Examples

Feuerwehr übt digital: Nur Geräusche und Gerüche fehlen

Die Kreisbrandinspektion im Landkreis Amberg-Sulzbach schult ab sofort die Einsatzkräfte auch mit einer computeranimierten Software. Die kommt der Realität schon recht nahe. Nur Gerüche und Geräusche fehlen.

Die Feuerwehren im Landkreis Amberg-Sulzbach nutzen jetzt neben den üblichen Ausbildungsformaten in Praxis und Theorie auch eine spezielle virtual-reality-fähige Software. Damit sind Taktikschulungen vom Angriffstrupp bis zum Zugführer möglich. In einer computeranimierten Umgebung werden in einer interaktiven Planspielplatte verschiedene Einsatzlagen geübt. Die Software setzt Taktikstandards für die gesamte Feuerwehr, wie es an einer bisherigen Planspielplatte nicht wiederholt möglich war.

Ein weiterer Vorteil: Das gesamte System kann ohne Internetanbindung genutzt werden und ist durch einen einfachen Transport in jedes Feuerwehrgerätehaus mobil einsetzbar. Gerade bei der Erkundung der Lage zu Beginn eines Einsatzes ist eine „Virtual-Reality-Brille“ eine wichtige Ergänzung. Damit sieht die Einsatzkraft, die gerade die Erkundung macht, auch nur das, was aus ihrer Perspektive wirklich zu sehen ist. So ist zum Beispiel ein Flammenschein an einem rückseitigen Fenster erst dann zu erkennen, wenn die Einsatzkraft hinter das Haus geht. Ein weiterer aktueller Vorteil der Software: Während der Corona-Pandemie kann damit ein kontaktloser Übungsdienst stattfinden.

Kreisbrandrat Fredi Weiß sieht in diesem Projekt einen weiteren Meilenstein in der zukünftigen Ausbildung der Feuerwehren im Landkreis Amberg-Sulzbach: „Der Hauptanteil der Ausbildung muss auch weiterhin als Praxis vor Ort durchgeführt werden, die Vorteile einer zusätzlichen digitalen Ausbildung liegen aber auf der Hand.“. Als Multiplikatoren haben sich in einer Fachkreisbrandmeister-Schulung Alexander Zeitler,die Kreisbrandmeister Thorsten Jobst und Michael Iberer von der Firma FAB Rheinland ausbilden lassen.

Quelle:

https://www.onetz.de/oberpfalz/amberg/feuerwehr-uebt-digital-nur-geraeusche-gerueche-fehlen-id3243548.html

Foto: Fachkreisbrandmeister-Ausbildung im Landkreis Amberg-Sulzbach: Alexander Zeitler, die Kreisbrandmeister Thorsten Jobst und Michael Iberer haben sich zu Multiplikatoren ausbilden lassen.

Foto: egl

2. Juni 2021 0 comment

Examples

These former video game designers are using VR at Duke Energy

Duke Energy’s XR Lab builds programs to improve safety, training and recruitment

While they used to work for video game studios, the artists and software engineers of Duke Energy’s XR Lab are now designing virtual reality programs to help keep their teammates safe.

Duke Energy’s priority is safety, and virtual reality will allow trainees to learn utility basics with reduced risk. Wearing a headset, the trainee is engaged in a virtual environment that looks like a video-game version of their work area. The designers make the training as realistic as possible from the virtual safety gear they wear to the interactive controls on equipment.

“Trainees are building muscle memory in VR,” said XR Lab manager Elizabeth Escobar-Fernandes. “It’s so immersive that when the first-time trainees go out in the field, they feel they’ve done it before.” 2021-0512-Virtual-Reality-930-2 Virtual reality immerses trainees in a virtual work environment allowing them to learn the basics of their jobs with less risk.

The first training program the XR Lab released showed how to vent a natural gas line – a process where employees check lines and remove natural gas from the pipeline so that they can make repairs. They have since designed programs to train wind technicians how to operate substations and another that qualifies natural gas technicians to inspect rights-of-way for leaks and hazards.

To become a qualified natural gas technician, users hop in a virtual ATV to ride the right-of-way to look for hazards like exposed pipes or excessive vegetation. Once they detect a hazard, they describe to an evaluator what they’re seeing to show they understand the material. If they make a mistake, they get a pop-up message that teaches them the correct action.

“You’re being exposed to these things in a safe way,” said XR Lab software engineer Matt Prangley. “You’re not being exposed in the wild to an actual hazard that could have real-life consequences.” 2021-0512-Virtual-Reality-930-4 To design the programs, Duke Energy hired a team of software engineers and artists who previously worked on video games. Their skills allows the company to provide custom training that’s effective and entertaining.

The virtual experience is more effective, too, because trainees are guaranteed to find hazards. In person, they could patrol all day and not find anything unusual.

“So, this is a way they can do that relatively quickly and economically,” said John McGuire, the XR Lab’s technical lead, “but still be able to see and identify all the things they might see out in the real world.”

Natural gas performance evaluators Ray Blackwell, Pablo DeLeon and Fred Wells helped develop the natural gas program and qualify natural gas technicians. At first, Blackwell said, he wasn’t sure if employees would embrace a new technology. However, every employee he worked with – from new employees to those with 30 years on the job – gave positive feedback.

Scott Abramson, Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions’ director of operational excellence, will use the virtual reality program for part of their new-hire training. Because Duke Energy has solar and wind facilities across the country, being able to do part of the training virtually will help reduce travel. 2021-0512-Virtual-Reality-930-6 Departments across the company are using virtual reality from renewables to workforce development and natural gas.

“We’re from California to New York, Wisconsin to Texas, and everything in between,” Abramson said, “so, we can ship them that headset then their instructor can work with them and qualify them in any place. It reduces costs, it increases the learning curve by at least 30 percent, and the retention is much greater.”

