Why Use XR?

New XR Adventures

It can awaken as many people as possible to their legendary abilities. XR (extended reality) can enable people to:

1. Try new experiences.
2. Cultivate imagination.
3. Regain the courage to ask questions while truly listening.

An overwhelming number of human beings experience some level of XR and don’t even know it. Some might have even been in XR for their entire lives. Extended reality starts once we’ve ventured away from the real world. On this journey, consider what could be some of the earliest forms of XR that shape our lives without us knowing it?

Human Experience

What makes up a human experience? Think about the senses you use to engage with objects? The five key senses are vision, touch, hearing, smell, and taste.

Vision

A good percentage of XR experiences rely on vision. A person could be looking at a screen, through a screen, or a combination of screens for an XR experience. A person's vision could be impaired or even enhanced as part of the human experience.

Touch

Then, there is touch. XR uses controllers or haptic feedback to create the sense of touch that we normally experience. User experience cues appear for objects that can be interacted with. This sense of touch can be augmented by highlights, particles, or even audio cues.

Hearing

Hearing makes quite a difference in our daily lives and an even larger impact in XR experiences. It can set the mood, provide clues on upcoming events, and guide the experience.

Smell

There is ongoing research for the sense of smell in more immersive experiences in XR. Consider the impact of smell when walking into a room or new location. It can greatly transform an experience or pique our curiosity when we encounter it.

Taste

Finally, the sense of taste in XR. This modification of this sense might not be as obvious for many. It sure wasn't obvious to me right away. With the "natural" and "synthetic" versions of food being available, there are pretty strong odds that you have tasted something that would fall into the XR spectrum. The recreation of food to look, feel, and taste like another would be the most common form of this experience. As of now, the two senses that will only be touched upon are taste and smell. Those have been experimented with and could become much more common in future XR experiences.

Now, take a moment to define for yourself what it means to be human. What senses are the most important to you? How could those be experienced in an extended reality? How critical are they for any new experience that you'd consider trying?

New Experiences

Think back to what it felt like to have a new and unusual experience where you had zero expectations. How long has it been since that point in time? Some might say that we have new experiences everyday, but how many of those experiences are shaped by our past experiences, preconceptions, or misconceptions?

Consider the possibility that your thoughts are unique and not slightly-influenced, partially influenced or even heavily influenced by others. Does that even matter to you?

Ponder about the last time that you acknowledged and observed something that was your own, original thought. Really think about it. Have you ever done this? Think of all the "original" ideas that you've had in life that you're proud of or that you're eager to test out. Were they ever yours or were they just projected into you?

You might remember these moments very clearly because it goes something like this:

You: Has anyone ever tried this new idea that I have?

External response: Oh yeah, definitely. We tried that two weeks/three months/seven years ago but it didn't work out.

You: They seem experienced and knowledgeable. I'll go back to the drawing board.

How many times in life did you ever pursue that idea further? When was the last time that you tested your own ideas and questions or did you just assume what the other person was saying was correct?

Because far too often in life we just take information for granted and we never question it. Some might say we never truly question things our entire lives and just follow along with the crowd. Think about the number of things that you've taken for granted and never questioned for one second. Not. Even. For. A. Second.

‍

(Space intentionally left blank to think for a second.)

‍

XR Considerations

Consider how XR has already conditioned us to think, to fear, to not ask questions, to comply, to limit ourselves, or to limit others. Remember, some of us have been in XR our entire lives and not even known it. How many times have we stopped ourselves from trying a new experience because it seemed like we couldn't do it?

There are experiences that we might be too afraid to try because of a wide range of reasons. What if we could try those new experiences within the safety of our own home?

Perhaps it might be more achievable if we could see, hear, and feel what it could be like. This is where the more complex XR experiences in virtual reality really shine. The ability to transport a person to a realistic location on Earth can be done today.

Consider other skills that one could dream of to try in a simulation without owning all of the equipment. As the developers create XR experiences of their dreams, there will be a larger selection to the end user. What are some experiences that you have wondered about for a VR headset? I look forward to sharing some of mine that have intrigued me over the years.

Skiing VR

The mechanics of skiing can be complex to develop for in VR, but it's an area that more experiences seem to be created for. It will be exciting to see what kind of experiences will be available with additional sensors that complement the controllers.

