As another year hurtles inexorably towards Christmas, it’s an opportune time to take stock of how far XR has come so far, and what 2020 might hold in stock for building a virtual world we might actually want to live in.

Haptics

Experiences feel more “real” when they engage several – if not all – of our senses. Most of us are already familiar with haptics from playing video games, where rumble and vibration are creatively used to create a connection between the action on the screen and the gamer. Yet XR designers recognize that they need to think beyond visuals and incorporate spatial audio, touch, and even things such as taste and smell to their immersive experiences. The multi-sensory massage experiences created by the Esqapes Immersive Relaxation Center in Los Angeles have proved the commercial appeal of such concepts, and it’s the sort of thing that gets people like Jeff Bezos rather excited. Yet XR technologies being developed currently could converge in future to make much more sophisticated interactions possible without the user having to even wear any sort of devicesuch as a glove. As researchers continue to push the boundaries of what is possible and companies like Microsoft prototype new haptic devices, we can probably look forward to a near-future where the virtual world will not only look realistic, but also feel real to all our senses.

XR designers recognize that they need to think beyond visuals and incorporate spatial audio, touch, and even things such as taste and smell to their immersive experiences
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Healthcare

There are a plethora of potential applications of immersive technologies in healthcare. The advances in haptic technology mentioned above have, for example, enabled much better training applications to be developed for dentists and surgeons, and this type of experiential learning could have a significantly positive impact on patient safety. On the other hand, experts such as Jessica Outlaw also highlight that even as we discover new ways in which immersive technologies can be used to great effect in medical diagnosis and treatment – from detecting the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease to easing childbirth pain – we should also be mindful that the data collection involved will unearth new privacy protection issues which should start being addressed by the industry now.

The possibilities of using XR for creating artistic content that could only be accomplished through this medium are tantalizing
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Democratizing Art

Museums and galleries have been embracing immersive technology as a way to engage new and existing audiences. The Louvre, for example, has been using AR as early as 2015. Yet some of the most exciting possibilities that such tech offers artists is the ability to place their works and reach audiences outside those traditional spaces as well. This is the idea that Apple piloted in its AR[T] walks, where digital works of art were placed around cities such as Tokyo, San Francisco and New York. More than just placing digital objects on random locations like so many Pokemon, however, there is an opportunity to contextualize the cultural significance of place and medium, such as was recently done with the Snapchat filters sponsored by restaurant Chain El Pollo Loco, which celebrate Spanish History Month by bringing erased street murals back to life in the streets of LA. Creativity knows no bounds, and going forward, the possibilities of using XR for creating artistic content that could only be accomplished through this medium are tantalizing indeed.

There are a plethora of applications of immersive technologies in healthcare
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Brain-Computer Interfaces

As XR hardware and software continue to advance, the inevitable trend is for the interfaces we use to link the physical and digital worlds to virtually disappear. Companies such as Facebook are investigating ways of making that happenthrough the development of what is broadly known as Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI). Where now we associate these experiences with bulky headsets, or think nothing of holding a touchscreen in front of us to unlock a digital augmented element, in future such technology will be embedded in our environment, in lightweight wearables or even contact lenses and implants. Devices currently on the market already track our gestures, facial expressions, and gaze, but in the future our very brainwaves could serve as prompts and commands to let AI-driven immersive systems know what we want, perhaps even before we do.

Research shows that experiential learning through immersive education translates into higher levels of engagement and better results in terms of knowledge retention and skills transfer
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Immersive Journalism

For journalists, immersive technologies present an opportunity to reach jaded audiences with important stories, getting through the “news fatigue” factor by leveraging the well-documented “empathy machine” factor of the medium. Yet the powerful reactions that experiences in XR elicit also present important questions about ethics in a space where best industry practices are yet to be established. This is made even more evident by the fact that governments in authoritative regimes have already rushed to embrace these new technologies, recognizing their inherent potential as effective propaganda tools.

