When people think of the future of technology, they usually think of artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicle, quantum computing, the internet of things, robotics, etc…
But most of them forget about technology like virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) which are also considered the next big leap forward in computing. These technologies are past the hype now and are productively being used in many industries outside of just gaming and entertainment.
Technology like VR/AR is stepping inside an alternate reality, deeper than the real world, where users have complete control over their environment in a highly engaging and immersive way.
Immersive technology is the emerging category of devices that place the user into an artificial environment. This category will be dominated by head-worn and passively transparent devices combined with captivating displays and sound environments.
We’re already seeing great progress in the immersive technology industry. Quite a few companies are now making a splash. It can potentially change how we see, hear and feel everything we do. So what exactly is immersive technology?
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What is immersive technology?
The term ‘Immersive Technology’ is used so often now that it is almost synonymous with Virtual Reality, but it is essentially any technology that immerses the user in a three-dimensional, interactive, sensory experience.
This could be through virtual reality, gaming consoles, or even through the use of a smartphone or tablet. Immersive technology refers to technologies that create a sense of presence and immersion to provide immersive experiences.
The term ‘immersive’ refers to experiences that feel real or lifelike as if you are actually experiencing a virtual escapade in the real world. Immersive technologies are the different emerging technologies that transport the user into a virtual environment with which they can interact.
Immersive tech is an emerging technology that incorporates physical and digital elements. The goal of this innovation is to make a product or service so real, so realistic, that it feels like you are experiencing it.
Immersive technology is the sensory experience that merges technology and the human senses in a way that’s much more powerful than a two-dimensional or three-dimensional display. It is a broad term that encompasses a variety of new technologies and experiences.
Immersive technologies
Immersive technology is set to create new experiences by creating new forms of storytelling that allow viewers to feel like they are part of the story itself. It is a term used to describe technologies that allow users to experience a simulated environment that is similar to the real world.
Immersive technology encompasses many different types of technology. Some examples include:
- Virtual reality (VR) – The ability to create realistic 3D environments that can be explored by users wearing headsets or glasses with stereoscopic displays and head movement tracking capabilities.
- Augmented reality (AR) – The ability to overlay computer-generated images on top of real-world objects so they appear as part of them rather than floating above them.
- Mixed Reality (MR) – combines aspects of both AR and VR technologies to create new experiences that integrate real and virtual objects into one environment and allow users to interact with their digital surroundings as if they were there.
- Extended reality (XR) – is a concept that suggests that reality is not limited to the physical world. It suggests that there may be other dimensions or realities that exist beyond our own and it is achieved through combining the best of VR, AR, or MR.
- 360 video – is a new type of video that allows users to see everything around them at once. This technology gives users a more immersive experience than traditional video.
- Haptics – is the sense of touch. It can be used to interact with a computer, control a robotic arm or even feel the warmth of a human hand.
- Gamification – is a process of applying game mechanics and concepts to non-game contexts to engage and reward users.
Immersive technologies are used to create realistic 3D environments that appear to be part of the physical world around us or they can be used to overlay digital content onto real-world objects. Virtual Reality is an artificial environment created by computer software and presented to the user.
VR is a computer-generated simulation of a 3D environment that can be interacted with in real-time by a person using special electronic equipment, such as a headset with a screen inside or gloves fitted with sensors.
Augmented Reality is a live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented (or supplemented) by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics, or GPS data.
Mixed reality is used to refer to a variety of techniques and technologies that involve blending different aspects of the real world and computer graphics to create new environments and visualizations.
Mixed reality combines real-world elements with virtual ones to create an immersive experience that blends both worlds together to create a sort of extended reality.
VR is perhaps the most well-known type of immersive experience. It is used to create computer simulations, such as video games, movies, and educational experiences. Virtual reality is also making people healthy and can be used to provide physical therapy and surgical training.
These new immersive technologies are creating a lot of excitement. It is a field of research that focuses on how to use technology to create new ways of interacting and engaging with the world around us.
Why is immersive technology important?
Immersive technologies can be used to create almost any kind of environment or experience, including gaming, simulation, training programs, virtual reality, and more. It can also be used to enhance real-world environments by adding elements such as digital objects or people.
As we increasingly use screens to interact with our digital worlds, it is only natural that we look for ways to extend our experiences into this digital world. Immersive technology is an emerging field that enables us to do just that by combining VR, AR, and haptics with other technologies.
The use of AR and VR technologies has become more common in recent years. The availability of inexpensive VR headsets makes it easier than ever before for users to enjoy captivating content at home or on the go.
People can watch 360-degree videos online or download them onto their smartphones so they can enjoy them wherever they want, whether they’re traveling, on vacation, or just sitting at home watching TV with friends.
