The past few years, Virtual Reality (VR) has started to come to fruition. While still perhaps not advanced enough to be more universal, it’s no longer just a gimmick. “It’s reaching a level of maturity,” said James Oliver, director of the Virtual Reality Applications Center at Iowa State University. “And you can get a very compelling virtual-reality system without having a huge, huge budget.”(2) Which is a considerable accomplishment as the concept and technology is as old as computer graphics itself.(1)
As virtual reality has advanced (projectors, graphic cards, and computer software) and the power needed to run it has become a lot cheaper, it has become more accessible like most technologies.(2) VR isn’t just a clumsy set of goggles on your head. Businesses are using VR to help test screen products, train employees or other users, and tour business locations. (3) With the technology based around testing products, businesses like car manufacturers can build and design cars virtually, and test them in different environments under changing conditions. This can save time, energy, and money building the real thing and offer a chance to fix an overlook in the design or any problems that arise in the tests before committing to a particular build. This is also a safer way to test things as well. These companies are growing fast at a rate of 10 to 12 percent a year and are currently a 1.5 billion dollar business. (2) Similar for its ability to lower costs and avoid any potential danger, VR training programs are becoming very valuable. Training type programs can vary from traditional feeling virtual classroom environments to simulations allowing multiple students to role-play with each other or computer AI to practice job related skills and perform critical tasks.(4)
It also allows people to connect with the actions. The NASA Mars Science Laboratory flight was simulated in a program that showed important and informative information while allowing you to maneuver the camera around as it recreated the actions happening in real life. This kind of interaction lets the customer or user feel much more connected and mentally invested. This kind of connection is also important for meetings. When businesses want to have meetings with several people perhaps across the country they will sometimes use virtual worlds. With companies coming out with new private programs for businesses alone, this allows for users to relate to others around them more personally than an email or phone call.(4)
Virtual Reality has come far in its usefulness to businesses. Similar to perhaps 3d in its maturity and the distance its come since the 80’s, VR will continue to improve and see itself in more and more applications.
Source 4: http://www.hrmreport.com/article/Virtual-Reality-The-Playground-Is-Now-Serious-Business/
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Monday, August 6, 2012
Virtual Reality
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