Immersive Learning and the Attention Economy

19 April 2023

While intrinsically linked to hand and eye-tracking, attention tracking allows headset solution developers to create ‘heatmaps’ of human behaviour. These psychological blueprints create quantitative and qualitative analyses of human-computer interactions, leading to a greater awareness of measurable behavioural responses to stimuli.

According to sources, such technologies create the Internet of Behaviour (IoB). This concept is where XR devices and infrastructure can interpret psychological human interfacing with Internet of Things (IoT) while users are interacting with virtual content. VR, AR, MR, and XR devices can also collect biometric data from headset users via three and six degrees of flight (3DoF/ 6DoF) sensors, hand and eye tracking sensors, accelerometers, handset controllers, and others. Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and cloud computing technologies can then relay data onto data analysis software to process and analyse the findings.

These predictive roadmaps can illustrate interactions with the Metaverse over time, learn from human user bases, and compile metrics for performance, attention, and user experience (UX) data.

Why Attention Tracking?

Executives have voiced their support for attention tracking, which provided optimal immersive experiences in the Metaverse. This would lead to more natural, engaging content based on human interactions with digital assets.

A Dentsu research report found that content such as advertisements and training modules failed to fully capture audiences’ complete attention. According to findings, viewers only looked at content for one-third of total viewing time, mostly with peripheral viewing. Many people also completely avoided adverts, namely with television and less on mobile devices.

In retail, awareness of such interactions can greatly improve immersive experiences in metaverse stores, whether on Decentraland, Sandbox, or others. This would allow virtual shops to increase their revenue streams and proliferate larger sales volumes by boosting engagement with audiences. This also applies to real-world shops leveraging XR experiences to shoppers in-store.

However, trainers and educators can measure attention span by determining the number of pixels in adverts viewers observed while immersed in creative content. Hand and eye tracking technologies can then analyse feedback in real-time to generate key insights for companies and instructors.

ARuVR Instruction and Attention Tracking

Companies such as ARuVR can benefit from the attention economy as many of its industry verticals rely on analytical insights from headset wearers. Currently, the London-based enterprise works with manufacturing, retail, educational, training, and military firms to deliver immersive instruction.

With attention tracking, companies and instructors can leverage full-spectrum insights from their students to pinpoint instances of diminished or increased attention. These changes in behaviour are key to tailoring content to improve KPIs, track learner progress, or offer more detailed feedback.

Attention computing also allows users in immersive spaces to not only monitor, but express attention and intent to others. Doing so could also empower collaborative efforts, one-to-one meetings, research, training, and immersive healthcare with greater empathetic interactions.

Currently, ARuVR offers insights for its client base with a data tracking dashboard. This instrumental tool allows instructors to track a learner’s progress across XR experiences. It also provides KPI measurements and organises data into digestible insights.

Previous data collected from training modules can then influence future learning sessions. With ARuVR’s drag-and-drop authoring system, instructors can quickly change or amend bespoke content on-the-fly. This gives them the edge needed to reshape learner outcomes for higher quality results.

These analytics were crucial to training employees at major firms such as Coca-Cola, who provided upskilling for workers at factories.

As ARuVR continues to lead with its instructional platform, firms will profit from those supplying and delivering such tools. Firms tapping such tools will gain clearer insights, greater outcomes for instructors, and more profitable returns on investment (ROI) with attention tracking. These solutions will epitomise the phrase ‘measurable success’ with deliverable results.