What are some AR/VR collaboration and communication strategies for online meetings?

The advantages of AR and VR over traditional video conferencing are indeed significant. The immersive nature of these technologies can foster a more natural and engaging interaction, which is particularly beneficial in a world where remote work and digital collaboration are becoming increasingly prevalent. By simulating a shared physical space and allowing for nuanced non-verbal communication, AR and VR can bridge the gap often felt in virtual meetings. The ability to interact with 3D models and simulations can also lead to more dynamic and effective learning and collaboration. Moreover, the reduction of screen fatigue is a notable benefit, as it can lead to increased productivity and well-being.

When I was working for a client, we were given the daunting task of improving the working life of their distributed employees and better incorporate them in the clients agile workflow. One thing we quickly noticed, is that teams would always dial in team members who were distributed onto a speaker but would then turn away from the speaker as they didn't recognise it as another team member. We then set the teams up with Quest headsets and and a VR meeting app. We found that although taking notes was more difficult in the meetings, there was a much better sense of community among the teams and everyone had a better understanding of what their tasks were.

I've spent thousands of hours using AR/VR for meetings over the past decade, and have published peer-reviewed research on why AR/VR is better for meeting online than traditional systems BUT... Making sure you actually NEED to use ar/vr for a meeting can save a LOT of pain and wasted time. Sensecheck: - Can we achieve what we need to achieve in this meeting? i.e. can we take notes, can we use the tools we usually use for this type of meeting in this call. -Is this letting us do something new or making/saving us money? -Is it at least 50% better than what we already do? i.e. is there a need to fix something that is not broken, is it THAT much better? If you just want to meet online, there are quicker and more efficient ways such as Zoom etc.

I am somewhat skeptical about VR/AR online meetings for discussions and slide gazing - we get too much information about other humans from face and gestures to lose it behind avatars. Yet when there is a task of a spacial collaboration (like construction/ renovation of complex objects) and equipment demo - this is a very good use case for VR/AR apps, to my mind.

La Realidad Aumentada (AR) y la Realidad Virtual (VR) están redefiniendo la manera en que las reuniones en línea se llevan a cabo, ofreciendo experiencias más inmersivas y colaborativas. 1. Espacios de Trabajo Virtuales Inmersivos y/o Creación de Salas Virtuales Personalizadas. 2. Avatares Personalizados Representaciones Virtuales Realistas o Simbólicas. 3. Análisis y Visualización de Datos en 3D. 4. Herramientas de Comunicación Mejoradas Chat de Voz y Texto Integrado Gestos y Lenguaje Corporal 5. Integración con Herramientas Existentes Compartir Pantalla y Documentos de trabajo.

I would recommend using a platform that is built from the ground up for work based meetings. These applications not only can ensure your meetings are locked and private but can be integrated with your works ecosystem with calendar invites and the ability for non VR participants to join. There are three I would personally recommend. First is Horizon Workrooms. A free application built for the Meta headsets. Its built on top of Meta's Horizon worlds IP so comes with a bunch of user friendly mechanics. Next is Microsoft Mesh. This one is new but fully integrates with Microsoft 360 making it perfect for teams using that ecosystem. Last is Arthur. This one is a bit harder to learn if you are hosting but can allow you to import assets.

Stell dir vor, du betrittst mit deinen Kollegen einen virtuellen Raum, anstatt auf starre Bildschirme zu starren. AR und VR erm?glichen genau das und bieten so viel mehr Immersion und Interaktion. Zuerst: Was ist dein Ziel? Brainstorming mit 3D-Objekten? Tilt Five ist perfekt dafür. Eine Pr?sentation für ein gro?es Publikum? Microsoft Mesh integriert sich nahtlos in deine Tools. Dann: Wie viele Teilnehmer sind dabei und wo befinden sie sich? Für Einzelgespr?che eignen sich MeetinVR oder Spatial. Für globale Teams bietet VRChat Platz für alle. Technische Punkte sind wichtig: kompatible Ger?te, stabiles Internet, Benutzerfreundlichkeit. Klare Anweisungen vermeiden Frustration.

My advice is to start with a clear understanding of your meeting needs, then try few platforms that seem to fit. Nothing beats hands-on experience to feel how intuitive and suitable a platform is for your specific use case.

The choice of platform greatly depends on the tools you need to use for the meeting. If the meeting is a presentation, you might want to use apps that are compatible with MS Powerpoint links or something similar. Meta Quest and Microsoft 365 have a partnership to enable this. If you are using the VR meeting for a group brainstorm, something with a whiteboard function such as DoodleBoard could be a good choice.

We can choose the right platform on the basis of the following factors - Hardware - Quality - Support - Liberty on the customisations - Price - Workspaces

If you have people new to VR joining you on the platform, make sure you have a start guide for them for how to use the app and join the meeting. If you have the capacity, look at doing a 1 on 1 training session a few hours before the meeting. AN app may be super simple for you but there are still users out there who are very new to VR and can be overwhelmed by this changing technology.

Preparing for an AR/VR online meeting involves a few key steps to ensure a smooth and effective experience. First, ensure your hardware and software are properly set up and compatible with the chosen AR/VR platform. This might include VR headsets, controllers, and any necessary apps or software installations. Familiarize yourself with the environment and controls before the meeting to navigate and participate effectively. Check your internet connection to ensure it's stable and fast enough to handle the demands of AR/VR, which is crucial to prevent lag or disconnection during the meeting. Lastly, consider the virtual space's layout and how it will be used during the meeting to facilitate engagement and interaction among participants.

Prepare your device: - Charge and restart your device. Set up your virtual reality space: - Reset your guardian space (are you standing or sitting?). - Make sure your lighting is setup for the total time of your session. - Draw your curtains or pull down your blinds to avoid light changes disrupting. Get comfortable BEFORE your virtual reality meeting starts: - Make sure your headset fits the right way. - Do this BEFORE your session. - I recommend comfortable shoes and clothes so you can focus on your meeting. Login and setup your avatar BEFORE your session: - Login, get set up and be comfortable you can arrive on time for your session later (you're either early, or you're late in AR/VR/XR too! - Get used to driving your avatar!

Pay special attention to your audio settings as your voice is the key part of the experience tying you to the avatar. If that breaks, then it might as well be a video call.

When doing an initial VR meeting with a new platform or with people who are new to VR I always recommend you let your users have 10 minutes of playtime where there is no agenda and just let the users get used to the feeling of being in VR and have a bit of a laugh. Once that is out of their systems, you should treat the VR meeting like any other in person meeting. You will find that if the host of the meeting is treating this seriously then other users will start doing the same.

If your platform of choice can do recordings or other forms of exports such as notes or screenshots, make sure you distribute them among the users who need them just like how you would with most meetings.