VRWorldTech Magazine: Issue 12

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Training is the ultimate use case for VR

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V R

a n d

A R

w w w . v r w o r l d t e c h . c o m

Is the Metaverse the next reality?

Four experts consider what the future holds for VR and AR

A big business that’s getting bigger, plus 2022 predictions Showcase

Meet

Taqtile’s Manifest AR work instruction tool is a means of knowledge acquisition and transfer

Elysian Studios and using immersive tech to make audiences wiser

T H E

B U S I N E S S

O F

M A N U FA C T U R E D

R E A L I T I E S

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Training is the ultimate use case for VR

|

V R

a n d

A R

w w w . v r w o r l d t e c h . c o m

Is the Metaverse the next reality?

Editor

Four experts consider what the future holds for VR and AR

Mark Dugdale editor@vrworldtech.com

Publisher

A big business that’s getting bigger, plus 2022 predictions

Jonathan Savage jonsavage@vrworldtech.com Showcase

Meet

Taqtile’s Manifest AR work instruction tool is a means of knowledge acquisition and transfer

Elysian Studios and using immersive tech to make audiences wiser

Editorial board

T H E

Jan Pflueger, advisXR

B U S I N E S S

O F

M A N U FA C T U R E D

R E A L I T I E S

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© 2022 Premeditated Media Group Ltd. All rights in and relating to this publication are expressly reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher. The views expressed in VRWorldTech Magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. While the publisher has taken every care in compiling this publication to ensure accuracy at the time of going to press, it does not accept liability or responsibility for errors or omissions therein, however caused.

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Mark Dugdale, Editor

March 2022 w w w. v r w o r l d t e c h . c o m editor@vrworldtech.com

Jonathan Savage, Publisher jonsavage@vrworldtech.com

Editor’s Note

Is the Metaverse the next reality?

It is certainly getting real

H

appy new year to each and every reader of VRWorldTech Magazine, the home of professional virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR).

We have an action-packed issue for you, with the all new Live from the Metaverse report providing a snapshot of everything you need to know about the business of manufactured realities right now.

Jan Pflueger (advisXR), Mike Leach (Lenovo), Andreea Ion Cojocaru (NUMENA) and Dr Sana Farid (XR and AI strategist) provide this issue’s cover feature and their predictions of what is to come as the Metaverse concept gains traction and bids to become the next reality—for both business and consumers.

Plus, executives from Bodyswaps, Osso VR, Virti and VRgineers pen exclusive guest articles in The Reality Wire focusing on VR training, and Kelly Malone from Taqtile sits down with us to discuss the potential of AR content authoring to deliver effective knowledge transfer.

Meanwhile, Elysian Studios is the latest impressive developer to be introduced in the Meet feature.

Next up for VRWorldTech Magazine are healthcare and visualisation in April, on top of whatever the Metaverse brings us next. Whether it is the next big thing or a just distraction, do stop by again for our analysis and insight. As ever, it is a pleasure to produce and publish this magazine just for you.

Mark Dugdale Editor VRWorldTech

Mark has been a business-to-business journalist for a decade. He has edited and written for websites within financial services and law. He graduated from the University of Leeds with a BA in creative writing.

© Credit: Wolf3D/Ready Player Me.

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Contents

In this issue 26

Exclusive thought leadership articles focused on VR training. Featuring Bodyswaps, Osso VR, Virti and VRgineers

The story behind Osso VR’s mission to transform surgical training Justin Barad MD, Osso VR

10 The foundation is almost set The Metaverse is becoming big business—these are the headlines from its current movers and shakers

Four experts offer their insight into what the next 12 months will look like for the Metaverse, VR and AR, and more © Photo by [A. Solano] canva.com

March 2022

Three tips from educators on making VR for learning work Chris Mallet, Bodyswaps VR: The new pilot training paradigm Marek Polcak, Vrgineers

2022 predictions

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How to use XR to onboard and train your remote team Dr Alex Young, Virti

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Contents

44

Showcase Knowledge is power Taqtile is focused on deskless workers and its flagship platform, Manifest, is an AR work instruction tool that provides the means to both acquire and transfer knowledge effectively

Elysian Studios

50

Based in India, this is an impressive developer using immersive technologies to make audiences wiser

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VRWorldTech Magazine is a must-read resource if you want to stay on top of progress within professional VR and AR. Our content sits between the technology’s creators and developers and the business leaders who can benefit from its use and application. We cover the stories that make immersive technology a reality.

Live from the Metaverse

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Live from the Metaverse

The foundation is almost set The Metaverse is becoming big business—these are the headlines from its current movers and shakers

W

e cannot begin this

its market value after posting

inaugural Live from

disappointed Q4 2021 results.

the Metaverse feature,

This was largely seen negatively,

where we break down what has

put down to a decline in Facebook

been happening at the biggest

users, fierce competition from

movers and shakers of the

TikTok and being beholden to other

Metaverse, without starting with

platforms and their data protection

Meta , formerly Facebook.

rules, along with regulatory pressures in Europe. These are all

As was widely reported at the

huge issues for Meta to deal with

beginning of February, Meta saw

and it is unclear what impact they

billions of dollars wiped from

will have in the long term.

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Live from the Metaverse But these issues and Meta’s overall poor performance distracted from its huge investment in virtual and augmented reality ( VR and AR) hardware and content—and the first indications of just how much money the company is making from these technologies.

Meta Reality Labs earned around $2.27 billion last year. Compared to the revenue earned from its apps and services, this figure is relative pocket change for Meta. However, it is the clearest indication yet of the potential of VR

Zuckerberg, who also confirmed

Connected to this Metaverse will

and AR and its current popularity,

on earnings calls with analysts

be Meta’s own apps and services,

particularly when pitted against

that Quest Store has surpassed

where the company currently

earnings from previous years.

$1 billion in revenue, a huge

makes the lion’s share of its

Reality Labs recorded revenues

milestone for the company’s

revenue. Its plan is clearly to build

of $1.14 billion and $501 million in

VR platform in itself, says in a

the infrastructure necessary for

2020 and 2019, indicating a huge

subsequent Facebook post that

a working, functioning Metaverse

increase as the pandemic took

the “investment priority here is the

and provide the next place for

hold and lockdowns came into

Metaverse”.

consumers to spend money and

effect around the world.

businesses to do business.

