What a Construction Client Saw in Mixed Reality

{Podcast / Article} Diving Deep into the Immersive Futures of AR, VR and MR

So, a builder, a technologist and a futurist walk into a boardroom, sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but it was the beginning of a really interesting on-going advisory project, where the brief was to imagine how a traditional industry, construction, could better use the power of cutting-edge technology’s to revolutionise the way their business operates and builds.

One of the exploration paths we took was to explore the potential of immersive technologies – AR, VR, and MR – and how these might transform every stage of the building process, from conception, design and planning to on-site execution and client handover.

This really interesting journey of immersive technology possibilities also sparked the topic of conversation for this week’s on-air chat with Triple M’s Breakfast Show host, Atlas Cook (listen to the podcast at my blog) .

Together, we delved into the exciting possibilities these technologies offer, and why they’re experiencing a significant mainstream resurgence.

Setting the Stage: A World Beyond the Screen

Before we dive headfirst into the exciting world of AR, VR, and MR, let’s clear up any confusion between these terms.

Imagine the world you experience every day, but with digital elements seamlessly woven into it. That’s AR (Augmented Reality), think Pokémon popping up on your sidewalk or a furniture store app letting you virtually place a couch in your living room.

VR (Virtual Reality), on the other hand, is a complete digital immersion. Think strapping on a headset and exploring the depths of the ocean, scaling Mount Everest, or battling aliens in a futuristic cityscape. VR creates a whole new world to experience.

Finally, MR (Mixed Reality) blends the physical and digital. Imagine a surgeon seeing a real-time X-ray overlaid onto their patient during surgery, or an architect virtually walking through a building design alongside a client. MR allows for real-time interaction with virtual objects in the real world.

The Immersive Tech Boom: A Market on the Rise

The immersive technology market is no longer a niche fascination.

Currently valued at a staggering $27 billion USD, it’s projected to explode to a mind-blowing $783.3 billion by 2030 – that’s a growth rate of over 2,700%!

Forget the gamer stereotype – demographics are shifting. Millennials, Gen Z, and even baby boomers are showing strong interest in exploring this technological frontier.

Real-World Applications: Beyond Entertainment

The applications of immersive technologies are truly endless, and they extend far beyond entertainment, here’s a few examples of where and how:

• Manufacturing: AR can revolutionise assembly lines by overlaying instructions directly onto machinery, reducing errors and training time for new employees. Imagine a worker receiving step-by-step visual guidance as they assemble a complex product.
• Architecture and Design: Architects can use VR to create immersive walkthroughs of unbuilt structures, allowing clients to experience their dream home or office space before a single brick is laid. This fosters better communication and earlier identification of potential design flaws.
• Healthcare: The medical field is embracing VR for surgical training. Surgeons can practice complex procedures in a safe, virtual environment before operating on real patients. AR is also being used to overlay medical scans onto patients, allowing for more precise diagnoses and treatment plans.
• Education: Imagine students experiencing historical events firsthand through VR simulations or exploring the human body in a virtual anatomy lab. AR can enhance learning by overlaying digital information onto textbooks and classroom objects. The possibilities for interactive and engaging education are boundless.
• Retail: Forget the dressing room! VR allows customers to virtually try on clothes before purchasing them, reducing returns and improving the shopping experience. AR can create interactive product displays in stores, providing customers with additional information and enhancing brand engagement.

The immersive tech revolution is set for a massive resurgence with advancements in hardware making these technologies lighter, more comfortable, and more affordable with the potential to transform the way we live, work, and learn, with headsets ranging from $200 to $4000.

The possibilities are truly limitless and the future of this tech, in the medium to long term, is strangely enough not in headsets but in holograms (but that's another story, for another day).

What are your thoughts?

How do you see AR, VR, and MR impacting our future?

Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let’s keep the conversation going!

Want to know what my construction client saw?

Well, that’s commercial in confidence, but we can definitely chat about what we might find together, in your future.

To read the full article at my blog and listen to the Podcast on this topic click here.

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