Guest Post

Highlighting the Top 3 XR Trends of 2023 [Insights From This Year’s AWE USA]

augmented reality, AWE, Editor's Pick, extended reality, featured, Guest Post, virtual reality / Mike M. / August 2, 2023

The 2023 edition of AWE USA not only lived up to its reputation but also reached new heights, reportedly marking its largest event to date. From cutting-edge hardware to new, groundbreaking technology and software solutions, this year had it all.

3 Trends That Will Shape the Future of XR

Let’s dive in and explore the main three trends that stood out and are bound to shape the narrative for the future of XR.

Main Focus on AR

There was a lot of discussion this year about artificial intelligence and how it will enable XR rather than replace it. Just like with the metaverse last year, AI became a new hot topic, but in terms of hardware, the spotlight was clearly on AR.

There were, of course, some notable VR-first devices presented: Lenovo announced their new ThinkReality VRX headset, which is now available for purchase ($1,299). I had a chance to give it a try and was impressed with its large sweet spot, visual clarity, and a high degree of comfort. The headset includes a cooling system that takes the heat away from your face and makes the inside feel almost air-conditioned.

HTC presented their modular HTC Vive XR Elite ($1,099) for which they had won a “Best Headworn Device” award. It can be worn both like a traditional headset with a head strap or akin to glasses with an external power source instead of the battery in the back. In detached form, the Vive XR Elite weighs only 270 grams.

These devices were more of an exception rather than the rule, however, and pale in comparison to the amount of AR devices showcased this year. Just on the main floor, we had Vuzix promoting their Ultralite turnkey AR solution, Sightful with a screenless Spacetop AR laptop, XREAL presenting XREAL Air glasses, and Magic Leap returning with Magic Leap 2. Right next to those was C-Real with their unique light field display and Tilt Five. In the lobby, Zappar was demonstrating its $75 Cardboard-inspired device.

And that’s just the hardware, the list doesn’t include smartphone-based solutions like Snapchat’s SnapAR and Snap Lenses or Ffface.me digital clothing. Many software providers were experimenting with AR as well. Whether it was enterprise and training applications or entertainment like a laser-tag-inspired Laser Limbo, the focus on augmented reality was prevalent.

Subjectively, I found the XREAL and Tilt Five glasses to be the most promising choices in terms of their usefulness and affordability. Tilt Five ($359) offers six degrees of freedom and a wide 110° field of view, plus a whole range of tabletop applications and games. It also comes with a tracked controller.

The XREAL Air ($488 with XReal Beam) might only have three degrees of freedom and a smaller FOV of 46°, but makes up for it with its versatility. It weighs only 79 grams and is compatible with phones, consoles, and laptops. Almost any device with a screen can be beamed into the glasses. For those looking to start experimenting with AR, both offer a good and inexpensive entry point.

The Renaissance of Haptics

It was hard to ignore the sheer volume of haptic-related products at AWE. There was a surge of novel startups and original concepts along with many industry veterans returning to show off their latest progress.

I did not expect haptics to have such a strong showing and was positively taken aback. Bhaptics were busy presenting their new TactGlove and Contact CI came out with a new product called Maestro. The most established player in the space, HaptX, was there as well.

Among newer entrants, SenseGlove was celebrating their €3.25M Series A funding with a newly updated Nova 2 haptic glove. Weart demoed their TouchDIVER glove capable of not only feedback but also temperature variations, while OWO showed off their latest haptic vest that uses electrical impulses to simulate sensations. Fluid Reality stole the show with its electroosmotic device that uses an electric field to create feedback.

There were too many to list but even this short rundown underscores how noticeable haptics were this year. Most of these products target industrial and business markets, with the notable exceptions being the OWO vest ($499) and Bhaptics (also $499). Both devices have their strengths and weaknesses, though I have to give extra points to OWO for taking a bold, unique approach and allowing users to configure the vest so that it can simulate discomfort as well as other unpleasant feedback. This can result in a significantly more visceral experience and a heightened feeling of presence that’s hard to replicate using other methods.

Seeing all the new and creative ways to model and recreate tactile data left me impressed with what’s to come, but at the same time, underwhelmed with the more conventional approaches.

Full resistance feedback, which restricts your movement, felt detached and did not properly mirror what I was seeing inside the headset. That was the case for both SenseGlove Nova and the high-end HaptX.

Their feedback, while indeed powerful, felt very mechanical and arbitrary. There are two paradigms here at play, one is trying to nail the fidelity but approximate the sensation, while the other one is trying to provide the exact, realistic sensation at the cost of fidelity.

New Optics Solutions Are Coming

There were a number of booths dealing with optics and display solutions this year. It’s possible the latest push into AR helped supercharge this progress in optics. Many booths had some kind of developer kit or proof-of-concept ready. Visitors would come and literally peer into the future through these stationary prototypes.

One example was Ant Reality demonstrating their mixed waveguide solution called Crossfire. While the displays (ranging in field of view from 56° to 120°) were impressive, what made them unique was their ability to do both AR and VR. At a press of a button, the surroundings would go completely dark, turning the augmented overlay into an immersive experience. Magic Leap 2 is known for offering what is called segmented dimming, but in the case of the Crossfire, the glasses would become completely opaque despite the AWE show floor being exceptionally bright.

*Ant Display demonstrating their prototypes*

Another never-before-achieved breakthrough was a light field display incorporated into an AR headset, courtesy of CREAL. Light field displays promise to solve a lot of issues, the most common one being correct focal depth. Harnessing the direction of light can produce outstanding results, but shrinking light field tech to fit into a glasses form factor still proves tricky. CREAL’s headset is an important, pioneering step in this field.

Another interesting innovation came from a company called Hypervision. Their claim to fame is their ultra-wide display capable of achieving a human vision 240° field of view. To make this happen, Hypervision used not one, not two, but four pancake lenses. Vertically, the screen has 95° so it doesn’t quite match the human eye top to bottom, but horizontally there’s full peripheral vision. While the stitching between the screens was slightly perceptible, the ability to achieve human FOV in such a small form factor is a massive step forward.

Overall, this means that the future generations of XR devices will have access to a wide variety of new, next-gen optics and display solutions, most of which are not even known to the general public. Display tech doesn’t follow Moore’s Law so it’s always difficult to make any specific predictions, but there’s clearly no stagnation in the field and some of the breakthroughs we saw this year are truly exciting.

Closing Thoughts

These are just some of the main trends and shifts we saw this year. There was a notable increase in 3D spatial display panels, such as Leia Lume Pad 2, Sony’s Spatial Display, Looking Glass, and a human-sized holographic box by ARHT.

This forms part of a larger trend of broadening the definition of spatial computing, which is sometimes expanded to include other real-world tools and technologies like visualizations, projection mapping, and 3D screens.

What also caught my eye was a noticeable reduction in locomotion solutions. Gone are the days of omnidirectional treadmills or big simulator seats. The only two exceptions were the unconventional EXIT SUIT, which suspends the wearer slightly above the ground allowing them to run in the air, sit, fly, and do a range of other motions (for which the team had won this year “AWEsome” award) and the Freeaim shoes that act like rollers, pushing the wearer backward as they walk.

This was the last AWE hosted in Santa Clara. From next year on, the event is moving to the Long Beach Convention Center. This shift to a new, bigger venue highlights the constant growth of the XR space and that’s one trend that speaks for itself.

Guest Post

About the Guest Author(s)

Mat Pawluczuk

Mat Pawluczuk is an XR / VR writer and content creator.

Highlighting the Top 3 XR Trends of 2023 [Insights From This Year’s AWE USA] Read More »

Unveiling the Spacetop AR Laptop: AWE 2023 First Impressions

augmented reality, AWE, featured, Guest Post, Hardware, opinion, Review, Reviews / Ryan Harris / July 13, 2023

This year’s AWE 2023 was a remarkable testament to the accelerating pace of innovation in the field of augmented reality, hosting an unprecedented 6,000 guests and 300 exhibitors.

Amidst the sea of booths, one exhibit captured sustained attention—the Spacetop laptop by Sightful. Throughout the day, from early morning until the closing hours, its stand was constantly buzzing with activity.

Face-To-Face With The Spacetop

Spacetop’s uniqueness stems from its design—it shuns the traditional physical screen and employs a pair of AR glasses as the display medium. The glasses are not proprietary but are a product of Sightful’s collaboration with XREAL (formerly Nreal), who provided an existing AR solution tailored specifically for Spacetop.

Spacetop AR laptop — *Source: Sightful – Spacetop press kit*

Field of View

With its sleek and futuristic design, the laptop certainly looks promising at a glance. However, a set of issues quickly surfaced during my hands-on experience. The most significant one is the limited field of view that’s insufficient to accommodate the entire screen.

The glasses’ restricted field of view necessitates constant head tilting which undermines the entire purpose of having large virtual monitors and results in what is known as “windowing”—a term used in spatial computing when virtual objects fail to fully overlay and appear cut off.

