Not long ago, we had a client inquire about virtual reality (VR) and quality training. VR and its close relative, augmented reality (AR), are hot technologies right now, not just in entertainment, but also in industry, including their use in training. So it’s no surprise that clients inquire about them. However, as with any technology, you must pick the right tool for the right job, and VR and AR are not always the right choice.

VR explained

VR is a technology that allows a person to feel immersed in a 3D virtual world. This is usually achieved using a headset with a separate display for each eye. Unlike a single-screen view of a 3D scene, the slight parallax in views for each eye gives the viewer an immersive, 3D effect. Headsets range from $10 for Google Cardboard with your mobile phone, to well over $1,000 for self-contained headsets.

Movement of the headset wearer’s head is detected by the accelerometer and/or gyroscope in the mobile phone (Google Cardboard) or the proprietary headset. This movement is then used to adjust the view of the two cameras, one for each eye, in the 3D virtual scene. As you move your head, the scene moves.

(The L.S Starrett Company: Athol, MA) -- The L.S. Starrett Company has announced it will open its doors again this year to welcome students and schools, state representatives, and the community to participate in its third annual Manufacturing Day on Fri., Oct. 4, 2019, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at Starrett corporate headquarters, located at 121 Crescent Street, Athol, MA.

October is recognized as Manufacturing Month, when thousands of manufacturers across North America participate in Manufacturing Day to educate millions about modern manufacturing and generate interest in the manufacturing trades in order to build a stronger, skilled workforce.

In a previous column (“Why Innovate? To Make Money, of Course!”), I wrote that in order to make money from innovation, you need to find a good problem to solve. I suggested that a good way to find such a problem is to look at some of your daily tasks and identify the ones you detest. I then suggested that if you hate doing it, then there are probably countless other people who hate it as well, which means that you have identified a problem that needs solving. And, your solution might become a million-dollar idea.