Is My Business Ready for Fiber? Part 3: The Growth of Virtual & Augmented Reality

The Pokémon Go phenomenon utilized Augmented Reality (AR) and brought some of the biggest retail chains to the table to participate - ones that you probably would have never associated with the Pokémon brand. But the element of Augmented Reality and the technology behind it fascinated businesses as yet another touchpoint to market to consumers.  AR superimposes a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world, in most cases via a mobile device, thus providing a composite view.

Within the same spectrum of technology, Virtual Reality (VR) is based on the diametrically opposite concept.  It immerses real people into a computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly very real or physical way.  Historically known in the world of gaming, AR and VR are now being seen as valuable tools for businesses to enhance interaction with customers and their own employees.  

Content and engagement is always the goal toward generating revenue or keeping employee morale high. Businesses can use both AR and VR for many applications and programs, including training, conferencing, and remote work.  Coupled with Augmented Reality, the Virtual Reality market could hit $150 billion dollars in revenue in 2020, with $30 billion belonging to VR alone. More than 12 million VR headsets will be sold in 2017 and is expected to reach $407.51 million dollars by 2018.

VR Has Come a Long Way

It may surprise some younger businesses, but Virtual Reality has been around for over twenty-five years.  Getting its start in 1991, VR looked to be the future of technology, but in those days, the vehicle just wasn’t up to par for the challenge yet. Processing power, screen resolutions, and more all lacked the power, and bandwidth, we’re used to today. So the idea of VR seemed to disappear until a Kickstarter campaign brought about the Oculus Rift, which was soon purchased by Facebook, making VR a viable business topic today.   

These new advances open up new worlds, so to speak – VR can bring us closer to visiting places that were once outside of our reach. A good example of this is the use of VR in education. Many schools are looking at VR to help provide students the ability to travel throughout the universe, immersing them in new learning environments to further their education engagement.

Buffalo Elementary in Davenport, Iowa is one such school who has recently become the first school in the country to incorporate VR into the Next Generation Standards Science Curriculum.

But it’s not just schools that benefit from VR. Businesses can also use VR/AR for a variety of reasons that evoke intellectual engagement and emotional connections.

• Training: Businesses can use VR for training scenarios, especially around dangerous equipment or machinery, fostering safety in the work environment. For instance, military soldiers might be trained in a virtual environment to help with their tactics and strategy.  An automotive company could use VR to help train employees how to fix engine parts.  The possibilities are endless.
• Remote Employees:  VR can be used to help train and communicate with remote employees. As an example, a company can use 360-degree videos to showcase the company’s headquarters or to show new office locations.
• Virtual Tours: This is something increasingly more visible in the resort/entertainment industries with hotels, destination site checks and even real estate. These tours help travelers and future buyers view their destination without the need to physically be there.
• Conferencing: The next “big” thing for businesses is to have virtual meetings, where you can be in a location other than the office, without the costs of travel.

With so many opportunities to use VR & AR, businesses should also take stock of how these technologies work within their own networks and the heavy need for bandwidth to power them. 

Why Bandwidth is So Important

In 2016, telecom equipment manufacturing company Arris predicted that more and more consumers and businesses will want and need even more bandwidth to run applications like this. The CTO estimated that a virtual reality video game, running at 720p might require 50 Mbps, with a 4K VR game going up to 500 Mbps.

This might seem like a lot of broadband speed, but considering that even at a low resolution, a 360 degree experience would still need at least 25 Mbps for streaming and HD resolutions going upwards of 80-100 Mbps.

What most experts believe is that as VR and AR continue to grab headlines and interest, the need for faster bandwidth is paramount. Luckily, if your business is considering using VR, then Gigabit+ Fiber Solutions is the next step your business should take. Speed is an incredibly important component for VR and fiber-optic delivery is the latest in broadband technology capable of providing some of the fastest speeds within the industry.

Mediacom Business’ fiber “pipe” is highly secure and scalable – the symmetrical data throughput, both down-stream and up-stream, is there to support innovative technologies like this and allows businesses to integrate this usage within everyday operations.

VR and AR are still growing for both business and consumers; it’s a technology that can and will create a tremendous amount of opportunities in many industries – from education to finance - the capabilities are wide open. Will your business be taking advantage of Virtual or Augmented Reality and do you have the broadband path to get there?

Resources:

20 stats that will make your eyes pop with the promise of VR and AR

How AR and VR Will Impact Business in 2017

VR-tifacts: W Industries in the Beginning