What Is Virtual Reality?

A VR headset... Anybody who has the slightest knowledge of the Internet must have at least once come across this fancy-looking device. In this article we will discuss how VR works and talk about its already...

The acronym «VR» stands for «virtual reality». Quite simple in design, a VR headset is a device that is put on the user’s head, but instead of the usual lenses it has a sort of PC monitor creating the atmosphere of complete immersion into what is happening on the screen. The effect is particularly strong when you watch 360- degree videos.

VR + Games

The scope of VR applications is quite wide, but the first one that comes to mind is definitely games! Gamers all over the world have been closely following the development of technological innovations in the industry for a number of years, and the emergence of the VR is promising a real revolution in this area. Just imagine what it feels like to suddenly find yourself in the thick of a battle as the story unfolds! An intergalactic war or an adventure on board a pirate ship side by side with its fearless crew... Games have always been a thrill as they let you turn into somebody else for an hour or two, and with VR the boundary between the game and reality becomes completely blurred. From year to year, developers have been designing increasingly sophisticated ways to impress the player, grab his attention .... It is therefore not surprising that the giants of this market invest immense amounts of money in the development of virtual reality helmets striving to make them more functional and affordable for users.

VR + Cinema

The next area of application that instantly comes to mind is definitely everyone’s beloved film industry. Cinema is one of the most profitable kinds of show business and with the emergence of the global film market the receipts from top box office hits bring billions of dollars! The 3D technology has already changed the way we see movie theatres, and VR will completely change the developments in that area. Only those companies that faster than others manage to adjust themselves to the new rules of the game, catch the mood and new increased demands of their audiences will be able to stay afloat. We, laymen, will only benefit from that. Just imagine, how great it would be to find yourself in your beloved film universe and enjoy the work of the most outstanding actors of our time even more!

VR + Social Media

A somewhat less obvious VR application area is social media. But if you give at least a little thought to the prospects of this symbiosis, everything instantly falls in place! A giant such as Facebook last year announced the launch of the beta version of Spaces, its new application that allows users to communicate in virtual reality. You just put on your headset, choose a companion and take a night walk through Paris with him, while you could be in Russia and your friend somewhere in Africa at the time. You can choose any location whatsoever, the only condition being that it should be available in the panoramic photo or video form. As we see, the VR does bring people closer!

VR + Medicine and other areas

It should not be assumed that it is all about entertainment, because physicians are already using virtual reality for various purposes: from giving therapy to patients who have had a stroke, to treating eye diseases and mental disorders. VR is also used in distance surgery to train medical students.

As we can see, the use of virtual reality headsets is limited only by our imagination. For example, the US Armed Forces have long been introducing VR to give their servicemen military training. We are sure that you, dear reader, after giving it a little thought, will find your own unique application for this technology that has already changed the world!