Virtual fiction or virtual reality ?

Thanks to new technology that is becoming more and more present, many new terms are emerging. Among them is virtual reality. Little by little, it is being democratized, and today it is within everyone’s reach. To understand virtual reality, you should try to understand its mechanisms, its functionalities and finally you have to live the experience. This is why we will try to explain to you exactly what VR consists on.

What is virtual reality?

Virtual reality is a technology that immerses the user in a fictional environment. It allows the you to live a totally immersive experience with added sensory-motor activity in a totally artificial world. Placed in a delimited space, the user can move around and move in this environment in the same way as he would in the real world. To do so, he or she must be equipped with a headset and interactive virtual reality controllers.

However, virtual reality is often confused with augmented reality but they are slightly different. Augmented reality is the embedding of virtual elements in the real world. It is an experience that mixes the real world and the virtual world. Indeed, when reality is said to be virtual, it means that the user is immersed in a totally virtual world. Whereas augmented reality consists of modifying the current world by adding fictitious elements.

Under what circumstances can it be used?

The major advantage of virtual reality is that it allows you to experience things that are inaccessible in reality. It is flourishing in fields such as video games and entertainment, and it is developing in other fields such as health, marketing, tourism, culture, real estate, industry, events, education, etc. Here are a few examples:

First of all, in medicine: it allows to distract the patient when he is in pain but also serves as a substitute for anesthesia (thanks to VR hypno). On the surgeon’s side, it helps surgeons to learn by operating in VR and in real life thanks to a robotic arm allowing more precision.

In addition, there are ways to detect diseases, including Alzheimer’s. This time, the goal is to have the person travel through a RV maze to see if certain brain cells are activated. For children with autism, doctors can immerse them in a fictional world of sociability and use certain techniques to improve their concentration.

Then, in the field of physiotherapy, it is effective for the re-education of patients. They can take part to games (such as table tennis) which will help them to stimulate their limbs. They will then concentrate more on the game than on the pain.

Also, in order to free patients from their anxiety, trauma or phobias, some psychologists use this new technology. Immersing them in the situation they fear has a therapeutic effect (therapists use it with soldiers so that they can confront and overcome their fear).

VR is practiced within companies, particularly in employee training. This will help them to learn in a more concrete and not purely theoretical way. It is also present in team building as it is an excellent way to strengthen team cohesion.

Moreover, virtual reality can also have a role in the real estate world. If you want to know more about it, here is an article that develops the subject rather well: here

The advantages of virtual reality:

In the age of the development of the internet, social media and connected devices, interactive and visual content is taking a prominent place in our daily lives. The use of virtual reality in your field of activity is therefore an opportunity to be seized.

Here are a few advantages that could motivate you to adopt it:

Total immersion: the use of VR helmets or goggles completely immerses users and limits possible distractions. They are more attentive to the environment and to the messages they receive.

The impact of emotions: One of the strengths of VR is the great strength of emotions felt by users. Completely immersed in incredible situations, users feel an intense sense of wonder. This receptivity actively participates in the proper memorization of information.

Developing creativity and learning: VR offers a new way of visualising information. This new method of information assimilation offers cognitive advantages that allow users to learn faster. In addition, it is a driving force for the development of creativity in the field of digital art.

The Wonder Effect: VR is a new technology that is attracting interest from the general public. This is because it fascinates, attracts people from all walks of life and all ages.

Virtual reality at WAO

Among all its services, WAO offers its customers a virtual reality room located in its premises in Brussels. It allows you to access all kinds of applications and games for 20 euros per hour.

Do not hesitate to visit our page dedicated to this activity for more information!