## 3 Market Research: Current State of Immersive Technologies in Industrial Design
### Application of Immersive Technologies in Industrial Design  
Existing research has demonstrated the relevance of immersive technologies for industrial design and their potential applications. Currently, various sectors, academic environments, and design-orientated companies are incorporating virtual technologies into their workflows. Historically, large corporations have been the primary users of immersive technologies, such as CAVE systems, due to the level of investment required [18,41]. The automotive and aeronautical industries have recognised the potential of virtual reality (VR) and have implemented it accordingly [25,41]. The automotive sector, in particular, has been the most extensively studied [60]. However, other sectors, including aerospace, agriculture, construction, consumer goods, energy, and defence, have also contributed to the adoption of virtual environments [78], and design-orientated businesses and major firms have also begun integrating immersive technologies [79]. The current trend, driven by more advanced and affordable solutions, is the growing adoption in more general commercial enterprises, including small and medium-sized enterprises [1,25]. Major automotive companies use VR in product design because of its ability to support the sketching of fluid, organic forms in three dimensions. The possibility of visualising a full-scale sketch during the creative process assists designers in addressing complex problems. Ford was the first car manufacturer to work with the VR tool 'Gravity Sketch', achieving substantial reductions in time and cost thanks to simultaneous collaboration in locations such as Dearborn, Shanghai, and others [80]. Companies like McLaren employ 3D sketching software such as 'Vector Suite' for design purposes [74]. Other firms, such as Jeep, Nissan, Rivian, Volkswagen, and Polaris Industries, have also incorporated 'Gravity Sketch' [68] into their design workflows to create, review, and refine vehicle concepts in VR. Additional companies, including KIA, Toyota, BMW, Lamborghini, Volvo, Jaguar, Renault, Mazda, and Tesla, are accelerating direct iterations from CAD to immersive environments [42]. VR and AR are not only used to optimise product development, but are also applied to end-user sales processes. They enable immediate real-time customisation, enhance the purchasing experience, and contribute to increased sales. Companies such \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline
**Indicator** & **w\_Effectiveness** & **w\_Efficiency** & **w\_Satisfaction** \\ \hline Tasks completed (TC) & 0.25 & 0.1 & 0.1 \\ Time to complete tasks (T) & 0.1 & 0.25 & 0.05 \\ Dimensional accuracy (A) & 0.25 & 0.1 & 0.05 \\ Interoperability (IO) & 0.1 & 0.05 & 0.05 \\ Interactivity (IA) & 0.05 & 0.05 & 0.1 \\ Fatigue (F) & 0.05 & 0.1 & 0.1 \\ Human error (HE) & 0.1 & 0.25 & 0.05 \\ Learning curve (LC) & 0.05 & 0.05 & 0.25 \\ Perceived creativity (C) & 0.05 & 0.05 & 0.25 \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: Weighting coefficients of indicators by dimension. as Porsche [81], BMW [82], Audi [43], Renault [83], and Mercedes [84] have developed applications and showrooms that integrate AR and MR.  
Another sector that is adopting these technologies is footwear. Considerable benefits are obtained in terms of innovation, and they also enable the production of more personalised products. Various companies are integrating immersive software to design trainers. Some examples include Zellerfeld [85], Adidas [86], Reebok [44], and New Balance [87]. These tools allow them to test different shapes, materials, and colours in a virtual environment prior to physical prototyping. Design times are reduced, and creativity levels are enhanced. These are designs orientated towards 3D printing, due to the geometric complexity of the products. The furniture sector, particularly in relation to conceptual design, could also benefit from the use of these emerging technologies to generate new designs.