Undeniably, virtual and augmented environments have been shown to have the power to change how we work and relax, but it’s not as new as you might think.  Over twenty years ago, Professor Bruce Thomas encountered a girl suffering from severe burns at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide, and was in great pain most of the time. The twice-daily process of changing her wound dressings was essential but tended to cause immense suffering on her. Professor Thomas wanted to find a way to help alleviate her pain and turned to the new field of virtual computer systems. During her next d ..read more

Imagine that you are in the market for a new house or office space that either doesn’t yet exist or is a long way away, but are unsure that it will meet your needs. You could look at printed brochures and internet pictures all day long, but still not actually get the essence of what you might end up with. Even complex 3D models will not really give you the feel of your potential new space. Ideally, it would be good to be able to have a real-sized visualisation that you could navigate and assess its suitability. Well, luckily, having highly detailed and representative renders of complex archite ..read more

Few would deny that technology is not only evolving, but doing so at an accelerated pace. What was only a few years ago unthinkable as an everyday piece of technology has not only come to fruition, but is quickly becoming mainstream and becoming normalised in many industries. It wasn’t that many years ago that personal computers ran successfully on 64kb of RAM; it’s almost laughable now to not have a cheap system that sports at least 16Gb of RAM. Science fiction writers used to embellish us with thrilling tales of virtual worlds and intelligent computer systems, but these are now mainstream. T ..read more

Although AI is a relatively recent development, it is rapidly gaining prominence across various industries. Artificial intelligence, especially generative artificial intelligence, is fundamentally transforming several industries and fundamentally altering the way we live and work.  By the end of 2024, a number of significant trends are expected to have a dominant presence in the field of artificial intelligence. From the implementation of generative AI in enterprises to the ethical considerations surrounding it, as well as the development of AI systems with agency, these trends will signi ..read more

There is no doubt that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a provocative subject, and one that is guaranteed to start a conversation. Most people have some kind of view about what AI is, at it should – and should not – be able to do, and whether it is a danger to humans. Some of this is intelligently thought out while some is misguided and based on fear. However, most people agree that AI is a subject for concern if it is levelled at the education of children, and takes an active part in their learning. But AI is a powerful tool and it has the potential to focus young minds and accelerate learning ..read more

Over the last couple of years, almost every major market on Earth has been impacted by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Software driven by AI has altered our daily lives and the way we do business. Thanks to this remarkable technology, the future possibilities keep challenging the limits of traditional thought. Nevertheless, worries about AI control and the dangers it might bring to the human species are on the rise due to its increasing capability and autonomy. Consequently, are we, as some have said, indeed “summoning the demon” with all of the horror that would bring? Is it better to keep turn ..read more

The world of VR/AR is still pretty new in terms of technology but several developers are making great strides in devices that will one day be as normal in use as mobile phones are today. But unlike with previous technology such as mobile phones these developers are keen to get developers on the outside involved, and get as much feedback – be it good or bad – as early as possible. In this way, it is hopes that when these AR/VR products actually come to market, there will be a much greater take-up of them because the buying public will already have a good idea of what they are getting, and will ..read more

VR is currently in a bit of a no-man’s land. For the most part, those who use it are convinced that it is one of the greatest systems ever for gaming, while those who don’t use it are convinced that it is an advanced gaming system and not for them. Of course, there are users who recognise the benefits of VR in a number of different fields. But until more non-technology users become aware of the potential of VR in everyday applications, the more quickly the technology will spread. One of the best areas for this to be recognised in, is the world of training. Luckily, we are starting to see this ..read more

Way back in its infancy, VR was seen as being an extension of gaming and likely to be of little use to any other computer system user. It was a world that was pre-COVID and where video communications were not as rife as they are today. But aside from potential for enhanced video communications, regardless of where the two parties are, the COVID pandemic undoubtedly accelerated the use of immersive technologies in healthcare. Virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality have the potential to improve health care in a variety of settings, and several health care foundations have been col ..read more

Blockchain and XR are inextricably linked technologies. The unique properties of blockchain make it ideal for carrying out the transactions that make VR what it is today, and the distributed nature and one-of-a-kind qualities of blockchains present promising new opportunities for the creation, distribution, and enjoyment of games. As an memory-aid, blockchain is a decentralised, distributed ledger that is kept in sync by a network of computers. Their most well-known application is in cryptocurrency systems, where they play a critical role in providing a decentralised and secure ledger of trans ..read more