Augmented and Virtual Reality for Live Events - 5 Things You May Not Know
Photo by ITU-R WP6C VR and 360 Seminar - https://flic.kr/p/MQxmco

Augmented and Virtual Reality for Live Events - 5 Things You May Not Know

Over the last few months, as many of our clients have been approaching us with interest in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) development, we've been hearing a lot of "alternative facts" repeatedly. So, to clear up some misconceptions, the Origin Development team compiled this list about using VR and AR for live events.

1. Head Mounted Displays are Not Required

The smartphone in nearly everyone's pocket has virtual reality and augmented reality capabilities that are often overlooked. There are still some limitations in their abilities, but they can provide fully immersive experiences without the cost or additional technical requirements of a dedicated VR or AR headset. While this may not seem like quite as cool of an option as an Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, or Microsoft Hololens, it's a lot more practical. If dedicated headsets are required, an event with even a few hundred attendees that wants to use VR or AR would have logistic trouble providing the experience to all attendees. However, if the experience is built to run on everyone's smartphone, then the whole audience can experience it throughout the event on their own schedule. Custom Google Cardboard with your branding can be purchased or printed for as little as a few dollars each, and as an added bonus it allows attendees to take the experience home with them after the event.

2. Development Cost is Similar to a Custom Web or Mobile Application

This seems to be the biggest surprise for most of our clients when we start pricing out an immersive experience for their event. If you're looking to build a virtual reality game on the scale of Call of Duty, then expect to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, if you want to provide your attendees with a virtual environment to experience 360° photos or video, then the biggest cost factor will probably be producing the photos and video. Want to let your attendees interact with an augmented 3D model of your products, the cost will be comparable to building a web application that allows for customization. The cost of custom VR and AR development is closer to the cost of any other type of custom technology development than you may think. That said, when it comes to "Wow!" factor and return on investment, immersive experiences leave other options in the dust (more on why in fact #4).

3. The Most Important Part is the Content

There is no limit to the possibilities of what you can do in a virtual environment. You can allow people to fly, let them visit other planets, or turn them into viruses invading the human body (all actual requests we've discussed with potential clients over the last three months). Want to have spaceships flying around your event space - this is easy to achieve. However, the important question is what story do you want to tell, or what feeling do you want to produce. Content is king, and it should always have a purpose. It might be cool to have a Virtual Reality game as part of your event, but consider how that game will fit in with the theme of your event or the overall message. Virtual reality and augmented reality experiences just for the purpose of having an experience are going to be lost on your audience. Although it's cool, the technology shouldn't be the goal. It's another channel to deliver your message - though it is one with fewer limitations.

4. Games are Fun, But There's So Much More You Can Do

An immersive experience doesn't need to involve gaming in any way to have an impact on your audience. VR and AR based product demonstrations can be as successful (and often more instructive) than physical demonstrations. Want to hold continuing education sessions that will be massively more effective than a presentation? Scientific studies are already showing that immersive environments increase retention when it comes to learning. For some reason, even when you're mentally aware that you're viewing something virtual, your body still produces a physical response just as it would to a "real world" stimulus (just google "VR Fails" to see examples). It is this physical response coupled with the environment that makes AR and VR so powerful. AR and VR technology has so much influence that it's already being used to treat people with debilitating phobias such as fears of heights, insects, and even public speaking. Imagine having your speaker rehearsals in virtual reality - which brings us to our final fact...

5. It's Not Just for the Audience

When it comes to live events, augmented reality and virtual reality can provide so much more than just audience experiences. You could conduct virtual site surveys. Alternatively, you could conduct physical site surveys and place scaled preliminary set designs into context of the venue. Or, realistic set design reviews can be conducted in the context of the venue without ever starting physical construction or going on location. Speaker rehearsal and presentation reviews can be conducted with a virtual audience. Set construction activities could use mobile app based AR plans, markers and models for reference. Security can make use of 360° video. The bonus is that 3D virtual assets are reusable, so the same object that is used to sell a design to a client can be used for site surveys, and then used again for design review, and then used again for construction and installation. This doesn't even consider the very real option of hosting a live event completely within the context of a virtual environment.

In Conclusion

As augmented reality and virtual reality technology progress and become more common, we'll see that the potential uses will come to replace many of the activities that we currently take for granted using other methods. The biggest changes are likely to be in areas that we aren't even considering today. Twenty years ago, who would have thought we'd be using mobile phones to conduct the majority of email and photography activity? Back then the primary use for a mobile phone was still making phone calls.

If you want to explore your options when it comes to Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality for your event, contact Origin Development.

Maryann Ingham

Customized vacation packages and cruise vacations for Families and Adventure Seekers

6y

Great overview, we love AR! The potential is endless for show organizers as well as exhibitors for use at exhibition events to educate as well as promote brands/products/services.

Like
Reply

To view or add a comment, sign in

Insights from the community

Explore topics