“We're focused on the foundational

That doubling of growth continued

hardware and software that are

The NFL outfits for avatars

into 2021, earning Meta $2.27

required to build an immersive, ​​

offered to attendees of the (much-

billion last year and as the

embodied internet that enables

maligned) Foo Fighters post-Super

company continues to enhance

better digital social experiences

Bowl concert in Horizon Venues is

Quest with useful business tools

than anything that exists today.”

a good indication of where this is

and prepares to release its next-

all going.

generation headset, codenamed

So the takeaway from Meta and its

Project Cambria.

plans for its own metaverse are:

According to Zuckerberg, Meta’s

wait and see.

aim right now is “to improve the

These earnings figures follow

services we offer today and …

confirmation from Meta and Mark

The company is investing heavily

help power a more social, intuitive,

Zuckerberg that the company had

in VR and AR as foundational

and entertaining Metaverse,

invested $10 billion in VR and AR

technologies for a next-generation

where people, businesses and

last year, with promises of much

internet that embrace 3D in both

creators can all thrive. This fully

more to come.

digital and physical spaces.

realised vision is still a way off,

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Live from the Metaverse and although the direction is clear,

plans. Engage recently provided

metaverse codenamed Oasis,

our path ahead is not yet perfectly

a trading update for the year

aimed at professionals, brands and

defined. But I'm pleased with the

ended 31 December 2021, ahead

corporations looking to conduct

momentum and progress we've

of publishing its full results for the

business in VR, promises to

made so far and I'm confident

year on 8 March. The figures make

provide users with their next reason

these are the right investments to

impressive reading.

for donning a headset rather than,

take us forward.”

say, catching a plane to have their The company, which operates the Engage communications, education and events platform for VR and 2D

next meeting.

Funding

devices, expects to report 2021 revenue of €2.4 million, an increase

Staying with the money, although it

of 68% on the prior year.

is not actually a real thing yet, the metaverse concept is attracting

Engage’s enterprise and education

huge amounts.

clients now number 139, with total Another company working on a

licences reaching 6,634.

metaverse project is Engage XR (formerly Immersive VR Education).

Perhaps because of the backing that a giant such as Meta is giving

All of these figures represent

it, but also because the underlying

significant growth over the

technologies that are VR and AR

Like Meta, Engage is building

previous year and, while, like

hold so much potential.

its own metaverse, this one

Meta, they could be expected to

specifically for business, and has

come down once the effects of

changed its name to better align

the pandemic are no longer being

its corporate identity with its

felt, Engage’s plan for a business

Late on in December 2021, VentureBeat reported that Wolf3D raised $13 million for its “metaverse avatar platform”, Ready Player Me (pictured), with participation from Taavet+Sten, a firm led by the cofounder of Wise, and Sten Tamkivi, the co-founder of Teleport, as well as Konvoy Ventures, NordicNinja, and Tom Preston-Werner, cofounder of Github.

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Live from the Metaverse

“Users will want to be able to view

on engineering / $6 million / to

shows, buy items, sell items and

pursue an expansion into streaming

engage with digital goods within

(management team pictured on

the Metaverse.”

p15)), XRHealth (operator of a healthcare VR and AR platform /

Space raised the funding from

$274,644 / to crowdfund a network

Coinfund, Dapper Labs, Animoca

of virtual clinics delivering at-

Another metaverse startup, Space,

Brands, Digital Currency Group,

home VR treatment) and OpenBCI

raised $7 million of funding as

HOF Capital and other investors.

(neurotech company developing

it presses ahead with building

an brain-computer interface add-

a platform for designing virtual

on for VR and AR headsets / $

commerce spaces for gaming, arts,

undisclosed / to scale its team and

fashion, and music (pictured above).

prepare the add-on for sale).

SiliconANGLE quotes founder Batis Samadian: “As the Metaverse continues to gain mass adoption and becomes a place where a lot

Less metaverse-heavy fundraising

of people meet up to socialise,

but notable for potential impact

a natural evolution is commerce,

was had at Holo-Light (VR and

which is what Space is focused on.”

AR software startup focused

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Live from the Metaverse

Legal

infringement, brought by a music

among the first major corporations/

industry being crushed by a tidal

brands to contest these so-called

As the first foundations of the

wave of piracy no single record

digital assets in court.

metaverse(s) are set, it will be

label was able to beat back alone.

interesting to see what legal

SportTechie reported early

challenges arise, whether it is the

That technology was heralded

in February that Nike filed a

protection of data, the abuse of

as revolutionary at the time but

trademark infringement lawsuit

intellectual property, or something

suffered from rife misuse. Another

against Stock X, accusing the

else entirely.

is the non-fungible token (NFT).

online marketplace of selling more

While more contemporary, it is just

than 500 digital sneaker NFTs

Anyone young enough to remember

as controversial as P2P file sharing

bearing its trademark.

the rise of peer-to-peer (P2P) file

(see this video essay by Dan Olson,

sharing will take heed from the

called Line Goes Up – The Problem

The lawsuit, filed in a New York

furious legal battles that followed,

With NFTs: https://youtu.be/YQ_

federal court, claims StockX sold

fought over Morpheus, Grokster

xWvX1n9g—which does an excellent

the Vault NFTs without Nike’s

and LimeWire, to name but three.

job of challenging all of the buzz

approval, for “inflated prices” under

Those centred on mass copyright

and hype), so much so that Nike is

“murky terms of purchase and

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Live from the Metaverse

Clinical psychologist Dr Risa Weisberg has joined BehaVR, a developer of digital wellness and digital therapeutics content, as chief clinical officer. She is a prolific researcher who has dedicated her career to developing and studying means to increase the accessibility of high-quality behavioural health, her new employer's key area of focus.

Tony Xu, co-founder and chief executive of online food ordering and food delivery platform DoorDash, has been elected to the board of directors at Meta. His experience of ownership”. Nike also points out

the next decade and new forms of

both running a technology company

that the online marketplace reseller

old illegal activity are committed

and solving complex challenges in

has attracted public criticism for

in entirely novel environments.

commerce were cited as key reasons

its NFT sales, including allegations

On NFTs, whatever the benefits of

for his appointment.

that they are a “scam”, and

the underlying technology, their

argues that their sale will confuse

potential has to be realised.

consumers after Nike’s widely reported acquisition of RTFKT

Hires and fires

(pictured), a creator of digital collectables. Neither party has

The metaverse rush is well

commented publicly on the lawsuit

underway and talent is a major

or allegations.

resource that every player, large and small, is looking to attract.

