XR Research and Development

Extended Reality is an umbrella term for a variety of immersive technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality. 

What are the differences between VR, AR and MR?

VR often refers to a constructed 3D environment that users can interact through display screens or wearables like Head-mounted Displays (HMD). AR, unlike VR, enriches and augments the real world by overlaying digital or virtual information onto physical objects in real-time. MR technology, a relatively new development in XR, is a hybrid that combines the best aspects of AR and VR. MR merges the real and virtual worlds in a way that allows for real-world objects to interact with virtual objects in real-time, creating practical scenarios for MR users. 

Examples of XR technology is the variety of solutions offered by Microsoft HoloLens, Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro. These headsets facilitate MR experiences to solve various challenges faced by individuals and organizations in sectors such as manufacturing, engineering, construction, healthcare, and education.

How can RISE contribute to XR research and developemnt?

At RISE, we contribute to XR research and development by leveraging our extensive expertise in various facets of XR. We focus on multi-user interaction, ensuring seamless and intuitive virtual experiences for multiple users. We prioritize user experience by designing personalized and engaging scenarios based on user-driven approaches and data. Our research addresses ethical considerations, guaranteeing privacy, safety, and inclusivity in XR applications. Additionally, we develop tailored XR concepts and environments for diverse applications, ranging from education and training to arts, entertainment and healthcare. Our involvement in both national and international projects, along with our participation in globally recognised consortiums and expert networks, enables us to collaborate effectively and enhance the impact of our research in the XR community.

What applications can be offered or envisaged in XR?

XR technologies continue to evolve, opening up new possibilities and applications across diverse fields, enhancing both professional and personal experiences. By blending digital and physical realities, XR offers a diverse array of applications that enhance user experiences across various fields, from entertainment to education and beyond. Here are some examples of potentials of XR in different application domains:

Entertainment and Media

• 360-Degree Videos: Users can watch immersive videos that allow them to look in any direction, providing a more engaging viewing experience.
• Virtual Cinemas: Users can watch movies in a virtual theater, simulating the experience of being in a real cinema.
• VR Concerts: Immersive platforms can offer live concerts in VR, where users can experience performances as if they are present at the venue.
• Interactive Storytelling: Immersive environemnts can provide immersive narratives that allow users to interact with the story as it unfolds around them.

Gaming

• Fully Immersive Games: VR games that transport users to entirely different worlds where they can interact with the environment.
• AR Games: Games that overlay digital elements onto the real world, such as Pokémon Go.

Education and Training

• Virtual Classrooms: Simulated environments where students can attend classes from anywhere in the world. For example, in a virtual science labs students can conduct experiments safely.
• Skill Training: VR simulations for practicing complex tasks in a controlled, risk-free environment. For example, VR can be used to train employees for customer service scenarios, improving preparedness without real-world risks.

Healthcare and Rehabilitation

• Medical Training: VR simulations for training surgeons and medical professionals to provide realistic simulations for medical professionals.
• Physical Rehabilitation: XR applications that assist patients in their recovery process through guided exercises, for example in cases of patients with neurological disorders perform physical therapy exercises.

Real Estate and Architecture

• Virtual Property Tours: Prospective buyers can tour properties remotely through VR in a platform that offers 3D virtual tours of real estate listings.
• Architectural Visualization: Architects can create and walk through virtual models of buildings before they are constructed.

Industrial Applications

• Product Design: XR tools for visualizing and manipulating product designs in a virtual space. For example, car manufacturing companies use AR to visualize car designs and make real-time adjustments.
• Maintenance and Repair: AR applications that overlay instructions and diagnostics onto machinery for easier maintenance. For instance, it can be used for technicians to receive hands-free guidance while performing complex repairs.

Tourism and Exploration

• Virtual Tours: Users can explore famous landmarks and destinations from the comfort of their homes.
• Cultural Heritage Preservation: XR recreations of historical sites for educational purposes. Example coule be virtual museum tours that provide access to exhibits and artifacts from around the world.

Retail and E-commerce

• Virtual Shopping: Customers can browse and purchase products in a virtual store environment. For instance furniture design can use XR that allows users to place true-to-scale 3D models of the furniture in their own homes to see how they fit and look.
• AR Try-On: Users can see how clothes, accessories, or makeup will look on them before purchasing it using AR.

Social Interaction

• Virtual Social Spaces: Platforms where people can meet, interact, host meetings, and socialize in a virtual environment.

Workplace Collaboration

• Virtual Meetings: Remote teams can meet in virtual spaces, providing a more immersive and interactive experience than traditional video conferencing.
• Collaborative Design: Teams can work together on 3D models and designs in a shared virtual space.

Sports and Fitness

• Virtual Workouts: Fitness apps that provide guided workouts in a virtual environment or led by virtual coaches.
• Sports Training: AR and VR tools for athletes to practice and improve their skills in a simulated environment, or visualize and analyze their performance.

Art, Performance and Creativity

• Virtual Art Studios: Tools that allow artists to create in a virtual space using 3D modeling and painting tools.
• Interactive Exhibits: Artists, museums and galleries can offer interactive AR and VR exhibitions and performance to enhance visitor engagement or offer new forms of expressive art. 

Military and Defense

• Training Simulations: VR simulations for training soldiers in combat scenarios and tactical operations, or enhance soldiers' situational awareness

Environmental Conservation

• Virtual Ecology Tours: Educate the public about environmental issues through immersive virtual experiences to, for example, raise awareness about endangered species and conservation efforts.
• AR Wildlife Tracking: Tools that assist researchers in tracking and studying wildlife using AR overlays.