Attempted solutions like moving the virtual monitor further away were not effective due to the glasses’ 1080p (1920×1080) resolution. Push the screen too far back and the text becomes difficult to read. Therefore, users are forced to deal with near-placed screens that, while clear and readable, outsize Spacetop’s field of view.

Input Solutions and Design

The laptop also lacks hand tracking, a disappointing omission considering the advancements in the field. Users are left with a trackpad, navigating a vast spatial spectrum with a traditional cursor, a process that can feel slow and inadequate. Monica Chin from The Verge has reported instances of losing the cursor among the screens, then struggling to locate it – a problem no doubt amplified by the limited FOV.

Low-precision tasks such as moving tabs or resizing that could be done in fractions of a second with either touchscreen or hand tracking, here took exponentially longer. It made the whole experience of using Spacetop feel frustrating.

There are also other less obvious quibbles. For example, no screen means the webcam must be positioned down on the keyboard. This suboptimal positioning creates an unflattering, spycam-like angle.

Although users can lower their virtual screen to align with the webcam, mitigating gaze-switching between the screen and camera, ultimately the very design of the Spacetop laptop necessitates certain compromises.

Sightful in It for the Long Haul

I asked a Sightful representative about the low field of view and was informed that the company is aware of these display limitations. They assured me that they are prepared to iterate in tandem with the industry.

It seems Sightful is conscious not to portray Spacetop as a purely AR device. More than anything else, Spacetop is a screen-less laptop with a proprietary operating system, Spacetop OS (based on Android), and a unique set of AR-specific features.

In the future, the team may design the laptop to work with any glasses they deem suitable for their purpose. This is their first product and instead of playing catch-up, Sightful is eager to start early and keep perfecting the experience as better, newer glasses come into the market.

However, as things stand today, it’s hard to avoid the obvious question: Why would one choose to splash $2,000 on a Spacetop when one could simply spend $379 on the XREAL glasses (or $488 bundled with the XREAL Beam) and use them to stream from any device? The Spacetop team attempts to answer this by emphasizing their AR-first design and focus.

For instance, executing a three-finger swipe on the touchpad moves screens spatially between closer and further planes. There is also a Reality Mode button that turns the AR off allowing for full pass-through, and a range of shortcuts that enable you to snap screens in place, re-center them, and more. While these improvements and enhancements are handy, they don’t quite seem to justify the substantial premium.

Mat at AWE using Spacetop — *Author believers that Spacetop’s form factor makes it socially acceptable.*

Potential Is There

Initially, I had planned to log into my Twitter account from within the Spacetop, take a screenshot with its webcam, and do a live tweet, heralding the dawn of a new era in spatial laptop computing.

However, the realization that the Spacetop still has some distance to cover before it can be deemed fully user-friendly made it challenging to compose a strictly positive and genuine tweet (time constraints and burdensome trackpad navigation played a role as well).

The potential is undoubtedly there. Large field-of-view, high-resolution AR displays, along with some ultralight tracking solutions, were already being showcased at this year’s AWE and might be integrated into the next generation of glasses.

During my brief encounter with the Spacetop, I could easily envision it becoming a preferred work tool for many, not just for those working from home, but also in cafes or co-working spaces. Moreover, there’s an inherent benefit of privacy. For stock traders, artists, or anyone who values personal workspace, the ability to work on non-public screens adds a lot of appeal.

Its form factor is among the most socially acceptable options available – there’s something about having AR glasses paired with a clearly visible laptop or tablet that makes the entire setup immediately understandable to onlookers. It doesn’t seem to invite confusion or ridicule; if anything, it might invite desirability.

Spacetop screens — *The author thinks that promotional materials feel misleading; Source: Spacetop press kit*

For now, however, Spacetop’s primary promise of being a superior alternative to traditional laptops falls short. Its promotional materials, which depict users encircled by screen panels, feel misleading.

The current iteration is hampered by a lack of hand-tracking, a limited field of view, and clunky user interface solutions. Moreover, the price point does not seem to correspond with the value provided. However, with improvements and upgrades coming, it’s worth keeping an eye on Sightful.

Guest Post

About the Guest Author(s)

Mat Pawluczuk

Mat Pawluczuk is an XR / VR writer and content creator.

Unveiling the Spacetop AR Laptop: AWE 2023 First Impressions Read More »

Transforming the E-Commerce Industry With AR

augmented reality, e-commerce, Guest Post, Retail & E-Commerce / Ryan Harris / July 10, 2023

Over the years, the e-commerce sector has experienced enormous expansion, allowing customers to buy from the comfort of their homes. However, the option for shoppers to physically engage with things before purchasing is one feature that Internet shopping needs to include. This is where augmented reality enters the picture and completely changes online shopping.

AR provides an immersive and engaging purchasing experience connecting both the online and offline worlds by superimposing virtual features onto the real world. According to Threekit, there will be 1.4 billion AR device users by the end of 2023.

Due to its potential to increase customer engagement and satisfaction, augmented reality has experienced substantial growth in the online retail sector. Online merchants may give customers a more realistic and engaging buying experience using AR technology, empowering them to make more educated purchasing decisions.

Benefits of AR in E-Commerce

For e-commerce, augmented reality has several important advantages, such as improved brand experiences, higher conversion rates, higher user engagement, and improved customer happiness. Let’s dive in to understand the benefits of AR in e-commerce:

1. Increased Customer Engagement

Customers are more engaged with products thanks to augmented reality than they would be with regular online purchasing. Customers may rotate, examine, and perceive objects in 3D, enhancing the purchasing experience’s immersiveness and enjoyment.

2. Improved Customer Satisfaction

By enabling virtual try-ons for clothing and cosmetics, AR lets consumers get around the drawbacks of online purchasing. Customers can buy more confidently by observing how things seem on them or in their surroundings, which lowers the possibility of returns and raises general satisfaction.

3. Increased Conversion Rates

It has been demonstrated that augmented reality increases conversion rates. AR lowers ambiguity and increases trust in purchase decisions by giving buyers a more accurate picture of products. Customers are more likely to convert when they have a clear idea of how things will look or fit into their life.

benefits of AR in e-commerce

4. Reduced Product Returns

Product returns are a major worry for brands participating in the e-commerce revolution. By enabling customers to picture things in their homes before purchasing, augmented reality can help to solve this problem. Customers can, for instance, use an AR app to preview how furniture or other design items will look in their locations, which lowers the possibility of expectations being off.

5. Enhanced Brand Experience

Augmented reality allows e-commerce companies to stand out and develop a distinctive brand experience. Brands can make a lasting impact on customers by providing interactive product demonstrations or gamifying the shopping experience, encouraging advocacy and loyalty.

Examples of AR in E-commerce

Numerous e-commerce platforms have successfully incorporated augmented reality technology to give clients engaging and distinctive buying experiences. Here are five examples of augmented reality for e-commerce:

1. IKEA Place

Customers may visually place IKEA furniture in their houses using the augmented reality app IKEA Place. Customers can preview how various furniture items will appear and fit in their living environments using their smartphones or tablets, which enables them to make better-educated purchasing decisions.

2. L’Oréal Paris Makeup Genius

The AR app L’Oréal Paris Makeup Genius is revolutionizing the cosmetics sector. Customers can use the app to experiment with several L’Oréal Paris products virtually. The virtual try-on tool precisely applies cosmetics to the user’s face using facial recognition technology, enabling them to try out several looks before purchasing.

3. Amazon View

The Amazon app includes an augmented reality feature called Amazon AR View. Before purchasing, buyers can use their smartphones or tablets to picture how things would look in their homes. Customers may virtually place furniture, home décor, or appliances in their chosen space, ensuring they make the best option.

4. Walmart’s AR Shopping

With Walmart’s AR Shopping, customers may view products in 3D and get additional information about them, both at home and in stores. This feature gives customers thorough information, such as product details and user reviews, which helps them comprehend and feel more confident about their purchasing choices.

examples of AR in e-commerce

5. Sephora Virtual Artist

Sephora, a multinational retailer of personal care and beauty products, provides the augmented reality tool Sephora Virtual Artist. Customers can virtually try on various cosmetics, including lipsticks, eyeshadows, and other items. Customers can find the ideal products more easily by experimenting with different colors and styles on smartphones or tablets.

Future Trends and Possibilities

1. Potential Advancements in AR Technology

We may anticipate major advancements in AR capabilities as technology develops. The precision and realism of virtual objects in AR experiences will be improved through developments in computer vision, object recognition, and rendering techniques. This might entail greater tracking of actual places, enhanced tracking of virtual things in the real world, and improved interactivity with virtual aspects.

2. Exploring the Intersection of AR and Other Emerging Technologies

Experiences that are even more transformative and immersive could be produced by combining AR with other cutting-edge technologies. By examining user preferences and behavior, AI and machine learning algorithms can provide tailored recommendations and targeted advertising, improving AR experiences.

