USING VIRTUAL REALITY TECHNOLOGY IS HARD, EVEN WITH THE LATEST LIGHTWEIGHT DEVICES, AND CAN TAKE ITS TOLL ON USERS. WEF
Companies like Meta and Facebook are promoting virtual reality (VR) headsets for daily activities, but this may not be the best approach.
VR is most effective when used to create unique experiences rather than for constant engagement, World Economic Forum reports.
Creating a convincing VR experience requires reactive, real-time adjustments to changes in body movement, sound, and visual stimuli.
- While VR hardware has become more accessible and comfortable, using VR still causes perceptual fatigue and may not be suitable for everyone.
- VR should be reserved for experiences that would be difficult, dangerous, or expensive to replicate in the real world.
- The acronym DICE (Dangerous, Impossible, Counterproductive, Expensive) can be used as a framework to determine when VR is most appropriate.
VR has been successfully used for training, medical treatment, and well-being, including rehabilitation after stroke or orthopedic injuries, and can offer unique benefits over traditional therapy.
