Beyond Reality: How AR and VR are Reshaping Diverse Industries

As technology advances, so does the way we?learn?and?train. Among the most transformative technologies in recent years are?Augmented Reality (AR)?and?Virtual Reality (VR).

AR and VR technologies are revolutionising traditional teaching and learning methods, enhancing immersive learning experiences, and paving the way for a more interactive and engaging future of education and training.

This article explores how AR/VR technologies can be used in different industries to provide a captivating learning experience as well as to ensure higher learning retention rates.?Let's dive in!

What is AR and VR?

Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that overlays digital information or virtual objects onto the real-world environment, typically viewed through a smartphone, tablet, or AR-enabled glasses.

Virtual Reality (VR) is a technology that immerses users in a completely virtual environment, typically experienced through specialized VR headsets or goggles.

Unlike AR, which overlays digital content onto the real world, VR creates a simulated world that completely replaces the user's physical surroundings.

Implementing AR/VR Across Industries

AR and VR technologies offer enticing, interactive, and engaging learning experiences that will transform education and training across various industries. Here are some ways in which these technologies are being implemented to train and educate the target audience.

• Medical Industry:?VR is used to provide surgical training, allowing students to practice in a risk-free environment. It can also be used to train the medical staff on the safety and maintenance of medical equipment.?AR apps help healthcare professionals explain diagnoses and treatments more effectively by overlaying medical information onto patients' bodies.?It has been proved that surgeons trained using VR make 40% fewer mistakes than their conventionally trained peers, demonstrating its potential for precision and safety in healthcare.

• Military Training:?The military uses VR for flight simulations, battlefield simulations, and medical training. Soldiers can practice combat scenarios, vehicle operations, and strategic decision-making in realistic, safe environments.

• Education: AR is used in classrooms to bring learning materials to life. For example, students can explore the solar system or human anatomy in 3D. Another example could be, Virtual Field Trips. Schools and universities use VR to take students on virtual field trips to historical sites, museums, or even to places outside the country! This provides rich educational experiences without the need to leave the classroom. VR simulations enable students to conduct virtual physics, chemistry, and engineering experiments. This fosters hands-on learning and problem-solving skills, critical in STEM fields. The retention rate of VR training in schools is 75%, as compared to lectures (5%), reading (10%), and audio-visual learning (20%). (Source: National Education Association).

• Medical Education:?Medical schools leverage VR to teach complex anatomy and biology concepts. Through interactive 3D models, students can explore organs and biological systems in detail, improving their understanding and retention of these complex subjects.?
• Manufacturing: In the industrial sector, VR is used to train workers to operate and maintain complex machinery safely and efficiently. VR simulations also recreate hazardous scenarios for training workers on emergency response protocols without exposing them to real-world risks.?

• Retail: AR allows customers to?visualise?products in their own spaces before making purchasing decisions, thus enhancing the shopping experience. Retail employees receive VR training on customer service skills, such as handling difficult situations or upselling products. This improves their ability to provide excellent customer service.?

• Real Estate: Real estate agents showcase properties to clients through VR tours, which enable remote viewing and save time for both agents and clients. This dramatically alters the property viewing process.

• Aviation: Aviation schools leverage VR simulations to train pilots. It provides a risk-free environment to learn different flight scenarios and emergency procedures, making training more effective and less costly.

As AR and VR technologies continue to evolve, their impact on education and training is expected to grow, enabling more immersive and personalized learning experiences. These technologies are especially beneficial in high-risk industries, where they can provide safe, realistic, and cost-effective training solutions

Successful Implementation of AR/VR - Examples

Let's look at how some major corporations have integrated AR/VR into their training and development programs to enhance employee learning experiences.?

Walmart: Walmart uses VR simulations to train employees in various scenarios, including customer service, management skills, and compliance. VR training helps employees practice real-world situations in a safe and controlled environment.

UPS: UPS utilises VR training modules to simulate delivery routes and package handling processes. This allows drivers to practice navigation and learn efficient delivery techniques without using real vehicles.

Boeing: Boeing employs AR for aircraft assembly and maintenance training. AR overlays digital instructions and diagrams onto physical aircraft components, guiding technicians through complex procedures and improving efficiency.

KFC: KFC developed a VR training game called "The Hard Way" to teach employees how to cook its signature fried chicken. This immersive experience helps new cooks learn the cooking process and recipe steps.

Accenture: Accenture uses VR for leadership training and development. VR simulations allow employees to practice leadership skills in realistic scenarios, such as public speaking, negotiation, and team management.

Verizon: Verizon utilises AR for technician training. AR headsets provide real-time guidance to field technicians during installations and repairs, improving efficiency and reducing errors.

Ford: Ford incorporates VR into its design process and employee training. VR enables engineers and designers to visualise and interact with vehicle prototypes, leading to faster innovation and improved collaboration.

