Developers of virtual-reality products are currently
focused on the gaming industry, but that could change rapidly. Companies are
already beginning work on applications of VR technology in the medical field, with
retail and education not far behind.
“What we learn from textbooks or labs can be really
dull, but VR and AR [augmented reality] will greatly enhance learning
abilities,” Chinese investor Zhu Bo said in a report for phys.org. “It can also be used in e-commerce. In the future, you will step
into a real scene; you can see the products on the shelves, touch and feel
them. So our shopping experience will totally change.”
International Data Corp. predicted shipments of VR devices will increase by more than 2,400% this year, but the
market still needs development before retailers jump on the bandwagon. Current
VR products only allow individual users to play a game or watch a movie, but
companies are expected to continue creating more VR-related hardware and
software.
“To
experience VR, you need a powerful engine,” said L.Z. Wang, managing director
of chipmaker AMD. “Without content, you can’t experience anything.”