In the future our very brainwaves could serve as prompts and commands to let AI-driven immersive systems know what we want, perhaps even before we do
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Training and Education

It is no coincidence that some of the most interesting and compelling XR use cases have emerged from the education space. Research shows that experiential learning through immersive education translates into higher levels of engagement and better results in terms of knowledge retention and skills transfer. We have therefore seen a plethora of companies developing products that leverage Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality as teaching tools. Chris Milk’s company Within recently brought out the latest episode in its Wonderscope series which leverages storytelling to teach kids about our solar system, literally bringing it to life in their living rooms. Yet it is in workplace L&D that we see the amazing scope of these technologies unfolding: From train operators to roofing contractors, Navy personnel to police officers, XR has been used by companies from Walmartto Lockheed Martin to prepare people for all manner of scenarios, from stressful job interviews to nuclear warfare.

For journalists, immersive technologies present an opportunity to reach jaded audiences with important stories
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Standardization

It might not have the sexiest ring to it, but this is a huge trend that will be crucial for the long-term rollout of immersive tech. Establishing common practices and protocols so that developers can make content that works across different headsets and platforms is what is going to enable the mass adoption of XR. Which is why we’ve seen companies like Facebook and Microsoft get onboard with the Open XR initiative launched by the Kronos Group earlier this year, which aims to enable precisely this type of seamless integration across devices and will allow companies such as 6D.ai to develop the world-mapping capabilities that will take us a step closer to the Matrix.

Standardization is a huge trend that will be crucial for the long-term rollout of immersive tech
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Lighter, Faster, Cheaper

There’s no getting away from the fact that developing immersive hardware is a huge challenge. Stuff that goes on your head has to be comfortable, and preferably should look cool as well as stay cool enough so it doesn’t feel like it’s burning your face off. It can’t be too heavy, but must house enough processing power and battery life to deliver the experiences we’ve come to expect. Are we there yet? Absolutely not. We will surely look back in a few years to the current crop of gear with the same sort of wry amusement as we reserve for the mobile phones of the 80s and 90s. Still, 2019 has seen significant improvements and leaps across the XR spectrum, with HTC bringing out its new generation headset to replace the original VIVE , Facebook scoring a big hit with the Oculus Quest and collaborating with Ray-Ban to develop AR smartglasses, and a number of companies – from independent start-ups to the big boys – bringing their own Augmented Reality glasses into the mix (Snapto Vuzix and Norm to name but a few) and trying to get consumers excited – or at least used to the idea – of wearing these things.

2019 has seen significant improvements and leaps across the XR spectrum
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Finding a common language

One of the main difficulties you encounter when talking about immersive tech is exactly what the flip you call it. You know what you’re talking about, since you’ve experienced it, but conveying it to others requires a common language, but where it comes to our industry, experts, and consumers seem equally confused about what constitutes “Augmented Reality” versus “Virtual Reality” or Microsoft’s preferred “Mixed Reality.” “Spatial Computing” is another popular term, as is “Immersive technology” which is my go-to umbrella term. But recently I’ve noticed a strong trend towards adopting “XR” (Extended Reality) as a catch-all denomination that encompasses the immersive spectrum of experiences that includes all of the above. That makes sense, as the industry is inexorably moving towards increasedconvergence between formats that will make it very challenging to draw clear lines between AR and VR, for example. Whether or not it sticks remains to be seen (and I’d love to hear your thoughts!) but I rather like it, hence why I chose to include it as the heading for this top 10.

One of the main difficulties you encounter when talking about immersive tech is exactly what the flip you call it in the first place
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One More Thing…

If there’s an elephant in this virtual room, its name is Apple. The company has made no secret of the fact that it believes Augmented Reality is going to be pivotal in its future, and it has released a suite of tools to support developers in creating AR content. But as usual for the notoriously secretive company, official details on its future roadmap are few and far between, which keeps the speculationmill running at a feverish pace. 2019 has seen an endless stream of leaks and rumors based on information such as patents filed and new hire announcements. It seems likely that it’s not a question of whether or not Apple brings out some form of AR wearable, but when. What seems clear is that they refuse to be rushed into releasing something that will not deliver the magic. If they pull it off, however, it could turn out to be the next decade’s iPhone moment.

