Top 8 VR & AR Trends for 2022

Augmented and virtual reality are taking off more than ever. What was once a fun gimmick for companies seeking something innovative, has now become a genuine addition to reality. In this blog, we list some of the VR/AR trends we expect to see in 2022

According to a study by Statista, it's predicted that the global AR and VR market will grow to 209 billion dollars in 2022. Furthermore, global AR and VR app sales/downloads are expected to grow to 5.5 billion dollars

In recent years, AR and VR applications are increasingly applied to practical use-cases. Consider virtually walking through a house, or virtually trying on a new pair of sunglasses using your phone camera. As more (and especially better) applications are developed, the total AR and VR market will naturally grow

Here are the Top 8 AR & VR Trends for 2022:

In virtual reality, it is possible to practice realistic scenarios in a safe environment. This can save costs and time. For example, a virtual reality training is not dependent on a complex training environment, you only need a virtual reality headset and a place to set it up

A great example of this is the ONERO-X Flashover case. This VR training case contains a built-in computer with a touchscreen and 4 Oculus Quest 2 glasses. The computer has software installed that allows firefighters to practice extinguishing a fire. In addition to the VR equipment, there is also a realistic-feeling fire hose in the case (this takes into account the weight and dimensions of a real fire hose). This way, firefighters can practice extinguishing a fire in virtual reality, without the actual danger of a real fire drill

It's becoming increasingly common: you can download an app on your phone and when you look through your phone's camera, something is projected into the real world. This can be done in a fun way (such as a augmented reality Christmas surprise) but can also have a very practical application for companies and stores

For instance, furniture stores can use this application by scanning a couch into the virtual environment. When you are looking for a new couch for your living room, you can virtually place the couch in your living room using your phone. This allows you to see if the color matches the wallpaper and if the dimensions fit well in the room

A showroom is often a large space where a wide range of the provider's products are displayed. Firstly, you need a large space for this, but you also need all the equipment to put in the showroom. With virtual reality, it is possible to make the showroom completely virtual. You are then no longer dependent on physical space, and can show (virtually) all the items you have in your range

Car manufacturer KIA is already making good progress with this application. They offer virtual showrooms for their latest car models. Without the new car physically in the room, it is still possible to see the car, check the color, see the interior and walk around the car. And if you like what you see, you can of course make an appointment to physically inspect the car

With augmented reality navigation, something is projected that makes it easier for you as a user to reach a goal. This can be done via the camera of your mobile phone, but could also be a projection on the ground

Perhaps the best-known example of this is IKEA. Most will recognize it: when you walk through IKEA, you see all kinds of arrows on the ground. These are simply projected onto the ground via a small projector in the ceiling. This is a very efficient way to ensure that people know exactly which route they need to take through the store

At locations where you have never been before (for instance a large airport), AR navigation can also be useful. For example, look through the camera of your phone and see on-screen directions - or a route - where you need to walk to get to your destination

More and more stores are offering the opportunity to try something online. From t-shirts and trousers to glasses and watches. This often uses the camera of your phone or laptop. This makes a scan of the head or body and can then place the product to be fitted on you. This way, you can immediately see whether the shape of those sunglasses or the color of the t-shirt suits you

For example, the online glasses store Charlie Temple uses this principle on their webshop. They don't have a physical store where customers can try on the glasses, so they rely on online sales. To reduce the number of returns, it is possible to try on the glasses or sunglasses online to see if they suit your face

With a virtual reality house tour, it is possible to take a tour of a house using a VR headset. This saves a lot of travel time from driving back and forth to a house. With a realistic scan, it is possible to include the house down to the smallest details in the virtual environment

A virtual reality house tour can be created in two ways: a complete virtual reality simulation where the user can almost physically move through the space and even touch things, or a more static 360-degree photo/video where the user can "teleport" through the space (this method is also used in Google Maps). With the software Matterport, it is very easy to create a 360-degree photo/video of the space using a 360-degree camera, such as the Insta360 Pro 2. This 360-degree content can then be played on a virtual reality headset, giving you a very realistic representation of the space

Augmented reality filters are becoming increasingly popular. Especially the mobile apps Snapchat and Instagram use filters as an addition to photos and videos. This can be done subtly (for example, smoothing out wrinkles to make photos look nicer), but can also be done in the craziest ways. For example, there's a Snapchat filter that shows in a (almost scary) realistic way how you will look when you're old. These filters are designed to provide a remarkably realistic representation based on the physical data of the face (such as the eyes, cheekbones, and shape of the mouth)

Take this a bit further and you quickly end up with deepfakes. This technology uses a smart algorithm that allows a photo or video of a person to lead its own life. For example, with deepfakes, you can make someone say something they have never said before, like the deepfake speech of Mark Rutte about the climate crisis

What do you do when you have an exclusive new product and you want as many people as possible to try it? You can also bring the product into virtual reality. This way, many more people can see, touch, and try the product at the same time. And again: you try it in virtual reality and like it? Then of course you try the product in real life afterwards

An example of this is the new Dyson hairdryer.. With a virtual reality headset, it is possible to try out the latest hairdryer. The application is designed to make the hairdryer look realistic and the item you are drying moves in a very realistic way