The Future of XR Headsets
Photo by Drew Graham on Unsplash
I’ve been working on a project to predict the future of XR technology within a 5-10 year time frame. That means I’ve been reading research reports, digging through Twitter posts for conference photos, and reading thought pieces by some of the most valued opinions on XR in industry and education.
Simultaneous to this project, I’ve been brushing up my skills in User Experience (UX) and my most favorite, Design Thinking. One of the most fun aspects of Design Thinking is that I’m allowed to let my inner empath run on full tilt. And it’s really great to let your emotions run through bunny-filled sunshine meadows and just see what she has to say about anything and everything. Let me tell you: she has some real opinions on XR headsets. And almost ALL of those opinions come from the images being used to portray headsets. Come along on this mystical magical ride of the visuals of headsets.
At the end of the journey, I will make a prediction about headsets. And as with every project of mine, I’ve figured out how to work Disney into it (as much as possible).
As our starting point, I’ll state something very strongly. I’m sick of headsets where people are supposed to be wowed by XR. To be realistic, 90% of XR headset images are these. I’ve gathered these images from across the internet and to preserve some degree of anonymity, I’m NOT providing the reference location. I’m not trying to make fun of people. Please be clear on that. I’m commenting on *how we are portraying XR to others* to, supposedly, encourage others to join us in XR.
So we have the “Oh my I’m surprised!” look. I think that’s what this photo is trying to say. It’s possible she was frightened, but more on fear in a little bit.
Honorable mention in this category: hipster dude looking...uh...surprised. Actually, he looks ‘tired and being forced to look surprised’ but that could just be me overlaying college student thoughts onto this photo.
The next one we have is the *very* ubiquitous “Hey, we’re trying out headsets...somewhere.” I’ve got about 10 of these photos collected.
So they are all smiling and facing the same direction. We’re supposed to like that, right? Uh, remember that those headsets are designed to cut off all vision except that which the designer wants you to see and those are four women standing really close together in a public place. Where is everyone’s hands? How did they know to stand that close together? They were probably prompted and stood close together and *then* put the headsets on. Yeah, that’s realistic. Is it any wonder that women, in particular, note less comfort with XR?
Hey here’s a few more. Do you want to try yet?
I’m solo and still comfortable standing here showing you this thing. Wait...are you still there? Did walk away? Oo, a whole new way to indicate non-interest at vendor tables if every vendor wore one! I might like this.
We are friends and happy even though we can’t see each other...and you!
It’s a coincidence that those last two were Magic Leap. I’ve got nothing against Magic Leap.
Before we leave the emotional theme of happy, catch this image *from a real article*.
I am so creeped out by this. If you don’t see it, look closely at the mouth. Where is the mouth???? Why is the mouth from someone else???? Ah, the Hannibal Lecter of XR images.
And finally, before things get better, just remember that your XR headset isn’t this.
I got nothing for this. It’s so…nope...nothing. Someone help her.
So back to the topic of the future. I’m asked occasionally which technologies to invest in over the 5-10 year time frame that are winning bets for XR. I’ve got a multiple-part article series coming on how I arrived at my conclusions, so stay tuned for that. However, the more XR headset images I’ve seen (like all of those images above), the more I think we are doing a very poor job enticing new users into XR. I feel like we are hitting all the wrong notes.
The more and more I thought about what disturbs me about these headset images, the more I realized that I saw a theme to headsets where I’m like ‘Yes, I would try that,” and “Nope, I would not try that.” And here is a hint to the theme:
Recall the custom that some fiction writers use to disguise some superheroes: they mask their eyes. If the eyes are covered, we can’t completely know who it is. By day, it’s just mild mannered Clark Kent. He can’t possibly be Superman. Think that premise is just in stories? We block off someone’s eyes when we want them to have anonymity in photos/video, etc. It seems we humans use eyes as our ultimate identification card.
While headsets in VR are designed to take the user to different places and times to experience the normal and phantasmagorical (<-love that word), they do so by cutting off all view of the current space the user is in. That’s on purpose. I got no beef with that. We have data that these headsets *can* generate empathy. Great! I buy that too.
My problem is what if empathy when involving headsets is a two-way street? What if I cannot believe that the user is truly impacted by an experience until I see their eyes? Isn’t that the problem with all of the prior VR headset images? You cannot see the user’s eyes. Ooo, so I have hit on a real tech problem here. If I want to see the user’s eyes and yet the user needs to see nothing of the real world in order to be immersed in virtuality, how do we solve that problem? Right now, headsets cannot answer to both sets of demands. However, I have also never met a tech problem that hasn’t been able to be overcome.
