Augmented Reality or AR is a process where the system overlays the digital content over real-world environments in real-time. This amalgamation of the physical and virtual worlds works towards improving the viewer’s virtual experience, optimizing productivity, and solving problems more quickly.   

Virtual Reality or VR helps us create a simulated environment using computer technology (hardware and software) where objects and environments look and feel real. The life-like environment is experienced using Virtual Reality headsets or other VR gadgets. 

Mixed Reality is a blend of augmented and virtual reality to make the 3D experience more real and immersive. MR uses sensors, cameras, and other AI-enhanced technology to process data and use the generated information to develop digitally-enhanced experiences.  

There are a vast number of use cases of Extended Reality as the technology is impactful and has great social relevance. Seamless interaction between the real and virtual worlds allows businesses to work and collaborate with minimum human error and escalated efficiency. 

Explore the groundbreaking trends in Extended Reality technology shaping the future. Dive into our latest insights to stay ahead in this rapidly evolving field.

Extended Reality Applications in Businesses

Extended Reality in Video Gaming and Entertainment

The very first few applications of extended reality technology were seen in the gaming and entertainment industry, primarily through augmented and virtual reality. XR has offered game app developers new and innovative opportunities to create and offer immersive and interactive experiences at a whole new level. To boot, the constantly updating hardware and consoles like large and advanced screens, spatial sound solutions, powerful headsets, and controllers are leveling up the process of developing 3D games and experiences. An Artificial Intelligence system within an Extended Reality landscape strengthens the interaction between the gamers and the environment. 

Integrating advanced AI-enabled gesture recognition into gaming enhances the first-person gameplay experience and makes it more organic and enveloping. Metaverse not just includes you in the internet space but also lets you participate and digitally immerse yourself in that 3D space using VR or XR headsets. It unlocks new opportunities for the users to learn, play, and communicate on the spatial web. 

Apart from in XR game development, the capabilities of XR step up the experience of the consumers while listening to live music, watching videos, and attending sports events and exhibitions. The XR accessories and products like VR headsets, shoes, glasses, gloves, sensory masks, lounges, treadmills, and others turn your organs into smart data-collecting machines, facilitate interaction, and dynamize your experience.

Discover how our cutting-edge XR solutions can elevate your gaming and entertainment projects to new heights.

Extended Reality for Employees and Consumers

Training or imparting education to employees in virtual environments is a transformative turn in the domain and is also cost-effective for businesses. Extended Reality technology has made it easy, quick, and cheap for organizations to transfer information or data to employees and experts. If need be, it can also remotely connect an expert with a real-time issue for immediate advice and attention. This helps in avoiding redundant slowdowns and strengthens the customer experience. 

Customers expect brands to promptly take care of their needs and any queries they may have. And certainly, digital media and tools have given them the power to make or break the online reputation of a brand. When one brand offers a great customer experience, they raise the bar of quality service and so the same is expected from other businesses. Customer experience can be amplified by leveraging technology to create efficient products, streamline processes, maintain data flow, manage contacts, and make interactions faster. Extended Reality here, helps you build customer-centric strategies that are relevant, responsive, and pragmatic. AR and VR offer customers a dynamic experience and enrich their overall experience, something they wouldn’t want to miss. 

Extended Reality in Healthcare

VR technology is contributing to healthcare via different domains, like pharmaceutical development, physiotherapy, mental well-being, and others. This is streamlining medical procedures and improving patient care. Surgeons can now view organ complexities in 3D which helps them carefully plan every step of surgery ensuring the medical procedure is safe. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that like any other industry, XR is revolutionizing the health and medical industry as well.   

Extended Reality in Marketing

Content creation, content storage, content analysis, sales communication, and certain SEO and game marketing strategies are metrics that optimize marketing enablement. And, Extended Reality technology reorients the mechanics involved in optimizing marketing and sales. Reality Technology can be used to create interactive campaigns for customers, showcase products that can be experienced before making a purchase, and offer the customers a virtual experience of service before a real one with AR-powered applications.

