Thinking Ahead About XR C H A R T I

While the user’s device points onto the streets, the kangaroo can appear to guide the user toward the zoo and point out interesting facts about the city on the way there. [...] A pilot program brought forth by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in tandem with RTI International and the White Cross Fire Department, aims to train these firefighters using AR technology.14 The goal of this approach is to develop the skills necessary to navigate the pump panel and connect the hydrant to the hose with a more innate sense using muscle memory. [...] Research is important, and a report from Stanford University notes, “Researchers, scholars, and VR developers need to examine the developmental issues related to the intersection of the immersive features and content of IVR (immersive virtual reality) further to determine what use of the technology are appropriate for which ages and how IVR can be used to enhance youth’s lives.”38 Some of the conc. [...] Vannevar Bush issued a report titled The Endless Frontier to the president of the United States.43 The report highlighted the role of science in reaching many national goals and providing a guideline for thinking about it in the context of public policy. [...] For instance, the NSF’s America’s Seed Fund program has VR and AR listed as one of the topics it funds.44 The R&D policies of the federal government are critical to the future of the technology.