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- Phygital convergence refers to merging physical and digital spaces to bring a new reality.
- AR, VR, smart glasses, and holographic technology are common examples of this spectacular phenomenon.
- Going phygital comes with security concerns. Heavy reliance on personal data and monitoring of the physical environment can make our information more prone to misuse through breaches and leaks.
At present, it is possible to view and interact with digital elements in our physical world. Be it through Augmented Reality or VR simulations, we have given space to newer technologies in our everyday environments.
What Is Phygital Convergence?
With the rapid advancements in technology and the growing number of digital devices, we have entered a new era shaped by the convergence of the physical and digital worlds. This is known as Phygital Convergence (Mele et al., 2023).
Technologies like Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and holographics blur the boundaries between the physical and digital realms. These innovations create immersive experiences that redefine how we live and interact with our environment. The Metaverse is a prime example of how quickly we embrace and adapt to phygital concepts.
How It Benefits Our Lives
Integrating digital elements into our physical space has made life easier in many direct and indirect ways. For instance, AR technology allows us to visualize how furniture, cars, and other items will look and fit in our surroundings. Hence, it helps us estimate the measurements to plan house renovations more accurately.
In addition, phygital has tons of benefits in professional learning. Phygital tools can visualize surgery simulation, organ structure, and surgical procedures. Doctors can practice difficult surgeries in the VR environment before performing them on a real patient to reduce the chances of error. Similarly, pilots can understand the intricacies of aviation using interactive flight simulations to test their skills under different situations.
Smart homes are another excellent example of how phygital convergence has made our lives more convenient. It allows us to seamlessly control our smart devices, like refrigerators, air conditioners, music systems, and TVs, with our voice or remotely using mobile apps. Smart home technology also allows us to save energy and related costs (Wilson et al., 2017).
When setting up new stores, owners can visualize how the space will look once the products are added. With phygital tools, they can evaluate the correct placement of products and shelves to enhance customer experience and improve the overall look of the space. Mishra et al. (2021) found that retailers who rely on phygital platforms build better customer relationships, resulting in greater customer satisfaction.
Holographic technology can be used in educational settings to enhance the conceptual learning. For instance, instructors can display a 3D structure of molecules to strengthen the understanding.
Risks Attached To Phygital
The era of phygital is already here. However, it is important to consider the privacy and confidentiality risks of large-scale phygital implementation.
Like everything online, phygital is associated with risks to data and privacy. It feeds on your data to bring you information from the digital world. Phygital devices collect data about user behavior, patterns, and online usage to provide more relevant results.
Fingerprints, facial recognition, verbal interactions, visited locations, and smartphone activity are tracked and stored digitally to personalize our phygital experience.
With so much of our personal information already present online, fraud and hacking attempts are becoming more common. Multilayer encryption systems, up-to-date software, strong firewalls, and regular security checkups can be effective in safeguarding user experience in the phygital world.
A Road Toward Safer Phygital Spaces
To build a more secure phygital environment, regulatory authorities, like cybercrime units, must strictly monitor data transfer over the internet. Companies responsible for data leaks should face heavy fines, so they allocate enough resources to prevent such mishaps in the future.
Moreover, consumers and citizens should be aware of the privacy and security concerns attached to providing their data online. Phygital convergence brings benefits in multiple ways, but we need to draw a line to prevent the mishandling of our data.
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