augmented & virtual reality arenot just for entertainment, they can serve a purpose.

July 2019

INTRODUCTION

With more and more accessible VR (Virtual Reality) hardware coming to market, and more relevant implementations of AR (Augmented Reality) appearing daily, it’s clear to see in 2019 both these methods of delivering digital content and experiences have not lost momentum at all.

In fact, quite the opposite.

A BRIEF HISTORY

As far back as the 60’s there were head mounted VR headsets, and motion tracking came within a year or

two after that. Headsight was the first practical implementation in which the military used a headset to

remote control a camera in dangerous places.

Gaming first used VR in 1993, when Sega launched the Sega VR. Although it disappeared as quickly as it

arrived. And who remembers ‘Knightmare’? A truly future thinking TV gameshow using VR to captivate

users and contestants.

The list goes on and on.

Let’s remember that Virtual Reality has been around decades, maybe even longer when we look at the very first panoramic photos from the 1900’s, this was an attempt to capture scenes beyond the realm of normal vision, then as technology advanced there were stereoscopic photos and viewers, you may remember iconic red ViewMaster from more recent times:

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AR & VR?

Augmented reality (AR) adds digital elements to a live view often by using the camera on a smartphone. It

essentially enhances your regular view with a digital overlay. So you can see digital content on top of the

real world.

A recent example is the Burger King Burn campaign. A cunning marketing concept that received a lot of

media coverage.

Other examples of augmented reality experiences include Snapchat lenses and the game Pokemon Go.

AUGMENTED REALITY

Virtual reality (VR) is a complete immersion experience that shuts out the physical world entirely. Using VR

headsets such as HTC Vive, Oculus Rift or Google Cardboard, users are transported into a number of real-

world and imagined digital environments such as at the base of the pyramids, or going toe to toe in a

light saber battle with Darth Vader.

VIRTUAL REALITY

In a Mixed Reality (MR) experience, which combines elements of both AR and VR, real-world and digital

objects interact. Mixed reality technology is just now starting to take off with Microsoft’s HoloLens.

Imagine working on fixing part of a submarine and on top of your real world view you see an overlay of

instructions, or visuals of how parts should be fitted.

MIXED REALITY

SO WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Most recently Google have released Google Maps AR Mode to their own range of Pixel phones. Which

brings real time overlays and data to your camera feed when navigating and searching. Expect this to be

everywhere soon!

It’s only going to get bigger, better and more mainstream, so it’s time you started thinking about whether a

move into this space to gain a potential early mover advantage is viable.

Businesses are turning to VR to convey a wealth of content and information, senior players in the media are

delivering enriching experiences, and gaming is utilising smaller, faster, and better chipsets to maximise

player impact in virtual worlds.

Screeshot: Wall Street Journal

AR & VR (or combinations of the both termed MR – Mixed Reality, most noticeably the Hololens from Microsoft) are everywhere. We have VR café’s and shops opening, Sony Playstation VR is loved by the console gaming demographic, and Google are using AR regularly throughout their sweet of intelligent applications.

THE OCULUS QUEST COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING

So what’s different now? Well this is a standalone headset. Historically you need a gaming PC, multiple

camera’s mounted around your space, and wires everywhere…. Not any more.

The Quest performs inside-out tracking, with built in cameras on the headset, and all the processing is

done right in front of your eyes, literally… Entry price is also much lower, you can get going all in for £399.

After spending a couple of weeks with one now, the lack of serious power in the headset doesn’t detriment

the experience at all, the resolution is high, the tracking is arguably no worse than the external camera set

up, and the controls feel natural, light, and super responsive.

The Oculus Quest could finally bring casual VR gaming to the masses, with ease.

It also means that developing enterprise and business applications on the platform is better, because you

don’t need the insane amounts of hardware to deliver your experience to users, it’s very very portable!

Ok, so this largely based at the gaming and entertainment market, but I really do think it’s a gamechanger. It’s the company’s first attempt at a truly accessible VR gaming platform, aimed at the console-players market. Oculus have been around a while, purchased by Facebook in 2014 for a few bucks, well 3.2b of them, they have released a string of market leading VR experiences.

AR & VR FOR BUSINESS

It’s now time to try to think how VR and AR could benefit you, your business, or your startup. To date, accessibility has always been the issue, however as mentioned above it’s no longer the huge challenge it was. Especially for some very practical uses within your business.

Here’s a few examples & predictions of how AR and VR will enter our lives above and beyond gaming & entertainment:

KFC are staring to introduce training experiences on the Oculus Rift. You have to see it to believe it.

Training staff to prepare and cook chicken.

A much more efficient and cost-effective way to train staff.

Imagine sending new members of staff a headset with a pre-loaded training video, or walkthrough of the

premises showing the fire escapes, access points, and other employment basics. You could teach H&S rules

within the warehouse, and demonstrate what happens when things go ‘wrong’ in a safe and non-

threatening environment. You can also test, track and audit the persons actions within the VR world.

MEDICAL / HEALTH SECTOR

COMPANY ONBOARDING / INDUCTIONS / TRAINING

Doctors can train and learn with virtual human bodies, perform basic operations and see anatomy working

at a level never seen before. They can explore up close what happens when a body becomes wounded,

and try out new tools.

Patients can see therapist, have meetings, and consultations from the privacy of their own home saving

time and travel inconveniences. Professionals can see more people throughout the day – earning more

money.

Seeing internals of big machines, learning to diagnose and fix mechanical things, and using real math-

based physics get to try things that wouldn’t be possible in the real world. There are lots of ways that VR

can start to reshape the engineering sector, here’s a few examples:

Product Design – such as new car designs. You can get to walk around, touch, open doors and see the new

design in full scale views on real city streets.

Factory Process Design – when design meets production that interaction can happen around a full working

digital representation of the factory line design, seeing the scale and requirements before a single belt is

installed

Building Modelling – no longer the need to master 3d controls on a flat screen, view the building or complex

right in front of you, and get proper scale viewings and see from any angle easily.

Exhibitions and events are a great place to showcase new products. So why not showcase new hardware,

equipment, machinery, electronics and daily uses of your products in a 3d world, much better than a

looping video on the screen. You can immerse your audience in your product, and really create that lasting

impression.

PRODUCT DEMONSTRATIONS

Physiotherapy and Pain relief, a study by the University of Washington Seattle and the UW Harborview Burn

Centre showed that full VR immersion for those undergoing physical therapy after a skin graft acted as a

distraction and subsequently reduced pain levels for the patients. Going through stretches, mobilisation of

limbs, and other experiences can help the real world body get better from inside a visually virtual

experience.

Terminally ill patient experiences can make those final few weeks much better. A person can get to visit the

Taj Mahal, talk a walk down Venice Beach, or revisit the place they got married.

ENGINEERING

Maths – imagine learning about 3D shapes and geometry, in a 3d world where you can actually see it!

Better than a text book.

Driving Theory Tests – simulating hazard awareness, mastering lane discipline and the highway code from

your sofa.

Social Media - It’s got to the be the next step, right? We started with basic chat (Microsoft Messenger

style), to text messaging, then photo sending, then video sending, then came video calls and social media,

now we need a way to interact and socialise in an immersive virtual world. What’s better than all it’s

predecessors, VR can get your moving, instead of staring at a fixed screen or mobile device.

EDUCATION & LEARNING

So what’s next for your business, need to know how VR & AR can help shape your future?

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