The Impact of Staff Training With AR, VR, & Mixed Reality
The Future is Now
First, in the voice of Jerry Seinfeld, "What's the deal with mixed reality?" Great question Jerry. Mixed reality is a combination of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). Microsoft has created the term to highlight their device (The HoloLens) which does both. Augmented Reality takes the real world and applies an interactive transparent experience to the end user. Virtual reality replaces our reality. When I put on a VR headset I am given the sense or belief that I somewhere ,experiencing something different than my actual or real surroundings.
OK, let’s get a sense of what all these “R” abbreviations mean.
Below are two images. Image one is the world we all see with our eyes.
Image two is the world we see with our eyes and is augmented by a piece of technology. In this case a logitech webcam and Microsoft 10’s mixed reality viewer
For those who like equations:
Reality = Image One
Reality + Technology = Image Two
Only with an augmented reality headset would you be able to see the bee on image two.
No Bee
You like apples, how bout them apples I hate bees, I have a high pitched scream when I get stung by those buzzy insects, but virtual bees... I can hold them all day long.
Why You Might Care:
This has to be the 7th time I have attempted to write the first sentence of this new paragraph, and while it might be because I do not write very good, I believe it is due to the enormous impact I see in the technology’s future. I realize I cannot express all that I want to and will do my best to maintain the KISS method. Keeping it Short and Simple. Apologies up front because I know I have already failed, but here we go!
The biggest impact for businesses as it relates to Mixed Reality Devices will be in staff training.
Yes, it will allow mechanics to dial up and remotely get assistance from a specialist mechanic to resolve an issue and increase productivity.
You will be able to have a conference meeting and make eye contact with other human beings while your driverless car takes you to the office.
HA, i just said dial up in a previous sentence. Sorry millenials, I simply meant to say connect.
All of the above and more will have impact on our productivity in the next few years, not decades, but years from now. Because I am attempted to “KISS” this article I am going to start with the discussion of staff training.
Why I Believe Mixed Reality Is Important
Mixed reality devices allow us to create the illusion of real life management problems, real life customer service problems, real life sale situations, and we can practice these scenarios over and over again with out impact to our staff or the customer. No longer will you have to look at a staff person and know when they complete their “Training” they still have ‘X” amount of time before “rookie” mistakes are diminished. You will be able to virtual those rookie mistakes right out of the rookies.
Show me the proof:
Fair enough.
It starts with Standford football. In 2014 a secondary coach, Derek Belch, built a Virtual Reality program for their struggling quaterback. The QB ran simulations 5 minutes a day before practice and 20 minutes before a game. Here are some pre and post vr training starts from an article on the foxsports.com website.
The stats (FoxSports.com)
StandFord FootBall QB Pre and Post VR Training
Yo, Motion 3, still cool, but I am not coaching football.
I know, you manage people. You manage people who manage people. You interact with customers and clients and you are not a football coach. I hear you. Honestly, i’ve been listening and so I will leave you with these case studies from Derek Belch who created STRIVR shortly after he finished his thesis at Standford and started the company.
Information from STRIVR website
United Rentals: 40% cut in training time for staff after VR education
Tyson: 20% reduction in staff accidents and illness with VR education
Walmart: 70% of the staff who used the VR model did better than those with the standard training in evaluation exams.
Yeah, I agree you do not coach football, but I hope we find agreement that you are a coach. Motion3 technology is in the initial stages and is betting its future on the idea that we can help you coach better and help decrease the amount of time you will need to coach and train your staff.