Spatial Computing: The Future Beyond Screens

The digital world has been living in a box for many years now. Regardless of the type of equipment that you are using, be it your phone, tablet, computer, or perhaps an entire big screen at the movies, everything about the interaction between the user and the digital space is bound within a two-dimensional realm that is isolate from the real world. The only thing we see through the box. We do not exist within it. This is where spatial computing comes into the picture; tearing down that box altogether. Spatial computing is the next inevitable step in our dealings with computers, where both worlds become players.

What Is Spatial Computing?

Spatial computing refers to the capability of the system to identify, understand, and make use of its surrounding 3D space. It combines elements of both immersive Virtual Reality (VR) technology and awareness of context that is provided by AR technology. Smart commerce, when introduced into the scenario, creates a new sub-caste.

Think of it as virtual skin on top of the real world.

• Virtual reality (Meta Quest, Apple Vision Pro, HTC Vive) You immerse yourself in a fully artificial environment, where spatial computing allows you to walk around, pick things up, and manipulate in this new artificial world.

• Augmented reality (Magic Leap, HoloLens, advanced smartphone emissions) Artificial things appear in your real world. Spatial computing makes sure that the president stays sitting on your real butt despite everything you do.

The Obstacles That Lie Ahead of Us

Regardless of all of the commitment, spatial computing still isn’t quite ready for widespread adoption. Which are these:

• Goggle problem: This is a huge issue. For starters, wearing a big goggle for 8 hours straight would be difficult in almost all instances. Ideally, we would have developed two pairs of glasses which would look very similar to any pair of glasses on the market (similar to the Orion concept by Meta).
• Power Problem: Computing power needed for generating a 3D space would be astronomical at that moment. Right now, even with some of the newest headsets available, the time you can wear them before they need charging does not exceed several hours.
• Social isolation: A camera in one’s face would mean social isolation. Until eye tracking passthrough technology makes the user perceive it as just regular sight through a screen, spatial computing would always be a solitary affair.

Final Horizon

“What purpose does it serve?” is the most common challenge raised by skeptics as the smartphone fulfills all their requirements. But it is the very same question that has been raised against GUIs, mouse, and touchscreens before. Spatial computing is not about another gizmo, it is about the disappearance of interfaces. No need to “open up an app” to check the rain forecast, but merely to gaze at the sky where you will find the icons hovering around easily. You will not need to “dial into the conference,” but will actually be part of the space. Coding is not on the device anymore, it is on the land. Finally, the era of cube is over. But after that, comes the barrier-less but infinitely connected world.