Deloitte says Vision Pro market response has been steady, future of spatial computing still a ways off - XR Navigator Reports

(XR Navigator Information)appleYes, Apple. VisionProand the spatial computing concept behind it have high hopes, but currently themarket反响平平。经过一段时间后，用户抱怨它会造成头晕和头痛等问题。

Some argue that so-called spatial computing, or the seamless integration of the physical and digital worlds, is just a sci-fi daydream.

But Deloitte believes that's not the case. This organization recently released a brand new white paperDichotomiesnoted that space computing remains the future.

德勤首席未来学家麦克·贝克特尔（Mike Bechtel）在接受采访时表示：“说起头显和可穿戴显示器往往都会联想到虚拟现实。换句话说，逃离我们目前所处的现实，这样我们就可以前往一个更美好或更令人兴奋的新地方。”

However, he believes that now and in the future, the mindset will gradually change to "let's not reject reality, but enrich it with numbers". At that point, spatial computing will become a truly universal reality.

The future will still take some time

Of course, even though Apple helped popularize the term, "spatial computing" has been around since the Apple Proexisted before. It was first seen in a 2003 paper written by MIT graduate student Simon Greenwold.

For spatial computing, Deloitte identifies three basic components of it in the whitepaper: physical (wearables and sensors), bridging (network infrastructure) and digital (interactive digital objects, holograms, virtualized bodies).

But based on reactions to the Apple Vision Pro 1.0 and other new wearables, it's clear that the hardware gap is still huge. Becktel recalls a recent interaction with a customer who, after experiencing the wearable in question, turned to him and said, "There's no way I'm going to the office with a toaster on my face."

Existing spatial computing technologies can be compared to the 8-track cassettes of the 1970s and 1980s: they were also very bulky and not all that user-friendly. But they did provide a gateway to later technologies such as minidiscs, CDs and portable music players.

Hardware can feel very clunky these days, and there are differences in acceptance among different segments of the labor force.

For example, white-collar techies already have a plethora of available technology: 4K webcams, high-fidelity microphones, giant displays, and high connectivity bandwidth. Says Bechtel, "Imagine cramming all these tools into a bulky headset, and you don't feel like it's an upgrade, it's a downgrade."

On the other hand, traditional blue-collar workers have a strong early attraction to tools that can improve safety and efficiency. They've been using laptops, tablets and PDAs for 25 years, but they can all be dangerous in a work environment because of the distractions. On the other hand, you have to wear safety goggles. So, to get the benefits of a traditional digital device without the distraction, while still ensuring safety, is very attractive to them.

Space computing has basic plumbing needs

The Internet could not exist without transmission lines, antennas, switches and other critical infrastructure. The same is true for spatial computing, Becktel noted: you have to provide a "spatial network" that bridges the gap between the physical and the digital.

Key technology components that will make spatial computing a reality include LiDAR, Micro LEDs, computer vision, advanced motion sensors, accelerometers, thermal sensors, motion sensors and smart IoT devices.

GPS and spatial mapping software are equally important to provide instant maps of public space and physical objects, plus spatial cameras that record in three dimensions, audio capabilities that can simulate real soundscapes, and haptic feedback (physical stimulation) through gloves and other clothing.

Bechtel noted thatGoogleEarly technologies such as eyeglasses felt like floating computer screens. But in the future, we will have transparent screens that allow us to perceive physical reality "through the looking glass".

Ultimately, we "can make the digital superimposed on the physical in an increasingly believable and seamless way."

Over time, digital experiences will continue to become multi-sensory, one day replicating the five senses and even introducing a "sixth sense" through neurotechnology. Deloitte predicts that we will interact with public digital objects and hyper-personalized ads, and be able to "edit" reality by removing specific people or objects.

Realizing real-time digital twins

Digital twins have been around for over 20 years (data scientist Michael Greaves introduced the first model in 2002). The original concept was to create visual representations of physical objects (such as the human body or jet engines).

Becktel explains, "Let's put it in a virtual environment so we can study and observe it without having to cut open a human body or turn on a jet engine."

But he points out that there's a big difference between a true digital twin and just a digital copy. A replica is a model of a jet engine that scientists can use to understand how it works.

In contrast, a true digital twin is actively in a "twin state". For example, the virtual jet engine is getting a second real-time data from the physical world, and vice versa. With wearables and spatial computing, the two can be overlaid together for more utility and to enable a large number of experimental use cases.

The Good and the Bad of Emerging Technologies

The concept of the dichotomy series, explained Becktel, is to delve into the good and bad of a particular technology, providing subtle positives and negatives. In the case of spatial computing, the biggest negatives revolve around privacy and security, as it "can be a vehicle for unintentionally intrusive surveillance and monitoring."

For example, a manager who wants to make sure a factory is working efficiently must be able to put on her subordinates' smart glasses to make sure they are doing the right thing at the right time. But that could mean she overhears them talking about sensitive personal or family matters.

In some cases, "efficiency and optimization are inconsistent with empathy and personal respect." While there are malicious actors, "the more pernicious threat is mindless surveillance at scale."

Another concern is the distortion of reality, such as smart glasses that can present increasingly believable Deepfakes. this can confuse the real with the imaginary.

But on the other hand, the "good" thing about spatial computing is that it can revolutionize accessibility, efficiency and communication, and enhance personalization.

Overall, despite the immaturity of the current technology and its many problems, Deloitte believes that spatial computing is still the future and that it will still become a reality.