With VR we have a technology that is entering our living rooms and businesses which is completely changing the way we perceive and process content.
We suddenly find ourselves in the middle of the action and are no longer just spectators, but an actual part of the story. When VR manages to address the user’s emotions thanks to the high immersion levels, an emotional connection is formed that not only makes the experience more intense, it also stays in the memory longer.
According to Stanford scholars, people who experienced a 7-minute VR piece on homelessness were more likely to sign a petition for affordable housing than those who interacted with written/2D media on the same topic.VR doesn’t just encourage empathy, it transforms empathetic feeling into altruistic action.
Educators who can’t afford costly science equipment can use VR headsets to simulate scientific experiments. VR can also make educational field trips cheaper and easier. Kids are able to go on a virtual reality field trip to, say, the surface of the moon.
The pupils are inspired and will not only remember abstract models, but also pictures of the people involved, the places where decisions are made and the experience in general.
People who are tied to their bed or even their wheelchair can suddenly discover new things again. The possibilities are endless!
VR’s impact is clearly extensive. Not only is it transforming the way we do business, but also how we relate to one another, how we access education and even how we address our own fears.