Virtual Reality – Issues
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Victor Marquez
Today, virtual reality is being used by many companies, government organizations, educational institutions, and more.
However, there are still some problems that it needs to overcome. Some of them simply have to do with the price point of the headset, while others are more serious health and ethical issues.
While many companies are certain these problems will be solved in the future, we still have to deal with them today. Therefore, it’s important to be well aware of these issues in order to avoid them.
We also suggest you read our detailed post about virtual reality to learn more about it.
Quick Summary
In this post, we will go over:
- What are health-related risks with virtual reality?
- Are there ethical issues with virtual reality?
- What are other VR issues?
…and more.
So, without further ado, let’s get started.
What Are Health-Related Issues With Virtual Reality?
When you put on a VR headset, it blocks your view of the real world as you’re placed in a simulated environment.
The illusion of VR can trigger side effects in your brain since it makes your eyes focus on objects that are apparently in the distance but are actually on a screen just centimeters away from your face.
In addition, if you don’t have a proper VR studio, you can run into furniture and seriously injure yourself.
Some side effects include:
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Motion sickness
- Eyestrain
Fortunately, there are easy solutions to these issues to keep yourself safe.
These solutions are:
- Taking a break after every 30 minutes of use
- Opt for seated VR experiences and games
- Remove dangerous objects or block off space
- Assign a spotter
If you’re a beginner, we suggest you introduce yourself to VR slowly. It takes time for your brain and body to adapt to the mechanics of a virtual environment. We also have a VR guide for beginners that you can find here.
Moreover, if you’re a gamer, we recommend doing your research before playing a game. You can find plenty of games that do not induce motion sickness. You can do this by reading VR reviews.
Are There Ethical Issues with Virtual Reality?
Some of the most widely discussed issues with VR are ethical issues. This is because it can cause problems such as isolation and obsession.
Sometimes people, especially young gamers, start to enjoy the virtual world so much that they forget about the real world.
Moreover, they tend to like games with violence and other illegal activities which may desensitize them to such things and jeopardize their social relations.
This also leads to the challenge of getting the person readjusted to the real world.
What Are Other Virtual Reality Issues?
Despite the fun and creativity of VR technology, not everyone can afford it since it does not come cheap. This is because VR is still new, and new products tend to be expensive.
Two things make up the high cost of VR, the hardware and software.
The hardware includes a VR display and a computer or console that is powerful enough to run VR software. There are also VR accessories designed to improve your experience with VR.
Luckily, the high costs of consoles and headsets will resolve on their own as VR becomes more mainstream. For example, when Oculus was first released, the starting price was $600. But, now you can purchase it for less than $420.
Conclusion
While there are many issues this technology has to overcome, there are countless beneficial applications of VR as well.
It is not only popular among gamers, but it has also made great strides in education, retail, business, and training.
Anything used in access can be harmful. Therefore, we suggest you use VR moderately and safely for the best experience.