The ways in which businesses are harnessing the power of XR is growing fast. But XR has many more applications beyond just business.

Within areas such as entertainment, heritage and psychotherapy, leaders are finding new ways to harness the technology. Join us as we take a look at some of the most impressive uses of XR in recent times. 

1. The Dawn of Art

XR may be the future, but it can also bring us closer to the past – the very distant past.

In 2022 film director Pierre Zandrowicz partnered with Google Arts & Culture to bring their historical VR experience The Dawn of Art to life. Transporting viewers back in time, The Dawn of Art takes you on an immersive journey into the lives of early cave-dwellers. 

The VR experience recreates the Chauvet Pont d'Arc cave – the site of some of the earliest recorded human activity between 25,000 and 35,000 years ago. Inside, you'll find beautifully rendered reproductions of the famous cave paintings, depicting Palaeolithic animals such as bison and horse and even predators like cave lions and bears.

3. Rekorderlig's Rekorder-land

In 2019, Swedish cider company Rekorderlig created an augmented reality experience to promote their beverages. Using the Magic Leap AR headset, attendees at the Underbelly festival in London's Southbank could explore an interactive recreation of the Swedish midsummer. 

Holographic displays were overlaid over a pop-up set designed to transport the users into a fragrant land of sensory wonders, all while sampling Rekorderlig's new range of botanical ciders.

Rekorder-land is an example of how companies can leverage XR technology to build engaging activities around their products while creating one-off memorable experiences.

3. Einride's XR-powered vehicles

This Swedish company has been busy streamlining modern transportation. In recent years Einride unveiled their driverless shipping vehicles, powered by a mix of AI and XR. These futuristic-looking trucks are autonomous, but can also be driven remotely from a workstation. With XR technology, operators can track the progress of Einride vehicles and stay up to date with IoT data in real time. 

4. Alberta's grain elevators

VR has the potential to preserve our history and protect cultural heritage sites.

In Alberta, Canada, grain elevators were once an integral part of the country's economy. These towers were used to store, sort and load grain for global shipments by rail. Since 1950, the number of grain elevators in Alberta has dropped from more than 5,000 to 120. 

Students from the University of Calgary have teamed with the Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Centre to digitally preserve these historic buildings. The project uses advanced 3D modelling technology to record a detailed interior and exterior record of two iconic grain elevators in Nanton. 

The 3D models will be used to create a virtual model of the elevators, allowing future generations to experience these amazing buildings long after they're gone. 

5. Fighting racism and prejudice with VR

Teacher and father of three Michael Avis has been working alongside VR and AI company Bodyswaps to create anti-racism VR modules. The project aims to help break down the social barriers preventing people from challenging prejudice in everyday life.

The modules consist of VR environments in which users are required to identify microaggressions and problematic language used by an avatar. They are then prompted to make specific verbal interventions aimed at helping the user articulate what was wrong with the avatar's behaviour. 

The software can analyse the user's response and help them identify ways in which they might improve their approach.   

6. VR and psychedelics

Now we know what you're thinking: "This is getting a bit trippy, man."

Don't worry, though – this isn't some drug-fuelled party experience. Researchers are beginning to test VR systems in conjunction with psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PP). This means that in supervised, controlled environments, VR headsets are being employed to create effective therapy environments for patients undergoing PP. 

Of course, we don't suggest you try this yourself. These are clinically controlled studies that must be supervised.

But how does it work? In one study, participants were invited to take psilocybin (magic mushrooms) and, towards the end of the "trip", put on VR headsets. 

Inside the VR environment, they entered a serene peaceful landscape with bright stars overhead. Users could "grab" these stars and record voice memos about their experiences, label and theme them, and gradually create a constellation of stars that thematically reflected their psychedelic experience. 

The intention is to create a "mind map" that users can then return to in order to unpack and make sense of their thoughts and feelings alongside a therapist. These ideas are still in their early phases, but – yet again – VR applications continue to show promise in unexpected areas.

7. Fatboy Slim in VR

VR concerts are becoming an important way for artists to connect with their fans. Mega stars like Billie Eilish and Travis Scott are already leveraging VR to create unique fan experiences. And the most recent VR convert is Fatboy Slim.

The big beat pioneer created a fully immersive rave in the Metaverse on 30 March. It was described as a journey into the mind of Fatboy Slim, one in which fans' avatars could dance along to the hits while taking the trip deep into the artist's psyche!

Ready to have your mind blown? Browse augmented reality glasses and more in our online store. We stock industry-leading XR wearables by manufacturers such as Microsoft, Magic Leap and mōziware.