Virtual Reality, the technology of the
future
Virtual Reality: another
world within sight
R&D Science
When we talk about Virtual Reality (VR), many of us think of science
fiction films like 'Minority Report'. However, the truth is that
nowadays, this technology completely blends in with our daily lives.
Video games, medicine, education... Virtual Reality is here to stay.
But what is it exactly?
Virtual Reality creates simulated environments the user becomes immersed in by using
specific headsets or helmets.
What is Virtual Reality?
Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer-generated environment with
scenes and objects that appear to be real, making the user feel they
are immersed in their surroundings. This environment is perceived
through a device known as a Virtual Reality headset or helmet. VR allows
us to immerse ourselves in video games as if we were one of the
characters, learn how to perform heart surgery or improve the quality of
sports training to maximise performance.
Although this may seem extremely futuristic, its origins are not as recent
as we might think. In fact, many people consider that one of the first
Virtual Reality devices was called Sensorama, a machine with a built-in
seat that played 3D movies, gave off odours and generated vibrations to
make the experience as vivid as possible. The invention dates back as
far as the mid-1950s. Subsequent technological and software
developments over the following years brought with them a progressive
evolution both in devices and in interface design.
Differences with Augmented Reality
Despite being a technology that originated decades ago, many people
are still unfamiliar with the concept of Virtual Reality. It is also quite
common to confuse the term Virtual Reality with augmented reality.
The main difference between the two is that VR builds the world in which
we immerse ourselves through a specific headset. It is fully immersive
and everything we see is part of an environment artificially
constructed through images, sounds, etc. On the other hand,
in augmented reality (AR), our own world becomes the framework
within which objects, images or similar are placed. Everything we see
is in a real environment and it may not be strictly necessary to wear a
headset. The clearest and most mainstream example of this concept is
Pokémon Go.
However, there is also a combination of both realities called mixed reality.
This hybrid technology makes it possible, for example, to see virtual
objects in the real world and build an experience in which the
physical and the digital are practically indistinguishable.
Main applications of Virtual Reality
That's enough about the theory that is projecting us into the future. Which
sectors is Virtual Reality actually being used in today? Medicine, culture,
education and architecture are some of the areas that have already taken
advantage of this technology. From guided museum visits to the
dissection of a muscle, VR allows us to cross boundaries that would
otherwise be unimaginable.
INNOVATIVE USES FOR VIRTUAL
REALITY
Dining
Now we can travel virtually to different places and immerse ourselves in certain environments
while tasting the dishes from these locations.
Medicine
The Spanish National Research Council has succeeded in reducing the effects of Parkinson's in
several patients by applying a treatment that uses VR.
The media
Immersive journalism takes the user to the places where events have occurred with live
streaming of 360° videos.
Education
In classrooms, the use of VR allows students to better retain knowledge and helps students with
learning difficulties.
Entertainment
Users can enter a scene in a video game or practice extreme sports without moving from their
sofa.
Architecture
RV helps architects to better envisage a space and present the project to their clients.
Industry
Digital Twins are exact digital copies of physical objects that factory workers can practice on
and test in a virtual world.
Culture / Art
Some museums and galleries offer virtual visits or immersive experiences to help understand
the history and culture associated with each work.
Military
The UK Ministry of Defence uses VR for training in simulated combat environments.
External link, opens in new window. SEE INFOGRAPHIC: Innovative
uses for Virtual Reality [PDF]External link, opens in new window.
The future of Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality is one of the technologies with the highest projected
potential for growth. According to the latest forecasts from IDC Research
(2018), investment in VR and AR will multiply 21-fold over the next
four years, reaching 15.5 billion euros by 2022. In addition, both
technologies will be key to companies' digital transformation plans and
their spending in this area will exceed that of the consumer sector by
2019. It is, therefore expected that by 2020 over half of the larger
European companies will have a VR and RA strategy.
Nowadays, the market is demanding applications that go beyond leisure,
tourism or marketing and are more affordable for users. Virtual interfaces
also need to be improved to avoid defects such as clipping, which makes
certain solid objects appear as though they can be passed through. Or to
minimise the effects that VR produces in people, among them motion
sickness, which consists of a dizziness induced by the mismatch between
the movement of our body and what is being seen in the virtual world.
The big technology companies are already working to develop headsets
that do not need cables and that allow images to be seen in HD. They are
developing Virtual Reality headsets in 8K and with much more powerful
processors. There is even talk that in the next few years they could
integrate Artificial Intelligence. The latest 5G standard can also provide
very interesting scenarios for the evolution of VR. This standard will
allow more devices and large user communities to be connected. In
addition, its almost imperceptible latency will make it possible for
consumers to receive images in real time, almost as if they were seeing
them with their own eyes.
All this means that Virtual Reality is no longer science fiction. It is
integrated into our present and, in the coming years, it will lead to
advances that will shape the future.
