the program is to teach students the basic concepts of XR, the key problems of the development of augmented reality, and to correct them in further work with programs, as well as to learn how to create their own programs.

The program consists of three main courses:

Introduction to VR/AR/MR/XR, Technologies, Applications, and Key Issues. An introductory course to the concept of augmented reality where students will learn to understand the essential difference between virtual, augmented, mixed, and extended reality. Students will also learn more about the current state of XR, its main advantages, level of development, and problems;
User experience and VR/AR/MR interaction design. In this course, students will learn the basic principles of creating XR experiences, including creating extended reality prototypes and putting them into operation. In addition, the issue of ethics in creating an interactive XR application for the user will be raised here;
XR applications development with WebXR, Unity, and Unreal Engine. Students will gain practical skills in creating VR experiences in WebXR or Unity, AR applications with or without markers. The final course is where students will learn the basic concepts and techniques of creating complex applications in augmented reality, as well as learn to create their own apps taking into account the ethics, privacy, and basic principles of user accessibility.

The lead instructor for this course is Michael Nebeling, Associate Professor of Information in the School of Information and Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan College of Engineering.

You can sign up for the course here: https://www.coursera.org/specializations/extended-reality-for-everybody

What is Metaverse? by Meta

A course by Meta will teach future developers how to interact with the metaverse and how to create their own metaverses, taking into account all the rules of security, ethics, accessibility, and inclusivity. The total duration of the course is 3 weeks, 3 hours per week.

This course contains 6 modules covering topics such as

What is the metaverse. An introductory module that describes the basic concepts of this technology, the basic principles of interaction in the metaverse, and how to interact with other users in it;
Who creates the metaverse. Students will learn about the basic principles of creating a metaverse, what devices, platforms, and game engines are used to create their own digital universe, and how augmented reality is used here;
Verticals of the metaverse. Students will learn about the influence of the metaverse on various spheres of life, including education, medicine, city planning, and interaction with people. Students will also learn more about how marketing, design, and entertainment work in the realities of the metaverse;
Finance in the metaverse. This module tells how blockchain and cryptocurrency work in the realities of the metaverse, how to introduce your own economy into your metaverse, and the latest financial trends;
Responsibilities in the metaverse. Students will learn about the basic principles of building a metaverse, taking into account all the rules of ethics, inclusiveness, and diversity;
How to build a metaverse. The final module, in which students learn more about the possibilities of the metaverse, as well as the further development of this technology and the influence of companies on this technology.

You can sign up for the course here: https://www.coursera.org/learn/what-is-the-metaverse

VR and 360 Video Production by Google AR & VR

Another free course for beginners from Google introduces students to virtual reality, 360o video, and the basic principles of creating such videos. The duration of the course is three weeks and four hours a week.

The main course consists of 4 modules, which include the following educational material:

What is 360o video and how does it relate to VR. An introductory module that covers the basic principles of creating 360o video;
Setting up VR pre-production. Students learn the basic technical nuances of preparing for video shooting. During the module, students will be provided with the necessary tools for writing a script, planning, selecting a crew and cast for a 360o film;
The shooting process of 360o video. Students will learn the main nuances of the operation of the 360o camera, as well as the arrangement of the shooting process itself;
VR post-production and release. The final module, in which students will learn how to edit the footage, as well as publish the finished film.

You can sign up for the course here: https://www.coursera.org/learn/360-vr-video-production

Unity Development for Magic Leap 2

Another course from Unity Learn, created for beginners who have an initial level of command of the C# programming language and a basic knowledge and understanding of the rules for using the Unity platform. The purpose of this course is for students to learn how to design XR experiences for Magic Leap 2 augmented reality glasses.

The course consists of 14 separate video tutorials that introduce students to every aspect of Magic Leap 2 digital experiences development, starting with an introductory lecture that observes the general characteristics of the glasses. The following videos describe in more detail the intricacies of developing XR experiences, such as entering voice commands, tracking hand and eye movements, creating and superimposing markers on real space, etc.

A student completes the full course independently at any time convenient for them, just like other courses on the Unity Learn website.

The entire course can be found here: https://learn.unity.com/course/magic-leap-2-development?uv=2022.2

We hope these free courses will inspire you and give you confidence in your future career as an XR developer. They will not only develop your practical skills and enrich you with theoretical knowledge. Training programs from Unity, Google, Meta, and many other augmented reality experts will also develop your creativity and flexibility, which XR developers need so much.