If there’s an elephant in this virtual room, its name is Apple
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This list was originally published as part special editions of the Inside AR/VR daily newsletters which I curate. To be kept in the loop for further ones, please be sure to subscribe to Inside AR and Inside VR

Tech Trends offers a broad range of Digital Consultancy services to guide companies, individuals and brands in effectively leveraging existing and emerging technologies in their business strategy.

Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Top 10 XR Trends for 2019-20 appeared first on Tech Trends.

We’re halfway through 2018 – how the heck did THAT happen? – so seems a nice place to stop and take stock of how the immersive tech market has been doing.

If you are a regular follower of Tech Trends you will have seen many examples of how immersive technologies – Mixed Reality, Augmented Reality, Extended Reality, Virtual Reality, or whatever flavour of aphabet soup strikes your fancy – are disrupting every industry out there, and that’s a good thing in my book.

There are many examples of how immersive technologies are disrupting every industry out there
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This is a market set to hit $1.8 Billion in 2018, but while its impact in brand strategy, business and retail marketing is very much being felt already, it’s also nice to see how VR being used to transform the way we learn, and there is some insightful research emerging on the effects of immersive technology, specially on kids which will hopefully help guide creators in making responsible and appropriate content for this new medium.

As this infographic from Fullestop demonstrates, the future of VR looks bright, so watch this space.

For companies looking to get into Immersive technologies such as VR/AR/MR/XR our Virtual Reality Consultancy services offer guidance and support on how best to incorporate these into your brand strategy.

Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Infographic: The Future of Virtual Reality appeared first on Tech Trends.

SpaceVR will use Virtual Space Tourism to connect us to our planet and to each other, expanding the limits of human consciousness.

“Let’s launch cool s**t into space!”

As far as elevator pitches go, that’s not a bad start, but as I talked to Ryan Holmes about plans for his company’s upcoming launch later this year, things got even curiouser.

From out there on the Moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, ‘Look at that, you son of a bitch.' - Edgar Mitchel
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Located in the heart of San Francisco’s emerging nano-satellite industry, SpaceVR developed the world’s first virtual reality camera satellite, betting on creating a market for cinematic, live, virtual space tourism. When I met him at the Pioneers tech conference in Vienna, Austria, in May, Holmes was rocking the quasi-guru look – dressed in loose-fitting robes adorned with large fresh red roses – and he talked passionately about using virtual reality to expand people’s consciousness.

“SpaceVR aims to give everyone the opportunity to experience the truly infinite, boundless Universe through virtual reality,” he explained in quietly earnest tones, which were somewhat disconcerting to a cynical old tech journalist.

His inspiration, he told me, was a well-documented phenomenon called the Overview Effect, which is that first moment an astronaut realizes their place in an infinite universe, something they only achieve through direct observation. This in turn leads to reprioritization of protecting the earth and working together on a global scale.

It’s what prompted Neil Armstrong to say space travel made him feel “very, very small,” and is best summed up by a colorful quote from Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchel, who in a 1984 interview for People Magazine said: “From out there on the Moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, ‘Look at that, you son of a bitch.’”

SpaceVR initially launched as a Kickstarter in 2015 with a plan to send a 12-camera rig to the ISS that would be capable of shooting 3D, 360-degree footage. It felt well short of its ambitious $500,000 goal, although a subsequent scaled-back campaign managed to raise $100,000. It was a $1.25 million investment from China’s Shanda Group, however, that turned the project from a pipe dream to what now looks more of a viable proposition.

