VR is a highly interactive, computer-based multimedia environment in which the user becomes a participant in a computer-generated world. It is an artificial environment created with computer hardware and software and presented to the user in such a way that it appears and feels like a real environment.
VR technology creates the illusion that on-screen objects have depth therefore can perceive distance and spatial relationships between different object components more realistically and accurately. Therefore a person can perceive it beyond the flat image projected onto the screen. Previously VR was generally associated only with the gaming industry supported by the latest mobiles and pcs. Now it’s on fire with new opportunities for use.
Let’s have a look at its 5 emerging applications in different fields;
1.VR in medical science:
The medical students can be assisted with VR by making them learn the delicate surgical procedures and practicing them as if it’s in the real world. This can provide them the leverage to perform experiments again and again hence making them more proficient and gain more experience.
It can also be used to divert the mind of the patient as they are visualizing and sensing the virtual reality so the brain can be diverted from the pain pathway. Dentists also use this technology while performing dental surgeries.
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a common disorder in soldiers where they suffer from psychological issues because of some trauma they went through during the combat can be treated by VR techniques.PSTR can also be found in anyone who went through some sudden terrible life experience be it physical or mental. The patients are treated in such a way that they are subjected to visualize a similar scenario that causes the trauma and the medical team then analyzes how the patient should be further treated.
It can also help in overcoming different fears like height phobia or some insect phobia etc.
Hence Virtual reality can be extensively used in medical science especially psychological ones where brain signals are involved.
2.Virtual reality in Gaming:
VR-based games are a whole new experience where the players feel like they are actually playing in the real world. However, because of challenges to its adoption virtual reality-based gaming market is comparatively small. The reason behind this is the cost as well as the bulkiness of the apparatus needed for gaming. Headsets were either too expensive or too poor in their visual quality. The large size of headsets and their rendering of VR worlds sometimes produced somehow annoying experiences.
Also, an expensive graphic chip is needed that can support VR to perform at its best. Otherwise, the frame rate would fall below the rate of the human eye and this will cause non-smooth rendering of the scene.
But the VR community buzzing again due to the improved technology. Firstly, the launch of a tether-free, “all-in-one” VR headset, with all the computation and rendering happening within the headset. As headset needs not to be wired to a PC. “Now players are free to walk around with just the headset. It’s definitely going to be a different and better experience.
Because of the continuous improvement in this field be it portability and size of the headset, making it fall in the affordable range, or improving the visual effects this market is expected to grow at a fast pace in coming years. The global virtual reality in gaming market size stood at USD 5.12 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 45.2 Billion by 2027, exhibiting a CARG of 31.8% during the forecast period.
3.VR in the Fashion industry:
Recently, the idea of creating virtual clothing that does not exist in the real world became a reality. The concept came to fruition because Dutch startup The Fabricant, Dapper Labs and augmented reality artists and creator Johanna Jaskowska combined creative forces to create a digital dress called Iridescence. Similarly, different avatars and dresses can be created in the virtual world to foresee the potential of particular fashion and future trends that can be a benchmark in the days to come.
There are a lot of people, many of whom believe that the future of VR (virtual reality) and RA (augmented reality) in fashion has enormous potential.
“In social VR giving your avatar a whole new look through fashion, gives users an opportunity to personalize their avatars, allows them to tailor their look to their own preferences, and makes them feel personally connected to their virtual self. It’s almost like when you were little you dressed up your dolls and lived vicariously through play but with social VR and digital fashion you are the ‘Barbie’ or ‘Ken’ doll allowing you to bring forth individuality in an immersive world,” said Navah Berg, Social VR Host of The Hive, a show produced in virtual reality.
4.VR in Architecture and Design
The emergence of virtual reality applications for architecture has been one of the big stories of the past few years — in the future, we’ve been told, VR will become an integral part not just of presenting a project, but of the design process as well.
For many design-led industries, the biggest challenge is often convincing the client that the finished article will look just like — or better than — the 2D or 3D representation. As an immersive technology, it will transport users into a fully interactive 3D environment, giving them the opportunity to explore a virtual representation of a particular room, floor, or building design as a whole.
5.Creating Ideas and Forecasting Trends in Business:
Virtual reality allows businesses to come up with fresh ideas and perform tests before implementing them in the actual environment. This immersive technology allows companies to forecast trends and determine the performance of projects beforehand.
In a nutshell, virtual reality is expected to take a lot of markets by storm in the coming years be it the medical field, tourism sector, gaming or business sector, etc.
