Why is spatial content becoming more prevalent?

When I sat down to write a series of posts outlining the different ways to get spatial and holographic media into a Looking Glass display, I realized I was putting the cart before the horse. Before diving into the 'how', I would first need to address the 'why'. Why is there a growing need for spatial content? What's driving this shift in the digital landscape and the age old question: why do all of us here at Looking Glass believe that this shift is coming?

In case you're new here — the team here has been chasing the dream of the hologram since 2014. For a decade, we've witnessed and participated in the gradual shift in how we interact with digital content and what dimensionality that digital content. It's a journey that often reminds me of the transition from black-and-white to color television.

Back in the '50s and '60s, color TV faced a classic chicken-and-egg dilemma. The sets were expensive, so few people owned them. With a limited audience, there wasn't much incentive to produce color content. Sound familiar? It's a challenge we've grappled with (and still to do this day do) in the world of spatial displays and content.

But here's where the analogy starts to diverge. The color TV transition took the better part of two decades. The shift to spatial content? It's appear to be happening at a much faster clip, and for good reason.

Technological advancements have dramatically lowered the barriers to entry. This transition hasn't been entirely linear but back in 2014, making a 3D application in software like Unity, Blender or Unreal was somewhat accessible if you were willing to put in the time and effort to learn the programs. What once required extremely specialized, expensive gear is no longer the case. In addition, the computational power needed to render complex 3D environments can now be found in everyday devices (yes, even the iPhones sitting in your pocket). This democratization of technology is unleashing a wave of creativity, with more people than ever able to produce and consume spatial content.

Beyond just that, the applications for spatial content extend far beyond entertainment, which helps to add fuel to the fire. In fields like healthcare, education, and engineering, the ability to visualize complex data or concepts in three dimensions is something that many have dreamed of for decades, and there's finally an ecosystem that enables these workflows to come to life. Today, a medical student can examine a detailed holographic model of the human heart without spending countless hours on dissections. An architect can walk clients through a building before ground is broken. These aren't just "cool tech demos" anymore – they're practical real-world applications that are changing how we work and learn.

The recent entry of big players like Apple with the Apple Vision Pro has undoubtedly accelerated interest in spatial computing. But it's important to note that this isn't just about VR headsets or AR apps. It's about a fundamental shift in how we interact with digital information. At Looking Glass, we've always believed that the future of displays is holographic – allowing us to see and interact with digital objects as if they were real, without the need for headgear.

As this shift gains momentum, we're also seeing the emergence of platforms dedicated to spatial content. Our very own Blocks platform, for instance, allows anyone to view and share 3D content, even on traditional 2D screens. This accessibility is crucial for building the ecosystem needed for widespread adoption.

The content problem – the lack of readily available 3D and holographic media – is starting to resolve itself. As more creators get their hands on the tools and platforms for spatial content, we're starting to see an explosion of creativity and even more practical applications for 3D. From digital artists pushing the boundaries of their medium to scientists visualizing complex data sets, the applications are as varied as they are exciting.

And in case you missed it, we've seen some exciting examples from our community recently. The Manchester School of Technology has implemented 3D displays as part of their Game Design and Graphics program, revolutionizing how students learn and create. We've also featured Josette Seitz, an artist pushing the boundaries of this brand new artistic medium. Her artwork has been exhiited in Looking Glass Portraits at festivals like Burning Man and the Texas Eclipse Festival. Josette, who comes from an XR background, notes, "Coming from an XR background where 3D spatialized environments enhance immersion and allow better visualization, I have felt for years that improving physical and digital 2D art has been missed."

This is why I decided to pause my original series on getting content into Looking Glass displays. The 'how' is important, but understanding the 'why' – why spatial content is becoming more prevalent, why it matters, and why now is the tipping point – that's the foundation everything else builds upon.

So to return to the original question posed in the title of this piece – why is spatial content becoming more prevalent? Our opinion is that 3D is simply... more. There seems to be no good counterargument that anything in three dimensions is more than the sum of its 2D parts.

Let's break it down:

1. The limitations of 2D: No matter how high the resolution of screens becomes (and to be real with you, our eyes can't really discern the difference between 4K and 8K anyway), we're still constrained by flat images. What's the next frontier beyond these 2D representations?
2. Technological progress: The bits and atoms of computing are advancing faster than we can keep up with. This rapid progress is lowering the barriers for creating new content and even converting existing 2D content into 3D.
3. Enhanced detail and experience: Improvements in technology have historically unlocked more detail and better experiences for users. 3D content is the natural progression of this trend, offering a richer, more immersive experience than its 2D counterparts.
4. Democratization of creation: With the advent of powerful computers and AI tools, the ability to create content with depth is no longer limited to specialists. This democratization is leading to an explosion of creativity and applications.
5. Real-world applications: At Looking Glass, we're witnessing the emergence of numerous use cases across various industries. From education to healthcare, from art to engineering, 3D content is finding practical applications that go beyond mere novelty.
6. A new paradigm: Just as color TV transformed how we consumed visual media, spatial content is poised to revolutionize our interaction with digital information. It's not just an incremental improvement – it's a fundamental shift in how we perceive and interact with digital content.

All of us here at Looking Glass – team and community members included – are fortunate to have a front-row seat to this new wave. We're seeing firsthand how these technological advancements are enabling a wide array of use cases, many of which were barely imaginable just a few years ago.

In the coming posts, we'll dive deep into the myriad ways to create, convert, and view holographic content for Looking Glass displays. For now, I want to leave you with this thought: We're not just witnessing a technological shift; we're part of a complete revolution in the way humans interact with computers. Just as color breathed life into the visual media landscape, spatial content is set to redefine our relationship with digital information. It's not merely an evolution of what we see – it's a fundamental change in how we experience, understand, and interact with the digital world, and maybe in some ways, how this also shapes the way we interact with the natural one. The future isn't just bright or even just three-dimensional – it's a new reality where the boundaries between the physical and digital blur, opening up possibilities we're only beginning to imagine. Are you ready to step into this new dimension?