The Bridging of the Digital and Physical World

The development of new technology has changed many facets of our daily lives. Spatial computing is one of the most promising to enter the market, with the enormous potential to change how we see the world around us. It provides consumers with an immersive experience by heightening their senses through 3D graphics, audio, and haptics. Within the next few decades, the fusion of the digital and physical worlds can lead a complete shift in humanity’s perception of reality. 

There are a variety of alternatives offering the spatial computing technology currently on the market, ranging from full virtual reality (VR) to augmented reality (AR). AR, as exemplified by Lumus’ Z-Lens, overlays digital elements onto the physical world. There is no interaction between the digital visuals and the physical world. Mixed reality (MR) is more complex, as there is some interaction between both. VR completely immerses players in digitally created realities, as seen by the Meta Quest 2.

The abilities of spatial computing are expected to only continue to become more complex and more accessible to the general public. By 2024, experts are predicting that there will be approximately 1.4 billion devices equipped with some form of AR capabilities by 2024. As the technology expands, spatial computing will revolutionize how we work, play, educate our youth, and take care of our health. 

There are many examples of how these changes will manifest. For example, work will become more accessible and globalized as the need for office spaces decreases with the help of spatial computing. Holographic calls and displayless projects will make remote work easier. Education is also expected to no longer be limited to the physical world as well. Students might be able to virtually visit historical locations and landmarks around the world. With all of these changes, there will have to be a complete restructuring of our current system.