How VR and AR Technologies are Shaping Up Different Industries

Both AR and VR Technologies may sound recent to most of the people, but it has really been around since 1838. This all started when Charles Wheatstone invented the stereoscope. This is a technology that was used to help the eyes see a 3D image with just a picture.

Since then, these technologies have evolved and improved a lot. The main difference between the two is that AR or Augmented Reality adds digital elements to live views mainly through the use of a camera. An example is the camera filters that many use.

Meanwhile, VR can take the audience somewhere else without really having to go to that place. It’s an immersion experience that basically shuts out the physical world. This requires VR devices like the Oculus Rift or Google Cardboard.

For years, this has been seen as something that could change many industries, especially gaming. However, there are many other industries that could benefit from this. Here are the industries that can be positively affected by both AR and VR technologies.

  • The Gaming Industry

It’s common to think of the gaming industry right away when the talk of AR and VR technologies arise. After all, in 2016, when Oculus released its very first VR device, everyone was just talking about how this would change the future of gaming.

Even the gambling sector of gaming has changed because of this. The experience of playing slots that pay real money can be enhanced. Players can feel like they are gaming in an actual casino without leaving their homes.

  • Events

This is something that not a lot were expecting as events are usually happenings that you really need to go to. However, companies have thought of making an event available to people who can’t or don’t really want to leave their homes.

A great example of this is when Paul McCartney released a 360-degree concert recording through the use of a VR app that can be linked with a VR headset like Google Cardboard. This gave his fans a chance to feel like they are watching him perform live.

If you’ve seen the movies The Kingsmen, you can also see scenes of conferences being held without the actual presence of the team. They are there virtually and it feels like they are on the seats around the table. With VR technology, this could be the future of business conferences.

  • Marketing and Advertising

Advertising becomes really effective when the customer is really involved in the campaign. There are now many marketing strategies that make use of AR or VR technologies to get the attention of the consumers.

You may notice how many brands would now have their own camera filters through the use of AR technology. This helps them promote their name and products. Some brands would take it a higher notch by using the VR tech.

An example is how a cheese brand used VR to let its customers experience flying through a fridge full of treats. When it comes to such strategies, the more interesting the experience is, the more the viewers will find it impressive and keep the brands in their minds.

  • Law Enforcement

Well, it’s a known fact that many sectors already use these technologies for simulations, but it’s nice to think that even the police and military training are already using these. They make use of simulated interactions with virtual training environments.

This may sound odd as it’s still true that real experience can really teach the police and military better, but a group of researchers from the University of Alabama measured the brain waves of people in the police training undergoing a VR simulation and found how this can be an effective way to improve training and even the hiring process.

  • Healthcare

The use of these technologies can also or have already helped the healthcare industry. Practicing nurses and doctors and even patients can experience these and learn something in the most interesting ways.

An example is AccuVein that came up with a scanner that projects where veins and valves are located in a patient’s body. This has helped nurses and doctors to easily find veins in one’s body during the first attempt.

The VR applications that can be used in this sector are quite plenty. You’re probably thinking of those VR games wherein you get to operate on one’s body, but not really. There are now VR simulations that could help treat behavioral and mental health issues

Overall, both AR and VR tech appears to be game-changing when it comes to how it could help different industries improve their products, services, and even marketing. Both are seen as the future of many industries and so we can only expect that these technologies will just get better.

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