Of the Duke Energy employees who have used virtual reality training, 94 percent said it would help them do their jobs. A 2020 PricewaterhouseCoopers study showed virtual reality learners are four times more focused than e-learning students and 275 percent more confident in applying the skills after training.

Duke Energy announced it would design virtual reality training programs under the name Virtual Crew for other utilities as a service. 2021-0512-Virtual-Reality-930-3 The XR Lab creates the virtual environment based on photos or laser measurements of the work environment and add moveable parts and realistic details.

Designing a program starts with an image of the work environment or Duke Energy’s metrology team, who scans the area with lasers to provide the artists and programmers a base to build the virtual environment. The file they provide is similar to an engineering print, which the XR Lab converts to a version that’s compatible with a three-dimensional virtual reality environment. They build off the drawing to bring the environment to life – for example, the virtual substation modeled off one at Los Vientos Wind Project in Texas has textures that mimic the real substation’s feel with vegetation to match the scrub-like terrain.

Prangley and John Diasparra, the XR Lab’s lead technical artist, came to Duke Energy in 2019 after developing video games. They didn’t expect to work for a utility but are glad to be able to support an essential industry.

“What we’ve been able to do already is extremely exciting from safety, operations and outreach to our customers,” Diasparra said, “but we’ve still only just begun. The design that we can bring forth and the experience that we can bring to people, I think is going to be really powerful moving forward.” 2021-0512-Virtual-Reality-930-1 From left, John McGuire, Matt Prangley and John Diasparra of the XR Lab.

Improved technology will create opportunities for utilities, and the XR Lab has received requests from several departments for programs. The lab is part of a broader Duke Energy initiative to innovate as it works toward achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. To generate cleaner energy that’s affordable, reliable and safe, the company will need new technologies, like virtual reality, to be more efficient and keep up with the changing industry.

Abramson said he hopes one day a wind technician standing atop a turbine can summon a hologram to troubleshoot a repair. The first step toward that kind of innovation starts with using virtual reality today.

“This is cutting edge technology,” he said. “To stay competitive – to have our workforce best prepared – we have to embark on this.”

Quelle:

https://illumination.duke-energy.com/articles/these-former-video-game-designers-are-using-vr-at-duke-energy

2. Juni 2021 0 comment

Examples

The Future of Learning: Bringing Worlds Together With Experiential Learning Technologies

Technology-based learning experiences are not new. Some of the earliest learning experiences began as flight simulators, like the Link Trainer of the early to mid-1900s, to help train pilots in a low-risk environment. Yet, learning experiences have come a long way since the days of mechanical simulators. The creation of complex digital learning experiences necessitated serious programming skills and took a long time to build.

Now, we have accessible tools and technologies that enable learning and development (L&D) professionals to rapidly create immersive learning experiences such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) and games. And, the availability of consumer devices that use these technologies means we can implement them on a larger scale than we previously thought possible.

Experiential Learning

Some might argue that all experiences are learning experiences, because we interact and respond to whatever is happening around us. We might receive positive or negative feedback in the environment and change our behavior accordingly. However, we can experience and react to the world without learning something useful.

Experiential learning through technology gives L&D professionals the ability to develop environments or environmental enhancements that are specifically designed for learning. Experiential learning uses available technology and thoughtful instructional design to support real-world changes in attitude, knowledge or behavior.

Common Types of Experiential Learning Technology

Most people are now familiar with VR and AR. While these technologies are often grouped together because of their use in experiential learning, they apply different principles and offer different experiences. Your learning strategy will guide you in selecting the right experience for your program. One common theme, however, is that these technologies enhance the learner’s experience.

VR places learners into a digital world and doesn’t require them to be in one location. It’s also great for training learners on high-risk tasks or when the cost of failure is high, as with flight simulation. Examples of other high-risk training include operating dangerous equipment and medical training.

Augmented reality adds digital enhancements to the “real world.” It gives learners information in context and is great for performance support in real time, in the work environment. For example, a smartphone app can use information about the learner’s location and data logged from other apps, such as inventory, to offer just-in-time support. QR codes can open learning experiences that overlay virtual directions onto real objects, such as complex or dangerous equipment. Those instructions can then guide the learner through steps and possible corrections in real time. AR can also provide the L&D team with useful feedback.

Immersive games often use immersive VR or AR, with the addition of game mechanics. Because games present problems to solve, challenges to overcome, and patterns to learn and apply, well-designed games can provide an excellent experiential learning context for the application of VR and AR technology. In addition, games use learner metrics to provide feedback on performance for both the learner and the L&D team.

Experiential learning uses available technology and thoughtful instructional design to support real-world changes in attitude.

Where We Are Now

Two major drivers of the current use of experiential learning technologies are the shift toward remote work and the increased accessibility of technology that makes remote work more possible. For instance, when everyone was in an office or worksite together, live training and feedback on day-to-day activities was simple. While VR simulations may have been possible, they weren’t always cost–effective, because enough live support existed. Now that we have forced separation, including fewer employees at a single location, VR makes more sense.

In addition, AR technologies are easier to access now that fast cellular networks and smartphones with high–resolution screens, cameras and fast processing are widely available. The prolific use of smartphones supports the development of eLearning and job support apps that bring training to learners in a neat package — where they are and when they need it.

A third driver of innovation in experiential learning is the improvement of learning experience platforms (LXPs) and data management through technology such as experience API (xAPI) — a way to collect, encode and standardize data both online and offline and among multiple systems. The WebXR device application programming interface (API) supports enables the development and hosting of online learning experiences for VR and AR devices, making it easier to integrate and experience immersive technologies and interactive environments.

