Are you prepared for the arrival of X reality? It is approaching, bringing with it numerous thrilling prospects for business and marketing.
This is what it is, its significance, and the method to utilize it for expanding your business.
What Is X Reality?
Extended reality, also referred to as X reality or cross reality, is the merging of the physical reality with a digital world or space.
As the technology progresses, numerous possibilities arise when considering the merging of a digital or virtual experience with a physical one. This can be perceived as a way to combine the two, and as various avenues unfold, the opportunities expand exponentially.
To gain a clearer understanding of our topic, let’s take a brief moment to envision. Have you ever engaged in a museum tour where you wear headphones that provide an audible experience while you stroll? Suddenly, it feels as though you are traversing through the untamed American frontier or any other location associated with this specific experience.
Consider incorporating visuals and tangible interactive elements to enhance the experience. For instance, one could potentially physically interact with the saloon doors or witness the scenes transform while strolling along the dusty path. Furthermore, one might even have the opportunity to engage in a duel by drawing their pistol.
Just envision having these encounters, even beyond the walls of the museum. It could be in your very own surroundings like your backyard or the main street of your hometown. Your physical world has intertwined with the virtual realm, expanding your reality.
AR vs. VR vs. MR: The Three Types of X Reality
X reality is a broad term that encompasses augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR). Although these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, their specific meanings may differ and they each have precise definitions. Let’s explore further.
Augmented Reality
Augmented reality involves enhancing the real world and physical experiences by overlaying them with virtual or digital elements. By augmenting, we strive to enhance or improve the things we perceive in our surroundings, according to our own interpretation of improvement.
Using a smartphone or mobile device’s camera, augmented reality allows you to interact with both people and objects in your physical surroundings as well as the digital realm.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality encompasses computer-generated interactive and immersive experiences that transport users into complete digital realms, providing a distinct departure from reality rather than adding virtual elements over real ones. To fully engage in virtual reality, users utilize specific hardware such as headsets, viewers, glasses, goggles, and even gloves. These tools enable users to simulate experiences within the virtual world, while incorporating their own physical bodies and movements.
Mixed Reality
Mixed reality is a combination of the virtual and physical worlds, as the name suggests. According to Microsoft, it is positioned between the spectrum of physical and virtual realities. It also bridges the gap between virtual reality and augmented reality, existing simultaneously in both realms.
Currently, mixed reality stands as the forefront of technological advancements. Although it is simple to provide instances of augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR), mixed reality goes beyond that, by combining and leveraging all available tools and technologies to produce even more captivating and thrilling experiences.
AR’s Key Capabilities
AR greatly enhances the worth generated by these capabilities by enhancing users’ visualization and accessibility to the latest monitoring data, providing clearer instructions and guidance on product operations, and even revolutionizing the way they engage and manage the products.
Visualize.
AR applications offer a form of enhanced vision, enabling the visualization of internal elements that would otherwise be hard to perceive. An example of this can be seen at AccuVein, a medical device company, where AR technology translates a patient’s vein heat signature into an image that is overlaid on the skin, facilitating easier identification for medical professionals. Consequently, this significantly enhances the effectiveness of blood draws and other vascular procedures, as the likelihood of a successful initial needle insertion is more than tripled with AR. Moreover, it decreases the necessity for “escalations” such as seeking assistance by 45%.
Bosch Rexroth utilizes an augmented reality (AR) enhanced visualization to showcase the design and functionalities of its smart and connected CytroPac hydraulic power unit, which is widely used in the manufacturing industry. This AR application enables customers to observe three-dimensional representations of the unit’s internal pump and cooling options in various arrangements, as well as understand how the subsystems interconnect.
Instruct and guide.
Instruction, training, and coaching are being revolutionized by AR. These essential functions, which enhance workforce efficiency, are naturally expensive and demand significant manpower, often producing inconsistent outcomes. Assembly task instructions, for example, are frequently difficult and time-consuming to comprehend. Traditional instructional videos lack interactivity and cannot adjust according to individual learning requirements. Face-to-face training is costly and necessitates repeated meetings between students and instructors at a specific location. Additionally, if the equipment being taught is not accessible, additional training may be required to apply the acquired knowledge in a real-world setting.
AR tackles these problems by giving immediate, on-location, progressive visual assistance for activities like assembling products, operating machinery, and picking items in a warehouse. Elaborate 2-D diagrams presented in user manuals, for instance, transform into interactive 3-D holograms that guide the user through the required procedures. There is minimal room for imagination or interpretation.
Boeing witnessed a significant improvement in productivity and quality of intricate aircraft manufacturing processes thanks to the implementation of AR training. In a specific study conducted at Boeing, AR technology was utilized to provide guidance to trainees undertaking the complex task of assembling an aircraft wing section consisting of 30 parts and involving 50 steps. With the aid of AR, trainees successfully completed their work in 35% less time compared to those relying on conventional 2-D drawings and documentation. Furthermore, the utilization of AR also led to a remarkable 90% increase in the number of trainees, who had little or no prior experience, being able to execute the operation correctly on their first attempt.
