Virtual and augmented reality used to just be about games, but people are starting to develop ways for it to be used in other applications. One of the more obvious uses for it is for innovation and education, but there are other fun applications that could be created.
1. Travel
Not everyone has the time, or the money, or both to travel wherever they want. It's a vast world out there and there are a lot of things to see. With a camera and a VR headset, a system could be created so that the two devices can be connected.
While the holder of the camera, likely equipped with a body cam or glasses, travels through tourist locations, the person wearing the VR headset could feel like they are there too even if they are halfway across the world.
2. Driver's Education
As much as studying traffic systems and controls on paper can be helpful, experiencing the real thing is still the best way to learn how to drive. However, it can be daunting to be out in traffic where you can easily bump into something, or worse, someone.
To take the edge off, it would be better to learn through virtual reality. The inside of a vehicle can be augmented, and the learner could look around instead of having their vision limited through a screen. Through VR, more immersive and effective learning could be done.
3. Underwater Expedition
The incident with the Titan submersible is still quite recent, and it's an indication that our technology is still not advanced enough for crewed underwater travel in those depths. The next best thing would be doing it through VR.
While a hollowed-out vehicle might not be able to survive the extreme pressure, a smaller and more compact object could. A 360° camera could be sent down and controlled through a remote, while the wearer of the VR headset could use it as their eyes.
4. Interior Design
There are already apps that have AR technology that allows people to decorate an empty space. However, that can still be improved, where people can wear AR goggles and place augmented furniture and appliances in real space.
They won't have to pan their phone cameras, and they will get a better sense of depth. A program could be developed where even when the user looks away, the augmented objects that were positioned in place will remain, making it possible to see a completely finished outcome.
5. Full-Scale Building
Just like interior design, it could also be possible for a person to stand on an empty plot of land and create a building from the ground up. Apps like AutoCAD are already used to create 3D blueprints of a house, so why not do it in real space?
This can help a person or architect envision what the building should look like, how the rooms should be spaced, where the windows should be positioned, and so on. If it's possible for a building, then smaller-scale projects would be a piece of cake.
6. Space Travel
If travel is not as accessible to everyone, then imagine just how rare it is for someone to get the chance to travel in outer space. There is a vast universe to be explored out there, but only a select few get to see them regularly. All we get is what space agencies decide to release.
It's not impossible, especially since we already have the technology to send something as advanced as the Hubble Space Telescope. The only missing thing is a way to link VR devices to them, so people can see the universe through an object floating in space.
