VR technology was developed decades ago; in fact, a computer engineer and author named Jeron Lanier coined the term “virtual reality” in 1987. That was two years after Lanier left his job at Atari to start VPL Research, the first company to manufacture and sell VR goggles.
The early user experience with VR was not satisfactory for a mainstream consumer product: Users often experienced motion sickness and nausea. Those issues do not concern Hollywood filmmakers, however. Minority Report, Tom Cruise’s 2002 movie based on a novel by sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick, provided one tantalizing glimpse of the future (Jeron Lanier served as advisor to the authors of the screenplay). In the film, Cruise uses hand gestures to interface with large virtual video screens. More than a decade later, Steven Spielberg’s 2018 film Ready Player One envisioned a dystopia in which a VR world called the Oasis offers respite for beleaguered citizens in the year 2045.

The future depicted by sci-fi visionaries is still a long way off. Today, however, anticipating strong demand, software developers are rushing to create VR applications to harness the potential of the hardware. VRTIFY (“the world’s first and largest virtual & mixed reality music platform”) is a social network that specializes in rock concerts. Liquor brands, concert promotion company Live Nation, and iHeartMedia are just a few of the companies partnering with artists such as Deadmau5, Duran Duran, U2, the Weeknd and others to produce 360-degree concert videos.

More mundane applications of VR technology are also possible. For example, real estate agents can provide their clients with virtual tours of property listings. Retailers such as home-improvement specialist Lowe’s can use VR to help customers overcome the “fear of the unknown.” The problem: Potential do-it-yourselfers have trouble visualizing the results of a home renovation, so they never start the project. No project, no sale! Lowe’s appeals to those customers by inviting them to “design your home” using VR.

Questions
1. What are the differences between VR, AR, and VR?
2. Which technology do you think will be the first to reach mass-market acceptance: VR, AR, or MR?
3. What experiences have you had with VR? AR?