Image: Freepik

When presenting the newest AR/VR glasses Vision Pro, Apple positions it as a device for entertainment and remote work through video conferencing and virtual offices. However, there are opinions that Apple Vision Pro can be useful not only for entertainment and games but also, for example, for increasing the productivity of an employee. This means caring for mental health, acquiring new knowledge, and honing old skills.

In this blog post, we will cover the basic concept of productivity and its main components. We will also consider examples from the field of XR, which are aimed at supporting human productivity.

Enhance Productivity through XR Self-Development

By the word “productivity” we usually mean a person’s ability to stay fit, as well as his ability to perform basic work tasks and be creative. The problem of productivity still remains relevant, as in the US only 33% of employees are interested in fulfilling their work duties.

How can you solve the problem of interest and efficiency of your own work? There are several main components that support the productivity of a self-developed person:

Ergonomics of the workplace
Continuous self-development and education
Physical support of the form
Support of psychological health

Organizing workplace with XR

The first step in optimizing your work is improving your workplace. Completing your tasks becomes much faster and more efficient if the workplace is more sophisticated, and the person is isolated from various factors that distract them from work.

According to National Association of Professional Organizers, a poorly designed workplace is a serious problem for employees in various businesses. Yes, 91% of workers said they would be more efficient and productive if their workplaces were better organized.

An optimized workplace will allow a person to do work not only faster, but also better. And in this case, XR offers users several solutions for organizing the workplace:

A virtual office is a fully immersive digital environment in which a person is completely isolated from various distractions. Also, the user of a VR headset can use the functions of creating a comfortable working environment (from a digital copy of the office to more non-standard, fantasy settings) and make the workplace more ergonomic by creating additional digital screens, panels with applications, etc. Such functions are offered by VR-office Immersed.

Mixed reality solutions are another method of improving remote work. This option is suitable for those who aspire to make their workplace more ergonomic but do not want to completely isolate themselves from the outside world. For example, the well-known Meta Quest Pro has the function of overlaying digital screens on an already existing device, like a laptop, for example.

How XR Transforms Self-Education

The next way to improve the efficiency of your work is constant self-education and skills development. A person is also able to keep themselves in shape not only by consolidating old skills but also by learning new knowledge that will improve the quality of work. XR learning courses can be of help through several criteria:

Realism of simulations. With the help of XR-gadgets, a student is able to learn new information in the most realistic environment, reproduced in a digital space;
Emotional connection. Being offered a greater number of opportunities to interact with the content being studied (an opportunity not only to see and hear it but also to interact with digital elements), a person not only gets acquainted with new material but also better realizes and understands it with the help of illustrative examples;
Situational learning. Instead of reading books with theoretical material, a student sees the situation with his own eyes and better understands the learned content.

In addition, learning courses in virtual and augmented reality also increase the employee’s confidence in their knowledge and skills. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, the level of employees’ confidence in their skills is increased by 275%, and training time on AR/VR devices is reduced by four times.

A good deal of VR/AR training for employees are offered by companies to improve employees’ efficiency and increase their productivity. However, speaking about self-improvement, for example, a freelancer or remote worker can independently choose courses both for general education and comprehensive development. For example, if a person works with foreign partners and has to communicate with them every day, foreign language courses will come in handy.

One such course is Global Academy XR’s Simmula for Meta Quest. These virtual courses are designed to improve the level of English, as well as confidence when speaking a foreign language. During these courses, a student wears a VR headset and immerses themselves in a virtual environment where they communicate with other students using digital avatars. The main goal of these VR English courses is more effective language learning with increased concentration and interest due to the fact that the student collaborates with other people in a digital immersive environment.

Harnessing XR for Physical Well-Being

Many experts recommend constant physical activity for employees, in particular those who lead a sedentary lifestyle. After all, it has been proven that regular exercise has a positive effect not only on well-being and tone but also on mental health. According to the University of Bristol, employees who regularly engaged in physical activity reduced their stress levels by 33% and also improved their ability to cope with stress by 46%.

Thus, remote worker or freelancer can improve their physical and mental well-being with the help of virtual training. Despite the fact that a VR headset user trains in a completely virtual environment, they receive real loads. Immersive digital reality fully reproduces the place of training in which a person engages in physical activity as if they were doing it in a real gym. For example, a person can punch a virtual punching bag, lift a dumbbell, or kick a ball.

