8 Real-World Applications of Extended Reality

The pandemic introduced us to a hybrid lifestyle that combined real-world and virtual activities. We've all grown accustomed to the digitalization of our routines, from working over Zoom to ordering groceries delivered to our door. And there's no turning back, whether you love it, hate it, or are still trying to figure it out. Consumers and businesses will continue to place a premium on digital products and experiences.

 

All of this is made possible by technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), the combination of which is known as Extended Reality (XR). These technologies are now almost essential for anyone looking to improve their digital experiences.

 

What is Extended Reality?

 

Let's look at what extended reality means and what technology stands for. Extended reality (or XR) refers to computer-generated environments that merge the physical and virtual worlds or provide users with an entirely virtual experience.

 

XR is a technology that combines three technologies: virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) (MR). By bringing all of this together, XR can reveal a wide range of new opportunities in both real and virtual environments. Extended Reality (XR) is a catch-all term for VR, AR, and MR, as well as any future realities that such technology may bring. XR supports both physical and virtual environments.

 

The use of an umbrella term alludes to XR's future as a fundamental shift in how people interact with media. Instead of saying, "I'm using AR to attend a business meeting," it will simply be another day at the office in the future. People will interact with the real and virtual worlds in seamless ways, with no mention of the distinct categories of extended reality or their underlying technology. Using an umbrella term recognizes the intersection of these technologies and the various ways they will collaborate to disrupt.

 

VR, AR, and MR, as well as all future immersive technologies that enable an extension of reality while blending virtual graphics with real-world elements, are all examples of extended reality. Artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), the 5G network, and other technologies are examples of such technologies. XR supports both physical and virtual environments.

 

Also Read | An Introduction to Extended Reality

 

Challenges of Extended Reality

 

Those working on XR technologies are dealing with some of the barriers to widespread adoption. To begin, XR technologies collect and process massive amounts of highly detailed and personal data about what you do, what you look at, and even your emotions at any given time, which must be safeguarded.

 

Furthermore, the cost of implementing the technology must be reduced; otherwise, many businesses will be unable to invest in it. Wearable devices that enable a full XR experience must be fashionable and comfortable, as well as always connected, intelligent, and immersive. 

 

There are significant technical and hardware issues to address, including, but not limited to, display, power and thermal, motion tracking, connectivity, and common illumination—where virtual objects in the real world are indistinguishable from real objects, particularly as lighting changes.

 

With each passing day, we get closer to resolving these issues and see many more mainstream applications of all XR technologies in the coming years.

 

1. Legal concerns:

 

Regulators and lawmakers are left playing catch-up, as with any technology that advances faster than legal systems can keep up. XR is no different. As a result, there are no clear laws governing what is acceptable and unacceptable in virtual environments, or even which jurisdictions those environments fall under.

 

One of my most pressing unanswered questions is whether a virtual act can be considered a crime. Assume two people are immersed in a virtual environment, and one of them assaults the other. Is that illegal? When we consider video games, where many people enjoy beating up or shooting their fellow gamers, the question appears absurd.

 

2. Moral concerns:

 

This quandary about what should and should not be permitted in a virtual environment is more than just a legal one. It's also a moral issue. The danger of immersive technologies is that they allow people to act out whatever they want with no real-world consequences. Some may argue that this is relatively harmless, but the violation of moral boundaries (real-world boundaries) makes me uneasy.

 

Consider this: with the advancement of XR technology and accessories, it will theoretically be possible to render a highly realistic avatar of a neighbor, colleague, or friend and then have sex with them in a virtual setting. Should that be permitted? Sure, it's immoral.

 

3. Security and privacy:

 

Because this is a massive and extremely complex issue, I'll only provide a brief overview here. XR, like most new technologies, introduces significant challenges in terms of personal data. Except that the data in this case can be extremely personal and sensitive, potentially revealing our most intimate behaviors and thoughts.

 

4. Health issues:

 

Users who spend a significant amount of time in VR may experience nausea, dizziness, and disorientation - a "post-VR hangover," if you will. This is caused by the brain receiving mixed sensory signals (for example, your eyes registering movement in the digital environment while your inner ear knows you're still standing still in the real world - incidentally, mixed signals like this are why we get motion sickness on boats and in cars). Some people have no symptoms at all, while others find that even a brief VR experience triggers them. In some cases, the effects can last up to a week.

 

Also Read | Using AR/VR for Workplace Innovation

 

Real-World Applications

 

Imagination is limitless, and by creatively combining XR technology with our imagination, we will be able to explore new frontiers. Having said that, several XR applications already have significant social relevance and impact. Some real-world applications of extended reality are listed below.

