Spatial computing trends and trends affecting both extended reality environments and the metaverse ecosystem are closely connected. Although spatial computing is not an entirely new concept, major market leaders such as Apple believe it will shape the future of digital interaction.
Spatial computing, which provides a way to blend computing systems with the real world in a more natural and interactive way, can impact virtually every industry. We’re already seeing aspects of spatial computing appear in everything from collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams to smartphones.
With an estimated value of $544.6 billion by 2032, it is no exaggeration to say that the spatial computing industry is growing. The question is, which trends will influence future solutions?
1. Advances in hardware and wearable devices
Spatial computing solutions rely on a combination of intuitive hardware and powerful software. One of the major spatial computing trends we will see in the coming years is the development of more advanced hardware. This includes the development of more comfortable, lighter and more powerful wearable headsets, such as Apple Vision Pro.
Products like Vision Pro combine virtual and mixed reality experiences in a single, adjustable headset, giving users new ways to interact with digital content. It’s not just wearable hardware that’s evolving. As interest in spatial computing grows, advanced sensors are being developed for hand/eye tracking and IoT connectivity.
There is also increasing development of XR-focused chips designed to power spatial computing systems. The cameras and processors used in these innovative tools are also becoming smaller and more powerful.
2. Spatial Computing Trends: Dedicated Software and Tools
Just as vendors produce advanced hardware for spatial computing environments, the software used to power these systems is also evolving. When Apple announced its new Vision Pro spatial computing device, it also introduced “visionOS.” According to the company, this is the first dedicated space operating system introduced to the XR market.
Apple has since included aspects of its spatial computing software into the iOS ecosystem as well. But it’s not the only company experimenting in this area. Rokid recently launched a dedicated AR studio spatial computing platform. This allows users to create more advanced spatial experiences for augmented reality landscapes through hand gesture recognition and spatial audio.
Top cloud leaders such as AWS and Microsoft provide access to spatial computing solutions such as Amazon Sumerian for 3D scene creation. There is also a Mixed Reality Services Kit on Azure that provides tools for remote rendering, advanced spatial mapping, and object pinning.
3. Evolving interaction options
One of the key benefits of spatial computing is that it allows users to interact more naturally with computer systems and content. To achieve this, the ecosystem uses sensors to track movement in a variety of ways. We have already seen the impact of advancements in hand and eye tracking tools on the market.
These solutions can support everything from hands-free content interaction to foveated rendering. However, as technology advances, the spatial computing trend paves the way for even more advanced tracking capabilities.
For example, Ultraleap’s innovations in hand tracking allow software to monitor everything from joints to fingertips. Meta is developing full-body tracking software for Quest devices and future Metaverse strategies. Companies like Unity also create tools to make eye and gaze tracking more accurate.
4. Spatial Computing Trend: Connectivity
When looking at spatial computing trends, it’s important to remember that this is not a single technology. It is a term that refers to a wide range of solutions that improve interactions and experiences with machines. From AI to XR software, many of these solutions require significant computing power.
To minimize delays and ensure the accessibility of spatial experiences, companies are investing in more advanced connectivity options. For example, NVIDIA’s CloudXR 4.0 platform allows developers to create a comprehensive cloud platform with 5G mobile computing edge connectivity.
XR Cloud streaming solutions and access to 5G connectivity allow enterprises to create and use more powerful spatial computing experiences at less cost. This could pave the way for more businesses of all sizes to adopt this technology in the coming years.
5. Increasing adoption and new use cases
Like many XR concepts, spatial computing was initially viewed primarily as a solution for entertainment and gaming environments. But as companies continue to invest in immersive technologies for collaboration, creativity, and productivity, that’s starting to change.
Apps designed to create spatial workspaces for remote and hybrid teams are getting more advanced. Spatial computing technologies are also becoming an essential component of the industrial metaverse and manufacturing industries.
In these environments, spatial computing tools can provide workers with real-time guidance about the field, helping them quickly repair products and machines through AR content mapped to specific components. The same tools can be used to power immersive product development with digital twins and IoT. Some companies are using spatial computing to increase surgical success rates in the medical space.
6. Evolution of engagement opportunities
There is more to spatial computing than virtual reality, but many technologies focus on immersing users in a specific experience or situation. As a result, some of the top spatial computing trends are associated with the rise of immersive solutions.
For example, spatial audio is becoming increasingly common in modern environments. Companies like Apple are infusing spatial audio into their devices. Microsoft also makes spatial audio solutions for advanced meetings in Microsoft Teams.
Another immersive technology relevant to the world of spatial computing is haptic wearables. Haptic gloves, body suits, and similar tools simulate the feeling of actually touching a digital object. Adoption of these solutions has been limited in recent years, but that may change as new vendors enter the market with more affordable options.
Latest Spatial Computing Trends
With major technology giants now going all-in on spatial computing, the market is expected to experience significant growth. In the coming years, vendors will continue to discover new ways to transform the way we interact with machines by combining intuitive hardware with powerful software.
These tools could pave the way for future experiences we have not only in the metaverse, but also in the workplace.