Public First has worked with Meta and techUK to produce a new report on the immersive tech sector across the UK. The research reflects Public First’s independent findings from a series of industry workshops hosted in Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester, along with new public opinion polling and expert interviews. 

The research identifies barriers to adoption and offers policy recommendations to enable the UK to take full advantage of immersive technology across three sectors – education, healthcare and urban planning. 

Highlights:

• Overall, 59% of UK adults felt that the public sector could benefit in some way from investing more in immersive technology, rising to 67% amongst 25-34 year olds.
• Education & Skills: 34% of UK adults said they were excited about the possibility of using immersive technologies to help students learn about new topics in the classroom. Key policy recommendations for education include improving digital infrastructure and upskilling teachers and training providers.
• Healthcare: 31% of UK adults said they were excited about the possibility of using immersive technologies to help train a surgeon to safely conduct brain surgery. Key policy recommendations for healthcare include expediting a national vision for XR in healthcare and appointing XR champions in each NHS Trust.
• Urban Planning: 27% of UK adults said they were excited about the possibility of using immersive technologies to conduct virtual tours before buying or renting a property. Key policy recommendations include appointing a digital planner at each Local Planning Authority as well as Embracing XR as a master planning tool.

Laura Foster, Head of Tech and Innovation at techUK, commented:

“The adoption of immersive technologies in public services – whether through delivering more effective training for emergency services, or providing an alternative way to understand and engage with plans for developments in an area – can bring tangible benefits to the local communities across the UK in which they are being adopted.

That’s why we’re very excited to have supported Public First’s research on the use of immersive technologies in public services, which showcases the many different use cases which these innovative technologies can support.”

Richard Earley, Head of UK Content Regulation Policy at Meta commented: 

“Immersive technologies like the Metaverse are already transforming how people access public services.These reports give clear recommendations for Governments in the UK to make healthcare, education, and our urban environments more engaging and better value for money. With our world-leading tech and creative sectors, the UK is uniquely well placed to help everyone benefit from this transformation.”