This document specifies how augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) devices are to be set up and used in the enterprise workplace in a manner that ensures health and safety (H&S) is maintained, H&S consequences are understood, and additional risks are not introduced. Within this concept of safe usage, there is particular focus on guidance around safe immersion (time) and safety in the workplace.

This document defines the concepts of AR, VR, the virtuality continuum and other associated terms such as augmented virtuality and mixed reality. This document provides guidance on:

a)       setting up AR systems;

b)       setting up VR systems;

c)        safe usage and immersion in AR systems both in the consumer and enterprise domains;

d)       safe usage and immersion in VR systems both in the consumer and enterprise domains.

This document focuses on visual aspects of AR and VR. Other modes such as haptics and olfactory are not addressed within this document.

This document covers both the hardware (the physical AR/VR head mounted displays) and areas of visual stimulus (the environments and graphics displayed in those headsets). This document does not cover all possible visual stimulus scenarios; focus is directed toward those areas that are known to have implications on safe use. This specifically includes the source vection (visual illusion of self-motion in physically stationary AR/VR users) and/or motion (physical movement of AR/VR users) and associated safe use considerations.

NOTE          AR/VR have some shared safety concerns, but many are distinct to AR or VR and a consumer or enterprise environment. As such all of these are in scope, and this document is structured to account for these differences.