Where We Are Going

Given all we can do now, where might we be going in the next one or two years? We will need to continue to reinvent learning to keep up with new challenges. And, we will be able to meet those challenges with affordable and better wearable technology, data management and even, maybe, the emergence of powerful quantum computing technologies.

What does the future look like?

Wearables at Work

Work wardrobes have changed for many remote employees over the last year (perhaps a lovely button-down shirt with sweatpants?). Soon, there may be a work accessory that connects employees to learning and development in a new way. Headsets are becoming easier to wear and less expensive to make. VR and AR glasses aren’t new, but their ease of use, affordability and integration may make them as common as smartphones.

With this advancement, learning experiences and job support will integrate seamlessly into day-to–day activities. QR codes on employees’ computers will instantly provide just-in-time training. And, real-time data analysis of what an employee is experiencing and doing in a remote location can provide feedback to enable better support.

More Mixed Reality

Mixed reality enables simultaneous interaction with the digital and the real world and can take advantage of mobile device metrics. Experiential learning in mixed realities will be more accessible with better processors, cameras, batteries and 5G accessibility. Imagine intertwining the real and the virtual so that that learners can 3D print their solution to a challenge from within the digital experience!

Next-level Social Experiences

The request to “please enter a meeting” may develop a new level of interactivity. Social interactions that enable people to work together and communicate can add a new level of live support to virtual training. Now, soft skills practice with avatars can be difficult, because it requires detailed programing and graphics that otherwise lack the nuances of real interaction. But imagine a holographic role-playing experience! While VR can simulate many experiences, what if a live mentor could appear and interact with the learner within the experience to provide guidance or observation?

The future of experiential learning begins now. VR and AR technologies are becoming more accessible, affordable and necessary in the diverse and dispersed workplace. These new technologies are bringing real and digital worlds together like never before. Are you ready?

Now that we have forced separation, including fewer employees at a single location, VR makes more sense.

Quelle:

The Future of Learning: Bringing Worlds Together With Experiential Learning Technologies

2. Juni 2021 0 comment

Examples

“War Remains” Provides Immersive Experience of World War I

Location-based experience at the National WWI Museum and Memorial takes you into the trenches with „War Remains.“

Presented by “Hardcore History” legendary podcaster Dan Carlin, War Remains is an immersive VR experience that transports viewers to the Western Front of the First World War where they witness history unfold from a soldier’s point of view. The experience is educational, intense, thought-provoking, and impactful.

The Power of Virtual Reality is Harnessed to provide ‘Empathy Amplification’

Carlin, whose grandfather was on the western front during the First World War, stated during the media preview of War Remains for the National WWI Museum and Memorial, that they designed the experience with immersive technology “to provide an added layer of what we like to call ‘empathy amplification,’ a chance to get a little deeper into the story than what the previous tools have allowed for, whether it’s the spoken or written word [or] something through a medium like radio or television. Here we have the next generation of immersability if you will, where you become part of the story.”

Available through both Oculus Store, Steam, and Viveport for PCVR headsets, the experience has received mixed reviews, but if you look closely at the comments, most of the negative feedback revolves around the fact that the experience is incredibly short – 14 minutes from start to finish and that includes the credits.

While I was also left desiring more content at the end of War Remains, I also spent a little time in tears after I removed my headset. In one sense, you want to experience more, but the experience still made an impact. I felt this impact simply by going through the experience in my gaming room and definitely it’s sure to be even more applicable at the National WWI Museum and Memorial location-based experience.

“If you’re recreating a negative experience,” asks Carlin during the media preview, “how realistic can you make it before no one wants to do even a simulation of it anymore?”

War Remains Educates Without Causing Emotional Trauma

Produced by Los Angeles-based indie video game publisher MWM Interactive and developed by Flight School Studio with audio designed by Skywalker Sound, War Remains was directed by Brandon Oldenburg, an Academy Award-winning film director, designer, and immersive storyteller who has received 4 Emmys, multiple Gold Lions at Cannes, and an Oscar.

“Our hope and wish for this project was for people to be able to walk in the footsteps of their forefathers, their ancestors,” said Oldenburg. “Telling stories on a 2D screen for a movie or a tv show is one thing, but then to be able to create an environment where you can physically touch, hear, and sense even the vibration of what it was like to be there truly connects you to the memories of the past.”

During the first several minutes of War Remains, the scene is set. Carlin’s narration is top-notch and you’re given some background of what’s going on and what to expect. Due to the graphic nature of what you’re about to see, even if it’s only for a few minutes, the introductory period definitely seems necessary and Oldenburg explained that they wanted to give the user an opportunity to understand where they were and why they were there, creating an experience that would take the user to the edge without causing emotional trauma.

Immersive Experiences Provide a New Way to Better Understand History on a Visceral, Physical Level

The goal was to honor all those who lost their lives in the horrendous war while passing along a message of why this still matters.

“I think history continues to repeat itself,” Oldenburg added, “because the narrative story of what it’s like can get lost on the new generation. Specifically, if you didn’t get to physically taste, touch, feel, hear what it was like.”

Oldenburg and the entire team created an immersive experience that helps users better understand the First World War on a visceral, physical level.

“This is just our first foray into starting that path to truly be able to get people to connect to the past in hopes that this sort of thing will never happen again,” said Oldenburg.

Immersive VR Experience

MWM Interactive gifted the War Remains location-based experience to the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. Visitors age 14 and up will be able to experience the stunning visual effects and powerful sound design on a custom set that gives the sensation you’re in the trench as the floor vibrates and explosions surround you.

War Remains is a solitary experience and users will be allowed through at intervals of approximately 15 minutes. Hosted in the Museum’s Memory Hall, timed entry tickets are on sale now and the exhibit opens on May 27.

