Mixed Reality is a Reality Now
Date:February 29, 2024
Date:February 29, 2024
Before we deep dive into the VR/AR/MR world, let’s get the definition out of our way.
Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer generated simulation of a real life environment; immersing the user in a fully artificial digital environment;
Primarily you would use the HMD (Head Mounted Devices) to experience the virtual reality world.
A extreme case of VR would be the world visualized by Steven Spielberg in the film “Ready Player One”.
On the other side, Augmented Reality (AR) superimposes the computer generated graphics on top of real world, to digitally enhance the user view.
If you have played the game “Pokémon Go”, then you have already experienced Augmented Reality.
Mixed reality (MR) is when the virtual objects are anchored in real work and you are able to interact with them.
While the AR/VR are in the gaming and entertainment space for more than 20 years, there are reasons why they are now part of enterprise business discussions more than ever.
- AR/VR is gaining a lot of momentum in the consumer market i.e. gaming; Just like smartphones, life of hardware devices are getting shorter and thereby driving the costs down
- Availability of higher computational power in the cloud world
- On the other hand, cost of computation has been decreasing continuously
- Thanks to rapid maturing AI, image detection and identification technologies are getting better every day
Engineering and xR
Whether it is a component design or a product design, the designers of any global engineering organizations, work offline and exchange the 3D models over PLM systems.
It is a time consuming process since it involves multiple iterations between the designers across the geographical regions.
Review comments are normally stored in system outside the model.
Through VR, the entire design process is brought into a virtual collaborative space where the global teams can work together using what one can call “Shared design experience”
Imagine that you are able to pierce through a Car engine further and all the way till you see the tiny fuel injecting holes which are normally measured in sub-millimeters, but blown up at 100x times.
The review comments are then added either through voice command or virtual keyboard in a specific point on the 3D model itself.
Also, you are able to simulate the spray process of the fuel from number of holes just like it happens inside the piston of gasoline engine.
You can also change the spray angles and the distance between the holes, etc. and see the changes in the spray contour.
The entire immersive experience can also be fully integrated into a PLM system.
In the battle between the commutation and communication, MR might just tilt the scales in favor of communication.