Lawsuits such as these are likely

Here is a round-up of some of the

PrecisionOS has added Dr

to become more frequent as the

latest hires and moves.

Richard E Mayer, professor of

metaverse concept emerges over

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psychology at the University of

Live from the Metaverse California, to its scientific advisory board. He will provide advice on scientifically based instructional design for the company’s VR training modules for surgeons.

Startup Holo-Light has appointed Isabella Doppler to the role of chief financial officer. She succeeds Michael Oberlechner, who remains a shareholder of the company and has joined its sales division. In her new role, Doppler will lead the finance and controlling department. Prior to joining HoloLight, she served as a consultant for innovation and digitalisation for the Federation of Austrian Industries Tirol and was a financial analyst at Awin Global.

Finally, Augmedics, the company behind AR surgery guidance system xvision, has hired medical technology executive Kevin Hykes as president and chief executive officer. He is a 30-year medical device veteran with expertise in commercialising novel technologies and scaling high-growth companies, brought in following an oversubscribed $36 million series C funding round last March.

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Live from the Metaverse

2022 predictions

Four experts offer their insight into what the next 12 months will look like for the Metaverse, VR and AR, and more

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March 2022

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Live from the Metaverse

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Live from the Metaverse

Jan Pflueger

Founder and adviser at advisXR Member of VRWorldTech Magazine editorial board

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Live from the Metaverse

I

n recent years we have seen

providing business-related use

manifesto-2206d893a3bb) by Alan

the integration of extended

cases.

Smithson.

the business context and, also

This area with its highly

I believe that this year will serve

driven by the pandemic situation,

individualised, emotionally

to explore the possibilities more

a rapid increase in the use of

charged brand experiences allows

seriously and to sharpen the

virtual environments, primarily

the creation of virtual values ​​that

meaning of the term ‘metaverse’

for collaboration. Blockchain

can be linked to their physical

in the different business fields.

technology and use cases have

products in a variety of ways.

In this context, I hope that

reality (XR) applications into

been approved and implemented.

the relevant stakeholder will

Simplified content generation,

In addition to numerous examples,

realise that common standards

general technological advances,

the takeover of RTFKT by Nike

are the foundation for creating

the spatial web as well as

demonstrates the expectation of a

sustainable added value, new

digitisation as a whole opened up

prosperous business case.

experiences and their own

new possibilities.

business success.

Unfortunately, the headlines

It is a natural process that after

currently entitled with ‘metaverse’

There is still a long way to go

reaching a level of maturity, there

give the impression that it is all

before an interoperable, cross-

follows a phase of merging and

about the purchase of virtual real

platform and environment-specific

connecting of what is required

estate or selling digital assets

context incorporating Metaverse

to create the Metaverse—or to

using non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

will exist and serious use cases

make it more tangible: to merge

will be deployed—not to forget

and enrich the real world with the

This is definitely not! The

the implementation of ethics and

virtual possibilities.

Metaverse has yet to be created

regulation.The same goes for

and we are in a phase where the

XR technologies before. I don't

For industrial areas of application,

foundation and directions still

expect hockey stick growth but

there will still be a long way to go

need to be defined.

a continuous ramp-up over the

before the worlds of tight-packed

next few years. Meanwhile, we

physical production merge with

To get an impression of the

will read about the pilot stories

individualisation and its virtual

topics one should be aware of, I

of the trailblazers, follow the

extensions. The picture of what

recommend looking at Toni Parisi's

best platform claims from the big

exactly 'metaverse' means for

post, The Seven Rules of the

players and will still read headlines

the individual industry is still very

Metaverse (https://medium.com/

about virtual real estate and NFTs.

blurred. As long as we are not

meta-verses/the-seven- rules-of-

The future will show who is willing

only talking about virtual stores

the-metaverse-7d4e06fa864c), and

to do the groundwork and keep it

and gathering platforms as the

further insights in The Metaverse

an open space for everyone.

Metaverse—fashion and lifestyle

Manifesto (https://alan-smithson.

products are paving the way in

medium.com/the-metaverse-

and it is unclear what impact they will have long term.

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Live from the Metaverse

T

here’s no doubt

they’ll need to invest in to

that the Metaverse

bring their vision to life.

is a hot topic right

now. What people need to

Fortunately, the industry

understand though is that

has witnessed the launch of

it will be many different

several impressive virtual

things, for many different

reality/extended reality

people. We’ll likely see both

headsets and augmented

consumer-focused and

reality smart glasses over

enterprise class metaverses

the course of the past year

designed for different

that are geared for both

audience types and use

consumers and professional

cases. Also, like other big

users. Additionally, the

technology shifts we’ve

introduction of platforms

experienced, the transition

such as NVIDIA’s Omniverse

to immersive workflows and

Enterprise that can utilise

connected 3D worlds won’t

powerful mobile and

happen overnight.

desktop workstations to create the all-important

Starting in the enterprise

3D content behind any

space, for instance, is

metaverse are pushing the

there a need for a state-

industry forward.

of-the-art virtual office that team members can

Two thousand and twenty-

hang out in from 9-5 while

two will be a pivotal year for

all working from home in

immersive experiences in

different locations? Or, is an

the enterprise as companies

immersive executive briefing

begin to better understand

centre or trade show booth

their immersive wants and

where customers and

needs, and ultimately the

prospects can see virtual

technology ecosystem that’s

products and interact with

needed to support them.

companies a higher priority?

Once companies have defined what outcomes they want and the problems and/ or challenges they are trying to solve, they will then be able to better understand what kind of technology

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Mike Leach Senior manager and

worldwide solutions lead for workstations and client AI at Lenovo

Live from the Metaverse

I

n 2022, vir tual and augmented reality ( VR and AR) will continue to fall shor t of

expectations. This is because most enterprise implementations will continue to fail to formulate the cognitive proposition.