Located in the heart of San Francisco’s emerging nano-satellite industry, SpaceVR developed the world’s first virtual reality camera satellite
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Although Holmes wistfully admits that some of it was spent on what he describes as “his stupid mistakes,” there was enough left of their seed round investment to develop onboard software for the satellite, begin development of its content delivery and distribution channels, and invest in a worldwide satellite dish ground station communication network.

SpaceVR promises not only a whole different take on stargazing, but a truly transformative, almost spiritual experience
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This all promises not only a whole different take on stargazing, but a truly transformative, almost spiritual experience, and this most Silicon Valley of startups is now gearing up to its first pilot at –where else? – Burning Man.

The experience will last 11 minutes and 11 seconds, and will be housed on the 11^th floor of the Tree of Life art installation, currently being crowdfunded on Indiegogo.

The idea, as far as I could tell, involves people experiencing the VR footage from space while literally being immersed in flotation tanks to simulate the zero gravity feeling of actually being in orbit. They even refer to these units as “Galactic Spaceships” to be housed within Galactic Temples which Holmes plans to eventually place in all 197 countries of the world.

“People will enter the Galactic Spaceship and lay on a specially designed sound bed (8 speakers) where sound will play through their body as they experience a transcendent CGI based VR Overview Effect experience. The Tree and Galactic Spaceship are both built to house ambisonic sound experiences where one is completely surrounded by 3D audio,” explains Holmes.

It’s the sort of plot that would not be out of place in HBO’s Silicon Valley spoof, and it’s precisely the reason why so many of my colleagues in the tech industry can’t bear to watch the show. It’s just too close to home.

It's the sort of plot that would fit right into @SiliconHBO
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But while doubters may roll their eyes and dismiss the idea, there is compelling evidence and research suggesting that VR experiences can be extremely effective in engendering greater empathy towards our fellow humans and the environment. Jeremy Bailenson, a professor at Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab has run many experiences which demonstrate that even short experiences in relatively low resolution headsets can produce a change in behavior and predisposition in people who take part, so it is not that much of a stretch to say that people might get hooked onto these meditative experiences and end up caring a lot more about the planet in the process. Neither would be a bad thing, so could warrant a pass on the new-age stuff.

In 2016 SpaceVR partnered with NanoRacks LLC – a company that runs the commercial laboratory aboard the international space station and has experience launching hundreds of payloads into space, counting the European, German and US space agencies – to overcome the remaining logistical hurdles and deploy the satellite.

Users will get a taste of the SpaceVR experience @burningman this year
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The company will take the footage from the cameras and stitch it all into a 360-degree sphere — with live-streaming being the ultimate goal
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The satellite – aptly called the Overview — was due to launch inside one of SpaceX’s Dragon cargo capsule, but was postponed due to some parts not being delivered to spec. SpaceVR is now working with their partners to rectify this and are a planning the launch for November 2018. Yet although the delay of the satellite launch means that the live SpaceVR images won’t be available to the Burning Man crowd, Holmes assures me the experience will be very similar.

When it does go into orbit, the Overview satellite will use 4K sensors to capture high resolution 360-degree video of earth from space and the content will be viewable on any virtual reality device, ranging from smartphones to Oculus Rift to extreme resolution devices such as the StarVR.

The video below demonstrates the quality at which the satellite will be able to eventually record the images from space:

The company will take the footage from the cameras and stitch it all into a 360-degree sphere — with live-streaming being the ultimate goal. The idea is to sell subscriptions to that footage, which will “immerse someone in space as if they were floating outside,” according to Holmes.

This article was originally published on Forbes

The Startup That Wants to Use Virtual Reality To Make The World A Better Place (From Space)https://t.co/hV4Bnt7zdj

— Forbes Tech News (@ForbesTech) June 6, 2018

For companies looking to get into Immersive technologies such as VR/AR/MR/XR our Virtual Reality Consultancy services offer guidance and support on how best to incorporate these into your brand strategy.

Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Making the World a Better Place with Virtual Reality appeared first on Tech Trends.

