Immersive technologies like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have seen remarkable growth since their introduction, transforming and elevating industries, thanks to the innovative opportunities they offer.
Despite their promising potential and ongoing advancements in technology, AR and VR adoption among global users has remained relatively low and is, for now, merely in its infancy. According to Skyquest, the market for immersive technologies is projected to grow from $30.6 billion, back in 2022, to around $521.28 billion in 2031. This immense growth is expected to be fueled by the growing variety of practical applications that are redefining previously more basic, and static experiences, into immersive, three-dimensional experiences. For example, this includes immersive learning, social VR platforms, text detection and translation, enhanced integration of AR and VR with artificial intelligence, and beyond (Prahbu, 2024).
With immersive tech’s continuous advancements, there also come significant challenges that need to be addressed. Concerns linked to immersive tech over diminishing personal connections, privacy, data security, information overload, user disorientation are casting a shadow over the anticipated growth and keeping potential new users at bay (Flavián et al., 2024). Overcoming these challenges will not only help surpass existing limitations, but also unlock new opportunities and drive transformative progress in the field. So, what can immersive tech developers and all involved do?
Prevention Through Design: Set the focus on awareness of immersive techs principles, values, and potential societal impacts, to mitigate adverse outcomes before they can even happen (Antal, 2022).
Ethical Data Usage: Set clear boundaries for data collection and prioritize responsible innovation in the AR & VR environment, driving towards more transparency and accountability.
User Education and Training: As mentioned, information overload and disorientation in a virtual or augmented environment have kept many users at distance, at least for now. Implementing comprehensive training and user education allows for smoother navigation and enhanced confidence in immersive environments.
As the future of immersive tech remains to be speculative, its potential is in my opinion boundless (when implemented correctly). As we navigate beyond the horizon, prioritizing innovative solutions, and addressing current challenges is most likely going to be key to unlock the maximum potential of AR and VR.
References
Antal. (2022, November 22). Immersive technologies: Challenges to user protection in a growing field. Portulans Institute. https://portulansinstitute.org/immersive-technologies/
Flavián, & Ibáñez-Sánchez Carlos Flavián, Sergio Barta, Sergio Ibáñez-Sánchez and Carlos Orús. (2024). One moment, please... One moment, please… https://www.servsig.org/wordpress/2024/04/challenges-and-opportunities-of-immersive-technologies-and-the-metaverse-in-service-delivery/
Prahbu. (2024, July). AR/VR trends and predictions for 2025 & beyond. Experiences of tomorrow. Engineered together | Ciklum. https://www.ciklum.com/resources/blog/ar/vr-trends-and-predictions-for-2025-beyond
Skyquest. (n.d.). Augmented, virtual and mixed reality market size, share, trends & forecast | 2031. Top Market Research Intelligence and Consulting Firm | SkyQuest Technology Consulting Pvt. Ltd. https://www.skyquestt.com/report/ar-vr-mr-market
Great insights Louis! The enormous potential of AR and VR is well shown in this blog post, especially in light of the predicted market growth. I find the discussion of the present issues very relevant, particularly in regard to the ways that privacy concerns and user confusion holding back widespread adoption. I agree that increasing accessibility for these tools requires both user education and clear ethical standards. It’s critical to provide people the confidence and knowledge to navigate AR and VR environments if we want to see a greater uptake of these technologies. Seeing how immersive technology develops will be interesting, especially if developers can solve these issues at an early stage. As young professionals, I believe we will play a significant part in determining the responsible use of this technology.