Virtual Reality - Is it really a Reality in the Office?
The learning and technology industry has become an exciting space, virtual reality is really taking shape to be the next huge movement, even though it's in it's awkward early stages, the concept of the future is breath taking. But what are the practicalities and actual benefits of having it in the workplace...
One of the main and most talked about benefits of having VR in the learning industry is the idea of hands on training without the real life risks. This is an extremely desired idea for companies that need training on situations that, in real life, can be quite dangerous if somebody is unqualified.
However this is just the beginning of what working life with VR could be like. We now have amazing technology that makes meetings and conferences with people from across the world accessible from the comfort of your own living room. Imagine if these meetings became a virtual reality experience, so you put on your glasses and you are all sat in the same room. Exciting eh?
Although the prospect of VR is an incredible idea, there are still drawbacks. The cost of VR at a level in which it becomes effective isn't something people can afford and justify yet in these early stages. So that is a huge drawback for companies currently considering it.
It also currently might be against a few health and safety policies within the office environment. You can't have a working office where nobody is looking where they are going in real life! So that requires specific spaces to be made safe for this concept to work out.
It's fair to say there is a lot of fine-tuning to be done before you are shaking hands with a virtual colleague, however it is an extremely exciting prospect that shows the way we are developing. It has it's pros and it's cons but it has made itself a success within the gaming industry, so we will be next!
