Mixed reality enables a more inclusive world

The global market for augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) is forecast to top $300 billion by 2024. Hardware, like the HoloLens 2, and a powerful coding environment, such as the HoloLens emulator, Unity, or the Windows Mixed Reality simulator, are becoming increasingly popular in the development community as they seek to create solutions that tie the digital and physical worlds together.

The pandemic has highlighted the importance of employees having access to solutions that enable remote work. But while this is straightforward to implement for information workers, what about those in the manufacturing, healthcare, mining, and other sectors where physical engagement is still required?

Fortunately, the technology is now available to enable these specialists to interact with the real world through remote solutions. They can be the eyes and ears of those at the proverbial coalface with solutions like Microsoft Cloud, and the HoloLens 2 providing the means to bridge the gap.

IoT growth

Let’s consider this convergence of realities in its distinct parts. From a hardware perspective, there’s the Internet of Things (IoT). The ‘sensorising’ of the world is already in full swing. Today, you get everything from smart air-conditioners to washing machines which people can control via an app. On your way home from work, you can easily activate night mode at your home to arrive to the lights being turned on, the curtains or blinds drawn, and the aircon set to your favourite temp.

Taking it a step beyond, there are already smart grow kits available where people can cultivate vegetables at home using a sensor system that identifies and manages the optimal moisture, temperate, and light requirements of the produce. Again, all of this can be viewed and managed by an app.

Underpinning all this is a world of code that lies just beneath the surface of these sexy use cases.

Developers are in the pound seats to drive the change needed to realise the convergence between these realities. Using emulators, developers can create an immersive experience that makes it possible for technicians to work on plane engines thousands of kilometres away without leaving their offices.

Cloud-driven tools

I anticipate that within the next few years, we’ll see fundamental shifts taking place to a digital environment. Although South Africa has some way to go when it comes to mixed reality uptake, there are already several innovative applications of cloud-driven tools locally. Examples include artificial intelligence that enables better customer engagement while optimising operations, and empowering employees with insights they need to deliver strategic value.

Of course, developers are only as effective as the tools they have access to. And this is where cloud-based services such as those delivered through Azure become critical. Being able to use top-tier Microsoft tooling and cloud services to realise this integrated reality can bring with it significant benefits across business and consumer markets.

Take Beilinson Hospital in Israel as an example. During peak COVID-19 infections, it used Microsoft HoloLens and other technology to enable experienced physicians, located in a separate wing of the hospital, to log in and conduct a real-time video conversation with the resident treating a patient using a remote work application. The resident would put on the HoloLens headset and can talk simultaneously with both the senior physician and the patient, with the senior physician displayed as a 'floating' image on the headset monitor.

Power to the data

Certainly, the evolution of physical devices like the HoloLens 2 becoming more advanced has contributed to this enabling environment. But also, the increased availability of high powered computing resources in the cloud is making all this possible. The MR environment is a big place to explore where real and virtual worlds collide with a bang.

The possibilities are endless, and it starts with the developers. Having access to cloud-based tools, they can build powerful MR solutions. The secret sauce essential for success is data. Processing data at scale will be the single-most important thing that needs to be done in the MR environment.

Consider a car engine. It consists of thousands of parts, each representing a bit of data. Now for that integration to happen between digital and real, all these parts must be translated into data. Data ingress, data process, data audit, data analysis, everything will happen at a data level.

Developers, in conjunction with data scientists, hold the proverbial keys to the empire. Consumers are already embracing elements of MR solutions as are vertical industries. The convergence of all this could be here sooner than any of us expect.

Click here for information on how to experience the HoloLens 2 emulator.