3. Opportunities for Small and Medium-Sized E-commerce Businesses

Due to the technology’s increased availability and affordability, small and medium-sized e-commerce businesses now have the opportunity to include AR technology in their platforms.

Smaller businesses have two options for utilizing augmented reality: they can use pre-existing AR solutions or collaborate with augmented reality development platforms to create specialized AR experiences targeted to their products and target market.

Conclusion

By offering a more engaging and immersive purchasing experience, augmented reality has the potential to alter the e-commerce sector completely. By implementing AR technology, retailers may improve consumer engagement, contentment, and conversion rates.

AR and other cutting-edge technologies are anticipated to advance and produce fascinating discoveries. Online retailers can now connect the virtual and real worlds thanks to augmented reality, giving customers a more seamless and engaging buying experience.

Guest Post

About the Guest Author(s)

Pratik Rupareliya

Pratik is a techno-commercial leader heading Intuz as Director of Growth with over 14+ years of experience in the field of information technology. His experience and expertise will entice developers and business entrepreneurs with rich content on the latest technology stack.

Transforming the E-Commerce Industry With AR Read More »

How Retailers are Using Augmented Reality to Enhance In-Store Shopping

augmented reality, featured, Guest Post, Retail, Retail & E-Commerce, shopping / Ryan Harris / June 20, 2023

The retail sector is changing because of augmented reality technology, which is giving businesses new and interesting ways to interact with customers and enhance their shopping experiences. AR is a perfect fit for the retail sector, giving businesses new opportunities to communicate with customers, promote their goods, and increase sales.

AR in Retail: A Match Made in Heaven

Customers may virtually try on things, allowing them to see how a product appears or fits without having to try it on physically, which is one of the main advantages of AR in retail.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, more customers are looking for ways to try on things without having to physically engage with them, making this issue more crucial than ever. Retailers may improve their conversion rates and lower the percentage of returns by offering customers virtual try-on experiences.

Virtual Try-Ons and Interactive Product Displays

Virtual try-on and interactive product displays are two of the major ways that businesses are leveraging AR technology to improve the in-store shopping experience.

Using AR technology, shops can develop virtual try-on experiences that allow customers to see how an item of clothing or accessory would fit on their body without having to try it on physically.

the author trying augmented reality glasses — *Example product display. The author trying glasses using Geenee AR Glasses Try-On*

Virtual try-on is very handy for things like glasses, makeup, and apparel. Retailers may boost the likelihood of a sale and lower the percentage of returns by allowing shoppers to see how these things would look on them.

Retailers are also embracing AR technology to improve the in-store shopping experience through interactive product displays. They can take numerous forms, such as augmented reality mirrors that allow consumers to experiment visually on makeup or interactive product displays that allow buyers to see the features and benefits of a product in real time.

Retailers may boost customer engagement and create a more memorable shopping experience by developing such kinds of interactive activities. This can result in improved consumer loyalty and sales.

While virtual try-ons and interactive product displays hold enormous promise for merchants, there are still obstacles to overcome. For example, implementing the technology can be costly, and creating experiences that function seamlessly across multiple devices can be tricky.

Personalized Shopping Experience

AR technology is also being used to deliver a more personalized shopping experience for customers. Retailers, for example, might construct AR-powered shopping assistants who guide clients through the store, making tailored recommendations and presenting information about things they might be interested in.

7-eleven deadpool augmented reality — *In 2018, 7-Eleven launched its first-ever augmented reality in-store experience bringing Deadpool into the store.*

AR technology can also be utilized to build customized product displays that showcase products based on the customer’s specific interests. Retailers can develop displays that highlight products that the buyer is likely to be interested in using customer data and AI algorithms, improving the possibility of a sale.

The fundamental problem of using AR technology to improve product discovery and personalization is the necessity for reliable and complete data. Retailers must have access to customer data and be able to analyze it efficiently in order to deliver customized suggestions and product displays to customers.

Future of Augmented Reality in Retail

The future of augmented reality in retail is bright, with enormous potential to revolutionize the way we purchase. We should expect to see more innovative applications of AR in retail as technology advances, providing customers with tailored and engaging experiences.

The integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning is one of the most significant areas of research in AR for retail. AI can improve the accuracy and speed at which AR-powered product suggestions and customization are made. Retailers can use artificial intelligence-powered augmented reality to deliver personalized suggestions based on a customer’s purchase history, browsing habits, and preferences.

The launch of web-based AR is another fascinating trend in retail AR. WebAR eliminates the requirement for clients to download an app, making it more accessible and convenient. WebAR may be quickly implemented into a retailer’s website, offering customers an immersive and engaging buying experience.

Geenee augmented reality virtual try-on Zara — *Virtual try-on demo skirt project*

WebAR for In-Home Retail

A web-based placement of AR technology overcomes these obstacles and has the potential to transform the retail business. That allows you to try on clothes without even going to the retail itself.

Accessibility is one of the most difficult challenges associated with traditional AR adoption. Customers must download a specialized app to access AR content in traditional AR applications. This approach can be time-consuming and inconvenient, resulting in poor adoption rates.

WebAR solves this issue by removing the necessity for clients to download an app. Instead, users may access WebAR directly from a retailer’s website, making it more accessible and convenient. This method not only saves time but also raises the possibility of adoption by making AR technology more accessible to a larger audience.

An additional significant barrier to the widespread adoption of traditional augmented reality in retail is the high development costs associated with developing AR applications for different app platforms. The development of specialized multiple AR apps takes a significant amount of time and money, making it prohibitively expensive for many merchants.

WebAR overcomes this issue by leveraging current web technologies and frameworks that produce AR experiences, such as HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. This method lowers the development expenses associated with standard AR implementation, allowing merchants to build engaging and immersive experiences at a fraction of the cost.

Due to the specific hardware and software needed for traditional AR implementation, many devices cannot use it. Because of this incompatibility, the potential audience for AR experiences is reduced, and the impact of AR in retail is limited.

WebAR resolves this issue by taking advantage of modern web browsers, allowing it to be compatible with a wide range of devices such as smartphones, tablets, and desktop PCs. This method enables merchants to build AR experiences that are more accessible to a wider audience, which improves the effect of AR in retail.

Conclusion

In conclusion, augmented reality technology has the potential to transform the retail sector completely. We can anticipate a substantial change in the way we buy as shops continue to experiment with new AR applications. This change will make shopping more immersive, interactive, and personalized.

Guest Post

About the Guest Author(s)

Vladislav Bondarenko

Vladislav has been working for more than 3 years in the AR industry. He is currently on the founding team of AR startup Geenee. He specializes in 3D engineering, computer vision, and physics programming.

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10 Top Use Cases of Blockchain in Virtual Reality

Blockchain, featured, Guest Post, virtual reality / Ryan Harris / June 14, 2023

While talking about blockchain technology, we should keep in mind that this is a new and still evolving industry. There are several use cases of blockchain in different industries, including virtual reality.

Here are the top use cases of blockchain in VR.

1. Decentralized Asset Ownership

Blockchain can be used to verify and track the ownership of virtual assets in VR, making it impossible for fraudulent transactions to occur, one example is DeFi (Decentralized Finance) in which there is no threat of fraud or theft as DeFi offers an emerging model for organizing and enabling cryptocurrency-based transactions without relying on intermediaries or traditional banks.

2. VR Advertising and Sponsorship

Blockchain and VR can work together to verify sponsorship and verify traffic, promoting transparency and trust between brands and consumers. Through blockchain, advertising and sponsorship in virtual reality can be made more secure and reliable.

By using blockchain-based smart contracts, brands and advertisers can ensure that their ads are displayed to their target audience in the virtual reality environment. This, in turn, can increase the relevance of the ads and improve the ROI for the advertisers.

Additionally, blockchain can also help to track and verify the traffic generated by the ads. By recording each interaction with the ad on the blockchain, advertisers can get a better understanding of the effectiveness of their VR advertising campaigns. This level of transparency can help to build trust between the brand and the consumer.

Blockchain can also be used to prevent fraudulent advertising practices. By using a decentralized system that relies on a consensus mechanism, blockchain ensures that the data is secure and tamper-proof. This can prevent scenarios where advertisers pay for fake traffic generated by bots or other illegitimate means.

In conclusion, the use of blockchain technology in virtual reality advertising and sponsorship can offer numerous benefits to both brands and consumers. By increasing transparency, security, and reliability, blockchain can help to build trust and improve the overall experience for everyone involved.

3. Secure VR Marketplaces

Decentralized marketplaces on the blockchain can be used to facilitate secure transactions of virtual goods and services, reducing fraud and ensuring safe transactions.

4. Virtual Reality Gaming

Blockchain-based incentives may be utilized to incentivize gamers to contribute to better gameplay, thus increasing engagement in VR gaming environments.

5. Rights Management

Another potential use case is the registration of copyright, publisher, and distribution rights to control the distribution and licensing of virtual reality content, ensuring the creators of content receive fair compensation.

