Introduction

MondlyVR is a Virtual Reality application in education for language learning. It is available on Steam and the Oculus Store and compatible with Oculus Rift and Oculus Quest headsets. Undoubtedly, the best way to learn a language is to integrate it into a specific locale. However, the teaching conditions may not guarantee that every class has foreign teachers, and not every student has the chance to communicate with native speakers most of the time. MondlyVR provides an immersive and innovative language learning experience with advanced chatbot and speech recognition technology.

Engaging Design

Gamified learning process

Learning a new language can be tedious and frustrating at times. MondlyVR considers this, and instead of taking the traditional approach of learning a new language through books and courses, it tries to make learning a new language fun through a gamified learning experience to increase engagement. It is well-designed and uses graphics and animation to create a game-like dynamic. After completing lessons and exercises, users earn points to track their winning streak and compare their performance with friends and other users on the MondlyVR leaderboard. It creates a fun, game-like environment and helps maintain momentum and engagement. In most core lessons, visual representations of the words taught help to enhance learning and retention.

Simulated but realistic conversation situations

This virtual immersion tool will place users in a simulated environment. Users are immersed in various situations requiring them to converse with locals, including simulating grocery shopping, booking a flight, checking-in in front of the hotel reception desk, or ordering food at a restaurant. In other words, the app’s goal is to simulate real-life situations of native speakers through VR and let users stay at home but have an immersive experience. In that case, users are more engaged because of the simulated but realistic surroundings.

Well-done Features

Multi-player mode

There is a multi-player mode for users to connect with people worldwide, bringing people together. Users will be automatically assigned to a VR room with up to 11 other participants. Users can socialize and practice the language they want to learn “face-to-face” as if they were in the same room, vastly improving user participation and interactivity. With speech recognition, intelligent suggestions, and real-time translation, MondlyVR will ensure that users don’t get stuck on words they don’t remember and keep their conversations flowing smoothly.

Effective curriculum design

MondlyVR supports various languages and different levels of courses. It offers the option to switch between transliteration and script, which is very useful for learning a new language. Generally, it schedules short (around 10-15 minutes each) but frequent lessons. MondlyVR is designed to be dipped in and out of, and all the progress will be saved for users to come back to. The platform provides users with daily lessons that include sentences and new vocabulary so that users can learn coherently. It gives users their learning feedback immediately. At the end of each class, users can jot down everything they’ve learned. There are also weekly quizzes for users to test their learning outcomes and track their learning progress.

Diversifyed products under Mondly

Besides MondlyVR, Mondly offers other products to provide users with multiple options. The products include Mondly Languages, MondlyAR, Mondly Kids, etc. Mondly Languages is a primary language learning app that integrates chatbot and speech recognition technologies to help users learn any of the 33 languages it offers. MondlyAR takes a scan of the room and will have an avatar “teacher” who brings virtual objects, like animals, musical instruments, planets, etc.—into the study room as teaching tools. It is similar to a classroom lecture, but users can interact with the animations, tapping them on devices or even getting up to walk around and obtain a 360-degree view. Mondly Kids is similar to the main app but designed for toddlers and kids. Mondly Languages and MondlyAR could not provide a learning journey as immersive as MondlyVR. Still, users can apply them on mobile phones or pads when they are not equipped with a VR headset at their sides or do not have a decent space for a VR experience. For example, users can easily use their fragmented time to study during their commuter routine by using their mobile phones. These various products and tools are user-friendly and humanized for users to choose based on their time, location, equipment, and preference.

Areas of Improvement

Not applicable for advanced learners

Mondly is a fascinating and helpful application for users to start learning a language. It provides an interactive interface, lively animation, immersive world to give beginners an impressive experience of learning a new language. While it’s easy to dive into the technicalities of the Mondly application, one limitation is it needs to be more diverse in its language lessons. Advanced users (B2 to C2 level) may need suitable grammar topics, appropriate lessons, and vocabulary. Therefore, users who want to find advanced daily lessons must look for other resources to supplement these missing vital factors. The direction for Mondly to improve could be to add more intermediate or advanced courses and content, trying to expand the range of target users.

Same format across all languages

Unlike a platform designed for one specific language, whose functionality is built around particular features of that language, the Mondly system is a template across all languages. It is not a fundamental shortcoming because this standard design is the best way to deliver an effective learning outcome. However, users might get tired of the single format after a while if they learn more than one language simultaneously. In that case, Mondly may consider upgrading the design for different languages to ensure users can have a novel experience even though they are using this application to learn multiple languages simultaneously.

