In the recent years, technologies that enhance or recreate real world environments are increasingly influencing the world of the production industry and business. With Virtual Reality/VR, Augmented Reality/AR and the combination of both Mixed Reality/MR it is possible to simulate almost any process carried out in the physical world – and in business ranging from customer services to marketing, HR and production. The global VR/AR/MR market is growing exponentially and will have enormous impact on many areas of economy. Unfortunately, Europe has started slowly in utilising VR/AR/MR business and learning environments and is lagging behind its competitors, such as the USA, China and South Korea. Particularly within manufacturing SMEs, one of Europe’s economic pillars, all studies document a severe lack of awareness, insufficient investment and inadequate education.VAM*Rs tackles this situation by• raising general awareness about the role VR/AR/MR already plays in manufacturing industry and how this will increase significantly in the future• getting an overview of the current state of the art of VR/AR/MR hardware and software available on the market and their usability for manufacturing SMEs• getting insight to the current situation within Europe’s SMEs with regard to VR/AR/MR, including the current level of application, attitudes towards future developments, possible investment barriers etc.• providing HEIs and SMEs with useful tools and background information so they can self-evaluate their current situation regarding VR/AR/MR • increasing quantity and quality of HEIs training and consulting (to both, HEI students and SMEs) in this field• providing HEIs’ teachers with appropriate standards, knowledge, skills and competences to successfully execute business cooperation and consulting work• creating the largest European VR/AR/MR platform (500+ members) where HEIs, SMEs, VR/AR/MR providers, business representatives, policy makers etc. can meet and exchange
VAM*Rs main objectives were to create comprehensive awareness of this issue and, through a flexible cooperation model and tailor-made tools and materials, enable HEIs to inform SMEs about immersive technologies and advise them on what applications and equipment would be useful for them. In addition, we wanted to create a network as well as a framework for a fruitful communication and co-creation between different business, universities and research.
Virtual, augmented, mixed and extended realities (VR, AR, MR, XR) are innovative digital solutions that play an increasingly important role for businesses in many areas. Since SMEs in particular do not have sufficient knowledge about these technologies and how they can best use them, they urgently need training, consulting and support in this field. HEIs have appropriate expertise and knowhow, but they often lack awareness as well as models and instruments for successful cooperation with SMEs.
<< Background >> Virtual, augmented, mixed and extended realities (VR, AR, MR, XR) are innovative digital solutions that play an increasingly important role for businesses in many areas. Since SMEs in particular do not have sufficient knowledge about these technologies and how they can best use them, they urgently need training, consulting and support in this field. HEIs have appropriate expertise and knowhow, but they often lack awareness as well as models and instruments for successful cooperation with SMEs. << Objectives >> VAM*Rs main objectives were to create comprehensive awareness of this issue and, through a flexible cooperation model and tailor-made tools and materials, enable HEIs to inform SMEs about immersive technologies and advise them on what applications and equipment would be useful for them. In addition, we wanted to create a network as well as a framework for a fruitful communication and co-creation between different business, universities and research. << Implementation >> Based on several data collection and analysis procedures, we gained precise knowledge of what information companies need and what knowledge and products are available on the market for this purpose. A specially developed consulting model allows HEIs and SMEs to jointly go through a learning and decision-making process (lasting from a few days to several months), which finally leads to the selection of tailor-made XR solutions for SMEs and a general increase of digitalisation in European economy. << Results >> We have conducted a European Study with 300 SMEs, published a State-of-the-Art-Analysis on XR hardware/software, created the UBC Model and Handbook, developed an online Skills (for SMEs) and a Training (for HEIs) Gap Detectors, conducted an XR competition with 35 student groups and XR providers as well as pilot trainings with 28 SMEs; most importantly, we have built a network with 400 members (161 of them XR experts) from 47 countries and with 56 EU projects on XR (maintained until 2028).