“We are extremely grateful to MWM Interactive for the gift of War Remains. This experience is unlike anything that Kansas City has hosted before,” said Matthew Naylor, President and CEO of the National WWI Museum and Memorial. “War Remains will allow the viewer to immerse themselves in the trenches of WWI and experience it with all of their senses, reaching them on both an educational and emotional level.”

The National WWI Museum and Memorial is America’s leading institution dedicated to remembering, interpreting, and understanding the Great War and its enduring impact on the global community. The Museum and Memorial holds the most comprehensive collection of World War I objects and documents in the world and is the second-oldest public museum dedicated to preserving the objects, history, and experiences of the war.

Tickets can be reserved through the National WWI Museum and Memorial War Remains website.

Quelle:

“War Remains” Provides Immersive Experience of World War I

1. Juni 2021 0 comment

Examples

Theia Interactive launches its ‘Claria’ tool set that tracks physical reactions of users whilst in Virtual Reality

Visualization firm and software developer Theia Interactive has today announced the launch of Claria, a set of biometric tracking tools capable of analyzing and reporting a person’s physical reactions while in virtual reality (VR). According to the company, Claria is built exclusively for HP’s Reverb G2 Omnicept Edition headset, and tracks six key physical responses to help designers, marketers, researchers and creators understand exactly how a person feels about a given product or experience.

Claria draws on biosensors within the Reverb G2 Omnicept Edition headset to track heart rate, heart rate variability, cognitive load, eye vector, pupillometry (the measurement of pupil size and reactivity) and saccade (a rapid movement of the eye between fixation points). As a result, Claria offers a comprehensive look at a person’s physical responses, and then creates easy-to-understand datasets from this information.

This in turn should allow product designers to determine what element is or isn’t intuitive in a product for example, or enable marketers to understand what attracts attention within a publicity campaign, or provide psychologists with information to pinpoint the exact onset of stress in a given situation. Theia Interactive stated that decisions that once relied on subjective interpretation can now be made using empirical data.

“Claria takes the guesswork out of designing products and campaigns,” said Bill Fishkin, co-founder and CEO of Theia Interactive. “We can put someone in VR and know exactly what about the experience we build attracts them, excites them, even overwhelms them, to arrive at better designs through more informed decisions.”

The biometric results recorded by Claria can be played back, or viewed as heat maps and graphs, to help users better understand the information. Claria is also designed to work within Unreal Engine and has multi-user capabilities that can bring different parties together inside a project. Users and creators can connect from anywhere in the world, using voice chat and built-in VR tools to make changes to their work in real-time, based on the reactions observed.

“Knowing a person’s true, unfiltered reaction means that anyone designing products or trying to attract people has a significant advantage over those relying on traditional methods,” said Jay Fraser, Senior Manager, XR GTM & Developer Relations at HP. “The HP Reverb G2 Omnicept Solution has the tools to collect and interpret that data, and Claria makes it easy for anyone to easily leverage the power of this cutting-edge technology.”

Theia Interactive noted that Claria is available now as a perpetual license through the company’s early access program. Licenses are available in packs of three, five and ten. The full access launch is expected by the end of 2021. For more information on Theia Interactive and its virtual reality services and solutions, please visit the company’s website.

Quelle:

https://www.auganix.org/theia-interactive-launches-its-claria-tool-set-that-tracks-physical-reactions-of-users-whilst-in-virtual-reality/

Foto: Theia Interactive

1. Juni 2021 0 comment

Examples

TRACY:VR – Virtual Reality Training for Emergency Based Scenarios

Klar ist: Insbesondere Mitarbeiter in Krankenhäusern müssen auf eventuelle Katastrophenfälle gut vorbereitet sein. Mit Normfortbildungen und schriftlichen Tests geschieht dies bislang jedoch vor allem auf einer theoretischen Ebene. Doch wie lässt sich das Personal gut auf die Praxis vorbereiten? Wie kann dafür trainiert werden, ein tatsächliches Brandszenario auf der Station mit kühlem Kopf korrekt zu managen?

Zur Beantwortung dieser Fragen wird im Projekt TRACY:B, aufbauend auf den Erkenntnissen und Ergebnissen des vorangegangenen Projektes (TRACY), ein neuartige Virtual Reality (VR) Anwendung realisiert: Mittels innovativer Schnittstellen werden die Trainingsteilnehmer in eine hochgradig immersive, virtuelle Welt versetzt. Der Begriff Immersion bezeichnet dabei eine Veränderung des Bewusstseinszustandes, in welchem die Trainingsteilnehmer gänzlich in die Spielsituation eintauchen und sich stärker als Teil dieser Spielwelt fühlen. Dadurch wird die emotionale und die motivationale Verbundenheit zum Spielgeschehen erhöht und das Szenario unmittelbarer erfahrbar gemacht. Der hohe Bezug zu tatsächlichen Situationen soll dazu führen, dass das in der Virtuellen Realität erlernte Wissen in praktischen Ernstfällen besser abrufbar und einsetzbar ist („Transfereffekt“).

Um das zu erreichen wird die Realität in TRACY:B detailgetreu nachgebildet und die menschlichen Sinne werden ganzheitlich adressiert: 3D-„Head-Mounted Displays“ sorgen für ein eindrucksvolles Seherlebnis und präziser Raumklang ermöglicht die akkurate Orientierung im virtuellen Raum. Übertragungen von Kopf- und Körperbewegungen in die virtuelle Welt kreieren ein deutliches Mittendrin-Gefühl. Gesteuert wird das Trainingsspiel zudem nicht mit Maus und Tastatur, sondern mit hochgradig intuitiven Eingabe-Schnittstellen (bspw. Gestensteuerung).

