2016 saw virtual reality technology become mainstream with Google, HTC, Samsung, Sony and Oculus coming out with their own VR headsets. The technology is expected to grow rapidly this year, spawning beyond gaming, which currently has most VR applications and is the main focus of tech companies making VR headsets.
VR hardware sales will cross $5 billion and VR software market will grow to $24.5 billion by 2020, according to Statista. And due to advances in the technology, a large share of that could go various sectors. 2017 itself could see the expansion of VR use to many other industries. Here’s what you can expect.
Education
Keeping students engaged with some subjects is often a struggle educators face. Diversification in teaching approaches has been known to help, and the use of VR to create an immersive classroom experience is one way to do it.
Schools in the United Kingdom have started using VR to create an experience in which students are allowed to explore subject related matter in a virtual environment, aimed providing them a better understanding and an engaging experience.
Fitness
Fitness enthusiasts, or even people just trying to get fit, need a regular push and increased motivation to pursue their goals. The use of VR technology can play a part in this. Manufacturers such as Holodia have developed exercise machines that work in coordination with VR headsets.
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Source: IB Times