Conclusion

MondlyVR is user-friendly and exciting. I like it and want to recommend it to people who intend to learn a new language for whatever purpose. It’s straightforward to get started. Users will learn words and phrases quickly with the help of well-designed sessions. Besides, it provides an immersive world to bring users into simulated but realistic situations to practice languages. Users can also easily find native speakers to communicate with voice translation. The above solves the environmental limitations of language learning in a significant context and encourages users to concentrate on learning. I am confident that users as language beginners would be able to choose a best-fit product under Mondly company. But if you are an advanced learner, let’s look forward to Mondly’s further progress in the future.

References

Mondly: Practice languages in VR on Oculus quest. Meta Quest VR Headsets, Accessories & Equipment. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19, 2023, from https://www.oculus.com/experiences/quest/4214902388537196/

Category, M. in N. (2022, December 13). Mondly VR Multiplayer: The future of language learning in virtual reality. Mondly Blog. Retrieved January 19, 2023, from https://www.mondly.com/blog/take-a-glimpse-into-the-future-with-mondly-vr-multiplayer/

Mondly VR: Language learning immersion. Mondly. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19, 2023, from https://www.mondly.com/vr

*, N., F, K., & TheThailandLife. (2021, July 8). My personal mondly review – learning thai on premium (2021). The Thailand Life | Award-Winning Thai Blog. Retrieved January 19, 2023, from https://www.thethailandlife.com/mondly-review

Advincula, C. J. (2022, November 21). Mondly review: 7 bona fide features with digital advantages – Ling App. ling. Retrieved January 19, 2023, from https://ling-app.com/tips/mondly-review/

Wikimedia Foundation. (2022, December 2). Mondly. Wikipedia. Retrieved January 19, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mondly

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly changed people’s lives around the world. Despite the real-world inconvenience caused by the coronavirus pandemic, applications utilizing XR technology are booming to create convenience and enhance user experience.

In the post-pandemic world, people are reluctant to walk into crowded stores and rather purchase anything they want online. According to Statista, more than 20% of the sales are bound to take place on the internet by 2022. Brands like IKEA were among the first to realize and jump in on the opportunity. They refined their e-commerce side of things to prove an all-around better experience for their customers.

IKEA has created an entire app from the ground up dedicated to XR. The app, called IKEA Immerse, helps users and customers to create, experience, and share their own configurations in a virtual living and kitchen room set.

Why do I like it?

I like this application because IKEA Immerse invites consumers to experience, design, and create in mixed reality. Instead of choosing from what has been provided, we become part of the designers ourselves. We can feel free to design what we want before purchasing.

Why is it engaging?

Enhancing in-store experience

Thanks to XR technology, IKEA Immerse has made it simpler for customers to view and try different furniture before purchasing. Compared with traditional offline shopping, people can more efficiently try different combinations of colors and styles, and customize their preferred lighting and shading.

Social interaction and sharing

With transferable VR equipment, customers could share their instant feelings with friends more conveniently and at a lower cost. In a virtual environment, people could also interact with furniture items through vision, and obtain instant feedback.

Extending the relationship beyond purchase

XR is still playing its role even after purchasing. After-sale service and support can be far more helpful with XR user manuals, instructions, and feature guidance. Instead of having a user interface directly into these physical products, users could engage with their smart refrigerators or ovens via an XR app on their own digital device.

What features are well done and what can be improved?

I think the following features are well-constructed:

• Photorealistic representation of the physical world. All the real items are projected into the virtual world in a 3D and highly realistic manner. Textures are rendered so well that you can feel no visual difference between viewing and experiencing virtual reality and the offline store.
• More adaptable and diversified features than the physical world. You can adjust the lighting and shading freely by virtue of real-time rendering, beyond physical limits. Eg, night mode can be chosen during the daytime and you can add more shading without having to draw the curtain.

Meanwhile, I think there is still room for improvement regarding the following features.

• Adding a sense of touch. When purchasing furniture, both visual and tactile communications are essential for customers. IKEA Immersive has done quite well on vision, but if customers cannot feel if the bed is soft enough, it would definitely affect their purchase decisions merely based on virtual viewing.
• Making it more trustworthy. For online shopping and remote experiencing, it is easier for sellers to exaggerate their product effects and attract customers in a dishonest way. If IKEA Immersive could prove the authenticity of products and experience shown in XR devices, I believe it will gain them more advantages compared with similar products.

References

• https://demodern.com/projects/ikea-vr-immerse
• https://fourboxesinnovation.com/2021/06/16/xr-for-retail-a-full-shopping-experience/

What is AR?

AR stands for Augmented Reality. It is a technology that superimposes computer-generated images, sounds, or other information over a user’s view of the real world, in order to enhance or augment their perception of it. If we want to catch Pokemons in our real world, we need AR to create those virtual characters. Luckily, Pokémon Go has made this possible for us.

What is Pokemon Go?

