Virtual to Reality: AR/VR Testing Strategies

Augmented reality & Virtual reality (AR & VR) earn promising growth in the e-commerce, gaming, and education markets. Organizations are considering both technologies to foster the user experience. Well, both technologies are different, so you might be confused. Through the discussion below, we will make a clear distinction.

At one stage of your life, you might be used to watching 3D movies & amazed by the visuals. Thanks to the evolving technologies that bring us to the place where users can simulate reality through AR and VR. We already witnessed how AR/VR transformed the entertainment and gaming industry.

Nowadays, there is a growing demand for AR/VR in multiple other domains. Organizations are now looking to create and deliver an immersive product experience to the users. With the integration of AR/VR technology, the traditional methods of testing no longer work. The following blog helps you understand the factors in brief.

Importance Of AR/VR Technologies

AR gives a real-world interactive experience, and it also fosters real things in system-generated perception. Computer-generated visuals in real-time can also transform the surroundings and environment. It ranges from video to music, GPS overlays to graphics, and much more. This is termed a powerful tool for branding and gaming since it can be accessible through smartphones.

VR also provides a computer-generated experience that features real-looking objects and images that immerse viewers in their environment. VR provides a similar experience to the real world. You can witness the beauty of this world by using the VT helmet. This is used in multiple fields like entertainment, education & business.

Now, the biggest question that arises is, “Does AR differ from VR?” AR and VR technology are different from each other in terms of the equipment used and the experience they simulate for the users. AR utilizes the real-world environment, whereas VR refers to the virtual experience. In AR, virtual elements are integrated into the physical environment, whereas VR completely allows users to be immersed in the virtual atmosphere.

When it comes to AE, users have all the potential over the physical environment. In VR, the system itself controls the user environment. In VR, to simulate the real-time experience, people have to use an advanced helmet, but in AR, you don’t require anything like this. AR integrates the real world & virtual world into one space, whereas VR only simulates fiction.

Multiple industries use these technologies, and here we are sharing some examples. The popular applications of AR are:

• YouCamMakeup is an online app where users can try real-life cosmetics on their faces virtually by uploading a selfie.
• Have you visited the online site of Ikea Place? So, this mobile application enables users to envision Ikea furniture. It gives the 3D representation of any furniture piece.
• Multiple sport-related games offer real-time statistics. It also improves the athlete's training.

Some businesses that use VR technologies in their application are:

●        Firefighters are allowed to use the VR in any hazardous situation.

●        Currently, the Automobiles & other vehicles are also designed in VR.

●        Architecture also uses VR to design homes.

VR/AR has a bright, promising future. It has the potential to bring widespread usage.

What Are the Challenges of AR/VR Testing?

1.     The Complexity of Immersive Environments

Developing an immersive & realistic virtual environment brings multiple challenges. Social richness and online presence are measured nowadays. Well, current software & hardware struggle to grab these things. Well, now the industry is looking for details, no matter which sector you are in. Photorealism needs scale, materials, lighting, graphics, etc., to meet with real environments. It requires the necessary amount of processing power, storage, data, and optimization to ignore the bugs.

2.     Hardware Diversity and Compatibility Issues

The industry faces multiple issues with the integration of AR/VR in terms of performance and display quality. Hardware limitation is the basic challenge that arises with the integration of AR & VR. The technologies are currently facing widespread challenges in achieving immersion. The display & headsets are not meeting with the complete view because of low latency, refresh rate, etc.

Graphics cards are still too costly for average customers. The amount of storage space needed for VR software, updates, content, and user data keeps growing quickly without corresponding advancements in bandwidth or storage space. The faulty input enabling natural movement, deception, and interaction in virtual worlds is provided via sensors, motors, and hand tracking.

Several devices, interfaces, software platforms, sensors, & content production tools that are not fully interoperable or tailored to function together provide additional obstacles when integrating AR and VR technology. Inadequate compatibility hampers the ease of portability, sharing, and wider acceptance among general users.

3.     User Interaction and Experience Considerations

Another big challenge in the adoption of AR and VR tools is user interactions among users and their experience. The following technologies cause motion sickness and affect stress levels and eye strain, especially when integrated into low-quality hardware and software. Some other challenges are ensuring privacy concerns, health effects, data use, and minimizing the mainstream appeal. Earlier, only young people had adopted VR technology to have a thrilling experience. However, VR/AR now also attracts the general audience, mostly from the gaming industry. It ensures users that the tools are ergonomic, intuitive, and accessible.

It is possible for unreasonable demands for escape to grow, which makes it difficult to operate in the actual world. A captivating storytelling & social interaction or additional engaging experiences are required for content to be financially beneficial. Broader acceptance of virtual reality and augmented reality will depend on how they are priced, packaged, and marketed to look accessible, useful, and attractive rather than quirky. The early users will also be assisted in their journey to mainstream consumers by offering choices for trial before purchasing.

Essential AR/VR Testing Strategies

In VR/AR testing, the IT team performs multiple testing types to offer better coverage. Here, we share some of them along with the applications.

