Here’s Why We Can’t Wait for VR to Utilize IoT
The idea that all things will be connected and that our world will be entrenched with digital technology is not new. This concept, commonly known as the Internet of Things (IoT), was born in the early 2000s and has been percolating throughout the tech and business industries since, gaining regular attention and clout in the last few years. [1] Yet despite its now widespread adoption as a concept, little has been done in the way of application. Businesses feel they should be utilizing the technology, but don’t necessarily know how or why.
Google recently wrapped up its annual I/O conference, an outdoor developer festival in Mountain View, California. The conference’s main purpose is to delve into the latest tech, and set a loose agenda for what will be the next wave of mainstream technology. A takeaway from the conference was a big hope for and emphasis on the mainstream adoption of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).
VR and AR are the quintessential IoT “poster children”. Where AR brings computing to the physical world and everyday life, VR transports us into the world of computing. In the words of Clay Bavor, VP of Virtual and Augmented Reality at Google, “VR can put you anywhere, and AR can bring anything to you.” [2] Both represent the ideal of IoT: bringing immersive, digital technology to everyday life. Amongst its most prevalent uses, VR has provided unparalleled learning experiences in the classrooms giving students the ability to travel to far away museums, inspect strands of DNA, and even experience nature’s most tremendous storms. One example of AR has been its ability to overlay digital content on the physical world. Finally, we have a better sense of IoT applications.
Or do we?
The ideal of mainstream AR and VR adoption is still a dream on the horizon of our tech landscape. We aren’t far off, but as Bavor describes, there are many obstacles to overcome, such as the hardware barriers of headsets and devices, and the need for improvement of underlying technologies, such as spatial recognition and retina display. [3] The question then becomes, what do we do with IoT in the interim? Will it remain an oft-sought after theory, with “almost there” adoption? Or can we think of how to apply and utilize IoT in a more readily available and accessible way?
The single most powerful piece of technology people currently have at their disposal, that is ubiquitous and mainstream, are smartphones. These devices have the ability to augment our world. They are cornerstones of certain VR devices, such as Google CardBoard, which requires the use of smartphones to work. What is more, is that there exists more practical and readily employable applications of AR than the digital overlay capabilities it has become synonymous with.
Torsten Dettlaff
At Blue Bite, we have the technology to harness the power of IoT. By embedding interactive technologies into everyday products, we can glean more from the world we live in and interact with. Of AR, Bavor writes, “you’ll have access to information in context, with computing woven seamlessly into your environment.” [4] Pairing smartphones with interactive technology allows us to unlock data and information associated with contextually-aware smart products. This is a practical use of AR- augmenting the world and products around us with data and contextual content, with the ability to access that information through the tap of a smartphone. Just imagine a smart ski jacket that could tell you about weather conditions, nearby ski trails, and gear recommendations based on contextual factors such as location, time, and climate. [5]
Having smart products that can speak to our smartphones is information in context, seamlessly woven into our environments. The possibilities are as limited as our imaginations. Applications abound when we consider the added utility and functionality we afford products when embedding a sensor. When we expand our understanding of AR beyond its ability to overlay digital content over the real world, we find more pratical applications of it. Blue Bite focuses on practical applications, where we do not get caught up on overlaying content. Instead, we focus on providing content to mobile devices — technology people already have and know how to use. Technology has always been cutting edge. So why wait for VR and AR to become mainstream? At Blue Bite, we’re already making it happen.
Learn more about our latest IoT Platform at https://bluebite.com.