Im Mittelpunkt des Projektes stehen die Forschungsfragen, welche VR-Szenarien beim Nutzer eine hohe Immersion sowie einen maximalen Lerneffekt herbeiführen. Dazu wird das Potenzial verschiedener Schnittstellen ausgelotet und vergleichend evaluiert. Dabei werden auch für die Alltagspraxis wesentliche Fragen hinsichtlich der Akzeptanz und der Verträglichkeit (Stichwort „Motion Sickness“) gestellt und beantwortet.

Durch die hochwertige technische und didaktisch-inhaltliche Ausgestaltung des Lernszenarios werden mit TRACY:B neue Möglichkeiten hochgradig effektiver Trainings aufgezeigt und evaluiert. Im Rahmen praktischer Anwendungen und Evaluationen werden dabei weitreichende Kenntnisse über die Einsatzmöglichkeiten aktueller VR-Hardware gewonnen und für die zukünftige Forschungs- und Entwicklungslandschaft in diesem Bereich frei verfügbar gemacht.

TRACY:B wird als Verbundprojekt des GAME CHANGER Institutes mit der Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin durchgeführt und vom Deutschen Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt gefördert. Bis Juli 2016 entstehen mehrere Prototypen in verschiedenen „Next Generation Engines“ (aktuelle Game Engines) und unter Verwendung unterschiedlicher Eingabe- und Ausgabegeräte.

Quelle:

https://gamedesign.htw-berlin.de/dehive/research/tracyvr/

1. Juni 2021 0 comment

Examples

Developers: Creating a new reality with spatial computing

Given the amazing capabilities and advances in today’s smartphones, have you ever wondered what the next big evolution of these devices would look like? hubraum, a tech incubator run by Deutsche Telekom, recently teamed up with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. (QTI), Nreal, Unity, and others to answer this through their Mixed Reality Demo Day event. The key theme throughout the event was the concept of spatial Internet or the spatialization of the mobile Internet, the next evolution of in computing. In this next evolution, users will transition from looking down at the Internet through 2D screens to being immersed in the Internet via extended reality (XR) headsets. Through this immersive medium, the screen disappears and the world becomes your desktop.

This concept, also referred to as spatial computing, is made possible by the convergence of three key technologies: XR, on-device AI, and 5G. Unity’s statement at the event elegantly sums up the significance of this: “We’re moving towards a future where we’ll pull our phones out less frequently because our AR glasses will do more for us. We predict that spatial computing will be at the forefront of how we live and work in the future.”

Let’s look at how XR and spatial computing are poised to revolutionize how we access the Internet. Then we’ll explore some technologies from QTI that can help you build immersive solutions.

Driving factors

Several factors are driving spatial computing. Today, remote meetings have taken center stage as the pandemic forced us to find alternate methods of collaboration. While virtual online meetings are great, our growing and continued reliance on them has created the desire to replicate the close and personal interactions of in-person congregations.

On the device side, powerful mobile processors now make it possible to pack XR experiences into smaller devices than ever before (e.g., the Nreal Light AR glasses, Lenovo ThinkReality A3, etc.). Other features like eye tracking and hand tracking can control the eye and hand movements on virtual avatars, or control positions and interactions with spatial AR user interfaces. Meanwhile, advances in 3D audio and 3D user interface design round out the immersive experience. Finally, high-bandwidth, low-latency communications over 5G provide ultra-fast cloud connectivity to drive these experiences.

Use cases

Many consider XR to be THE killer app for 5G, given its need for high throughput with immersive 3D content and low motion-to-photon latency for responsive interactions and reduced cybersickness. The demands of XR far exceed those for normal streaming apps (e.g., movie streaming) due to the processing load for high resolution graphics in XR that involve perception transmission, processing, rendering, encoding, warping, etc. And this must all happen in near real-time. Numerous examples at hubraum’s event showed how developers fulfill these requirements and our vision of Boundless XR. Below are a few notable uses cases:

Holographic avatars: with the need for more personal, realistic, and collaborative remote meetings, virtual avatars are now being used to represent meeting participants and even personal assistants. These technologies can capture aspects of unspoken communication such as facial expressions and micro gestures. At the same time, voice-controlled AI-driven assistants with similar realistic features demonstrate where smart audio solutions may be headed (e.g., evolving from voice assistant speakers to full-blown holographic virtual assistants). In addition to avatars, virtual holographic objects are also possible. For example, participants can remotely collaborate on a new product design by viewing it as a virtual object from different angles in a meeting.
e-Commerce: interactive and immersive digital storefronts are now possible thanks to XR. Users can look at products through AR glasses to obtain more information or examine virtual products from different angles.
Personal object recognition: AR glasses with image capture and recognition technology can record real objects and later identify them when they enter the user’s field of view. For example, a user can record what a fastener of a specific size and thread count looks like to identify them quickly when assembling products.
Immersive books: textbooks and kids‘ storybooks can virtually come to life as characters and scenes immerse readers in AR.
Enhanced TV: TV viewed through AR glasses now offers the capability to display additional information along with the TV program. For example, additional stats about a sporting match can be displayed on each side of the TV in AR.
Live Gaming: remote players can compete against each other in real-life games like basketball while wearing AR glasses. In conjunction with computer vision technology, the glasses are designed to automatically detect when each player scores and display the game’s stats.
Immersive Location Tracking: AR, in conjunction with GPS and other sensors, can display virtual menus for locations of interest (e.g., restaurants, etc.) which fall within the user’s field of view. The user can then interact with these menus to gain more information such as directions, ratings, etc.

XR tools for developers

QTI is no stranger to XR, and we have over a decade of XR research stretching back to 2009.