With immersive tech, people don’t have to travel several hours on a plane just to meet with someone on the other side of the world and then fly back the next day. Users can just meet the other person virtually from the comfort of their homes. This also eliminates the feeling of jet lag and exhaustion.
And also, it is a lot less expensive, saves money, saves the environment, and is pandemic-proof. Immersive virtual reality enables a whole new universe of possibilities. And it can also enhance our existing world with digital content.
With VR immersive experiences, we can use our environment as a window to the digital realms. Imagine using our existing world to interact naturally with digital content.
And with technological advancement and innovation, immersive VR is being equipped with a lot of sensors such as eye tracking, voice recognition, hand tracking, and spatial technology.
Embedding immersive technology with the latest sensors makes interactions more natural where users can command using their voice or gesture. It broke down social boundaries and connect people efficiently.
Imagine you want to learn about human anatomy. You can study it from books. But the problem with books is that it teaches in 2D on a subject that is 3D. Humans are three-dimensional creatures, we think in 3D and our world is in 3D.
So the best way to learn is in 3D. With immersive technology, users can see the human anatomy right in front of them. And it’s way better than looking at it in a book. The augmented and virtual reality global market is expected to reach USD 454.73 Billion by 2030.
It is estimated that AR training yields a 75% knowledge retention rate and VR programs increase productivity by 32%. It is also estimated that immersive technologies yield a 25% reduction in training time.
With immersive gadgets, businesses can identify potential problems and provide training with lowered risks. For example, designers and engineers can use VR when designing or developing a product before it goes on the market.
With this innovation, training can be made more realistic allowing workers to be better prepared when faced with the scenario. At-home AR can enable users to visualize how an appliance would look in their home before even buying it.
This eliminates the risk of spending money on items that don’t fit or match. It also helps save time and money as the user doesn’t have to make multiple trips to the furniture store.
Immersive tech can be used in almost any industry, but it’s particularly suited to those that require visualization or the creation of new environments. For example, architects can use this technology to create 3D models and walkthroughs of buildings before they’re built.
Engineers can use immersive tech to design new products and prototypes. In the world of retail, it allows brands to create interactive experiences for their customers. Customers can try on clothes virtually, or explore an interactive shop window display from the comfort of their homes.
The digital sphere is a huge part of our daily lives, but they’re not just for entertainment purposes. From education and training to marketing, there are many applications for immersive technology that go beyond gaming or entertainment.
In 2020, the immersive technology market was valued at USD 81.82 billion. The market is expected to reach USD 1491.07 billion by 2030. It is also estimated that the market has generated a revenue of USD 6.3 billion in 2020.
Impact of immersive technology
Immersive technology is a set of technologies that allows users to be fully immersed in different experiences. You can see and hear the digital world as if you were there. It’s more than just 3D.
You can use immersive virtual reality with any type of game, whether it’s an action-packed shooter or a relaxing puzzle game. The only requirement is that it must be compatible with the equipment.
With this captivating and engaging media, users can reimagine the world and expands their possibilities. Immersive technologies are the next big thing in many industries, and it’s already here.
Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite has an estimated 350 million active users. Minecraft and Roblox have an estimated 131 million and 202 million monthly users respectively. These staggering numbers indicate the impact of engaging games on people’s life.
Since the pandemic, video game spending has surpassed USD 10 billion every month and playtime has increased by around 75%. Beyond gaming, virtual spaces are creating hubs for events and concerts.
For instance, Tomorrowland, a major EDM festival created an online virtual experience with Epic’s Unreal Engine where one million tickets were sold. A virtual event organized by Fornite for DJ Marshmello in 2019 had 10 million live attendees. Another event by Fortnite, Travis Scott’s Astronomical Experience in 2020 had around 28 million attendees.
The global virtual events market size was estimated at USD 110.21 billion in 2021. An estimated CAGR of 21.1% is expected from 2022 to 2030. The market is projected to reach USD 617.33 billion by 2030.
These number shows that we are heading toward a society where people will attend events, socialize with friends, entertain, shops, or even work in the digital sphere. The modern digital world is creating a new reality where everybody, entity, and organization have to have a digital presence.
Moreover, a new form of virtual space called the metaverse is creating a parallel digital realm where people can interact, shop, learn, entertain, work, trade, socialize, and many more using a virtual avatar in a very intuitive interface.
Virtual avatars are considered to be the next big thing. Just as everybody needs to have an online identity for online shopping and social media, virtual avatars will be quite similar. It will act as an expressive medium.
Brands like Louis Vuitton, Nike, and Gucci are collaborating with the likes of Roblox, Fortnite, and League of Legends to sell virtual outfits for avatars. The global digital avatar market is growing at an exponential rate partly due to the advancement of artificial intelligence and the metaverse.
