WebXR: capabilities, applications, prospects

In this article, we have collected information about modern digital technology that allows immersion in virtual worlds to explore augmented reality and enjoy exciting experiences WITHOUT using special apps or devices. 

We are talking about WebXR - Web Extended Reality - a leap into the interactive network, offering users around the world opportunities for learning, entertainment, and social interaction in virtual spaces through modern web browsers.

We’ve already written about the features of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VRМ, and mixed reality (MR). Now WebXR is at the edge of bringing what it has to the table, revolutionizing the accessibility of immersive experiences by integrating various technologies and delivering them directly through a browser.

In short: What is WebXR?

It’s a technology standard/API designed to make augmented, virtual, and mixed-reality experiences accessible over the web.

Content created with WebXR can be accessed not only through VR headsets, but also on various devices, including smartphones, tablets, and desktops with internet access, right in their web browsers.

The main advantages and features of WebXR

• WebXR leverages familiar web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to offer developers APIs that enable interaction with VR and AR devices, tracking user movements, and rendering 3D visuals within web browsers.
• WebXR experiences are available directly in a web browser without any additional software. Unlike traditional AR and VR applications which often require specialized hardware and software, WebXR can be accessed instantly (with some limitations), making them ideal for reaching a wide audience.
• Cross-platform compatibility: WebXR experiences work across multiple devices. Developers can create experiences that work across all platforms without having to create separate versions for each platform.
• Easy distribution and updates: Because WebXR applications are delivered over the Internet, users don’t need to install or update any special software. Developers can centrally deploy updates that are immediately available to all users.
• WebXR is not a rendering technology and does not provide functionality to manipulate 3D data or render it on a display. This is an important fact to remember. WebXR effectively handles the technical intricacies of scene rendering, such as timing, scheduling, and perspective management. However, it relies on developers to provide the content, including model loading, texturing, and rendering. Fortunately, tools like WebGL and its associated frameworks simplify this process significantly.

WebXR Technologies and Tools

(by VIVERSE Team) 

To enable immersive web experiences, WebXR leverages a suite of technologies:WebXR Device API: This core API provides the foundation for interacting with XR hardware. It handles device detection, session management, and input/output operations, allowing developers to seamlessly integrate XR experiences into web applications.   

Rendering APIs: WebGL and WebGPU are fundamental to rendering 3D graphics within the browser. They provide low-level tools to manipulate pixels and create visually stunning environments. 

Sensor APIs: These APIs enable tracking user movement, orientation, and input interactions. they provide the data necessary to create realistic and responsive XR experiences.

A wide range of frameworks and libraries are available to facilitate the development process. Frameworks provide structured guidelines and tools to streamline the development workflow, while libraries offer pre-built code components that can be integrated into projects. 

Here are some popular ones: 

Aframe.io: This open-source framework simplifies VR development by utilizing HTML as its foundation. Beginners find it particularly approachable due to its familiar syntax. 

AR.js: A JavaScript library specifically designed for augmented reality. It empowers developers to integrate virtual elements into the user’s real-world environment through features like image tracking, marker tracking, and location-based AR. 

Babylon.js: This versatile tool offers both library and open-source game engine functionalities. It caters to complex projects with extensive resources for creating and managing 3D objects and graphics. 

Ethereal Engine: An end-to-end framework that allows developers to build entire virtual worlds within the browser. It goes beyond visuals, offering functionalities for user management and communication. 

PlayCanvas: An open-source, browser-based platform specifically designed for building 3D games and applications. PlayCanvas is particularly attractive for collaborative projects as it allows real-time editing by teams spread across locations. 

React 360: This framework harnesses React, a popular JavaScript library for building user interfaces. It equips developers to create immersive experiences that run seamlessly within web browsers, integrating UI elements effectively. 

Three.js: This widely used library provides tools and APIs for developing and rendering amazing 3D computer graphics directly within web browsers. Three.js offers a high level of control for experienced developers.

The WebXR Device API, WebGL, and WebGPU, which we mentioned earlier, are integral to using these tools.

WebXR Compatible Browsers

It is worth noting that WebXR is a technology that is constantly evolving and its compatibility may vary depending on the browser and version you are using. Updated versions of most browsers now support the technology: 

Google Chrome: Chrome is a leading proponent of WebXR and has implemented support for the technology in recent versions, so you will need to have the latest version of Chrome installed to use WebXR.

Mozilla Firefox: Firefox has also implemented support for WebXR in its latest versions. As with Chrome, it is important to keep Firefox updated to ensure optimal WebXR support.

Microsoft Edge: Microsoft Edge, a Chromium-based browser, also supports WebXR. As with other browsers, make sure you have the latest version installed to take full advantage of the technology.

