Virtual Reality is very new to a lot of people, and if you want to be ready for the future it is important to understand what it means.
Virtual Reality is the artificial replacement of the real world using technology that mimics interaction. This interaction that occurs inside a digital world is not bound by the laws of physics and therefore doesn’t always mimic reality perfectly.
Virtual reality technology is just getting started in terms of its potential abilities and features. There are tons of different aspects of virtual reality to understand, continue reading to get a good grasp of it all!
The Meaning of “Virtual Reality”
Virtual reality has a lot of meanings in different contexts, but let’s focus on three of the most common uses of this phrase.
Normal Use of “Virtual Reality”
Virtual reality today generally refers to the use of an HMD, or head-mounted display, paired with controllers.
When somebody says that they used a “virtual reality headset”, they are generally referring to the increasingly popular use of virtual reality headsets. Generally, these headsets are used to play simple simulations that enable the user to do anything from visiting the roman coliseum to fighting off the zombie horde.
These simulations are relatively simple in terms of replacing reality. They generally only simulate sight and sound, with interaction being limited to a controller that is held in each hand.
Most of these headsets track you inside a certain space, meaning that if you walk forward your character in the virtual world will walk forward too. That, of course, has limitations since the higher-end headsets do not have the ability to leave their computer. In order to be able to move around at your leisure, a great deal of equipment must be mounted in a backpack.
Many new establishments given the name “VR arcade” have popped up all over the world, and they let you use their virtual reality equipment for an hourly rate.
What Virtual Reality Means to Me
I have been in the virtual reality industry for over a year now. To me, virtual reality mean so much more than just putting on a headset and playing a game.
Virtual reality means entertainment. It is one of the most fun things that I have experienced in my life. It doesn’t matter how many times I play, it always blows me away.
Virtual reality also means the future. The more exposure I have to the technology, the more I can see that this is going to make a huge impact on what happens in the next few decades. It will change the workplace, education, and the medical field in ways we can’t even imagine yet.
“Virtual Reality” in the Workplace – Real Estate
The bigger virtual reality gets, the more it is used in jobs and everyday life. Real estate agencies have started to adopt the technology for virtual tours of their properties to clients.
When you are browsing homes for purchase, some real estate agents advertise “Virtual Tours”. This is usually not the same thing as a Virtual Reality tour.
A virtual tour normally refers to the customers ability to view images and video of the home on their computer screen. A “Virtual Reality Tour” normally refers to the ability of the customer to put on a VR headset and tour the property as if they were there.
“Virtual Reality” in Streaming Video
When websites say that they have a “Virtual Reality” or “VR” option, generally they are stating that they have the capability to let you watch videos in a virtual reality headset.
Many websites have this feature, and it is especially popular in the adult film industry for obvious reasons.
Video streaming services such as Netflix even have virtual reality apps, and they are pretty great, but not exactly what a lot of people are looking for.
When these streaming services make an app, generally it simulates you sitting in a living room watching a large TV. This is really great for watching Netflix in crowded places such as airplanes or other things. We actually made a video about the Oculus Go that talks a lot about this.
We love to use our Oculus Go for streaming video, but remember that it is not like watching a 3d movie or anything like that, it is simply a 2-dimensional video viewer.
What does Virtual Reality look like?
Virtual Reality does a really great job of replacing your sight with the virtual world, and therefore it can look like a whole bunch of things!
Virtual reality looks like being inside a video game or virtual environment with 360-degree vision. Some cheaper headsets have a “screen door” effect that makes everything look as if viewing it through a screen door.
Virtual reality tracks how your head moves, and therefore it knows where you are looking. Tracking allows you to look around a virtual room without using any controller but your neck muscles that you use normally.
Depending on the hardware, virtual reality can look really similar to reality or it can look really blocky. Since the highest end equipment can cost several thousand dollars, most of the time people encounter the cheaper versions of virtual reality. Many of these cheaper forms do a good job, but you can see flaws in the images that are presented to you.
Virtual reality really takes away any limits that you can have in actual reality. You can choose to go wherever you want and see whatever you want to see.
The thing that you need to know is that virtual reality looks and feels more real than you think it will. I have shown hundreds of different people virtual reality and the most common response is, “Wow, this is way more real than I thought it would be!”
Virtual reality can make you feel, and even believe, that you are flying over the Hawaiian islands or fighting zombies in Arizona. As mentioned before, the experiences are endless and it is really mind-blowing. Nobody is prepared for it if they haven’t tried it before.
No one ever forgets the first time they try on a VR headset. I remember when I put on the developer edition of the Oculus Rift when they first came out and my mind was blown. It looked like something that I have never seen before, and to this day it is hard for me to describe because it is so incredible and futuristic.
Virtual reality has come a really long way since the first headsets, and it will only continue to improve.
Where Did the Term “Virtual Reality” Come From?
Jaron Lanier is a computer scientist that founded a company called VPL Research incorporated. VPL was the first company to sell virtual reality goggles and gloves.
Although the company eventually filed for bankruptcy, there is something about being the first.
It wasn’t until much later that the true excitement for virtual reality technology boomed, and that was when Oculus ran their Kickstarter program in 2012 to fund the creation of their headset; the Oculus Rift.
Oculus was really the founder of modern virtual reality headsets, and they eventually were bought out by Facebook.
With the release of different movies like “The Matrix” and the more recent “Ready Player One”, people became more and more interested in what virtual reality is and what it has to offer.
If you want to learn more about the history of VR, click here to go and read our article all about it.
Where to Give Virtual Reality a Try
Now that you have an increased understand of what virtual reality means, go out and try it if you haven’t already!
Like I said before, there are arcades popping up all over the country, and a quick google search that includes “Virtual Reality” and your city of residence will come up with all of the places near you that let you use their equipment for free. Many of them even have a first 5 minutes free type of deal.
The other option is to purchase your own. We always recommend the Oculus Go as a start because it is affordable. (you can find it on Amazon by clicking here) The Oculus Go is a great headset because it allows you to watch Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. It also will run all sorts of web-based VR content like real estate listings through Matterport and plenty others.
If you want to go all out and buy a complete high-end setup, I invite you to go over to our contact us page and let us build you one.