XR, a Field Guide by @Montero.
This field guide was created as a service to folks interested in Spatial tech and the immersive web who have been looking for a good way to understand and get into this industry. Please leave a tip if you found value in it. You can do so in the following ways:
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This field guide is meant to serve as a good on-ramp to spatial computing (Immersive tech, Extended Realities “XR”) for individuals outside the industry wishing to have a good primer to understand the tech, the players, challenges, and potential. That is hype-free. Practical. Easy to enter guide that elevates you to a level where you can follow along with the industry to find a job in it, become one of its creators, be able to make smart investments in it, understand the policy and public safety needs.
This guide serves as a good foundational understanding and a springboard that points you to leaders in the field who have solid track records and in-depth expertise. A guide that shows you ladders so you can climb higher. Get deeper in once you feel you got your feet on solid ground and you got your bearings. Then you can set off on your rabbit hole adventures.
This XR Guide is a snapshot of the industry leaders' views on various aspects of the overall Metaverse. Some are monolithic in view, some are agnostic and all-inclusive. One thing we can agree upon is that it’ll change the world and how we interact.
This is a come get one or two pieces, chew on them for a bit, and digest them. Come back for more later. It’s for the intellectually curious. Working through all the content and resources in this guide will take around 6 months if you commit to it. If your priority is becoming part of this industry in some way.
Here is a curated field guide to the world of Spatial Computing. AKA Immersive technology, ubiquitous computing, XR (Extended Reality). This is not meant to be a Canon on XR (that takes a Ph.D. dissertation) It is not meant to be a comprehensive documentation of all the amazing XR pros and their work. It is meant to be a well-curated series of guideposts that help new folks on-ramp. Not very technical, in the weeds, yet insightful and practical. Which includes the following technologies:
Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Spatial Audio, Geo Mapping, LiDAR, Virtual Production, Biometric data, Volumetric data, Haptics, Internet of Things, 3D scanning, 5G mobile internet, Augmented Reality Cloud, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Vision, Machine Learning, and much, much more.
This guide serves as a good foundational understanding and a springboard that points you to leaders in the field who have solid track records and in-depth expertise. A guide that shows you ladders so you can climb higher. Get deeper in once you feel you got your feet on solid ground and you got your bearings. Then you can set off on your rabbit hole adventures.
This guide will grow and evolve from this post to the full version XRFieldGuide.com!
Humans are born into a natural, immersive reality — Far superior to what Spatial computing can do. We should strive to have Augmented Intelligence using the spatial computing technologies being developed to make our human reality & our intellectual, physical & emotional abilities exponentially better!
“When you realize that really good XR is a human brain-computer interface, (for real) the complexity and the possibility unfolds.” — Rony Abovitz, Founder of Magic Leap.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
What is XR and why this guide was created
- Definitions & & Graphical explanations
A primer of XR terminology and concepts to help navigate this field guide
- Use Cases of Spatial technology
Examples of how the various components of Spatial tech are used
- XR Pioneers and Industry leaders
XR companies and projects that have gained good adoption proved out their concepts, and/or had commercial success.
- State of the industry
Market analysis, reports, projections
- Reference library of resources and tutorials
Materials for more in-depth learning on how to create XR, how to sell it, how to invest in it.
Introduction
“The first time I heard about spatial computing. It all made sense to me. Put simply, it’s the use of space around us as a medium to interact with technology. It’s the purest form of “blending technology into the world” — Victor Agulhon
Imagine that you have a computer, where you can see things in 3D, where you can manipulate information, where your senses can perceive what is happening in a virtual world, a space with technology. A world where you can connect, create another life, welcome to the Spatial computing world.
Spatial computing is the real-time, real-life, activity-based Internet.
This is an excellent example of augmented reality to help with the cooking dinner process. Another example of architects using it to design a house. This Augmented Reality restaurant menu & Never miss your train station again & learn along the way and this Augmented Reality Firefighter Helmet.
However, more and more products or services have improved their technology to the point of reaching movies that we thought could be a fantasy that nowadays can become a reality. Let’s think that the accessories we see such as glasses, gloves, are like movies in the 4D cinema, where you can now be in a meeting with your friends, work, without leaving your home.
“The World Computer is the most expensive, complex, and powerful piece of technology ever built. Controlling the World Computer is the biggest opportunity in high tech because it will push the Internet out into the physical world to make it digitally interactive. created by the convergence of several technologies: augmented/virtual reality, the Internet of things, machine learning, cloud, edge, wearables, and 5G. The combination is far more than the sum of its parts. ” — Alex Hertel CEO of Xperiel
Video explanation: What is VR AR MR XR and What are the differences between VR AR MR XR ?
