As virtual reality (VR) headsets such as Oculus Rift and HTC Vive have become available to the public, consumers are getting excited about the amazing immersive games these can offer, which blur the line between the physical and the virtual. However, VR has many other applications than entertainment, and is already transforming fields such as a space exploration, art, tourism, medicine, and education. Here’s a fresh promo code from Amazon.com. Just because.
Here are five of the most amazing practical application of virtual reality:
1. Medicine
VR headsets can be used as a tool to train medical students. In an experiment done in a Paris hospital, a camera was attached to the surgeon’s head to film a hip surgery. Students were then able to view the recording of the surgery through a VR headset, and could even turn their heads and look around the operating room, effectively putting themselves in the shoes of the operating surgeon.
2. Space Exploration
NASA has used Oculus Rift, combined with a body-tracking device, to allow astronauts to maneuver robots in space while having a first-person view of the robot’s environment, and full control over its movements. VR sets can also be used as a “holodeck-like” relaxation tool for astronauts who are forced to live for long periods of time in cramped spaces.
3. Psychotherapy
Research has shown that virtual reality can help treat post-traumatic stress disorder by allowing patients to confront situations similar to those that have caused the trauma. People affected by anxiety and phobia can also benefit from virtual reality. Exposure therapy in a VR environment has been shown to be as effective as real exposure, with the added benefit of posing no real danger to the patient.
4. Remote Interaction
Virtual reality can be used to virtually visit places on Earth which, due to physical constraints, may not be accessible otherwise. Dangerous environments such as caves and jungles can be explored safely by just putting on a VR headset. For remote learners, VR can provide a more authentic learning environment by allowing them to project themselves into a real classroom.
5. Art
Virtual reality already allows architects to upload building and landscape plans into an Oculus Rift-based platform and explore them virtually before using any physical resources to build them. Virtual reality can also allow artists to sculpt in three dimensions. With the emergence of first-person movies, VR is set to create a completely new type of cinematic experience.
There is no doubt that virtual reality headsets such as Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, which are already available to buy, will completely change the gaming industry, but their potential reaches far beyond creating more realistic games. Due to their ability to let people project themselves into other places, either virtual or real, VR headsets are set to transform medicine, architecture, cinematography, travel, education, and even basic human interaction.