Merged Reality

Merged Reality (MR) is an advanced form of immersive technology that combines elements of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to create an interactive environment where users can manipulate digital objects within their physical surroundings. It is considered an enhancement of mixed reality, allowing for a more seamless and intuitive experience. Merged Reality falls under Extended Reality (XR), encompassing all immersive technologies, including VR, AR, and MR.
==History and Developments==
The evolution of immersive technologies has led to significant milestones and breakthroughs in merged reality. One of the earliest applications of this technology was in the neurosurgical suite, where Dr. Barton Guthrie developed an innovative procedure for treating Parkinson's disease. Dr. Barton Guthrie and Dr. Brett Ponce, both affiliated with the University of Alabama at Birmingham, conducted pioneering work in the areas of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Interactive Presence (VIP) for neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery. Dr. Guthrie developed an innovative procedure for treating Parkinson's disease that involved AR technology, while Dr. Ponce used VIP technology to enable remote mentoring and tele-mentoring in orthopedic surgery
The Virtual Interactive Presence (VIP) system Dr. Ponce and his colleagues developed utilized wearable computing devices such as Google Glass and a real-time augmented-reality system called Help Lightning (formerly VIPAAR). This application enabled remote surgical assistance by allowing a remote surgeon to deliver real-time virtual assistance to a local surgeon using a standard Internet connection. The VIPAR system developed by Dr. Guthrie and Dr. Ponce integrated VIP and AR technologies to create a Virtual Interactive Presence and Augmented Reality (VIPAR) system for neurosurgery. The VIPAAR system consisted of a 'local' and 'remote' station, each situated over a surgical field and a blue screen. The system utilized a digital view piece, composed of two cameras for stereoscopic capture, and a high-definition viewer displaying a virtual field. The virtual field was created by digitally compositing selected elements within the remote field into the local field. Digital renderings derived from volumetric MRI were added to the virtual field to augment the surgeon's reality. The VIPAR system allowed for real-time, virtual interaction between a local (resident) and remote (attending) surgeon. The VIPAR system became the foundation for Help Lightning, a merged reality platform developed to enhance communication and collaboration in various industries.
==Technologies and Platforms==
Merged reality incorporates elements of both virtual reality and augmented reality. VR is a fully immersive digital environment, while AR overlays digital content onto the user's real-world surroundings. Merged reality combines these concepts, allowing users to interact with digital objects as if they were physically present. MR systems typically involve hardware components like headsets, motion tracking, haptic feedback, and software platforms. Examples of popular merged reality platforms include Oculus (VR), Google Maps AR or Live View (AR), and Help Lightning (MR). Microsoft's HoloLens, a self-contained holographic computer, was introduced in 2015, marking a significant advancement in MR technology. It utilizes an array of sensors, cameras, and microphones to map the surrounding environment and project holographic images into the user's field of view, creating a highly immersive and interactive experience.
==Applications and Industries==
Merged reality has applications across various industries, such as services, education, sales, healthcare, field service delivery, and utilities. Its benefits include remote training, coaching, and enhanced communication. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, use cases mainly involved remote customer assistance and field tech coaching. The pandemic accelerated the adoption of these technologies, with emerging use cases in education services, customer success, sales, and neurosurgical applications. Within field service, MR can enable technicians to access digital manuals and schematics overlaid on physical equipment, leading to real-time diagnosis and repair. In manufacturing, MR can facilitate collaborative design by enabling engineers to visualize and manipulate 3D models in real-time.
Remote assistance in field service is one area that greatly benefits from MR integration. Remote Visual Guidance (RVG) is a technology that enables experts to remotely guide and support workers via video call or live video stream. By overlaying real-time annotations and human gestures on video streams, MR improves the accuracy of support provided via RVG.
Smart Collaboration is another technology that is enhanced by the use of MR in field service and manufacturing. Smart Collaboration involves the integration of digital tools and platforms to improve communication, teamwork, and productivity. By creating a shared virtual environment for team members, regardless of their location, MR allows for real-time collaboration and the ability to visualize and manipulate 3D models of products, enhancing collaboration and innovation.
