It is time to look beyond the use of video meetings and explore the possibilities of VR meetings. In these uncertain times when social distancing is a must, immersive technology can be used to reach a higher feeling of presence in meetings and workshops. We’ve spoken with Niclas Johansson, founder of Immersivt.se, on why companies should use VR to boost virtual co-creation and innovation.
At the first ever IPx, our new digital learning session format, we are happy to welcome Niclas Johansson at immersivt.se as a facilitator of an innovation class in VR/AR. Together we’ll explore how companies could benefit from using immersive technologies to create more in-depth meetings.
“VR provides a sense of space and presence. It makes you feel like you’re somewhere else, and that you are in that place together with the other people in the meeting. It partly removes isolation – you can lean in and whisper to a person close to you, or create an impromptu break-out session in a corner of a large room,” he explains.
You can also change the location of a meeting to an impossible or otherwise impractical setting, like deep in the rainforest or on a space station. In a VR or AR environment it is possible to create new layers of engagement and excitement for the participants, both through the location and by introducing different 3D objects that everyone can interact with. This opens up whole new ways of conducting an ideation workshop or co-creating together.
“By immersing yourself in a digital world, a positive layer of isolation is also added, removing you from your normal distractions in your physical environment, like your smartphone or computer.”
Organizations like KLM, Volvo and Telia are already using VR to run normal business meetings and design reviews, explains Niclas Johansson. And organizations such as HTC, IEEE, and Educators in VR conducting large-scale conferences in VR with thousands of participants.
There are many different platforms to choose from when setting up a VR meeting; such as MeetinVR, Glue and FrameVR. To get the best effect out of a meeting, a VR headset is recommended, but it is also possible to join directly from your computer.
“Not every single participant is required to have a VR headset to benefit from a VR meeting! In the big VR conferences I’ve attended, the vast majority of guests participated in 2d from their desktop. Thus, it’s fully ok to start small and then ramp up.”
Niclas Johansson and the team at immersivt.se have over 5 years’ experience of running VR meetings, and they are confident that more organizations will adapt to the use of immersive technologies for meetings and co-creation sessions going forward.
“What I see with VR and AR is an even bigger and more meaningful transition to a “living internet” that immerses us anywhere we go and lets us share not only ideas and information digitally, but experiences and perspectives. ‘AR cloud’ is one term for it, ‘Metaverse’ is another. There’s a lot of tech development still to happen with VR/AR in the next decade and forward, and it will have a profound impact – on our civilization as well as on an individual level.”
We look forward to learn more and discuss with our members on the 28th of April at IPx. Read more and sign up here.
