XR Today’s Rory Greener hosts Nick Roseth, Founder of Explore Design and VR/AR Minneapolis Chapter President.
In this session, we discuss, XR and genAI solutions in enterprise environments, including:
Industry drivers of XR
GenAI as a driver of the market
XR and genAI relationship
Approaching a data-sensitive sector and already demanding sectors
XR/genAI forecasts
Post originally appearing on Star Tribune by Brooks Johnson.
David Ylitalo imagines one day opening this newspaper, scanning for a story and having the text pulled right up to his eyes for easy reading. There is no paper, however, just a virtual reality app that mimics the real thing.
"We're right on the precipice of this becoming the next way people consume visual information from a computer," Ylitalo said. "Content that supports all these different uses — that's what's going to make it the next big thing."
Ylitalo is vice president of R&D for 3M's Display Materials Division, which has been supporting VR headset makers for a decade.
3M's "pancake optics" help shrink the size of headsets while improving display quality, both key product improvements for VR's quest to get more consumers to buy into the tech.
As Minnesota-based 3M prepares to spin off its health care business and reposition the remaining company for growth, the industrial giant is embedding its materials and technology in a number of next-big-things: electric vehicles, industrial automation, climate tech and virtual and augmented reality.
Sales have slowed for traditional consumer electronics like phones, TVs and computers — a core business segment for 3M that typically generates more than $3 billion in yearly sales. Electronics revenue is down 23% for the first half of the year amid weak consumer demand, especially in China.
Meanwhile, numerous market reports predict a multibillion-dollar spike in VR hardware sales over the coming years.
"Much like our customers, we're waiting for this to really take off, and we're already working on the next generation and the next-next generation of this technology," Ylitalo said.
A Citi report last year said that by 2030 there could be trillions of dollars spent on and in the metaverse, which the bank defines broadly as a highly immersive internet across a wide variety of devices.
"We believe that the metaverse will eventually help us find new enhanced ways to do all of our current activities, including commerce, entertainment and media, education and training, manufacturing and enterprise in general," the report said.
The promise of the metaverse has been touted for years, drawing more attention during the pandemic as workplaces and communities explored new ways to interact online. Lately, though, it's faced setbacks from tech company layoffs and resources shifting to artificial intelligence.
"It goes through its own hype cycles, like a lot of industries do," said Nick Roseth, Minneapolis chapter president of the VR/AR Association trade group. "The two biggest issues are: There aren't enough devices on the market, and content is still expensive."
The release of Apple's Vision Pro this summer was seen as a breakthrough moment — but for $3,500 it will be used mostly by developers to continue pushing the boundaries of what the tech can be used for, Roseth said.
He expects it will be another 18 to 24 months before real progress is made on affordability and accessibility for consumers.
"I have to remind myself that 90% of the population doesn't realize this technology exists," Roseth said. "It's a slow burn."
It took five years for 3M to find ways to improve VR headsets after being approached by companies at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2013.
"They simply asked us if we could make their headsets smaller," Susan Kent, R&D lab director at 3M, said earlier this year. "We shortly realized that we could and make the image quality ... better and look less cartoony."
After 3M combined pancake lenses with its patented reflective polarizer technology, headsets could bring screens closer to a user's face, making them smaller while also enabling crisp text.
3M has also developed optical films for heads-up-displays — like digital data displayed on a car windshield. That type of augmented reality, as opposed to a fully immersive virtual headset, has already seen wide adoption.
"We're already living with augmented reality on our phones," Roseth said, pointing to Pokemon Go, Ikea Place and fashion try-on apps. "That blends information with the real world."
Headsets, heads-up-displays and more were on display last month at the 3M Open in Blaine. As the golf tournament's sponsor, 3M's fan experience tent focused on how its technology is connecting the physical and digital worlds — a hands-on look at all things "phygital."
The golf games — including an augmented-reality putting tool — were especially popular.
"From here, it's about doing this at a large scale," Ylitalo said, "at a volume and cost that allows our customers to put these on not millions of faces but hundreds of millions or billions."
Minneapolis-based artist, Philip Noyed, known for his public art installations, is set to debut his first-ever VR experience, The Neo Art Space. Coming in 2022, this giant, virtual reality art adventure, will allow multiple players to experience the space simultaneously from anywhere in the world. The Neo Art Space is unique from any other VR art experience, in that it is cutting edge contemporary light art that is vast in scale.
A Brand New Universe Of Light Art To Explore Through Virtual Reality
Minneapolis-based artist, Philip Noyed, known for his public art installations, is set to debut his first-ever VR experience, The Neo Art Space. Coming in 2022, this giant, virtual reality art adventure, will allow multiple players to experience the space simultaneously from anywhere in the world. The Neo Art Space is unique from any other VR art experience, in that it is cutting edge contemporary light art that is vast in scale.
The space is filled with over thirty experiences, orchestrated with ethereal music to help you move from everyday 3D experience to a transcendent 5D consciousness. When you enter the Neo Art Space, you emerge through a black hole onto a walkway amidst planets, galaxies and supernovas.
“Social isolation has become an increasing concern since the start of the pandemic,” said Philip Noyed. “The Neo Art Space Virtual Reality experience creates a new way to safely spend time with family and friends, while also offering endless experiences and memories made without leaving the safety of your home.”
The Neo Art Space is designed to be transformative and healing, meditative and joyful. Players will get to explore over 100,000+ square feet and over 10 stories high gaming area- creating their own experience via teleporting through pathways, glowing light caves, planets, radiant forests and beyond.
Most virtual reality art experiences are focused on simply looking at the art in the museum experience. The Neo Art Space changes the way we think about typical art, as users will be fully engulfed in the art space, exploring, interacting and creating all in one space. The array of experiences are as boundless as the universe you are in.
The Neo Art Space will be available in early 2022 for rent, purchase or licensing. NFTs of specific experiences will also be available. For more information, follow the Neo Art Space on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Steam, Discord, or visit https://www.neoartspace.com/about.
About The Creator
Philip Noyed is an innovative multimedia artist living and working in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Philip creates virtual realty (VR) art, abstract photographs, geometric light box illuminations, videos, paintings and mixed media installations. His art work represents the quintessential contemporary art movement making use of creative technology that is changing the way art is experienced today. Bold colors, light, and high-voltage geometric compositions characterize his versatile artworks that he transforms into wall-mounted or free-standing or kinetic mobile objects, video projections or immersive VR light experiences.
Press Contact
Cristy Brusoe
Brusoe Communications cristy@brusoe-communications.com
651-895-5842
