AR, VR & WEBXR SOLUTIONS

The evolution of technology, which is a never-ending & constant process, has carved a new path for modern science in the form of a field known as AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality). Virtual reality technology provides a high-end simulated experience created by using digital software & hardware to provide real-world experience. Augmented reality technology integrates digital information with the user’s environment in real-time. The users of AR experience a real-world environment, whereas the users of VR experience an artificial environment. There are various use cases of AR VR solutions across diverse sectors as these solutions don’t limit themselves to only gaming & similar experiences. Here are the top use cases. 

Use cases of AR/VR across diverse sectors:- 

The AR/VR market is growing at an unprecedented rate, so here are its top use cases:- 

Healthcare:- 

The AR/VR technologies impact every step from minor to major in the healthcare lifecycle. Doctors leverage AR and VR solutions to ensure better healthcare services, from diagnosis to treatment. For example, augmented surgery is soon gaining momentum. With AR/VR, doctors can visualize patient anatomy using AR headsets and meticulously visualize where to create or inject an incision. In a way, it adds effectiveness to the surgery. This technology also helps patients diagnose better when they cannot describe their symptoms adequately. 

Manufacturing:- 

The use cases of AR/VR in the manufacturing industry have multiple implications. AR VR solutions come in handy to this industry while preparing virtual models of vehicles before the actual model, so they can have a virtual prototype without time & effort getting wasted. This combined technology facilitates efficient inventory management and prevents any manufacturing unit or assembly line from being vulnerable to safety hazards.  

Gaming:- 

The most widely known use cases of AR/VR are in the gaming industry. It gives gamers a real-time experience, be it fighting with aliens, destroying planets, and many such that they are navigating in the game. This technology is allowing them to redefine what they experience. Smartphones and gaming consoles are also supporting the AR/VR experience. The use of headsets for gaming is another aspect of this technology. Gamers can use geolocation-based apps to immerse in virtual experiences using smartphones. 

Retail:- 

In recent times, AR/VR use cases have increased in the retail industry. With this technology, customers can experience a product selection as they would in a physical store by happily sitting at home. AR VR solutions facilitate navigation that allows them to visualize the entire store in one go when they are physically present at the store. Customers can also see how a product might suit their needs through an overlay of images at home to get the right experience. Using 3-dimensional graphic-rich content, personalized marketing, an important part of the retail industry, augments user attraction. In addition, retailers are using AR/VR technology for employee training in creating real-life simulation environments for the training process. 

Real Estate:- 

The use cases of AR/VR in real estate can bridge the gap with the clients virtually visiting the property and getting a 3-dimensional walk-through. In this way, clients can visit virtually as many properties as they want and physically visit only the one that interests them. So, a lot of time, effort, and energy are saved. 

There are different ways in how Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) work on mobile phones. In mobile applications, 2 types of AR can be used. Each of these 2 types of AR varies in terms of their sensors and technologies. Though they both differ, the basic principle of displaying virtual 3D objects on top of a camera view remains the same. The process of VR working on a mobile phone is quite simple. First, one needs to insert the smartphone into the VR headset, which has 2 lenses through which one looks at the smartphone. Then, a specific app runs on the phone, splits the image, and shifts it, & thus creating this three-dimensional effect. Here is a detailed understanding of how AR and VR solutions work on a mobile phone. 

How Augmented Reality (AR) works on Mobile? 

one can build Android AR application and release it in the Google Play Store. But not every other device can support AR, so whether devices are AR-ready or not, Google certifies it through its ARCore Android studio project. So the quality of the devices in terms of camera, design architecture, and motion sensors are checked by this studio project to ensure that it performs as expected. A powerful CPU is needed for the device to ensure good performance and effective real-time calculations that are done by integrating the CPU with the hardware design. Users must install it on their AR-compatible android devices with Android 7.0 Nougat, or it can be installed with Google Play Services for AR. They have to install this to get the complete functionality of augmented reality applications. 

One can use multiple software development kits (SDKs) to integrate AR into your app development, with augmented reality gaining popularity day by day. Some software used for augmented reality is Google ARCore, Vuforia, ARToolKit, & Apple ARKit.  

How Virtual Reality (AR) works on Mobile? 

Google Cardboard app is an essential app that works on almost every mobile phone. In this way, many applications can split the picture into 2, letting these pictures move in accordance with the movement of your head. Google developed VR support for mobile phones with the Google Cardboard app, which all of sudden brought innumerable apps & VR headsets for smartphones onto the market. This Google Cardboard app serves as the center for many VR apps such as Youtube-VR and various VR games. In addition, a controller can be used that also detects the controller’s movement with the Google Daydream app. But, not all smartphones are suitable for Google Daydream. 

Overlaying digitized information in the real (offline) world, for example, by displaying information about the building you are looking at, is AR’s underlying principle or the crucial idea. These AR apps offer troubleshooting information when a headset is aimed at a piece of failing equipment is one example of AR. Computer-generated reality experience that is created usually by wearing a headset is the underlying principle of VR. A VR can let a user box a cartoon version of Mike Tyson in a virtual boxing ring is one example of VR. AR VR solutions are tremendously working on mobile phones through the ways mentioned above. 

In today’s digital world, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality have captured the attention of people who are driven crazy to play AR & VR games. There are multiple use cases of AR VR solutions; hence, people are exploring innumerable possibilities daily with these technologies. AR/VR platforms offer App-based and Web-based experiences. AR and VR solutions have made it easy to create or experience them. By properly understanding how to use a mobile phone, keyboard, and mouse, one can easily create and experience Augmented & Virtual Reality by themselves. 

Reasons for AR/VR experiences better than native apps:- 

Here are a few reasons why AR/VR experiences are extraordinary as compared to many native apps:- 

AR/VR brings experiences closer to the audience:- 

It is difficult to grab people’s attention with your AR-VR content through an app in this busy and changing world. Your marketing process should be short and straightforward, as the marketers advise. You can’t make or force people to download an app to showcase your ideas or creativity with Virtual and Augmented Reality experiences. The probability of downloading your exceptional AR or VR content and experiencing it will be only 70% if you share the content with 100 people, where you are losing out on your 30 potential customers. To avoid restrictions with no additional steps, you can send a web link to your audience and let them experience AR & VR on any device of their choice. In a way, you are one step closer to your audience with WebAR & WebVR. 

Reach to a broader audience:- 

Your AR VR app content must be creative and out of box idea for a massive audience to see and experience it. For example, if you want to create an AR or VR experience of a product or place, share it with everyone for a quick survey. It would help you analyze how much it can engage people. Then, you can create a 360-degree experience and share it with people on social media with a web link in the description for people to experience. As the market of AR and VR is still new, to captivate the audience with Virtual & Augmented reality experiences, do it the right way to attract people effectively. 

Convenient to access it:- 

It is a tedious process to download and install an app to visualize AR VR solutions. But, simply with the use of a web link, one can create and experience Augmented and Virtual Reality. Within no time, AR/VR content can also be published and updated. 

AR/VR is forever for every device:- 

The developer has to develop an application for all types of devices such as Android, iOS, desktop, windows, tab, VR headsets, and many more with App-based AR/VR experiences. Apps need updates at regular intervals that are adding to complexity by consuming more time for your business. But the development of a platform is effective and easy with WebAR/VR, so it is one platform for every type of device. It is simple and quick to update a platform with WebVR/AR, and the changes are reflected at the same moment in every single device. 

So anyone would love to choose WebVR/AR, a cheaper, easier, simpler, accessible technology you can experience within a few seconds than an old-fashioned, less effective, time-consuming, and costlier – App.  

The AR and VR technologies, to become the actual mainstream technologies, have a long time to go for further development as both AR & VR are still in their infancy stage. As a result, there are many challenges for AR VR solutions in terms of their technology and business perspectives. Here are some of those challenges. 

Technology & Business-based challenges:- 

Mobile processing capability is limited:- 

Various mobile handsets have limited processing power, and tethering a user to a server or desktop is unrealistic. To overcome this, either the work will have to be offloaded to the cloud, or the mobile processing power will have to expand. 

Mobile bandwidth is also limited:- 

Mobile phone bandwidth is very slow to offer the necessary real-time video processing in most places. However, cloud-based processing provides a potential solution to the mobile phone processing bottleneck. In this way, there will be a change as mobile bandwidth improves.  

