The Influence of VR and AR Across Industries is Growing
The mainstream availability of Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and mixed reality technologies is one of the most exciting IT developments over the past few years. The obvious entertainment value have many people eager to try them.
However, entertainment isn’t the only part of our lives that VR, AR, and mixed reality can impact. The mobile engagement strategy that works so well for entertaining the general populace can also be applied to workplaces. This application is already becoming apparent, and these technologies are being used by businesses to attract customers, increase productivity, and better understand company data.
AR and VR: Changing the way we do business
Already, AR and VR are changing the way companies do business by connecting dispersed workforces, enhancing training, and allowing us to interact with data in new ways.
Thanks to the proliferation of the internet, remote working has become more common than ever before. Organizations are more spread out with employees working from many different locations whilst still collaborating on a shared project, or part of a single team.
VR training simulations
According to the Association for Talent Development (ATD) around two thirds of employee training costs can be ascribed to expenses like travel for the instructor, development of courses and other associated costs.
Implementing social VR for training has a number of benefits, not least of which is the ability for one L&D professional to teach a number of employees in a range of locations around the world from a single virtual classroom. Unaffected by actual distance, social VR enables employees to meet in the same space. Additionally, it is far more engaging than a phone call or video conferencing, allowing for more natural communication (think eye contact, body language and being in the same space) while cutting outside distractions.
For new employees learning complex tasks and seasoned workers brushing up on safety skills, VR simulated training can help people learn to control machinery, or deal with unexpected situations in a safe and engaging environment. Simulations themselves are not new and have been used to train people in a number of different roles, from train drivers to dentists for years.
However, VR and AR technology provides employers with better tools for simulating many more real-life situations at a lower cost than traditional method. This in turn allows trainees and workers to easily obtain the skills needed to effectively carry out their roles.
Current examples of reality technologies in business
Data visualization — Great Wave and Salesforce have developed a VR analytics tool to help businesses better understand customer data. Natural hand gestures are used to manipulate data and simply turning your eyes to particular data segments reveals further detail.
Efficient vehicle design — Ford have implemented Microsoft’s HoloLens mixed reality headset across their design teams after an initial pilot phase. Designers of Ford’s cars now use HoloLens to adjust 3D models, taking into account real-world limitations. This negates the need to rebuild models from scratch each time and reduces the time and cost associated with adjustments to new vehicle designs.
VR test-runs — UCLA doctors are using VR technology to become familiar with 3D scans of patients brains before performing surgery. Pediatric neurosurgeon Aria Fallah also uses VR to practice individual patients’ surgeries before performing the actual operation, thereby reducing the possibility of collateral damage being caused during the actual surgery.
Many more applications are being developed for business use. Just as VR, AR, and mixed reality technologies are changing the entertainment landscape, so we can expect further changes to business in the very near future.
