VR has been an increasingly popular tool for training in the manufacturing industry. The reason is simple, as VR Company PIXO states: VR training is engaging, low budget, and provides real-world experience without any risk. However, the educational capabilities of VR extend past a hands-on task oriented simulation. VR can be used to help students with autism practice social interactions, understand empathy, and explore new environments in a safe and comfortable way, and even allow stroke patients to regain balance and mobility.  

For Autistic students, CLASSVR offers comic strip style, VR experiences, that allow a student to engage in a variety of conversational situations. These realistic environments give students with autism the skillset to approach unfamiliar social interactions and environments with confidence. VR is also being used as a physical aid and an alternative to conventional physiotherapy (CT)  for stroke patients. In a study done by University of Almería and NeuroDigital Technologies SL, it was found that VR was able to increase  balance capabilities and reduce fall risks. The results showed that in some situations the VR experience results surpassed traditional CT because of greater perception of visual verticality.    

In all of these cases, VR is bringing a user into an environment where they can practice and accomplish a goal with no real consequences or danger. As VR advances and becomes more realistic, the practice done in these environments will have a greater impact and real-world application. There are several pieces of technology that are moving towards creating this  one-to-one, hyper-realistic, VR.  Most VR headsets on the market today use stereopsis, or convergence (what each eye is seeing) to create depth. The addition of accommodation, or the focus or blurring of objects in sight is the next step to producing realistic depth perception. The company CREAL has produced a headset with a light-field display that mimics how light and focus affect how objects look in the real world. “Virtual objects should blur the same as the real ones.” This technology not only provides a more realistic experience but solves the problem of eye strain from prolonged time in VR.  

Tactile advancements have also aided in the effort to perfectly mimic reality. The SenseGlove Nova is a haptic glove that enables a user to feel resistance, textures, stiffness, and impact. They have created a string system that functions like tendons to pull a user’s hand into the shape of the objects they are interacting with in VR. These gloves were made to be used in manufacturing to train employees with tactile feedback but the opportunity this technology has to offer is limitless.  

While these two examples are not yet readily available on the market, they provide an insight into how VR is trending towards hyper-realism. Combining these technologies with accessible sensor adjustments for various disabilities will create a hyper-realistic, customizable, environment where users can accomplish any goal regardless of their skillset, location, or ability. For situations where the real world is inaccessible, practice and training  in an environment that looks and feels real without any real risk or cost will become invaluable. 




For more information:

Videos 

CREAL Light-field  https://youtu.be/8Qfm4L17ggM  

SenseGlove Nova https://youtu.be/TajCGQJTrT8