Consumer Adoption of Cross Reality Systems

Cross reality systems bring together the sensor and actuator networks of ubiquitous computing with the social and creative spaces of virtual worlds. Although the strengths of ubiquitous computing and virtual worlds complement each other, their primary weaknesses are the same: their full utility isn't realized until the technology is fully developed and deployed, but nobody wants to develop and deploy the technology without benefitting from immediate utility. This paper argues that this classic “chicken and egg” problem will be overcome in fits and starts as consumer expectations evolve. The paper provides a firsthand overview and examples of successes and failures in the cross reality market and offers suggestions for future research directions.