Virtual Reality (VR) is here, now we just need to figure out where it belongs. People are aware of VR and its implications when it comes to gaming, but where else is virtual reality going to be utilized? Virtual reality may not create a shift in society as large as the internet or cellphone did, but it will affect how we complete routine tasks and how we do our jobs. 

Virtual reality is currently being tested in different industries to see how this new technology can help soldiers cope with PTSD, create new forms of art, and help engineers test automotive designs before they are turned into expensive prototypes.

Look at how VR will change the way we as a society interact with art, retail, tourism, healthcare, and automotive industries. 

Automotive

From engineers to consumers, virtual reality will eventually alter the experiences everyone has in the automotive industry. How we interact with our vehicles before they are purchased, while we are purchasing them, and how we use them to get around town will all be changing. 

For instance, instead of having to go to a dealer to take a test drive, you will be able to virtually enter a dealer's lot and pick the model car you want to test drive, take it for a spin, check-out its interior, customize color and rim schemes, and never have to leave your house. After a virtual tour of your future car, the lot it is on, and how it drives, you may want to let the dealer know you will be seeing them sooner than expected, you may even decide to skip the dealer and just place an order online.

How vehicles are made will also change with the adoption of VR. Engineers will be able to use virtual reality to create lifelike models that will look exactly like a prototype, but cost much less money to create, and even less money to edit. Mechanics will be trained in VR environments that mimic the garage they are about to work in. This will cut down on training time in the garage and get new employees up to speed quicker than ever before. 

Here is an example of how virtual reality will impact automotive consumers in the future. The Jaguar Land Rover is testing what they call the 360 Virtual Urban Windshield:

Healthcare

Virtual operations, training, and education, rehabilitation efforts are just a few examples of what the healthcare industry will gain from VR technology. 

VR has the potential to help hospitals cut back on operational incidents and complications because surgeons and doctors may have the ability to mimic their upcoming procedures, even operations that they may never have performed before. They also may be able to input their patient's information into a computer or scan a 3D model of their patient into a software program that then creates a virtual reality environment for doctors to practice patient-specific procedures on their actual patient virtually. 

Medical School students could see themselves taking practicum exams on VR machines, or using VR machines to complete their hospital orientations. However, this technology is not limited to healthcare professionals, it also can benefit patients that are in no need of surgery. For example, PTSD patients have been using virtual reality to help reduce symptoms of PTSD and help people with this disorder get back to their life before post-traumatic stress disorder. The University of South Carolina Institute for Creative Technologies is using Bravemind to recreate virtual war to help soldiers with PTSD. You can read more about how Bravemind and the University of South Carolina are working with VR to improve veteran's return to civilian life here.

This is exactly what Osso VR is setting out to accomplish. Watch as this orthopedic specific software starts to branch out to other specialties and procedures to rearrange how surgeons and doctors prepare for an operation. 

Retail

New body-scanning technology could make online shopping easier than ever. By shopping in a virtual environment and scanning an image of yourself into the atmosphere, you can try clothes on and see how they look without ever going to the store. You will also never have to worry about ordering something online and guessing your size again, which means less time returning clothes and more time wearing them. 

Storefront spaces in a virtual environment can also be easily customized to like either identical to their brick and mortar storefront or completely different. Retail companies will be able to show different displays as frequently as they want, highlight certain products at the click of a button and receive immediate analytical feedback to see what is working and what isn't. This makes virtual storefronts not a great test ground for brick and mortar stores, but a fun and new way to interact with customers. 

Look at how Alibaba can take you from China to a Macy's showroom in Manhattan. 

Tourism

Have you ever booked a vacation that didn't turn out the way you had planned? Maybe your hotel room was smaller than the images led you to believe, or you got lost in an airport and were late for your plane. Well, you won't have to second guess any aspect of your vacations once tourism taps into virtual reality and its capability to give you a preview of your trip before you ever book a flight, hotel room, or cruise. 

VR technology will allow you to take a tour of your hotel room, cruise liner, and even different activities you can take part in while on your trip like a virtual walk through golf courses, or a VR preview hiking trails. 

This technology is already being used by well-known industry giants, like Marriott Hotels. Marriott has been working on their Teleporter, which will give users a completely immersive experience by using 4D and virtual reality technologies. Here is a behind the scenes look at what Marriott has been working on:

Art and Design

Artists are always looking for new mediums to work with, and VR gives them just that. Interactive displays, virtual showrooms, 3D portfolios give artists a brand new way to create. Google's Tilt Brush allows painters to paint on a virtual canvas, while Masterpiece VR gives sculptures the chance to work within a virtual shop.

Designers in every industry will also have these tools at their disposal soon and no matter what industry it is, VR has the potential to help your visions come to life. For instance, architects and engineers will now have the aptitude to take CAD images and implement them in a virtual environment. This environment is able to place a building in a geo-located place where currently, nothing exists but a plot of land. 

With virtual reality, artists and designers everywhere will be able to create spaces virtually and showcase their work in a whole new light.  Watch how Google Tilt Brush will change the way artists and designers paint, draw, sketch, build, and more:

Alex+Tom and VR

Experience A+T's VR capabilities and learn more about how we can help you use this new immersive technology. Check out our VR micro site here: