Virtual reality for companies » How virtual experiences lead to success in the B2B environment
Published: 19.05.2023 | Reading time: 8 minutes
This text is machine translated.
The days when traveling in virtual dimensions was pure fiction and only possible on the holodeck of the ISS Enterprise in the TV series "Star Trek" have been over for years. Virtual reality (VR) has long since become a reality.
However, a lot has happened in terms of development since the first VR glasses were invented in 1968.
Although the data goggles from back then looked surprisingly similar to today's models, they were so oversized and heavy with cables that they could not be used without ceiling-mounted fixtures.
What's more, by today's standards, the glasses allowed users to experience an augmented rather than a truly virtual world.
VR has long been more than just a gaming feature
And virtual reality is no longer limited to the gaming industry - although this is still one of the biggest drivers of innovation. After the initial VR hype of the 1990s and the rapid developments since the 2010s by Oculus, Valve, HTC and Sony, the business world has now also recognized the advantages of the technology and learned to use it for itself. Virtual reality has "grown up".
What does virtual reality (VR) actually mean?
Virtual reality is a computer-generated environment that allows the user to immerse themselves in an artificial, immersive world and interact with it in real time. The user is presented with a three-dimensional environment, which is usually perceived through VR glasses. Their movements adapt the virtual environment accordingly, creating a sense of presence.
Most people have heard of virtual reality by now and usually have a good idea of what it means. However, they often (incorrectly) use "virtual reality" as a generic term or synonym when what is actually meant is other forms of (partial) virtual reality.
VR, AR, aR, MR – A brief explanation of terms:
The spectrum between reality (R) and the completely digitally created world is called Extended Reality (XR).
There are four different ways of experiencing digital content: Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Assisted Reality (aR) and Mixed Reality (MR) differ in their degree of immersion and the possibility of interaction.
What does immersion mean?
Immersion - the complete immersion in a virtual world - is equal parts weakness and strength of VR.
- On the one hand, the person using it is restricted to a certain area (in the real world), cannot move freely and is completely shielded from the real world.
- On the other hand, they are not distracted by external influences and can fully immerse themselves in the virtual experience.
Virtual Reality (VR)
Virtual reality (VR) is, as the name suggests, a completely digitally generated virtual world that completely surrounds the user. They wear VR glasses that react to movements and interactions with controllers, allowing them to navigate and interact with the virtual world.
VR is therefore particularly interesting for the entertainment industry (films, games). But VR also makes perfect sense in many other areas such as medicine, architecture or mechanical engineering (to name just a few): as the technology simulates realistic experiences, it can improve the understanding and training of complex processes and procedures, for example.
Augmented Reality (AR)
Augmented reality (AR) inserts digital objects or information (text, images, videos, virtual objects) into the real world in real time - an additional layer is placed on top of reality, so to speak, supplementing it. The user remains in the real world, but can see the virtual elements on a display (smartphone, tablet) or via AR glasses and interact with them to a limited extent.
A good example of this is the mobile game "Pokemon Go", in which you can see and capture small monsters in the real environment via the cell phone camera. The filters on Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok are also a form of AR. They lie over reality like a mask, but adapt to the user's facial expressions.
Assisted Reality (aR)
Assisted reality (aR) is a kind of "subcategory" of AR. This is the name given to the non-interactive 2D overlays that you receive via data glasses, for example. You may be familiar with this type of display from the navigation and speedometer display projected onto the windshield of some cars. The driver no longer has to take their eyes off the road to read the information.
aR supports a process or work step, whereby the digital objects remain static without impairing the user's view. The focus remains on the real world.
Mixed Reality (MR)
Mixed reality (MR), on the other hand, is a mixture of virtual and augmented reality. With the help of special MR glasses (e.g. Microsoft HoloLens), the real and digital worlds merge and create a hybrid 3D environment:
Instead of just being a layer above or in front of reality, virtual objects are anchored in the real world - they are effectively given a physical presence. For example, if a (virtual) ball lies under a (real) table, it can only be seen when the user bends down. The user can also interact with them. For example, they can project a digital drum kit into their living room, pick up the virtual drumsticks and start making music.
Virtual reality and augmented reality offer companies numerous opportunities to increase their efficiency and effectiveness - across all industries. Mixed reality, the latest innovation, also holds enormous potential for companies. A wide variety of applications are currently being tested in many places, but companies should already be thinking about how they can best use these technologies for themselves.
At the moment, VR and AR are mainly used for animation & visualization, development & prototyping and product presentations.
Automotive industry
The automotive industry is already using VR, AR and MR in various areas. Augmented reality is used in production, for example, when employees are given instructions and information projected into their field of vision using AR glasses. This helps to reduce errors and ultimately make production processes more efficient.
