XR could change the ways design teams approach projects
Extended reality (XR) applications present several potential use cases which can enhance a design team’s workflow and production pipelines.
Virtual, mixed, and augmented reality (VR/MR/AR) services offer plenty of benefits for design teams. Immersive solutions can allow enterprises to run vital third-party design applications, host virtual meetings, operate training simulations, and receive remote guidance.
Companies have a massive choice of immersive applications for enhancing enterprise and design collaboration in the hybrid working age. Immersive collaboration platforms enable dispersed teams to work together in the same shared immersive environment – wherever they are.
Additionally, VR Metaverse services can provide brands with a space to host immersive customer experiences via immersive virtual showrooms, live events, and games. Branded Metaverse content can present companies with a customer-friendly environment to showcase a new product like The Sandbox or a business-focused service like Engage LINK.
Although, for the design workflow, XR applications can provide an alternative avenue to developing product prototypes across dispersed teams. Many XR design applications from firms like Varjo enable distributed design teams to collaborate using digital twins of real-world products.
For industrial teams, XR technology provides a platform to distribute remote guidance content. On-site teams equipped with smart glasses could access instructional content such as supplementary manuals, training videos, and images that a frontline worker can use while repairing a machine.
New Opportunities for Design Teams
XR applications can provide enterprise end-users and internal design teams with a new approach to developing new products. While many conventional 2D design applications will remain prevalent in design circles, spatial computing can provide existing applications with new tools.
For example, Microsoft recently partnered with Meta to integrate its Office Suite into the Meta Quest Pro. Meta promoted its MR device as a serious collaboration and enterprise tool during its Connect 2022 showcase event.
At the event, Meta also announced a partnership with Zoom and Adobe to integrate third-party applications onto the hardware. Meta also pushes Horizon Workrooms, a Metaverse collaboration application, to further its business focus.
The service can let design teams host meetings in a shared immersive environment while using tools and assets from third-party sources.
Metaverse collaboration applications like Meta’s Horizon Workrooms give design teams a virtual office space. Workrooms lets the design team access third-party applications and file types and in a space where they can interact with real-time 3D (RT3D) models.
Thanks to immersive spatial AR/VR environments, users can import an RT3D model, such as a CAD design. Users can interact with immersive assets alongside others virtually. Spatial computing empower design teams by allowing them to view a CAD or similar RT3D asset at any angle, any distance, and even interact with a model.
XR and Metaverse Collaboration for Design Teams
Virbela is a VR collaboration application which enables users to host meetings, showcase events, and conferences in an immersive environment. The service allows teams to present information from various file types. The broad range of integrated file types allows a design team or enterprise end-users to present 3D types in a suitable spatial environment.
Notably, the firm aims to create a united culture across the workforce by increasing user immersion and customizability features.
Additionally, services such as Engage XR aim to provide a Metaverse environment to fit use cases like education, enterprise, and collaboration. The firm debuted its LINK Metverse service in November, providing its varied end-users with tailored VR spaces.
The service provides a place for designers and developers to demonstrate a new product prototype to shareholders and business leaders. Design teams can save money on hosting in-person events by doing a showcase event virtually. A virtual event also reduces the carbon emissions caused by people travelling to such an event.
On the consumer side, many brands are attempting to engage with customers using VR and Metaverse content. Roblox and NIKE are attracting attention with their successful Metaverse service, which brought in over seven million users.
The NIKELAND immersive experience provides the platform’s younger demographic with a platform to play branded games and experiences. The service promotes Nike while encouraging children’s movement using smartphone motion-tracking technology.
NIKE Digital also uses the Roblox space to promote upcoming products and sell digital items.
XR Design and Distribution
XR enables business end-users of all sizes to collaborate and build interactive prototypes of product designs. Immersive AR/VR design software ensures that innovation can happen at a more rapid and agile scale.
ShapesXR is building an MR collaborative design suite for the Meta Quest and its more recent Pro variant. The service allows users to collaborate on design models communicating with personalized avatars.
ShapesXR creates an immersive collaboration space overlaid in a real-world environment. ShapesXR achieves MR collaboration opportunities using the Meta Quest’s onboard outward-facing tracking cameras.
The service also allows users to create an immersive or 2D application with integrated content creation tools.
XR collaboration application end-users are already employing immersive technologies to empower the design team to create and move quickly.
For example, CannonDesign is developing an XR design service which enables dispersed team members to collaborate on immersive visualisations in shared MR environments.
The firm chooses the HTC VIVE product portfolio to scale its service to enterprise and industrial partners.
Major international firms like BMW also leverage MR technology to promote upcoming vehicles. The automotive firm is incorporating immersive solutions to allow its audience to interact with RT3D models of its upcoming cars.
XR Training and Guidance
Using simulation training applications, companies can reduce risks by providing repeatable immersive scenarios. XR training can prevent potential damage to valuable equipment and reduce resource expenditure.
Employees don’t have to deal with potentially dangerous and heavy equipment when making repairs. Teams get the absolute freedom they need to think outside of the box with no repercussions.
Many Fortune 1000 firms employ XR training to improve learning outcomes, reduce risk, and increase efficiency.
Remote guidance firms provide onsite repair teams with immersive resources from design teams.
Onsite teams can leverage remote guidance software through smart glasses for hands-free instructions on a device or machinery. Firms such as Arvizio, RealWear, and Vuzix provide hardware and software solutions enabling on-site maintenance crews to use immersive visualisation to guide them through a repair operation.
Remote guidance software promotes using hands-free remote guidance resources such as instruction manuals, virtual assistants, and CADs.
Onsite teams using immersive guidance tools can refer back to notes or designs from experts to assist with repair operations. Additionally, remote guidance tools enable repair teams to connect with remote experts for assistance.
For example, solutions for Vuzix enable remote experts to view a worker’s point of view and provide guidance. Moreover, in August, Taqtile integrated Microsoft Azure into its product portfolio to enhance remote guidance and collaboration.
How Does Extended Reality Influence the Buyer’s Journey
XR design tools allow companies to experiment with new ideas without waste. Already, brands are leveraging AR technology to promote upcoming products and events. Platforms like Snapchat and Instagram offer marketing routes to increase customer engagement rates. AR also revolutionises the buyer’s journey with innovative new tools that supplement traditional retail experiences with immersive solutions.
For example, in June, IKEA launched an artificial intelligence (AI) driven MR application that allows customers to place digital twins of products in their homes before purchasing.
The IKEA Kreative application lets potential buyers preview interior design products like desks, chairs, and lamps, as AR digital twins. The application also provides light and shadow rendering abilities that realistically simulate an object in a chosen setting.
A Range of Distribution Opportunities
On the other hand, US retail firm Walmart debuted a virtual try-on solution in September. The AR service allows customers to virtual wear a clothing product before purchasing.
The Be-Your-Own model application contains roughly 270,000 digital twins of woman’s clothing that leverage neural networks to simulate material behaviours based on user height and shape.
More recently, the Glimpse Group debuted a similar virtual try-on platform in November, with launch partners such as Cartier, Gucci, Adidas, and New Era. Released via the firm’s QReal subsidiary, TRYO contains a library of 3D digital twins of real-life products. The firm updates TRYO weekly with new digital twins of highstreet products.
Brands and online marketplaces can integrate the TRYO service as an additional website feature, or users can access the service via a free iOS application.
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