Virtual reality, as a concept, has been with us for the better part of the last century. Science fiction books, shows, and games have always used the idea of being able to transport the user into a completely digital, interactive world. It’s an idea that saw some headway throughout the years but has only started to see real development in the last three years.
With the advancement of computers and mobile technology, we’ve seen major growth in the VR industry, with a range of new headsets and controllers being released to the public. While they were clunky, slow, and expensive when they were first introduced to the market, there has been plenty of refinement, and today we have better access to VR and AR technology than ever before, and it’s starting to bleed over into other industries, many of which are perfect for the tech-minded entrepreneur.
1. Retail
For as long as retail has existed, there has been a certain premise that every shop has followed. The customer comes into the shop, they select the items they wish to purchase from the shelves, and they then pay for those items.
But VR may soon change of that as more retail companies are buying into the new technology, which they hope will allow the customers to instead put on a headset and browse through a virtual store.
2. Medicine
Perhaps the most innovative use of VR is in the healthcare industry.
While this tends to be aimed more at augmented reality technology, where doctors will be able to view patient information and health in real-time, allowing them to narrow down what may be ailing the patient in a much shorter span of time. Start-up companies for the support of medical VR are rare, and for the present it’s a market open to newcomers.
3. Adult Entertainment
On the other side of the spectrum we have adult entertainment, and there’s already a burgeoning market.
VR headsets would allow the user to enter a virtual adult environment that may even allow them to interact on a physical level, although this is still a few years off. There remains a large gap in the market for businesses catering specifically to VR adult entertainment.
4. Casino Gaming
In the same vein we have casino gaming, and while there have been some attempts to break VR into the extremely lucrative casino market, for the most part it’s still very much in its infancy. Essentially, virtual reality would give players the chance to play their games in a digital casino, without having to leave their homes.
This would extend to poker and slot halls, where players would be able to join others in a game of Texas Hold’em or real slots NZ.
5. Advertising and Marketing
Companies are making more and more use of VR and AR to further their online marketing campaigns. One such example is Boursin, a supplier of soft cheeses, who allowed users to travel through a fridge full of various cheeses and other treats.