●    Functionality Testing

The IT team performs functionality testing in AR/VR applications to ensure whether the scene rendering is accurate or not. It requires the design and implementation of test cases based on the business necessities and practicality. Through this testing, the IT team also ensures the software meets all the performance requirements.

●    Usability Testing

In usability testing, the IT team verifies whether the use case is aligned with the preferences of the targeted market. When the QA testing runs the tests, it helps to deliver feedback on the usability of the software. It also gives insight into user interactions. So, overall, this testing is performed to assess the intuitiveness & ease of use. It also describes the safety evaluation & user comfort and helps to collect the feedback from the test users.

●    Compatibility Testing

This testing method is necessary for setting up low- to high-end setups. The compatibility testing ensures the app's performance and offers the confidence that the product is performing as expected on the targeted tools & platforms. In compatibility testing, the team checks whether the application is compatible with the hardware, such as controllers, headsets, and other peripherals. It also ensures the app is compatible with the software, such as 3rd party applications and different operating systems.

●    Performance Testing

In performance testing, the QA testing team runs tests on tools by giving different loads & checking whether the application performs under certain pressure or not. This testing also verifies that the software allows better audio and graphic performance. It helps to align the user’s expectations. Performance testing measures the application speed, battery consumption, memory camera, and screen use of any application.

●    Security Testing

When integrating AR VR testing services, there are significant use cases. These tools are even used by the soldiers to train the soldiers. When any single piece of information leaks, it breaches the nation's security system. Nowadays, general users are also giving priority to using secure software/applications. Running security testing is crucial for businesses to track data loss risks and privacy errors. Security testing verifies that the application matches with the data privacy standards. It guarantees users that they can securely transfer payment and data under safety protocols.

Tools and Frameworks for AR/VR Testing

AR & VR have been there over the years, but now it is getting more famous because of the adoption of tech giants. Now, the tech giants are utilizing these tools to deliver quality experiences. Due to this, the AR/VR market has witnessed a sudden hike in the last few years. It widely helps the entertainment and retail businesses. Whether it’s about interactive research or improved gaming experience, AR & VR technology is booming at a rapid pace. The major companies have also adopted this to design an interactive and captivating shopping experience for their users.

Which Are Emerging VR Tools For AR/VR Technologies?

●        Unity

This is an emerging tool for VR development that allows developers to develop games & it also offers immersive VR experiences. It helps to level up the end-user or player's experience. This is referred to as the cross-platform gaming tool that is compatible with various platforms like Mobile, console, and PC.

The following platform offers captivating graphics and allows developers to develop advanced VR applications like PlayStation VR, Swift, etc. In addition, the gaming engine enables developers to develop robust gaming through Drag & drop functionalities without integrating much code.

●        Blender

This is another VR testing tool that developers use to develop animated and visual effects. In addition, it is one of the open-source platforms allowing for public use. It has the unique potential to develop 3D and 2D animations.

●        Unreal Engine

The following tools allow developers to create 3D content. The contents might include films, simulations, games, etc. This tool offers immersive features like advanced lighting, etc., to deliver immersive experiences. It supports cross-platform compatibility, which allows developers to design VR apps that work across different platforms and browsers like mobile and PC.

Which Are Emerging AR Tools For AR/VR Technologies?

●        Vuforia

This is one of the popular AT testing tools that is compatible with iOS devices and Android devices. If you want to launch software that has been chosen by multiple people, then Vuforia is the right option. The following tool delivers image recognition capabilities.

●        Apple AR Kit

This AR kit was launched in 2017 and is famous for developing multiple AR kits or applications for Watch OS, Mac OS, and IOS. The following tool offers multiple features, such as detecting surfaces, estimating light, etc.

●        Wikitude

This tool is necessary for developing AR applications like any other AR testing. This tool also covers extensive features that include image tracking, geolocation, cloud recognition, etc.

Most people have questions about how automation testing differs from traditional testing. So, here we are mentioning the difference in terms of criteria. Let’s take a clear view of it.

When talking about speed, automation testing works quicker than manual testing since manual testing needs human resources. In terms of investment, automation testing requires more charges than manual testing. Similarly, automation testing also offers higher reliability than manual testing. In manual testing, users have to invest in human resources, whereas, in automation testing, users are required to invest in automation engineers and testing tools.

If we compare both types of testing in terms of cost-effectiveness, then we can say automation testing is more cost-effective. The setup for test execution in manual testing takes less time, but automation testing requires a complex test setup. When businesses choose automation testing, there is no chance of late delivery. The test reports in manual testing are mostly updated in the Word & Excel files.

It is not available in any other resource, whereas in automating testing, the stakeholders must check the results of test execution by logging into the automation system. In manual testing, no framework is used, but in automation testing, things are completely changed. Automation testing is mostly used for load, regression, and performance testing. Manual testing is used for ad hoc, usability, and exploratory testing.

AR/VR technology is growing nowadays like never before. To integrate the testing frameworks into development cycles here, you must follow some best practices:

●        Redefining the requirement

Automated testing is utilized effectively when the testing scenarios are extensive. It is achieved by test automation with the scope of activities during the specification phase.

