Virtual Reality: Transforming perception and creating new realities

Virtual Reality, or VR, allows us to overcome certain physical limitations by providing a controlled and replicable environment. Unlike in the physical world, where external factors such as environmental conditions or unpredictable behavior influence outcomes, VR offers a digital setting where experiments can be repeated and behavior observed with precision. This control reduces variability, enabling us to study specific aspects of human behavior without outside interference.

When we say “study,” we mean that VR, particularly in the context of innovation, allows us to simulate various situations, immerse users from diverse backgrounds, and gather valuable insights from their interactions in these synthetic environments. Moving to a more widely recognized and entertaining field, the gaming industry has undeniably driven VR’s development and reach, and thanks to its massive investments that we now have access to affordable VR headsets, software platforms, market expertise, and a broader cultural awareness of a technology that was, until recently, confined to niche fields.

VR technology enables us to track every user’s movement and action. New-generation headsets with six degrees of freedom (6DOF) allow for detailed tracking of both head rotations and linear movements of the body and hands. This high level of tracking gives us a comprehensive view of user interactions within virtual environments, allowing us to monitor gestures, eye movements, and even hand positioning.

Analyzing this data is crucial for understanding human behavior. By examining user trajectories, speeds, responses to stimuli, and preferences, we gain insights into human actions. But why track user interaction data outside gaming? While in videogames, this data helps score points or rank players, how can it be applied in professional settings?

At MAIZE, we collaborate with companies across diverse sectors, but immersive virtual reality has become an established tool in fields where simulating potentially dangerous real-world scenarios is essential. Our clients seek safe training environments for their staff, allowing them to practice procedures, assess risks, and test their skills in a controlled space. While we typically associate simulators with specialized fields like aviation, today’s technology (and associated costs) has become accessible to sectors that, until recently, could only dream of such tools. VR training is now a practical, widely accessible solution.

In this context, the quality of the training experience we create is essential, as is the information we deliver back to users and companies for corrective actions in training plans and, occasionally, in procedures themselves. Collecting, analyzing, and drawing value from this data is crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of these tools.

Artificial intelligence adds a significant advantage by simplifying data processing and uncovering meaningful insights. AI can identify hidden relationships in data, revealing patterns and trends that might otherwise go unnoticed. By analyzing VR interaction data, we can answer questions such as “What factors influence user decisions?” “How do they react in different scenarios?” and “Which aspects of the virtual design engage them most?” This approach helps us identify key elements of human behavior and develop more engaging, personalized VR experiences.

For example, in architecture, virtual environments are already widely used to visualize buildings under construction or during renovations. Similarly, the retail industry has recently started testing store layouts and configurations in virtual space before implementing them in the real world. VR simulations are particularly beneficial here, allowing potential customers to immerse themselves in a virtual store, interact with the space, and express preferences that can then be observed and analyzed. As we collect more data, it becomes easier to identify behavioral patterns and implement corrective actions.

To make VR an authentic extension of reality, it’s crucial to create immersive experiences that fully engage users’ senses and minds. This level of immersion is necessary for users to feel entirely present in the virtual environment, as though they were physically there. Only then can VR break through perceptual barriers and become a true extension of reality.

The main challenge is making VR indistinguishable from reality, not only visually (since the brain can compensate for visual simplifications) but also in terms of environmental interaction. People behave differently in settings they recognize as artificial, so for VR to accurately replicate reality, it must mirror its logic. This concept resonates with Nick Bostrom’s simulation theory, suggesting we might already be living in a simulated reality crafted by an advanced civilization. While we may never know, VR must approach this level of realism to be fully credible.

(Mel Slater, a leading VR researcher, introduced the “illusion of presence,” divided into two components: “Place Illusion” (feeling “Am I there?”) and “Plausibility Illusion” (feeling “Is this really happening?”). These illusions are fundamental for creating convincing, realistic VR experiences in which users feel genuinely present and engaged.)

To achieve genuine human behavior in VR, the simulation must be indistinguishable from reality. VR experiences must feel natural, particularly as we move away from using physical joysticks, which, though effective for experienced users, can complicate the experience for beginners. Haptic technologies, especially wearable ones, offer a more intuitive way to interact, making the experience more spontaneous and realistic. Haptic gloves we’re testing with several clients allow users to “feel” the physics of virtual objects, including temperature and texture. These gloves transmit tactile feedback, helping bridge the gap between VR and the physical world.

One of the companies we collaborate with, WeArt, provides one of the most advanced haptic glove solutions on the market, and we’ve chosen to integrate their technology to enhance the virtual experiences of some of our clients.

One of our primary areas of VR application is the Energy sector. Almost a decade ago, we began working with pioneering companies to create advanced simulators for technical training. Today, our solutions have evolved into end-to-end offerings, providing virtual scenarios for training and a platform that serves as both a catalog for content distribution and a data hub. This platform offers companies a comprehensive picture of training progress, from a macro organizational perspective down to the individual level.

In short, we’re witnessing a new chapter in VR technology, where its applications are expanding well beyond the innovation labs into everyday use, even for users less familiar with virtual environments. 

The advantages of VR are increasingly clear to decision-makers, who now have more data-driven tools to support their choices. As simulations get more accurate, the insights from VR data are also becoming crucial for shaping strategies. 

Not long ago, many companies were hesitant to use technology that felt associated with gaming for serious business needs. Today, there’s a greater understanding that, when used effectively, any technology can cross over into new fields and add unexpected value. While we can’t predict everything about the future, it’s clear that interacting with virtual worlds, objects, and data is becoming an everyday reality. We’re already seeing this with VR, Augmented Reality, and the seamless experience of online shopping in stores that exist only in virtual spaces.

With a contribution from Pier Filippo Schneider.