As the merge between the digital and physical world becomes more seamless – there’s a growing curiosity about how technology can enhance our human experiences. People who have trained in virtual reality (VR) may have unique insight on this topic. As VR experiences become more user-friendly for enterprise use, the technology is also becoming more human-centric in design. So, what are the benefits of creating humanized digital learning solutions?
Experiential Learning
VR training has become synonymous with experiential learning, and for good reason! As learners are fully immersed in virtual training environments, each and every learning objective is connected to user interactions, making the technology one of the most effective pedagogical tools for active learning.
Imagine learning to play piano solely through a textbook. Not only would there be no music, there would be plenty of missing context. From hand positioning and finger placements to the weight and sound of keys, the process of learning piano involves repetition and hands-on practice to improve students’ familiarity each time they play. By bridging information with experience, people learn best by doing. Virtual reality training replaces the mundane with modern, experiential training that centers on human experience and realistic interactions to keep learners engaged.
Firsthand experience is the best teacher. Neuroscience tells us that while learners are immersed, virtual reality programs activate the brain with multi-sensory stimulants that bring training to life. From advanced accessories to 3D models and animation – VR’s growing capabilities are making VR training more human. Innovative businesses know that everyone wins when developers recreate the work environment as faithfully as possible. Let’s explore what features benefit learners the most.
VR Accessories and Lifelike Features
VR training has shifted the way we look at learning new skills and topics. Older hardware limited the user experience, but as recent advancements emerge in XR, enterprise-focused VR applications have enhanced the technology’s learning impact with accessories and lifelike features. One of the strongest use cases for VR training is safety awareness, which is guided by intuitive learning and simulated consequences to reinforce the right behaviors without endangering people. As learners encounter dangerous scenarios in a simulated environment, the more realistic – the greater the impact.
When it comes to simulating real-world environments, accuracy becomes a critical component of successfully placing learners into a space that feels natural. Bringing VR training to life increases learners’ confidence in learning new skills and yields intrinsic motivation to problem-solve within programs. From technical skills to leadership development, VR experiences are designed to simulate lifelike scenarios for greater user impact.
Graphics and Animation
Quality graphics in a VR program contribute to important details like the texture and colors of 3D or 2D models. In recent years, we have seen consumers wanting more realism from learning and entertainment programs. This ask is innately tied to the human desire for connection – a way for innovative organizations to see their values reflected in the content they are spending time and money on.
When talented instructional designers and developers work together, VR exceeds the coolness factor and becomes a reliable educational tool for engaging learners of all backgrounds. The array of VR features and accessories has propelled VR to a new level of human experience. Programs with intentional design showcase how immersive learning is less artificial than what meets the eye. Real emotions, physical sensations, and interactions make learning in a simulated world necessary for role readiness.
Haptic Feedback
As more use cases for VR safety training emerge, VR accessories enhance immersive learning with multi-sensory experiences. Realistic touch has become an important capability in VR training solutions, with some of the most forward-facing programs integrating haptic feedback to alert learners to high risks. For example, in a recent program designed to train field technicians to perform on-site installations safely, learners received haptic feedback vibrations to their controllers when they failed to utilize their foreign voltage detectors to signal the genuine danger of getting electrocuted.
But haptic feedback doesn’t stop there. Haptic feedback has surpassed traditional hand-held VR controllers, and many companies are focused on creating natural haptic feedback devices to simulate realistic touch. Haptic devices from WeArt and HaptX are changing the game with innovative methods of mirroring the real world. These tactile sensations stimulate learners’ fingertips with force feedback, textures, and thermal cues to deliver a lifelike touch to digital content.
Imagine slowly pulling the corner of a loose-leaf paper tucked inside a large textbook. Haptic feedback gloves mimic this type of resistance. Pretty incredible, right? Providing tactile feedback for learners during hands-on experiential training can enhance technical skill acquisition with resistance and pressure features that deliver a more realistic experience.
CGI
As learners traverse the simulated environment, custom CGI characters add realistic human interactions and increase learner engagement. Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) characters are digital models that can represent customers, coworkers, or narrators that assist in the learning process as employees complete training tasks.
CGI characters can also emphasize safety risks by playing the role of an armed robber or active shooter. Scripted scenarios with characters within a module can even pick up on non-verbal communication cues and facial expressions. CGI characters prompt learners to respond quickly and efficiently with the necessary interpersonal skills to perform their roles.
Humans hate the uncanny valley, the thin line between what is realistic and what feels off and wrong. True-to-life NPC characters, actions, and dialogue push us away from that situation and make learners feel secure and confident within the space.
Allie Wgonik, 3D Animator
Voice Actors
The brain is wired for connection, and when we hear a human voice, it evokes an emotional response. Whether it’s instruction or CGI characters, voice actors give digital learning a human touch. From narration to character dialogue, learners hear the authentic inflections of a real voice, keeping the application’s realism intact. This translates well into the learning process, as the human voice can more accurately convey meaning, emotion, and importance.
3D Modeling
3D models are essential to mirroring the real world within an immersive experience. As learners benefit from experiential learning opportunities to manipulate and interact with 3D objects, they are more likely to exhibit role readiness when they’ve received adequate exposure to the work environment and equipment they’ll be using on the job. To humanize the virtual world, developers work diligently to achieve the correct scale and measurements translated into applications, even adding NPCs in the application to make environments more realistic.
NPCs
Non-player characters fulfill an underrated role in VR experiences. More than just a filler in the background, the presence of NPCs makes immersive environments more realistic for learners. From a line of customers in a store to pedestrians in a driving simulation, NPCs are another vital element of humanizing VR training.
NPC guidance and storytelling are also important in my eyes. That added detailing of a fleshed-out environment and a human-esque guide are tools that are important to the realistic effect. When an NPC feels more life-like and naturally talks to the learners or shows them the ropes, the learner can feel more at ease and subconsciously are drawn into the VR landscape.
Allie Wgonik, 3D Animator
Multiplayer VR Training
Multiplayer training sessions are worthwhile to explore as you aim to humanize your VR training experience. Organizations can incorporate social and competitive experiences by allowing participants to go through training together, regardless of location. For example, a VR training provider could customize a training that enables two employees to see each other as avatars and work together collaboratively to perform a task. This is just one more way scalable training can be leveraged to unify your workforce!
Making Virtual Reality Training More Human
The array of innovative features and accessories that have enhanced immersive experiences are making VR training inherently more human. With haptic feedback accessories that deliver tactile sensations, advanced 3D graphics that emulate real-world equipment, and voice narration that evokes emotional responses – VR delivers exceptional realism and allows learners to walk away with tangible experiences that enhance their performance.
Want to prepare new hires to step into their roles confidently? Give them a realistic preview of their work environment with high-quality visuals, sounds, and interactions in an immersive training experience. Want to try it out for yourself? Learn more about the cutting-edge techniques advancing the world of VR corporate training today!
