Mixed Reality is a major evolution of Augmented Reality (AR) – the technology behind the Pokémon GO . In a “hybrid” environment, interactive virtual objects can be mapped to the physical environment, combining real and virtual reality.
While the basic premise of AR and MR is similar, the crucial difference is the underlying technology. MR works (for now, at least) through a headset, while AR works through a flat screen, such as that of a smartphone or tablet. MR is also aware of the geometry of the environment around you – using it as a canvas to create depth in content, defined by the space you are in.
The recent launch of Magic Leap (ML) has sparked a lot of interest in MR, but the technology has been around for a while – Microsoft launched HoloLens in 2016. Currently, Microsoft is focused on solving its business needs, while ML is working on bringing wonders to our world. However, over time, the choice of MR technology will be surpassed and we will be left with the most important part of it, which is content.
MR promises to be a truly disruptive technology
Smartphones changed our lives because they gave us access to something that already existed – the Internet – in a more convenient way. MR is also going to change our lives. Not by taking something that already exists and making it more convenient, but by completely revolutionizing how we see and interact with the world.
The ability to free ourselves from our physical limitations will change the way we exist in the world.
Think about the changes it will bring to travel. If we can have a meeting as if we were present through an MR device, the need for business travel and commuting would be reduced. We would save a lot of time and money.
But also in terms of education, if we have an AI assistant that knows what we're trying to achieve, the way we acquire our skills will also change. Imagine opening the hood of a broken down car and knowing exactly what to do to fix it.
MR and businesses
In May 2018, a Toshiba survey found that 82% of businesses predict that “AR smart glasses” will be used by their businesses in the next three years. MR represents a huge opportunity for solving business problems – the ability for companies to see what consumers are trying to do is very powerful in a business context.
One example of this is French manufacturing company Renault Trucks. In collaboration with technology company Immersion, the company is using a HoloLens at its Lyon facility to improve quality control processes with engine assembly operations. An engineer who led the project said: “In practice, quality control operators will wear Microsoft HoloLens, which will integrate all the digitized parts of the engine. Through the glasses and the Mixed Reality interface, operators will see decision-making instructions that will guide them through the most complex inspection operations. Currently, operators working at inspection points still use written instructions.” This is a clear step forward in terms of ease of operation.
Similarly, ThyssenKrupp, a German elevator and escalator manufacturer, is also using HoloLens. Field technicians use the device to ensure they have all the necessary information, literally in front of their eyes, to ensure they can fix the machine as efficiently as possible.
BAE Systems, a multinational defense, security, and aerospace company, has also used HoloLens in its processes for manufacturing electric propulsion devices. Through the use of the device, the company has achieved a 50% reduction in assembly time.
MR in the enterprise isn’t limited to Microsoft HoloLens, though. In 2014, Google Glass sales collapsed for consumers due to privacy concerns, but on an industrial level, the technology has flourished, resulting in Google Glass Enterprise Edition. The device has helped professionals from doctors to auto mechanics. Training videos, annotated images, and quality control dashboards can be easily accessed to ensure tasks are done safely and quickly. The glasses can also offer connectivity to colleagues so they can see what you’re seeing via a live video stream to enable real-time collaboration and troubleshooting.
Deloitte predicts that “more than 150 companies across multiple industries, including 52 of the Fortune 500, are testing or have deployed AR/VR solutions.” That means more than 10% of Fortune 500 companies are looking at new technologies to improve their businesses. While a recent report from Forrester confirms that by 2025, an estimated 14.4 million American workers will be wearing smart glasses.
And that’s just in business. MR can and will add magic to our everyday lives as well. MR allows us to write our own rules for how people see the world and how they react to it. By marrying the physical and digital in unexpected ways, we can revitalize, stimulate, and inspire. The possibilities are endless.
