Yes, virtual reality is cool! Yes, it’s fun to put on the goggles and step into a fantasy world. But as the technologies that power virtual reality continue to evolve, the opportunities to apply this innovation in new and creative ways grow. Here’s how to apply VR to your work and daily life.

• Healthcare – VR is being used to help both doctors and patients. Doctors can use VR to train with new technologies or surgical procedures before attempting them in a real operating room, and patients have found relief from physical pain and mental illness using VR applications and exercises.
• Retail – Imagine being able to try on a fitting room full of clothing without ever leaving your home! A number of fashion designers are working with software developers to create VR experiences that let customers shop, try on clothes, and select sizes before ordering exactly what they want.
• Travel and Tourism – COVID lockdown was devastating for travel, but a boon to VR applications like Thomas Cook’s “Try Before You Fly” VR experience where people could walk through international cities, museums, and landmarks. And, now that people are travelling again, many of the destinations people visited in virtual reality are becoming destinations for real travel again.
• Training – With the explosion of remote work, sometimes people need help from colleagues hundreds of miles away. Now, subject matter experts can walk employees through complicated procedures, manipulate equipment, or step through virtual documents until even the most complex questions have been answered. And, critically, people who learn by doing are able to complete desired tasks, supervised by someone who can call out missteps, with no risk.
• Real
  Estate – With the housing market tighter than ever, buyers are having to make snap decisions, often making offers sight-unseen. Now, users can walk through the front door of their dream house, check out the pantry, throw open the French doors to the backyard, and (almost literally) feel the grass between their toes without ever leaving their own home.

It’s a bold new world with innovations and opportunities changing how we live, work, learn, and play. Next time you have the chance, “borrow” your kid’s VR goggles and tell them you’ve got important work to do!