Virtual Reality: What is It? How does it work?

The term “Virtual Reality” itself feels like it has come out of a sci-fi novel. It has been used in pop culture for decades. Apart from looking incredibly cool, Virtual Reality has some other benefits to offer. Virtual reality helps us merge reality with tech. Today, video games, medicine, education industry, and more use virtual reality.

What is Virtual Reality?

Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer-generated environment. It builds objects and environments that appear to be real and immerses users. The only to experience this virtual reality is through a pair of special glasses called the VR Helmet. 

VR games are becoming even more famous for users as they’re able to completely immerse themselves in this computer-generated environment. It can even help in teaching students how our bodies work, or the internals of a machine. 

While all this may sound a bit futuristic, it’s not a recent development. In fact, some believe that the concept of virtual reality goes back all the way to the 1950s. The first-ever virtual reality machine was Sensorama, a gaming setup where players can sit on a seat and play 3D games. 

Sounds cool right? That’s nothing compared to what we’ve got today in the field of VR. Virtual reality tech has come so far along that are entertainment centers that offer team-based VR games. Friends, families, and even businesses take advantage of this tech to boost team building. 

Virtual Reality vs Augmented Reality

Comparison FactorsVirtual RealityAugmented Reality
VirtualityVirtual Reality is completely virtual.AR uses a real-world environment to enhance digital content. 
ControlVR users are controlled by the system.AR users can easily control their presence into the real world. 
CompatibilityVR can’t run without a compatible headset device. AR doesn’t require any specific device. 
EnvironmentVR enhances fictional reality.AR combines both virtual and real world environments and enhances the experiences for both.  
FreedomVR is made up of cables and they can be inaccessible over a specific distance. AR is free from cables and free to move around. You can access the tech without any hindrances. 

Most people interchange the terms virtual reality and augmented reality. The truth is that both of these tech can’t be any more different than each other. Millions end up confusing the two, the reason is the lack of knowledge. 

The main difference between VR and AR is the level of reality. VR creates a completely new virtual reality for users to immerse themselves in. AR on the other hand adds a layer of a framework on top of our actual world. This means you can be walking in the park like any other day while having access to data, work, and scores of your favorite team. 

There are businesses out there that are doing a mix of virtual and augmented reality, known as mixed reality. This hybrid technology makes it easy for users to see virtual objects in the real world. It also helps in building experiences that are digital and practically indistinguishable. 

Real-World Applications of Virtual Reality

  1. VR allows us to build plans for activities virtually. Or, you can even do activities virtually as well. This can help in enhancing the education experience. 
  2. VR makes a lot of medical processes easier. Doctors and medical students can learn a lot about the human body. Plus, they don’t have to put a human at risk as the testing is all virtual. 
  3. VR has endless entertainment industry applications. VR can enhance Games, movies, videos, and multiple other elements. 
  4. Virtual Reality helps the automotive industry by testing their prototypes in VR. Teams of engineers can develop and try out their models without having to spend millions on physical prototypes. 
  5. Defense and militia teams can train for the terrain with VR. Teams can get more familiar with battlefield experiences using VR technology. 

Future of Virtual Reality

Virtual reality is a technology that has one of the highest growth rates. According to the latest research, investment in VR and AR technology will grow by 21 times by the end of 2022. The market cap is expected to reach around 15.5 billion euros by end of 2022. Moreover, these technologies will be the key factor in digital transformation for different companies. Experts believe that by 2020, over half of the European companies will be using VR and RA technologies for their marketing campaigns. 

The demand for Virtual Reality technology is growing across all industries. The market needs applications that can be applied to leisure, tourism, or marketing. The current challenge for VR tech is the price tag that comes along with it. But, with the latest developments are bringing down the costs. 

Virtual reality tech also needs some improvement and to get rid of issues such as “Clipping.” Clipping makes it look like some objects as they can be passed through, but the objects are really solid. To minimize the effects that VR produces on people, the most common ones being motion sickness and dizziness, companies are making changes. 

Some of the biggest tech companies in the world are working towards developing headsets that don’t require cables and offer HD quality. There are some VR headsets being developed that can project images in 8K quality and offer so much more. With the launch of Meta’s Metaverse, the virtual reality industry is about to see a boom that was never expected. 

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