Show Notes
Despite only being widely available to consumers in the past few years, immersive technology has been around since 1968 when Ivan Sutherland and Bob Sproull released the world’s first virtual reality headset, The Sword of Damocles. While groundbreaking for a society that was 14 years away from the creation of the internet and twenty-nine years away from the invention of Wi-Fi, Sutherland and Sproull’s headset was primitive by today’s standards, only able to “show simple virtual wire-frame shapes” and had to be physically connected to a computer.
Today, however, immersive technology can make video games feel like reality. Simulations can, put students at the heart of historical events such as the signing of the Declaration of Independence or the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, and allow Americans to see the outstanding natural beauty of their national parks without having to leave the comfort of their homes. As Juan Londoño of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation states, “the development of immersive technology over the past decade has allowed us to push the boundaries of possibility, and create experiences that were once the realm of science fiction.” He continued, noting that “the possibilities for immersive technology are endless, and often only limited by human imagination.”
While immersive technology has limitless potential, its current and potential value for training the next generation of workers can not be overstated. Traditionally, employees are trained in a classroom environment in theoretical scenarios that may not reflect reality or the complexity of real-world situations. Immersive technology, however, has disrupted this orthodoxy, allowing for
training in real-world situations, giving individuals the ability to practice their craft in a controlled, but realistic, environment. As Anastasia Morozova, Chief Operating Officer of Jasoren, a US software development company specializing in building virtual and augmented reality applications for workforce development headquartered in Miami notes, immersive technology “enables companies to create scenarios in which team members can learn how to avoid negative consequences at their work by applying their theoretical knowledge in virtual environments. This lets them safely make mistakes and then make correct conclusions.”
These benefits are not just abstract conjectures, but are seen every day by companies that use immersive technology to train their workforces. According to John Cunningham, Head of Unity Government & Aerospace, “Skanska, one of the world’s largest construction companies implemented highly realistic VR scenarios into its worker-safety training program for better awareness and fewer accidents.” As a result, “onsite workers are 73 percent more aware of site risks after completing VR training on operating construction equipment and risky procedures.”
Imagine a world where a heart surgeon can practice complex surgeries multiple times without endangering a patient’s life. Imagine allowing firefighters to train in fighting fires without putting them in a burning building. Imagine allowing workers at nuclear power plants the opportunity to train in crisis response without the risk of a nuclear meltdown that could cost thousands of lives or cause an environmental catastrophe.
All this is possible when immersive technology is used to train workers.
With Florida’s long history of entertainment, space exploration, and significant investments from the Department of Defense, the Sunshine State has become a national and international leader in immersive technology. Those who are using immersive technology to help train the next generation of workers also cite this history and the light-touch regulatory agenda of the state legislature as providing the necessary space for innovators to innovate and entrepreneurs to build. Such a light-touch regulatory agenda in Florida is contrasted with states such as New York and California whose burdensome regulations a
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
When Lina M. Kahn, Associate Professor of Law at Columbia University, was sworn in as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), she pledged to “protect the public from corporate abuse.” Unfortunately, in fulfilling this promise, the FTC has turned an increasingly skeptical eye toward mergers and acquisitions, arguing they hurt competitors, the marketplace, and consumers. Aside from the fact that antitrust law has traditionally focused on consumer harm, this increased hostility at the FTC over mergers and acquisitions will disrupt the innovative technology ecosystem that generates significant benefits for American consumers. In disrupting this ecosystem, Chair Kahn’s FTC has declared war on innovation, American consumers, and the competitive marketplace that rewards success.