In recent years, the number of articles and news related to “VR” has increased. However, even if the meaning of VR is vaguely understood, there are still few people who are familiar with the specific mechanisms and use cases.
So, first of all, after explaining the meaning of VR, we will introduce in detail the mechanism and application examples by field.
Meaning of VR
VR is an abbreviation for “Virtual Reality” and is translated as “artificial reality” or “virtual reality”. This includes the meaning of “it is not real on the surface, but it is essentially real,” and it indicates that “you can get an experience that is as close to the real experience as possible” with VR.
It means that the realistic experience obtainedthrough VR can be felt as if it were real.
What can you do with VR?
Wearing VR goggles covers 360° of your field of view, giving you the feeling of being immersed in a world that is as close to reality as possible.
In recent years, VR content has become more realistic because your movements are reflected in the VR image by operating the remote control. In particular, the world of entertainment, such as games and live music, has provided a lot of content ahead of other fields, contributing to the spread of VR.
In addition, VR can be used in a variety of fields, such as education, where you can take the same classes as in a classroom from anywhere, medical and nursing care that supports surgery and treatment from a remote location, and tourism and housing sales that you can experience without going to the site.
Another feature of VR is that the viewer can freely change the viewpoint. Not only the mass media but also individual distributors such as YouTubers will be required to use new forms of distribution (two-way communication, etc.) that are different from conventional media that transmit predetermined content.
How VR works
What is the mechanism for experiencing virtual space with VR?
Almost all VR devices currently on the market are based on technology that displays (changes) images according to the direction of the face by wearing goggles called headsets (the part corresponding to the lenses of the glasses is the display).
Stereoscopic viewing of images was realized by separating the images by dividing the display liquid crystal into the right eye and the left eye. The left and right lenses are arranged so that each image is easy to see, and so on.
In addition, many VR headsets are equipped with a lens focus adjustment function, making it possible to obtain a high degree of immersion.
What You Need To Enjoy VR ?
In order to enjoy VR, you should have the following three items, including VR equipment.
Of course, each device has different functions, so the necessary accessories and the immersive feeling of the virtual space that can be experienced will also change.
There is a large price gap between inexpensive headsets that are attached to smartphones and head-mounted displays and VR goggles that provide a deep sense of immersion. When purchasing equipment, it is important to compare and consider not only functions and prices, but also applications and services that can be used.
VR- Use Cases
Next, let’s take a look at how VR is being used in real life. Since VR has become a big movement, it is used in various fields, but here we will introduce examples in the three fields of “sports”, “advertising” and “medical”.
・Use of VR in sports
In sports, VR is used by both spectators and players.
VR is used as a spectator in a “video distribution platform” that specializes in watching sports.
Unlike conventional TV broadcasts and Internet distribution camera work, you can enjoy a high sense of immersion and realism by looking around 360 degrees.
Being able to watch the game not only from the perspective of specific players and coaches, but also from the perspective of equipment such as balls and facilities can be said to be a great attraction for sports fans.
In addition, players (athletes) can use VR for training. It supports various sports such as baseball, golf, and skiing. Unlike gyms and fields, training using VR has the advantage of being able to practice repeatedly while changing the difficulty level and environment.
・Use of VR in Advertising
“VR advertising”, which is different from conventional digital advertising, is also appearing.
VR has dramatically increased the degree of freedom in product display, and we have tried to test the actual usability by running omnidirectional advertisements in the video that the viewer (user) is looking at and by allowing the user to touch the product.
It is now possible to play commercials on the TV in the VR space. Rather than being a one-way street, “experience-based” advertising that blends in with the audience while communicating with them is attracting attention as a new form of presentation method.
・Use Of VR in Medical Care
VR has many applications in the medical field. For example, there are an increasing number of cases where it is possible to observe the actual surgery in VR and share it with doctors around the world, which is very useful for improving the skills of doctors.
Being able to experience surgeries performed by front-line doctors in real life will be a great experience not only for students aiming to pursue a career in medicine and doctors with little experience, but also for doctors in the same field.
In addition, by performing surgery in advance in VR, it is now possible to simulate surgery where mistakes are not allowed. The use of VR is expected to increase the success rate of highly difficult surgeries.
What Will Be The Demand for VR in The Future?
According to the “Global AR/VR Related Market Forecast to 2022” by IT research firm IDC Japan Co., Ltd., the global AR/VR related market size in 2022 will be $208.7 billion.
The average growth rate is 71.6%. In particular, the VR game field is expected to have an overwhelming presence, and it seems that the demand for VR will continue to be extremely high.
In fields other than games, there are not many examples of using VR yet, but as the number of compatible devices spreads, it is expected to be used in more practical situations such as presentations, PR, research, and design.
If you are interested in VR content or want to experience VR, check out what kind of VR use cases and experience methods are available in your field of interest.
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