The “try before you buy” sales model that is very popular among big brands uses this marketing strategy through XR which lets the user try on products and services at home before they buy them. Some businesses offer a 360-degree video with hotspots to experience the brand and its services. The marketing strategies that businesses can execute nowadays are innovative, advanced, and intelligent, all thanks to Extended Reality.

Extended Reality in Manufacturing

While laying out the use cases of XR in manufacturing, it becomes necessary to begin the list with the exceptional training strategies that XR has to offer. The training opportunities with Extended reality enable a trainee to develop skills with step-by-step digital instructions inclusive of real-world equipment. This reduces the training cost, ensures efficient training processes, and offers a safe training environment. Manufacturers have built educational platforms with a library of custom interactive training scenarios.

Other than that, it provides real-time collaboration between manufacturers, teams, technicians, and others. This efficient partnering increases productivity and reduces downtime. The quality of products and services also improves and the time between the product design and its commercial manufacturing decreases.

The future prospects of Extended Reality are unimaginable and leveraging this technology to its maximum potential can require unstinting effort and expertise. Logic Simplified is a 12+ years old  game development company that uses fundamental technologies like AI, ML, and 3D graphics, to build a metaverse that is transformational for entertainment and the enterprise. We have assisted over 100 businesses globally, with our expertise in gaming and emerging technology solutions. By now, if you are convinced that XR technologies are the need of the hour for business and their immense potential can help you augment productivity and add innovation to your projects, get in touch with us at enquiry@logicsimplified.com or call now.

The global extended reality market size was exhibited at USD 35.14 billion in 2022 and is projected to hit around USD 345.9 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 33.09% during the forecast period 2022 to 2030.

(Source: PrecedenceResearch)

With changes in time and technology, trends become outdated and new ways loom redefining how we experience things in this exciting world. Extended reality is a new sensation of technology which has its roof on the pillars of AR, VR, and MR. Its integration with other innovations allows it to turn data into memorable experiences. It has changed the means of entertainment, interaction with people and getting our jobs done remotely and securely. The advancements and trends in the most innovative and exciting technologies along with Extended Reality are making sure that interactions are seamless and our experience virtually is as real as possible. 

Technology Trends in XR - 2024

Extended Reality is breaking new ground and this blog talks about extended reality technology trends like the Metaverse, Digital Twin Technology and Holoportation. Let's check out technology trends in XR - 2024.

XR and the evolving Metaverse 

Metaverse is a series of virtual reality environments that are interconnected and can be accessed by many people at the same time via the internet. This network of 3D virtual worlds connects the virtual and augmented experiences that facilitate movement between interconnected environments. It offers the users control over their digital meta spaces and experiences. The users can readily learn, create, play, connect, communicate, and collaborate with anyone who’s part of the Metaverse, regardless of location or language differences. 

The core technologies that a Metaverse Development Company uses include Blockchain, AI and XR and these are continuously enhancing the Metaverse environment through inclusion and decentralization. Numerous Metaverses have been developed that are accessible to anyone who has registered on their platforms. These immersive environments evolve over time as per the user’s demands. Shared virtual environments — real or fictitious, virtual human avatars with realistic speech and body language, and hardware gadgets, accessories, and gears allow people to access the Metaverse and experience the unexpected. 

Would you like to know more about XR and Metaverse?

Don't miss: Future of metaverse: How will it transform the workplace

Digital Twin Technology - To Create Lifelike Simulations

Digital Twin is a technology that helps build replicas of 3-dimensional interactive real-world objects like buildings, cities, trees, vehicles, environments, etc. in the Metaverse. These virtual objects are viewed using XR applications and allow you to explore, visit, admire, and interact with the 3D objects from the comfort of your home. 

It is one of the most upcoming technologies of the times whose mechanism depends on collecting relevant data and understanding the physics of the system that will be replicated. The digital twin and the real object are interconnected with sensors that help them gather information enabling us to visually experience how such systems would work before they are built. 

