VR was once a science fiction realm. Virtual reality (VR) was once a fantasy. Movies and books have often asked the question: What would it be like to be able to experience everything we want without having to deal with physical reality? Sometimes the answers were silly, sometimes scary, and often completely fictional.

The reality is that early VR system performed very limited tasks and was primitive. In 1977, MIT developed one of the earliest VR systems: the Aspen Movie Map. Aspen Movie Map enabled users to virtually walk through Aspen, Colorado in different seasons. This was a novel idea, but it wasn’t intended for consumers and didn’t have broad appeal.

Even systems later in their development had problems. Sega’s VR system seemed poised for great success in the 1990s. However, it was quickly abandoned due to severe motion sickness. This was due to technical limitations that didn’t allow graphics software to keep up with the user’s head movements. VR systems seemed to be beyond the reach of consumers for a while.

In recent years, Augmented Reality (AR) has become more accessible than virtual reality (VR). AR is a mixture of real-life inputs, such as sound and pictures, as well as virtual elements. As the name implies, the result is an augmented view of the real world. Google Glass was a recent example of AR technology. It allowed users to see information directly projected in front of their eyes. Google has discontinued the original Google Glass, but a newer version is being developed. These glasses fold up, the screen is larger, and the green light from the camera will turn on when the device is active, so people can see when they are being filmed.

New technology has made it possible for VR systems to quickly refresh their on-screen graphics, eliminating the issue of motion sickness. The dream of VR being accessible to everyone is now possible with the introduction of several VR systems on the consumer market.

PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift

The PlayStation VR and the Oculus Rift are two new VR systems that will be released later in the year. There is a lot of excitement within the gaming community about these two consumer-oriented VR systems. These high-tech systems will enable 360-degree immersive visual and audio VR experiences. Multiplayer VR games will enable players to experience the same place and times together, which adds a new dimension to multiplayer gaming. While VR movies aren’t yet available, VR movies will soon be.

VR is making waves in entertainment, but it also has many other uses. VR can be very useful in education and training since newbies can have “hands-on” experiences in high-stakes situations without having to worry about the consequences. The medical industry is well-positioned to use VR technology. This allows doctors to practice complex procedures multiple times before they interact with real people.

VR technology is not only available in medicine. Urban Designers, Civil Engineers, and Architects use VR to explore and troubleshoot the design in a virtual environment. The therapeutic use of VR in mental health includes helping people overcome fears by showing them a virtual representation of the fear. VR can be used to treat mental disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Marketing Apps

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, 26% of senior marketers believe virtual reality will have the greatest impact on marketing by 2020, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit.

AR/VR technology opens up a new world of marketing opportunities for marketers. Telling a story is one of the best ways to make your brand stand out. New VR systems will enable users to experience an immersive story with sound, sight, and, as VR touch technology becomes more widespread, sensation. Marketers will be able to create with VR/AR technology thanks to these developments.

It’s not the end of the future. Marketers are already using AR/VR technology to increase sales and customer engagement. These are some of the most popular strategies today:

AR for connecting with customers Smartphones and tablets have made it possible to experience augmented realities, and many marketers are taking advantage of AR to their advantage. Many apps let you “try before you buy” in retail. This is particularly useful for online shoppers. AR can be used to increase customer engagement and reduce customer returns.

The Sayduck Furniture Visualizer provides a great example of AR’s potential to help retail products be marketed.

You can place furniture virtually in your home with the furniture visualizer. The furniture visualizer allows users to see how the piece will fit in with their existing decor, and the dimensions of the pieces. This allows customers to feel confident that they are making the right purchase. This app is completely risk-free so customers may be tempted to buy something they might not have otherwise considered.

Increase site traffic by offering VR options These VR options are very popular. A website that offers a VR experience can lead to a significant increase in traffic. Take the Star Wars 360 VR experience by Disney, which was viewed over 6.6 million times.

Creating immersive experiences Systems such as the Oculus Rift or PlayStation VR can create immersive experiences that are revolutionizing marketing. Immersive VR systems can create 360-degree brand experiences.

This option has been tested by several brands already.

• Topshop, a British fashion retailer, used Oculus Rift for customers to view the London Fashion Week virtually. However, the event was not available to the general public.

• Marriott, the hotel giant, used Oculus Rift for virtual travel experiences. It has also been exploring the possibility of putting VR systems into hotel rooms to appeal more to Millennial travelers.

• Zumba has created a VR exercise film that allows users to teach or participate in Zumba classes.

• The North Face cleverly used virtual reality to create outdoor experiences. The VR system allowed customers to rock climb, parachute, and hike. It was designed to inspire customers’ enthusiasm for the outdoors, and then let them loose in a store filled with outdoor gear.

These systems are being used by educational institutions to market themselves to prospective students. Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), in a smart marketing campaign, sent VR headsets out to students who were accepted but not yet enrolled to allow them to see more of SCAD’s campus.

The Future Looks Great

VR will allow for greater remote collaboration, customer engagement, and better services. When customers can interact with real representatives, customer service can become an intimate experience.

Marketing applications will boom as VR systems become more accessible to consumers. Marketers will be able to tell a fully immersive story about a brand in a new way.