In summary, RVG and Smart Collaboration greatly benefit from MR integration, improving accuracy and facilitating real-time collaboration between team members. Help Lightning relies on RVG and Smart Collaboration to provide field service organizations (FSOs) such as telecommunications, medical device, and utilities companies, to remotely troubleshoot issues and assist field technicians. This has helped to reduce downtime and improve customer satisfaction.
==Challenges and Limitations==
Merged reality faces several challenges and limitations despite its potential. Technical limitations, including battery life, processing power, and resolution, may hinder the widespread adoption of merged reality. Additionally, the cost of hardware and software required to create a merged reality experience may also limit its adoption. Companies should focus on "out-of-the-box" solutions rather than "build-your-own" approaches to overcome common obstacles.
Ethical and social challenges also exist, including concerns about privacy, data security, and the potential for addiction. Moreover, the issue of cybersecurity is also relevant, with concerns over the security of devices and data. A significant challenge for merged reality is to create an immersive experience without replacing or eliminating the real world completely.
==The Role of Non-verbal Cues in Merged Reality== 
Merged reality's ability to convey nonverbal cues is a significant advantage over annotation alone. Research from the British Journal of Clinical Psychology indicates that nonverbal cues are 430% more effective than verbal cues, improving understanding and overall user experience. Merged reality can enhance communication and collaboration by providing visual cues such as body language, facial expressions, and gesture recognition.
==Future Trends and Research Directions==
As the demand for merged reality technologies continues to grow, there are several potential trends and research directions that may emerge in the near future. One area of focus is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into merged reality platforms, which could enable more intuitive and personalized experiences for users.Ericsson CONSUMERLAB Report - Merged Reality: Understanding how virtual and augmented realities could transform everyday reality Another area of interest is the development of more sophisticated haptic feedback systems, which could enhance the realism and interactivity of merged reality environments.
In the healthcare industry, merged reality technologies may continue to be used for remote surgical assistance, but could also be applied to patient care and rehabilitation. For example, merged reality could be used to create virtual rehabilitation environments that simulate real-world scenarios, allowing patients to practice activities of daily living in a safe and controlled setting.
In the manufacturing industry, merged reality could be used to enhance training and reduce downtime by enabling technicians to quickly access information and collaborate remotely with experts. For example, workers could use merged reality headsets to overlay digital instructions onto physical machinery, simplifying complex procedures and reducing the risk of errors.
==Summary and Conclusions==
Merged Reality (MR) is an immersive technology that combines elements of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to create interactive environments. Its evolution has led to significant milestones, including the development of MR platforms such as Microsoft's HoloLens, which create highly immersive and interactive experiences. MR has many applications across industries, such as services, education, healthcare, and field service delivery. In the field service industry, MR has the potential to revolutionize the way technicians access information and collaborate with experts.
Remote Visual Guidance (RVG) is a technology that benefits from MR integration, improving accuracy and real-time collaboration between team members. RVG enables experts to remotely guide and support workers through live video streams. MR also enables technicians to access digital manuals and schematics overlaid on physical equipment, leading to real-time diagnosis and repair. Furthermore, Smart Collaboration, which involves the integration of digital tools and platforms to improve communication, teamwork, and productivity, can also be enhanced by MR. By creating a shared virtual environment for team members, regardless of their location, MR allows for real-time collaboration and the ability to visualize and manipulate 3D models of products, enhancing collaboration and innovation.
However, MR still faces challenges such as technical limitations, ethical and social concerns, and the need to create an immersive experience without replacing or eliminating the real world completely. These challenges must be addressed before MR can achieve its full potential in the field service industry. Nonetheless, the benefits of MR in field service are clear, as it has the potential to reduce downtime, improve customer satisfaction, and enhance overall service delivery.
==See also==
*Augmented reality
*Virtual reality 
*Extended reality 
*Mixed reality
Category:Technology
Category:Environments
Category:Development