VTOL VR

Flight simulators have been around for decades, but VR headsets can take them to another level. Consider using a HOTAS (hands-on throttle-and-stick) controller for the most realistic experience.

The Climb 2

The ability to grab and climb virtual objects in VR can be quite fascinating when you consider the fear of heights. Climbing experiences can immediately create a sensation that would be difficult to create in a 2D experience that humans are used to or stuck with. These are three of many more experiences to explore. Please feel free to share and discuss some of your favorite discoveries!

Imagination

Dreams

‍WAKE UP. Everyone has tremendous dreams, memories, and ideas that are waiting to be unlocked. Some imagine and create distant fantasy worlds. Others create languages, narratives, artwork, and impossible situations to shape minds and bend realities. Throughout life, humans have their minds shaped and altered by XR experiences that they aren't even aware of. Our imagination could be molded by our surroundings, experiences, and frequent misconceptions. When was the last time you let your imagination run wild? When did you ever dare to dream and imagine greatness?

Lay down flat and be motionless.

Disconnect from all of your devices for several moments.

Don't worry. The world will be there when you reconnect. Focus on you and your thoughts. What do you see, hear, and feel?

WAKE UP. Perhaps you forgot how to harness that ability. Describe a world or create a situation. Try to articulate it to the best of your ability. Consider how your imagination might be molded or warped based on your current circumstances. A lot of our daily interactions and devices are not here to unlock our legendary ability. It does the opposite, unfortunately. So many distractions control our mind and absorb our time in usually a 2D space.

Although many XR experiences can continue to control our mind, some might help us rediscover our imagination and dream again. Those XR experiences offer a new way to look at our physical space and interact with digital objects. How would you imagine doing this?

Tilt Brush

Creating worlds and art in a 3D space is always fascinating to watch as people break free of their 2D world. Some wonder about what they can do, while others just try it out. One of the most powerful features in most 3D art experiences: the undo button.

Fragments

Crime scene investigations that adapt to one's location transformed how many people perceived their reality. It was incredibly intriguing to observe how someone shifted from their 2D world to interacting with digital holograms. For some, the gears started turning about the exciting applications for augmented reality. These are two of many examples of how XR experiences can awaken and encourage a person's imagination.

Courage to Ask Questions

At some point in our lives, we were all trained and conditioned to not ask questions.

1. Some realize this and awaken to question everything they have ever known.
2. Some realize this and accept it while following any guidance from trusted experts.
3. Some think they are immune to this and ask questions until they hear answers that fit their version of reality.

Breaking Free of Indoctrination

What are some examples of indoctrination that we have all been through?

‍Without asking questions fearlessly, we begin to accept information just because someone else said it. Start to question everything, and it is quite fascinating how many theories do not withstand rigorous inquiry. Rediscover the ability to ask questions from younger days about how actual reality looks like. Within XR experiences, humans can begin to uncover many layers of life that have been shown and explained to them in a variety of ways. It is the most beautiful awakening when someone comes to the realization that they understood something incorrectly for many years.

XR experiences allow humans to visit countless places on Earth. Take a moment to inquire deeper about visuals, history, and narratives that don't make sense. Enjoy breaking through the cognitive dissonance that comes with unlearning.

One day we will all awaken to some of the most beautiful, complex, and fascinating discoveries on Earth. XR has enabled that and will continue to enable it. Just because someone else has experienced, it doesn't make your first experience with it any less valuable. Experience it for yourself, fearlessly ask all of the questions that you want, and arrive at your own conclusions. You might be blown away with what you uncover.

After all, what do you have to lose to ask your questions? Humans have gotten so much wrong in history. So, ignore the textbooks and search engines while asking questions that your younger self would be proud of. See if you can differentiate actual reality and extended reality.

Sometimes people choose not to ask questions because they are concerned about the follow-up questions or discussions. They worry about looking or sounding stupid in a real-time conversation. Many times people will just shut down the conversation. Consider what kind of skills can be refined and practice when we can overcome fear and anxiety.

Ovation

Speaking engagements, meetings, conference calls, and presentations are all situations where we have been conditioned and trained not to ask questions for fear of ridicule amongst other things. But practice in XR for multiple individuals can help calm the nerves for future successes.

So, why XR use for me? Because I want to awaken as many people as possible to their legendary abilities.