For those not in the know, this technology allows you to experiment with different technologies, and create prototypes of products, without any risks involved and spending a lot of money. The game-changing functionality is its capability to reduce a significant amount of waste as it tests solutions before a product’s astronomical development. This influential technology achieves a high level of realism and immersion as it helps create complex environments, interactions, and experiences in the virtual environment.

XR and Holoportation

Holoportation is a 3D capture technology that supports virtual mobility. It uses AR and VR to allow game app developers to create high-quality 3D models of people that can be reconstructed, compressed, and transferred in real-time. Mixed reality visual displays like the Holo lens, which is a virtual reality headset, offer an augmented reality experience where the user can view, listen, and interact with other remote participants in 3D. The 3D interaction and communication with clients and colleagues in real-time in the XR space involve specialized cameras with different POVs, making it natural and powerful enough to change the future of work. 

Holoportation is making things better for a workplace where an AI workmate or robot can help you translate foreign language, automate recruitment, track time and attendance, provide workforce analysis, and more to improve business productivity. It will work like a tool that will offer you solutions that will make your arduous tasks easier. Such technological advancements are already being leveraged by the manufacturing industry, but their applications, in particular AI Robots, are reaching other industries as well.

Passthrough

While AR and VR are two very different technologies in the world of immersive technologies their collaboration is opening doors for more opportunities and innovations. One such innovation is the Passthrough which is used to switch in and out of virtual environments by using just a button. Using VR headsets like the Meta Quest headset, creators can use high-definition passthrough technology to explore environments in Augmented Reality in real-time. Front-facing cameras of the Meta Quest 2 allow tracking of the user’s head position and orientation. With Meta releasing a Passthrough API, developers can now integrate the Meta Quest 2 camera into applications and games for a better quality experience. 

From the gamers' point of view, Passthrough and wireless headset technology have enhanced the gaming experience by combining AR and VR, allowing the player to move between real and virtual environments comfortably. And when it comes to developers and game designers, Passthrough offers them a development environment that is accessible to all for collaboration, communication, and exchange of ideas.

XR Haptic Technology

Over the last few years, virtual and mixed-reality gadgets have been used to stimulate the sense of sight and sound in the XR space, but the sense of touch has been neglected. Haptic Technology uses engineering, neuroscience, and a set of mechanical components to stimulate our sense of touch. Haptic makes human and digital interactions feel more real by providing supportive sensations like vibrations, stiffness, pressure, heat, cold, textures, speed, and others with respect to the experience. 

The built-in algorithms in the Haptic system work by providing the user feedback and confirming interaction on the touch initiated by them. For instance, there are full-body Haptic suits, Haptic headsets, Haptic touch keyboards, and Haptic wrist controllers that are used for hands-free navigation and interaction in a digital ecosystem. With the interactions being more natural, comfortable, and accurate, chances of error are reduced and users are more satisfied. 

In the coming times, Haptic technology will play a major role in the development of Metaverse, robotics, and other immersive technologies. This will improve virtual learning and training, customer experience, user engagement, collaboration, gaming experiences, and so much more.

Extended Reality is breaking new ground, and it is interesting to see  the way it has paved paths of innovation. We at Logic Simplified, offer Extended Reality development services that include virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality. Our XR game development company creates immersive & interactive experiences and a new world of possibilities for your business. We are a 12+ years old game design and development company, and have assisted over 100 businesses globally, with our expertise in gaming and emerging technology solutions.

If you would like to know more, get in touch with us at enquiry@logicsimplified.com or call now!

Now, no matter however good a new technology seems today, it’s only bound to evolve for better as we all have learnt from history and especially in the past two-three decades. And, Extended Reality (XR) is yet another example that strongly vouches for that, with many tech-evangelists of today putting high stakes on creating a world that I would say imaginary for many people now. How about visiting Mars during lunch break or attending a business meeting in Spain or shopping in a retail store from the comfort of your home? The possibilities of XR are huge across every market.

What is Extended Reality?