VR, on the other hand, is often used in the design and development phase of vehicles: An essential part of the design process is to create a full-size model. Using VR headsets, designers and engineers can visualize such a virtual 3D model and run through each part separately in order to identify and rectify problems at an early stage. This enables faster and more cost-effective development of prototypes and designs.
Mechanical engineering
Both VR and AR are already widely used in mechanical engineering. For example, in the development of products or the construction of machines. Without having to loosen a single screw, it is possible to take a look at the inner workings of machines and devices. This not only helps trainees to learn, experts also benefit from the additional information.
For example, device-specific key performance indicators can be projected directly into the field of vision during operation, which in turn helps to optimize processes and increase efficiency.
In a virtual environment, engineers and designers can use VR headsets to visualize and test machine prototypes before they are actually built. In this way, errors and problems can be identified and rectified at an early stage of development, saving time and money.
AR, on the other hand, is used for machine maintenance and repair work. Using AR glasses, technicians receive visual instructions and information about the machine parts, which helps them to work more effectively and quickly.
Architecture
The use of VR and AR is also extremely useful in architecture in order to work more effectively. For example, virtual tours of buildings and properties can reveal faulty designs during the planning phase.
Customers can also provide direct feedback and make changes before construction begins. This saves time and costs. In the construction phase, AR can be used to project a virtual model of the building on the construction site to ensure that it is placed and built correctly.
In interior design, both AR and VR can help in planning and design to visualize different furniture and decoration options in the various rooms. This can help customers in particular to make an informed decision.
Logistics sector
In logistics, AR is used in warehousing and shipping goods, for example. Warehouse employees receive information about the position and content of goods via data glasses projected onto a transparent display in their field of vision.
This enables them to work more efficiently and find and dispatch the right goods more quickly. This improves the accuracy and efficiency of deliveries and avoids delays.
VR can also be very useful for training employees in the handling of heavy and dangerous machinery. Training can take place in a safe and controlled (because completely virtual) environment without the machines having to be physically available - which reduces the risk of accidents.
Tourism
In tourism, interested parties can visit destinations virtually in advance using VR headsets. This can make it easier to decide whether you want to visit a country or city in reality. Or you can prepare for an upcoming trip by getting to know the local conditions.
AR, on the other hand, is used when visiting places of interest and historical sites. Tourists can view ruins in their ancient splendor, for example, while at the same time receiving historical information and thus gaining a deeper understanding of the country's culture.
The use of AR also makes sense in the hotel industry. Either to give interested parties a tour of the hotel or to provide hotel guests with visual information - for example, a virtual map of the hotel and information about restaurants and services.
Healthcare
Both VR and MR are already being used in the healthcare sector to improve medical education and training. For example, surgeons can use a virtual model to practice the procedure before complicated operations.
They can also use AR to display visual information in real time during complex operations - for example, digital elements can be placed over the patient to match their anatomy. This enables more precise work and minimizes potential complications. They also have the opportunity to be supported by colleagues and experts from anywhere in the world.
VR can also achieve great success in the treatment of patients with phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder or in pain therapy. Patients can immerse themselves in a virtual environment that distracts them from their pain and helps them to relax. Or take part in virtual exercises and therapies that help with rehabilitation after injuries or operations.
Aerospace
In the aerospace industry, VR is primarily used for pilot training purposes.
VR is also used in the development and design process to create and visualize complex models of aircraft and spacecraft. This allows engineers and designers to optimize the design before physical prototypes are created. This saves both development time and costs.
Just as in other industries, AR can ensure greater efficiency in the maintenance and repair of aircraft and spacecraft. For example, technicians receive visual instructions via AR glasses and are shown detailed information about the components and systems of the various aircraft or spacecraft models.
Police / fire department/ military
The police, fire department and military in particular also benefit from the use of VR and AR. Emergency services and soldiers can be better prepared for emergencies in a significantly shorter time. Experiencing lifelike scenarios and challenging situations during training helps to practice calm and considered action in stressful situations.
In real-life operations, additional information (tactical maps, enemy movements) can then be projected into the field of vision in real time using AR glasses, which helps to make more strategic decisions in dangerous situations.
For improved tactical planning, VR can be used to create virtual models of deployment sites or battlefields. Various scenarios can then be visualized and played out there.
The control of drones, robots or remote-controlled vehicles is also made considerably more precise through the use of AR.
Real estate industry
Real estate industryIn the real estate industry, virtual reality is used to enable prospective buyers to view properties virtually. This saves time and money, as potential buyers or tenants can walk through a property together with the estate agents without being physically present.
In the virtual environment, empty or unfinished properties can also be furnished or remodeled (virtual staging) to highlight the potential of a property for prospective buyers.