Since then, we’ve launched several XR platforms and XR-specific Development Kits like theQualcomm® Snapdragon™ XR2 HMD Reference Design for the Snapdragon XR2 5G Platform, which helps power XR experiences in products like the Oculus Quest 2. Developers can also build lightweight and power-efficient AR glasses tethered to 5G smartphones over USB-C, such as those powered by our flagship Snapdragon 888 5G Mobile Platform.

On the content creation side, it’s no secret that we have been collaborating with Unity for several years to drive mobile game and XR development. Unity is now pushing the boundaries of XR for other verticals as well. As content remains a huge aspect of XR development, content creators should check out the Unity MARS XR framework.

Finally, developers building XR applications for Snapdragon platforms can take advantage of our rich tools and SDKs, including:

Qualcomm® 3D Audio Tools: tools to record, edit, and produce spatial audio.
3D Audio Plugin for Unity: binaural spatial audio plugin for Unity.
Snapdragon Power Optimization SDK: provides a rich API for balancing power versus performance.
Snapdragon Profiler: allows developers to analyze CPU, GPU, DSP, memory, power, thermal, and network data.

Conclusion

We’re entering an age where the Internet is no longer just a resource viewed through 2D screens. Spatial compute technologies are paving the way for immersive interactions with the Internet, accessible anywhere and experienced in new ways. Stay tuned, as we’re constantly evolving our XR technologies and are planning some exciting XR announcements soon.

For additional information about XR and spatial computing, check out Snapdragon XR1 Platform Makes It Real for Developers, Tips for Enhancing XR Experiences, and How To Guide: Developing for Immersive Realities. Also, be sure to check out the Nreal Light Developer Kit and the Oculus Developer site.

If you have an interesting spatial computing/XR project that uses technologies from QTI, let us know about it, and we may feature it on QDN! Qualcomm Snapdragon and Qualcomm 3D Audio are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.

Quelle:

https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2021/05/24/creating-new-reality-spatial-computing

1. Juni 2021 0 comment

Examples

Immersive Learning Strategy: How To Use VR For Safety Training And Virtual Events

VR is a versatile tool that can help you reduce on-the-job mistakes and provide remote hands-on learning experiences. Discover how an immersive learning strategy can benefit your organization and why it works!

VR Training To Mitigate Risks And Boost User Engagement

The stakes are high when it comes to workplace safety, anti-terrorism training, and threat identification. These situations are also difficult to realistically replicate for training purposes. When mistakes made in real life could be costly or dangerous, virtual reality training is the perfect alternative. VR works well for many types of safety training, such as:

Office, warehouse, or construction site safety
Security & situational awareness
Active shooter training
First responder training
Environmental threats
Disaster planning

Two Very Different Types Of Safety Training That Benefit From An Immersive Learning Strategy

1. First Responder Training

In a South Wales Fire & Rescue training exercise developed by Video Interact, firefighters respond to the scene of a collision, where they extract and rescue a victim. Whether on a desktop or mobile device, the viewer can interact with filmed images of people, objects and the environment from multiple angles. Features include on-screen augments and question sets, scoring, a home button, expert testimonies and action shots captured on GoPros worn by the team as they work on the rescue.

Why It Works

Immersive fire safety training can be delivered over and over without causing any additional wear and tear on personal protective equipment (PPE) and response equipment. In addition, the virtual training means that all equipment and vehicles remain available in the event of an emergency. A simulated emergency situation allows firefighters to test their abilities without incurring any risk. 360-degree video allows first responders to see the situation from all angles and the highly visual nature encourages greater retention compared to text-based training manuals.

2. Security: Threat Spotting

Luxury retailer Fendi hired Video Interact to engage and train 1,800 international in-store sales staff in vital health, safety and security information to reduce in-store theft, among other threats. The training needed to be mobile-friendly and delivered in a way that sales staff would find both engaging and informative. Part of the program included an interactive 360VR module focusing on spotting security risks inside stores. Because of the high retail value of Fendi’s products, reducing theft has a huge impact on their bottom line.

Why It Works

All elements were shot on location in their London flagship store to create learning the staff would recognize and relate to. Embedding the immersive video into a mobile learning module allowed staff to complete the exercise on their mobile devices, without needing a desktop computer or VR headset.

Showing all the security lapses in virtual reality enabled staff to encounter scenarios without putting actual product at risk. Armed with this knowledge, they are able to prevent these situations from happening in the first place in their stores.

Fendi achieved a 55% theft reduction and 400% ROI from the interactive health, safety, and security training. As well as being extremely effective the course was popular with the staff, reaching 80% of its target audience within 6 months of launch (the highest number possible given the often transient nature of the staff).

VR For Virtual Events

Until recently, the adoption of remote technology for events was slow. After all, the in-person engagement and activities are what make an event special, right? However, the abrupt cancellation of nearly all live tradeshows and conferences in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic was a massive disruption.

Event organizers HAD to find alternatives, despite the fact that face-to-face interactions are widely believed to be vital to the sales funnel. Most business professionals across industries, even the younger generations, tend to prefer attending live events to virtual ones. However, with the right technology, it’s possible for virtual experiences to deliver the same value as physical ones—if not more!

So how can you create an engaging virtual event? Here’s one example.

Virtual Health Fair

The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) hosts a series of events called AWARE for All—free clinical research education health fairs that include informational exhibits featuring community groups, health associations research centers, local physician and patient speakers, as well as receptions to honor clinical research participants. AWARE for All events are hosted several times each year in different cities around the country.

To replace their in-person events canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic, CISCRP hired an agency, Illumina Interactive, to create an immersive, 360° virtual reality health fair experience.

Illumina Interactive used CenarioVR®, a virtual reality course authoring application to create an engaging, interactive VR health fair where participants can visit over 30 virtual sponsor and exhibitor booths, learn about each exhibitor via posters, text, and short introductory videos, and visit the CISCRP theater to view a series of short videos about clinical research trials.