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Real-World Application of Extended Reality

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1. Entertainment and Gaming: 

 

XR for entertainment and gaming may sound trivial, but it is currently the largest market segment, with the XR gaming market expected to reach $18 billion by 2023.

 

Gamers can get a sense of what their chosen scenes would look like in real life, whether they are crossing into another era, or place, or exploring fantastic futuristic worlds. Customers can virtually experience live music and sporting events while wearing VR headsets.

 

Virtual reality headsets are being released by an increasing number of game developers. And, given the gaming industry's hyper-competitive nature, it's highly likely that VR gaming will continue to evolve in an extraordinarily innovative manner.

 

2. Healthcare:

 

Many medical institutions are experimenting with using XR tools to advance research. XR is increasingly being used to develop user-based experiments. A current example of such use can be found at King's College in London, England. Within the institution, clinical research for bipolar disorder is being conducted. Various strands of XR environments are developed to assess patients' reactions in order to develop a long-term solution for those suffering from the condition.

 

3. Product Development:

 

A few product manufacturing firms are actively using extended reality to design and manufacture products. It is easy to argue that the advancement of extended reality technologies has made the creation of products in such industries simpler and more efficient. 

 

Development engineers can now test out products in the virtual and augmented reality worlds before they are created. During the conception process, changes to the product can be made until it is developed as desired. Extended reality can be used in the manufacturing process to ensure that workers are overseeing the correct assembly of products on the production line.

 

4. Engineering and production:

 

A skilled workforce has become necessary to keep up with the fast-paced business world, with training being a necessary but costly endeavor. XR tools can help you save money, and time, and avoid injuries. Designers and their clients can immerse themselves in life-size plans while drafting using computer-aided design (CAD). This enables greater exploration of design space.

 

Engineering and manufacturing can occasionally involve hazardous functions. Workers can carry out these tasks from a safe distance thanks to the use of augmented reality. For example, an employee can instruct a robot to perform tasks involving potentially hazardous chemicals.

 

5. Food:

 

The food industry is large and varied. Whether it's streaming training content, virtually simulating food production processes, or simulating real-life scenarios, XR offers a new way of looking at and doing things. Some restaurants, for example, now sell placemats that double as gaming platforms and recipe books.

 

One of the most important aspects of food production is proper hygiene in food facilities. Manual inspection procedures are prone to human error or a lack of oversight. With mixed reality devices like HoloLens, you can add a digital layer to any type of maintenance or service, such as a routine hygiene inspection. The digital layer can highlight critical areas that manual processes may overlook, ensuring that all important areas are covered.

 

6. Education:

 

According to the National Education Association, while lectures have a learning retention rate of 5% and reading has a learning retention rate of 10%, VR has a learning retention rate of 75%. Learning can be made much more engaging with immersive technology than simply reading a text or watching a video.

 

Without the need for a classroom, augmented reality provides students with hands-on, real-world experience. It enables people to see what it’s like in outer space or to practice surgery on virtual patients. XR creates one-of-a-kind learning experiences and is expected to have a growing impact on education at all levels, from elementary to tertiary to professional learning.

 

7. Hospitality and Museums:

 

Many hotels, resorts, and transportation companies are now offering extended reality as part of the guest and traveler experience. When visiting certain locations at certain times may be dangerous, users are given access to virtual reality experiences. 

 

In other cases, augmented reality and mixed reality technologies are used to improve people's visits to local landmarks and sites by providing guidance and additional information. Similarly, to improve the user experience, the entertainment onboard moving vehicles have been outfitted with extended reality technologies.

 

Museums have not been left behind in taking advantage of the capabilities of extended realities. Several museums now offer an online tour experience through their websites.

 

8. Property Management:

 

Even if they are on opposite sides of the world, real estate agents can give prospective buyers tours of properties as if they were in person. Advertisements, sales presentations, and detailed open houses can all be created for use with smartphones or headsets. Real estate agents are already utilizing XR's core functions through existing tools built into some web browsers.

 

Conclusion

 

Finally, extended reality expands the potential of AR, VR, and MR by fusing our physical and virtual worlds to create new environments and visualizations in which physical and digital objects coexist, interact, and communicate. MR adds intelligence, even personality, to digital content relative to the world around them, rather than removing users completely from the real world or simply layering flat content on top of their immediate view.

 

We are breaking down barriers to our ability to make smart decisions quickly, absorb, retain, and process critical information, visualize possible scenarios before acting, and share knowledge and tasks as part of the technological evolution of how we engage with the digital world in both our personal and professional lives.