The Next 5 Years: Predictions for VR/MR

6 predictions that give us a glimpse of the next 5 years for immersive media

The world of Virtual (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) is one marked by constant change— fast-forward one year and you’ll find yourself surrounded by new devices, start ups, platforms and innovative (and many times, conflicting) visions of the future.

While immersive mediums will undoubtedly play a huge role in modern society, trying to understand their future today amidst this instability can be as challenging as it is disorienting. Thankfully, my last two years in the field have given me some strong opinions about the near term future of these platforms. Here’s my take on the next 5 years for VR/MR:

[1] Hands Will Be Standard VR/MR Controllers

The best VR/MR controllers in the world are free, already exist, and are an active part of your body. Every single human innately knows how to use their hands, and their structural complexity allows for a virtually unlimited number of gestures and interactions to be created and detected by software.

Human arms also make interesting choices to place user interfaces — not only they’re easy to reach, they can also provide users with real time haptic-feedback… courtesy of your own nervous…