{"id":48200,"date":"2023-05-16T04:47:59","date_gmt":"2023-05-16T08:47:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/?post_type=emagazine&#038;p=48200"},"modified":"2023-05-16T04:55:18","modified_gmt":"2023-05-16T08:55:18","slug":"insight-story-extended-reality","status":"publish","type":"emagazine","link":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/insight-story-extended-reality\/48200\/","title":{"rendered":"How virtual and extended reality are transforming business"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Between virtual reality (VR,) augmented reality (AR) and assisted reality \u2013 or their catch-all names mixed reality and extended reality (XR) \u2013 you might feel like you\u2019re losing your grip on all of them. But many businesses are reaching out to these emerging technologies to help solve tough problems like getting the team together remotely and hands-on training.<\/p>\n<p>On <a href=\"https:\/\/insight-story.podbean.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Kaspersky\u2019s new podcast, Insight Story<\/a>, Episode 6, I look at extended reality with Dr. Paul Tennent (UK,) Associate Professor, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nottingham.ac.uk\/research\/groups\/mixedrealitylab\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Mixed Reality Lab, University of Nottingham<\/a> and David Kim (South Korea,) Business Development Manager for <a href=\"https:\/\/somaworld.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Soma virtual office<\/a> by Zigbang. Insight Story unpacks emerging tech trends with global specialists and businesses successfully applying the technology.<\/p>\n<p><iframe style=\"border: none;min-width: min(100%, 430px)\" height=\"300\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=k88sw-13f001f-pb&amp;from=pb6admin&amp;pbad=0&amp;square=1&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Arial&amp;skin=1b1b1b&amp;font-color=&amp;logo_link=episode_page&amp;btn-skin=2baf9e&amp;size=300\" width=\"100%\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>VR, AR, XR \u2013 what are the different realities?<\/h2>\n<p>These technologies all fall somewhere on the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Reality%E2%80%93virtuality_continuum\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">virtuality-reality continuum<\/a>, according to Paul. \u201cWe\u2019ve got these two ends \u2013 virtuality and reality. All the way along this spectrum are these technologies. They\u2019re generally about replacing our senses with something else \u2013 for example, our vision with a screen close to our eyes, hearing with headphones or touch with <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Haptic_technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">haptics<\/a>. Augmented reality (AR) involves putting digital things in the real world. Assisted reality involves telepresence. Mixed and extended reality (XR) are catch-alls for everything from virtual reality to assisted reality to telepresence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Business has applied these technologies for over a decade. The <a href=\"https:\/\/newatlas.com\/ikea-augmented-reality-catalog-app\/28703\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">IKEA app uses AR to let you superimpose their furniture on your room<\/a>. Chat video filters that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snapchat.com\/explore\/Dog%20Lens\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">make your face look like a cute dog<\/a> are also AR. While we\u2019re familiar with these kinds of consumer uses, businesses are increasingly using XR in their work with other businesses (B2B.)<\/p>\n<p>Paul has seen engineering companies make good use of assisted reality. \u201cYou can support on-site engineers with assisted reality, having somebody sitting behind them, watching what they\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_48206\" style=\"width: 490px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-48206\" class=\"wp-image-48206 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2023\/05\/16044528\/paul-tennant.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"480\" height=\"480\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-48206\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dr. Paul Tennent (UK,) Associate Professor, Mixed Reality Lab, University of Nottingham<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cIf you were installing a heat pump, it\u2019s useful to see a geothermal survey of the area before you drill a big hole. AR can add that layer of data onto real life,\u201d says Paul. An engineer could see the extra data layer by pointing a smartphone or tablet at what they\u2019re working on.<\/p>\n<p>One award-winning use of haptics \u2013 technology that transmits tactile information like vibration, feel and force \u2013 in training vets often provokes laughs but helps solve a serious problem. \u201cA <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wired.com\/2009\/11\/haptic-cow\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">virtual, haptic simulation of a cow\u2019s back end helps vets-in-training feel different contexts<\/a>, like something cancerous or moving a calf. With virtual glasses, it looks like a real cow. We see similar uses in medicine, with point-based haptic systems imitating a scalpel cutting through skin.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Virtually solving the remote collaboration problem<\/h2>\n<p>Few businesses need to teach how to deliver a calf, but almost all are looking for ways to better facilitate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/collaboration-covid\/37873\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">collaboration<\/a> in remote and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/leadership-adapting-hybrid-work\/45919\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">hybrid work<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Proptech startup Zigbang started creating virtual office Soma during the pandemic. David says, \u201cWhen our company went remote, we did what everyone did \u2013 endless Zoom calls where you fall into Zoom fatigue. A missing core element was togetherness \u2013 small conversations that turn into bigger ideas. We wondered if there\u2019s a way to better go about this remote thing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Zigbang\u2019s existing work creating 3D models of apartments sparked an idea. \u201cWe thought, why don\u2019t we create an office we could go into together? We started testing it with developers and thought it was good enough to bring in the whole company.