6. Virtual Real Estate

With the increasing popularity of virtual worlds, blockchain technology can be utilized to enable the ownership and trading of virtual real estate. This allows for users to build and own property in virtual worlds and potentially earn revenue from it.

7. Virtual Currency

Virtual currencies used in VR environments can also benefit from blockchain technology. Blockchain can enable secure, transparent, and decentralized transactions for virtual reality commerce, as well as provide a more stable and reliable virtual currency system.

8. Identity Management

Blockchain technology can be used to manage and protect user identities in virtual environments, providing a more secure and trustworthy system for verification and authentication.

9. Cross-Platform Interoperability

Blockchain technology can enable interoperability between different VR platforms, allowing users to seamlessly interact with each other and access content across different platforms.

10. Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs)

Using blockchain technology, DAOs can be created in virtual reality environments to create decentralized decision-making and governance structures. This can enable community-driven development and decision-making in virtual worlds.

Conclusion

The use cases of blockchain in virtual reality demonstrate the potential for these two emerging technologies to work together and create innovative solutions for a variety of industries.

Blockchain technology can provide an additional layer of security and transparency to the virtual world, enabling safer transactions and the protection of users’ personal information.

Guest Post

About the Guest Author(s)

Amir Ashraf

Amir is an expert editor and writer in the blockchain industry. After completing his studies, he started exploring different aspects of the blockchain industry and took the initiative to make things easy to understand by writing about different techniques that are used in blockchain and still working on different aspects as this is a developing field.

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Why Your Next Workplace Training Session Might Be in the Belly of a Volcano

Education & Training, featured, Guest Post, training, virtual reality / Ryan Harris / May 4, 2023

Whoever said workplace training had to be boring? Thanks to advances in virtual reality, the world of workplace learning and development might finally be something to get excited about…and not a moment too soon.

In the world of training, education, and development, what’s fun and what’s effective are often one and the same. Educators have understood for quite some time that engagement is critical to the learning process. And there’s no quicker way to lose someone’s interest than boring them or lulling them to sleep.

A disengaged student is a student that isn’t learning, and that’s why we find that fun is very much an essential ingredient to the learning process. However, while educators have known this to be true for quite some time, it seems that, in the corporate world, this lesson has yet to truly sink in.

Can you remember the last time you took part in workplace training? If not, that might be because it wasn’t very memorable. If you’re like most people, your experience with workplace training probably amounts to sitting in a drab, windowless room and struggling to keep your eyes open as a grainy video drones at you from a television set in the corner.

Workplace Learning and Development Don’t Have to Be a Drag

Thanks to the emergence of technologies like virtual reality and augmented reality, however, this drab form of corporate training may soon be a thing of the past. Companies are realizing that they can save a considerable amount of time, money, and other resources on training and development. With these portable, cost-effective technologies, organizations can upskill a distributed workforce in a way that’s interactive, inclusive, and sustainable.

In my time working with Gemba, we’ve worked with the companies like Johnson & Johnson, Coca-Cola, and Pfizer to deliver immersive, impactful VR training programs, all while eliminating up to $2M in travel costs and over a ton of CO2 per trainee.

For organizations big and small, that’s a real, meaningful step towards sustainability — and, unlike most other sustainability initiatives, this transition doesn’t entail sacrifice. On the contrary, we’ve found that VR-based training is not only cheaper and more sustainable than traditional forms of training, but it’s actually more effective.

Fun and Efficiency Make VR Training an Inevitability

In our experience helping companies train and develop their employees, we’ve found that the use of VR is associated with significant improvements in educational efficacy.

While many might intuitively understand this, independent research has shown that making the learning process fun or enjoyable not only improves students’ willingness to engage in learning, but also improves their ability to retain information — even if the information itself is dull.

And this phenomenon isn’t unique to students. In fact, we’ve seen the same effect being borne out time and time again in our own work with professionals. An assessment of Gemba’s VR-enabled training with automotive technology supplier, Aptiv, found that a more immersive, engaging, and enjoyable learning experience led to faster, more effective training.

An independent case study of the program, published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), found that Aptiv was able to reduce what was originally two days of in-person training to just four hours of VR-enabled training. The study concluded that, overall, the use of Gemba’s VR-enabled training allowed Aptiv to upskill its workforce with 80% greater efficiency, compared to real-world training.

And there’s a very real need for more efficient, effective workplace training. According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), over one billion workers globally will need to be upskilled by the year 2030. As technological advancements continue to reconfigure our world, organizations will be hard-pressed to find fast, effective, and scalable means of upskilling such a sizable portion of the workforce.

With VR, The Sky’s No Limit

It’s for these reasons that VR-enabled training’s mainstream adoption is all but an inevitability. Already, leading global enterprises like Unilever, Volvo, L’Oreal, and Nike are making use of VR-enabled training to optimize workforce development. And at the same time, advances in both hardware and software are making virtual and augmented reality platforms more impressive by the minute.

This begs the question — if you can hold a virtual meeting anywhere, why do it in a virtual recreation of some drab, lifeless conference room? Why not in the belly of a volcano? Or a castle floating above the clouds? Or at the bottom of the ocean? Why create a pixel-perfect digital twin of your cramped office space when you can convene anywhere on (or off) Earth?

I know what some of you are thinking — “That sounds rather childish,” or “That seems unprofessional.” To which, I’d respond, is being boring a prerequisite for professionalism?

I’ve had the luxury of working with a wide range of people and professionals throughout my career. I’ve worked in the gaming industry, been a university lecturer, and worked extensively with corporate leadership from around the world. Across all these spaces and demographics I’ve found one thing to be true — people like having fun. As a CTO myself, I can tell you from first-hand experience that you don’t magically become a dullard the moment they put a “C” in front of your title.

And we can expect businesses to be on board as well. Given enjoyment’s proven ability to make learning more effective, you can rest assured that organizations will be eager to inject VR training with all manner of fanciful, gamified fun. And I, for one, can’t wait.

Guest Post

About the Guest Author(s)

Frankie Cavanagh

Frankie is a visionary leader, an innovative technologist, and a game-changer in the world of virtual reality and learning. His background in teaching, combined with his passion for game design and XR technology and his skills as an artist, designer, and coder, gives him a unique ability to create immersive and engaging experiences that revolutionize how businesses train and develop their workforce.

Why Your Next Workplace Training Session Might Be in the Belly of a Volcano Read More »

From Zero to Immersive: A Look at 3 Top-Ranked Location-Based VR Venues

featured, Guest Post, Location Based VR, VR experiences, VR games / Ryan Harris / April 27, 2023

It is generally assumed that the VR and XR industry managed to weather the pandemic quite well. However, not all virtual reality endeavors benefited equally. For location-based entertainment (also LBE or LBVR for short), the pandemic had devastating effects.

Even with the social distancing measures and disinfection protocols, the idea of sharing headsets inside a busy venue did not seem very appealing, and just like cinemas, most had no choice but to shut down.

The biggest casualty of that time had to be The Void. They were considered pioneers and one of the biggest players in the LBE space, so their closure and subsequent bankruptcy were seen by many as a grim indication of what was to come.

Shortly after, another big player, Sandbox VR, had to file for bankruptcy, its CEO Stephen Zhao stating bluntly that the company has essentially lost 100% of its revenue due to COVID-19.

However, just like with cinemas, location-based destinations are back in business. And while The Void is still closed down (with rumors it might reopen sometime soon), most LBEs are already back on their feet, together with a whole cast of new players, big and small, all interested in exploring this new, emerging frontier.

VR Unleashed

It seems location-based venues continue to attract fun-seekers for a variety of reasons. One is that they offer a high-fidelity experience. Users can walk around freely without the need for gamepads or any other artificial locomotion. Experiences are designed with immersion in mind, taking full advantage of VR as a medium in a way that cannot be replicated at home. This can be especially powerful when experienced by newcomers who’ve never encountered VR before.

Another reason is the social aspect of LBEs. Whether it’s a group of friends or a family, it’s all part of a shared adventure, similar to cinemas, arcades, and many other leisure activities. Booking, getting to the venue, gearing up, and having a chat afterward are all part of this ritual.

Given all of this, it makes sense that, despite the pandemic, LBEs have managed to find an audience again.

But enough theory, time to look at LBEs in practice! I had a chance to try three of the more popular venues. They all have a slightly different approach. Here are my impressions.

1. Dreamscape Immersive

Dreamscape Immersive has currently six centers, three in the United States and the other three in Dubai, Riyadh, and Geneva. Looking at the interior, it’s obvious Dreamscape aims to create a cinema atmosphere. Movie-like posters advertise available experiences, screens inform of the next showings and a sizable cafeteria allows for a place to sit down and relax before the onboarding.

Dreamscape VR LBE

I had the opportunity to participate in the Curse of the Lost Pearl — an Indiana Jones-inspired adventure where you embark on a mission to find an ancient pearl deep in the catacombs of what looked like either a Mayan or Aztec pyramid.