Latest forecast by analyst firm CCS Insight paints an optimistic picture of Immersive Tech adoption.

The report published today by global analyst company CCS Insight shows the worldwide market for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) head-worn devices growing by an average of 50 percent annually over the next five years. In 2022, a total of 121 million units will be sold, with a value of $9.9 billion.

Gaming remains the primary reason for sales of VR devices and this is unlikely to change over the next few years
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The firm’s research indicates that VR headsets have been the main source of growth in unit sales to date, and although this trend is expected to continue – particularly with smartphone-powered mobile headsets – there is also an expectations that the next generation of HMDs will ignite a new wave of consumer interest.

“We expect stand-alone headsets like the Oculus Go and HTC Vive Focus to ignite a new wave of growth that will help broaden the appeal of virtual reality, particularly with businesses and in education,” says George Jijiashvili, CCS Insight’s senior analyst for wearables.

Gaming remains the primary reason for sales of VR devices and this is unlikely to change over the next few years. The research shows that nearly 70 percent of customers who own a dedicated VR headset such as an Oculus Rift, HTC Vive or Sony PlayStation VR have bought games for it, and more than half of smartphone VR owners bought games for their device.

“There’s a growing array of exciting new content being developed. We saw in our latest consumer survey that virtual tourism, remote participation in events such as music concerts, and virtual social interactions are all emerging as further uses for virtual reality. Watching video is also proving popular, particularly on mobile headsets”.

AR smart glasses also show much promise for market growth according to Jijiashvili, as the report notes that in spite of businesses recognizing the potential of the technology, they have so far limited their adoption to purchasing a few units (just 24,000 AR smart glasses were purchased by business in 2017). However, CCS Insight predicts that over the next few years businesses will move from limited trials to wider deployment, with sales reaching a milestone of 1 million units in 2022.

“Given augmented reality is one of the hottest new technology areas in smartphones, it’s not surprising that interest is mounting in augmented reality glasses. Billions of dollars are being invested in this technology and we’ve seen significant improvements in the size, weight and design of smart glasses over the past 12 months. The potential of this technology is clear, but so far most companies are evaluating a few units to see how the technology fits into their operations”.

The firm also notes that consumer smart glasses adoption will probably move at a separate pace and in different directions than more enterprise-centric products. It predicts that under the right conditions, we could be looking at consumer smart glasses sales around the 4.5 million mark by 2022.

“We’re encouraged by the technology developments in smart glasses for consumers. Products such as Intel’s Vaunt glasses are a clear signal of the direction these devices are moving in, with a design little different from a pair of standard prescription glasses. It only takes a big company like Apple to jump into the market and we could be looking at market of millions of smart glasses in no time at all,” Jijiashvili concludes.

According to CCS insight, the forecast presents three scenarios (core, low and high) that plot the effects of different market developments, and is part of a broader suite of research into VR and AR devices, including an extensive database of over 100 devices in this area.

Stand-alone headsets like the Oculus Go and HTC Vive Focus will help broaden the appeal of virtual reality, particularly in business and education
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Key Insights from the report include:

• 22 million virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets and glasses will be sold in 2018, with fivefold growth to 121 million units in 2022
• Smartphone VR will account for the bulk of sales volume, but value lies in dedicated VR devices, which will account for 63 percent of the total market value of $9.9 billion in 2022
• AR smart glasses for consumers have encouraging potential, particularly if a large consumer electronics firm such as Apple decides to enter the market
• Enterprise adoption of VR and AR remains an important element, but it will take many years to deliver meaningful sales volume

In 2022, a total of 121 million units will be sold, with a value of $9.9 billion
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For companies looking to get into Immersive technologies such as VR/AR/MR/XR our Virtual Reality Consultancy services offer guidance and support on how best to incorporate these into your brand strategy.

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedInand follow @alicebonasioon Twitter.

The post Report: VR and AR Device Market to hit $1.8 billion in 2018 appeared first on Tech Trends.