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_48205\" style=\"width: 490px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-48205\" class=\"wp-image-48205 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2023\/05\/16044352\/david-kim.jpeg\" alt=\"David Kim\" width=\"480\" height=\"480\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-48205\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Kim, Business Development Manager, Soma virtual office<\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p>As we were using the virtual office full-time, our company chose not to extend our office lease. Soma is our new office.<\/p>\n<cite><p>David Kim, Business Development Manager, Soma virtual office<\/p><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<p>In Soma, avatars represent colleagues, with their device\u2019s camera feed over the avatar\u2019s head. Like in real life, if you\u2019re far from someone, you can\u2019t see or hear them. As you walk closer, you start to see them and, when really close, hear their audio and see them clearly. David says, \u201cWe wanted to create that instantaneous communication \u2013 being able to walk up to someone and ask, did you get that email?\u201d<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 180px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe class=\"youtube-player\" type=\"text\/html\" width=\"640\" height=\"390\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Q6KZcTMQVI0?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/span><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Soma virtual office tour<\/p><\/div>\n<p>If, like me, you enjoy the solitude of remote working, and find the idea of your boss\u2019s avatar stealthily approaching and interrupting you unappealing, there\u2019s a middle way. Soma lets staff ensure they\u2019re left alone to do <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/banishing-digital-presenteeism\/46167\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">deep work<\/a>. \u201cWe designed <a href=\"https:\/\/somaworld.com\/#our-spaces\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">spaces for people to get away<\/a> from others and get work done \u2013 bookable conference rooms and \u2018pods\u2019 \u2013 by walking into a pod, you\u2019re saying, I don\u2019t want to be disturbed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>David also has ideas to address some of the challenges for office-less businesses. \u201cEmployees who don\u2019t have enough space or privacy to work at home may prefer to be in the office where everything\u2019s set up, and companies pay for air conditioning, electricity and internet. There are different ways to handle that \u2013 one is a stipend to help staff set up a home office. We\u2019ve also set up lounges across the city where employees can go to work.\u201d The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitaljournal.com\/pr\/news\/shared-office-space-market-is-booming-worldwide-report-by-introspective-market-research\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">shared office space market is booming<\/a> \u2013 expected to be worth 123 billion US dollars by 2028.<\/p>\n<h2>Reducing cybersecurity risk with realities<\/h2>\n<p>Kaspersky\u2019s Fabio Assolini sees several privacy and cybersecurity risks for businesses using extended reality tech.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDuring the pandemic, we saw the rise of so-called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/cyber-futurism-victoria-baines\/46458\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Zoombombing<\/a> \u2013 when someone accesses a conference call without permission and shows obscene or violent material. It can affect VR devices too.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>How Zoombombing happens isn\u2019t high-tech. Fabio says, \u201cPeople openly share passwords. Employees must be trained not to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, VR headsets are in a league of their own for privacy concerns. <a href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2022\/10\/11\/meta-announces-the-1499-quest-pro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Meta\u2019s Quest Pro headset<\/a> has four front-facing cameras, three on each controller and several to track eyes and facial expressions. These devices could give deep insight into users\u2019 activity, read emotional reactions to ads and make inferences from your home interior \u2014 from what colors you like to how many pets and children you have.<\/p>\n<p>But none of this should deter businesses from exploring what immersive tech can do as a training aid. \u201cThe tech is already in use to help people learn about security problems or cyberattacks,\u201d says Fabio.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/vr-interactive-simulation\/40188\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Kaspersky Interactive Protection Simulation<\/a> sees teams, including technical staff and leaders, protecting a virtual business from cyberattacks. Players use a limited budget and a moderator\u2019s input to build an optimal protection strategy. It helps managers and directors understand cybersecurity budgets better.<\/p>\n<h2>Realities\u2019 future<\/h2>\n<p>Asked where extended reality might go next, Paul predicts \u201ca shift slightly away from VR towards AR. We\u2019re headed for a fluid reality, which is part physical and part digital.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>David urges businesses to get on board with these technologies. \u201cThings are changing now in the realm of work. Companies more willing to look into and implement changes early will be the ones that succeed down the line.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Listen to the <a href=\"https:\/\/insight-story.podbean.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">full Insight Story audio series on Podbean or your usual podcast provider<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Virtual reality, augmented reality, assisted reality and more \u2013 the reality is, new opportunities and a changing world of work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2521,"featured_media":48201,"template":"","coauthors":[3452],"class_list":{"0":"post-48200","1":"emagazine","2":"type-emagazine","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"emagazine-category-emerging-tech","7":"emagazine-category-remote-working","8":"emagazine-category-tech-for-business","9":"emagazine-tag-hybrid-work","10":"emagazine-tag-insight-story","11":"emagazine-tag-virtual-reality"},"hreflang":[{"hreflang":"x-default","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/insight-story-extended-reality\/48200\/"},{"hreflang":"en-us","url":"https:\/\/usa.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/insight-story-extended-reality\/28328\/"}],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/emagazine\/48200","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/emagazine"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/emagazine"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2521"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48200"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=48200"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}