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AR and VR data visualizations offer promising future

By Robert Sheldon

Augmented and virtual reality offer interactive data visualization capabilities that traditional techniques don't have. These technologies can uncover deeper insights to guide data-driven decision-making and generate business value.

Data visualizations help users who don't have the skills of a data scientist quickly understand the underlying data to uncover patterns and trends. But data is more difficult to understand as its volume and complexity grow. Traditional visualizations can no longer represent the multivariant relationships between data points, complicating users' ability to identify important trends and make effective data-driven decisions.

Rather than being limited to a two-dimensional perspective, like traditional visualizations, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) techniques render the visualizations in a three-dimensional space, enabling users to immerse themselves within the visualizations and interact directly with the data objects.

AR and VR differences

AR and VR are similar in that they both alter the user's perceived environment to create a different reality where the users can interact with the visualizations. Beyond that, however, the two technologies differ in important ways.

AR integrates virtual images and information into the user's physical environment. The AR application overlays the virtual content onto the real environment, making it appear as though the virtual content is taking up space along with the physical objects. The virtual content might mask part of the natural environment or simply add content to that environment. Either way, AR alters the user's perception of the natural world.

Unlike AR, VR immerses the user into a virtual environment that appears to completely replace the real world. The user can typically interact with the environment, depending on how the VR space is implemented. The VR application attempts to convince the user's brain to suspend belief long enough to accept the artificial world as the real one. The more isolated the user is from the natural world, the more effective the immersion into the simulated environment.

AR and VR deliver immersive data visualizations

Traditional data visualizations provide graphical representations of data, using objects such as charts and graphs to help users make sense of the information. Aggregated data provides a larger picture of the data, although users are often able to drill into specific details.

Users can explore the data, manipulate it in real time and see how it changes over time. They can zoom in or rearrange objects and drill down into data elements. They can also control and interface with the data to expand their understanding of the data and its relationships.

AR and VR data visualizations facilitate real-time collaboration. Multiple users can work together on a data set, whether they're in the same room or in different locations. An entire team can set up a virtual meeting room with everyone viewing the same visualizations. Team members can share their results, resulting in more effective brainstorming, problem-solving and consensus-building. A person can conduct a presentation in the virtual space and know that everyone can see the same visualizations as they change, regardless of each participant's physical location.

The immersive 3D environment makes it easier for a wider group of users to achieve a contextual understanding of a data set and its multidimensional relationships. Users can see how the data evolves over time and view it from different perspectives, resulting in more actionable insights. AR and VR also make working with the data more fun, which can help engage users more deeply with the information.

AR and VR data visualizations can improve decision-making because the people who need to make the decisions can more readily grasp the information. They can interact with the data in real time and see the different variants and their relationships. The visualizations provide more intuitive and user-friendly data access, which enables decision-makers to consider multiple perspectives and variables. AR and VR also enable collaborative decision-making based on immediate feedback from each of the participants.

Are AR and VR visualizations ready for real-world application?

In the past several years, AR and VR data visualizations moved from just a proof of concept to an emerging industry. Companies such as Flow Immersive, BadVR, Virtualitics and DataView VR are at the forefront of 3D visualizations development using AR and VR.

AR and VR data visualization is still a nascent industry and needs more work before it might become a common workplace tool. However, early implementations show promise across different industries:

• Healthcare. Medical personnel can use AR and VR technologies to view patient data and other information in real time. They can view patient histories, diagnose conditions or even carry out surgery. In 2024, Stanford Medicine demonstrated the use of AR when performing an ablation procedure at Stanford Hospital to treat atrial fibrillation. The surgeon wore an Apple Vision Pro headset that displayed the necessary data, while still enabling the doctor to see the patient and operating room.
• Research. Data scientists and researchers can visualize data in 3D so users can more readily identify patterns in complex data structures. NASA scientists use it to better understand the massive amounts of data generated during deep space missions. NASA incorporated AI into its VR application to better correlate the data and identify relationships. AR and VR visualizations can also benefit other scientific fields, such as environmental or geologic research.
• Sales and marketing. AR and VR data visualizations can help organizations that want to better understand the data they collect through their customers, sales transactions and other operations. For example, AR or VR can visualize data about their customers' behavior or make sense of customer demographics. They can also use the technology to better understand sales trends and their various fluctuations.
• Manufacturing. Manufacturers of all types can potentially benefit from AR and VR data visualizations. For example, they might use AR to overlay instructions, checklists or operational data on factory equipment. They can generate visualizations that provide real-time insights into the data collected from sensors, monitors and other IoT devices. Manufacturers might also use immersive visualizations to better understand supply chain issues.
• Education and training. Educators, trainers and presenters can use AR or VR to help explain complex topics that are easier to understand in a 3D space. For example, a health department might use AR and VR visualizations to demonstrate how a disease spreads, showing its progression over time and across geographic regions.
• Urban planning. Governments and community organizations can better design and plan infrastructure and services with AR and VR. For example, they might want more insight into energy usage in their regions or hope to develop a more effective emergency response plan. They might also use AR and VR visualizations to better understand traffic flow patterns.

Hardware requirements

To make AR and VR work, organizations need hardware devices that immerse users in the data. Hardware typically means some type of smart glasses or headset that users can wear to view and interact with the visualizations. For example, Apple Vision Pro and Microsoft HoloLens include spatial audio and let users interact with the virtual space through hand gestures, eye tracking and voice commands.

Although it's possible to deliver an AR experience through a smartphone or other mobile device, full immersive interactivity generally requires the more powerful capabilities of smart glasses or headsets.

AR and VR visualizations require a significant amount of processing power. Wearable devices might lack the necessary capabilities to process complex data sets, requiring a more powerful machine. It can limit where and how users can employ AR and VR devices.

UX challenges

Developing AR and VR visualizations is another challenge. The visualizations need to do more than just port 2D graphics to 3D. The data must provide users with a more immersive and informative experience. Developers must take necessary steps to minimize security and privacy risks without affecting real-time performance.

Developers should consider the numerous factors unique to AR and VR environments, such as the fatigue caused by prolonged usage, or uncomfortable positions, such as users looking up for too long. Spatial constraints might limit how much and where displayed data can be legible. Spatial issues are more challenging with AR than VR because developers can't control the background.

UX plays a significant role in AR and VR success. Users must be comfortable with the technology and visualizations. They should be able to access the data they need without running into performance or delivery issues. They should also be able to easily understand and interact with the visualizations so they can discern patterns and trends and make effective data-driven decisions.

Organizations considering AR and VR visualizations should evaluate total cost of ownership. In addition to purchasing the hardware, they must acquire or develop the necessary software and train users to effectively interact with the visualizations, which can come with a steep learning curve. It can be difficult to determine if the benefits of immersive analytics outweigh the long-term investment.

AR and VR visualization should continue to improve as the technology matures and becomes more familiar to users.

Robert Sheldon is a technical consultant and freelance technology writer. He has written numerous books, articles and training materials related to Windows, databases, business intelligence and other areas of technology.