XR spans virtual and real-world environments to create fully immersive experiences. XR employs Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) to change how people view and interact with the world around them. While most people primarily associate this technology with gaming, it is also revolutionizing various other sectors and industries and is emerging as a powerful tool for social impact and change.
XR 101
Readers of this publication are likely familiar with XR and its dynamics. But let’s take a step back to level set. Unlike the 2D interfaces that we are used to interacting with in our daily lives, such as our phones and computers, XR allows users to fully immerse themselves in what almost feels like a digitized alternate reality using a combination of VR, AR and MR. When these technologies are combined, they alter your perception of reality, allowing you to interact with digital objects in real-world settings or real objects in the digital world.
This new reality is achieved by creating a seamless blend of the real and digital world using devices that have sensory feedback systems. For example, users might wear a head-mounted display and use hand-held devices that enable them to view and interact with digital elements as if they were right in front of them.
How XR is Changing the World
XR has the power to completely transform how people interact with the world around them, not only changing perceptions but also enhancing our capabilities and what we can achieve. While XR technologies are still evolving, we are already seeing a wide range of applications that are having a transformative impact on society.
1. Learning and Training
XR is having a significant impact on education and training by creating more immersive learning environments. Instead of simply studying a text or watching a video, students can fully immerse themselves in virtual and augmented environments for more engaging and hands-on learning.
This is particularly helpful in certain professional industries such as aerospace. For example, NASA uses XR technology when training astronauts so they can experience what they will be faced with once they launch into space.
XR also makes it easier to train and educate remote students across multiple time zones and locations. In training environments where a sterile cleanroom is needed, students can use the XR technology to work remotely in a virtual cleanroom instead of needing to find a real-world cleanroom to work in, which can be inaccessible and expensive.
2. Healthcare
In healthcare, XR is helping to transform patient care. Healthcare professionals can use XR to simulate medical procedures, so they can get more practice before performing the procedure in the real world, which can improve surgery outcomes. XR can also be used in therapeutic practices by guiding patients through simulated exercises that can help calm them to help better manage pain and anxiety.
3. Climate Change
The combination of XR and AI is also helping solve climate change. These are both powerful technologies that when utilized together, can significantly enhance capabilities in the environmental sector.
For example, AI and AR as well as VR can be used to boost urban planning initiatives. Builders and planners can use this technology to simulate their plans, which can help them determine how best to use the land and resources. The same is true for agricultural planning, allowing farmers to use AI and XR to guide them as they plan and map out their crops and how to most efficiently use water and fertilizers.
AR can also be used to boost climate change awareness. AI-powered software combined with AR simulations can provide the public with real-time data that enables them to better understand the effects and causes of climate change. Everyday users can also use mobile AR applications to visualize and immerse themselves in educational climate change experiences. Using VR, people can also virtually visit parts of the world that might otherwise be inaccessible to them so they can view the impacts of climate change around the globe.
4. Workplace and Economic Development
In the workplace, XR can help improve efficiencies and boost safety and productivity. For example, with VR and AR immersive learning, companies can ensure their employees are better trained and prepared to do their work, which can reduce errors and workplace incidents.
XR technologies can also be used to streamline the onboarding process, using simulations to help familiarize new employees more quickly with company culture, their roles, expectations, and team dynamics. AR and VR can also foster better collaboration among remote teams, by enabling staff to virtually be in the same place at the same time for meetings and when working on projects.
5. Ethical Considerations and Responsibilities
While XR technology is a powerful tool that can have a positive impact on society, it is important that we use this technology responsibly to avoid ethical complications and safety issues.
For starters, it will be crucial that XR experiences are made accessible to all users, no matter their limitations or disabilities. This means enabling assistive experiences to support users who may have certain impairments.
Privacy is also a concern. Virtual environments generate vast amounts of data, and it’s important that this data is kept safe and secure and doesn’t violate anyone’s privacy. For example, when collecting user data, companies must be transparent and upfront about what information they are gathering and if that information is being made available to third parties.
Augmented cybercrime could also pose a threat. With a growing XR market, there will likely be an increase in people trying to take advantage of virtual environments by hacking VR and AR systems. This means it will be important for these systems and their supporting devices to be protected through encryption and other advanced cybersecurity measures.
Another ethical consideration is how AR can negatively impact self-image. XR technologies have revolutionized the way we engage with entertainment and social media content, however, overuse of AR filters in these situations could lead people to develop a negative body image.
Even without XR, social media already impacts body image by promoting unreasonable standards, encouraging self-critique, and cyberbullying. But AR and VR, which can make distinguishing between real and virtual more difficult, can exacerbate this issue. As such, it will be important for companies using these technologies to educate users on the impact of using filters, give them the choice to use them or not, and avoid promoting unrealistic beauty standards.
The Carrot and the Stick
As the use of XR continues to grow, it will be important for users, developers, and companies to understand how to use these technologies responsibly. XR’s positive impacts on society will be hindered if it is not used responsibly and ethically.
Indiana Lee is a writer who focuses on emerging tech, wellness, and environmental topics.
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