Virtual and Augmented Reality Innovation Through Spatial Computing
Modern technology, more than any other industry, is always and continuously innovating. Spatial computing, technology that augments, interacts with, and overlays onto reality, has been on the cusp of innovation for years. Virtual reality or VR has been around for awhile at this point, but only in the last few years is it hitting its stride. Meanwhile augmented reality is becoming incredibly popular incredibly quickly across a range of industries.
VR works by putting the user into an entirely digital world. Recently this has not only become cheaper and more popular, but also more useful for simulations. Pilots can test out their skills and teachers can create designated experiences for their students. Meanwhile augmented reality has a massive range of uses. Surgeons can utilize superimposed guidelines and designers can build models without wasting materials, to start. Augmented reality also has the added benefit of being cheap and small.
Overall, VR and AR are becoming more commonplace in more industries in more accessible ways. They still have a long time before they’re as commonplace as a smartphone, but they’re headed in the right direction. Eventually experts even say smartphones could be replaced entirely by AR glasses and haptics. The smartphone wasn’t around even 20 years ago, so who knows what will be commonplace in 20 more years.