How does this ex tended realit y ( XR) tool help? General statements such as ‘meeting in the same space improves collaboration’ or even ‘ the process was completed x times faster af ter VR training’ are great star ting points, but they are not enough.

Terms such as ‘collaboration’ and ‘process’ lack the specificity required for an actionable value proposition. What was the objective of that collaboration?

Which aspects of the ‘process’ involve procedural steps in time and space (the kind that can be simulated in VR) and which deal with the processing of abstract information such as numbers and diagrams (the kind potentially at odds with the low level of abstraction of immersive space).

Andreea Ion Cojocaru Chief executive officer and co-founder of NUMENA

Without this deeper dive into matters of cognition, VR and AR apps will continue to fail to retain the initial enthusiasm and be plagued by issues of friction and negative skill transfer.

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Live from the Metaverse

E

xtended reality (XR) is shaping up so profoundly to change the way we do and interact with most or even all things.

As XR adoption becomes mainstream, institutes and organisations are focusing on laying the foundation of immersive technologies. One of the most important directions in implementing XR will revolve around designing a comprehensive

Dr Sana Farid XR and AI strategist

immersive program, where the program meets all the requirements, protocols, standards, languages, data storage, and training needs of the end user and ensures scalability of content and features.

An avant-garde immersive program will focus on the convergence of XR with intelligent connectivity (5G), set universal standards, credible best practices and data security measures, and will provide an unparalleled tool to traverse time, space, and accessibility barriers.

Another integral mark is the safety standards and best practices to using XR, including crossplatform compatibility, motion tracking and haptic feedback, data privacy, and health measures such as sanitisation, duration and conditions of usage, and many other features.

This exciting new wave is raising the demand for new roles and opportunities such as metaverse planners, developers, cyber security experts, and ecosystem builders.

XR will prove to be beyond just a tech hype, when productivity across all sectors will be boosted with lesser time and effort and yielding superior results compared to all previous methods. It is a matter of time when governments and companies will advance their physical and internet presence to XR with ingenious ideas.

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T h i s

i s

a n

i m m e r s i v e

w o r l d

The Reality Wire tracks the latest stories from across immersive technology. If you have a new product, an important update, vital funding or plans to partner, we want to hear from you.

H a v e

a

s t o r y

t o

t e l l ?

S u b m i t

i t

n o w :

e d i t o r @ v r w o r l d t e c h . c o m

TRW

The story behind Osso VR’s mission to transform surgical training

M

any people ask me where Osso VR’s journey began. The idea started when I began a career in video

games interning at Activision.

My path seemed set but a personal family health incident altered my trajectory. I became determined to use my passion for technology to solve medical challenges. I

TRW

was filled with determination, but

surgeons and proceduralists.

(VR) early in its recent renaissance

I had no idea how to get started.

Increasing surgical options

and saw it as an incredible solution

Seeking advice, a mentor told me,

and complexity combined with

to this problem. This led me to

“If you want to invent something,

a looming provider shortage

co-found Osso VR in 2016, a VR

then you need to first understand

seemed to pose an insurmountable

surgical training platform. My work

the problem you’re trying to solve,

challenge.

in the world of paediatrics made me

and a great way to understand

fall in love with mission driven work

medical problems is to be a

The data shows that 30% of

and I wanted Osso to have that

doctor!” So I took his advice quite

graduating residents are unable

same incredible energy.

literally and became a paediatric

to operate independently and

orthopaedic surgeon.

projections show a shortage of

Osso’s mission is to improve

more than 100,000 healthcare

patient safety, increase the

professionals in the US by 2030.

adoption of modern surgical

During my residency, I noticed a gap that appeared to be

techniques and democratise

accelerating and becoming more

With my gaming background I

access to surgical education for

urgent: how we were training our

became involved in virtual reality

everyone. With the superpower

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TRW of a fully-remote staff versed in game development, cinema, technology, medical illustration, design, and business, Osso VR has been able to bring this vision to life.

Our goal is to allow every healthcare professional in the world to train on demand for any and every procedure, anything from placing an IV to complex robotic surgery. Osso VR continues to expand into new specialties including interventional cardiology, urology, thoracic surgery, and more, giving thousands of new providers the opportunity to train and assess on demand.

Healthcare professionals can even practice low-frequency/high-urgency situations just-in-time so they are prepared for any challenging scenario or complication. While rapid innovation has opened the door to new treatments and improved outcomes, emerging medical technologies are typically more complicated than simpler, traditional techniques. Osso VR streamlines both the discovery of new technology and the learning curve through data-driven ondemand education.

What started as a dream and a passion for technology now helps more than 4,000 healthcare professionals a month, and has been shown in peer-reviewed randomised trials to improve performance anywhere from 230-306%. In these unbelievably challenging times, Osso’s mission has never felt more important, and looking at the traction, growth, and enthusiasm is also very achievable. And for that reason, I feel incredibly optimistic about the future of healthcare.

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TRW

Our goal is to allow every healthcare professional in the world to train on demand for any and every procedure, anything from placing an IV to complex robotic surgery.

Justin Barad MD Chief executive officer and co-founder of Osso VR

How to use XR to onboard and train your remote team

C

rafting the perfect onboarding and training programmes has always been something of a balancing

act: there is no one perfect formula for the transmission of knowledge and culture in the workplace. But with the battle to recruit and retain top talent intensifying, and with remote and hybrid working the new norm, forward-thinking HR teams are embracing new strategies to give their learning and development (L&D) programmes a competitive edge.

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TRW Forget interminable slideshow

interactive exercises. Once each

To explore the benefits in more

presentations and cringe-worthy

section has been completed, the

detail, it is helpful to consider two

roleplay, it is super-rapid upskilling

learner receives data-informed

specific use cases: onboarding and

programmes backed by immersive

feedback on their per formance and

training new hires, and upskilling

technologies that are stealing the

areas for improvement.

existing employees.

are these technologies, and how can

Why is XR suddenly so popular in

Onboarding

they be most effectively deployed in

professional environments?

spotlight in 2022. But what exactly

the increasingly-virtual workplace?

