Introduction to Augmented and Virtual Reality
Augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) have been around for over 30 years, initially utilized in the military and later in entertainment and gaming. Despite their long history, these technologies have only recently began to realize traction within the industrial world resulting from high development costs and complexity. AR and VR offer different experiences but are currently delivered in similar ways. The query stays: how close are we to mass adoption?
Current State of AR/VR
According to Jabil’s recent survey, 69% of respondents imagine AR/VR will develop into mainstream inside five years. Consumer use of AR/VR is predicted to see adoption first. The first real smartphone, released over a decade ago, modified how we communicate, work, and buy. Today, a 3rd of American households have three or more smartphones, and we’re continually surrounded by screens. The first validation of consumer AR use got here from Pokémon Go, which successfully validated the patron mass adoption of AR.
AR/VR Applications
Since Pokémon Go’s launch in 2016, latest smartphone implementations have been unveiled. Companies like Snapchat and Facebook have found entertaining ways to make use of AR on social media platforms, while others like Wayfair have developed apps to help customers with online purchasing decisions. For example, the Wayfair app allows consumers to visualise furniture in their very own home by holding up their smartphone. Smartphones, coupled with headsets, have been essentially the most common method to deliver VR experiences. Virtual reality is more mature than AR, with existing software tools and hardware platforms available.
Industry Use-Cases
Virtual reality is showing effective industry use-cases, from real estate to tourism. For instance, the Jerusalem Visitor’s Bureau uses VR to immerse tourists in how town looked 5,000 years ago. Although AR is less mature than VR, it’s being utilized in industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics. AR experiences are typically delivered through headsets and are showing early signs of reworking industrial and industrial markets.
Future of AR/VR Devices
As we discussed earlier, there are many AR/VR devices available on the market, each providing a distinct level of experience but additionally having specific limitations. Many VR headsets depend on smartphones to display content, lacking visual quality for an immersive experience. The way forward for AR/VR devices can be in two forms: tethered systems and standalone units. Tethered systems could have a unit or wearable on the pinnacle, with a wire attached to a processing unit, while standalone units will house all systems throughout the unit and be available as a wearable.
Challenges and Limitations
Today, we’re in a state of compromise with AR/VR devices. None of the present systems provide a whole, bondless, and immersive experience. Most systems lack a natural, wide field of view, have limited display resolution, low brightness, short battery life, and lack 3D sensing capabilities. It can be one other three to 5 years before we experience true, unconstrained AR/VR applications.
Company Plans for AR/VR
Although we’ve got an idea of where the AR/VR market is headed, product corporations seem hesitant to develop their plans. Jabil’s survey shows that 51% have not began developing an initial plan, and 99% of those with AR/VR plans say their plans are flexible to vary with the market. To successfully construct out AR/VR technologies, corporations will want to consider partnering with experienced vendors who can provide end-to-end product development with comprehensive engineering capabilities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, AR/VR technologies are set to rework the way in which we live and work. With the rise of smartphones and the increasing use of AR/VR in industries, we will expect to see more revolutionary applications in the longer term. As corporations plan for the longer term of AR/VR, they have to be prepared to adapt to the changing market and partner with experienced vendors to deliver immersive experiences. With the potential to develop into an alternative choice to smartphones, AR/VR devices will provide personalized, accessible, and well-designed experiences, changing the shape factor of our favourite consumer electronics ceaselessly.
