VR Launching Into a New Era

So glad you’re here! Read on to see 7 Awesome Applications for VR that are going on in our world right now!

Hey there! Welcome to this week’s tech-byte! In the past few weeks, I have seen tons of VR around me. It’s so exciting to see this VR play its role in the curriculum of DPS109 and I definitely wanted to write a blog post about the coolest applications of VR we have seen thus far. This technology has the power to alter our perception of the world, but only when we know what it has the capabilities of doing can we completely harness this technology. This week is looking at the sweet side of technology and the amazing outcomes of using technology safely and securely. To start, let’s watch this video:

First, let’s cover the difference between VR and Augmented Reality.  Virtual Reality takes us to a whole ‘nother environment, blinding you of the current environment you are in. You might experience the Sahara, Classical Greece, or even picture your future of retirement on the lovely islands of Bora Bora. On the other hand, augmented reality simply adds something to your environment that was not their before. You are not completely in a new environment, but you are simply exploring a certain object in your environment. With AR, you do not need a complete, covering headset, as glasses, such as the Google Glass provides more freedom for the user.

Let’s get to it!

1. Training for disaster: After the tsunami in Japan in 2011, researchers the Aichi University of Technology began working on a VR Simulation to help train citizens and prepare them in the case of a similar event. 
2. Art & Design: Digital art is being taken to a new level with 3D implementation using VR headsets!
3. Surgery and Medicine: The medical field is a field where we see LOTS of VR being implemented, and a lot of hope for VR in the future. Whether that be exposure therapy, therapy for PTSD and mental illnesses, surgical training, surgical studies, rehabilitation for autism, and even to provide experiences for seniors. Here’s a cool video to watch about how VR made a drastic change in one hospital: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pizYFG8F3A Various colleges are studying even more possibilities on how to leverage VR in the medical field. Source: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/10-ways-virtual-reality-is-revolutionizing-medicine-and-healthcare/
4. Sports! VR allows, for say, a quarterback to practice their plays and improve reaction times to passes. Without having to travel to a field, and even just at home, a quarterback can train their skills. 
5. During Travel! A company called Skylight is working on a project that allows flyers to view the surroundings as they fly through the air. They plan to immerse the flyer into the environment they are flying over, with sights and sounds that match the feel and create an exciting ambiance.
6. Architecture: VR allows architects to walk-through their design and see areas where change could improve the infrastructure. By walking through before building, it can increase efficiency and save costs.
7. Education: Our personal favorite! A student can benefit greatly by experiencing the environment they are studying whether that be in biology, while studying history, and even in English class! Also, a student definitely becomes more engaged #engage109 and attentive when technology and VR is involved. And so far, we are doing an amazing job with integrating this- keep it up DPS109!

How do you use VR in your classroom? Bits N’ Bytes wants to know! We would like to be seeing VR used for education in several fields, preparation, as well as for the betterment of society. How cool would it be for people nationwide to experience our culture through VR. Again, we see how tech can bring us together, bring hope, and revolutionize fields of study.

As always, stay safe and be cautious!

Join us next week!

-Detective Safety