Beyond gaming....

[Scott McBurney]

So what uses does VR have beyond gaming? I've played with a HoloLens at work, and can see the use cases in business for that, but for VR i'm still wondering?

 

[xandros9]

Hands-on training with some tools and environments? Just my first thought.

 

[Teorias]

Not sure how far we will go on this but possibility is endles.
From support prcedures, like having a "machanic" see a full schematic at the same time he fizes the machine to virtual cirgury the possibilities are endless.
However and to be honest my main concern is how will this evolve.
At this stage we have.

VR and AR
Various input and output methods, various types of VR and AR ready machines.
But do we know what is the way forward and decided on a path.
I am a bt concerned on how much "snake oil" we will get stuck over the next couple of years.

 

[onemoredave]

So many things come to mind. In addition to the training tools xandros9 mentions, I see so many places where VR/MR/AR can expand into. I don't necessarily mean today's hardware, but looking beyond the curve where MR is built into every computer, tablet and (perhaps) pair of glasses being manufactured. The standalone headsets and the leap motion announcement give a hint as to where things are going

Already, architecture programs let you upload your CAD drawings so that you can experience your structure before it's even built. That's huge! no physical model building. There are real estate companies in my area that are using VR to allow prospective buyers to tour residences at their convenience.

As you say, HoloLens will be great for some business applications as well as being awesome for museums, art galleries, public displays etc.

For me the biggest and most surprising use of VR has been in content creation. Sculpting programs, painting programs and (my absolute personal favourite) animation tools like Mindshow let me create an animated shorts of whatever my mind can imagine at the time. Like this little short https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNNksPypORU You literally hop in and act out the character in real time.

IMHO there is a lot of fun to be had with "gaming", but we're just starting to scratch the surface in creating experiential and content creation tools.

That's my take on it, for what it's worth.

 

[cprice27]

I know that one the more interesting applications could be used in a court room. Rather than jurors getting 2D pictures, they could see the whole crime scene in VR and get a much better sense of the crine itself.

 

[LtDarthWookie]

I'd also say as media. Right now short of getting a screen and 3d projector nothing we have at home can really give the sense of scale that going to the theater can. A VR Headset could do just that. Another option would be tele-presence walkthroughs of facilities or venues.

 

[Belle_Celeste]

I know VR has played a huge role in the health field, both for doctors and patients. I remember learning in class last year that surgeons use VR as a training tool, while VR can also be incorporated for patients needing rehab for encouragement. I also remember seeing on the news that the military uses it to simulate combat before troops are deployed so that they can train and know what to expect beforehand.

 

[LtDarthWookie]

I know VR has played a huge role in the health field, both for doctors and patients. I remember learning in class last year that surgeons use VR as a training tool, while VR can also be incorporated for patients needing rehab for encouragement. I also remember seeing on the news that the military uses it to simulate combat before troops are deployed so that they can train and know what to expect beforehand.

In addition to that I'd wager that VR has the ability to reduce costs for things like simulators. Currently they have to build a massive mock up of the vehicle for the simulator then drive several large displays and cutting a good bit of that down to a headset could be great.