10 Amazing Uses of Virtual Reality
10 Amazing Uses of Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality (VR) holds a huge potential to transform how people and businesses interact with each other as well as the surroundings.
Previously VR was generally associated only with the gaming industry. Now it’s on fire with new opportunities for use.
Although this innovative technology has been traditionally associated with the gaming industry, it is amazingly being applied in various fields to manipulate physical surroundings. VR allows its users to experience the real environment in more immersive ways.
Mechasparrow, a U.S.-based VR specialist who teaches people his skillset, says that “it’s just a matter of time before we experience more intriguing uses of virtual reality than the ones we know of today.”
Some of the fields that have since taken up the use of the VR technology and revamped their offerings include business, medicine, manufacturing, architecture, and the leisure industry.
Here are 10 amazing uses of virtual reality today.
1. Recruitment and Training
The corporate sector has largely benefited from the revolutionary technology.
Some companies are now recruiting and training their workforce by using virtual reality that engages the employees in seemingly real work challenges and scenarios. For example, during recruitment, a company can make use of simulated interviews and choose the best candidates for the job.
The use of VR in the workplace can allow potential employees to have a feel of the typical work environment and be prepared to offer the best solutions for challenges that may arise. A company can also train employees from different physical locations at the same time. This also gives employees a seemingly physical involvement which offers the satisfaction gained from a real training.
2. Work Collaboration in the Workplace
Some companies have embraced virtual sharing to allow personnel to collaborate on assignments without relocating to one physical location. For example, where a company has remote workers from different geographical locations, it is necessary that they coordinate and complete tasks on time.
Since teamwork is essential for a company’s success, VR technology makes it possible for workers to hold meetings through video conferencing and deliberate on issues. With this technology, employees can gather in the same room and consult without meeting face to face.
This saves unnecessary travel and allows them to work on assignments concurrently and complete tasks within the shortest time possible.
3. Creating Ideas and Forecasting Trends
Virtual reality allows businesses to come up with fresh ideas and perform tests before implementing them in the actual environment. This immersive technology allows companies to forecast trends and determine the performance of projects beforehand.
Companies can determine their potential sales performance and customers’ growth in a virtual setting.
In car manufacturing, for instance, the end product of a design can be tested to determine how well it will be accepted in the actual market. Engineers can test a car’s safety in a virtual setting before the actual manufacturing process begins. Potential customers can also test drive the vehicles using virtual reality headsets before making purchase decisions.
Consequently, this helps in making the production process efficient: allowing companies to come up with the best products that satisfactorily meet the goals of the end users.
4. Pain Management
Uses of virtual reality in medicine are widespread. For example, this technology has been used in pain management for patients undergoing treatments that inflict insurmountable pain such as cancer. Each treatment pain of the cancer patient can be helped and managed. Consider other high pain treatments such as, high degree burns, physiotherapy treatments, broken limbs, and open wounds.
When patients wear VR headsets, the technology is used to distract their brain and confuse the pain pathway by drawing their minds from the suffering. Dentists are also using the technology to soothe patients when extracting their teeth or conducting root canals and other dental surgeries.
5. Training Medical Students
The virtual reality technology is used to assist medical students to learn and acquire work experience faster. With this use of virtual reality in education, medical students can learn how to conduct delicate surgical procedures.
Since the procedures can be time-consuming and risky, VR helps the students to perform real surgeries without putting the lives of patients in danger. The trainees can also use this technology to increase their hours of practice in a virtual setting, eliminating the fear of risk on real patients.
6. Treatment of PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder is common among soldiers due to the trauma they were exposed to during combat. This disorder has become more widespread than previously thought. PTSD is also found in the general population and is not limited to the combat soldier. PTSD is a mental disorder that faces anyone who has undergone petrifying experiences, both physically and mentally, such as sexual assault, abuse, and road accidents.
Virtual reality can assist in treating the fears in patients with PTSD by helping them to replay what they went through. As a result, reliving the experiences can help the medical team to understand the patients’ conditions and come up with ways to help them cope better.
7. Training on Social Cognition to Manage Autism
The number of patients suffering from autism, a social developmental disorder, has been on the rise. This problem has mainly been attributed to the increased awareness about the condition among parents and guardians – but may have many other causal conditions, including environment.
Autism impairs the reasoning, interaction, and social skills of patients. Virtual reality technology can help in managing the condition by boosting the patients’ brain activity and imaging.
This can be achieved through introducing the patients and parents to different social scenarios and then using medical and psychological training teaching both guardian and patient about the best usage behavior in each situation. This gives each the opportunity to practice before the occasion arises.
8. Managing and Treating Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety creates a sense of panic in patients. Some describe their feelings as the individual feeling as if they have lost the ground beneath their feet. Some have chest pain or feel like they must escape to a safer location.
A notable symptom of anxiety is breathing difficulties. This symptom and many other variables that the patient deals with can be monitored, explained and controlled using virtual reality.
The medical team can use functional apps fused with the VR technology to monitor the individual patient’s breathing patterns and offer appropriate scenarios for the patient to consider and choose. If needed the medical team can quickly administer anxiety medication thus saving the time lapse between traditional medicinal responses.
9. Therapy for Paraplegics
Persons and patients with differing physical abilities can have the opportunities to use VR tools to experience the thrills of various environments without being confined to their physical locations. Notably, VR headsets are being used to enable paraplegics to build back their brain functions and regain control of limbs. This is one of the most exciting uses of this new VR technology and can’t be overemphasized for those in this suffering state.
10. Leisure
The tours and travels industry has largely benefited from the virtual reality technology. For example, the industry has been using this technology to give clients a feel of various holiday destinations around the world. Clients can visit different destinations in a virtual setting before making travel choices.
In this way, the world becomes a place where all who wish to can learn and immerse themselves in other cultures and traditions. This can lead entire generations to a greater understanding and appreciation for people globally. If someone doesn’t have access to what it take to reach a destination physically, they can still visit these locales and experience the greatness offered in these regions of the world.
Wrapping up
Virtual reality applications examples are numerous and are not limited to the limited descriptions above.
The potential of the technology to revolutionize the world is unmatched. We can only wait for more amazing ways VR will change the future. Therefore, learning how this wonderful technology works can assist you to advance your career. You can also be ready to use this knowledge in other ways to serve your family, friends and communities.
Do you know of other examples of virtual reality in everyday life? Please think how you would help someone you love with VR. How would you teach your favored concept through virtual reality. We would love to hear from you with your progressive thoughts and ideas.
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