For decades, we’ve relied on technology to upgrade and enhance the way that we communicate. First, it was the invention of the telephone, bringing people together wherever they were. Next, we upgraded to the internet, creating things like VoIP, which allowed for affordable cross-country conversations. Social media tools made instant messaging a possibility, and eventually video chat emerged as an easy way to replicate face-to-face interactions.
Now, there could be a new generation of communication on the horizon. Innovation in the extended reality landscape promises a future where teams can interact in 3D, just like they would in the office environment. The only difference? People don’t have to be in the same room anymore.
Through virtual reality, people can connect with virtual representations of each other, and interact with 3D resources to work on complex projects.
Exploring 3D Communication
Although video conferencing has emerged as a fantastic alternative to the basics of instant messaging and phone calls, it still lacks some of the human presence that today’s employees need. To really thrive in a digital environment, many specialists need a shared space, where they can interact with products, tools, and information alongside their team members.
Extended reality opens the door to this kind of 3D interaction in a variety of ways. In a virtual reality setting, team members could use a headset to step into a digital room with their colleagues and explore various documents and products laid out on a table. With AR glasses, team members could see information and Blueprints laid out in front of them, as though they were sitting on a desk.
Leapfrog 3D visualisation and modelling technology allows users to create 3D models of products to share with their colleagues when they need to visualize how an item might look or work together on the details of a new creation.
There’s even the possibility of growing opportunities in the mixed reality environment, where companies like Magic Leap and Microsoft are working with holograms to present digital information in a more immersive 3D format.
Bringing New Dimensions into Communication
As the world becomes increasingly dispersed and digital, it’s becoming less common for employees in the business world to share the same office. Team members need to interact with staff and specialists from across the globe. Those who can’t travel to meet with people in-person need another way to recreate the depth and presence of human interaction.
Extended reality is the technology emerging to replicate the value of in-person experiences like never before. You don’t just get a video of someone on your computer screen, or a series of pictures to show you what a product might look like. Instead, 3D rendering, computer vision, and intelligent software allows the digital and physical worlds to come together in a new way.
As we move ahead into a more globalized work environment, the number of investments made into XR technology is sure to increase, improving the dimensions of collaboration.
