The second perspective on Extended Reality developments concerns the future and, more precisely, the increasing and innovative integration of physical and digital reality.
Visors launched in 2023, such as Apple’s Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3, are already able to combine augmented reality, mixed reality, and virtual reality. Promoting precisely fluid and seamless experiences between the physical and virtual worlds. Significant progress, in terms of immediacy of use, which nevertheless remains held back by the unaffordable prices on a large scale. Moreover, the sudden evolution of artificial intelligence and spatial computing is outlining a scenario of immersive experiences integrated between online and physical, according to paradigms not yet achievable with the technologies on the market. So, it is true that in immersive experiences the distinction between real and virtual may be increasingly blurred. However, consumer perspectives confirm the embryonic state of the market.
Users’ opinions and aspirations
More than 50% of Italian Internet users have declared to the analysts of the Extended Reality & Metaverse Observatory of the Politecnico di Milano that they know at least one virtual world – a percentage that exceeds 70% in the younger age groups – but within the confines of gaming (Fortnite, Minecraft, Roblox). Moreover, most accesses are still through PCs and the diffusion of visors remains limited, estimated at just under half a million consumers. Expanding the survey to all Extended Reality technologies, about one in four users enjoyed augmented/mixed reality or virtual reality experiences in the past year. More than half, however, would like to try these technologies. The main uses, excluding gaming and social, would concern the display of products in the home environment or additional information in certain places (AR), as well as visiting virtual showrooms or participating in events/tours (VR). One certainty comes from their ratings: for both technologies, less than 5% of users rated the experience negatively.
We therefore welcome this trend with interest, especially in conjunction with the advancement of AI in the processes of creating and customising environments, characters, and digital objects. But artificial intelligence will potentially enhance the industrial sector by integrating computer vision tools to XR devices. Finally, watch out for the evolution of the Digital Twin: the digital twin of companies, buildings, cities, can make a difference in many professional and non-professional contexts.
