As an experienced tech professional, I‘ve seen various computing paradigms come and go over the decades. Few emerging technologies excite me these days as much as spatial computing and its potential to fundamentally transform how we interact with computers – and reality itself.
Defining This New Computing Frontier
So what exactly is spatial computing? Simply put, it refers to technologies that enable the interweaving of digital artifacts into real-world physical spaces and interactions. It creates a hybrid blended reality where digital elements integrate seamlessly with actual environments and users.
Enabling technologies behind spatial computing include:
- Augmented reality (AR) – overlays digital visual/audio elements onto the real environment via devices like specialized glasses or smartphones.
- Virtual reality (VR) – completely immersive digital worlds accessed via headsets that block out real-world stimulus.
- Mixed reality (MR) – seamless blending of real and virtual worlds where both digital and physical objects interact.
- AI and computer vision – extracts meaning from visual/sensory input to enable natural user interaction.
- Connectivity – high bandwidth wireless data transfer via 5G and WiFi 6 that supports complex applications.
Together, these make the world itself the interface, with every surface and object a potential portal to digitally enriched experiences shaped in real-time by user context and actions. The possibilities for new modes of existence and computing interfaces are staggering.
The Spatial Computing Market
While still early stage, spatial computing adoption is accelerating exponentially. The global market is projected to grow over 25% annually, skyrocketing from $100 billion currently to over $1 trillion by 2030. PwC predicts it touching $1.5 trillion as soon as 2025, rivaling the size of the current smartphone and PC markets combined.
What’s driving this blistering growth? For one, the supporting technology is maturing rapidly. Nimble startups and tech giants alike are pouring billions into spatial computing R&D – companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft, Meta and Magic Leap have invested over $10 billion collectively over the past four years alone as they jockey for pole position, with plans to invest billions more this decade.
| Company | Investment |
|---|---|
| Apple | $5 billion+ (AR/VR R&D) |
| Meta | $2.5 billion+ (Reality Labs R&D) |
| $1.5 billion+ (ARCore platform) |
Beyond maturing developer ecosystems, we are also seeing greater consumer appetite for immersive experiences in the wake of the pandemic, evidenced in soaring sales for devices like the Oculus Quest2 VR headset.
The stage is now set for an interface revolution akin to the meteoric rise of touchscreens last decade. But the impact stands to be far more transformational…
Real-World Use Cases and Business Impact
Spatial computing promises to revolutionize everything from online shopping to surgery. Though many applications remain largely prototypical, we are already seeing billions in ROI from early industrial use cases. UPS saves $8 million annually using AR in warehouses. Boeing has cut aircraft wiring inspection times 25% using AR. Below are some additional emerging use cases with traction:
Training and Simulation
Potentially dangerous or expensive environments and scenarios can be simulated to train personnel. For example, healthcare spends over $3 billion annually on anatomy models and medical devices for education. Spatial computing can cut these costs over 60% via high fidelity AR/VR training simulations.
Demand is surging – healthcare AR/VR use for visualization, simulation and modeling is projected to grow nearly 35% annually through 2028. Government agencies like CBP and police departments are adopting VR for field training. Retail is also investing heavily in AR/VR training – Walmart requires all store managers complete a VR empathy training program.
Manufacturing and Field Service
Accessing hard hats with AR capabilities, factory technicians can visualize step-by-step wiring schematics projected digitally onto parts in their field of vision while working on repairs and maintenance. This allows hands free access to instructions and critical data to aid complex jobs.
For field service, an expert remotely accessing video feed from an onsite technician‘s AR glasses can annotate her display with helpful visual instructions. We are literally approaching tech support abilities resembling Iron Man‘s Jarvis!
Infrastructure Design
Architectural engineering firm Gensler is using AR with mobile lidar scanning to perform real-time analysis of construction sites. Compared to traditional methods, this cuts design time over 40% while improving safety and accuracy. Enabling rapid iteration of architectural renders mapped precisely to real buildings/locations unlocks huge potential for reimagining urban design.
