The virtual reality (VR) industry is growing at a startling pace: consumer VR hardware and software markets are projected to be worth over $16 billion by 2020. Meanwhile, companies like Facebook, Hyundai, and Accenture have already adopted VR solutions to help connect, educate, and entertain their users.

While VR once revolved around 360-pixel videos that somewhat limited the user experience, nowadays, the technology had made significant advances. 5K and 8K stereoscopic videos are able to create depth perception and heightened visual projections that share far more immersive experiences. At the same time, VR has begun moving away from the confines of gaming and entered into spheres like recruitment, healthcare, marketing, design, and travel.

No doubt, VR is becoming more commonplace in everyday tasks, and is gaining considerable momentum as a valuable tool. Here are some of the technological advances taking immersive virtual experiences to the next level:

6 Degrees of Freedom

6DoF (Degrees of Freedom) relates to the motion along or about an axis, and is used in VR to build 3D objects that can move in a space. The movement happens in three directional axes and three rotational axes hence six degrees of freedom. Within VR, 6DoF describes how axes are tracked, meaning the distance and orientation of axes as monitored by hardware (like a headset or glasses).

3DoF allows for a full range of motions within a virtual world; for example, users can watch a film and interact with the scenery or characters. However, 3DoF is usually limited to being stationary while wearing a VR device and journeying through a place. 6DoF on the other hand, tracks the movement of the hardware in vectors, so users can walk through virtual realities. With this option, users have a complete motion range in a 360-degree world they can wander around and explore the details. They can also use both hands to react and respond to changes in scenarios, like picking up items from the ground.

Some companies are utilizing 6DoF capabilities to facilitate training for high-risk professions. Rather than pay to send teams to offshore oil rigs, 6DoF VR provides onboarding programs that help technicians prepare and adapt to conditions. For instance, VR can simulate carrying heavy equipment, experiencing severe storms, and enacting fire safety protocols.

Although 6DoF is already available as a form of VR, it is significantly more expensive and complicated to set-up in comparison to 3DoF. That said, as the industry scales and the benefits of VR are recognised (particularly in corporate business), there is the possibility that more affordable versions of 6DoF will be released.

Wearables

Accessing virtual reality has typically only been possible with oversized, clunky headsets connected to a range of wires and machines. Yet there are now signs that wearables small devices that can be worn on peoples bodies will offer the same access without compromising quality or experience.

Facebook Reality Labs recently announced that it has introduced a miniaturisation process in VR and had designed lightweight glasses for a full VR experience. The near-eye displays are said to combine the power of holographic optics and polarisation-based optical folding to use space efficiently. Not to mention, the glasses have laser illumination to deliver a broader spectrum of colour than traditional VR technology. The sophisticated technology allows for VR sessions that last for longer and can even improve productivity among users due to a comfortable, cleaner overall experience.

While Facebook is certainly pioneering a wearable VR device, the industry as a whole still needs more research and development to commercialise portable, personal VR use. Unlike smartphones and existing wearables that have optimised the user experience through data, VR wearables still need to find a way to incorporate user behaviour. Nonetheless, there are systems being built to increase usability and functionality of VR in wearables. These systems propose having APIs that plug in to a selection of smart wearables across different operating systems (Android and iOS). For example, VR glasses could connect with a VR retail app so that users can shop virtually in a store. If successfully achieved, inter connectivity within VR could completely revolutionise everyday actions.

Eye-tracking

An important element of immersive VR is creating a world that doesnt just simply place a user in a location, but that the location is tailored to the users presence. Eye tracking is key to bridge the gap between reality and virtual reality.

By monitoring what users eyes focus on, VR projections can be fine-tuned to the best resolution. Foveated rendering, as its known, reduces the image quality in the peripheral vision and sharpens whatever the user is looking at. Subsequently, the quality of VR is enhanced and processing systems can save GPU cycles when not having to support complete renderings. Another bonus is that eye-tracking can smooth the frame rate, so users feel less nausea.

Its worth noting that eye-tracking in VR aligns well with wearables, particularly thinner glasses that can more precisely monitor eye movements. Currently, some VR headsets are too thick to efficiently track eye response.

Obstacles to overcome

Beyond 6DoF, wearables, and eye-tracking, for VR to be more immersive, it needs to see the release of more premium content. A number of mobile apps are realising the void and attempting to uberize it and offer on-demand services via mobile. Back in 2017, news outlets like the New York Times rolled out daily 360-degree video reports to place readers directly in a story. Although the stories didnt envelope users, it was a step towards high-quality, mainstream VR content. Still, the difficulty that remains for content producers is having the expertise and funds to keep up with technological advances in VR.

In general, cost is certainly a barrier for VR, with the average headset priced at $600. If companies cant afford to expand into VR, and people cant afford to regularly use it, the industry is in danger of stalling. Be that as it may, the next generation of VR is demonstrating value in a way that previously didnt exist, and thus helps to justify the high costs. Equally, as cost-effective modes of production and distribution are realised, prices could gradually fall.

By solidifying wholly immersive experiences, VR is transitioning away from a trial-and-error business model and into an established industry at the forefront of innovation. Of course, there is plenty more work to be done, but judging from its ongoing progress, VR is set to be a permanent, extraordinary reality.

Read more:

The technological advances that will take immersive virtual experiences to the next level - AV Magazine