Dreamscape Immersive uses trackers for motion control, one for each hand and one for each foot, as well as laptop backpacks. They also make good use of tracked props. Participants can expect to carry tracked items light torches or the aforementioned lost pearl.

In fact, right from the start, we were asked to push a lever that existed in both the virtual world (as an interactive element) and in the real world (as a feedback prop). This immediately helped blur the distinction. Next, we had to step through the projector, which turned out to be a portal — another clever trick that created a sense of awe as the horizon suddenly expanded miles into the distance.

Dreamscape Immersive scripts feel very engaging and creative. At some point, you might be asked to wave to your pilot. At other points, you’ll get separated. Their venues feature floor which has motorized elements that provided rumbling and trembling during descent. There are also other immersive elements such as wind, heat, or water.

The Curse of the Lost Pearl has no shooting in it. Users can expect scares and traps, but it’s meant to be cinematic first and foremost. It does, however, allow for a bit of flexibility. In my case, for example, at one point, I took a torch from another participant and ended up carrying two. Location-based experiences are always a bit unpredictable as we all react differently, so it’s nice when everything behaves the way you would expect it to, even when things go off script.

Thanks to a technique called “redirected walking”, participants feel like they traverse large distances when, in fact, everyone is walking in circles. Moving platforms, elevators, impossible geometry all of those can be used to make us forget our real-world bearings.

Technically, it would be nice to see higher-fidelity avatars. They all looked a bit lifeless and crude compared to the rest of the experience. Also, our feet didn’t track nearly as well as our hands, resulting in some awkward walking animations, but those were the only real issues I had.

2. Zero Latency VR

Zero Latency VR is a well-known company in the LBE space. They currently have 70 venues in over 26 countries and target intense, gaming-like scenarios.

I had a chance to try two of their adventures. One zombie-themed is aptly called Zombie: Outbreak Origins and the other one is a well-received Far Cry: Dive Into Insanity, which is based on a popular gaming IP. It features arguably the most recognizable character in the entire franchise — Vaas Montenegro.

VR Arcade games - Far Cry VR

Zero Latency experiences focus primarily on action and shooting. You wear a backpack but throughout the whole game, you will only need to hold one prop: the gun. Same with onboarding, it mostly focuses on how to reload and fire. There are other game-related mechanics as well, such as respawning, points, and leaderboards.

Zero Latency leaderboard — *Far Cry VR made us feel like we were doing great, even though we actually scored 141st*

Zombie: Outbreak Origins is pretty much a non-stop shootout between you and the undead. Far Cry VR, on the other hand, features storyline elements, where participants end up captured by Vaas and thrown into what looks like a world of hallucinations. The shooting remains the key component, but thanks to these intermissions, it makes the experience much more intriguing and also helps glue all the action scenes together.

Like many other LBEs, Zero Latency takes advantage of redirected walking, making users traverse the large-scale arena in redirected patterns while the action keeps moving onward in VR.

In my case, I found Far Cry VR to be rewarding and even thought-provoking, but Zombie: Outbreak Origins was fun as well, simply because you roam this big virtual world on foot, making the immersion so much more profound.

3. Divr Labs

Divr Labs was founded in 2016 and its arenas are currently available in three locations: Prague, London, and Stockholm. I had a chance to try their prehistoric adventure titled Meet the Dinosaurs, where you become a time-traveling scientist on a mission to collect some data from 80 million years ago.

Divr Labs VR experience Meet the Dinosaurs

What makes Divr Labs stand out is the graphical fidelity of their experiences. The prehistoric jungle, along with its inhabitants, feels high-quality and very realistic. Divr Labs decided to forgo props or guns, opting instead for hand tracking. As a result, everything feels very intuitive. There is no fighting or shooting and instead, participants are asked to gather as much data as possible in the form of specimens, plants, leaves, eggs, and so on. It’s a bit of a game of hidden items.

The story elements were pretty straightforward and there is no plot, other than you being a scientist from the future. Moreover, all the dinosaurs and environments remain true to our current understanding of the Mesozoic Era which makes the experience somewhat educational.

In my case, I really enjoyed the hand tracking aspect of the experience. I could move my hand past things like grass or leaves and the leaves would waggle accordingly. It felt convincing, even though my hands were not receiving any feedback. Collecting hidden items was done by opening my hand over various specimens, which triggered a download animation around my palm.

Towards the end, I had a face-to-face encounter with a T-Rex, plus a virtual photo as my scientist avatar before it was time to leave VR and off-board. I was also given their personal score based on the amount of data collected, which is a nice touch for those planning to go again.

Unfortunately, my experience wasn’t without hiccups. At some point, my hand tracking stopped working. Instead of focusing on the world around me, I anxiously waited for the issue to get fixed. Despite restarting tracking, the issue persisted, which left me without tasks to do and without any interactive elements. Online, some users complained they had missing audio and encountered other technical problems. These aren’t design issues as such, but suggest focus should be on quality assurance so that every experience is always great.

More to Come

Location-based entertainment is not limited to cinematic and gaming entertainment. There are museums, art exhibitions, and other truly amazing free-roaming LBE venues out there, such as the massive, over 1,150m2 (over 12,000 ft2) Space Explorers: The Infinite where participants get to spend one hour in a full-scale replica of the International Space Station.

In the coming years, LBE venues will continue to offer the most refined and sophisticated VR experiences available. They allow people to try virtual reality without the risk of the so-called ‘well-poisoning’, which is an insider term for when someone’s first experience with virtual reality is so inadequate that it effectively kills their interest forever. That was the argument often leveraged against very cheap cardboard and smartphone headsets.

Location-based entertainment is the opposite of that. You can say it sweetens the well by making people immediately aware of the potential of VR and making them curious about what else virtual reality has to offer. It serves as a great ambassador for the entire industry.

About the Guest Author(s)

Mat Pawluczuk

Mat Pawluczuk is an XR / VR writer and content creator.

From Zero to Immersive: A Look at 3 Top-Ranked Location-Based VR Venues Read More »

Top 5 E-Commerce AR and VR Trends To Follow in 2023

augmented reality, e-commerce, featured, Guest Post, Retail & E-Commerce, virtual reality / Ryan Harris / April 11, 2023

AR and VR are two of the most promising technologies of the modern era. Both can potentially revolutionize how we interact with the world around us. However, these technologies have taken a long time to reach their full potential.

While AR and VR have been around for decades, it wasn’t until recently that they offered a quality experience without being too limited by technological constraints or not being portable enough for widespread use.

Nevertheless, they’ve been making waves in many industries. And now, the e-commerce industry is hopping on board. Statista reports that by 2023, there will be 1.4 billion AR devices worldwide, projected to rise to 1.73 billion by 2024.

Number of mobile augmented reality (AR) active user devices worldwide from 2019 to 2024 - Statista — *Source:* *Statista*

What should we expect from AR and VR in 2023 and beyond? In this article, we will explore the potential of AR and VR for e-commerce and how they can enhance your shopping experience.

1. Increased Adoption of AR in E-Commerce

According to a recent survey, 38% of marketers reported using AR in 2022. It’s a significant increase from the 23% reported in 2017. And it’s understandable, given AR technology’s benefits to e-commerce customers.

For example, it allows them to feel like they’re physically interacting with products in a brick-and-mortar store while being online. AR can also help consumers visualize how products will look in their homes or on their bodies, improving the shopping experience and leading to more informed purchasing decisions and fewer returns.

Looking ahead to 2023, there are six exciting trends in the AR shopping space to keep an eye on. They are:

1. Social Media Apps and Camera Filters

Social media apps and camera filters, with Snapchat and Instagram leading the charge by incorporating AR into their platforms. Brands can use SnapAR Lens Studio or Meta Spark to create engaging AR filters and lenses that bring products to life. A case in point is Gucci.

Gucci AR instagram filter — *Screenshots taken on the official Gucci Instagram account*

2. Virtual Try-On Technology

Virtual try-on technology to see how products look on shoppers like on the Sephora Snapchat page.

Sephora Snapcaht Lens — *Screenshots taken on the official Sephora Snapchat account*

3. Virtual Showrooms

Virtual showrooms are similar to try-on but involve the buyer flipping the camera around. For example, it’s popular among furniture stores like EQ3.

virtual showroom EQ3 — *Screenshots taken on the official EQ3 website*

4. Better AR Hardware Options

Better AR hardware options, caused by innovations in mobile technology, such as LiDAR and ToF (depth sensing hardware). Companies like Google, Microsoft, Lenovo, and Vuzix are developing smart glasses to enhance the AR experience.

5. AR Mirrors

AR mirrors for in-store shopping, assisting buyers who are in-store and either don’t want to test various alternatives or can’t for whatever reasons.

6. Gamifying

Gamifying in-store shopping to connect physical products with apps, creating a fun and interactive shopping experience.