Costly and complicated development process:- 

It is complicated and costly to design an AR or VR application. So development tools are required to become more user-friendly to make these AR & VR technologies accessible to programmers. 

Inconvenience in Virtual Reality hardware:- 

User experience is often distracted while putting on a virtual reality headset and clearing a room. Modified gaming controllers that are a form of VR input devices are also mostly intuitive with a steep learning curve. 

The business model to be built is a challenge:- 

Most AR and VR applications remain in the early stages of development which is not proven viable in the business world outside of video gaming. 

Privacy and Security issues:- 

Have you ever wondered how video feeds are secured and where copies are stored? A backlash on the original Google Glass proved that the mainstream remains doubtful about their privacy implications and the proliferation of cameras.  

User experience is limited:- 

Users on their smartphones and other devices can’t get enough 360-degree videos and AR games like Pokemon Go. Most available devices are not competent enough to provide full-fledged AR/VR experiences. Consumers need more powerful and elevated electronics that can operate and enhance comprehensive Virtual & Augmented reality experiences to get the full flavor of AR/VR. Currently available devices in the market with AR/VR features have several consumption & display issues. Most of the solutions that an AR VR app development company develops are getting less traction. 

Comfort & Aesthetics:- 

Aesthetics are critical when it comes to digital experiences like AR VR solutions that are looked at by most customers. Currently, AR VR device aesthetics constitute a significant aspect triggering the adoption of these technologies. Most AR/VR wearables come with a lot of bulky form factors. Users do experience some laser-focus designs, despite their large and modern size. In addition, the design of these wearables doesn’t provide prolonged usage comfortably. 

The number of Use cases is limited:- 

Many consumers see no purpose in buying these AR/VR devices except that it appears mainly to the techies & gamers. However, real AR inherent is a significant challenge for enterprises. 

WebXR includes Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) applied in web applications and is referred to as Extended Reality (XR) technologies. An effective tool is WebXR, which helps to engage current customers and generate new ones. Why is WebXR required? No one enjoys downloading apps in actuality. So, in contrast, WebXR applications are accessed via Safari or Google Chrome, the internet browsers, making them adaptable to all devices they are used on. It can be used on any device without installation, as these applications are not designed for a particular system. WebXR helps in business in various ways, and here are some of them. 

Immersive artwork is created:- 

One needs to look at cutting-edge experiences to understand the immense possibilities VR/XR is beginning to create. Going beyond how we think about art and visual experiences and into the realm of altered reality, VR and projected experiences create immersive artworks. Finding new ways to push the boundaries of how we experience art is possible if XR extends beyond the conventions of the screen or headset displays. 

Immersive entertainment/360 video:- 

For a few years, marketing and entertainment have been exploring the potential of XR. 360 photography and VR films are growing in popularity day by day. Going beyond the convention of a single-camera view, these days, movies are created, allowing audiences to watch a story unfold by looking at the environment around them. In a way, content creators have a new world of possibilities where new ways of telling stories and even new stories can be unfolded for the audience to watch. One can say that it is one of the most exciting uses of this new technology. 

Various model visualizations:- 

The most practical use case for XR technology is viewing 3D models covering a broad range of applications. For example, one can explore new products before buying, or a designer improving them in real time before production. Such possibilities can take place, like if you are stepping through an industrial model of a building before its built, helping us to explore or troubleshoot its design. The models could be products, new vehicles, buildings, the environment, and many more. It can add great insight and understanding by exploring locations unsuited to human beings with data collections that can be derived. It is unmatchable by any other means, so visualizing data provides a new perspective to enhance learning. 

So the latest evolution in exploring virtual and augmented realities is WebXR. It makes it easier to create immersive 3D art, VR tools, interactive environments, and more by tapping the power of the web and unifying these realities. The users will be convinced by XR experiences that depend on high precision, low latency, and large amounts being processed to render scenes, animations, and many others. The WebXR device API provides various capabilities like identifying & locating VR AR output devices, rendering 3D scenes at an appropriate frame rate., and translating the movement vectors (direction & magnitude) from input devices and sensors into usable vectors for application.