In this episode of the Impactful Realities Podcast, host Jason Jerald introduces a legend in the field of virtual reality, Tom Furness, who is often referred to as the 'grandfather of VR.' With over 50 years of experience in virtual and augmented reality technologies, Tom shares his fascinating journey from his early career aspirations of becoming an astronaut to his transformative work in the Air Force, where he pioneered the concept of virtual cockpits.

The conversation delves into his creation of the ‘Super Cockpit’ and the widespread impact of his innovations, including the use of VR in various fields like healthcare, education, and firefighting. Tom recounts inspiring stories of how VR has been used to change lives, particularly for disadvantaged youth. He emphasizes the moral obligation to utilize emergent technologies to uplift humanity, highlighting the importance of curiosity, creativity, and love in learning and development.

They discuss the future potential of AI and VR in education and societal transformation, exploring the concept of the 'super cockpit for the soul' and the need for a holistic approach to technology that enhances human potential and well-being.

Welcome to Impactful Realities, a podcast that explores the cutting edge of workforce innovation, immersive learning, and high-stakes industry transformation. Each episode dives deep with the pioneers turning visionary ideas into measurable impact, leaders who use AI, virtual and augmented reality, and advanced simulations to tackle the toughest challenges in fields like defense, energy, construction, healthcare, manufacturing, and beyond.

Hosted by experts on the frontlines of enterprise training and safety innovation, Impactful Realities reveals how bold experimentation and real-world implementation are reshaping how industries train, upskill, and protect their workforce.

In a world where traditional training systems fall short, Impactful Realities shines a spotlight on the thinkers and doers reimagining how people learn and perform in mission-critical environments. Our guests share the behind-the-scenes stories, tough lessons, and breakthrough strategies that move the needle—from pilot programs to enterprise-wide deployment.

Whether you’re a training professional, technology innovator, operations leader, or safety executive, this podcast will equip you with:

• Real-world insights into what works (and what fails) in field-based learning
• Tactics for overcoming resistance, scaling innovation, and surviving audits
• Lessons on ROI, compliance, human factors, and organizational change
• A front-row seat to the future of training in high-risk industries

• Innovation That Works: Discover how immersive tech is driving KPIs, not just completion rates, in the real world.
• Survival Stories: Learn what happens when training gets tested in the toughest environments, from oil rigs to military simulations.
• Strategic Rollouts: Explore how top leaders scale solutions, align stakeholders, and prove value fast.
• Personal Journeys: Get inspired by the human side of innovation—career pivots, bold decisions, failures, and comebacks.
• Leadership Playbooks: Hear how industry veterans make decisions under pressure, influence legacy systems, and drive cultural change.

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Richard Marks helped pioneer the XR industry through PlayStation’s most iconic innovations — EyeToy, Move, PSVR — and later brought that knowledge to Google ATAP and UNC.

In this episode:

– How spatial context reshapes AI

– What it means for systems to truly understand “where you are”

– Why real presence isn’t just about graphics

– How prototyping in VR shaped the products you use now

– What he’s teaching the next generation of XR-AI engineers

🎧 Hosted by Jason Jerald

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