Microsoft Teams Immersive Spaces is taking collaboration to a new level. Powered by Microsoft Mesh, the new XR experience is now in preview, allowing users to discover the era of “metaverse work.”
Combining intuitive virtual environments with customizable avatars and spatial audio, Immersive Spaces allows employees to interact and connect like never before. The offering was introduced as part of the Microsoft Build update, and users can use immersive spaces through a PC or a VR headset, ensuring widespread accessibility.
They can also connect with other participants, regardless of whether they’re joining a meeting with video, a virtual avatar, or just exploring the immersive space via a Quest headset.
Microsoft says this new functionality addresses the concern that employees are becoming more “siloed” and isolated in the world of flexible work. According to the company’s Work Trends Index, relationship-building is the biggest challenge for 43% of business leaders in this new world.
Microsoft Teams Immersive Spaces aims to help users stay productive, connected, and aligned as they navigate the hybrid and remote work landscape.
What is Microsoft Teams Immersive Spaces?
Microsoft Teams Immersive Spaces is a new “immersive collaboration” solution powered by Microsoft Mesh. It allows users to add an immersive experience to Teams meetings, transforming interactions with a natural sense of co-presence, no matter the user’s location.
Employees can connect with colleagues in a virtual environment that simulates natural office interactions. They can even walk around a space and enjoy the benefits of spatial audio. The spatial audio experience ensures it’s easy to track the source of each statement a team member makes.
Immersive Spaces can be accessed via VR headsets and PCs and are currently available for customers of the Teams Technology Adoption Program.
Microsoft says this solution will make building and retaining workplace relationships easier. It brings the power of Microsoft Mesh, a platform for immersive experiences, into the Teams environment. Any user can transform a virtual meeting into a fully 3D experience with just one click.
The Features of Microsoft Teams Immersive Spaces
Microsoft Teams Immersive Spaces is just the latest in a collection of updates made to the Teams platform, focusing on XR innovation. Over the past year, the company has doubled down on finding ways to connect and align employees in the new age of work.
Starting immediately, users can embed their existing avatars on Microsoft Teams into Immersive Space experiences or design entirely new ones. Microsoft is even making customizing avatars to reflect a user’s appearance, style, or mood easier.
Users can create entirely unique 3D environments to interact with a range of pre-built templates to suit different meeting styles. Users can even choose where they sit in a meeting and move around freely to interact with colleagues.
Spatial audio zones ensure multiple people can talk simultaneously without interrupting or disrupting each other. Users can even participate in interactive games within Immersive spaces, throwing beanbags, roasting marshmallows, and more.
The tech giant also incorporates “live reactions” into the experience to ensure consistent engagement between meeting attendees and presenters. Users can send hearts, thumbs-up emojis, and more throughout a conversation without interrupting anyone.
How to Use Microsoft Teams Immersive Spaces
Currently, there are two ways to use Microsoft Teams Immersive Spaces. You’ll need to enable Mesh-based immersive collaboration with the right Teams license for either option. The features are included for Teams Essentials, Office 365 E1/E3/E5, Microsoft 365 E3/35, Business Basic, Business Standard, and Business Premium.
Using Microsoft Teams Immersive Spaces in Teams
Users can join an Immersive Space from within a Teams meeting. You can start a scheduled meeting via Teams and Outlook by clicking the “Meet Now” button or entering a channel meeting. Up to 16 people can use an Immersive space at the same time.
To get started, simply sign into Teams on a desktop, go to your calendar, and select “Join” for the meeting you want to attend. Then, click on “View,” followed by “Immersive Space.” This will launch Mesh for Teams and the pre-join screen.
Once you join an Immersive Space, you can:
Join as Your Avatar and Customize It
Avatars for Teams give employees an alternative to the “video/no video” option for meetings. With customizable avatars and reactions, users can engage with their colleagues without having to showcase their video stream. This feature is already generally available for Teams on PC and Mac.
When you enter a Microsoft Teams Immersive Space, you can use an avatar you’ve built for Teams or create a new one. You can also customize your avatar by selecting the pencil icon. Once you’re happy, simply select the “Join now” button to enter the meeting room.
Move around in an immersive space.
Microsoft Teams Immersive Spaces allows users to engage in multiple subgroups and conversations without disruption. Users joining from a standard 2D Teams meeting can still interact with others in an immersive space.
Using your “WASD” keys, you can run and move around a space. There’s also the option to use “Q” to rotate your screen left or “E” to turn it to the right. Hold down a WASD key to leave your chair when setting and press “V” to toggle between direct and avatar views.
During meetings, you’ll still be able to access all of the features of Teams meetings, such as the option to share content, chat, search through people, leave a meeting, mute, or unmute.
Using Meta Quest Devices
For users with a Meta Quest device, it’s possible to join a Microsoft Teams Immersive Space directly from your headset. You’ll need to ensure your IT admin has set up the option to use Mesh and Quest devices. You can find guidance on how to set up immersive spaces here.
Meta Quest users must ensure they’re using Classic Teams and download the Microsoft Mesh app for the Quest device. You can download the app within the Meta App Lab.
Mesh also has a preview build for developers who want to test upcoming features via their Quest devices.
Once you run the Mesh app on your Quest device, you can use the dashboard to find and join meetings. Select “Teams” from the left-side menu of the Mesh dashboard, then pick “Join meeting” or “Start Meeting” to move into an Immersive space.
The meeting controls available for Teams will appear in the app bar for Mesh users.
More Opportunities for Developers in Microsoft Mesh
To accompany the new Immersive Spaces experience in Teams, Microsoft also introduced various updates to the Mesh solution for developers. According to Microsoft, Mesh does the heavy lifting when developers build custom environments to simplify access to immersive collaboration.
All experiences offer access to avatars and spatial audio to mimic the sound of the real world. Enterprise-grade privacy, security features, and identity management tools are also built-in. With this foundation, developers can:
- Use cloud scripting to insert logic into the immersive environments, increasing interactivity and integrating business data, triggers, and artificial intelligence (AI). The solution supports C# and .Net Core.
- Create new 3D environments with Unity and port existing spaces into Teams.
- Add interactive content such as videos from the web to spaces.
- Assign properties to objects in space using gravity and buoyancy. Developers can determine how objects behave when users interact with them and how they relate to each other.
- Track and diagnose potential user experience issues.
Mesh also offers event management capabilities to enhance the creation and customization of Microsoft Teams Immersive spaces. Mesh can host live events and mirror content experiences across user groups. There are event production tools for event orchestration in real time. Plus, users can trigger content and animations on demand.
Getting Started with Microsoft Teams Immersive Spaces
Microsoft Teams Immersive Spaces is available to access now on the Teams Technology Adoption Program. Users will need access to Microsoft Mesh and the proper licensing to enable these experiences for teams.
According to Microsoft, Immersive Spaces will transform how we interact and share knowledge in the future of work. Whether you’re launching intuitive brainstorming sessions, casual get-togethers, or virtual networking events, the opportunities are endless.
With Microsoft Teams Immersive Spaces, companies of all sizes can take the next step into the Metaverse and unlock the power of immersive collaboration.