2. VR-Enabled Online Shopping Experiences

VR creates an immersive visual environment, including 360-degree videos, photos, product demos, and complex experiences using devices such as the HTC Vive or Oculus Quest.

Unlike AR, VR is entirely simulated and disconnected from the physical world. VR can benefit businesses in various ways, such as:

virtual tours of showrooms and stores;
visualization of products;
greater user engagement;
increased consumer trust;
enhanced conversion rates;
better retention rates;
improved customer service.

However, it’s essential to remember the “shiny toy syndrome” and avoid it. Ensure that VR experiences align with your business goals and customer needs before opting for them. E-commerce stores can use VR for the following purposes:

virtual stores with virtual clothing racks, an opportunity to meet with friends and shop together online;
“try before you buy”;
in-store experiences;
live events;
interactive education.

3. Introducing AI Into AR and VR Solutions

Artificial intelligence can integrate with AR and VR technologies to revolutionize the shopping experience. AI-powered 3D representation of products in a user’s environment can increase conversions. How? Here is how AI can enhance virtual experiences:

1. Object Recognition

AR and VR experiences can adjust to the user’s movements and actions thanks to AI algorithms’ ability to detect and track things in real time.

2. Computer Vision

It involves image recognition and tracking, enabling the system to respond to the environment.

3. Natural Language Processing (NLP)

NLP is about using voice commands for people to explore and interact with virtual worlds.

4. Predictive Analytics

As AI can predict user behavior, merchants can build personalized and proactive experiences.

5. Usage Analytics

AI can also help analyze usage data and client feedback. You can optimize your AR/VR services and boost buyer satisfaction based on the results.

6. Personalized Experiences

One of the ways to employ customer insights is to tailor offers to their tastes. It can boost satisfaction and sales.

4. Creating Digital Twins

The past year has seen an increase in AR and 3D technology use by fashion brands to boost sales and brand recognition in physical and virtual worlds. And in 2023, we can expect more brands to utilize AR innovatively.

It includes the ability to try on digital versions of physical clothing on your avatar. Another example is unlocking special effects for physical apparel. Some brands create digital-only looks that users can capture on camera and share on social media.

This trend becomes possible thanks to avatar platforms and AR features such as image targets and body tracking. So brands can offer and sell virtual goods. And with NFC (Near Field Communication) and QR codes embedded in physical apparel, you can transform one thing (for example, a T-shirt) into infinite designs.

5. Security Concerns Over the Usage of AR and VR

Consumers are increasingly concerned about privacy, security, and safety in computing. The metaverse, new headsets, and more AR and VR content have made safety a greater focus. Devices can now gather more information through eye and hand tracking. AR also relies on spatial data to immerse users. That’s why customers remain skeptical about using such devices daily.

How can people safely enjoy digital realities? We need new frameworks, regulations, and social contracts prioritizing safety. All these require collaboration through working groups, policy and standard discussions, and new software solutions for moderation and cyber threats.

Final Word

To sum up, AR and VR can enhance the e-commerce industry by improving the customer experience, driving more engagement, and cutting costs. But there are many challenges to overcome before these technologies can become mainstream.

For example, some websites are incompatible with VR headsets or AR apps. Why? The reason is that they were not built with those devices in mind. And not everyone owns a headset or smartphone capable of using these technologies.

That’s why e-commerce merchants should take advantage of these new opportunities to not lose potential clients due to incompatibility issues. As these technologies get better, more online stores will use AR and VR to give shoppers immersive shopping experiences. The future of e-commerce is exciting. And augmented and virtual reality are sure to play a significant role in shaping it.

Guest Post

About the Guest Author(s)

Art Malkovich

Art Malkovich is CEO and co-founder of Onilab, an e-commerce development company. He has about 10 years of experience in team management and web development. He is passionate about keeping up with recent technologies and working on innovative projects like headless commerce solutions and PWAs in particular.

Top 5 E-Commerce AR and VR Trends To Follow in 2023 Read More »

How Large Retail Brands Are Using Augmented Reality

augmented reality, e-commerce, featured, Guest Post, Retail / Blake Jones / April 6, 2023

Over 83 million people in the US alone used augmented reality on a monthly basis in 2020. By the end of 2023, it is projected that the number will grow by over 30%, to over 110 million people.

With the pandemic having accelerated the evolution of digital shopping, retail and e-commerce brands are looking for new ways to engage with their consumers and to bridge the online-offline experience gap that exists today while shopping.

How Big Brands Leverage Augmented Reality

Immersive AR experiences are increasingly being leveraged in stores, to create memorable and personalized relationships between the brand and its customers. Through augmented reality, retailers can not only engage the otherwise passive customers but also provide the context needed for them to make a decision and significantly improve the likelihood of the customer making a purchase.

Lego, for instance, used an augmented reality digital box in its stores for parents/kids to put up the physical boxes in front of the screen and see different scenes being built and come to life. This allowed parents and kids to find the right set and also proved to be a fun way to engage with consumers.

Other retailers use augmented reality to specifically drive sales for products that typically need the in-person context to make a buying decision. Houzz’s AR-powered app offers consumers the ability to view their rooms from their phone camera and ‘drop in’ true-to-scale 3D furniture items superimposed on their physical reality, for them to make a more informed buying decision.

Converse’s AR app lets consumers try shoes at home by simply pointing the camera at their feet. They can then evaluate multiple models with varying colors within minutes from the comfort of their home. The app is also integrated with their e-commerce platform, creating a seamless flow from discovery to intent to making the final purchase.

The Future of Retail Is 3D

While all these examples use AR in slightly different ways, they all have one commonality: the buyer is at the center of the experience and the camera has become the new home page. Replacing 2D images with interactive 3D products gives the shoppers the context through visualizations that they need, to be confident in their decisions.

The experience boosts consumers’ confidence, allowing them to make the right choice because AR provides the level of real-life context missing from a flat, 2D product image online. It’s a win-win for the customers and the retail brands, who experience a big increase in conversion rates and a lower product return rate by leveraging augmented reality.

Consumers are coming to expect this experience. Augmented reality adoption is following a similar pattern to mobile phone adoption of the 2000s. And as the mobile-first Gen Z cohort continually gains more buying power beyond the $360 billion they already have in disposable income, we will see large retailers transforming their traditional online and in-person shopping experiences into more immersive, 3D retail experiences to reshape online browsing and buying behavior as we know it.

Guest Post

About the Guest Author(s)

Aluru Sravanth

A technology enthusiast and a student for life, Sravanth started Avataar in 2014, with a vision to uncover untapped potential from the confluence of self-learning AI and computer vision.

How Large Retail Brands Are Using Augmented Reality Read More »

VR Takes Center Stage at Dubai’s DEAL 2023 Expo: Highlights and Takeaways

AR/VR events, Events, featured, Guest Post, Location Based VR, Review, Reviews, trending, virtual reality, VR experiences / Blake Jones / March 31, 2023

So, in the past few weeks we have seen big tech, including Meta and Microsoft, announce massive layoffs, mostly to their XR division and at the same time, pivoting towards artificial intelligence and generative content.

Despite the news, this year’s DEAL expo was as busy as ever. Teeming with an array of VR devices, games, contraptions, and a myriad of other VR-related gizmos that filled the halls, it, quite frankly, surpassed expectations.

It’s clear that there’s an appetite for virtual reality and that the VR industry as a whole has no intention of slowing down. Here’s a short rundown of the most interesting things that caught my eye.

Meta4 Interactive

Meta4 Interactive were on the floor showcasing their arena player vs. player battler based on the well-known Transformers IP. I had the chance to battle it out with the CBDO of Meta4, Sylvain Croteau, as well as other members of the team.

They were all great at the game, which might seem obvious since it’s their product after all, but you would be surprised how often management is actually disconnected from their games or brands. It was nice to see that in this case the team is not only up to speed with their products, but also plays Transformers: VR Battle Arena for fun.

The hardware consisted of blue HTC Vive Pros connected to the gaming PCs above. This kept the headsets tethered without me actually feeling the tether as the cables were suspended from above. Also, the game is stationary, as you teleport from platform to platform (not unlike Tower Tag). I dodged bullets and turned in all directions without any issues.

Transformers VR: Battle Arena was originally developed in 2019 but I only had a chance to try it out recently. On their website, Meta4 claims their games run at a 90hz refresh rate, but it felt like less. Perhaps more like 60fps or 45fps with reprojection to 90hz?

The HTC Vive Pros were tethered, so there was no latency but the game did have a peculiar dense, dreamlike aspect to it, which often stems from lower refresh rates. I would gladly play a slightly stripped-down version of the game if it meant running it at 120hz native.

PvP arenas are very engaging thanks to their competitive aspect but it also means they work best for groups of friends, gamers, and people who want to compete and see who’s the best. All in all, I had fun and can’t wait to see what Meta4 has in store next.

