Virtual Reality...But What About The Real World?
With Facebook buying Oculus VR for $2 billion (there are share options in there, so it's a mere $400 million upfront), the interest in virtual reality (VR) has gone through the roof. Although Oculus has grabbed the headlines, numerous other big players (HTC, Sony and Samsung to name but few) are also launching consumer products and content.
With this sudden interest in virtual reality comes the inevitable tide of doom that often accompanies game changing new technology:
We'll all turn into headset wearing zombies, people won't go out, they won't socialise.
Well there are already enough 24/7 gamers out there to prove that any technology can become addictive, but they are still in the minority. The real world application of VR technology presents a huge opportunity to actually make a difference to people's lives.
When I say real world, I mean the ability for a virtual experience to shape an outcome in the real world. Think of a surgeon who can perform a virtual operation, meaning he is then improving the chances of success for the real world operation. Or a soldier returning from Afghanistan with Post-traumatic stress syndrome, unable to cope with civilian life he can gradually address his anxieties in a virtual environment. Imagine a class of 9 year olds in their history lesson, "Right everyone, pop your VR headsets on, we're going for a stroll around Tutankhamun's Tomb today". UPDATE 09.06.15: I just came across Google Expeditions, a perfect example of using VR content for education.
Another great example of how a virtual experience can have real world benefits was the case of an 80 year old grandmother who had cancer. Due to her illness she had been unable to leave her house for a number of years, so Oculus created a virtual version of her garden. Yes it was a good PR move by them, but what it did was to bring a little joy into that woman's life by letting her wander around her garden again. video
Admittedly not all the uses of VR will be quite as worthy as these, fuelling the argument that technology isolates us. But what you will often find is that technologies can span across a range of uses, from inane to life-saving.
The next step for VR will be to integrate technology to enable you to interact with the content, not just passively experience it. This has been a key focus for Oculus ahead of the anticipated launch of their consumer headset in early 2016. I'm sure this ability to interact with virtual content is were a certain M.Zuckerberg sees the real potential. Can't make your Uncle's 80th birthday in Sydney, no problem, you will...virtually.
So let's see where the virtual journey leads, but I'd expect that within the next 10 years every household will have some form of VR content (that's if there's room alongside their 3D printers, driver-less cars, drone shoppers, 4K 60" TV, etc).