When I was a kid, I always imagined being inside a computer game; to be able to interact with the characters, to talk, play and fight with them. Until now, it has been an imagination only. But with the recent developments in technology, it may be possible. Maybe not being inside a computer game but being able to do things virtually.
Today we are going to take a glimpse of Virtual Reality. From the word itself, virtual reality means “near reality” or “almost real”. With the help of Virtual Reality (VR) devices, we are now able to experience what it is like inside a virtual world. In the past few years, the development of this technology has been so fast that in a couple of years we might be able to travel around the world by simply diving into a virtual world or maybe even living inside a virtual world.
To the people here who have not watched the anime Sword Art Online aka SAO (spoiler alert), it is about a boy who was trapped inside a VRMMORPG or Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game called Sword Art Online. Inside this game logging out is not an option but instead you have to finish the whole game in order to escape. Of course if you died in this game you also died in real life. He was able to play the game using a device called NervGear which is similar to the VR devices that we have now. Well, similar in that, today’s VR devices, such as Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and others will be able to bring you inside the virtual world.
Now you might be wondering, aside from gaming, what are the other purpose of VR in the real world? According to vrs.org.uk, Virtual Reality can be used in many different ways, here are a few listed below:
Healthcare: This is one of the biggest adopters of VR which allows surgery simulation, phobia treatment, and skill training. Advantages of using VR is that doctors can practice new skills, learn new skills, and refresh existing skills in a safe environment without causing any danger to patients. Virtual Robotic surgery is also known in this field. A surgery performed by a robotic device controlled by a human surgeon which reduces time and risk complications.
Sports: VR is also used in sports as a training aid measuring the athletic performance as well as analyzing technique. Athletes use it to fine-tune a certain aspect in their performance, for example, a golfer looking to improve their swing or a track cyclist wanting to go faster in the individual pursuit. VR is also used to improve audience’s experience, systems allow the audience to walk through a stadium or other sporting locations virtually.
Military Training: VR has been adopted by the military to improve training. A virtual reality simulation enables trainees to have physical and mental training engaging with an enemy in an environment eliminating the real-world risk. Training includes fight simulation, medic training, virtual boot camp, battlefield simulation and vehicle simulation. VR is also used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder allowing them to gradually adjust to new environment.
Engineering: VR in engineering includes the use of 3D modeling tools and visualization techniques. VR lets the engineers view their project in 3D and have a better understanding of how it works, allowing them to spot any flaws or potential risk before implementation which saves both time and money.
Entertainment: The entertainment industry is one of the most enthusiastic advocates of virtual reality, most notably in games and virtual worlds. Examples are virtual museums, theatre, galleries, virtual theme parks and discovery centers. These environments allow the public to engage with the exhibits which were previously forbidden or unknown. They wear virtual reality glasses with stereoscopic lenses which allow them to see 3D objects from all different angles. And in some cases, they can interact with the exhibits by means of an input device such as a data glove.
These are just some of the uses of VR in real life. VR can save time and money, reduce risk of complications and can be used to saves lives.
Source https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality-applications/