Enhancing Human Decision Making
The fundamental source of augmented reality’s power stems from how humans perceive and interpret information. Our information processing is carried out through our five senses, albeit at varying speeds. Out of these senses, vision delivers an overwhelming majority of information, accounting for approximately 80% to 90% of the human informational intake.
Our capacity to absorb and process information is constrained by our mental abilities. The strain on this capacity is known as “cognitive load.” Every mental task we engage in diminishes the capacity that can be devoted to other tasks happening at the same time.
The mental effort needed to process a certain type of information determines cognitive load. For instance, when reading instructions on a computer screen and following them, the cognitive load is higher compared to simply hearing the instructions. This is because reading involves translating letters into words and interpreting them. Another factor influencing cognitive load is the “cognitive distance” between how information is presented and how it is applied. To illustrate, imagine someone using a smartphone for directions while driving. The driver has to absorb the information from the screen, hold it in working memory, translate the directions into the physical surroundings, and then follow those directions, all while maneuvering the vehicle. There is a significant cognitive distance between the digital information displayed and the physical context in which the information is relevant. Dealing with this disparity results in cognitive load.
The phrase “A picture is worth a thousand words” is frequently repeated because it stems from the rapid transmission and absorption of information combined with the mental effort required to apply it. When we observe the tangible world, we effortlessly take in a vast and diverse range of information. Similarly, an image or picture that overlays information onto the tangible world, providing us with context, reduces the mental effort and lessens the burden of cognitive processing.
This illustrates the immense power of AR, as there is no interface more effective than the physical world that surrounds us when augmented with pertinent digital data and guidance, precisely when and where they are required. AR eliminates reliance on disconnected and complex 2-D information on screens and pages, while significantly enhancing our capacity to comprehend and implement information in the actual environment.
3 Ways to Use X Reality in Business
Not only can X reality be used for fun and entertainment, but it can also be effectively integrated into your business to boost sales objectives. Embracing extended reality technology keeps your business ahead of the curve and distinguishes you from competitors who may be hesitant to embrace it.
Here are a few ideas to stimulate your thinking, as it additionally provides opportunities for your customers and team.
1. Product Content Management
Your product content management system is the core component responsible for staying organized with everything you create and sell. Regardless of whether it’s a spreadsheet or integrated software, it serves as the central repository for storing all the information, facts, and data pertaining to each product.
Imagine the potential of X reality in elevating your product management system to new heights. Envision having the power to respond to your customers’ requirements and product preferences within a virtual 3D environment. This increasingly popular interactive design enables teams to make adjustments or experiment with novel designs, replicating the real world without the expense or logistical challenges of physical creation.
This is especially beneficial for large or costly products that cannot be prototyped. Additionally, it allows the entire team to directly engage with the product, eliminating the need for slowing down, gathering questions, conducting calculations, and implementing necessary modifications. Ultimately, it saves time and speeds up proof of concept.
These digitally connected X reality systems offer an additional advantage of being able to connect and share data with your product content management system. It allows you to conveniently monitor real-time specifications of both your existing products and those in the development phase.
2. Remote Team Building and Collaboration
Remote teams are able to communicate and stay connected with the help of a range of technologies such as video conferencing and instant messaging.
However, speaking in person, engaging with the rest of the team and experiencing the actual products remains unbeatable. According to a survey conducted by PromoLeaf, 72 percent of respondents expressed a preference for attending industry conferences in person rather than online. Among the youngest group surveyed, aged 16-24, this preference rose to 84 percent.
X reality has the potential to create the illusion that remote employees are collaborating in a shared workspace, effectively bridging the gap between their divergent locations.
3. Product Preview
Have you ever felt the desire to “test out before purchasing” when it comes to new products? It goes beyond just clothes, tools, or the latest mobile device. What about furniture, cars, houses, and beyond? Does that appear too difficult to attain?
Brands can utilize emerging technologies to develop applications that enable users to experience and engage with products firsthand. Now, it is possible to try out our furniture within the comfort of your own home prior to making a purchase. You can vividly picture driving your desired car along your typical commute route, even before its production. Exploring your dream home, regardless of your location, is also made feasible. Envision the limitless possibilities this affords.
With in-app devices and headset-enabled simulators, you can experience and try something even before it actually exists, while feeling as though you are present.
Conclusion
Although X reality may initially seem more suited for gaming and entertainment, it is specifically designed for utilization in business and online marketing. From the enhancement of product development to efficient customer service, extended reality has the potential to revolutionize how we engage with our brands, customers, team, and the world around us.
As the business world progresses, there are ample reasons to anticipate the inclusion of extended reality in its workings.