Conclusion

Download the eBook 5 Popular Types Of Learning To Build In VR – And Why They Work! to explore the many applications for VR training in your employee development strategy and how they can help you tap into the power of immersive learning.

References:

Quelle:

Foto: ShotPrime Studio/Shutterstock.com

https://elearningindustry.com/immersive-learning-strategy-how-use-vr-for-safety-training-and-virtual-events

1. Juni 2021 0 comment

Examples

Zeitreise durch das Köln der 20er-Jahre

Reise in die Geschichte: „TimeRide“ bietet virtuelle Rundfahrten durch das historische Köln an. Ab dem Sommer soll es in das Köln der „goldenen 20er-Jahre“ gehen. Wie war es damals?

Für die Kölnerinnen und Kölner war das Jahr 1926 ein besonderes: Nachdem britische Truppen die Stadt im Zuge des Ersten Weltkrieges besetzten, wurden die letzten Soldaten des British Empires im Januar 1926 aus Köln abgezogen. Von den Kölnern wurde das mit spontanen Freudenfesten gefeiert. Der Abzug der britischen Truppen bedeutete nämlich für die Stadt einen Neuanfang: Während des Ersten Weltkrieges, der seit 1914 in Europa wütete, und der anschließenden Okkupation durch die Siegermächte hatte es in Köln keinen Karneval gegeben – nachdem die Briten aus Köln abzogen, brach sich das Kölsche Lebensgefühl wieder Bahn.

Virtuelle Zeitreisen durch das alte Köln

Heute, fast 100 Jahre später, gibt es nur noch wenige Zeugnisse aus jener Zeit. Vereinzelte Filmaufnahmen vermitteln zwar einen Eindruck des Kölns der „goldenen 20er“, können diese Ära aber nicht so richtig erfahrbar machen. Das Unternehmen „TimeRide“ will das ändern. Seit ihrer Gründung 2016 bietet die Firma von Jonas Rothe virtuelle Zeitreisen in verschiedenen Städten an. Neben Berlin, Dresden, München und Frankfurt am Main betreibt „TimeRide“ auch einen Standort in Köln – am Alter Markt, mitten im Zentrum des historischen Stadtkerns.

Eine Straßenszene am Alten Markt (Screenshot aus VR-Erlebnis): Das Lebensgefühl der Kölner soll greifbar werden. (Quelle: TimeRide)

Teilnehmer der virtuellen Zeitreisen nehmen in einer Replik der ersten elektrischen Straßenbahn Kölns Platz und können die Stadt durch Virtual Reality-Brillen hautnah erleben. Während die Straßenbahn durch das Köln der 20er-Jahre „fährt“, können die Fahrgäste ihren Blick in 360-Grad durch das animierte Köln schweifen lassen – und dabei einiges entdecken. „Die Fahrt beginnt am Alter Markt und endet am Neumarkt“, erklärt Pressesprecher Julian Herbig, „dabei passiert die Straßenbahn unter anderem den alten Hauptbahnhof Kölns und natürlich auch den Dom.“

Zwei Protagonisten führen erzählerisch durch Köln

Auf diese Weise entsteht ein authentischer Blick auf die Architektur der Stadt und auf die Menschen, die sie zu dieser Zeit bewohnten. Während der viertelstündigen Fahrt verfolgen die Teilnehmer die Geschichten des Bahnfahrers Pitter und der Hutmacherin Tessa, deren Mann im Ersten Weltkrieg auf dem Schlachtfeld zurückblieb: „Es sind zwar die goldenen 20er, die wir zeigen, aber damals war eben auch nicht alles golden.“ So können die Zeitreisenden Kriegsversehrte in den Gassen der Altstadt ausmachen und Zeugen der ärmlichen Verhältnisse werden, die in Teilen der Domstadt herrschten.

Der Kölner Hauptbahnhof vom Dom aus gesehen: So sah das Gebäude in den 1920er Jahren aus. (Quelle: TimeRide)

Aber auch die wieder aufblühende Lebensfreude der Kölner wird greifbar. So führt die virtuelle Straßenbahnfahrt an spontanen Karnevalsfeiern und -umzügen vorbei, zeigt die elegante Mode der 20er und passiert historische Bauwerke, die heute nicht mehr Teil des Stadtbildes sind. So wie etwa das Gasthaus „Ewige Lampe“ in direkter Nähe zum Dom, das in jener Zeit der Treffpunkt von Intellektuellen und Künstlern war.

Während der Fahrt sorgen das Ruckeln des Waggons und der entgegenkommende Fahrtwind für ein authentisches Erlebnis: „Die Kölner lieben ihre Stadt und identifizieren sich Stark mit ihrer Geschichte und Kultur“, sagt Herbig, „und die Illusion nimmt einen wirklich toll mit und versetzt einen in das alte Köln.“

„Das Lebensgefühl macht die Stadt bis heute aus“

In Köln gibt es „TimeRide“ schon seit 2017. Zunächst zeigte die virtuelle Stadtrundfahrt das Köln des Jahres 1909, also zur Kaiserzeit und Jahre vor dem Ausbruch des Ersten Weltkrieges.

