Facebook’s parent company Meta has announced a way to work in an immersive virtual reality environment with multiple screens and a virtual keyboard that can be used in conjunction with a physical one.
Its well-liked Quest 2 VR headset was released in October 2020 at an affordable cost. During COVID, remote working became popular, and VR offered quite a few solutions in this direction.
There will soon be a deluge of tech publications espousing a futuristic view of work where we interact with a mixed-reality or virtual-reality version of the environment. Our office is wherever we decide to sit. We don a headset, enter the bath, and we’re off. Several virtual screens are hovering in front of us, and a special keyboard tray is possibly sitting atop the bubbles. Wirelessly connected to a computer in another room and another world—one we once knew—before we discovered something better.
The Perfect Workplace
Meta Quest invites us to enter the workstation of our dreams, “where productivity reigns and distractions vanish.” The future of work does appear hopeful if I could shake the nagging notion that a new period of increased productivity will be preceded by a lot of troubleshooting while stumbling through several virtual settings menus, ankle-deep in lukewarm bathwater.
However, one worry about the technology made for both work and play is the discipline factor. If we can work wherever we want, does that imply we should? Although I don’t think there is a broad agreement on that matter, we all now have a preference. The pandemic allowed businesses and employees to reinvent the concept of work. However, at what cost? VR has allowed us to redefine further the parameters of our formal work experience.
According to a literature review titled “The safety of domestic virtual reality systems” published by the United Kingdom government, much of the current research into VR use focuses on “cybersickness,” a type of motion sickness brought on by immersion in VR that can result in nausea, dizziness, and loss of spatial awareness. However, the long-term effects of continuous VR use are relatively unknown, and more research is needed here.
A Practical Road Map
As a technology, virtual reality is still in its infancy. However, project Cambria, a more expensive VR headset scheduled for a 2022 release, is now part of Meta’s roadmap. It will be followed by the company’s next version of the Quest VR headset in 2023 and two additional headsets in 2024. Meta is also looking to adopt a release schedule familiar to smartphone owners and smartwatches.
But it’s crucial to emphasize that everything is still being constructed. Quest 2 often releases updates that unlock new capabilities for the headset, reflecting that the VR industry is a hub of invention and development. Although this seems like an odd inclusion for a headgear largely aimed at games, the business unveiled a new feature in September 2020 called Infinite Office, a virtual reality workspace that effectively tracks your physical keyboard and enables immersive solitary production.
In 2021, Vice President of Facebook Reality Labs Andrew Bosworth said: “There’s an old tale from the PC era called “the reason to buy and the excuse to buy,” and it goes something like this: The reason to buy a PC was to play games, the excuse to buy was to do spreadsheets. So you couldn’t purchase it until you could play games and utilize spreadsheets because you need both an explanation and an excuse.”
Not because it speaks to the overarching goals of humanity but rather because there is an underlying acceptance that VR gaming may prevail over other technology uses, and that’s fine.
The current objective of Meta is widespread adoption. Given that VR is now more of a movement than a passing trend, they are succeeding in realizing their aim of making virtual reality a commonplace experience.
Benefit of Virtual Reality
It’s More Entertaining Than Regular Video
The content is enjoyable because of VR’s and AR’s immersive qualities. Immersing the user in something they enjoy differs from simply allowing them to view it. Instead, customers enjoy doing whatever they like with the power of the presence they feel in what they are viewing, thanks to life-size images and interactivity.
An Additional Aspect Of Interaction
Virtual and augmented reality engages the user in real-time, allowing them to actively participate in what they are exploring.
Users can interact with avatars and other characters however they like in the immersive video. This has created opportunities for VR users in marketing and other industries, as well as for learners, trainers, remote maintenance teams, and gamers.
Self-Directed Excursions & Explorations
The ability of VR users to view 360-degree, VR, and AR content from a point of view that may differ from the storyteller marks a significant departure from traditional video content.
The storyteller will only have to manipulate the narrative to suit their purposes and sway the audience because the latter can look for more in-depth supporting evidence within the same content than they would in a typical video story.
Online & Without Endangering Your Life
Organizations don’t have to put the safety of their staff and employees at risk by putting them in potentially dangerous situations to recreate, test, and simulate real-world activities for military, healthcare provisioning, education-based training, and other purposes.
Reduces Expenses
Organizations save money on travel and other expenses when students and their instructors participate in VR-based virtual training, which is advantageous due to its immersive and engaging nature.
Issues with the VR Industry
Accessibility
Regular and common usage is discouraged by the expensive cost.
There needs To Be More Demand From Customers
There is no market rivalry for businesses experimenting with and using virtual reality. This discourages the creation of VR and AR systems and the rapid acceptance of those systems. Early adopters and tech enthusiasts primarily use the technology. Even as adoption expands outside entertainment and games, this is becoming better.
Furthermore, there need to be more strong, more standardized, and more sustainable business models.
Technology Is Still Being Tested
With only a small number of users worldwide, there needs to be a better application of technology in actual life, not merely in terms of content. There are a few platforms for VR material as well, although there is less of it available.
VR is also not financially reaching the target population, and many people need to be made aware of it and its capabilities.
Limited Options For Consumers
Low adoption means fewer headsets and VR systems are available, which reduces customer alternatives.
Health Issues
The technology must also advance for customers to stop suffering from transient side effects like headaches, nausea, and dizziness.
Conclusion
The future of virtual reality technology is covered in this virtual reality course. Given advancements in technologies like smartphones and Internet technologies and as gadgets and technologies become more accessible and less expensive, the majority of studies indicate the potential of the technology that will be witnessed soon – in the range of 5 to 10 years.
Although there are obstacles to overcome before VR can realize its full potential, we have seen that its advantages have demonstrated its potential in the future.