Virtual Reality For Training

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This question, in some form, tends to kick off our first conversation with corporate training managers and executives.  By now, most have heard that the benefits of adding virtual reality for training to their programs, but there's still something of a learning curve.

It might seem silly to start here, but there is a fair amount of confusion at the very definition of'virtual reality'.

When we talk about virtual reality, we are describing a completely immersive, virtual world that completely replaces the physical surroundings (the"real" world).  To achieve this immersive experience, the user's eyes, and often ears, are totally obscured from the outside world by a display and headphones, often built into the same HMD (head-mounted display).  The pc then fully controls the inputs to these sight and sound sensors.

When you are in virtual reality for training experience, you are working inside a simulated and, (in the event of PIXO's VR), three-dimensional, photo-realistic, computer-generated world.  This digital world can be realistic, fantastical, or a blend of both.

In the realm of virtual reality for training, we are generally creating realistic environments to mimic real-world situations and measuring different performance variables.

So that is a working definition of virtual reality.

However, before we depart this topic, I think that it's vital to differentiate virtual reality for training out of two other closely related theories -- augmented reality (AR) and 360-degree video.

Augmented reality is adding computer-generated content into the world around you, augmenting it with added graphics, sounds, and data.  This technology is meant to'enrich' the real world, however, the virtual and real remain distinctly different and interact with the other.

A 360-degree video surrounding is a sort of digital experience.  However, rather than being put in an interactive world, you are put inside of a static video and permitted to navigate and control your own view within that world.  Again, there is no active involvement within this digital video atmosphere.

You desire your virtual reality for training environment to be as close to reality as possible, particularly if you're doing something like military, construction, security, or first responder training.  There's little room for error in case you're teaching people how to receive a dangerous occupation done right the first time they encounter it in the real world. These are ideal situations for virtual reality for training and much superior to most non-virtual alternatives.

Training programs that require this level of quality may ask you to find out more about the underlying technology to acquire the ideal experience.  One of the best places to start researching VR technologies is by learning about the VR engine itself -- this is the software that will run your virtual world.

The advantages and weaknesses of these software tools, together with the ability and experience of the development group using them will establish the grade of your training content and VR experiences.

Unreal is your premier VR engine, (in our experience).  It generates higher quality visuals and smoother motion than other options.  Created by Epic Games, Unreal provides VR content designers and developers access to the full C++ origin code.  This access provides developers ultimate control and several limitations.  However, it will require more experienced talent -- innovative 3D designers and skilled developers, but that is finally a benefit to the creation of your practice content.   Find out more about Unreal on their site.

Unity is quite popular, particularly one of indie and small team VR studios.  A number of their most significant strengths include an excellent development community and also their use of C# and Javascript, which tend to be fundamental skills for any applications engineer.  However, Unity doesn't provide access to the source code, which is limiting the functions of high-quality enterprise deployment. 

CryEngine is a lesser-known game engine which has been used for VR, but most VR studios will tell it suffers from an obsolete user interface.  The biggest criticisms include disorganized documentation, its popularity seems to be waning, and there are numerous grey areas within their licensing agreement.  Learn more about CryEngine on their site.  One interesting note, related to CryEngine is that Amazon grabbed a lot of CryEngine engineers and built what some consider the updated version of CryEngine -- Amazon Lumberyard.

While all of these virtual reality authoring tools are exceptional, the requirements of your virtual reality for training will inform which of the engines make the most sense.

In the instance of PIXO VR, we specialize in and have developed a growing library of safety and high-impact training content for the construction, manufacturing, energy & utility verticals.  We have discovered that, for these training programs, the exceptional visual fidelity and full accessibility to this C++ source code allow for our proprietary forking of the Unreal engine, creating an improvement in the quality of experience within our previous usage of Unity.

Even though this article is about VR applications, it is essential we touch base on hardware.  The virtual reality for training immersive experience is highly dependent on the headset, along with your VR hardware requirements can influence your VR software choices.

Here's a brief rundown of VR hardware and also the ideal virtual reality for training uses of each.

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This headset will deliver a number of the most realistic training experiences and leave your employees really asking for more training time.  Crazy resolutions, strong hardware, and a lot of sensors make this the preference for business training departments needing highly realistic and detailed VR content.

Windows Mixed Truth -- Microsoft has taken a slightly different strategy to the VR headset, using an assortment of hardware manufacturers (HP, Lenovo, Dell, etc.), enabling it to operate on both high-end and more basic desktops.  As its name implies the Mixed Reality headset straddles the fence between VR and AR experiences, adapting both.  Critically, the HP Windows Mixed Reality headset can be paired with the HP Z VR Backpack -- a high profile wearable unit that allows for a tetherless VR experience.  For pure freedom, the WMR and HP Z cannot be beaten.  (If for whatever reason, a tetherless experience is not necessary, the HP Z may also be conducted in a more basic docked, desktop style.)

Oculus Rift -- As"the one that started it ", Oculus has been aggressively improving their platforms since the debut of the Rift I

While Oculus was one of the first entrants from the VR headset market, they've fought a bit to get out of the R&D and beta phase.  Only recently have they become a strong and professional peer competitor to HTC's Vive and Vive Guru models.

The previous three headsets on our list are just recommended as entrees to the world of virtual reality --"beginner-level" if you will.  All these are supposed to work with your cellular phone and can supply a teasing glimpse into the potential of a much more complete digital reality.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are serious about buying a real virtual reality for training experience, buy one of these if you prefer, but understand they are not the last destination of your journey, only the initial steps.  If you would like to jump forward to the good things, then contact one of our virtual reality for training experts, and we are going to deliver"the real thing" for you.

Speak with virtual reality for training Expert Early -- They could cut through all the techno-babble in the market, educate you about the ideal trends and inventions to follow and help you research the possibilities, opportunities, and ideal areas to introduce compelling new coaching scenarios.

Find a Good Starting Point -- Focus on one or two particular areas of training that will benefit from virtual reality for training -- fully-immersive and sensible -- training atmosphere.  Typical starting points are to substitute training that is traditionally dangerous, expensive, or conducive to normal operations.

Content, Content, Content!  -- This is likely your most important consideration.  A fully recognized virtual reality for the training program will take a good library of training content that meets your training needs -- but how can you get exactly what you need?  Since many training conditions will require some quantity of custom content creation, it is not necessarily one or the other -- habit or premade experiences.  Rather, employ a combination of both: existing training modules which may be customized for your requirements.  If you're able to find a firm like PIXO VR that delivers an existing library plus a subscription pricing model, (and to our knowledge, we are one of very, very few doing so ), you can begin much quicker and substantially more affordable by minding some nimble, lightweight personalizations that could tailor existing virtual reality for training content to satisfy your own specifications.  This averts the sticker shock of starting from scratch using a completely custom VR experience that only you can use.  If you want to learn more, ask us about our VR Content Library subscriptions.

As always, PIXO VR is happy to assist you to explore this fascinating and persuasive new world of training.  If you have any questions about virtual reality for training applications, content, or hardware we always enjoy talking shop.  Schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our virtual reality for training pros today!