Virtual Reality has become more and more popular as time went on. Since 1935 when a short story called Pygmalion’s Spectacles was created by Stanley G. Weinbaum to 2016 when a pair of goggles that looks like a toaster oven is stuck to your face was created called the Oculus Rift made by a company named Oculus VR. Virtual Reality can make our lives so much easier and safer as we can learn about important life skills. A few examples are…

  • Parenting – Training to be a mother or father within the 9 months of waiting for your new-born with a simulation can ease you into the new chapter of your life and will relieve any stress and worries that you are or may be experiencing.
  • Medical Training – Training to be a nurse or a doctor with simulations is literally a life saver. You can start a simulation of an operation to practice so the real operation can be successful. It’s also a great way to teach nurses and doctors of how an operation works.
  • Vehicle Training – Vehicle lessons can be simple and safe now with simulations. Sure, it may not be practical but it can feel just as practical as it would normally but the main aspect is that it puts your safety first while teaching you the basics.
  • Military Training – Training to use a gun, drive a tank or pilot a jet are of the upmost importance when you’re in the army/military, even keeping fit and healthy too. That’s why simulations are really good for these sorts of lessons as it gives you a practical feeling such as thinking fast and being analytical. For example, a gun simulation may consist of you have free movement or being “On Rails” whilst shooting simulated enemies (A lasertag-esque simulation where you shoot programmed enemies or people with motion suits)

As stated earlier, virtual reality can make our lives safer but it can also cause less pollution, but how? Well earlier I said that vehicle simulations are safer than learning practically, and they are but that also means that there will be less petrol being burned meaning less pollution in the air which can also be said for water based vehicles. Virtual reality headsets may be wireless in the future meaning that you’ll be able to use your headset without it having to be plugged into a power socket which in turn means that less energy will be used causing less energy based pollution.

Why is Virtual Reality good for business purposes?

Virtual reality is good for business purposes as it allows companies to give virtual tours of a business environment, train new employees, and give a clear view of a product, etc. Many businesses have embraced virtual reality as a cost effective way of developing a product or service. For example, it enables them to test a prototype without developing several versions first (which can be time consuming and expensive). Plus, it’s a good way of detecting design problems and flaws at an early stage which can then be dealt with as soon as possible. Virtual reality technology has progressed so well so it has a high degree of realism and efficiency.

Some companies use virtual reality to help them gather data and analyse that data as well as forecasting trends in order to gain an edge over the competition. One example of this is a system developed by researchers at the University of Warwick, which is designed to help businesses gain a greater understanding of their data. Another use is virtual worlds, there are companies who use virtual worlds as a way of holding meetings with people worldwide. Virtual worlds solve communication problems with large numbers of employees in remote locations and it doesn’t cost much either. Virtual environments open the gateway to training courses, role playing scenarios, etc.

Why is Virtual Reality good for leisure purposes?

Virtual Reality isn’t good for leisure purposes, it’s amazing! With virtual reality you can be a knight who slays dragons in medieval times or an adventurer exploring some old temple, the possibilities are endless. If you couldn’t tell already, virtual reality is amazing for the gaming industry as it allows you to feel more involved in the action. The gaming industry has already done some astounding things but this is that shiny cherry on top of the already delicious cake and the future can most likely expand on all of the accomplishments that the gaming industry has made.

However, virtual reality hasn’t just made the gaming industry really successful, it has opened the gateway to the fitness side too. For people who are afraid of going outside or don’t find the gym a nice atmosphere, etc. People can now run a fitness simulation where they can exercise in the outdoors without going outdoors which is an amazing way to transform the gym into a run or a bike ride through the park.