A lot of people and businesses use spatial computing every day without even realizing it. All kinds of new technology, from ride-sharing apps to virtual home assistants to self-driving cars, all come from spatial computing. It has a lot of different uses, experts say, and the technology could change how we work and live soon.
Spatial computing is a big umbrella concept
He came up with the term “spatial computing” back in 2003, but only recently have new technologies made his vision of the future a reality, which is why he came up with the term at all. It’s not just one technology or solution. It’s also called extended reality (XR), which is an umbrella term for virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. When you use physical space as a computer interface, you don’t have to keep your machine in one place. In Gartner’s words, VR is a computer-generated 3D world that surrounds a person and responds to their actions in a natural way. AR, on the other hand, is the use of text, graphics, audio, and virtual enhancements in real-time with real-world objects.
It’s called spatial computing if we mix computer-generated 3D environments (VR) with visual effects and information that makes them more useful to people (AR). Rony Abovitz, the CEO of Magic Leap, wrote a blog post about how spatial computing gives people the power of place, the power of physicality, and the power of the digital together. People who work in the post-COVID economy will need to be able to work across long distances and connect with customers in ways that are similar to real-life interactions However, the speed and size of high-speed networks are advantageous. Economic changes are going to happen, and spatial computing is going to be a big part of them.
If you talk to Alexa or Siri or use ride-hailing apps to get around the city, that shows how useful it is. As soon as you use a ride-sharing app like Uber or an app like Pokemon Go that shows where you are, you’re part of the spatial computing revolution. They are using spatial computing technology to track diseases and map important information about space exploration or the depths of the ocean. Environmentalists use spatial computing to figure out how species that are going extinct act, and driverless cars use spatial computing to get people to their destinations safely. If this isn’t enough for you, studies show that the spatial computing market will grow from $21.4 billion in 2020 to more than $254 billion by 2027, growing at a rate of 42.4 percent over the next five years.
This is what the business can do with spatial computing
Businesses and industries can use spatial computing in a wide range of ways. Shashi Shekhar and Pamela Vold write in their book, Spatial Computing, that these solutions offer a real chance to combine VR and AR to help workers in a wide range of fields perform better and more accurately. For example, corporate training is one area that people look at when they want to learn more. This technology will be used a lot in industries like energy to train workers in computer-generated 3D environments that look like real workplaces and scenarios. In businesses, too, it can be good to meet with employees and other people who have an interest in the project. It’s easier to communicate with people in different parts of the world when you merge video streams and use AR to show them important information. For example, when GE gave its technicians AR glasses, they saw a 34% rise in productivity for each worker. That’s because the people who wore the glasses had a better way to see the information they needed as they worked. As the Covid-19 pandemic grows, so does the need for better diagnosis and avoiding physical contact as much as possible in the health care field. For example, if a CT scan or MRI data can be shown on a patient’s body, this tool can help and give real-time feedback to the doctor. Besides diagnosing, this technology can be used to plan procedures so that they can be done as quickly as possible. There has been a big impact even in the manufacturing industry, because of the virus. Many times, spatial computing allowed them to control and manage the shop floors from afar. Also, traditional industrial IoT doesn’t work well when it’s done in a 3D space.
For example, if there is a problem with an industrial machine or someone makes a mistake, this technology can be a big help. It can help industrial workplaces be more accurate, which the human eye tends to overlook. Technology can also make things happen that make the world around us better for people with disabilities. Dartmouth University academics were given money for research to help them make an app for the Microsoft HoloLens that can read voices and follow patterns. People who can’t see well can use this solution to read signs so that they can move around environments that require them to read and see text.
Overcoming the challenges of adoption
So why is spatial still not common in businesses and our society, even though it has made a lot of things better? With most new technology that comes out now, there’s a lot of resistance from people to use it. Experts say that, like with any digital transformation project, businesses will need to take their time to figure out the benefits of more spatial computing tools in the workplace. Eventually, businesses of all sizes and shapes will start to feel more comfortable using spatial computing. This will lead to more businesses around the world using it. As a result, the people who work with spatial computing will be able to invest in new technology that changes how we do our jobs.
It’s also worth noting that a lot of spatial computing technology today still requires a lot of different technology and information to be brought together in a more unified way. To make spatial technology as immersive as it needs to be, you need a lot of skills. When it comes to spatial computing, we’re just starting to get our feet wet in the field today. As the 5G connection and hardware get better, the chances of seeing more and more spatial computing solutions in our homes and workplaces will also rise. For continuous process improvement, spatial-computing analytics can be used to more quickly and accurately find worker and production bottlenecks than with previous methods. Some maps show where workers spend the most time and which routes are used the most around the factory. Spatial “heat maps,”
for example, show where workers spend the most time and which routes are used the most around the factory. There are a lot of great things you can do in the spatial computing environment, and as technology improves, our ability to get into the digital world is only going to get better. You can be sure that there will be a lot of legacy companies as well as new businesses offering computer software solutions for things like immersive training, immersive office productivity, design visualization, and more shortly, even though virtual and real are becoming more mixed up.