●        Select the ideal framework

The testing automation includes writing test scripts. Select the automaton framework that evaluates the testing efficiency. Integrating automation testing with other 3rd party tools like CI/CD helps you with proper execution.

●        Utilizing automation tools

Select the automation tool based on your project scope. This allows the software to be tested on different cross-platforms for product tests across multiple browser platforms.

●        Complex checking procedure

When integrating frameworks based on the project requirement, incorporate strong procedures for tracking the bugs.

●        Establish Priorities

Prioritizing the test case is another best practice for integrating frameworks in product development. You must prioritize the test cases and execute them in the ideal order.

●        Manage the test reports

The bugs which are tracked and rectified must be written on the test reports regularly. Depending on the test reports, the test automation frameworks will be adjusted.

Which Are the Best Practices for AR/VR Testing?

1.     Developing a Comprehensive Testing Plan

The first step for AR/VR testing is determining the requirements for your AR/VR project. Establish clear, quantifiable targets that are consistent with user expectations as well as project goals. This clarity will help your testing team navigate the development process. Prepare a clear and comprehensive testing plan encompassing all your objectives and goals.

2.     Emphasizing User-Centric Testing Approaches

In immersive technology, the user interface (UX) is crucial. Pay particular attention to factors such as intuitive interfaces, realistic connections, and comfortable wearability (for VR and MR). Offering an engaging experience for users is an essential component. This is crucial in your testing approach.

With a wide range of devices utilized by the AR industry, cross-platform interoperability is critical. Your QA approach should guarantee that the app delivers an identical user experience across devices and platforms. Simulating real-world settings is critical for AR, VR, and MR testing. This entails testing in multiple lighting settings, physical areas, and user interactions to guarantee reliable performance in all scenarios.

3.     Continuous Testing and Iteration Based On Feedback

The popularity of virtual reality, MR, & augmented reality is quickly growing. Keep up with the newest innovations and apply them to the quality assurance process. This might involve new testing techniques, forthcoming hardware, or upgrades to software standards. Quality assurance is an ongoing activity. Gather user and stakeholder input regularly. You must also utilize it to fine-tune and develop your application. This method of iteration is vital in a dynamic industry like AR or VR.

The tools for testing AR, VR, and MR technologies advance with them. Automated testing tools solutions help improve your QA process by generating reliable, repeatable testing scenarios. These technologies may replicate a variety of scenarios and user interactions, allowing you to detect and resolve issues more effectively. However, keep in consideration that automated instruments are meant to enhance, not replace, human testing, particularly in terms of user experience.

4.     Emerging Trends in AR/VR technologies

Mixed reality has recently gained popularity in the healthcare, education, retail, and tourist industries, even during the coronavirus epidemic. For example, in healthcare, it has been tested or used in virtual-home-based treatment and surgery. In this scenario, it is utilized in conjunction with other technologies, including video, sensors, and displays.

Virtual reality might be widely used to treat individuals with phobias as well as anxiety disorders. It is employed in autism therapy to assist users in fostering interaction with other people. Patients suffering from visual or cognitive problems are diagnosed using eye-tracking technology based on augmented and virtual reality.

5.     Anticipated Challenges in Testing Future AR/VR Applications

In AR/VR testing, user expectations and knowledge are important; if there is a defect in the technology, the user may simply call it out via their experience. For example, in a flight simulator, when you overlook even the smallest detail, an expert pilot could point out the error.

AR/VR apps employ cutting-edge software, hardware, and firmware that are not found in standard programs and do not contribute to the traditional user interface. Our test strategy should include elements such as longevity of batteries, usage of electricity, firmware, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth overheating, security, and others.

The AR/VR application constitutes a complete black-box test; the input actions and output results may be unclear until all other aspects are constructed around the user experience, and finding and fixing a flaw after all that effort would be costly.

AR/VR Testing QA engineers may endure motion sickness, visual impairment, and headaches. To avoid injuries, testing should last 30 minutes and be observed during the entire period. With these dangers in mind, it is anticipated the QA team will never be able to keep up the test backlog given such a limited testing period, yet you cannot put our staff's health at risk due to the deadline.

The Role of AI and Machine Learning in Enhancing Testing Strategies

AI in software testing greatly improves efficiency and speed. By automating repeated processes, AI allows testers to concentrate on difficult issues while reducing time spent on routine testing. Its capacity to rapidly examine massive datasets enables speedier detection of patterns and abnormalities. AI-powered testing solutions can adapt and profit from new data, resulting in ongoing improvements in test coverage and accuracy.

This leads to faster problem identification, a quicker introduction of quality programs, and shorter time-to-market, thus improving the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the software development process.

Next-Level AR/VR: Achieve Mastery Through Testing Today!

AR & VR are two rapidly growing technologies. Testing AR VR application testing services requires collaborative efforts between the teams, including software engineers, project managers, UX designers, etc. If you want to test your AR/VR application, then it’s best to hire an IT team. By collaborating with the ideal team, you can create a successful roadmap for AR/VR application testing.