Meta Quest 3 (formerly Oculus Browser): A browser designed specifically for Meta headsets (known as Oculus Quest before Zuckerberg's company acquired them), it also supports WebXR. If you have Meta Quest 3, you can access WebXR directly through your web browser. More information is on the documentation page.

Safari: whether you have Apple Vision Pro or are using a visionOS Simulator, you’ll want to turn on support for WebXR. From the Home View, go to Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced > Feature Flags and enable WebXR Device API.

WebXR Application Areas

From a business perspective, the potential of WebXR technology is simply enormous. It can be used to achieve various goals, including attracting a wider range of customers, education and training, organizing virtual tours, interactive product visualization, modeling various situations, etc. For example, let's mention some areas.  

Retail. WebXR can be used to create a virtual fitting room for official brand websites or online stores; this program can track the shape of faces, interiors, bodies, etc. Companies can also create customized, immersive WebXR experiences for different product lines to demonstrate key products or features, helping customers interact and try out products in new interactive ways.

Beauty and Health. WebXR offers a very wide range of opportunities for customers to try different makeup techniques, select hairstyles and model certain looks, select different body care programs, test cosmetics, clothes, shoes, etc.  

Restaurant and hotel business. WebXR technologies allow you to “inspect” hotel rooms, accommodation conditions, transportation, etc. in detail before booking. Food delivery and restaurant menus using these technologies can, for example, show a dish and all its ingredients before ordering, and the ability to customize your own dish, and experiment all you want. 

E-commerce. Leading brands are already offering many exciting options, such as fitting sessions, product testing, virtual reality shopping, and much more, which increases the confidence of buyers in making a purchase. Thus, this significantly reduces the number of returns of goods that do not fit and also increases product satisfaction among those customers who have tried and purchased it online. 

Advertising. WebXR can also be used for designing mascots and simple promos. For example, American beer brand Miller Lite developed an AR mascot that looks like a leprechaun. A smartphone user scans the label of a beer can, and then a digital leprechaun shows up and entertains the user with different tricks.

Education and learning. Learning with WebXR becomes more interesting, attractive, and much more effective than the traditional approach. It is not restrictive, it stimulates the imagination and encourages creative thinking. It promotes student interaction and encourages the exchange of experiences. It is inclusive, allowing students to explore the world in a safe and controlled environment.

Virtual tourism and real estate. Today, museums, amusement parks, and many other visitor destinations around the world are open so that online users from any corner of the world, even without the necessary funds to travel, can travel and interact with these objects without leaving their homes. WebXR allows you to make travel affordable, cost-effective, and exciting. The same applies to the real estate sector, where you can take a virtual tour of objects, interacting with them without physically visiting the place.

Healthcare and medical training. This area is another apt example of using WebXR tools to effectively and easily train medical personnel in certain procedures, and practice techniques, master complex medical equipment, calculate the risks of operations, etc.

Manufacturing. WebXR can provide detailed visualization of production equipment, allowing engineers and technicians to better understand how the equipment works, and how it can be improved or repaired. This helps organizations save weeks or even months of long training, as well as eliminate the human factor and avoid errors.

What are the prospects?  

The broadest. Everything that your mind draws can be recreated in WebXR. And what your imagination can't come up with - AI will "finish". It is with artificial intelligence that the prospects of Extended Reality in the near future are associated: using Generative AI to improve and expand the WebXR experience. 

AI will ensure relevance and accuracy in customer interactions, thereby increasing customer engagement. By leveraging Google’s language services with enhanced language AI, customer interactions become more seamless with improved speech recognition and transcription capabilities. Accessibility, practicality, efficiency, and comprehensiveness are key features of WebXR in the near future. 

CONCLUSIONS

WebXR has the potential to be a very useful and promising thing. Theoretically, by 2024, 5.35 billion Internet users (that’s 66% of the world’s population) have the potential to access WebXR, a combination of virtual and augmented reality on the Internet. But in practice, current user awareness and adoption of this technology remain quite low. 

There are huge opportunities for businesses and companies in this area: by expanding user interaction with WebXR solutions, enterprises can save costs, increase productivity, and increase overall customer satisfaction. 

WebXR is called the next stage of the Internet evolution, which offers both developers and users unlimited opportunities and benefits, new experiences, and revolutionary practices. 

Bring the future of web apps closer together with us, the SmithySoft Team! 

SmithySoft® is a full-cycle software development consultancy, that helps build excellent web products from scratch. We specialize in the design and seamless integration of the solution you need into existing systems and architectures with a mixture of different complex application landscapes - like legacy systems, digital, and SaaS.