How 5G is transforming the use of augmented and virtual reality

Simone Barker, Co-founder and Head of Production at Zebrar dives into the transformative impact that 5G is having on the augmented and virtual reality industries.

The infinite possibilities of augmented reality and its ability to transform the way we work, learn, communicate and play is truly astonishing. While we have seen both augmented and virtual reality use cases in society for many years, think of the likes of Pokemon Go and Snapchat and Instagram filters, we’re about to enter a new era thanks to 5G and cloud connectivity.

Why do Augmented and Virtual Reality need 5G?

One of the incredible things about 5G is that it is a game-changing technology that has the power to unlock so many other game-changing technologies. Of course, 5G means that videos on your phone will download faster. But it is just so much more than that.

Augmented and virtual reality devices need to be able to access and process huge amounts of data in real time. The high speed and ultra low latency that 5G provides means that real time communication between a device and the web is possible.

This is going to let technologies that we’ve heard about for a long time, but haven’t yet been able to thrive due to connectivity and latency issues, actually be viable. This will have an incredible social impact, think autonomous vehicles, vehicle to vehicle communication, smart cities, connected farms, robotic remote surgeries, as well as fun retail, sports and entertainment capabilities like immersive and interactive entertainment, VR multiplayer gaming and ‘try before you buy’.

Augmented Reality use cases made possible thanks to 5G

We have worked with Optus on numerous projects to showcase the incredible power of 5G.

One of our first collaborations was an AR historical takeover (digital re-creation) at the Optus George Street store in Sydney, where customers were able to toggle between a view of George Street in the 1900s, complete with old-fashioned horses and cart, and a prediction of the street view in 2030, with drones, wind turbines and autonomous vehicles. Having access to the super-fast Optus 5G network was essential as it allowed us to stream this rich graphic content in high definition, in real time, right to their 5G enabled mobile device.

Historical takeovers are one of my favourite applications for 5G. Imagine visiting the ruins of Pompeii and exploring the streets of the precinct, seeing what the city and its people looked like, just before the eruption. Or visiting the Colosseum and seeing it come to life with screaming crowds and a gladiator fight. All of this becomes totally possible with 5G, through augmented reality and your mobile device.

5G also has the power to change the way we shop. Last year, we worked with Optus to create an app showcasing what the future of retail might look like, at Westfield Eastgardens in Sydney. The app used augmented reality wayfinding and provided users with the option to try on items virtually, which was particularly useful in COVID times. My favourite part of the app was that it gave the users the ability to scan a physical product in the store, which utilising blockchain, would provide sustainability information such where the product was manufactured, whether it was made with renewable energy, were the materials ethically sourced etc. Giving shoppers more control over their purchasing decisions.

At Optus Stadium in Perth, we’ve created an interactive experience for visitors whereby they can bring the stadium to life during their stadium tour, with a spectacular visual timelapse of the stadium over 24 hours - all overlaid in real time in 360 degrees on their 5G mobile device.

The opportunities for 5G to enhance entertainment are endless. In sporting stadiums, we will soon see real time digital overlays of stats and live camera feedback, allowing the user to select what they want to see, replays of their choice and view vantages of their choice. Think of hologram entertainment - a concert with five performers, but each of those performers is in a different country. Five arenas, with five crowds, seeing one performer and four holographic performers streamed in augmented reality but completely synced.

Collaboration is key

While the future of augmented and virtual reality is extremely promising thanks to 5G and the technological possibilities it unlocks, industries need to work together to truly deliver. We need high quality, reliable, extensive 5G networks, like the one that Optus has been rolling out across the country since 2019.

In addition to 5G enabled mobile devices, a true game-changer for augmented reality will be the rollout of AR glasses. AR glasses have the in-built technology to merge what you see in the real world with virtual information. Glasses such as this are currently being developed by the major tech companies and I strongly believe that as soon as AR glasses are mainstream, this is where we’ll see augmented reality being used as part of everyday life.