VR is still a rapidly evolving technology. As a result, some business leaders are reluctant to invest heavily into something they feel might be a passing trend.
But the evidence is clear—VR is a powerful tool for businesses, organizations, and individuals. To help you better understand VR’s potential, ArborXR has compiled a few case studies showcasing how top companies are already using this technology to their advantage.
4 Inspiring Virtual Reality (VR) Case Studies
1. Stanford University: Improving Educational Outcomes with Immersive Tech
In 2020, Stanford University shut down its campus due to COVID-19. This closure forced the university to tackle a huge challenge head-on—how do you keep students engaged and ensure everyone has equal access to quality education?
To address this issue, Stanford turned to immersive technology.
Solution
Stanford University has been involved with XR since 2003, but the pandemic drove large-scale adoption across campus.
The Erik Brown-led Stanford Digital Education (SDE) teamed up with Stanford XR experts, and a student team called StanfordXR to make it happen. They created VR experiences that immersed students in various scenarios, from regular classes to inclusivity training sessions, campus tours, and empathy training.
However, Stanford needed a way to scale their VR fleet deployment, and ArborXR was there to help.
With ArborXR, they could easily deploy and manage their VR fleet, control student experiences within the VR environment, and install content remotely at scale. Teachers could also access detailed headset stats, giving them insights into student engagement and responses to different modules.
Result
Stanford University’s VR programs successfully bridged the gap between student-teachers during and after the pandemic. Plus, they made learning more engaging and helped students build the muscle memory needed for better retention.
2. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta & Futurus: Raising Funds With VR
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta had a big dream—a 70-acre campus with over 400 patient rooms and 19 floors dedicated to specialized pediatric care. To make it a reality, they needed to raise about $1 billion in just five years.
With so many nonprofits vying for similar donations, they knew they had to do something special to stand out.
Solution
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta joined forces with Futurus to create 3D VR prototypes of their planned campus. They used this virtual environment to immerse potential donors, giving them a firsthand look at how their donations would be used and the positive impact on the hospital and patients’ lives.
This approach was a big step up from the old-school architectural models and renderings they previously used.
One important takeaway from this success story is the value of a good XR partner. Futurus is known for being deeply involved in their clients’ VR projects from planning through implementation—and this is a common thread among trusted enterprise ISVs.
Looking for top-notch XR developers and ISVs? Our XR directory connects you with the best in the business.
Result
Just three years into their campaign, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta had already raised nearly $850 million. They even received a significant boost with a $200 million donation from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.
3. Olivia Bistro & Smooth Soft: Meeting High-Volume Training Needs
Restaurants—huge chains with high foot traffic—are fast-paced environments. There’s barely any time to train new hires on their roles and responsibilities properly. As a result, many new employees get frustrated and quit within weeks.
At Olivia Bistro, the situation got so bad that nearly half of the new hires left within a week.
Solution
To tackle this problem, Smooth Soft helps QSRs create VR training modules to train new employees quickly and efficiently at scale.
How does it work?
Smooth Soft’s training modules immerse employees in a virtual environment that mirrors the restaurant’s food line, including all necessary tools and ingredients. This helps familiarize employees with the exact position of necessary materials, which is a big deal in a fast-paced food line environment.
Plus, a robot instructor guides trainees through all the necessary procedures in VR. This lets them practice different scenarios and make mistakes without any real-world consequences.
But there were some challenges:
- With restaurants spread across hundreds of locations, Smooth Soft needed an easy way to install their modules and push updates. Manual installation wasn’t practical for so many devices.
- They also needed a way for their clients to manage headsets and control what users see and do.
That’s why they turned to ArborXR. According to Rock Lavasseur, Co-Founder at Smooth Soft:
“With ArborXR, you can see things down to a granular level – the location, session usage, battery life, and even see if any have WiFi issues… If there’s a problem, you can remotely view what users see so you can help with tech support.”
Results
Smooth Soft’s training module has shown excellent results for many restaurants. Here’s what they’ve achieved so far:
- Zero food waste—no actual food is used for training.
- Training time dropped from 30-40 hours to just 3-6 hours so that restaurants can train more employees within a short period. Olivia Bristo was able to train 100 employees in the 12 months using VR.
- A significant drop in employee turnover.
4. City College Plymouth & Bodywaps: Scaling Soft Skills Training
City College Plymouth needed a better way to improve the employability of SEN students. They realized that they needed a safe and judgment-free zone to practice and hone several soft skills, and XR seemed like the perfect solution.
They turned to BodySwaps to help them implement the program.
Solution
BodySwaps provided City College Plymouth with training modules to build various soft skills.
The modules were rolled out in phases over two academic years. First-year students participated in an introductory experience to familiarize them with the basics. In the second year, the real action began, with soft skills training integrated into subjects like business studies, social work, and social care.
Result
71% of students felt more confident in their communication skills, and 77% identified specific soft skills they needed to improve.
Manage Your VR Headsets With ArborXR
VR is making waves across various industries and delivering impressive results.
In all of these success stories, there are a few common threads:
- Working with trusted developers and technology partners
- Adopting an XR MDM that helps you scale while retaining complete control
At ArborXR, we give businesses the tools they need to harness the power of XR as a tool for growth, innovation, and success. Whether you’re looking for XR developers or a tool to manage, administer, and deploy your VR headsets, we’ve got you covered. Sign up for our 30-day free trial or browse our XR developer directory for the perfect partner to bring your VR ideas to life.