VR is transforming education, with 3DOF for visualization and 6DOF for interactive training. Choosing the right one depends on space and needs.
Virtual reality has experienced an enormous upsurge in recent years and has become a promising technology in the education sector. The potential of VR is immense — and this is particularly due to the diverse application scenarios of the technology, which takes learning, knowledge transfer and refining various competencies in educational institutions and companies to a new level. However, the desired application scenarios cannot be implemented equally with all hardware solutions. Because: When choosing the right VR technology, the respective decision makers are often faced with an important decision: Do we want to use so-called 3DOF or 6DOF glasses in our educational institution or in our company? Both technologies offer unique benefits and are suitable for various educational purposes. The selection of the appropriate technology therefore has a significant influence on the actual use of the respective VR glasses.
In order to be able to make the choice between 3DOF and 6DOF at all, it is necessary to understand the differences between these terms. DOF stands for Degrees of Freedom and describes the number of freedom of movement that VR glasses allow the user to use. With 3DOF glasses, only the user's head movements are transferred to the virtual world. In contrast, 6DOF glasses capture not only head movements, but also the movements of the entire body. This difference has a significant impact on the applications and capabilities of the two technologies.
3DOF glasses are therefore ideal for presenting visual content and clearly presenting complex issues in class. In companies, 3DOF glasses can be used to map the onboarding process of new employees. The company, including employees, company history and premises, can be presented in the virtual world — for example in the form of 360° documentation. They provide an immersive experience that allows users to dive into the virtual environment. Obviously, this technology focuses accordingly on the visualization of learning content, but not on the practical application of theoretical content. Because: The content in 3DOF environments is only partially interactive. Although the user can interact with virtual objects, the realistic simulation of training scenarios, which requires full physical effort, is limited or even impossible.
This is exactly where 6DOF technology comes in: It enables realistic simulation of training scenarios. For example, let's look at how effective training could be in using a special machine whose training in the real world is difficult to implement due to the high expenditure of resources. The use of 6DOF glasses only requires a predefined playing area, such as an area of 2x2 meters, in which the user can move freely. Sensors on the glasses record the user's natural movements in the real world and transfer them seamlessly to the virtual environment.
However, there is already a certain disadvantage of this eyewear technology: It takes up space that is often limited in a classroom of up to 30 students. In such cases, imaginative teaching strategies are required on the part of teachers. One option could be for students to work in groups, with one group working with tablets while the other group using 6DOF glasses and switching places after a certain period of time. Alternatively, glasses could be used outside the classroom to ensure sufficient freedom of movement.
The selection of VR glasses technology therefore determines which application the medium fulfills in a company or in education. 3DOF is ideal for visualization and immersion in abstract concepts, whereas 6DOF, with its extended degrees of freedom, enables realistic training scenarios. When making a decision, it should be borne in mind that 6DOF technology requires more space and resources. Overall, however, virtual reality offers immense opportunities to improve learning and education. The right choice between 3DOF and 6DOF can help take the educational experience for students, learners, and students to a new level and provide them with interactive and immersive learning.
If you would like to learn more about the numerous application scenarios of the various eyewear technologies, feel free to take a look at our talk format on YouTube. Oliver Wöhler, Enterprise Sales Lead at picoXR Europe, gives you exciting insights: https://youtu.be/fFi4Km5ZY_Q?si=TTMY_ZRZ7RdJt-RU.
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