Virtual Reality is awesome and it’s going to change the way we interact with various media solutions. However there are a few cons and hazards that many overlook. I was reminded of one of these hazards this week when news broke about a VR headset user that sat on his cat while immersed in the virtual world.
This is one of the cons of VR. You’re totally removed from observing the physical world around you. To safely and freely use VR you need an unobstructed open space. I like to say that “You cannot eat popcorn while wearing a Virtual Reality Headset” – because you can’t see any snacks or furniture around you while you’re immersed. Not too cool if you’re trying to watch a movie in VR Cinema.
This issue is removed if you’re using an augmented reality headset like Microsoft Hololens which blends / superimposes physical objects in the real world.
Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and other immersive technologies are advancing quite rapidly. Perhaps we’ll skip Virtual Reality solutions in totality in the medium-to-long term and adopt other forms of immersive technologies Or see solutions with sensors and beacons that alert users to physical objects around them while they’re experiencing the virtual environment?
I foresee opportunities to develop solutions to address these cons and hazards as VR becomes more mainstream.