The AR cost answer really depends on how you are using it. There are more practical applications and some that are more advanced. I personally am a Zappar fan. If you use the Designer or Widget functions of Zappar, your cost is low – less than $500 a year for the software and unlimited zapcodes. If you want to build more complex AR and use their Studio software, the price is around $1100 a year. So it depends on what you plan to do with it.
I have also spent a lot of time researching VR and there are tremendous use cases out there. VR is a great way to create connected learning across distanced locations. Some of the more practical ways are 360 video turned into a VR experience to acclimate collegiate long distance learners to the home base campus. Using VR to create engagement and boost the feeling of connectedness while increasing learning is win-win all around.
Other more complex use cases for VR include safety training for high powered construction machines or other dangerous professions. Using VR dramatically lowers risk and cost of this type of critical training.
With the exception of 360 video VR, this gets significantly more expensive. And that is largely because the skill set needed to build is more expensive. But I see a solution on the horizon. Companies are seeing the need for VR in learning and they want to get into that space, but cost is prohibitive. Learning doesn’t make money for MOST businesses. So VR creation companies are beginning to create easily customizable libraries of content. This way the cost is lower as people look to purchase the content. Base price plus small fee if you want to do slight customizations, making
it more affordable. Talespin is a company out of SoCal that is making strides in this area especially around insurance claims management training. Fast forward 5 years and this could be the way we acquire VR for our business.
Hope that helps!
If you would like to hear more about AR and VR, check out my recent conversation with Train Like You Listen.
Hi Betty,
I’ve been working in L&D for over 20 years and I’ve seen my share of shiny and new come and go. A month ago, someone set up a VR demo from a company called Strivr for me. They focused on manager and professional skills development. Walking into the meeting, skeptical was an understatement.
I’ve used VR before, so the headset and hand/motion trackers weren’t unique. I was briefed on a scenario that I had an under-performing employee who was on a performance plan and I needed to let her go. I was transported to an office and she sat in front of me. I began talking and when I would stop, she would reply.
The traditional role play aspects came through for me immediately in a single person setting. I could see a minor use for this.
Then it all changed. The VR flipped around and I got to see myself from the employee point-of-view. My interactions were recorded, I could see the silhouette of my head and hand movements. I heard all of my words and body language recorded and I could immediately see where I’d improve the interactions.
We aren’t ready for the technology (yet) but it opened my eyes to the possibility. I’m not sure about the cost factor as I didn’t get to that point based on our maturity as an organization; however, I know they are building a toolkit to allow users to write their own branching scenarios.
Where I thought VR was a shiny object, I’m starting to see that we might just be scratching the surface.