The global digital human avatar market was valued at USD 10.03 billion in 2020. The market is growing exponentially, registering a CAGR of 46.4%. The global market size is expected to reach USD 527.58 Billion in 2030.
The market for virtual goods has reached USD 190 billion. The growth of the virtual goods market is characterized by the acceleration in demand for virtual products, avatars (characters), and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Big brands like Jordan, Ralph Lauren and Levi’s partnered with Snapchat are selling outfits for bitmoji avatars.
The Metaverse market size was valued at USD 27.21 billion in 2020. And a CAGR of 39.1% is expected between the period 2022 to 2030. By 2030 the market size is expected to reach 824.53 billion. Some estimates reveal that the metaverse economy could be worth between USD 8 and 13 trillion by 2030.
Benefits of immersive technology
Nowadays, we trust technology to help us with everything from staying connected with friends and family to following the world’s most important news. Immersive technology merges together digital content and real-world environments to enhance the digital realm.
It provides the user with a more interactive and engaging experience, allowing them to experience the real world in different ways. There are many benefits of immersive technology such as:
Increased participation
Immersive technology allows users to feel as if they are right in the experience, rather than just looking at it on their screens. This is a great way to increase participation by having the user feel as if they are part of the experience.
To increase user participation in a virtual reality experience, it is important to create a sense of immersion for the user. Immersion is created by creating a believable and realistic environment in which the user can engage and interact with the content.
It allows the user to have this sort of immersion and a digital presence as well. This can be beneficial for businesses, as they can easily reach consumers who have a digital presence.
Improved workplace training
An engaging and expanded environment is an effective tool for training and education. It helps to create better training for employees by providing a more interactive environment and engaging experience.
In addition, there are a number of different benefits that are specific to the individual industry. It can help to increase the quality of training and can even decrease the amount of time needed for training. This is especially true in the case of high-risk industries.
Using immersive technology to train employees can help them to develop skills and learn new ones faster. It also helps to reduce accidents, improve workplace training, and increase retention.
Improve engagement
Immersive technology provides the ability to create and develop a world that is both believable and functional. Artificial reality allows users to engage in a sphere that is more realistic and engaging.
There are many ways in which this innovation can be used to improve engagement. It creates a new way to experience the world. It enhances our reality and it can be used in many different ways.
Immersive technology increases user engagement by enhancing physical reality into a more fascinating and interactive one. It can also be used to create platforms that allow users to engage with digital content in a more personalized way.
Improve communication
The benefits of immersive technology also include improved communication. It allows people to connect on a deeper level and have more understanding of other people’s problems.
With this innovative approach, we can see and hear the person across the room or around the world as if they were standing in front of us. By using immersive tech, we can not only see and hear the person, but we can also to some extent feel their presence. This allows for a better understanding of their perspective.
Improve accessibility
Immersive tech can be used in a variety of ways to provide and increase accessibility to different services such as information, communication, and entertainment.
It can also be used to help people with disabilities learn new skills or access information. For example, people with vision impairments can use virtual reality headsets to see 3D images. This allows them to more easily interact with the artificial environment and access information that would be difficult or impossible to see in person.
Immersive technology can also improve accessibility for people with physical disabilities. For example, people with paralysis can use VR headsets to experience physically simulated environments. This allows them to interact with the virtual environment.
Enhanced product design
This technology can also be used to create and enhance product design. The use of immersive technology in product design has allowed for more realistic and creative services and products for the user.
This allows for a more creative process and increases the chances of a successful product. By creating a more realistic and engaging product, it is possible to better understand the needs of the user and to create products that are more useful and practical.
The technology allows for a more personal experience of the product being designed. This means that the customer can feel more connected to the product. It is not just a product that one can buy, but it is a product that the customer can have a personal relationship with.
Facilitate development and innovation
There is no doubt that immersive technology enhances and facilitates developments and innovations. It makes it possible to experience a whole new way, potentially leading to better design decisions and increased efficiency.
It facilitates innovation in a variety of ways. For example, by allowing users to experience products and services in a more captivating way, they are more likely to find new and innovative ways to use a certain product leading to more breakthroughs.
Additionally, these technologies can help people to ideate and prototype new ideas more easily. By immersing people in a new environment, they can better understand how a product or service works in real-world scenarios.
Immersive technology can also help people to make better decisions and research where and how to put a virtual reality experience. It can be used for all kinds of development, from designing the interior of a building to creating a digital world for people to explore.
Enhance experience
Immersive technology allows users to have a more interactive experience with people and objects. This means that they can touch and interact with the internet, which would not be possible in a traditional desktop or laptop computer.
This technology can completely immerse the user in a virtual or augmented reality experience. While both technologies have been used for entertainment purposes, they can also be used for business purposes, such as training or learning which has the potential to improve user experience.