Die VR-Fahrten durch die historischen Stadtbilder bei „TimeRide“ werden von der Film und Medien Stiftung NRW gefördert und stellen den Höhepunkt der insgesamt dreiviertelstündigen Zeitreise dar. Bevor die Teilnehmer im Nachbau der Straßenbahn Platz nehmen, erfahren sie vor historischer Kulisse mehr über die Zeit, in die sie mithilfe von VR-Brillen versetzt werden: „Wir vermitteln auch Hintergrundwissen und wollen den Menschen nicht nur das Stadtbild, sondern auch das damalige Lebensgefühl näher bringen“, sagt Herbig, der selbst Historiker ist. „Die Atmosphäre und das Lebensgefühl sind schließlich Dinge, die die Stadt bis heute ausmachen.“

Eröffnung im Sommer

Momentan befindet sich die neue Zeitreise durch das alte Köln noch im Aufbau. Mit einer Eröffnung rechnen Julian Herbig und Geschäftsführer Jonas Rothe im Sommer – sofern die Corona-Pandemie dann einer Premiere des neuen Angebots nicht im Wege steht.

Quelle:

Passagiere im originalgetreuen Nachbau einer historischen Straßenbahn (Aufnahme vor Corona-Pandemie): Mit der VR-Brille geht es auf die Tour. (Quelle: TmeRide)

31. Mai 2021 0 comment

Examples

Empowering Equity In Education With Virtual Reality And Immersive Learning

By Stephanie Nashawaty, Chief Customer Innovation Officer at SAP North America

The pandemic has dramatically disrupted traditional learning. While that disruption has widened gaps in access to education that existed along racial, ethnic, and socio-economic lines, it has also accelerated advances in innovation that could help close those gaps.

More than a year after schools and training providers pivoted to remote learning, two trends have emerged. First, finding innovative ways to teach and learn is here to stay. Second, many educators who have gained a new appreciation for how technology can help students learn will forever be on the lookout for technical tools that support unique approaches to education. These tools will create pathways to new educational and career opportunities with students from under-resourced communities.

Kristina Francis, executive director of JFFLabs, an innovative unit of JFF, a national nonprofit that drives transformation in the American workforce and education systems, believes that immersive learning currently represents one of the most promising options for changing traditional approaches to education and closing achievement gaps.

JFFLabs and SAP have partnered to pilot an effort to introduce immersive learning to classrooms across the country.

“This time in history requires expanded access and new entry points for learning, education experiences, and innovation,” said Francis. “It requires corporations and school districts to partner to put resources and technology in the hands of our most marginalized and disadvantaged learners and, frankly, future leaders and innovators.”

A Need for ‘New Entry Points’

The program is called the Skill Immersion Lab. SAP and JFFLabs have rolled it out at three sites working with high school-aged learners: a high school in Queens, New York; a community center in St. Paul, Minnesota; and a workforce development center serving a rural area of Louisiana, which offers instruction to young people ages 16-24 who are unemployed and not in school.

The importance of finding new ways to engage and motivate students became clear during the pandemic. A June 2020 McKinsey report, citing data from Curriculum Associates, revealed that student engagement rates at schools that serve low-income populations lagged behind those serving high-income students. The data suggested that 60 percent of students from low-income families were regularly logging on to online instruction, compared to 90 percent of high-income students.

Students in the Skill Immersion Lab program are engaging in immersive experiences using desktop and virtual reality (VR) platforms to strengthen human skills, also called employability or “soft” skills, such as effective communication and leadership capabilities. The four-to-six-week courses feature curriculum from Talespin, a developer of a VR platform that learners can use to take part in interactive role-playing exercises, allowing them to practice interpersonal skills in virtual settings.

Research has shown that immersive technology is a powerful educational tool. According to PwC, people who are taught using virtual reality tech are 3.75 times more emotionally connected to the content, four times more focused than their e-learning peers, and 275 percent more confident about applying the skills they learn after training. It’s also possible to train people more quickly and cost-effectively using VR.

Educators at the Skill Immersion Lab sites, who have been working with learners in their communities for years, say they welcome the opportunity to offer immersive learning experiences with students.

“A gap that we notice as mentors is the need for students to apply the skills they learn from seminar sessions into a real-world setting,” said a career readiness advisor at the Queens site. “Students learn a lot about the ‘what to communicate’ in a professional environment, but getting students to learn the ‘how’ and ‘why’ as they maneuver through multilevel relationships in the workplace is crucial to ensuring that they are prepared for the many types of communication scenarios they would experience in the workforce. Allowing students to engage in virtual reality experiences early on gives them a head start into building awareness through verbal and non-verbal communication, not only for themselves but also for others.”

The Skill Immersion Lab is also a critical opportunity to listen to learners who bring important lessons and skills from past experiences. Their feedback and engagement will push the program to be more relevant and effective for their own education and career goals.

An Effective Tool for Tough Topics

“It’s all about giving learners access to technology that is proven to be an effective teaching tool for tough topics,” says Katie Booth, who leads SAP’s corporate social responsibility team in North America. “We want to give them the language to think about things differently—and understand that they have a place within any environment, whether it’s a corporate setting or a community one. These deep communication skills will help them succeed.”

We believe that the Skill Immersion Lab holds significant promise, particularly with young learners located outside of wealthy, suburban or urban areas. Young people are receiving early access to some of the most innovative and effective immersive learning tools on the market, and they’re using those tools to advance their communication skills and further the pursuit of their education and career goals.

As SAP North America’s Chief Customer Innovation Officer, I’ve seen firsthand how innovative technology can help transform our customers’ businesses. The potential impact of this initiative is tremendous. Not only can it help educators build a deeper understanding of how new technology can empower young people, it can teach young learners some of the most important skills they need to succeed in life. And not just young learners in well-to-do communities, but any student, anywhere in the country.

It’s possible. As one of the nation’s first programs focused squarely on immersive learning experiences for this age group, the Skill Immersion Lab is paving the way.

Quelle:

Foto: VR in the classroomgetty

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2021/05/25/empowering-equity-in-education-with-virtual-reality-and-immersive-learning/?sh=5206c1df2412&utm_content=168096089&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin&hss_channel=lcp-9389290

31. Mai 2021 0 comment