Upcoming trends in the Virtual Reality World to look out for in 2023

With its immersive and simulative nature, Virtual Reality is witnessing accelerated adoption in companies across the world. The ‘new-normal’ norms post the global pandemic are one of the prime contributing factors.

VR is going much beyond gaming and entertainment. Currently, this trailblazing technology is being applied across various industries, including education, healthcare, tourism, and business development. Reports suggest that VR has a market potential of about $5 Trillion by 2030. Key players in the industry are still exploring ways to tap into the immense potential of this technology.

Let’s have a brief look at the Top upcoming trends in the VR world to look out for. 

Metaverse

A metaverse is a network of three-dimensional virtual environments designed to enable immersive social interaction experiences. On the other hand, the Metaverse is much more than a social network. Users will be able to socialize and work from the comfort of their own homes, while companies will be able to automate and streamline their procedures. Through virtual reality, we could interact right from virtual learning centres to virtual office rooms making the virtual reality the new reality.

NFT

VR is one of the keys to experiencing and creating NFT assets. The strategic use of NFTs in VR environments will give users the flexibility to unlock a wide array of use cases. Complex contractual structures and agreements can be created in these environments. The underlying blockchain mechanisms will make the contracts that govern these NFTs transparent, tamper-proof, and auditable in real time. This will simplify and speed up any negotiation process in the future. For example, the Sandbox is a virtual metaverse where users can play, explore, create NFT assets and trade them as well.

Smart Learning

The use of Virtual Reality helps address some of the fundamental issues in modern education. These include the shift from fact-retention methods of teaching towards more interactive ones and the search for novice methods to engage students. In the immersive environment, students are engaged better to learn with a zeal which prevents them from getting distracted. The simulated environments are completely capable of portraying a complicated model as it is through which students can inspect and explore to have a better learning experience which is not possible in traditional or even the e-learning system these days.

Gaming

AR/VR finds its intensive application in the gaming field. Real-time strategy games do an excellent job of recreating the ideal environment. Each player controls a limited number of troops, and their game actions are dictated by their current position, which can change quickly. While in Simulator games virtual characters are possible that interact with you and exist in your environment, making the game more realistic.

Medical Science

Virtual Reality solutions allow both healthcare professionals and patients to interact in simulated environments tailored for medical education, including simulative surgery training for pain management or rehabilitation. By allowing surgeons to perform different types of mock surgeries in the virtual space, VR helps eliminate practical skill deficiency faster and upskill professionals.

Autonomous Vehicle

The idea of self-driving cars, a utopian concept for so long, is now nearing realization in the real world. The increasing practicality of the latest autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles represents a huge step ahead for carmakers worldwide. Understandably, several hurdles need to be overcome. The unique abilities of VR can be employed to sidestep some of those hurdles. AI in collaboration with VR can make remote driving extremely smooth.

Architecture and Interior Designing

We are not far from conceptualizing, creating, and visualizing 3D building concepts in real time. These architectural ideas are so sophisticated that you may look into the look-alike 3D structures and urban designs. 

In interior design, AR/VR may assist you in imagining the area before you start working on it. It allows clients to imagine any place in the manner they choose. All you need is a smartphone or tablet with all the necessary model software.

Previously, clients could only view the area they wanted to design through sudden plans in the middle of a renovation. They may now get virtual tours of the whole structure before constructing the foundation by applying AR/VR technology.

Immersive Sporting and Events

Sporting events are now joining gaming in the world of immersive experiences. Big sporting companies and events are already investing in virtual and augmented reality to enhance sporting events. With immersive reality, people can enjoy sports and events in virtual meetings which are much beyond the ordinary video meetings. It can also help to analyse the games and events better. Betterment in VR and AR technologies will enable fans to feel immersed in games and employees and partners can feel immersed and engaged in meetings and events.

Web 3.0 and WebXR

The evolution of virtual reality technology has led to the establishment of new standards for the Internet in 3D, including web VR, web AR and web XR. Virtualisation is a key element of the transition from Web 2.0 to 3.0. The next internet revolution is just around the corner. Web 3.0 is all about experiencing the web in 3D. 3D webpage content can be created using WebXR and can be experienced in immersive VR. WebXR doesn’t require separate software for 3D modelling and rendering but it’s directly based on HTML codes.

Conclusion

Though VR has manifold applications in hand with the powerful 5G network, it needs high-end VR devices to experience complete immersion. The VR headsets trending currently are too expensive, due to which their usage remains limited to only a reserved section of society. More affordable solutions need to be devised to tap the complete potential of VR. For instance, The Indian startup TechXR Innovations has devised an affordable XR controller which proves to be a key to the metaverse for the common man of India. The device has the potential to play a major role in making technology affordable and accessible to students from rural backgrounds. India needs more such frugal innovations to tap the immense potential of VR and make the fullest use of 5G technology.

The article has been written by Prashant Mishra, Founder and Director, Tech XR