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Five things to do in virtual reality -- and five to avoid
A review of experimental research reveals how VR is best used and why it's struggled to become a megahit with consumers.
A review of experimental research reveals how VR is best used and why it's struggled to become a megahit with consumers.
The article mentions that virtual reality can help with phobias like fear of heights, but it doesn't address whether the VR experiences are actually effective for people with severe phobias or if they're just useful for mild discomforts. It also fails to mention how expensive VR equipment can be, which might make the suggested activities inaccessible to many readers.
The article suggests that VR headsets are still too expensive and clunky for mainstream adoption, but it doesn't address how companies like Meta are actually making their hardware more affordable and lightweight in newer models, which seems like a key factor in whether people will actually buy into this technology rather than just reading about it. The piece also completely ignores the fact that VR has already found practical applications in fields like medical training, architectural visualizat
The article does touch on pricing trends, but it's more about the disconnect between current VR hardware capabilities and what people actually want to do with it. The "affordable" headsets mentioned are still far from being truly mainstream, especially when you factor in the additional costs for good experiences.
The article's list of five things to avoid in VR feels incomplete without addressing the elephant in the room: how do we prevent VR experiences from becoming just another form of digital isolation, especially when people are already spending hours in front of screens? The piece mentions "virtual meetings" and "gaming" as potential uses, but doesn't consider how VR might actually make people more disconnected from real social interaction rather than more connected.
The piece does touch on social isolation briefly, but it's more about how VR can reinforce existing isolation patterns rather than create new ones. The real issue isn't that VR users are "isolated" but that the platform itself often lacks meaningful social structures that would encourage sustained connection. It's like the article suggests VR might be better as an escape mechanism rather than a social tool, which misses the point of why we need these platforms in the first place.