It is a term used to refer to technologies that are capable of producing physical sensations and environments in virtual spaces. This means that the user can experience the artificial environment as if they were there, with their whole body.
Improve collaboration
Immersive technologies provide a new way of enhancing user’s personal and professional life by using technology that is not just limited to a computer and a phone. It is a way to communicate and interact with people all over the world.
It can improve collaboration by creating a more interactive environment for everyone. For example, using a virtual reality headset, team members can view the same project or document from different perspectives, which can help improve communication and collaboration.
Additionally, using a 360° video camera, team members can see what other team members are looking at, which can help improve collaboratively work on a project. This technology improves collaboration in the workplace by allowing people to work together in a virtual environment.
Save time and increase efficiency
Immersive technology helps people to save time, improve productivity, and increase efficiency. The most common uses are to improve training, help with decision-making, and reduce the risk of injury.
It also saves time for both users and businesses as it can provide different real-world experiences for the users in one place. And by using virtual reality, employees can learn new skills without having to leave the office. This can be a great way to save time.
Facilitate remote working
Remote working is a popular way to work nowadays. Immersive technology allows people to work remotely and in a virtual world. It provides a cost-effective alternative to traditional office space.
As more companies start using this technology, they will be able to collaborate with other companies in a virtual world. This will help them to be more efficient and will save them a lot of money.
Easily learn new skills
Immersive technology provides the ability to easily learn new skills. It is also a great way to try something new. With the increasing use of computer-generated environments, it has become a lot easier to try new things.
Users can easily find classes and courses online that teach all sorts of new skills. Immersive tech can be used by anyone, from professionals looking to up-skill themselves, to students who want to learn something new.
It is already being used in the workplace for training purposes and has been proven that it is a great way for professionals to learn new skills without having to spend time away from their main work.
Personalized experience
The benefits of using immersive technology range from improving the customer’s experience to helping the company make money. The customer’s experience is improved by giving them a customized and unique one.
The company can make more money by providing a personalized experience. And the customer’s experience will improve the company’s reputation.
It can personalize an experience for each individual. This means that the environment that is created is based on the individual’s preferences and interests.
Minimize risk
Immersive technology can help to reduce the risk of an accident which can be a very beneficial factor. It can minimize risks in a variety of ways.
For example, virtual reality can help users feel as if they are in the scene they are viewing, while augmented reality can add information to scenes that users can see directly.
It can also help users learn more about potential risks and explore potential solutions more easily. Additionally, it helps users socialize and work together more effectively which increases professionalism and decreases risk.
By providing a sense of immersion, this technology can minimize risks by providing information to prevent accidents and injuries in a highly realistic and engaging way.
Reduce cost
Immersive technology is the process of using technology to replace one’s senses and perception. The process is often used in an attempt to improve and enhance the quality of life.
It has the potential to reduce the cost of production by increasing efficiency. For example, a factory can create a virtual model of a product and then use that model to produce the product more quickly and cheaply.
Additionally, immersive technology can help you to create products or services that are more efficient. This can make the products or services more cost-effective for users.
Offers competitive edge
Immersive technology is the future of business and has the potential to change the way business is done by improving interactivity. It could be used to create engaging experiences for customers.
This could be done by creating engaging experiences in the form of interactive games or virtual reality environments. It could also be used to create interactive environments for employees.
For example, it could be used to create artificial training environments that don’t require employees to leave the office. Immersive technology increases competitive edge by allowing businesses to create unique and engaging experiences for their customers.
Final words
More and more people are looking for immersive experiences in their everyday life. To most people, technology has become a part of their everyday life.
With the right knowledge, anyone can benefit from using immersive technology. Engaging realms are becoming important because they make us feel involved in the world around us.
Immersive technology can truly transform the way people perceive and interact with the world. With virtual reality, more and more businesses are taking advantage of what immersion can do.
Immersive technologies are combining sights and sounds to provide realistic engaging and captivating experiences that can’t be replicated with traditional media.
Traditional media like TV, books, and movies are passive, so there’s no way to get them exactly right. Immersive technologies allow us to come face-to-face with a situation, see things as they actually are, and react accordingly.
It is a compelling way to immerse employees, customers, and students in new worlds, cultures, and ideas. It has the potential to change how people work, how they learn, and how they interact with the world.
Whether you’re looking at a historical site, a live performance, or a football game, the technology allows you to see and feel what it’s like to be in that world. It’s possible to walk into a museum and watch the paintings, and even to some extent touch the objects on display.
This is just the beginning, and it’s clear that the future of immersive technology is only limited by our imagination. Imagine what the world will be like in 20 years when our technology is capable of immersing us in a new reality every day.
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