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AFXR : Does immersive technology bring us closer together or is it a tool of imaginary sociability?

09/16/2021 02:00 PM

Without a doubt, the year 2020 witnessed an acceleration in the digitalisation of many industries, including manufacturing industries, those working within territories or in the health sector.

The digital technology that particularly escalated, in a rather unexpected way, was virtual reality (VR), especially thanks to the fact that it can connect people remotely around a virtual object (or a service) that is being designed, developed or marketed.

These immersive televirtuality solutions are therefore breaking down physical distances by recreating a presence that is very much real: the presence of someone, the presence of another person and of course the presence of the virtual environment that they are both visiting at the same time, without having to actually be in the same physical place.

If this immersive technology is bringing professional users (B2B) closer together, what about the general public? Especially the creative and cultural industries (B2C)?

Today, there are still only very few B2C uses outside of the “hardcore gamers” or the independent VR artistic scene with festivals.

In the near future, driven by the GAFAM, with Facebook taking the lead with its three billion users and the “Facebook Horizon” project, it is highly likely that we will all be equipped with user-friendly and affordable VR headsets, and will frequently use a wide range of virtual social tools in 3D (a.k.a. “metaverse” or “virtual shared space”).

And if that’s not enough, mixed reality (MR) glasses have been announced for 2023, to be used by anyone, anywhere, on a daily basis, once again driven by the GAFAM, namely Facebook and Apple. These glasses will be used in newly created circumstances, outside of the home or business, much like Pokemon Go, where fictional or informative elements will blend into reality, along with the added magic of chaos and actual presence.

Should we be excited or afraid?

Will we be closer tomorrow than we were in the past thanks to this immersive technology?

How will we perceive the time-space continuum and presence when this VR and MR technology becomes the norm?

These are the questions we asked the members of the AFXR association who are promoting immersive technology and its uses in the scientific, artistic and economic sectors of France. The co-founder David Nahon, who led the round table discussions on XR topics at Sitem 2019 will be leading this new discussion.

In response, the AFXR will organise a series of presentations on the philosophical aspects (Pierre Musso), cognitive aspects (Sophie Balcon-Fourmaux) and uses (David Nahon), before a round table discussion takes place with some representatives involved in media (Alexandre Michelin) and sustainable development (Yacine Aït Kaci).