The same also applies to the planning of renovations or major conversion measures. Using VR or AR, architects, designers and clients can navigate through virtual models and inspect changes before the actual physical work begins.
Finance
In the financial sector, VR is particularly useful for virtual meetings and visualization in asset management.
Using VR headsets, financial advisors can meet their clients virtually for consultation appointments. It saves time and costs if neither party has to physically travel to a particular location.
When it comes to wealth management, AR can be used to provide clients with visual information about their portfolio and investments. This way, clients can see at a glance how their investments are performing and what actions are required to achieve their goals.
Finally, AR also provides an interactive training environment where (aspiring) financial professionals can learn to understand and apply complex concepts to ultimately better advise their clients and solve complex financial problems.
Regardless of the industry, every company can actually use VR, AR or MR profitably in their business. Be it in production, for marketing & sales or for greater efficiency in logistics.
Another great potential lies in the application for training and further education:
VR allows employees to train in dangerous or complex situations and emergencies in a safe environment and gain realistic experience without incurring any risks or costs.
Production
You could say that there are few areas in which augmented or mixed reality cannot be put to good use. One of these is production.
It starts with the planning of a factory. Systems, production lines and escape routes, modeled in 3D, can be projected onto the factory floor using AR to check where a machine should best be positioned. This allows various options to be tested and optimized quickly and cost-effectively before the actual factory is built. Virtual planning allows weak points in the planning to be identified before expensive errors occur in construction or production.
Once everything is built, the plant can be put into operation virtually. Thanks to such a test run using VR, errors and weak points can be identified and rectified before commissioning in order to avoid expensive downtimes in production.
AR can also benefit development and production by helping to structure and analyze data in a meaningful way in order to optimize the workflow. Large, multi-dimensional data volumes and complicated correlations (big data) in particular can often be better understood when presented spatially and, above all, are more meaningful.
Other buzzwords in relation to production, where AR is a great support for greater efficiency, are Smart Factory, Smart Building and Digital Engineering.
Design & product development
VR can be used in the development of products and prototypes to optimize and accelerate the design process. Developers can create virtual prototypes and test them in a realistic environment before building physical prototypes.
Maintenance & repair work
The use of augmented (AR) and assisted reality (aR) is particularly suitable for maintenance and repair work.
Thanks to remote maintenance with the appropriate software, employees on site can either receive additional information about the machines via smart glasses and carry out the work themselves. Or a trained technician can connect remotely, follow everything in real time via virtual shoulder view, give instructions to the technician on site and then check whether everything has been carried out correctly. It is no longer necessary to constantly send experts out yourself for maintenance work or to solve simple problems. This saves costs.
VR can be used to plan and simulate maintenance and repair work in advance. Technicians can inspect the machine or system in a virtual environment and identify potential problems before they occur in the real world. The virtual environment is also particularly suitable for training and further education. Work steps are first practiced in a controlled environment before they are carried out in the real world.
Logistics & Navigation
As with production, the use of AR and aR is particularly useful in logistics in order to make the wealth of information gained through digitalization available to employees.
In warehouse management, for example, picking can be optimized by using digitally generated arrows to guide warehouse staff along the most efficient route through the warehouse. In addition, information about the location of products in the warehouse, their content and weight can be retrieved and stock levels can be checked in real time. This saves time and ultimately money. Hazard warnings can also be sent to users, ensuring a safer working environment.
The use of wearable, wireless AR glasses also makes it possible to work with both hands, as there is no need to hold a tablet or lists. This allows work steps to be carried out more quickly and makes the process more efficient overall.
VR, on the other hand, is primarily used to train new employees. They can use a virtual image of the real warehouse to learn how to find their way around and carry out work processes efficiently. The same applies to forklift training, for example. In the protected virtual space, there is room for rookie mistakes when loading freight or stacking pallets without disrupting the process in the real world. The risk of accidents is also minimized considerably.
Finally, when it comes to delivering the goods, drivers can use AR glasses or mobile AR applications to see the best routes, receive traffic information and plan deliveries efficiently.
Marketing & Sales
Immersive technologies are also a real benefit in the areas of marketing and sales.
Thanks to VR, products can either be displayed completely virtually in showrooms or at trade fairs, or they can be projected virtually onto real objects. Potential customers can then explore them interactively using VR or AR glasses, test functions or be shown different variants and configurations. This is because large products in particular, such as a machine system, cannot simply be brought to the customer quickly for demonstration purposes or for a feedback loop.
Regardless of the product or service in question, salespeople can use VR to meet their customers virtually, advise them, answer questions and discuss the products. In turn, customers can receive virtual samples or prototypes and test them “on site” in the virtual space. This enables a more personal and interactive experience than traditional phone calls or emails.
