Most VR use cases are impractical. Here are 3 practical use-cases.
Virtual reality is often either underhyped or overhyped. A common argument is that it’s solving a problem that doesn’t exist.
When we look at the current state of VR, it can be hard to imagine what it could be despite catching glimpses of wonder. In the next 5–10 years, the devices will get leaner, the graphics will get near-realistic and network effects will kick in.
Here are 3 practical use-cases of virtual reality that will pick up in the future (other than the more obvious ones of gaming, fitness & entertainment).
1) Learning & practicing music without having to buy big, bulky & expensive musical instruments.
You can already find some examples of this, like VR drum schools from Meta, Drum Tutor, and Paradiddle. This is a great use case because it doesn’t require any physical objects to be shipped around and you can use it anywhere. The only drawback is that the metaverse might not have good enough haptic feedback for people who want to feel “the real thing”.
This will also enable people with disabilities to have access to musical instruments they otherwise wouldn’t.
VR could also be used for other kinds of arts & crafts where the tools are expensive or difficult to ship (like sculpting). The same applies to any “lab” that requires expensive instruments for practice.
2) Meditating in the Himalayas (every day) without having to leave your cluttered house and climb the Himalayas.
This is a great use case for people who want to relax and de-stress without having to go through the hassle (and expense) of traveling. You can already find some examples of this, like Guided Meditation VR and Hoame on Meta. While the graphics may be underwhelming today, in a few years, it will become almost impossible to distinguish between reality and virtual reality.
It’s not only a great use-case for those who can’t afford the time or money to travel there but also has the potential to be more effective than traditional meditation because you can control all the variables (e.g. smells, sounds, temperature) and do it every day!
The metaverse might also have social features that make it easier to find and connect with like-minded people, which is important for things like meditation where community support is key.
3) Filming in the Metaverse with friends remotely located in different countries, a 3D VR camera, and artificially generated scenery.
This is a bit of a long shot (pun intended).
But as VR technology gets better and more realistic, the metaverse will become a more attractive place to film movies. We’re already making progress on this front. “We met in virtual reality” is a documentary filmed entirely inside the world of VR by tor Joe Hunting and was showcased at Sundance.
The benefits are obvious: you can film in any location without having to worry about the logistics of actually getting there. And since it’s all virtual, you can create any kind of scenery you want without having to build it or pay for it.
Artificial scenery is already possible to some extent with green screens and CGI but it requires too much setup and post-production. With VR, the potential is there for filmmakers to generate new & imaginative sceneries through voice commands and create entire movies in the metaverse.
In summary, when the next best alternative in the real world is 100x more expensive, unsafe, or tedious, it will be easier to sell in the metaverse.
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What do you think? Are there any other practical use cases for virtual reality that you can think of? Let us know in the comments!
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