The Metaverse of the future, with respect to AR, is not about having all existing data ‘spatialized’ (Bar-Zeev 2021a) out in the world, but that entities and objects exist in one or more virtual worlds, which together make up the Metaverse. That is exactly why Blockchain is an interesting technology for the Metaverse; it is a registry of objects that can be used across virtual worlds. The Metaverse is not just an ‘Internet of People’ (Bar-Zeev 2021a), but interconnected virtual worlds having ‘agents’ (Nevelsteen 2018) i.e., human or software. — Kim Nevelsteen on XR in Metaverse
30 year AR veteran Avi Bar-Zeev Explains where this all came from and where this is going. Beyond Meta: What Makes AR Special and the Road Ahead
The Seven Rules of the Metaverse by Tony Parisi XR Pioneer ~30 years
The Seven Rules of the Metaverse. Expanded version via an interview with Kent Bye.
Infographic: The history of AR and VR, and what the future holds
John Hanke (CEO Niantic) Keynote at AWE USA 2021
BUILDING THE REAL-WORLD METAVERSE FOR EVERYONE
Science fiction writers, filmmakers, and futurists have warned for years about the potential for a dystopian future where technology has created a dark, uninviting, hostile world. John Hanke, the Founder, and CEO of Niantic, is here to tell you it doesn’t need to go that way. If the metaverse contemplates leading our lives inside of a computer network, the Real-World Metaverse will use technology to improve our experience of the real world, enriching it with fun and magic, and helping people lead richer, more fulfilling lives. But before you can enhance reality, you need to understand reality, and Hanke will outline Niantic’s vision of empowering developers and creators around the world with the Niantic Lightship platform. Learning lessons from technology transformations of the past, it’s incumbent on all of us to be more inclusive of different communities and more intentional about anticipating the downsides — as well as the upsides — of technology that will shape society and our lives over the coming decades.
Ramp Up To The Future of XR by Steve Lukas Director of Product Qualcomm XR.
Tom Furness XR Pioneer 55+ years. Founder of Virtual World Society Tom is the “Grandfather of VR & AR”
Virtual reality has existed longer than most people realize. This is the story of one of its pioneers, Professor Tom Furness. He believes virtual reality is a powerful tool, not only created to entertain, but also to improve lives and transform the world for the better.
AWE USA 2021 Keynote “Is History Repeating Itself? How Past Wave of Computing Can Inform What May Happen in This Next One” By Tom Emrich VP of Product at 8th Wall
Grandfather Of VR: The Virtual Can Show The Beauty Of The Real
Rony Abovitz Founder of Magic Leap and Sun and Thunder Studio
Matt Miesnieks founder and CEO of 6D.ai (Acquired by Niantic):
The Operating System for Reality is The Future of Everything
Ori Inbar investor in AR Super Ventures, founder of AWE XR
Enter the Next Dimension With Spatial Computing
The World Computer by Alex Hertel CEO of Xperiel.
A recent interview from the AR Show
Defining The Metaverse Today by Cathy Hackl Chief Metaverse Officer/Strategist
Framework for the Metaverse by Matthew Ball Strategist, angel, advisor, “prolific essayist” — NY Times. Epyllion Co. Makers Fund vc. NYSE: $META
The Metaverse: What It Is, Where to Find it, Who Will Build It. By Matt Ball
Definitions & Graphical explanations
An introduction to Spatial Computing & Spatial Web terms.
Some basic definitions and visual examples to help you better navigate this field guide. Useful if you are starting from zero in your understanding of immersive technology.
XR Taxonomy by XR Safety Initiative founded and led by Kavya Pearlman
Amazing infographic: Understanding the XR Technology Stack by XR engineer Jasmine Roberts. Links & more context here.
Safety, Ethics & Privacy
The XRSI Privacy Framework
The framework is a free, globally accessible baseline rulebook built by bringing together a diverse set of experts from various backgrounds and domains, including privacy and cybersecurity, cloud computing, immersive technologies, artificial intelligence, legal, artists, product design, engineering, and many more.
The XRSI Privacy Framework sets a baseline set of standards, guidelines, and best, regulation-agnostic, practices. It incorporates privacy requirements drawn from the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidance, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA), and other evolving laws. The framework is designed to adapt and include novel requirements as new regulations come into effect.
