The COVID-19 pandemic took a huge toll on mankind throughout 2020 and 2021. However, the extensive lockdown period led to the rise of remote working models and marked the advent of a new era of flexibility.
However, replicating the on-site collaborative experience across remote workplaces is tough, no matter how hard you try! That’s where Extended Reality technology (better known as XR technology) steps in to save the day. This advanced technology is said to revolutionize the remote workplace experience and make it even more immersive and collaborative than ever.
In this blog, we’ve had a detailed discussion on extended reality and how it has influenced the landscape of remote workplaces. So, let’s follow along till the end to find out some interesting facts and understand how XR technology is redefining the future of work-from-anywhere!
If you’ve never heard of the latest technology, you might be wondering, “What is extended reality?”
Well, extended reality is a broad umbrella term. Why an umbrella? That’s because XR covers a spectrum of technologies that help blur the line between virtual and real worlds. This includes:
VR technology goes on to create an immersive, virtual environment, which you can access through VR headsets. You will feel physically present inside that virtual environment, and even interact with objects you see around yourself. Not just that, but you can also interact with other users through gestures and movements inside that digital environment!
AR helps project digital information onto the real environment. Through advanced devices like smartphones or smart glasses, you can easily see or interact with virtual elements that blend seamlessly into your physical surroundings. This enhances what you already see and adds to a remarkable experience.
As the name only suggests, MR offers the best of the real as well as virtual worlds. What’s best about it is that it allows real-world and digital objects to interact with each other. This goes on to create a highly integrated and immersive experience.
Now that you’re aware of what XR technology is, let’s take a look at how it benefits remote work environments-
One of the first things that XR does is that it makes collaborations feel far more intuitive and natural among remote team members. Now, instead of just seeing your colleagues on a flat screen, you can actually meet them in a virtual space! But how?
Well, think of it like this. Each of the employees is represented by an avatar. When you join a meeting, everyone’s avatars gather around a virtual table and brainstorm about a new product or idea. Such an immersive environment churns out spontaneous interactions and a sense of presence that traditional video calls can’t replicate! This goes on to foster a deeper connection and understanding between employees.
Since extended reality technology focuses on streamlining communication via immersive workspaces, it results in higher productivity for remote employees. Your team can now conduct more focused reviews, quicker prototype iterations, and even solve complex problems in that shared virtual environment.
The technology can manipulate 3D data and visualize projects in an immersive way that reduces miscommunication and speeds up decision-making. Added to that, XR can also help minimize distractions, which are common in physical environments. This helps individuals stay focused on the task at hand.
This happens to be one of the most immediate and tangible benefits of extended reality in remote work environments! How so?
Well, businesses can now easily eliminate the need for employees to fly across states or countries for meetings, on-site inspections, or training, for that matter. Instead, these activities can be conducted virtually through XR.
For instance, a global sales team can meet in a virtual showroom. R&D engineers can conduct remote site visits. Also, support staff can troubleshoot equipment issues from afar, all without ever having to leave their home offices!
XR transforms remote training from passive learning into an active and immersive experience. Instead of going through manuals or watching videos, employees can enter virtual environments to practice complex professional skills.
For instance, think of a surgeon practising a delicate procedure with VR headsets. This interactive, real-time simulation allows for hands-on learning, immediate feedback, and the ability to repeat scenarios until mastery is achieved. These are the real-life applications of extended reality that lead to better knowledge retention and faster skill development.
Extended reality in business holds immense promise for the future of remote work. However, at the same time, its widespread adoption comes with a range of hurdles. And understanding these challenges is the first step towards overcoming them
One significant barrier to integrating XR is the high upfront cost of the hardware. This becomes an issue especially with high-fidelity VR headsets and advanced mixed reality devices. Equipping every remote employee with the necessary gear can be a substantial investment.
Besides that, ensuring equitable access is also a big hurdle. Not all employees may have the required internet bandwidth or home setup to support the powerful demands of XR applications. This can create potential disparities within the team.
Integrating XR solutions goes beyond just buying headsets. It requires a robust technical infrastructure, which includes high-speed networks and specialized software platforms.
But providing adequate technical support to a dispersed workforce is very challenging. Issues like software glitches or hardware malfunctions would require prompt and effective remote troubleshooting. Hence, such setups demand a dedicated IT team with specialized XR knowledge.
Even if you’re equipped with the best XR technology, getting employees to consistently use XR can be a big hurdle. Some may find the headsets uncomfortable, which could lead to fatigue or even motion sickness, especially during long sessions. There’s also a learning curve that exists with new interfaces and interaction methods. Overcoming this initial resistance and ensuring a positive user experience is vital for widespread adoption of the technology.
XR environments are becoming increasingly sophisticated with every passing day. So, we can expect that they will handle sensitive data, which includes company secrets, personal employee data, and even biometric information.
Hence, ensuring the security and privacy of this data within immersive, interconnected virtual spaces becomes paramount. Companies must implement robust security protocols, comply with data protection regulations, and be transparent among users regarding how their information is collected, stored, and utilized within the platform.
The XR market is still evolving. And this has led to a lack of universal standards across different hardware and software platforms. This can create interoperability challenges, where applications built for one system might not work seamlessly on another. Companies might find themselves locked into specific vendors or face difficulties while integrating various XR tools and content. A lack of standardization can hinder scalability and create fragmented experiences for users.
However, the bright side to this is that these challenges are being actively addressed. The prices of advanced XR devices have started to decrease, and developers are increasingly trying to make the software more user-friendly and intuitive. At this current pace, the integration of extended reality technology across remote workspaces will become more seamless in the future!
Extended reality technology isn’t just a mere trend that’ll wear out in the upcoming years. Rather, it is actively reshaping the remote-working landscape and bringing about some real revolutionary changes! It is helping us move from video calls to immersive interactions inside a virtual environment.
XR technology enables businesses to create alternative virtual spaces, which makes physical or geographical distances irrelevant. This is empowering more companies to adopt a flexible and hybrid working model, as it’s far more cost-effective and efficient than the conventional methods.
Extended Reality (XR) is a rather broad term. It includes technologies like VR, AR, and MR. It combines the physical and virtual worlds and goes on to create an immersive and interactive experience for users.
XR is crucial because it has revolutionized how we interact with digital content and each other. It has helped break down geographical barriers and enabled more intuitive experiences. In short, it offers transformative potential across diverse industries.
The primary purpose of XR is to create more immersive and interactive virtual experiences by merging digital information with our perception of reality. It aims to enhance human capabilities and interactions, and bridges the gap between digital and physical worlds in meaningful ways.
An example of XR is a remote team collaborating on a 3D product design in a virtual meeting space (MR), where they can manipulate the digital model as if it were physically present. Another is using an AR app on your phone to visualize how a new piece of furniture would look in your living room before you buy it.
Mr. Robert Willson is one of the few geeks who never gets tired when it comes to technology. From the latest gadgets to AI and machine learning, Mr. Willson translates them into easy-to-digest insights. Where there is tech, there is him!
