3D industry, although still in the infancy stage, has grown multiple folds in the past decade. Most importantly, growth is clearly visible. Where is it not used? Marketing, Real Estate, Gaming, movies, whatever you think of, is not spared by the 3D industry.
This billion-dollar industry is growing exponentially these days. Made possible mainly because of capable hardware. There was a time when having 1GB RAM in your computer was godlike. Now, even mid-range computers boast 16GB RAM. Undoubtedly, the internet revolution also takes up a big chunk of credit in the exponential growth of the 3D industry.
Although the past performance of the 3D industry is remarkable, one can’t absolutely be certain about the future. However, this article will take you through the potential of this ever-growing industry and explain the applications of 3D. So that you can have an idea of what the future has in store for the same.
AUGMENTED REALITY
Augmented reality, commonly referred to as AR, is cutting-edge technology in the modern world. It can be defined as the rendering of 3D/digital images in the real world.
Still not clear?
Ever heard of the widely popular game Pokemon Go? That’s a perfect example of well-implemented AR technology.
Augmented reality existed before 2015 but the trend of AR started among various brands in late 2017 (Yes, it’s that new). However, the popularity that it has gained in the previous years is truly remarkable. Technology that solves people’s problems, is a success and that’s what Augmented Reality is doing.
Some Of The Applications Of AR
- Disney: Disney’s application of AR can be considered as one of the most effective ways of implementing AR technology. It showed the true potential of what AR can do with an app that renders a 3D model of a colored drawing on paper. How cool is that?
- US Army: Just like you see in Hollywood sci-fi movies, it’s an eyepiece that the soldier wears which displays the teammates’ location and the enemy’s. It’s a cutting-edge technology which other countries are also adapting to catch-up with the USA. Moreover, the eyepiece also displays the target’s distance and such things, such a futuristic design.
- Healthcare Industry: One of the most exciting and effective applications of AR is in the Healthcare industry. It allows medical students to train with professionals and interact with patients using an AR environment.
It enables surgeons to plan the procedure before starting the main operation. Some experts suggest that AR has the potential to disrupt the healthcare industry’s business model.
VIRTUAL REALITY
Virtual Reality (VR) is another mind-boggling technology developed not long ago. It creates a virtual 3D environment that the user can not just see but also interact with it. It takes the user to a different virtual world of 3D graphics. Virtual reality is an important part of this ever-growing 3D industry and, needless to say, also the most popular.
VR technology is so accessible that it can be experienced just with your smartphone and a VR headset. That’s one of the reasons for its insane popularity.
Virtual Reality Has A Wide Range Of Applications
- Healthcare: VR helps new surgeons practice their surgery before performing it on a real body. The VR headset, in this case, creates a virtual environment in the operation room. VR has proven itself very useful in this industry multiple times. Also, it can be used to cure anxiety and other psychological disorders.
- Tourism: The experience in VR can be so realistic that you’ll feel as if you are at that place. That’s why it plays an important role in tourism. Imagine you want to go for a vacation but are confused about choosing the right place. With the help of VR, you can feel the experience of being there without actually being there. Just how cool does this sound, right
- Real Estate: How convenient it would be if you would be able to look and feel the property you want to live in before even the construction gets started. You can do it with the help of VR.
If you’re an architect, you can construct a digital 3D replica of the building and show it to your clients. Overall, it’s a win-win situation for both the client and the architect or dealer.
APPLE GLASSES
The trillion-dollar company: Apple, is about to take AR and VR technology to the next level with the Apple Glasses. Codenamed as N421, the Apple Glasses are expected to launch in late 2023 to compete with the likes of Sony, Facebook Incorporated, and HTC Corporation.
Apple has already proved its LiDAR technology in the recently launched iPhone 12 series. The LiDAR sensor in the upcoming Apple Glasses is going to set a benchmark. AR has never been this effective, accurate, and stable. All thanks to this LiDAR technology by Apple.
With this next generation of AR glasses and headsets, Apple is set to provide futuristic technology to its consumers. However, Apple is known for its overpriced products, so don’t expect it to come at a reasonable price whatsoever.
Here’s Why Apple Glasses Are The Real Deal
- Night Vision: With Apple’s advanced technology, the Apple Glasses can be used to see in the dark. Thanks to the recently introduced LiDAR technology by Apple, the glasses will detect the environment and adjust the display accordingly to get a better vision in low-light scenarios.
- Digitally Teleport To Locations: Just like the Street View mode in Google Maps and Look Around mode in Apple Maps, the location will be projected directly in your Apple Glasses.
This will provide a more immersive view of the location as if you’re really there. This feature comes in handy when you’re confused about where to go, you can see what’s the location is all about using your Apple Glasses before going there.
- Sleek Design: Forget all those bulky headsets that come to your mind whenever you think of VR or AR, these Apple Glasses look almost no different than your usual Clark Kent Glasses.
