The demand for immersive space technology and solutions is growing, particularly in the corporate world. By 2032, experts predict the immersive technology market will grow to a value of $167.75 billion, driven by new trends in XR innovation and the industrial metaverse.
With the right technologies, companies can create immersive environments for everything from collaboration and creativity to customer service. However, as the immersive technology landscape evolves, choosing the right solution for your company is increasingly complex.
Here’s how you can compare immersive space technology in 2024 and pave the way for a successful migration into the future of work.
Step 1: Define Your Immersive Space Use Cases
The first step in comparing immersive space technology is defining what you want to accomplish with the solution. As companies continue to invest in immersive technologies, such as AI, the metaverse, and extended reality, the number of potential use cases is growing.
Some vendors focus on developing solutions for immersive collaboration, like Microsoft Teams’ Immersive Spaces application, built with Microsoft Mesh. Others give companies access to solutions to support field and remote workers, like AR remote assistance apps.
Some companies even provide businesses with solutions that allow them to build engaging, immersive training experiences. You may even embed immersive spaces into your office environment to provide in-house employees with new creative tools.
Knowing how you plan to use your immersive spaces to empower your teams, delight employees, or optimize productivity will help you identify the right technology.
Step 2: Explore the Different Types of Immersive Space Tech
Just as there are various use cases for immersive space technology today, there are also countless different “types” of systems to choose from. If you’re investing in extended reality, you’ll need to consider what kind of “reality” you want to create.
Will you help employees and field workers collaborate and access resources instantly with AR remote assistance apps and smart glasses? Do you want to create holographic meeting and ideation experiences with mixed reality or immerse teams completely in virtual landscapes? You could even explore options for blending realities with AR/VR headsets.
On top of choosing the right style of extended reality for your teams, you’ll need to consider how you plan on leveraging immersive space software. Will you be working with metaverse-as-a-service providers to create low-cost but bespoke spaces? Are you investing in specific pre-built apps or working with developers to create something new?
Step 3: List Essential Capabilities and Features
Once you’ve defined your use cases for immersive space technology and know what avenue you will be exploring in this landscape, it’s time to think about critical features. For instance, if you plan to implement a virtual reality landscape where teams can collaborate on product development, you might need to leverage digital twins and integrated design software.
If you’re giving field and office workers smart glasses to make them more productive and enhance their safety, you may need to ensure these work with the communication and collaboration tools you already use. Other vital capabilities to think about include:
- Low-code and no-code customization: The ability to customize your immersive spaces with business assets, resources, and content without investing in developer support.
- Security solutions: Systems that help to preserve compliance when employees interact with and share data in immersive space environments.
- Artificial intelligence: AI virtual assistants built into immersive spaces or generative AI solutions that help build immersive environments.
- Computing solutions: 5G connectivity and edge computing solutions that help to reduce latency and lag when delivering content to users.
Step 4: Prioritize Exceptional User Experiences
While employees worldwide are rapidly embracing the benefits of immersive technologies, adoption can still suffer without a clear focus on user experience. Whether you’re investing in immersive space technology for collaboration, product ideation, or customer service, put user experiences first.
Think about the technologies and tools employees already use to design products, track data, and interact with colleagues. Ensure your immersive space software can integrate seamlessly with these systems to reduce the need for additional training.
Consider employee comfort when choosing hardware for immersive spaces, prioritizing lightweight headsets that can adapt to suit different users. Work with innovators to ensure you’re leveraging solutions that reduce the risk of VR sickness and similar problems.
Step 5: Look for Innovative Immersive Space Vendors
Finally, as the workplace evolves and new technologies emerge in the worlds of extended reality and the metaverse, a focus on innovation is crucial. When searching for vendors that can help you achieve your goals, look for a focus on discovery, development, and creativity.
Explore how your ideal vendors are taking advantage of the latest transformations in artificial intelligence, leveraging LLMs and generative AI. Consider how these businesses address common problems with immersive space implementation. For instance, do they offer a low-bandwidth and low-cost way to stream content to headsets?
Think about how each company in the immersive space landscape will help you optimize your environment for your specific goals. Can they work with you to develop innovative environments for your workforce, and will they help you to scale your solution over time?
Choose the Right Immersive Space Vendor
Building an immersive space can be an incredible way to elevate your business. The right solutions can help improve employee productivity and efficiency, enhance customer experiences, and promote creativity or innovation. However, it’s essential to ensure you’re investing in the solution that can deliver the greatest benefits to your team.
Carefully assess today’s leading immersive space vendors, looking at the features and solutions they offer and the benefits they’ll bring to your business.