Extended Reality is an umbrella term that comprises AR, VR, MR and all future realities that the technology can bring to affect machine-humans interactions. The rise in sales of AR/VR devices signals a bright future of XR that is not at the horizon. According to Visual Capitalist, the global XR reality market value is expected to surge eightfold in the next four years, i.e. a $209 billion market by 2023, up 800% from  $27 Billion in 2018. Businesses across almost every market are now prepping up to use XR to completely transform the way they interact with the media and facilitate a completely immersive experience for users by allowing seamless interaction between the real and virtual worlds. That the XR applications are very wide in scope, I am discussing the 5 real-world applications of XR already existing or in the making.

5 Real-World Extended Reality Applications for Businesses

1. Entertainment

The video games industry has been the early and foremost user of XR, with its share in XR market accounting for 34%. By using various tools and frameworks to build XR games, many game developers are creating interactive 3D media experiences for players to make them feel as if they are playing in a real environment. How about basking in Star Wars surrounding where Darth Vader is himself present? Vader Immortal is a VR game that brings an immersive experience of how it actually feels to be in the Star Wars world. You can play this VR game using Oculus Quest headset. India has quickly become a top destination of virtual reality game developers for creating highly immersive video games that meet the expectations of today's modern gamers.

However, it’s not only gaming that is leveraging XR to provide a full-fledged immersive experience, but movies, music, sports events too. You can think of visiting a museum or watching a soccer match in a stadium from the comfort of your home but feeling completely immersed in the event. For instance, Liam Payne, an English singer and songwriter, joined hands with MelodyVR in 2018 for a live concert broadcast.

XR can also help build multi-purpose studios that will save both time and cost of building an elaborate movie set. Movie actors can rehearse in an immersive virtual environment to get the real feel of the scene and improve their performance. As I said earlier, the possibilities are huge.  

2. Education and Training

XR holds great potential to change the way how we get education and training. XR will help military personnel, medical students, surgeons, firefighters, pilots and more to get trained and educated in low-risk, virtual environments to master the skills quickly and without spending a hefty amount of money. So, instead of turning pages of a manual, employees can easily focus on the task in a simulated environment built using XR. Remote learning is another strong aspect of XR that will solve the long-lived problem of distance barriers. 

3. Retail

For the retail sector, features like in-store navigation, try-before-you-buy, personalized offers, etc., will only become common in the future. XR is the way forward for the retail sector to improve customer management, offer personalized experiences, execute engaging marketing strategies and train employees. Buyers will be able to try a watch, shoes or jeans from the comfort of their home in the near future. In fact, ASOS, a general merchandise and apparel retailer in the UK, is already using AR to help customers try clothing on different body types so that they can feel confident about fit and reduce the number of returns.  

4. Real Estate

Real Estate businesses will use XR to allow buyers to view and experience properties without having to be physically present. Interior designers and architects will also be able to experiment with their designs and avoid mistakes. The convenience of viewing an entire house while sitting in a different city or even in a different country and also see how your furniture fits into it will be the next big thing as far as future services of the real estate sector are concerned. 

5. Healthcare

Healthcare is definitely one area that XR would greatly impact. Medical students will be able to practice surgery on virtual patients and visualize the complexities of the organs in 3D. Surgeons will also be able to use robotic arms to perform a surgery resulting in accurate, smaller incisions, reduced blood loss and faster recovery. XR will also be used to treat psychological diseases by fooling the brain into a virtual experience that makes feel good or subside the harrowing memories that may lead to PTSD. There are endless solutions that can be developed for the healthcare sector using XR.

From the perspective of end-user, XR market has other categories as well, such as manufacturing and industrial, transportation, etc. There are many real-world problems that can be solved using the power of extended reality. 

Logic Simplified, a game app developer based in Dehradun, India, can help you turn your XR video game idea or virtual training idea into a reality. We have a talented team of AR game developers and VR game developers to take your XR game idea forward so that you only focus on the core activity of your business which is growing it, we take care of the rest. We are not just technology experts but are equipped with BAs and SMEs as well who clearly layout business requirements and offer solutions that fit the most. For any query related to extended reality development, feel free to contact us at enquiry@logicsimplified.com and we promise to get back to you shortly to get you started on your dream project.