Although these glasses are not as lightweight, the mind-boggling futuristic features that it packs should compensate for that. After all, it’s still a prototype, who knows what the final version will look like.
SAMSUNG GLASSES
With Apple joining the AR race, Samsung gets in too with its Samsung GLasses. Samsung revealed its AR wearables not long ago in CES 2020. The glasses are still in the initial phase, so one can easily call them bulky, but it’s expected to slim down in size in future models.
Samsung Glasses can do most of the things you see in sci-fi movies, like talk to a digital being, medical field uses, etc. Also, it is worth mentioning that Samsung Glasses won’t be as expensive as Apple Glasses are going to be.
That said, there’s a high chance that you’ll miss out on some features in Samsung Glasses that the Apple Glasses will possess.
Some Cool Features of Samsung Glasses
- Find Points Of Interests: Samsung has implemented such technology in the glasses that allow you to look for your points of interest. Also, you can check the price of the gas at a particular station by just looking at it, it’s so convenient, isn’t it?
- Navigation Overlay: An overlay that displays your route, direction, ETA, etc will be provided by Samsung Glasses for smart navigation. Now you don’t have to look in your phone every time you want to check further directions. And, all of this can be accessed with a voice command to make things easier for you.
- Fitness Trainer: It’s so convenient when you train with a fitness trainer, helps you overcome procrastination, and keeps you motivated to exercise. But, some cannot have a fitness trainer with them at all times or don’t want the hassle of hiring one or going to the gym, the Samsung Glasses solves this problem. It has a feature that provides you with a digital 3D fitness trainer to keep your body in shape.
MICROSOFT HOLOLENS
Unlike Apple and Samsung Glasses, the Microsoft Hololens functions differently. It’s essentially a display unit, mounted on the head, connected to a cushioned headband which is used to tilt the display unit.
It’s a unique, fully functional design introduced by Microsoft back in 2010, it hasn’t lost any popularity since then.
As a matter of fact, Microsoft was the first to join the race of AR and VR. The Microsoft Hololens can also run various 3D applications such as holographic applications. It uses Windows’s APIs. AR applications work just fine and smoothly on this futuristic device. The most popular use of this device is that it maps your surroundings and creates holograms.
Here’s How Microsoft’s Hololens Can Change Your Lifestyle
- Change The Way You Work: The Hololens produces realistic holograms that can be pinned to real-world objects. This experience will make you feel as if you’re in the future. The best part is that you can interact with that hologram- zoom it, pinch it, all in real-time.
- Change The Way You Teach: Using Holonotes in Skype, you can draw characters as an overlay on your tablet. This way of teaching can be considered as the most effective and efficient way. After all, the human mind grasps and processes the knowledge which is shown to it more effectively.
- Change The World Around You: See beyond your usual 3-dimensional world with these Hololens by Microsoft. You can create your own holograms and explore your imagination power. However, all of this comes at a hefty price tag.
ONLINE SHOPPING
Online shopping or say the e-commerce industry has proved its worth in the past decade. The potential that this industry has is unmatchable. Anyone with a cellphone and an internet connection can purchase anything with just a few taps.
However, some people do miss the true experience of shopping in a shopping mall but are too lazy to go into one. And the issue of getting the wrong size, or unmatched colors of products still persists. Thanks to Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Technology, the customer doesn’t have to face any of these issues.
AR has changed the shopping experience forever. It’s like going to a mall for shopping without actually going to the mall. As crazy as it sounds, it has been made possible because of AR and VR. You can see and interact with clothes or whatever you want to purchase in a virtual mall.
Augmented Reality solves the distance issue between the customer and the seller. If someone wants to buy shoes, he can virtually wear them at the comfort of their home. Also, you don’t need an expensive high-tech device to experience this, just your mobile phone is enough.
However, only a few brands have this technology but more and more are adopting it. A 2016 survey asked people if they would switch to online shopping if they offered AR technology. A staggering 71% of people said that they would. This shows the true potential of AR in online shopping.
That said, AR in online shopping is still in its early stage. We can expect a full-fledged rollout in the upcoming years. But, regardless to say, it will be sooner than expected as more and more big brands are putting in resources in developing the AR technology.
CONCLUSION
The 3D industry is an exponentially growing, promising industry. As the technology evolves, the 3D industry is also expected to expand exponentially in the next few years. The introduction of advanced sensors like LiDAR is setting up the foundation for AR in the future.
Just think of the potential that AR and VR holds. In most of the industries you can think of, AR has the capability to change and disrupt things drastically and for the better. One perfect example is the shopping industry, we’ve just discussed how useful it can be in the online shopping industry.
The 3D industry has undoubtedly changed the world around us and is expected to do the same at an even greater level.
However, one can’t also deny the fact that things do take time to change, and 3D technology is still in the infancy stage. But with this consistent progress, we can expect the 3D industry to take over the world in the future. That said, one thing is almost certain- The 3D industry has a bright future ahead. Fingers crossed.
