The future of Virtual Reality
When you hear the terms VR (virtual reality) systems, you probably think of games. And you are correct, currently the space is dominated by games, and experiences meant purely for entertainment. But is that all VR is good for? Some new trends are predicting huge futures in the medical, educational, and e-commerce sectors. Though gaming will no doubt continue to be the dominating feature, there is more on the horizon.
VR in Marketing
VR is being adopted quickly, and adding it to your marketing channels is something you should definitely think about for the coming year. VR is expected to be close to a 30 billion dollar industry by the end of 2022, and with that will come many opportunities to get your business in front of people who are in a good mood. Businesses like Wendy’s, Lowes, Adidas, Toms and more are jumping on the VR Marketing band wagon.
E-Commerce for VR
VR headsets come with internet browsers, but they usually simply project the browser like a huge screen, still in 2D. Major shopping platforms are working on bringing VR to their e-commerce solutions. Studies indicate that if a user could interact with a product in VR before purchasing, they would be more likely to make a purchase.
“The e-commerce industry is always evolving — just like retail more broadly and, of course, consumers. Implementing every new technology isn’t just impossible; in fact, it’s a bad idea to try. But so too is not keeping up with new technologies and thinking about ways they may benefit you in the future.
If as a merchant you want to provide a novel experience, create and strengthen relationships with your customers, and/or leave a lasting impression, virtual reality could be worth considering more closely.” bigcommerce.com
VR in Medical Training
Universities are using VR while training surgeons. VR makes it possible for surgeons to see inside the human body in 3D from a safe place.
“Stanford Medicine is using a new software system that combines imaging from MRIs, CT scans and angiograms to create a three-dimensional model that physicians and patients can see and manipulate — just like a virtual reality game.” medicalgiving.stanford.edu
The possibility of performing surgery completely through VR is also being looked into. VR could take minimally invasive technology to a whole new level, and speed up recovery time drastically.
VR for Education
VR gives us the opportunity to learn by doing, to take field trips to places you have never been (or could never go), and creates a team environment. It’s possible to set up virtual classrooms where students can work together.
“With VR, they aren’t limited to word descriptions or book illustrations; they can explore the topic and see how things are put together.” xd.adobe.com
VR educational experiences could potentially save thousands of dollars in materials and building expenses. These educational experiences could be reused with ever being used up, over and over. The possibilities are endless.
The Reality of Virtual Reality
It’s here to stay and it will grow dramatically in the coming years. Possibly engineers and architects will work like Iron Man and Jarvis in the near future, BUT using a headset instead of a holographic computer interface.