XR Use Case Deep Dive 3 : Training
This is my third article in a series exploring key use cases for XR technologies. Again, it will feature commentary and video clips of software solutions to enhance the understanding of each use case. The examples are drawn from solutions with which I am acquainted. However, the intention is not to endorse any specific solution, as the optimal choice is highly dependent on individual use cases, the company, the operational environment, and the users. With the rapid growth in the availability of XR software solutions, it's crucial to select the one that best fits your unique needs and context. In addition I must stress that the views presented in this posting are my own, and may not reflect those of my employer.
The use of Virtual Reality (VR) is probably one of the most mature use cases for this technology.
VR can significantly enhance training in several ways:
1. Immersive Learning
Virtual Reality (VR) establishes a completely immersive environment that allows trainees to participate in lifelike scenarios, enhancing their understanding and knowledge retention.
VR establishes a fully immersive environment that reduces distractions, enabling learners to deeply engage with the content. This immersive experience aids in the more effective encoding of information.
Multi-Sensory Engagement: By stimulating various senses, including visual, auditory, and occasionally tactile (emerging), VR can enhance the memorability of learning experiences. This multi-sensory method is effective in forging more robust memory connections.
Repetition and Practice: VR enables learners to practice exercises and scenarios repeatedly as necessary, strengthening learning and enhancing long-term memory retention.
Realistic Simulations: VR can simulate real-world scenarios, providing practical experience with real-life practice. This hands on experience is crucial for retaining complex skills and knowledge.
Immediate Feedback: VR training frequently incorporates immediate feedback, which assists learners in correcting errors and comprehending concepts in depth. This prompt reinforcement is crucial for the retention of new knowledge.
Engagement and Motivation: The interactive and gamified aspects of virtual reality can enhance the learning experience, making it more captivating and fun. This can lead to increased motivation and, as a result, better retention.
Standardised Training: VR ensures that all trainees receive the same level of training, which can be particularly useful in industries where consistency is crucial.
AR and MR Technologies can also be very helpful in building Augmented/Mixed Reality Training experiences, that allow us to blend the physical and digital worlds providing a new dimension to Immersive Training Experiences. See the Video example below using PTC’s Vuforia Platform:
Training is an ongoing process, and in today's world, adopting a "Learner Mindset" is crucial for enhancing our job performance daily. It provides us with fresh perspectives to analyze and refine our work methods for future improvement. Cutting-edge technologies, such as the Apple Vision Pro, are creating new possibilities in this realm. For instance, Zeiss Medical Technologies has produced a video demonstrating the training of Ophthalmic Surgeons, showcasing the remarkable capabilities of the Apple Vision Pro in the field of medicine. Furthermore,
ANIMA RES is developing high-quality content for devices like the Apple Vision Pro, which delivers unprecedented User Experience and Immersion levels to improve training results.
Moreover, leveraging the advanced capabilities, power, and user experience of the Apple Vision Pro for pre-surgery preparation through the visualisation of 3D medical imagery in the patient's context, the future of XR in medicine is indeed astonishing. Consider the brief example below:
For those who may consider these medical examples to be science fiction or futuristic, GEM hospitals in India are currently utilising the Apple Vision Pro to offer imaging visualisation support during actual surgeries, as demonstrated in the video below:
This is no longer Science Fiction, this is reality.
2. Safe Practice
It allows employees to practice high-risk tasks in a safe, controlled setting. For example First Responders can take part in realistic Fire Safety scenarios in a safe environment.
Risk-Free Environment: VR enables learners to hone skills and procedures within a safe, virtual space, eliminating the dangers inherent in real-life training. This proves especially advantageous for high-risk sectors such as healthcare, aviation, manufacturing and construction.
Simulation of Dangerous Scenarios:Virtual reality can replicate dangerous scenarios that are too risky to reproduce in reality. This allows learners to safely experience and react to emergency situations, like fires or chemical spills.
Error-Free Practice: Learners have the opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them without facing real-world repercussions. This method of trial and error is instrumental in fostering both confidence and competence..
Consistent Training: VR offers a standardised training experience, guaranteeing that every learner receives an identical level of instruction and practice, essential for maintaining safety standards.
Immediate Feedback: VR training frequently incorporates real-time feedback, enabling learners to promptly correct their actions and comprehend the consequences of their errors, thereby improving both learning outcomes and safety.
