Ultimate Guide to Virtual Reality (VR) in 2024: Types & Uses

The virtual reality (VR) market is expected to grow from $6 billion in 2020 to $21 billion in 2025 and the COVID-19 pandemic has had a great impact on it; %71 of users state that they spent more time using VR.

Businesses have also accelerated their adoption of VR technologies. 56% of businesses have implemented augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) in some form and 35% are considering it.

In this article, we will explore what virtual reality (VR) is, how it works and how it changes industries.

What is Virtuality Reality (VR)?

Virtual Reality (VR) refers to the usage of computer technology to create three-dimensional (3D) artificial environments that users can explore and interact with. With the help of special equipment, such as headsets, VR technology allows users to be immersed in virtual experiences instead of a flat-screen digital experience.

What is the difference between virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR)?

Augmented reality (AR) technology is closely associated with VR but there is a key difference. As the name suggests, AR augments the real-world experience by projecting digital elements on it. VR, on the other hand, creates a completely virtual environment that replaces reality.

Since VR provides a more immersive experience, it often requires special equipment and high-end computers while AR can be accessed with smartphones or tablets. However, there are some cheaper options for VR experience such as Google’s Cardboard.

How does virtual reality work?

Virtual reality systems work by simulating as many senses as possible to trick the human brain into perceiving the virtual environment as reality. To accomplish this, special hardware components are used, such as:

• Head-mounted displays (HMDs) are worn on the head and provide a 3D view of the virtual world. HMDs provide a realistic visual experience by delivering a field of view and a frame rate that resembles human vision.

• Headphones with spatial audio provide an audio landscape that matches the visuals from HMD and mimic an audio landscape that you would expect in a similar real environment.
• Gyroscopes, accelerometers, and magnetometers for head and motion tracking that adjust the virtual environment according to the position of the user within the room and direction of the head.
• Controllers, gloves, treadmills, and other equipment to engage with the virtual environment and to simulate other senses such as touch.

What are the different types of virtual reality (VR)?

There are three primary types of VR:

• Fully immersive VR is the type that provides the most realistic virtual experience. It involves head-mounted displays (HMDs), headphones, and other equipment to simulate as many senses as possible and to establish a realistic experience. In fully immersive VR, users are completely isolated from their physical surroundings.
• Semi-immersive VR allows users to experience virtual environments while remaining connected to their physical surroundings. In this sense, semi-immersive VR provides a partial virtual experience. The video below demonstrates an example of semi-immersive VR in pilot training where the control panel is real while windows displaying virtual content.

• Non-immersive VR refers to the type of VR that provides computer-generated environments without the feel of immersion. Video games are common examples of non-immersive virtual reality.

What are some use cases of VR?

Apart from its usage in gaming, applications of VR have impacts in a wide range of industries including:

Healthcare

Virtual reality is used in medical training and allows students to practice surgeries and other procedures without risking human lives. Moreover, VR systems are also used in patient care such as treating patients with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); a treatment was created by a team in Cardiff University to help individuals with PTSD to overcome avoidance, by walking towards a traumatic scene on a treadmill. The team claims that candidates experimented an average improvement in their symptoms of 37%.

Education

VR systems can be used to help students better engage with the subject. It can enable virtual field trips to historical locations or learning-by-doing for applied sciences. For instance, Google Arts and Culture Expeditions enable users to take virtual trips to various destinations. VR technology can also improve distance learning which is even more relevant due to the pandemic.

Automotive

VR allows automobile manufacturers to design and test vehicles before expensive prototyping. The global VR and AR market is predicted to reach around 454 million by 2030 with a CAGR of 40.7% between 2020-2030.

Retail

Virtual fitting rooms that allow customers to try clothes, shoes, eyeglasses, or even new haircuts can replace physical ones. After the COVID pandemic, virtual samplings have increased 32% and the AR/VR market in retail is expected to reach $18 billion by 2028.

Real estate

VR allows homebuyers to visit properties through virtual tours from their homes. Compared with photos or videos of the property, virtual tours can give a better sense of the dimensions and other features of the property without physically visiting it. This can save buyers, sellers, and real estate agents a lot of time and effort. Here’s an example virtual property tour:

What are the challenges to VR?

• Health problems: As we mentioned earlier, VR systems work by making human brains believe that the virtual environment is the reality. However, when you move in a virtual environment while your body stands still, you can get disoriented which can cause nausea, headaches, and drowsiness. This is called motion sickness. VR treadmills can help with motion sickness by simulating walking.
• High cost: VR headsets and computers with required specifications can get quite pricey. Moreover, VR development can also be expensive since it requires companies to hire developers that are specialized in VR applications. However, VR can be cost-effective in the long run.

If you want to explore virtual and augmented reality and how AI can improve them, feel free to read our in-depth article on the topic.