“Virtual reality games aren’t always marketed as exercise, but our research shows that when you play them, some can deliver the workout equivalent of walking on a treadmill or cycling on a stationary bike”, said Jimmy Bagley, Ph.D., an associate professor of kinesiology and research director of the Strength and Conditioning Lab at San Francisco State University.

One of the VR apps that Dr. Bagley recommended for training is Supernatural for the Meta Quest headset. This program provides the user with a large selection of training: from boxing to yoga to stretching.

Empowering Mental Health through XR

A key way to keep yourself fit is your mental health work. This also includes the development of stress resistance, prevention of burnout at the workplace, etc. In recent years, burnout at work is a common phenomenon, which is one of the reasons for dismissal from work. 84% of millennials say they have experienced burnout at their current job, and half of millennials surveyed said they left a job due to burnout.

VR therapy is a proven way to prevent burnout. Its main advantage is that a person is distracted from the usual workplace and quickly changes the environment by putting on a virtual reality headset and immersing themselves in the digital space.

Exhale XR | VR Wellness is an example of an VR app to prevent burnout at work and support mental health. With this program, users are distracted from the main irritants at the workplace and are transferred into virtual reality. The main setting resembles an ancient altar, which is located in the middle of a darkened fantasy forest. The app includes not only a direct option for meditation but also other types of activities to calm and support mental health: breathing exercises to relieve stress, improve sleep, and relax. With VR glasses, a user can also walk around the area, see the lake, and engage in other activities: hit a virtual bong, release a firefly from a jar, shoot a bow, etc.

Integrating extended reality into the work routine improves productivity as well as supports mental health and personal development. As it has already been proven, virtual training, meditation, and training courses can effectively increase the productivity of an employee at the workplace and keep them in a resourceful state. If a person is able to independently create an optimal and ergonomic workplace with the help of digital technologies, their performance goes up.

And given the prospects that Apple Vision Pro can provide, the development of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality in the field of productivity support will still go on.

Image: Freepik

Hey there, bookworms and tech enthusiasts alike! Fancy a journey where age-old art meets futuristic tech? Join us as we dive into the world of literature and explore how augmented reality (AR) is spicing up storytelling!

AR, the cool tech that adds a pinch of digital magic to our world, is at the heart of our tale today. Picture this: You’re reading a book, and suddenly the characters pop out of the pages, acting out the plot. No, it’s not Harry Potter magic. It’s the power of AR! It’s more than just virtual reality – it’s not about replacing your reality, but about adding a layer of digital awesomeness to it!

We’ve all loved hearing, reading, and sharing stories. From cavemen’s grunts around a fire to eBooks on shiny tablets, storytelling has grown and evolved with us. Now, it’s time for another leap in this journey. AR, put on your superhero cape!

We first saw AR waltz into literature with children’s books. It was like sprinkling fairy dust on pages – and voila! – the stories came alive with animations and interactivity. Suddenly, book-reading wasn’t just about sitting quietly; it was a whole new, exciting adventure!

But folks, AR didn’t stop at that. Now, it’s not just for kids’ books but all sorts of literary works. Authors and publishers are embracing AR to add a dash of zing to their narratives. It’s not just a sprinkle of fairy dust anymore. It’s a full-blown magic spell, changing the way we read and interact with literature.

Don’t believe me? Check out The Ice-Bound Concordance, a novel where AR lets you dive deep into the story and even shape it! Or the heartwarming AR children’s book.

Imaginary Friends, which creates personalized story experiences.

And then, there’s a delightful twist on a classic with the AR book, Alice in Wonderland , from the Ukrainian retail chain ATB. These examples underline the amazing possibilities AR brings to the literary world.

But wait, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Creating spellbinding AR experiences can be quite a task – we’re talking advanced software and hardware capabilities here. Plus, it’s a challenge to make sure AR adds to the story rather than distract from it. And let’s not forget, not all of us have the necessary tech gear or might just prefer a good old paperback.

Despite these hurdles, the future of AR in literature is brighter than a wizard’s Patronus! With tech getting more user-friendly and accessible, AR might soon become a common sight in our books. What’s next? Personalized stories? Even more immersive experiences? Time will tell!

In the grand tale of storytelling, AR is a thrilling new chapter. It’s a bridge between the real and the virtual, giving us a fresh way to enjoy stories. As we turn the page to the future, it’ll be amazing to see how AR continues to transform our reading experiences. So grab a book (and maybe your AR glasses), and let’s journey on!

Image: Pixabay