Location Based Entertainment
Theme parks like Disneyland are launching immersive AR attractions blended with their physical environments to enhance visitor experiences. Imagine interactive fantasy worlds activated as you enter various lands. Savvy businesses will increasingly adopt spatial computing to delight customers – did your last hotel provide you with a virtual concierge via AR glasses in your suite guiding you to customized local attractions?
Retail Marketing
One indicator of mainstream consumer appeal breaking through – growing retail AR adoption for marketing use cases like virtual try-ons. For example, Gucci created an AR app allowing shoppers to preview their sneakers in 3D on their own feet. Replete with advanced lighting and occlusion capabilities for realistic rendering against actual environments, it provides tangible value. And it paid off – the app drove over $12 million in incremental sales. Expect MUCH wider deployment of shoppable AR experiences over the next 2-3 years.
Workforce Productivity
Tech consultancy Accenture equips warehouse staff with AR glasses displaying visual indicators to find items for order fulfillment. Compared to traditional handheld scanners, this boosts item retrieval speed over 25%. Imagine the productivity upside applied more broadly once spatial computing interfaces mature!
Speaking of productivity, I’m pretty excited about a nascent startup called Spatial that lets distributed teams collaborate via holographic AR avatars projected onto a digital workspace you can manipulate together. It’s literally the sci-fi future of video conferences come to life!
Market Challenges
Fully actualizing spatial computing‘s disruptive potential won‘t happen overnight though. Below are some notable challenges that remain:
Inadequate Connectivity Infrastructure
While 5G helps, current connectivity isn‘t reliable or fast enough for rich, real-time applications, especially in dense usage contexts like packed stadiums. We likely need another generation or two of wireless data network upgrades before spatial computing‘s basic infrastructure foundations are sound.
Hardware Limitations
Though improving rapidly, device limitations still hinder mass adoption. Existing AR glasses remain either low powered without standalone computing capabilities, or too bulky and heavy for extended wear. And VR still suffers from comfort issues over long sessions – though eye tracking and foveated rendering advances promise lighter and sleeker designs ahead.
Developer Platform Fragmentation
A plethora of proprietary toolkits from various hardware vendors makes development complex. Calls are growing louder for open standards around APIs and 3D asset pipelines for smoother cross-functionality across devices and operating systems.
Ethical Concerns Around Data and Bias
Collecting increasing amounts of user data including biometrics raises red flags for privacy advocates concerned about exploitation vulnerabilities from bad actors. There are also worries spatial computing could exacerbate exclusion issues if not designed consciously – for example, AR maps lacking accessibility features.
More transparent dialogue coupled with inclusive oversight guidelines will help steer innovation responsibly here.
Behavioral Adoption Barriers
Many struggle navigating new interaction modalities like gestures or simply feel awkward wearing today‘s somewhat bulky headsets in public. It may seem silly, but fostering greater emotional and behavioral comfort pathways towards spatial computing should not be underestimated as an adoption challenge.
The Outlook From Here
Despite hurdles, I believe spatial computing will profoundly reshape society over the next decade the way smartphones did the last 10 years. By blending digital enhancements into our surroundings, spatial experiences unlock vastly more convenient and creative ways of communicating, collaborating and consuming information across just about every sector.
As sensors, AI and connectivity continue advancing hand-in-hand, our entire world becomes the interface. Imagine augmented roads displaying safety alerts directly in your field of vision while driving. Or walking through a shopping district where AI recommends bargains personalized just for you as you pass storefronts. Spatial computing promises to embed computing directly into the fabric of reality itself for a frictionless and empowering tech experience.
The next frontier promises to make tech not just more immersive, but humanizing by adapting environments to individuals rather than forcing people to bend to gadgets. It may sound heady, but I believe it can seed a revolution in relating to information and each other in exciting new dimensions. The coming spatial transformation might fundamentally redefine how we live, work, shop and play over reality’s new horizons.
References:
[1] Research and Markets report
[2] Deloitte study on immersive learning
[3] Verified Market Research forecast
[4] Forbes interview with Gensler
[5] Gucci sales figure as reported by Vogue Business
[6] Accenture case study