Fidelity Investments: Fidelity Investments uses VR for financial advisor training. VR simulations allow advisors to practice client interactions and investment strategies in virtual environments, enhancing communication and decision-making skills.

Lowe's: Lowe's employs AR for employee training in home improvement and customer service. AR apps guide employees through store layouts, product information, and installation procedures, improving customer satisfaction.

Microsoft: Microsoft offers HoloLens, an AR headset, for employee training and collaboration. HoloLens enables remote teams to work together in mixed-reality environments, enhancing productivity and creativity.

L'Oreal: L'Oreal uses the MakeupGenius app, which enables customers to use their smartphone cameras to snap pictures of themselves and apply virtual L'Oreal products, such as lipsticks and nail polishes, onto the images.?

University College London (UCL): UCL integrates VR into architectural and engineering programs. Students can design and interact with virtual buildings and structures, gaining practical experience in spatial design and construction.

MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology): MIT explores the potential of AR for interactive learning experiences. For instance, they have developed AR apps that allow students to conduct virtual experiments and visualise scientific phenomena in real-time.

University of Oxford: Oxford employs VR simulations for historical and archaeological studies. Students can virtually explore ancient sites and artifacts, reconstructing historical events and cultures in immersive VR environments.

University of Tokyo: The University of Tokyo utilises AR for language learning. AR apps overlay digital translations and interactive exercises onto physical objects, helping students practice vocabulary and language skills in context.

Imperial College London: Imperial College uses AR for interactive chemistry and physics experiments. AR apps allow students to visualise molecular structures and conduct virtual experiments, improving comprehension of scientific principles.

Arizona State University: ASU incorporates VR into psychology and behavioural science programs. Students can participate in VR simulations to study human behaviour and mental health disorders, gaining practical insights into clinical scenarios.

These examples illustrate how AR and VR technologies are transforming education and training by providing students/employees with immersive, interactive, and experiential learning opportunities and a simulated environment for impactful training.

PwC Study on Using VR for Soft Skills Training

In 2020, PwC conducted a study to examine the effectiveness of using virtual reality (VR) for training managerial staff on soft skills. The training sessions were conducted using three different methods:

• Classroom learning
• E-learning
• VR-based learning

The study results revealed some interesting insights. (Paraphrased from original study by PwC)

• Among the managers who participated in the VR training, 40% reported an improvement in their confidence levels compared to those who underwent classroom training.
• Additionally, they showed a 35% improvement in their ability to apply what they learned when compared to e-learners.
• VR training required at least 375 learners to achieve cost parity with classroom learning and approximately 1950 learners to attain cost parity with e-learning. At 3,000 learners, VR training costs were 52% less than classroom training. This demonstrates that VR-based learning is the most cost-effective method, especially when conducted on a large scale.
• The study also found that V-learners completed their training four times faster than those who underwent classroom training.
• Furthermore, VR learners felt 3.75 times more emotionally connected to the content than classroom learners and 2.3 times more connected than e-learners.
• Three-quarters of learners surveyed said that during the VR course, they had a realization that they were not as inclusive as they thought they were.
• VR learners were found to be four times more focused during training than their e-learning peers and 1.5 times more focused than their classroom colleagues.

Conclusion: VR-based learning was more effective than classroom and e-learning settings at teaching soft skills concepts. Learners who undergo VR training demonstrate up to a 275% increase in confidence to apply what they've learned, surpassing classroom and e-learning by 40% and 35%, respectively. This underscores VR's effectiveness in reinforcing knowledge.

Challenges in Implementing AR/VR Technologies

Incorporating AR/VR technology for learning and training can prove to be immensely advantageous, but it also involves certain challenges and obstacles that organizations must overcome.

Here are some common hurdles and factors to consider when implementing AR/VR technologies for learning and training purposes:

• Cost of Implementation
• Compatibility with Existing Hardware and Software
• Complexity of the Concept to Be Taught
• Privacy and Data Security
• Accessibility and Inclusivity
• Acceptance and Cultural Shift

To go into the details of each of these factors is beyond the scope of this article. But with every new development and innovation, comes a set of implications and repercussions that must be taken care of. If implemented safely, correctly, and in a cost-effective manner, the potential benefits of AR/VR for enhancing engagement, retention, and skill development outweigh these hurdles.

What's your experience with AR/VR technologies in your domain?

Do you agree that organizations can leverage the immersive capabilities of AR/VR technologies to drive innovation and enhance user experiences across diverse industries?

References:

https://www.pwc.co.uk/issues/technology/immersive-technologies/study-into-vr-training-effectiveness.html

https://virtualspeech.com/blog/vr-stats-training-education

https://pixovr.com/vr-training-statistics/

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