Research by Glassdoor found

Let’s dive right into this newly

Two thousand and twenty-one

that organisations with a strong

booming domain of L&D innovation.

was a landmark year for XR, with

onboarding process improved

the world’s leading tech brands

new hire retention by 82% and

Immersive technologies: an

announcing their intentions to build

productivity by more than 70%.

introduction

the ‘metaverse’, a fully immersive

First things first: time to get the

network of online spaces for work,

With up to 20% of staff turnover

socialising and play.

occurring within the first 45

terminology straight. Simply put,

days of employment, investment

‘immersive technology’ is an

But as employers must prepare for

in a standardised and efficient

umbrella term to encompass the

success in the Metaverse, they must

onboarding programme has

software and hardware through

also adapt to new trends in remote

obvious benefits.

which users can access a variety of

and hybrid working.

content, from interactive 360-degree

Typical onboarding programmes

video to virtual and augmented

Given this, it is hardly surprising that

are built around four main

reality (VR and AR, also known

the benefits of XR are looking more

objectives:

collectively as 'XR') experiences.

and more appealing:

•

•

XR content is hosted in the cloud

For the L&D sector specifically, it is

and can be accessed remotely

XR platforms, with their capacity to

and on-demand;

integrate the real and virtual world,

•

that are proving the most effective.

mission, values and culture; •

End-to-end understanding of the product or service;

This means that XR training

•

overcomes barriers of scale, geography and cost that often

XR training involves employees

Alignment with company

Understanding the customer/ client and their needs; and

•

Learning and building

plague workplace L&D initiatives;

confidence with the company’s

Impact and usage can be

unique processes and

based platform on a VR headset,

automatically measured and

operating systems.

a laptop, desktop, tablet or

tracked; and

and new hires accessing a cloud-

smar tphone. On this platform,

•

•

Return on investment can be

Studies have shown that, when XR

they can work through learning

effortlessly evaluated and used

simulations are used consistently

modules that feature bespoke

to justify the tech’s continued

for onboarding, learners experience

video content, quizzes, tests, and

use.

a 61% higher retention of

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TRW information during the first 30-days

so they build familiarity and

a challenge for which we used our

after initial onboarding and achieve

confidence at an accelerated rate.

own XR product to achieve.

For example, a middle manager

Our HR team collaborated with

Organisations can create their

could use XR training to brush up

our content developers to produce

own video and training content on

on their communication skills with

Virti-specific 360-degree video

any topic—from company values

the help of a ‘virtual human’, an

content and learning material

to communication systems—

artificial intelligence (AI)-powered

tailored to the aims of our

and simulations can be edited

avatar that can assess and track

onboarding process. This has now

to incorporate reinforcement

hundreds of performance metrics.

been grouped into modules and

techniques, like retrieval practice,

Or, a sales team member could

hosted on the Virti XR platform,

that are proven to reduce skill fade.

practice complex product demos in

where our new team members

a zero-risk XR space.

complete their onboarding at their

a 27% faster time to productivity.

Once the content has been

own pace.

created, it can be used infinitely

As an added bonus, inbuilt

and updated as necessary. This

progress tracking helps learners

The importance of human oversight

facilitates an impressive return on

and managers understand where

is not ignored. Each new employee

investment when compared to in-

the areas for improvement lie,

is also assigned an ‘onboarding

person training, most significantly

and AI-gathered data on the

buddy’, who, in partnership with

when the use of the technology is

usage patterns and performance

the team lead, uses the platform’s

coupled with regular virtual check-

of trainees. In turn, this data can

data analytics to monitor progress

ins and mentorship from senior

be used to improve the training

and identify any areas requiring

team members.

content for future users.

additional support.

Upskilling

A Virti case study

The sharing of learning goals and

Insights from educational theor y

At Virti, we want everyone in

so learners can be held accountable

tell us that immersive and

the team—from salespeople to

and the whole company can share

interactive learning methods are

developers—to be an expert on

in celebrating milestones.

by far the most impactful. They

Virti. We also want our people to

have also been proven to be the

be closely aligned to our goals

This approach is already working

fastest route to knowledge and

and mission, and committed to

to great effect. Our newest hires

skill acquisition.

upholding our company culture. But

are integrating into the team and

pathways with peers is encouraged,

we’re growing incredibly quickly,

excelling at their roles more rapidly

This explains why XR training has

having doubled the size of our

and seamlessly than ever before.

been proven to be many times

remote-first workforce in the past

Team members have more time to

more impactful than other online or

year. This created a high-stakes

spend on interesting and valuable

‘e-training’ programmes. Learners

opportunity for us to perfect our

work, and have the opportunity to

are fully immersed in the content,

onboarding and internal training,

develop their skills in an enjoyable

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TRW

Disengaging, inefficient training is out; immersive and interactive digital content is in Dr Alex Young Founder and chief executive officer at Virti

way, both of which are positively impacting our retention.

Preparing for excellence in 2022 and beyond It’s exciting for me, as an employer and as an L&D innovator, to watch as workplace norms and old models are replaced with power ful new technologies and tools.

Disengaging, inefficient training is out; immersive and interactive digital content is in.

Just how quickly companies embrace the oppor tunities that new tech brings to the (vir tual) table is the factor that will determine their success over the months and years to come.

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TRW Three tips from educators on making VR for learning work

F

orward-thinking institutions have started embracing virtual reality ( VR) learning as a way

to tackle some of the existential challenges brought about by the COVID crisis. The use cases are varied and many examples are truly eye-opening.

But deploying VR for learning, like any disruptive innovation, comes with its own obstacles: technology challenges around hardware deployment, management and facilities; and pedagogical challenges of integrating VR meaningfully into curricula.

Here are some practical tips gathered from the pioneers of VR in education on creating effective learning strategies.

are clearly required but results

than the current alternative, it is

remain uncertain.

time to test it with learners.

Start by exploring: take advantage

Invite a minimum of 10 learners to

Whatever you have in mind, there

of the free trials offered by most

test the app, var ying the profiles

is probably a VR app for it. But

VR education providers to zero

as much as possible.

content is not everything and it is

in on content that matches your

Make sure students get a proper

typically difficult to secure buy-in

learning objectives. If, after careful

understanding of the use of

from students and staff in the early

evaluation, you think a VR approach

headsets and evacuate the

stages of deployment, when efforts

will create more pedagogical value

novelty bias by letting them play

Explore and measure

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TRW metrics as well as feedback on key elements such as understanding, skill confidence levels, and recommendations.

