Spatial Computing

Spatial computing is the technology that immerses humans into computing environments and embeds computing into the physical spaces around us. It bridges the digital and physical worlds through a combination of sensing, processing, and display technologies.

This includes technology for generating output (such as 3D graphics, spatial audio, and holographic displays); technology for input like image recognition, gesture recognition, eye tracking, and voice interaction; advanced user interfaces for synthesizing digital twin data; and geospatial information systems that merge local-scale information with global context.

The software within spatial computing powers a wide range of human interface hardware—from traditional screens to augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality devices. Apple's Vision Pro (launched 2024) and Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses represent two very different bets on the future of spatial interfaces: the former prioritizing visual fidelity and immersion, the latter prioritizing accessibility and social acceptability.

WebGPU—which now ships by default in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari—is bringing near-native spatial computing capabilities to the web browser, potentially making rich 3D experiences as ubiquitous as web pages. Combined with AI that can generate 3D content from text descriptions and interpret natural-language spatial commands, spatial computing is becoming more accessible and powerful simultaneously.