The extraordinary potential of virtual reality is today the source of all fantasies. Just look at Steven Spielberg's latest film, Ready Player One, to see for yourself. However, this technology is still very timid and struggles to make its mark on the general public. Also, the VR still has to overcome many obstacles before it can be qualified as a digital revolution. Let's take a closer look at why.
It is essential to make the VR easier to use
This is probably one of the biggest challenges of virtual reality. Currently, many technologies are emerging. These include stand-alone VR headsets. These include the Vive Focus, Oculus Go and Mirage Solo. What is their strong point? Do without a computer (or smartphone) and cables. When you know that the Oculus Rift requires several USB 3.0 ports, it's clearly not a luxury! You can check
www.immersive-display.com/ if you wish to know more about Oculus Rift accessories.
In addition to the purely technical aspect, the RV also faces other issues. Interaction with the virtual environment is still quite limited. While some headsets integrate eye and hand tracking, the majority of virtual reality interactions are done via pointers (such as Rift touches). Other technologies could democratize RV by making it more immersive, such as Manus VR, gloves that detect hand and finger movements using sensors, which are still under development.
But there is still one major constraint: the physical space available to the players!
Evolving in a virtual environment raises a real issue: that of security. Indeed, how not to hit obstacles when moving around in a room with the risk of injury? And it is difficult to imagine that each household has a room dedicated exclusively to digital entertainment such as RV...
Until the issue is resolved, it seems difficult to see a real virtual reality revolution!
Virtual Reality: a lack of content?
One of the major questions surrounding RV is the richness of the content it offers. In terms of entertainment, there are many inequalities. One example is the field of video games. If we look at E3 2017, the world's leading trade fair for the video game industry, we can see a rather limited interest in games exploiting virtual reality.
However, this mixed result is offset by a catalogue of independent RV games that is increasingly available on Steam, the main platform for marketing video games on PCs, including a selection of virtual reality content. However, it must be noted that at the moment, the arrival of large and selling securities, such as Skyrim VR, is still a piecemeal process. To invest the players' homes, the VR has a lot to do on this side.
On the cultural side, the gradual emergence of applications allowing visitors to visit museums, such as the VR Museum of Fine Art, or to immerse themselves in 360° videos, could change the situation. On one condition: that the technology becomes easier to master.
What about the price of virtual reality headsets?
Another sensitive point not to be neglected: the price!
Despite a fairly significant reduction in the price of VR headsets over the past two years, buying a virtual reality headset is a significant cost that not all households can afford. However, there is a glimmer of hope with autonomous headsets that should be more accessible.
Is the RV revolution underway?
There are many applications of virtual reality. However, in the entertainment sector, they are still struggling to democratize. This is certainly due to a technology that still needs to be improved and which, because of its price, inevitably hinders the consumer. Nevertheless, this industry is still in its infancy, and there is a good chance that it will explode in the near future.
Investments in virtual reality in 2017 alone already reflect growing interest, both from companies and users!
The creation of start-ups, technological innovations and new concepts that emerge from these developments initiate change. The VR still has many more steps to go but it is blowing a wind of digital revolution!