However, its deployment in enterprise training reveals curious geographical and cultural nuances. Dwayne Iserief, Co-founder and COO of Paris-based Uptale, suggests that there’s a European approach to learning itself, at the heart of a key distinction.
“Firstly, training is very important,” he explained. “There is dedicated budget invested in frontline training.”
“Security too,” he continued, “there’s an expectation of zero accidents in industry. So people have to be trained correctly.”
This focus lays the groundwork for adopting immersive learning technologies like Uptale’s platform on Lenovo‘s ThinkReality VRX headset, to help cater to Europe’s strong safety standards. To achieve this in XR requires a bespoke approach to each scenario.
Tailoring Immersive Experiences
Uptale’s strategy goes beyond ready-made solutions by enabling businesses to craft customized training environments, where skills can be practiced, perfected, and fully internalized, at minimal cost. “We have templates for typical environments, like security onboarding for example,” Iserief says, “but what really differentiates us is when our clients use 360-degree cameras, to capture their own content.”
This personalized approach, transforms static images into dynamic 3D spaces, making training more engaging and effective. “They can import it and tag it, all using code-free tools, and then they’re training their people in an agile digital twin of their own factory, it’s the most efficient and immersive way to train in a virtual environment.”
To make a 360 degree image feel truly real, AI is also used, to backfill content and create depth and add perspective. “We use AI in the storyboarding as well,” Iserief pointed out, “but it’s in transforming a static image into a 3D environment, with objects you can move towards or away from, that really makes it come to life.”
Expanding Reach Through Strategic Alliances
The partnership with Lenovo is pivotal for Uptale, facilitating the global distribution of their XR training solutions. As Iserief points out, “Uptale has recently opened offices in Singapore and the US, and our clients have locations worldwide. Working with Lenovo means we can have devices shipped anywhere, with the ThinkReality platform and our software preinstalled, So our clients can get going fast, with access to their own content on every site,” Iserief explained.
“The ThinkReality VRX mixed reality headset from Lenovo is a dedicated enterprise product,” agreed Julien Levy, Product & Partner Manager, Lenovo EMEA. “We can deploy at scale, and the whole framework is OpenXR based.
“As well as meeting European standards for privacy and security, we provide mobile device management and support, so the IT administrator can manage everything for the end user.
“When we partner with turnkey solution providers like Uptale, it’s the perfect solution to solve the challenges of XR training for global customers, and it leads to great customer success.”
Emphasizing Sustainability in Knowledge and Resources
The global commitment to sustainability, which is strongly supported in European markets, is also evident in the adoption of XR training.
As Levy explained, “XR training doesn’t only reduce the time taken for learning, it also significantly reduces the carbon footprint. This metric is important in Europe, and really impacted when you’re not burning carbon by sending experts traveling around the world to do training.”
The ability to conduct remote training has further unexpected environmental benefits, as Iserief reflected. “We have clients requiring advance training clearance at a nuclear facility, before anyone can visit. But now they can do the security training through the VR headset, completely remotely, so they can access the site as soon as they arrive.” He continued, “It not only saves them time, but also two journeys.”
Blending cutting-edge technologies and traditional business practices, Europe’s distinct approach to XR training in enterprises underlines the importance of dedicated investment, security, personalization, and sustainability.
These elements unite to create a powerful model for immersive learning that meets the specific needs of businesses and aligns with broader environmental goals, enabling the partnership of Lenovo with Uptale to set a high watermark for global enterprise training practices.
