Registration closes on 15 April 2024 at 5:00pm EST

Online via Zoom

CEU Credits: 0.2 CEUs

Course Description

Summary: In the emerging area of Extended Reality (XR), which encompasses the spectrum of Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR), the technological landscape is rapidly evolving.  In this course, you will get a high-level understanding of XR technologies, exploring the evolution, market trends, and transformative potential fueled by 5G and the future 6G.  A brief look at the research and industry challenges facing this technology and potential solutions will be shared followed by an exciting glimpse of the future of immersive technologies.

The course begins with an introduction to XR, diving deep into its history, evolution, and the distinctive features that set AR, VR, and MR apart. As the narrative unfolds, participants will explore the pioneering use cases across sectors, from gaming and healthcare to retail and real estate. Coupled with an analytical overview of global XR adoption and sales figures, the course paints a vivid picture of the current market trends and the potential industries standing on the brink of an XR revolution. Integral to this discussion is the transformative role of 5G and the forthcoming 6G in enhancing and accelerating these XR experiences.

However, as with any emergent technology, XR faces a multitude of challenges. You will explore both the hardware and software hurdles, such as weight constraints, battery life, content immersion, and user experience nuances. The complexities extend to concerns surrounding latency, real-time processing demands, and the myriad health issues from prolonged XR interactions. Addressing these challenges, the curriculum advances into the communication solutions arena. Here, the profound impact of 5G, with its promise of low latency and high bandwidth, comes to the forefront. Simultaneously, an exciting glimpse into the potentials of 6G provides insight into the expected enhancements and benefits over its predecessor. The intricacies of XR communication are further discussed around necessary infrastructure modifications, as well as pivotal considerations around data privacy and security.

A deep dive into end-to-end architectures follows, from their core components to the seamless integration with communication networks. Whether it's the nuances of cloud and edge-based XR processing or the meticulous design of 5G & 6G infrastructure, participants will gain an in-depth understanding of the technological backbone supporting XR experiences. The course ends on future research challenges. Here, attendees will discuss the next milestones in communication for XR, and exploring the realms of advanced haptic feedback, multi-user XR environments, and the ethical implications of crafting immersive alternate realities. Through this course, learners will be equipped with the knowledge and insights to actively participate in and contribute to the ongoing technological renaissance.

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Student Discount
Students use promo code STUDENT24 during checkout to save 15% on your registration fee.*

*This promotion is only available to student members and cannot be combined with other course promotions or discounts.

Who Should Attend

This course will be of most interest to engineers, researchers, and academics who want to gain insights into the latest strategic technology insights in extended reality.  It will be of particular interest to those working in telecommunications and extended reality as vendors, operators, supply chain and test and measurement companies.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate

Knowledge of the basic architectural components of mobile networks, such as base stations, core networks, and the principles of radio frequency (RF) communication, is essential. Participants should also be familiar with the key concepts of network performance metrics, such as latency, throughput, and reliability, and how they impact application performance in AR and VR scenarios. A basic understanding of design choices in VR and AR are helpful, but not required.

Learning Objectives

Participants in this course will gain an understanding of:

• Difference between AR, VR and XR
• Applications and market opportunities
• Communication technology challenges
• Connectivity and edge cloud solutions offered today
• Open research challenges

Course Content

A general course outline follows:

• Introduction to AR/VR and 5G/6G
• Metaverse Applications & Market Trends
• Overview of Important Technology Challenges
• Communications Technologies & Architectures
• Future Research and Innovation Challenges

Course Materials

A copy of the instructor's PowerPoint slides is included. Access to the streaming video recording is provided for 20 business days after the course has been taught. Earn 0.2 IEEE Continuing Education Units for participating and completing the post-course evaluation.

The web conference invitation is sent to each participant upon registration. Course materials will be emailed to participants at least one business day in advance of the course date.

Course Cancellation and Refund Policy: Requests for online course cancellations must be received 3 business days prior to the course date for a full refund. Once course materials have been shared with a course participant cancellation and refund requests cannot be accommodated.

Contact Us

For general inquiries and technical support, contact Tara McNally, Certification and Professional Education Manager.