AR is already being increasingly integrated into e-commerce applications. With AR, customers can use their smartphones or AR glasses to visualize products in their real environment. For example, IKEA customers can use the app to see what a piece of furniture would look like in their living room. You can also try on clothes virtually or, as with Mister Spex, test different models of glasses without physically owning them. This simplifies the online purchasing process and reduces returns.
Collaboration & cooperation
VR can be used to enable virtual meetings and collaboration in an immersive environment. Participants can collaborate and communicate in a shared virtual environment to make decisions or plan projects.
Another benefit is improved collaboration and communication. VR allows employees in different locations to interact with each other and work together on projects without having to be physically in the same room. And yet there is a feeling of real collaboration that would not be possible via chat, video calls or shared documents. This significantly increases the efficiency of collaboration while saving time and travel costs.
Regardless of which type of technology you ultimately choose, the right equipment is extremely important. There are basically 3 types of virtual reality devices currently on the market.
- Standalone headsets that work without a cable or cell phone - all the technology is built into the glasses
- wired headsets, which - as the name suggests - must be connected to a computer or console by cable
- mobile headsets, or rather displays, in which a smartphone or tablet serves as the processor and screen.
VR equipment
To get started with virtual reality (VR), you need:
- VR headset: A VR headset is the most important device for an immersive VR experience. There are various models on the market, such as HTC Vive, Oculus Rift or Valve Index.
- Powerful computer: Most VR headsets require a powerful computer in order to display VR content smoothly. As a rule, a powerful processor, sufficient RAM, a fast graphics card and sufficient connections are required.
- Tracking system: Most VR headsets require a tracking system to follow the user's movements in space. This can be done either by external sensors placed in the room or by integrated cameras in the headset itself.
- Controllers: VR headsets often come with special controllers that allow the user to interact in the virtual world. The controllers vary depending on the manufacturer and model, but are usually equipped with buttons, trackpads or joysticks to control movements and actions.
- VR-compatible software: Last but not least, you also need VR-compatible software. There are a growing number of VR applications, ranging from games and simulations to creative applications. You should always check the compatibility of the software with the VR headset.
Don't forget: VR often requires some space to be able to move around freely. Therefore, you should always make sure that there is enough space in the room and that the area is safe to avoid injury or damage.
MR equipment
If you want to use mixed reality, you need:
- MR-enabled device: either a headset or clear glasses to enable the experience.
- Powerful computer: Mixed reality technology requires much more computing power than virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR).
- Tracking system and controller: The virtual and real worlds are connected using gaze, gesture and voice recognition technologies via a headset or a pair of motion controllers.
- MR-compatible software
AR equipment
Augmented reality (AR) requires less specific hardware than VR. You need:
- AR-enabled device: You need an AR-enabled device such as a smartphone, tablet or AR glasses. Most modern smartphones and tablets have AR functions. If you use a smartphone, for example, the iPhone from version 6S or Android devices that support ARCore will work.
- AR-compatible software or special apps.
- Camera and sensors: AR is based on the use of the camera and device sensors to capture the real environment and overlay digital content on top of it.
- Internet connection: Some AR applications require an internet connection to download additional content or to interact with other users in real time. A stable internet connection is particularly important if you want to access cloud services.
The use of virtual reality in the B2B environment has increased significantly in recent years and is expected to continue to grow in the future. Mixed reality currently combines the best aspects of virtual reality and augmented reality. The question therefore arises as to whether this has already reached the peak of possible (virtual) experience and tangibility or how things can continue from here.
- Spread of 5G networks: The introduction of 5G networks will accelerate the spread of VR in the B2B environment. With higher bandwidths and lower latency, it will be possible to stream VR content in real time and enable immersive experiences without delay or interruption.
- For example, doctors could then theoretically operate on patients from anywhere in the world using surgical robots such as the Da Vinci system. Technically, it would no longer be a problem if the surgeon is in Paris but the patient is in an operating theater in Berlin. Mixed reality will make the screen through which the medical team looks into the body superfluous. The camera image will then be projected virtually in front of the surgeon's field of vision.
- Advances in hardware development: The development of VR hardware will continue over the next few years, leading to higher resolution, better image quality and improved tracking systems. This will enable even more realistic and immersive VR experiences.
- Integration with other technologies: VR will continue to be closely integrated with other technologies such as augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). This can create even more powerful solutions that improve the efficiency and productivity of companies. One way forward would also be to develop a technology that combines virtual, augmented and mixed realities in a system in which a person can switch back and forth between them depending on the use case.
- One thing is certain: the continuous development of the technology will mean that the areas of application for VR, MR and AR will continue to expand in the B2B environment and enable an ever wider range of applications that offer even more realistic and immersive experiences.