Virtualization and Cloud executives share their predictions for 2017. Read them in this 9th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.
Contributed by Vishwa Ranjan, Head of Augmented and Virtual Reality, Infosys
Enterprise Adoption of Virtual and Augmented Reality Will Accelerate
Enterprise has yet to realize the practical value behind virtual and augmented reality. As hype around the technology begins to fade from popular culture, businesses will find room for new features and applications across operational management, data visualization, industrial and even education sectors.
Hype around AR and VR will fade - and that's a good thing: Next year we'll see companies view AR and VR as legitimate technologies that they should be researching and investing in, rather than tech fads simply tied to games and entertainment. And while gaming will remain an important pillar for the industry, next year companies will move towards AR and VR for enterprise - and customer - implementations as they realize its potential to transform our day-to-day interactions, our work and our processes.
AR and VR investments will focus on delivery: Despite the enormous potential for AR and VR, we won't see widespread adoption until we have better and cheaper hardware - especially in our smartphones - because AR and VR both require high graphics and processing power. In 2017 we'll see smartphone companies develop AR and VR-based features, like image-recognition-based, location-based and sensor-based technologies, and 360 cameras that will help to push AR and VR out into early adopter's hands.
AR and VR will overcome its biggest hurdle: Despite enormous traction with the technologies in 2016, a critical issue surrounding AR and VR will remain unsolved: the technologies will not see mass production until they solve a problem for every day and niche users. But next year we will overcome this hurdle. 360 video (pre-recorded or live) based apps will be the initial drivers of these content-driven technologies with focus on surveillance, collaboration, and telepresence.
We already see businesses in transportation, entertainment, retail, healthcare and industrial equipment applying AR and VR to help solve problems - these are the industries that will continue to lead innovation next year. In 2017 we'll also see construction, industrial maintenance, data and process visualization, and even agriculture enter the market, as well as education to bring lessons to life within the classroom and outside of it (such as training technicians). And with AR/VR in education, we'll train our students to see the world and learn in a new and exciting way, which will spark the next generation of technological advancements.
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About the Author
Vishwa Ranjan is the head of augmented and virtual reality at Infosys. Prior to joining Infosys, Vishwa pushed the limits of visual effects for Industrial Light & Magic, Electronic Arts, and DreamWorks Animation, including work on films and video games in the Star Wars and Lord of the Rings franchises.
