AI, ML, XR, VR. The metaverse. These might all sound like buzzwords, but the truth is that these emerging technologies are profoundly impacting the world of work.
In recent years, Extended Reality (XR), which encompasses Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR), has been impacting the industrial sectors and changing how employees build skills and carry out maintenance tasks.
But there’s another buzzword that is everywhere right now. Artificial Intelligence (AI). You might be more familiar with AI than you are with XR. AI has been experiencing a huge boom in popularity and it’s only continuing to grow. And as AI continues to evolve, its integration with XR is inevitable. But how do the two go hand in hand?
This blog will help you:
- Understand what XR is
- Understand what AI is
- The role of AI in XR and the benefits
- How Luminous have used AI for Mixed Reality Training
- The Future of AI in XR training
Understanding Extended Reality (XR)
Extended Reality (XR) is an umbrella term that includes VR, AR, and MR. These technologies blend the physical and virtual worlds, providing immersive experiences that prove highly effective for training purposes.
But how do they differ? VR offers fully immersive environments, AR overlays digital information onto the real world, and MR combines elements of both to create interactive experiences. Together, these technologies form the backbone of modern, immersive training programs.
If you’d like to learn a little bit more about each of the individual technologies, you can readout our blog VR vs AR vs MR vs XR, which will tell you everything you need to know.
What is the metaverse?
Whilst the metaverse is still evolving, by definition, the metaverse is a virtual reality space where you can interact with a computer-generated environment to experience and interact with places, objects and other people. You can enter the metaverse using a VR headset, a computer, a smartphone or a games console, but a VR headset provides the most immersive experience.
You can dive deep into the origins of the metaverse in our blog.
Understanding Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has experienced a huge boom in recent years, driven by advancements in machine learning, natural language processing and neural networks. 77% of consumers now use AI technologies. Its ability to process and analyze vast amounts of data positions AI as a revolutionary force that helps to improve efficiency and create new opportunities across business sectors.
AI technologies are making their way into healthcare and finance, transportation, and entertainment, with notable achievements in medical diagnostics, autonomous transportation and sophisticated language models like GPT-4.
AI can work for so many industries, with the key goal of making our lives easier and enhancing and heightening user experiences.
The Role of AI in Extended Reality
Whilst AI might seem to be the flavour of the month right now, AI and the metaverse go hand in hand from a technology perspective. AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data, adapt to users’ needs in real time, and create personalized learning paths. This adaptability makes AI a perfect complement to XR, providing more interactive, engaging, and effective training experiences.
How can AI Enhance XR Training?
1. Personalized learning experiences
AI has the potential to tailor XR training modules to individual learning styles and paces. By analyzing data from users’ interactions, AI can identify strengths and weaknesses, providing customized challenges and feedback. This personalization increases engagement and retention, making learning more efficient.
2. Real-time feedback and assessment
In XR training, AI systems can provide instant feedback on user performance. For example, in a medical training simulation, AI can assess a trainee’s actions and provide corrective guidance in real-time. This immediate feedback loop helps learners correct mistakes promptly, enhancing skill acquisition.
3. Data-driven insights and analytics
AI can collect and analyze data from XR training sessions, providing valuable insights into user behaviour and training effectiveness. These analytics can inform the development of future training programs, to ensure they’re continuously optimized for better outcomes.
4. Natural language processing (NLP) for interactive training
NLP allows AI to understand and respond to human language, making XR training more interactive. Trainees can engage in natural conversations with AI-driven avatars or virtual assistants, enhancing the realism of the training scenarios.
5. Enhanced accessibility and inclusivity
AI can make XR training more accessible to individuals with disabilities. For instance, AI-powered speech recognition can convert spoken instructions into text for those with hearing impairments, while computer vision can assist visually impaired users by describing visual elements.
How Luminous XR utilise AI for Mixed Reality Training
Innovation is the driver of everything we do here at Luminous, and so of course we wanted to see how AI and extended reality could work together for training purposes. Imagine you’re an employee and you have no idea how to put together a piece of essential machinery – you don’t know the parts; you don’t know the steps to put the pieces together or the tools you need. Well by using mixed reality and AI together, that process becomes simple, here’s how it looks in practice.
So how did we do it? We trained a machine learning algorithm using artificial intelligence to assist users in the assembly and disassembly process of a gate valve.
Step 1: Choose an AI model
When it came to picking the right AI model, we went with YOLOv5. It struck the perfect balance between speed and accuracy, and it fit seamlessly with our existing tech setup.
Step 2: Capture the perfect images
To teach our model what to look for, we needed around 2,000 images per object. Some images had multiple objects, while others focused on just one. We captured these by recording videos of our operators in action using a HoloLens 2 headset. From these videos, we pulled images at regular intervals, making sure to filter out any that were blurry.
Step 3: Onto the time-consuming task of labelling
Once we had the images, we uploaded them to AWS Sagemaker for labelling. This was a manual process, for context it took two members about two or three weeks of non-stop work to get it done. We would highly recommend outsourcing a professional to label.
Step 4: Train the AI model
After labelling, we exported the data and converted it into a format YOLOv5 could use. We then trained our model on a Linux machine, using the labelled images. The result? A model that could accurately detect the objects we needed.
Step 5: Ensure real-time detection and 3D projection
With the model trained, we connected it to our headsets. Live images from the headset were sent to a local server, where the model processed them and sent back the results. We then projected these 2D results into the 3D virtual space, allowing the app to verify whether a step was completed.
What was the impact of AI on workforce training?
The headsets were primarily used to assist and speed up training, helping employees build confidence in perfecting procedures and tasks. With AI and MR, the benefits go beyond just saving time—they’re about making training more immersive, engaging, and effective. Rather than having to learn the steps and memorize procedures to perform them effectively, imagine being able to just put on a headset and carry our procedures and maintenance right away, that’s the power of AI.
The Future of AI and XR in Training
As people find new ways to innovate, AI and XR will transform the landscape of workplace training and education.
By providing personalized, data-driven, and interactive learning experiences, AI-enhanced XR training offers a promising solution to the evolving needs of modern learners and businesses looking to improve their operations.
If you’re interested in exploring how AI and Extended Reality can enhance your training programs, why not reach out to us?
The future of immersive learning is here, and it’s looking more exciting than ever.
Interested in implementing VR training across your business?