5 New Uses of VR Outside of Gaming
Virtual Reality is no longer just for gamers. It is being adapted for a variety of great uses which will benefit the masses and could even make some big changes to certain industries. VR should be taken seriously, and not limited to just some trendy new gaming system, as it's likely to only rise in popularity and in possibilities as time progresses. With that said, here are a few ways VR is being used to enrich people’s lives, outside of just playing (awesome) games.
1. Fitness & Wellbeing
Don’t worry, you won’t be going jogging with a VR headset covering your eyes. There are, however, plenty of other creative ways to use VR to be active and get fit. In fact, exercising is one of the most popular new uses of VR, as it adds a level of enjoyment and connection without having to leave your home. But VR offers more than just physical fitness, as there are well-being apps that help people deal with stress by taking them through breathing exercises or helping them meditate. For a list of some of the best VR fitness programs, check out this list from Greatist.
2. Education
VR can make remote learning a more well-rounded experience. Through museum tours and simulations, students can gain a new level of understanding as they are immersed in the education process to a greater degree. If you read through the explanation by Virtualspeech, you will realize just how beneficial it could be. But more than that, there are certain apps that can actually help with certain aspects of learning, such as the speaking apps which can help students get better at communication and public speaking by monitoring their simulations.
3. Art
As mentioned, there are a variety of games for VR, but it is not the only hobby enjoyed by VR enthusiasts. VR allows for a new medium of art and design by taking artists into digital 3D space to create. Through programs like Tilt Brush, Quill, and SculptrVR, you can paint and sculpt in 3d, without having to worry about wasting paint or how you are going to fit a large block of marble through your front door. If you are looking for more imaginative apps to show off your creative side, check out Android Central’s list of artistic apps for VR.
4. Work
This is one of the realms in which VR will be making a big impact. From interviews to meetings, there are ways for people to connect through VR, saving time and money on transportation and hotels. Also, it enhances training methods in a variety of fields from engineering to medical operations. Trainees are able to learn through life-like simulations, giving them a more dynamic learning experience to better prepare them for the real application.
5. Social Connection
Virtual reality can be used to connect and interact with people. While many of these social applications may also contain elements of games or feel like one, one of their main purposes is to allow people to connect with others. You can enter a world with your friends and family to hang out, talk, or play games with each other. While this will never replace the value of face-to-face interaction, it would allow for distant friends and relatives to engage one another in an environment that permits various depths of interaction that one would otherwise not have.
SOURCES: Thompson, Sophie. “VR Applications: 23 Industries using Virtual Reality.” VirtualSpeech.com. 1 March 2022 (visited 27 April 2022)https://virtualspeech.com/blog/vr-applications Beqiri, Gini. “Experiential Learning and Kolb's Learning Styles.” VirtualSpeech.com. 5 March 2021 (visited 27 April 2022). https://virtualspeech.com/blog/experiential-learning-vr Coelho, Steph. “I Tried VR Fitness and It Totally Changed My Workout Routine.” Greatist.com. 10 January 2022 (visited 27 April 2022). https://greatist.com/fitness/best-vr-fitness-games#_noHeaderPrefixedContent “The 10 Best Virtual Reality Applications for Artists.” S3artstore.com. 7 September 2021 (visited 27 April 2022)https://s3artstore.com/blogs/magazine/10-best-vr-apps-for-artists Hicks, Michael L. “Best Artistic VR Apps on the Oculus Quest in 2022.” AndroidCentral.com. 4 March 2022 (visited 29 April 2022)https://www.androidcentral.com/best-ways-create-art-vr-oculus-quest 