VEX Solutions

VEX Solutions showcased two turnkey solutions side by side. The first one, “VEX Adventure,” offered a more comprehensive LBE-type experience with a motorized floor, wind and heat, onboarding, and full cooperative plot-driven gameplay. The other one, “VEX Arena,” is a lighter, less premium version, aimed at higher throughput.

VEX Arena and VEX Adventure — *VEX Arena (front) and VEX Adventure (back)*

Both setups used haptic vests but otherwise, the hardware differed significantly. VR Arena used a Vive Focus 3, while the more premium VR Adventure opted for some kind of hybrid setup. It looked like Pico Neo 3, combined with SteamVR tracking, hand tracking, and Pico 3 controllers that were mounted into the guns. A true patchwork of all the different technologies.

VEX Adventure — *Pico Neo 3 together with Vive trackers, hand tracking, and Pico 3 controllers*

The VEX representative declined to discuss hardware aspects, which I can understand. When it works, it works. However, having a multitude of varying components increases the number of potential failure points, which is not desirable. To that end, their other less premium offering, VR Arena, seemed a bit more manageable, but again I didn’t have the chance to ask about any specifics.

WARPOINT

For those looking to get into VR arenas on the cheap, WARPOINT had their own super basic solution. All it requires is 10 Meta Quest 2 headsets and a tablet. This must be the most affordable turnkey solution I saw at DEAL 2023. You could even forgo buying brand-new headsets and instead opt for second-hand ones to lower the costs even further.

All the Meta Quests operate in standalone mode using software developed by WARPOINT themselves. All the modes and maps are designed for PvP combat and marketed as a form of e-sport.

WARPOINT VR — *WARPOINT booth in action*

Moviemex3D

Moving on, I encountered Moviemex3D. It’s a company that specializes in VR movies and VR simulators, but they also offer an arena experience called VR Labyrinth. It’s a popup box that features redirected walking, gaming elements, and even some motorized rumble effects.

If you ever tried TraVRsal or Tea For God, you will know what the deal is. Even if the pop-up box looks small, the VR game area is much larger thanks to redirected walking, elevators, and so on. Expect traps, action, and shooting. Overall it’s a fun single-player experience.

From a hardware perspective, Moviemex3D used a Pico Neo 3 headset streaming from a PCVR computer. It’s not a bad solution but again, just like with the Transformers VR, I felt like the game wasn’t running at high enough refresh rates, making the entire experience feel heavy and dreamlike.

FuninVR

FuninVR had this pretty, eye-catching centerpiece.

It’s a massive UFO-shaped VR simulator. Not exactly a VR arena, but I had to try it out. The team was running a variety of experiences. People before me tried some kind of moon landing. In my case, it was a fantasy-themed rollercoaster.

Unfortunately, the VR simulator was out of sync with the roller coaster animation. Sometimes the track would turn left but the UFO didn’t – forcing me to either turn my head 90 degrees or face the walls. This left many participants nauseous.

There were also other questionable elements, like sudden impacts that made the roller coaster stop in place — basically, it’s like the developers deliberately broke every established rule on what not to do. I have strong VR legs, but still felt queasy.

Each participant had buttons on each side of the seat, which we used to shoot enemies, dragons, and other baddies. Aiming was done with head-tracking and it was a fun interactive element that I enjoyed, even if the shooting was only done for theatrical purposes — we were all running separate instances of the roller-coaster animation and there was no way to stop the simulator from progressing further.

Perhaps it would be better if I had tried the moon landing demo because, unfortunately, the roller-coaster had too many sync and motion issues to be enjoyable.

Hero Zone VR

One last turnkey VR solution worth mentioning is Hero Zone VR. It’s another fully standalone arena experience, this time running on a Vive Focus 3. This allowed the developers to take advantage of the headset’s larger resolution and higher-clocked XR2+ chipset.

There was a queue of people waiting to try out Hero Zone VR, so I didn’t get the chance to try it myself, but it looked like there was a selection of both cooperative and PvP games. I spoke briefly to one of the team members and he seemed to be quite proud of what they managed to achieve by going full standalone.

No Beat Saber?

There were also a lot of usual suspects: VR cabinets, VR kiosks, and VR arcades. Notably, Beat Saber was nowhere to be found. I wonder if it became too expensive to license or perhaps it has lost a bit of its novelty value. Instead, Synth Riders came in to fill the void, along with other fast-paced games like Zombieland VR.

Synth Riders Kiosk — *Synth Riders. By all accounts a great rhythm game.*

One arcade cabinet I really enjoyed was VR Shotgun by VR 360 Action. You step into a minigun cart and it’s basically laser shooting reinvented. Spooks and baddies come from left and right and you just have to blast away.

The minigun prop felt heavy and it had some nice haptic feedback to it. I was also happy with the decision to use the HP Reverb G2 headset, which still presents a very high bar when it comes to clarity and resolution. The game was running buttery smooth. Of course, the gameplay was pretty unsophisticated and there was no locomotion (it would be nice to have some kind of on-rails movement to break the mold), but VR Shotgun did make me wish all the arena and LBE software would have this level of visual comfort and fluidity.

Summary and Takeaways

So, what are my main takeaways from this year’s DEAL?

» Even if the early days are behind us, we’re still in the days of rapid innovation and prototyping. This makes it hard for VR arcades and arenas to keep up. I saw almost every kind of headset this year, from the oldest Oculus Rift CV1s, through Vive Pro, Windows Mixed Reality, Quest 2, Pico 4, and Vive Focus 3, running standalone, streaming, and wired.

» Meta presence in the amusement and entertainment sector could be stronger. Despite spending egregious amounts, most of the money went towards metaverse and mixed reality — both of which do not gel very well with the arcade environment. The Quest Pro was nowhere to be seen but maybe because it’s such a fresh headset.

» Virtual reality is becoming more and more normalized. At least 30-40% of the booths were virtual reality oriented. With everyone around wearing and trying headsets, people have stopped feeling insecure about how they look with a headset on and instead enjoy their experiences, treating VR like any other tech.

Have fun and keep on rocking in the virtual world!

About the Guest Author(s)

Mat Pawluczuk

Mat Pawluczuk is an XR / VR writer and content creator.

VR Takes Center Stage at Dubai’s DEAL 2023 Expo: Highlights and Takeaways Read More »

Immersive Inspiration: Why Extended Reality Learning Holds Multi-Sector Potential

education, Education & Training, extended reality, featured, Guest Post, learning / Ryan Harris / February 11, 2023

The vast potential of extended reality cannot be underestimated. Used as something of an umbrella term to encompass “all real-and-virtual combined environments and human-machine interactions,” XR has become a buzzword that’s closely associated with other popular terms like virtual reality, augmented reality, spatial computing, ubiquitous computing, and the metaverse – and deep into this litany of jargon lies the next frontier for digital learning.

Although the edtech sector has grown significantly in voracity since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s extended reality that holds the key to unprecedented levels of immersiveness.

Furthermore, Mordor Intelligence data suggests that the XR market is growing globally, and experiencing particularly high levels of growth in Asia and Oceania. With both Europe and North America also experiencing notable XR growth, it’s likely that XR learning platforms and initiatives will gather momentum at a significant rate over the coming years.

With this in mind, let’s take a deeper look at why extended reality holds such vast potential for the future of learning across the world of education and many other sectors.

Unprecedented Immersion

When it comes to education, the challenge of delivering an immersive learning experience to all students and pupils can be a profoundly difficult one.

According to a Udemy survey, 74% of Millennials and Gen-Z claimed that they would become easily distracted in the workplace. This means that educators must find new ways to keep modern students engaged for as long as possible.

Through embracing extended reality, we’re already seeing more immersive experiences delivered to students, and platforms like GigXR can help users to engage in real-time with digitally rendered content.

Such platforms are excellent for learning via accurately rendered 3D graphics for topics like human anatomy and medicine–carrying its functionality beyond classrooms and into medical training for industry professionals.

Although embracing XR can seem like a daunting prospect, its potential applications within the world of learning are vast, including:

Refreshing the range of learning techniques available to students in order to deliver foundational learning;
Delivering more customized and personalized learning experience for students exploring complex topics;
Better defining competencies and assessment criteria for student experiences;
Offering data that can be utilized to deliver more focused interactive lessons for students that can incorporate better collaboration as well as engagement.

While this can go some way in showing the potential possibilities of XR, these applications also have the power to fundamentally change education over the course of the decade. As a future within the age of Web3 and the metaverse continues to redefine how far reality technology can evolve, the prospective applications for the future of learning appear to be endless.

Inspiring Curiosity

Crucially, a recent survey conducted by the XR Association in collaboration with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) found that many current educators are optimistic about the prospect of a future built on extended reality learning experiences.

Of 1,400 high school teachers surveyed, some 82% of respondents stated that they believed the quality of AR/VR learning activities has improved in recent years–with 70% expressing their hope that XR tools can become more commonplace in schools moving forward. In total, 94% of respondents were happy to highlight the importance of aligning XR-driven curricula to academic standards.