Besides defining whether the app delivers on its promises from a learning performance point of view, this kind of data gives critical insights to the educator on how to logistically set up future deployments. Last but certainly not least, learner data can be used to strengthen the use case to unlock further funding and support.

One dollar for VR, two for humans Forget the common misconception that VR will replace educators, it is actually more likely to give teachers superpowers while giving suppor t staff increased responsibility for learning.

VR requires significant initial effort beyond purchasing the hardware and software licences.

To be successful, you will need to consider IT support around learning with a pure enter tainment app

freely, for example, by placing them

management system integration,

for awhile (Job Simulator is an

in individual rooms or providing

staff to onboard faculty members

educators’ favourite). Then give an

noise-cancelling headphones.

and/or facilitate sessions with

introduction to the content itself,

Finally measure success, through

students, hardware management,

not only what to expect but also

direct observation, by leveraging

project management, student

how it relates to the curriculum.

in-app data or by conducting post-

enrolment, and so much more.

experience interviews.

For the test itself, ensure students

There’s a general rule of thumb

are given the necessary physical

For example, the Bodyswaps app

when budgeting: for every dollar

and psychological safety to explore

tracks usage and engagement

spent on hardware and software,

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Chris Mallet Co-founder and chief executive officer at Bodyswaps

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TRW

Ultimately, it is about sticking to learner-centric decisions along the way, committing the right amount of human resources, exploiting data to assess success, and focusing on true pedagogical value

reserve $2 for human effort. This

meaningful discussions, and giving

Ultimately, VR learning will become

is especially true during the early

personalised support.

just another tool alongside search

stages of development, where

engines, video platforms or VR is just another tool

presentation softwares.

documentation and introduce most

Sometimes the most glaringly

And unless the blend works

faculty members and students to

obvious pieces of advice are the

perfectly, it is sometimes wise

the technology for the first time.

gems we ignore: novelty wears

to resist the temptation of shoe-

it is essential to devise the right processes, create user-friendly

off quickly. It is easy to be wowed

horning VR where it does not

Importantly, all of this needs to

by the fun factor of immersive

belong.

happen ahead of teaching time per

learning. But unless it presents

se, or else a bold initiative risks

a significant improvement on the

Together, as technologists and

losing goodwill whilst adjustments

pre-existing approach to deliver

innovators, we have an opportunity

are made. Turning hearts and

specific learning objectives, failure

to use immersive learning to

minds via positive word-of-mouth

is around the corner.

make education more equal,

from the get-go is essential.

impactful and engaging. Ultimately, Moreover, whereas VR is the best

it is about sticking to learner-

Thankfully things will get much

performing learning medium when

centric decisions along the way,

easier with time. After all, you

an immersive experience can bring

committing the right amount of

will only need to onboard staff

learning to life, it is needlessly

human resources, exploiting data

and learners once. And once

cumbersome to broadcast 2D

to assess success, and focusing on

the logistical aspects have been

knowledge. In other words, VR

true pedagogical value.

ironed out, educators can leverage

should only be used when no

VR to augment what they do

other medium, be it e-learning or

A rare combination of bold

best: engaging students through

synchronous teacher-led lessons,

exploration and ruthless

experiential learning, facilitating

can do the job as well.

pragmatism.

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TRW VR: The new pilot training paradigm

T

oday’s global security situation is as uncertain and unstable as it has been in

the last few decades. New threats are compounded by shifting vectors and duplicitous actors.

One thing has remained constant, however: air superiority is still a deciding factor in armed conflicts.

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TRW

Maintaining this key tactical

simulators able to provide as true-

A suitable solution will thus require

advantage in the air requires having

to-life situations as possible.

innovation and a new paradigm.

the best-trained pilots operating

This is where virtual reality (VR)

aircraft equipped with bleeding-

As air forces around the world

edge technologies that stretch the

seek any advantage available,

envelope of the possible.

finding a superior pilot training

Although long-touted as a next-

solution has become a top priority.

generation technology, VR is only

The increasing complexity of

enters the picture.

now coming into its own with

operating today’s combat aircraft

Pilot training simulators are thus

headsets such as XTAL 3 from

requires more intense and

more crucial to achieving the

Vrgineers (pictured). This truly

effective training, something that

highest of standards than they

revolutionary piece of technology

is increasingly difficult to provide

have ever been before.

couples with custom-built simulators

considering the rising costs of live

to create the most realistic training

flying that only add to an already

Traditional dome-based simulators

expensive and time-consuming

have been a staple of training for

environment possible.

process.

years, but they have their limits in

This latest version of XTAL was

terms of immersion and true-to-life

designed in cooperation with a team

These challenges only heighten

fidelity, as well as being costly and

of international air force pilots. The

the need for alternative training in

requiring a significant footprint.

key to the headset’s truly amazing

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TRW performance and image fidelity are its patented lenses that provide 4k resolution for each eye. The image quality provided here is second to none, and the most realistic available anywhere on the market.

Moreover, XTAL 3 offers an extended 180° horizontal and 90° vertical field of view, the widest visual field on the market.

The combination of Vrgineers’s proprietary lenses embedded in XTAL 3 and advanced warping algorithms provide high fidelity undistorted images.

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TRW Thanks to two forward-facing 4k cameras, XTAL 3 also offers mixed reality (MR) capabilities, making it the first headset that allows pilots to train in a completely immersive environment coupled with a fully functional cockpit replica.

The incorporated MR technology allows pilots to see their hands and interact with instrument panels

The incorporated MR technology allows pilots to see their hands and interact with instrument panels

while simultaneously experiencing haptic feedback, learning proper motor skills, and practising standard procedures.

Marek Polcak For this third iteration of XTAL, the

Chief executive officer and co-founder of Vrgineers

development team at Vrgineers was able to significantly reduce the weight of the unit, meaning it is more comfortable and not a burden even after hours of training.

It also provides pilots who would normally wear glasses the ability to train without the discomfort of having their nose compressed while seeing a perfect picture.

XTAL 3 is also equipped with proprietary inside-out tracking.

This very convenient feature offers a pair of fast-switching infrared cameras positioned on the lower edge under the central cover.