The short term solution is already at hand and I’ve been discussing it on LinkedIn:
- The solution is that immersive headsets (mostly for VR, VW, and games) will do what they do best with full immersion. Said another way, Magic Leap and Oculus Quest-- if they pursue full immersion activities, will be fine. We hope that the users are in a safe space with assistance available in case they fall or need some body space security.
- The solution is also that AR headsets (which are not designed for immersion but for information display) will focus on information display. Since AR is not quite pulling on the emotions as VR, it’s not as important to see the user’s eyes but, bonus points, I can see them.
My favorite headset therefore is...Microsoft Hololens. It allows me to see the user’s eyes. It also has the body profile of safety glasses (a familiar pattern). Also I believe that Microsoft is following their own playbook that worked for Office Suite and they are pumping the Hololens into the business market *first* and that will create back pressure through education. (i.e. we’ve got to get some Hololens headsets because our graduates will go out to work X job and will be expected to have experience in headsets as part of the job requirement.)
Said another way, as of today, let AR headsets do AR and let VR headsets do VR. Never the two shall meet. Until...
The future can and will contain headsets that will do both. That’s my prediction. A user wearing AR technology will find their way to their subway train, sit down, and switch over to a VR scene of the latest episode of the Mandalorian.
OK, I realize it won’t be *full* immersion but I think the tech is going to get better (refresh rates, etc.) and users will accept non-full immersion. What makes me predict that? I’ve been a glasses-wearer since kindergarten. Ask me if it bothers me that about 30% of my field of vision at any given moment is not in focus. Answer: Nope. Users will accommodate to non-immersive VR.
Once at their destination, the headset will fade down the immersion and fade up to a map to a restaurant and some jazzy music (or what-have-you-AR-experience-on-demand).
How do I foresee that? As a designer, I look for patterns in what has successfully worked in the past to predict what will successfully work in the future. So what do we have in the past or present that predicts that AR/VR combined headsets will totally be a workable thing in the future?
Two things:
- Sunglasses. (Not just regular glasses as I mentioned earlier.) I see a few commentators skeptical how comfortable users will be wearing glasses that they *don’t need to*, aka vanity glasses, aka AR glasses, just to get AR. I think it will very much work! Because I don’t think of them like glasses...I think of them like sunglasses. Sunglasses are the harbinger of wearable tech because as we know, there are many examples of people wearing sunglasses for reasons that have nothing to do with sun protection. If people are willing to wear sunglasses at night, wearing AR headsets whether or not one is using AR will be an easy idea (see: the wearable technology fashion industry).
- The ubiquity of the smartphone space-wise currently to users’ bodies. I don’t think I’m going out on a limb when I say that most users keep their smartphones with a meter’s radius of their bodies. As I’ve said on LinkedIn (and I should get this embroidered on a cushion), smartphones are the gateway drug for AR. Users are getting very used to having customizable information at their fingertips (or voice, as it may be). Switching from that smartphone interface to our vision or auditory range? Easy. Consider it done.
Until we get to the future, a few recommendations:
- The emotional nuance possible via XR is stunning. Let’s stop using fear as our primary XR coinage. (I'm looking at you, Plank.) Emotional reactions such as peace, wonder, laughter, curiosity, sadness, and honor all have a place in XR. Those emotions are how you are going to get not just gamers into XR.
- Stop it with the “I’ve put on a headset and I’m amazed" images. Just stop. I am looking for other emotions or events expressed with headsets...it’s just my hobby to collect these now. I’ve made my own “wearing a headset and barfing!” image. I'm not posting it here yet. You are welcome.
- Debate me! My opinion has been shaped and formed on this topic over years. But I’m always open to new thoughts and different points of view!
What do you think?
- Did I pick on Magic Leap too much? Maybe.
- Am I paid to espouse Microsoft Hololens? I wish!
- What comes after AR glasses? Implants? Already on the way. #omega opthamaltics
I look forward to your comments.
P.S. I totally held off picking on any LinkedIn personal account photos of people wearing headsets. You are an interesting crowd. On one hand, I admire that you are *clearly* sending the message that you are pro-XR. Way to go! On the other hand, you are going to regret that image in 20 years. I’m just saying. And to the dude’s profile I saw last night where you are wearing 3 headsets at once: You, sir, are next level bananas. Carry on.
#Transmedia #virtual reality #virtualworlds #crossreality #mixedreality #augmentedreality #design #AR #VR #XR #headsets #images #eyes #wearing #Immersion #Glasses #future #Users #Problem #Experience #Technology #Emotions #Empathy #Empath #UX #UXinXR #MicrosoftHololens #Disney #IllWearMySunglassesAtNight
This article originally posted at LinkedIn on November 12, 2019
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/future-xr-headsets-heather-dodds