Reduced Physical Strain: For activities necessitating repetitive physical movements, virtual reality (VR) can alleviate the physical stress on learners by enabling them to rehearse in a simulated environment.
I work for Shell, and Shell have chosen an off the shelf VR Training Solution for Life Saving Rules Training. The solution used by Shell is Pixera Life Saving Rules, see the video below on some of the benefits Shell have experienced:
3. Cost-Effective
In the long run, VR training may prove to be more economical than conventional methods, since it diminishes the necessity for physical resources and travel.
Reduced Travel and Accommodation Costs: Conventional training typically necessitates travel to a designated site, incurring substantial expenses for transport, accommodation, and dining. VR training, however, enables participants to engage from any location, thereby eradicating these costs.
Scalability: After the development of a VR training program, it can be utilised multiple times without incurring extra costs. This aspect is particularly economical for large organisations that require the training of numerous employees.
Costly Classroom Training: Taking large numbers of employee’s into classroom lead training can be very costly in both lost hands-on-work time as well as for the time of instructors, coordinators and resources for such training events. With VR, ad-hoc training can be developed that is close to or even better than classroom training avoiding many of these costs.
Time Efficiency: VR training has been found to be significantly quicker to complete than traditional training methods. Research indicates that VR training can be completed 3-4 times more rapidly, enabling employees to resume their normal tasks earlier.
Consistent Quality: VR training offers a standardised experience for all users, guaranteeing uniform quality of training. Achieving this consistency is more challenging with in-person training, as it may differ based on the instructor's approach.
Safety and Risk Reduction: VR enables the simulation of hazardous or intricate scenarios within a secure setting. This diminishes the likelihood of accidents and lowers the potential costs related to injuries or damage to equipment during training sessions.
Long-term Savings: While the upfront cost of VR technology may be relatively high, the long-term benefits, such as decreased travel expenses, accelerated training periods, and the ability to reuse content, can render it a cost-effective solution over time.
Costs for VR Training can be minimised by purchasing off the shelf training courses like the example of Pixera above for Life Saving Rules training at Shell. Traditionally the cost of developing custom training with a specialist studio or even recording the media necessary to build such courses is expensive, however with the availability of cheap LiDAR cameras in devices like the iPhone or iPad Pro; this has become much cheaper; combined with the capabilities of DIY VR Learning Development platforms like Motive, the costs for developing and delivering VR Training experiences is becoming much cheaper. Motive is an excellent example of such a DIY Platform:
Motive’s Storyflow Authoring tool can be used with little or no coding knowledge to create high quality immersive training experiences:
Like most DIY VR Learning platforms, to create truly high quality and immersive VR experiences, you will need a 3D world and 3D assets to meet the needs of your specific use case. For most, this will mean that you will need some experience in tools like Unity 3D to do this. However after creating a library of assets, these assets can be reused across multiple use cases.
In addition Motive supports immersive multi-user training experiences allowing teams to take part in Training experiences that involve team work and interactions using Conversational and Generative AI.
However there are simpler VR Learning platforms like Warp VR that allow the use of recorded 360 video to create more simple VR Experiences, tools like Warp VR do not require such specialist 3D skills in tools like Unity or Unreal. See the video below on Warp VR Studio:
Finally, lets look at a completely different aspect of Training. Training AI Models that drive robots using the Apple Vision Pro. NVIDIA has not only started supporting the Apple Vision Pro with NVIDIA Omniverse, NVIDIA has unveiled Project GR00T, an all purpose foundation model for humanoid robots, designed to propel its robotics and embodied AI initiatives. A key element of Project GR00T is its integration with Apple Vision Pro.
This collaboration merges NVIDIA's advanced AI technology with Apple's sophisticated vision processing capabilities, providing developers with a platform for building intelligent robotic systems. The synergy of these technologies promises significant advancements in machine learning algorithms capable of object recognition, environmental understanding, and real-time decision-making. This partnership could lead to a new era of autonomous robots with higher skills to execute complex, intricate tasks.
Although Training is the most mature use case of XR Technologies, significant advances are still being made. We need to consider not only the training of human resources, but when human resources use XR devices, the data generated from this usage can also be used to train AI models to allow for more intelligent robotic operations.
XR for Training is certainly a mature use case, but there are some very exciting developments happening now and in the very near future that are sure to deliver even more value.