Kent Bye (Voices of VR Podcast): The Ethical & Moral Dilemmas of Mixed Reality
Thomson Reuters Foundation News
XR and Kids — What are we not talking about? — By Tamas Henning, Director, Security Engineering, Marqeta Inc
Use Cases
Revolutionizing Data with XR by BadVR Co-Founder & CEO, Suzanne Borders
“We believe data should be understandable, usable, and accessible to everyone. BadVR exists to empower people of all technical skill levels by creating the tools they need to make faster — and better — decisions. BadVR is the world’s first immersive data visualization and analytics platform. BadVR brings data into high-definition, making it easier to discover and identify hidden problems and opportunities, helping businesses make better decisions, faster.” — Bad VR
GTC November 2021 Keynote with NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang
A keynote that presents the latest breakthroughs in AI, data science, high performance computing, graphics, edge computing, networking, and autonomous machines.
Alley’s Verizon 5G Labs Series.
MODERN MANUFACTURING: CLOSING THE SKILLS GAP & EXPANDING EDUCATION WITH XR
Can XR and DevOps Modernize Customer Support?
Smart Cities and Geospatial Technology: Using GIS and GPS to Improve Our World
Use Cases and Industries Architecture, Engineering, and Construction
The Future of XR in a Post Pandemic Word
Spatial Tech pioneers and experts building the Immersive web.
Avi Bar-Zeev XR Pioneer ~30 years
Avi Bar-Zeev has been working on the metaverse for 30 years. He’s one of the key people behind Microsoft’s Hololens, co-founded Keyhole which became Google Earth, helped define Second Life’s technology, and has worked with Apple on, presumably, its rumored smart glasses.
Finding Meaning in The Metaverse
Beyond Meta: What Makes AR Special and the Road Ahead
Dr. Helen Papagiannis Augmented Reality pioneer since 2005. Founder of AR Stories
Augmented Reality and the power of imagination
Her book: Augmented Human
Gabriel Rene Executive Director at Spatial Web Foundation and VERSES Labs.
His book “The Spatial Web” describes how augmented reality, virtual reality, internet of things, blockchain, artificial intelligence and other exponential technologies merge in the Web 3.0 to form the spatial web.
Larry Rosenthal, founder of The Mediaverse Network. He has worked in VR since 1989. He has seen the many rises and falls of virtual reality over the last few decades. Flashback: Virtual is Reality Again — Interface vs Interference Design
Timoni West Vice President, AR/VR Unity
Unity’s Head of VR Offers a Much-Needed Reality Check
Samantha G. Wolfe Emerging Tech Catalyst, Founder of PitchFWD + NYU Professor
Virtual Reality: I Know How You Feel
In their book, Marketing New Realities, marketing futurists Cathy Hackl and Samantha G. Wolfe explain why virtual reality is sometimes referred to as the empathy machine.
Marketing New Realities: An Introduction to Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Marketing, Branding, & Communications by Samantha G. Wolfe & Cathy Hackl
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) have changed the playing field dramatically for marketing, branding, and public relations professionals. Marketing New Realities gives you the tools you’ll need to understand, create, and manage successful VR and AR campaigns now and for years to come. Get a head start on this new frontier, and harness the power of next-gen communication tools to engage effectively with your audience.
What Does Engagement Look Like in an Immersive World?
Nonny de la Pena Ph.D. Journalist and CEO Emblematic Group (The “Godmother of VR”) She was instrumental in the creation of what became the Oculus headset.
Immersive Journalism — Nonny De La Peña
The Power of Human Storytelling in Virtual and Augmented Reality
Joanna Popper Global Head of VR for Location-Based Entertainment HP.
The Promise of Virtual Reality
Unpacking the Power of Virtual Platforms
Evo Heyning Executive Producer, CEO PlayableAgency ·
Co-Chair Open Metaverse Interoperability Group ·
Nicole Lazzaro Founder and President of XEODesign, Inc.
Engagement in wonderland: The 4 keys to fun in XR
AWE Talk: Usability in Wonderland: Advanced UX Standards for Spatial Computing and Virtual Worlds
Episode 5 — Culture Capsules: Mister Wendell talks with visual artist, musician, and meta-verse pioneer Carrie Able.
Carrie Able is an internationally renowned multidisciplinary artist, working with XR media, music, painting, cryptocurrency, and poetry. Her musical style has been compared to Patti Smith, Lou Reed, and The Doors. Carrie talks about her creative journey of bringing art and technology together, and that moment of being ‘hooked’ the first time she painted with a VR headset on. Mr. Wendell and Carrie dive deep into the future of art and music as they relate to NFT’s and augmented and virtual reality.
Amy Lameyer Co-Founder and General Partner of WXR Fund
Antonia Foster Senior XR Specialist at Unity & Keynote Speaker.
In this session, you’ll hear how AR is transforming the way we interact with content — and learn how it can make a world of difference.
