12 Ways VR And AR Can Be Deployed In The Future

Over the past few years, VR and AR have yet to fulfill the mainstream potential.  But that doesn’t mean the medium does not have huge potential. Here are 13 ways VR and AR can be deployed in the future.

1. The manufacturing and design of automotive

With virtual reality, car designers, as well as engineers, can effectively visualize what they are building without using any physical materials. VR allows for virtual prototypes as well as high-tech simulations showing how a car would work in real-life conditions.

In fact, Ford Motor Company, using the Oculus Rift, has been having virtual reality as an integral part of its car manufacturing process. In its Michigan-based Immersion Lab, employees can inspect a car’s interior and exterior. Designers and engineers can inspect a prototype car closely for potential problems before the manufacturing process starts.

2. Journalism

To truly understand real-world situations, what’s better than being immersed in them. As we can’t just teleport ourselves to where a news story takes place, VR can help us.

In the video, journalist Nonny de la Peña who is also Emblematic Group’s CEO points out that several news organizations have already spent money on 360-degree news videos. Immersive journalism uses VR to let viewers experience real-life simulations.

3. Prison inmates rehabilitation

In Colorado, an early-release prison program has been designed to rehabilitate juvenile inmates. The program, which is in three years, uses a diverse range of training, mentorship and most importantly interactive VR.

Colorado correctional facilities hope to use VR to help inmates get used to all the changes occurring in society when they are in prison.

4. Pain relief

A recent study suggested that VR surprisingly can help patients relieve severe chronic pain. As part of the study, 120 hospitalized patients’ pain levels were recorded.

Half of these patients were randomly selected to put on VR headsets six times in two days while the other half acted as a control group.

The result showed that virtual reality was effective in easing the pain. The worse pain a patient experiences, the more effective the VR becomes.

5. Immersive theater

Virtual reality is widely known for being associated with gaming. For VR games, 2019 has been one great year. However, compared to traditional consoles and PCs, the medium still isn’t as popular.

That’s why many companies have tried a different approach, focusing on what can recognize VR as a technology as well as a medium. An example is Tender Claw’s The Under Presents.

With this game, players can have a VR experience as well as being a part of an immersive theater via a mix of gaming, live acting, cinema, and immersive theater.

6. Exposure therapy and rehabilitation

Besides being used as pain relief, VR has also shown great potential in exposure therapy to treat phobias and other serious conditions such as PTSD.

Studies have suggested that patients can overcome their fears and anxiety through the help of VR. For example, if someone suffers from PTSD, virtual reality helps them get used to the situation causing the disorder, letting them process what happened properly.

VR can also be used for paralyzed people’s physical rehabilitation by letting them visualize as well as retraining hand-to-eye coordination. With virtual reality, paraplegics can rebuild their brain functions and regain their control of paralyzed limbs.

7. Military and medical training

Virtual reality can help revolutionize healthcare. Surgeons can get training on difficult surgical procedures beforehand. Sometimes, the fine line between life and death depends on these medical procedures. So it is important that a surgeon can visualize, practice and sharpen their skills.

Similarly, VR is also being used by the U.S. military to train soldiers for life or death situations. Soldiers are trained for real-life combat procedures using virtual combat simulations.

8. Worldwide work collaboration

With 70% of the workforce telecommuting, VR helps employees in a company work together on assignments without having to be in the same place. Moreover, it has much more potential than Skype calls.

9. 3D art creation

Thanks to virtual reality, artists can turn their 3D drawing and painting into reality-life work while immersing themselves in a 3D digital space.

For example, Oculus Story Studio created software letting an artist use haptic devices and VR headset to visualize what they are creating. HTC also released a 3D painting app called Tilt Brush for its HTC Vive VR headset.

10. Space exploration

Researchers at NASA have been using VR technology to control robots in space. At Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA researchers linked the Oculus Rift to equipment for motion tracking, allowing users to use hand gestures to control a robotic arm.

Moreover, researchers are also testing virtual reality to help astronauts relax by escaping from the harsh space environment.

For an average user who dreams of becoming an astronaut, virtual reality can give them the ability to explore space right from their living room. One of Stephen Hawking’s last project was a black hole virtual tour.

11. Gaming

For more than 15 years, gamers have been waiting for a newer version of the Half-Life game. And now, called Half-Life: Alyx, the new Half-Life game is going to be released as a virtual reality experience.

For the gaming industry, this is exciting news. With this release, Half-Life will become the first blockbuster game released as a VR game.

12. A drug-free trip

Several researchers and artists have worked together to virtually recreate a hallucinogenic trip’s effects. Will this create a psychedelic state? Yes, kind of.

Researchers at the University of Sussex conducted a study where they combined a 360-degree VR headset with trippy panoramic images. The result was called Hallucination Machine.

>>> Watch This Tearful Reunion Of A Mother And Her Deceased Child In VR