Advancements in the field of visual technology are paving the way to take us into an age of virtual reality. Personalized headsets for common consumers are already on the horizon. Therefore, it is quite vital to address one important issue: Is virtual reality really going to provide a meaningful experience to its users? It is important to check out the paths that this medium can take as virtual reality is only going to develop and improve to a point where it will soon become a part of our lives, just like many other devices.
Growth of Virtual Reality
In the last decade, VR technology took some early leaps and got recognized. In the past couple of years, the big-time giants took VR into their hands when Google, Facebook, and Microsoft started working on Oculus, HoloLens, and Magic Leap, and it appears that future prospects are really bright. In the coming two or three years, the market is going to grow exponentially, just like the smartphone market exploded after Apple introduced the first-ever iPhone back in 2007, and it is evident that these gadgets will be just as affordable for everyone as the smartphone. The gaming industry is especially affected by VR tech, but the question is, how is the general public going to react to it?
Social Experiments
Various experiments have been carried out in attempts to see the effects of VR technology on individuals. In one of the experiments, the individuals were shown a virtual world in which they had either no body or the body of a mannequin. When someone interacted with these bodies, these people reported that they felt as if they were being touched in reality. In another experiment, two individuals living in different places met in a virtual world and they reported that their interaction felt a bit physical, although in the real world they were miles away.
Effects of VR on Emotions
The different worlds that are simulated in virtual reality have a number of effects on users. Psychologists studied the effects of a virtual environment on the emotions of a person and how VR can help with psychological problems. According to these studies, human emotions are actually affected by virtual environments, very much like they are affected by real environments. In one of the researches, the individuals were made to sit in virtual parks. One of these parks had a characteristic anxiousness in it and the other one had a happy feel to it. The results of the analysis conducted on the individuals showed that the people who spent their time in the anxious park became anxious while sitting in it, and those who were sitting in relaxed and happy parks showed happiness and joy while sitting there. They were also made to sit in a neutral park, which induced no such emotion in them.
Virtual Reality and Gaming Solutions
For game makers, VR offers a lot of new options. There is a whole new paradigm of gaming when it comes to VR and the ones who are going to make the best games are going to be the veterans that will lead the gaming industry in the years to come. As of now, however, the audience is composed only of enthusiasts because of several factors in which affordability is number one. This technology can be used to introduce people to new and different aspects that come only with VR. There are already a number of simulation games that are used for educational purposes, but when the idea is merged with VR, it provides a whole new experience. For example, there is a mobile game called Paws Project Game in which the player goes through different stages as he pets a dog and feeds it. It covers all the aspects of caring for the animal and when it is mixed with virtual reality, players will be able to truly learn and actually experience it all. This aspect of VR is really heartwarming. In this way, a sense of love and affection can be developed by presenting positivity as entertainment to the people.