Pokemon Go was one of the first mainstream examples of AR technology being used in a mobile game, and helped to popularize the concept of using AR in gaming. The game uses the player’s smartphone camera and GPS location to display Pokemon characters on the screen as if they were in the player’s real-world surroundings. Players can then catch the Pokemon by “throwing” virtual Poke Balls at them.

For me, the story of Pokemon accompanied me throughout my childhood. And The Pokemon Go is the earliest AR technology application I have learned. So let’s go back to 2016 and find out why is this game so engaging?

Why is Pokemon Go engaging?

Pokrmon Go became extremely popular upon its release in 2016, with millions of players worldwide catching Pokemon in their neighborhoods, parks, and other public places. There are many reasons behind its success：

1. Gamification of reality: The game uses augmented reality technology to superimpose virtual Pokemon characters on the player’s real-world surroundings, which creates a sense of excitement and immersion for players.
2. Social interaction: The game encourages players to go outside and explore their neighborhoods and communities, providing opportunities for social interaction with other players.
3. Nostalgia: The game is based on the popular Pokemon franchise which has a large fan base, many of whom grew up playing the original games, watching the anime and collecting the cards. So it brings back childhood memories for many people like me.
4. Convenience: To catch Pokemon in real life, all you need to do is pick up your phone and use the camera to explore the surrounding scenes
5. Collecting and Progress: The game has a collecting aspect where players can catch different Pokemon and add them to their collection, this creates a sense of progression and accomplishment for players.
6. Rewards: The game also rewards players for catching Pokemon, visiting PokeStops, and battling at Gyms, which helps to keep players engaged and motivated to play.

What can be improved?

1. Gameplay: Some players have complained that the gameplay can become repetitive and lacks depth. Adding more diverse gameplay mechanics and activities could help keep the game interesting for players. We want to see more vivid Pokémon, not Pokémon that only poses with a few fixed actions.
2. Social features: While the game encourages social interaction, the in-game features that support this are limited. Improving these features, such as the ability to trade Pokemon with other players, would encourage more social play.
3. Accessibility: Some players have criticized the game for being too physically demanding, as it requires players to walk around to find and catch Pokemon. Improving the accessibility of the game for players with mobility issues, such as providing more PokeStops and Gyms in one area or including more options to play the game from home, could help make the game more inclusive.
4. AR improvements: Pokemon Go’s AR implementation is not perfect, it can be improved for example by making the Pokemon appear more natural and realistic in the real-world environment, and allowing players to interact with them in more ways.

VR: a way to walk into the game world

Virtual Reality (VR) is a technology that allows users to experience a simulated environment through the use of a headset and other equipment. The user’s movements and actions in the virtual world are tracked and translated into corresponding movements and actions in the simulation. If you have ever imagined entering an exciting game world, like the Pokemon game, then you must not miss the following movie.

What is Ready Player One?

Ready Player One is a science fiction action adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, and released in 2018. The film is based on the 2011 novel of the same name by Ernest Cline. The movie is set in a dystopian future where the majority of the population spend their time in the virtual reality world of the OASIS, a place to escape the real world. The plot centers around a virtual treasure hunt set up by the creator of the OASIS, in which the winner will inherit his fortune and control of the virtual world. The movie deals with themes such as escapism, the impact of technology on society, and the power of virtual reality.

Why is Ready Player One engaging?

One of the main reasons is the visually stunning and immersive special effects used to bring the virtual world of the OASIS to life. The movie does a great job of capturing the feeling of immersion and presence in the virtual world, making audiences feel like they are actually inside the OASIS. And that’s one of the goals of future VR technology.

Many familiar game characters appeared in this movie. The protagonist in the movie uses VR equipment to enter one wonderful game world after another. I think no one can refuse the exciting experience of driving Gundam in the game world. For those who grew up with games, this movie fulfills their desire to enter the real game world.

This movie has also changed people’s views on VR to a certain extent, presenting people with a wild possibility of the future VR world. We know that some of the wildest ideas in sci-fi movies and TV shows are now reality. People also look forward to one day being able to enter the game world in this movie.

What can be improved?

Although the movie shows us a beautiful world built with VR technology, there are still some shortcomings in the plot. Some of the characters in the movie use simple glasses and hand devices to enter the VR world, and some use expensive equipment to get a more realistic experience. They use 360-degree treadmills to play games indoors, and people who can’t afford such equipment can only run on the street, which has also caused some traffic accidents. But if you want to complete the magical movements of the VR characters in the movie, it is not enough to have a treadmill. It’s like when you do a backflip or something like that, you don’t feel comfortable wearing these devices. You want the device to be able to recognize these difficult movements, but the reality is that such a sensitive device will become a burden on you. Especially wired hand and leg motion capture, their presence will hinder the movement. VR devices still take a long time to develop and update if we want to get that kind of future VR experience.