XR for Learning Weekly – February 26, 2020

Photo via http://bit.ly/2KoXLnZ

Augmented, Virtual, and other mixed reality technologies are rapidly emerging and advancing, creating new and exciting opportunities for training and education. XR for Learning Weekly collects some of the week’s best XR content that learning professionals can learn from.

XR for Learning is curated by the team that brings you Realities360, the premier AR/VR event for education and training professionals.

Here’s this week’s recommended content.

This simple design solves one of the biggest problems in UX by Mark Wilson
One of the challenges often applied to virtual reality is the fact that the hardware completely separates the user from the outside world. This post by Mark Wilson looks at a new design of VR hardware, one that blurs the line between AR & VR, giving VR users the ability to be aware of who and what is happening in the real world.

Mother Meets Recreation of Her Deceased Child in VR by Scott Hayden
This post by Scott Hayden is a fascinating look at a VR project that brings with it questions of technology, immersion, and ethics. I share it as both an amazing example of what can be done in VR, as well as an example of something that also opens the door to questions around ethics and “should this be done?”

U.S. Air Force to Integrate ThirdEye’s X2 Glasses for Mission Training by Kris Kolo
The military is always at the forefront of applications of emerging technology. This post by Kris Kolo looks at a new project from the Air Force that uses MR glasses to improve training and human performance for flight line maintainers and flight crews for one of the Air Force’s leading airframes.

HTC Announces a Cheaper and More Expensive Version of the Vive Cosmos by Kevin Lee
The release of the stand-alone Oculus Quest was a major step forward in the adoption of VR in 2019. This post looks at the upcoming Cosmos hardware releases from HTC, which should further push the adoption and normalization of virtual reality in the consumer and enterprise markets. 

Experts Weigh in on Enterprise XR in 2020 via AR Insider
2020 is shaping up to be an exciting year in the adoption of AR & VR in enterprise orgainzations. This post collects the thoughts from multiple industry experts and looks at the trends we can expect throughout this year as XR adoption continues to grow.

Three Great Reasons to Attend Realities360

The Realities360 Conference and Expo is the premier event exploring how augmented and virtual reality can transform education and training. The conference brings together early adopters from all over the world for a singular purpose: to share and expand proven practices and harness the potential of AR & VR for learning.

There are a host of reasons to attend the conference, but let’s focus on three specific ones that are unique when compared against other industry events.

A Conference with a Purpose: Supporting XR Adoption

When our team curates a conference, we usually have a guiding principle in mind that spaces every decision we make about the program. For Realities360, that principle is to support augmented and virtual reality adoption in our industry. In the case of emerging technologies like AR & VR, what is needed evolves each year. When we first held the conference we focused on understanding, and from there we shifted to add more skill-based sessions that explored how to design and develop these solutions. This year we’re excited to lean into use cases that give early adopters the opportunity to share their projects, and for attendees to learn from the lessons they will share.

A Focus on Solutions You Can Apply Today

While AR and VR are still emerging, they are technologies that have matured enough to solve problems and increase productivity for your organization TODAY. The Realities360 program is built with application in mind. You will find sessions that explore strategic decisions, tactical design and development tutorials, and case studies sharing proven practices that will provide you with knowledge and skills that will support you in your AR and VR projects today, and tomorrow.

Free Access to a Second Conference: Learning Solutions

New for 2020 is the collocation of Realities360 with the Learning Solutions Conference and Expo. While the focus of Realities360 is narrow, exploring the emerging landscape of augmented and virtual reality technology and how it can be used in education and training, Learning Solutions enables you to explore what works across the full spectrum of technology-enabled learning and development. Your Realities360 Conference registration provides you with complete access to the Learning Solutions program, giving you the ability to put what you learn about AR & VR into the broader context of your complete L&D strategy.

These are just a few of the reasons to consider attending Realities360 this year. Be sure to visit the event website to check out all the great experiences we’ll be hosting in Orlando this Spring.

Click here to learn more!