XTAL 3 includes further functionality that makes its use more convenient, such as a proprietary eye-tracking system with unique one-dot calibration for IPD (inter-pupillary

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TRW distance) adjustment. This system

Vrgineers offers multiple types of

can then be used to gather

these new-generation simulators.

information that can be processed

The most common within training

and visualised in heatmaps for use

facilities is Vrgineers Classroom

in behavioural analyses.

Trainer (pictured), which can be networked with other devices for

The result of this technology is

training coordinated flights and

that pilots experience a nearly

formations, all in VR.

real environment, testing their responses that are nearly identical

There is also a portable option that

to real situations, teaching the

can be quickly transported and

decision-making processes

installed on mission.

required to gain air superiority.

Lockheed Mar tin, a Vrgineers XTAL 3 can be coupled with

par tner, has already realised the

custom-built simulators to replicate

power of X TAL 3 and harnessed it

cockpits of specific aircraft.

to its ground-breaking Prepar3D

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Pilots experience a nearly real environment, testing their responses that are nearly identical to real situations

TRW visual simulation platform that incorporates VR and MR. Prepar3D version 5 fully suppor ts X TAL 3 MR technology out of the box, of fering realistic haptic feedback during operation of the physical instrument panel. Trainees therefore find themselves in a completely immersive environment that allows them to train muscle memor y and per fect their skills.

Originally developed as a reconfigurable trainer for F-15, F-16 and F-35 under the US Air Force Small Business Innovation Research programme, Classroom trainer was optimised to deliver the most immersive simulation experience in an affordable compact package.

US Navy aviator Br yant Church said: “Flying the X TAL in a full-motion hydraulic sim and rolling in on a low-level bombing run literally felt like I was back in the cockpit, hear t rate elevated, mental focus 100% on threat avoidance and target acquisition—incredible.”

The XTAL headset and Vrgineers simulators are shifting the industry paradigm and determining the direction of future technological development of simulation technologies.

It is the solution to the pilot training challenges that air forces face today and will only become more pressing as the complexity of air combat increases.

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Showcase / Taqtile

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Showcase / Taqtile

Knowledge is power Taqtile is focused on deskless workers and its flagship platform, Manifest, is an AR work instruction tool that provides the means to both acquire and transfer knowledge effectively

I

mmersive technologies are

acquirer, a worker, does not need

highly capable tools for a

to know where the knowledge

wide range of use cases, most

being ‘acquired’ came from or

notably training and learning, or,

how it got there, only that it is and

to put it another way, knowledge

how to acquire it. Those facing

acquisition. Picking up new soft

the challenge of implementing

skills, refining hard ones—it

a ‘transfer’, the business, need

is even possible for a pilot to

to find the knowledge and an

practice their flying skills in

effective means of capturing it.

virtual reality (VR) before getting into a real plane and ‘fighting’

Seattle-based software company

augmented reality (AR)-based foes

Taqtile is focused on deskless

thousands of feet in the actual air.

workers, be it engineers who fix telecommunications infrastructure,

By being effective at knowledge

or frontline employees operating or

acquisition, it follows that they

repairing manufacturing equipment.

are equally capable of being good tools for knowledge transfer.

Its flagship platform, Manifest, is an AR work instruction tool

This may sound like splitting hairs,

that helps train and upskill these

but there is a subtle difference

and many other kinds of workers

between the two. Simply put, the

by providing the means to both

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Showcase / Taqtile acquire and transfer knowledge

productivity and keep their

instructions in AR without the

effectively.

businesses moving,” explains Kelly

worker needing to know anything

Malone, chief customer officer

about software development or

Take the example of manufacturing,

at Taqtile. “They need a way to

computer-aided design is critical.”

where there is a fourth industrial

capture the knowledge that’s lost.”

revolution underway as

Indeed, it is critical for businesses

technologies such as AR, artificial

Enter Manifest’s “superpower”,

looking to transfer knowledge

intelligence (AI), cloud computing,

an authoring feature designed to

between workers, because they

analytics, the internet of things

maximise the practicalities faced

have a simple means of doing

and 5G collide to increase the

by a deskless worker. All they need

so and now own the content

complexity of operating and

to do is put on an AR headset

being created, preserving it from

maintaining equipment and

such as a HoloLens 2 or Magic

retirement and other issues. It

factories. At the same time, an

Leap 1 (or a tablet, as Manifest is

is also critical for subject matter

ageing workforce is retiring out of

hardware-agnostic) and capture

experts capturing that knowledge.

the sector and taking decades of

and annotate their workflow using

experience and knowledge with it.

Taqtile’s software.

Malone continues: “Our platform provides an easy way for a subject

“This is putting pressure on

Malone says: “Our ability to

matter expert, such as a worker

organisations that need to maintain

easily author step-by-step work

who knows how to operate and

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Showcase / Taqtile

maintain a piece of equipment, to

spatially-aware head-mounted

does require a little more technical

capture step by step instructions,

devices in the form of HoloLens

knowhow and expertise on the part

either themselves or a third party,

and Magic Leap. But you can now

of the business using Manifest, so

thereby allowing that expert to

author with an iPad. We have very

they are not for everyone.

continue to be productive. The

simple tools to be able to author

platform enables both of those.”

and copy content in just a simple

Manifest can also integrate with

browser interface and a lot of

other systems of record, as Malone

Manifest is also codeless, making

different vectors for people to be

puts it, further simplifying the

the knowledge transfer from expert

able to author that content.”

knowledge transfer process. A

to software a task anyone can carry

record in a work order management

out. Malone says: “Anyone who has

How codeless is authoring with

system can be turned into an

basic mobile or PC skills can author

Manifest? As long as a subject matter

authored work instruction on

really sophisticated AR content with

expert has access to the factory

Manifest, which must be followed

our platform.”

floor and relevant machine, they

and executed.

can get to work. The platform can “By default, we started with

utilise static and 3D models for more

A capture evidence requirement

the most challenging hardware:

detailed work instructions, but that

would mean photos or video would

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Showcase / Taqtile

need to be recorded before the

He says: “That is probably an

to generate data that can be

job is signed off, so a history of

indication of where things are

analysed in reports, or archived

task performance could even be

headed versus where they are today.

for compliance or future review.

created to track, log and assess

We are building the foundation for

The platform includes built-in

performance.

that by giving workers the ability to

fault reporting, as well as the

capture the work instruction as they

previously mentioned capturing

Malone envisions this process

perform the job. The data we can

of completion evidence and

being used beyond training to cover

collect around that will then be able

creation of detailed work logs.

day-to-day work as other system

to inform how the job is done better

Reports can then integrate with

integrations are achieved, enabling

and more effectively in the future.”

other enterprise apps to initiate

a business to manage assets,

review and resolution processes

assess work performance, and

An excellent example of this is

for compliance and continuous

much more.

using Manifest for inspections,

improvement initiatives.

