Future Predictions Of How Virtual Reality And Augmented Reality Will Reshape Our Lives

Future Predictions Of How
Will Reshape Our Lives
Virtual Reality And Augmented Reality

© 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
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Introduction
Introduction
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are booming and promise to
transform many aspects of our lives. Here we look at the future trends and
predictions for the exciting field of Extended Reality (XR).
Future Predictions Of How Virtual Reality And Augmented
Reality Will Reshape Our Lives

With the extended reality (XR) revolution already underway, it’s easy to
envision a future in which the lines between the real world and the
virtual world become even more blurred than they are today. In this
article, I look at the technological advances coming our way in virtual
reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) and what these might mean for
everyday life in the future.

Rapid XR advances are on the horizon
In the future, it’s likely we’ll experience XR in ways we can’t yet imagine. But, for
now, there are plenty of imminent tech advances to look forward to. We’ll have
faster, lighter, more affordable VR technology. And advances in smartphone
technology (such as better cameras and processors) will mean we can enjoy
slicker AR and VR experiences on our phones. And with 5G wireless networks,
we'll be able to enjoy them wherever we are in the world.

Here are some of the key advances in XR tech that are just around the corner:
 LiDAR will bring more realistic AR creations to our phones.
The iPhone 12 and iPad Pro are now equipped with LiDAR technology, and it’s reasonable
to expect other devices will follow suit in due course. LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)
is essentially used to create a 3D map of surroundings, which can seriously boost a
device’s AR capabilities. It can provide a sense of depth to AR creations – instead of them
looking like a flat graphic. It also allows for occlusion, which is where any real physical
object located in front of the AR object should, obviously, block the view of it – for
example, people's legs blocking out a Pokémon GO character on the street. This is vital for
making AR creations appear more rooted in the real world and avoiding clunky AR
experiences.

 VR headsets will get smaller, lighter, and incorporate more features.
Hand detection and eye tracking are two prominent examples of the built-in
technology that will increasingly be incorporated into VR headsets. Because
hand detection allows VR users to control movements without clunky
controllers, users can be more expressive in VR and connect with their game or
VR experience on a deeper level. And the inclusion of eye-tracking technology
allows the system to focus the best resolution and image quality only on the
parts of the image that the user is looking at (exactly how the human eye does).
This taxes the system less, reduces lag and reduces the risk of nausea.

 We’ll have new XR accessories to deepen the experience further.
One of my favorites examples is robotic boots. Startup Ekto VR has created
wearable robotic boots that provide the sensation of walking, to match your
movement in the headset, even though you’re actually standing still. The Ekto
One robotic boots look a bit like futuristic roller skates except, instead of wheels,
they have rotating discs on the bottom, which move to match the direction of
the wearer’s movements. In future, accessories like this may be considered a
normal part of the VR experience.

 We'll even have full-body haptic suits.
We already have things like haptic gloves, which simulate the feeling of touch
through vibrations. But what about full body suits? In fact, full-body suits are
already available – the TESLASUIT being one example – but they aren't exactly
affordable for everyday VR users. They will probably become more affordable,
mainstream, and effective in time, providing yet another leap forward for VR.

Merging the human body with XR technologies?
Looking beyond these external accessories and devices, we may see XR technologies
begin to integrate more seamlessly with the human body. One way is through AR contact
lenses. While it's true that AR glasses will get better, cheaper, and more comfortable, in
the future they may also become obsolete as AR lenses take over. Such lenses are already
in development; in 2020, California-based startup Mojo Vision revealed it was developing
AR contact lenses with micro-LED displays that place information inside the wearer’s eyes.
Imagine the uses for such AR lenses. For now, Mojo says that its first priority is to help
people struggling with poor vision (by providing better contrast or the ability to zoom in
on objects). But the intention is the lenses will eventually be made available for everyday
consumers, and could be used to project things like health tracking stats and other useful
data. Indeed, when demonstrating the prototype to journalists, the lenses displayed pre-
loaded information like text messages and the weather report, indicating that AR lenses
could help us consume content in new ways. It could also help us enhance our sight in low
light conditions (even if our vision is otherwise trouble-free), or even serve as a
teleprompter for speaking events.

Merging the human body with XR technologies?
Eventually, AR lenses could potentially be used to augment the world around us,
so we could see whatever we wanted. Let’s say you hate the garish paint job
your neighbors have done on the exterior of their home. In the future, your
lenses could change it for you, and you’ll see whatever color house you choose.
Or let’s say you see an impressive building and want to know who designed it
and when it was built. Your lenses could overlay the information directly in front
of your eyes. All of which would further blur the boundaries between the real
world and the virtual one.

Keeping the benefits of XR in mind
It would be easy to paint all this with a dystopian flair – a slippery slope that
starts with playing Pokémon GO and ends up with humans permanently wired
up to a virtual world. But I feel hugely positive about the future of XR. At the end
of the day, XR is about turning information into experiences, and this can make
so many aspects of our lives richer and more fulfilling.
Yes, there are pitfalls to overcome (individual privacy, ethics, and so on). Yet, the
potential benefits of XR far outweigh the challenges. Certainly for businesses, XR
offers huge scope to drive business success, whether that means engaging more
deeply with customers, creating immersive training solutions, streamlining
business processes such as manufacturing and maintenance, or generally
offering customers innovative solutions to their problems.

Keeping the benefits of XR in mind
Read more about extended reality technologies in my new book, Extended
Reality in Practice: 100+ Amazing Ways Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality
Are Changing Business and Society. It’s packed with real-world examples from
sectors such as retail, manufacturing, education, travel and hospitality, law
enforcement, and more.

Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website
© 2020 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2017 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website

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Future Predictions Of How Virtual Reality And Augmented Reality Will Reshape Our Lives

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Future Predictions Of How Virtual Reality And Augmented Reality Will Reshape Our Lives