What is XR training - and does it actually work?

XR training is hands-on learning in a virtual replica of the real world: trainees put on a VR headset and practise a real procedure - operating a machine, servicing an EV, handling hazardous goods - as many times as they need, with no materials used up and no real-world risk. We have shown that it works: across more than 20 studies with over 800 trainees, AtlasVR training delivered 40% fewer errors and 3.25x faster task completion than traditional training.

XR, VR, AR: what's the difference?

XR stands for extended reality, the umbrella term for every technology that brings the real and the virtual world together:

• Virtual reality (VR) - you see only a virtual environment. With a VR headset you can, for example, visit a faithful replica of a workshop without leaving the classroom. The aim of VR is that you are fully immersed in the virtual world and can therefore concentrate much better on the content.
• Augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) - the two terms are often used interchangeably and describe the blending of the real and the virtual world. Even a head-up display in a car counts as AR or MR. In XR training, though, AR and MR are mostly about getting virtual hints and objects while carrying out a work procedure: a digital checklist in view, say, or an arrow showing which button on the machine to press next. AR and MR work on VR headsets with passthrough, but also on tablets or smartphones.

For learning whole procedures, VR is what most training uses: trainees stand in a complete replica of their workplace and work in it with both hands. AtlasVR training runs on off-the-shelf VR headsets such as Meta Quest 3, Quest 3S and PICO 4 Ultra Enterprise.

How does XR training work?

Instead of learning on live equipment or from slides in a classroom, the trainee works inside a 3D replica of the real task. They operate the virtual environment with controllers or with hand tracking, follow the real steps and get immediate feedback - building routine and judgement before they ever use the real equipment.

An AtlasVR training has three parts:

• The simulation - exact machines and procedures, built bespoke or generated from your own videos with our AI platform.
• The VR headset - delivered pre-configured, so you need no XR or IT expertise.
• The dashboard - each trainee's progress, plus a Live View of what is happening in the VR headset right now. So you know who is genuinely ready.

What does a training session look like?

1. The trainee puts on the VR headset and starts the training.
2. They stand in the virtual version of their workplace and work through the procedure step by step.
3. A mistake gets immediate feedback, and the step can be repeated until it sticks.
4. Instructors watch along in the dashboard's Live View and step in where it helps, even with several trainees at once.

Why use XR instead of traditional training?

Traditional hands-on training has four stubborn problems. XR removes them:

• Downtime - training on the real line stops production and ties up machines. In XR you train any time, even before the equipment arrives on site.
• Risk - high voltage, work at height and hazardous goods are hard to practise safely for real. In XR trainees practise exactly those steps with no real-world risk.
• Materials and expert time - no consumables, no equipment wear, and your experts no longer give the same demonstration over and over.
• Too few repetitions - on the real machine there is often time for one or two runs. In XR trainees repeat a procedure until it sticks.

Does XR training actually work?

Yes. AtlasVR is an ETH Zürich spin-off with 32 scientific papers behind its methods. Across more than 20 studies with over 800 trainees, compared with traditional training, the results were:

• 40% fewer errors
• 3.25x faster task completion
• 30% more quality-compliant output

Why it transfers so well to the real job: trainees practise the actual procedure on a faithful replica of your equipment, with far more repetitions than the real equipment could ever allow. And in VR, nothing distracts from the content. The studies and figures are set out in detail under Why AtlasVR.

What can you train in XR?

Anything hands-on and procedural. AtlasVR offers ready-built modules for:

• Automotive - EV and high-voltage service, co-created with AGVS
• Construction trades - roofing and plumbing, co-created with suissetec
• Health & safety - hazardous goods
• Construction-site hazards - co-created with Campus Sursee
• Crane simulator - category C crane training, in use at AZW

AtlasVR also builds modules for your own machines and procedures.

How does the rollout work?

Turnkey. We build your machines and procedures in XR, ship pre-configured VR headsets and handle rollout and maintenance. Your team just trains.

Is XR training right for us?

If your people learn by doing - and that learning is currently slow, costly or risky - then yes. It suits training centers modernising their programmes and companies onboarding hands-on workers at scale.

Frequently asked questions

Do we need our own IT or VR team for XR training?
No. AtlasVR handles rollout and maintenance; your team only puts on the VR headset and trains.

Does XR training replace practice on the real machine?
It prepares for it. Trainees practise the procedure and the hand movements in VR as often as they need and come to the real machine more confident and better prepared. Where regulations require a practical test on the real equipment, that test stays.

How do you measure learning success?
The training records each trainee's progress, and the AtlasVR Dashboard shows it. With the Live View, instructors can also watch what a trainee is seeing in the VR headset right now - on several VR headsets at once.

See it for yourself: book a 30-minute demo and we'll show you how your own procedures look - and perform - in XR.