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Showcase / Taqtile

Our ability to easily author step-by-step work instructions in AR without the worker needing to know anything about software development or CAD is critical Kelly Malone Chief customer officer at Taqtile

By making Manifest a tool that

other kinds of ‘knowledge’ can

and video and using AI and machine

puts the business in control

be tracked, recorded and shared

learning (ML) to infer the likelihood

of authoring, its strategy for

within the system.

that a job is being performed in a

knowledge transfer moves beyond

safe and proper manner.

‘how’ and focuses on ‘what else’,

An expert authoring a work

because that is what Taqtile is

instruction can enable eye and hand

Malone says: “Being able to use ML

aiming to do in manufacturing and

tracking, so the platform can record

and AI down the road with the data

wherever a deskless worker can

exactly what they are doing and how.

we are collecting, to both observe

benefit from mobile digital tools

This can then be shown to a trainee,

the performance of work and

that make them better at their jobs.

providing them precise instructions.

inform and improve the efficiency, is another area we’re going to see

In authoring, Taqtile is taking

Taqtile is also combining this

investment toward and benefit

this further and considering what

information with captured photos

from.”

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Developer Spotlight / Elysian Studios

Elysian Studios Based in India, this is an impressive developer using immersive technologies to make audiences wiser

Immersive technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality (AR and VR) hold the potential to communicate important messages in a highly impactful way. When spirituality is the subject matter, that impact is vital.

Arvind Ghorwal, founder of Elysian Studios, tells VRWorldTech Magazine why he is spreading the message of spirituality in his widely acclaimed VR film series, Mystic Lands.

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Developer Spotlight / Elysian Studios

Tell us about your VR studio—how did you

going. Understanding that being the sole bearer

get started?

of a fairly new startup would be challenging, I started seeking wisdom.

I am an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mumbai and it is there that I

The journey took me around the spiritual

became familiar with filmmaking. We did a pilot

places of India, such as Kashi, Bodh Gaya,

project at IIT Mumbai back in mid-2015, where

Rishikesh, Key Monastery in Spiti Valley and

we created one of the first 360 ̊ videos in India.

many other locations. I was able to discover the right path and secured international clients.

Then I, along with some of my friends, ventured

Soon, I began working with big multinational

into a startup. However, the journey came to a

corporations and established Elysian Studios on

halt when we could not get along. Consequently,

the map of leading VR and AR companies. An

I opted out of the venture and initiated my solo

entrepreneurial journey is tough; you can only

journey. I had to form a new team and start

sail through it if you have the passion along with

from scratch to keep the entrepreneurial journey

persistence, perseverance, and patience.

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Developer Spotlight / Elysian Studios Our journey started with passion.

When I was in college, I learnt that it is very important to be passionate about what you do, because work fills a large part of our lives and if we love what we do, then life becomes blissful. Elysian means ‘divinely inspired’ and we started creating blissful experiences in VR. What attracted you to VR specifically?

I was attending an international conference in Europe back in 2015, where I met a guy from Hong Kong with a VR headset. It was there that I had a great VR experience.

It was something that I had never experienced before. The VR headset takes you to a new reality, and the screen comes alive in front of your eyes, so when you move your head to the left, you see what is happening in the left direction.

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Developer Spotlight / Elysian Studios

“

An entrepreneurial journey is tough; you can only sail through it if you have the passion along with persistence, perseverance, and patience Arvind Ghorwal Founder of Elysian Studios

Similarly, when you move your

the future. And thus we ventured into

you hear the right things from

head to the right, you see what is

a startup using this medium.

the right people, there is a flow

happening in the right direction.

of positivity through you and

The same goes for front, back, up

How did you come up with the

your life gets enhanced if you

and down.

idea for Mystic Lands?

apply the teachings. Once you have learned the right things, you

I came back to Mumbai. There we

India is the land of spirituality,

need to apply them to your life

started the pilot project where we

Yoga is India’s gift to the world. I

and you will be able to see the

created one of the first 360 ̊ videos

was spiritually inclined right from

transformation yourself. These small

in India. We showed it to many

my childhood. I read Bhagavad

transformations lead to ‘a new you’.

people on a revolving chair and the

Gita’s translation when I was in

reactions that we received were

school. In India, we do emphasise

It was because of this that I was

amazing. Our trust in the medium

‘Satsang’ meaning ‘in the company

more inclined towards Mystic Lands

increased and we realised that it is

of the saints and sages’. When

than any other idea.

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March 2022

53

Developer Spotlight / Elysian Studios

and Paramhansa Yogananda have gone to the west and have influenced billions of people around the world. We would like to do the same thing in a different way, by using our ancient wisdom and combining it with the latest technology. We would love to make our audiences wiser, wonderful and transform their lives through our content, and influence as many lives as we can across the globe.

Mystic Lands takes you to some

As a VR content creator, what

of the most ancient, blissful and

are your aims and objectives

Finally, how can interested

energetic lands, such as Kashi,

going forward? Is there an

parties get in touch with you,

the city of Lord Shiva, and Bodh

opportunity to show India

perhaps to partner with you

Gaya, the land of Buddha’s

to a new audience, using this

on a project or support your

enlightenment, and Rishikesh, the

fantastic immersive medium?

efforts?

films are receiving a lot of love

We have been focusing on spiritual

Please contact us at arvind@

from various parts of the world,

tourism content until now. India is

elysian.studio or call us at +91-

are getting shortlisted at various

a world leader when it comes to

8169846631. You can also check

international film festivals, and are

spirituality. Our sages, saints and

out our website: https://elysian.

featured on major VR platforms.

rishis such as Swami Vivekananda

studio.

yoga capital of the world. Our VR

54

March 2022

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