Unity MARS: Augmented Reality for Industry
Amy Peck Founder & CEO of EndeavorVR
API World Conference: What Exactly Is the AR Cloud and Why Should You Care?
Global Collaboration in XR Changing How we work… Together
Sophia Dominguez Head of AR Platform Partnerships at Snap.
The search engine for immersive content, Sophia Dominguez deep dives into the future of immersive technology and how it is being used to create content across tech, entertainment, and more!
Carolina Arguelles augmented reality monetization Snap
Camera Native Gen: How Marketers are Using AR to Win Over Gen Z Consumers
Christina Heller CEO of Metastage
Creating the Metaverse with Volumetric Video and Virtual Production
Metastage is a company on the forefront of it all. Metastage provides state-of-the-art, 3D volumetric video capture and photorealistic virtual humans — and when paired with virtual production, is perfect for injecting into the metaverse as representations of real people.
MASV spoke with Metastage CEO Christina Heller and Head of Production Skylar Sweetman to get their insights on how video producers can leverage the metaverse, what tools they can use to do it, and what it all means for M&E professionals and consumers.
CAPTURING THE HUMANITY OF A LIVE PERFORMANCE FOR AR & VR
Building Scalable Experiences in AR/VR
Interview of Anastasia Devana Leader in Spatial Audio for XR. Former Magic Leap Audio Director
Cathy Hackl Chief Metaverse Officer/Strategist and Dean of Republic Realm Academy
Jon Radoff CEO Beamable
The Experiences of the Metaverse
7 Layers of the Metaverse Value-Chain
John Hanke Founder and CEO of Niantic Labs
“The Metaverse Is a Dystopian Nightmare. Let’s Build a Better Reality.
You’ll Pokémon Go into the metaverse with AR not VR
‘AR Is Where the Real Metaverse Is Going to Happen’
Matt Miesnieks founder and CEO of 6D.ai (Acquired by Niantic):
Connecting us to Each Other Means Connecting AR Apps to Each Other
What Differentiates Web AR from Apps? By AR Insider.
13 Tips to Get a Job in XR by Joanna Popper Global Head of VR at HP
State of the Industry
Mike Boland — AR Insider and ARtillery Intelligence
ARtillery Intelligence: 2021 Trends & Predictions
VR Global Revenue Forecast, 2020–2025
Mobile AR Global Revenue Forecast, 2020–2025
XR Talks: The Evolution of AR Adoption
Venture Capital in XR: Silicon Valley VCs Weigh In on Where They See Traction. By Amy LaMeyer, General Partner at WXR Fund.
AWE Nite: The State of the Global XR Market
XR for Business — 2021 in Review By Julie Smithson & Alan Smithson Founders of MetaVRse
Market Map of the Metaverse by Jon Radoff CEO Beamable
How Snap is sidestepping the metaverse by Casey Newton
Forget your interoperable, NFT-based future — Snap is betting directly on hardware and developers.
Snap Debuts Its Lens on the Year Report
50 lenses across five categories were chosen by the company, global data
Helpful podcasts, Youtube and Audio Spaces
Extending Reality Club by Amy, Nicole, JT, Maddie, and Joanna
Haptics Club by Ashley Huffman
5th Wall Forum by Brendan Abradley
Accelerating the present and future of live performance in extended realities
VRAR Association Podcast by Tyler Gates & Sophia Moshasha
The Healium Podcast by Sarah Hill
XT Talk by Spencer Lindsey and Paul Reynolds (Advanced. More XR 201–401)
All Things XR by Mojtaba Tabatabaie
Between Realities by Alex VR & Skeeva
Trainings and Tutorials
XR Portal The largest database of XR Edu content. By Maryam Sabour Head of Business Development, AR Hardware Nianticlabs
Steven Christian: Unity Certified Instructor. Animator
Snap AR — Lens Studio Tutorials
XR Programmer Learn XR Unity, C#, C++, Python, and coding lover. Microsoft MVP Teaching Extended Reality Goggles, AI, and Game Development In YouTube!
LearnHaptics a short educational module on the science and technology of touch, a.k.a. Haptics. Their YouTube channel. By the IEEE RAS CEMRA program
XR Dev Log by Jin
Welcome! xrdevlog is where jin documents various personal projects and those coming from a small community of passionate people that are building pieces of an open and decentralized Metaverse.
Creator and Developer platforms
There is a wide variety of developer tools and platforms. Here are some of the fastest to get started on and the two industry leaders for large-scale and complex projects. Such as filmmaking and creating virtual concerts.
Lens Studio by Snap
Reality Engine by 8th Wall Web AR
Mixed Reality Toolkit (MRTK) By Microsoft