The study also found that 77% of those surveyed believed that XR technology “inspires curiosity,” and that the tools can help to address issues in maintaining student motivation and well-being which have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“To get a good sense of XR’s potential in schools, you have to ask the teachers and staff who will be administering this technology. The survey’s results suggest that VR, AR and MR technology is well positioned to become an essential teaching tool in school classrooms across the country,” explained Stephanie Montgomery, VP of Research at the XR Association.

Extending XR Into the Workplace

Beyond the traditional education sector, XR-based learning can also pay dividends when it comes to workplace training and recruitment.

The potential of VR onboarding is vast across a number of industries, and it can be an essential tool when it comes to upskilling and combatting turnover challenges among existing workforces.

Through the potential of extended reality, trainees and candidates alike can collaborate with human resource departments to undertake virtual interviews–which can provide real-time metrics and behavioral analysis for more accurate and unbiased assessments of competencies.

By combining XR technology with artificial intelligence, companies can actively spot knowledge gaps among existing employees and automatically enroll them in new tailor-suited courses to enhance their skill sets.

Extended reality can also help in a number of practical training scenarios. In practice, this is best illustrated within the healthcare industry, where The Johns Hopkins School of Nursing has become one of many providers to implement comprehensive VR training programs ranging from doctoral to prelicensure nursing.

Delivering experiences via Meta Quest headsets and an Alienware computer, Johns Hopkins has managed to deliver multiplayer VR learning experiences that can render practice scenarios capable of accommodating up to 100 learners.

“We make decisions based on what’s going on — time-critical decisions,” said Kristen Brown, Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and the Simulation Strategic Projects Lead at the Johns Hopkins Medicine Simulation Center. “So one of the important components was that there was some sort of AI that’s really adapting to what we’re doing.”

The beauty of extended reality in terms of training, is that it can provide a platform for learners to build their competencies in high-risk or highly sensitive areas without having to worry about high margins for errors to take place.

In surgery scenarios, for instance, XR experiences can place students into a virtual operating theater with a 3D subject to deliver a true-to-life simulation of an operation. Similar experiences have been continually growing in quality within industries like aviation.

Achieving Immersive Learning Within the Decade

The rapid growth of the extended reality market means that we’re likely to see comprehensive learning technologies become commonplace sooner rather than later. This will undoubtedly delight the 70% of teachers surveyed in the aforementioned XR Association’s survey, but it has the potential to resonate across multiple sectors.

From providing more immersive and comprehensive learning to students, to helping employees to gain a better quality of work experience during their onboarding and training processes, the arrival of XR learning can bring profound improvements to countless lives.

Better onboarding programs can help to improve job satisfaction and to lower turnover rates, while competencies will improve immeasurably as more impactful learning experiences emerge. With this in mind, extended reality is well placed to improve the lives of learners of all ages, and across a number of industries.

Guest Post

About the Guest Author(s)

Dmytro Spilka

Dmytro is a tech and finance writer based in London. Founder of Solvid and Pridicto. His work has been published in Nasdaq, Kiplinger, VentureBeat, Financial Express, and The Diplomat.

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The Next Frontier of XR Hardware

featured, Guest Post, Hardware, MR glasses, opinion, VR headsets, XR Headsets / Blake Jones / February 8, 2023

As we head into the next generation of XR hardware, here are some of the big developments and releases coming out of the industry.

Where Is XR Heading?

Terminology and ease of access has meant that it has been a challenge to inform the general public about XR platforms. But at last, we are seeing a shift from dedicated platform-specific hardware to agnostic all-in-one devices that makes sense for all involved.

As developers, we can design multi-purpose experiences that are fluid whilst the consumers need only to concern themselves with a single piece of kit that can do it all. That’s the direction we’re going in right now and companies are laying their cards on the table in a bid to be the dominant force driving us forward through their own varying strategies.

Think how Microsoft revolutionized personal computers, or how Apple changed the mobile phone market forever. We’re on the cusp of another life-changing piece of technology and the race is on.

There has been a multitude of devices announced, rumored, and even speculated upon. The common themes you’ll see pushed by the marketing teams are weight and resolution.

Let’s take a look at the technology coming our way.

What Is Everyone Working On?

Magic Leap 2

Magic Leap jumped the starting gun and played their cards early. The Magic Leap 2 was released in September last year with an entry price point of $3,299.

The most immersive enterprise AR device is now available.

Built for enterprise. Developed for developers. Designed for extended daily use. Learn more and order at the link in our bio. pic.twitter.com/KAOb79lneC

— Magic Leap (@magicleap) September 30, 2022

An updated version of their first MR device, it features 1440 x 1760 resolution and weighs in at a tiny 260g. In comparison to the upcoming competitors we’ll discuss, this device by far stands above the rest in terms of financial expense alongside Apple.

Reality Pro

Apple’s Reality Pro is rumored to be unveiled in the next few months and a speculated price point of $3000 puts it up there with the Magic Leap 2 for its inaccessibility to the average consumer.

With Apple being rumored to enter the field of VR/AR, there are numerous speculations of these high price tags and a focus on productivity over gaming, which has been a major drive in VR platform focus in the past few years.

It will be interesting to see what Apple brings to the field as there might not have been much of a consumer-side push for a VR device that is focused on productivity, taking calls, and using regular phone apps in VR over just gaming or fitness.

The device will supposedly make use of hand tracking or a clothes-pin like a finger module for pointing and selection. Meta, in contrast, is aiming for a more commercially viable XR product.

Quest 3

The Quest 3 is one of the most anticipated and discussed XR headsets this year, with little information being known about it even now. Zuckerberg has tipped a price point between $300-500 and the release is expected later this year.

There is currently much speculation about whether it will be packing the in-development Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR 2 Gen 2 chip or the same XR 2 chip from the previous model. It’s a strong contender to be the headset that sets the new standard for value.

PICO 4

ByteDance was another early offering in the hardware market. The PICO 4 virtual reality headset was released mid-October last year and features 4K+ resolution, a weight of 295g, and is available in Europe and East Asia for €399 (around $428).

Pico 4 VR headset

Arguably one of the lesser-known devices and studios, this is ByteDance’s offering as a viable competitor to Meta, specifically the Quest 2. While it packs a punch, it also has some limitations, such as low-resolution passthrough, Meta might be about to blow it out of the water. With the Quest 3 on the horizon, a lot of consumers are holding off on the PICO 4 at the moment.

HTC

HTC is about to release its offering in the form of the VIVE XR Elite with a release date of February 25 and an entry-level price of $1,099. With it being the most decorated VR headset at CES 2023, expect them to go toe-to-toe with Meta for dominance in the market.

On paper, they are fairly evenly matched and it could come down to pure user experience and well-designed software. HTC is doubling down on VR glasses for smaller experiences like in-car journey entertainment and movie watching through the VIVE Flow.

It is possible that these developments and improvements in hardware will converge into smaller wearable devices that are suited more for passthrough or passive experiences but can also be worn for work too, like the high-end VIVE XR Elite and Meta Quest Pro.

Sony

Sony is also bringing out the PSVR2, which is said to use eye tracking for menu selection and navigation of user interfaces. With the PSVR2 and Apple VR, both are moving away from controller-oriented inputs which could bring a layer of accessibility to VR.

Upcoming XR hardware - PlayStation VR2 headset

How often have we shown a friend or family VR and had to explain to them where the buttons are on the controllers for the first time? If headsets move towards using eye-tracking selection and hand tracking, controllers could become optional for devices like these, which could also bring down the hardware price for consumers and help drive adoption through the reduction of learning curves.

Why We Need to Get It Right

The metaverse remains at this point a vision for the future and will do so until an extensive commercial breakthrough is made. The metaverse is entirely dependent on engagement and interconnectivity. There is a harsh expectation of constant usage and whilst some would argue that our lives are already technologically dependent, the level of integration into our lives that we’re talking about is unprecedented.

Accessibility also remains a firm stumbling block as technology will take some time to offer true value to people and not act as a luxurious gimmick. This is likely to remain the case for the near future. We do need to evaluate moving forward which hardware ultimately works for users and developers alike. But for now, we are testing what’s possible and creatively, it is a great time to be involved.

Guest Post

About the Guest Author(s)

Rob Farthing

Rob is a Unity-certified Artist and digital programmer for XR applications with experience in pairing machine learning with augmented reality. Since graduating from the University of Portsmouth (BSc Hons 1st class) in 2016, Rob has developed a range of immersive experiences for clients such as Samsung, GSK, and Harman.

Chris Hull

Graduating in Computer Animation (Hons) at Bournemouth University’s prestigious NCCA in 2017, Chris has broad knowledge across the 3D pipeline with a specialization in Application Development and XR technologies. He has worked in various industry roles and developed a broad portfolio of previous clients including Red Bull, IKEA, and The Ministry of Defense.

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