It is a great time for tech lovers to be alive. Virtual reality is taking off, and 5G is rolling out across the globe. Businesses have already started showcasing products using VR, while others are using augmented reality to solve complex problems. Today,though, the focus is on the top three virtual reality trends in 2020.
1. Equipment Keeps Getting Smaller, Cheaper and Better
The equipment has been one of the limiting factors of VR technology for a long time. In the past, you needed a VR headset, a powerful computer and controllers to interact with the virtual world. But that is about to change. Facebook recently launched a self-contained VR headset that does not require additional hardware to work. It is a small computer, capable of delivering heavy graphics on demand. There’s also the highly anticipated Apple 8K combined VR/AR glasses. This breakthrough alone can push VR into the mainstream.
2. VR Takes Off in Healthcare
The health industry has always needed simulation. It would be nice if medical practitioners experimented dangerous procedures befo
re implementing them on people. With the help of VR and AR, surgeons can now test run operations and see all the things that could go wrong. It is also a good way to introduce medical procedures to students.
VR has also been used to treat patients with disorders and phobias. They achieve this by combining VR with biosensors that can track heart rates, temperature and perspiration.
3.5G is Exactly What VR and AR Need to Go Mainstream
With VR/AR relying on heavy applications to work, there’s a need for a fast, wireless network that will not wash out the performance. 4G broadbands deliver 100 megabits per second, while the 5G version is capable of 3 gigabits per second. With 5G, VR applications can live in the cloud instead of powerful computers. All the heavy processing will happen in data centres. And that eliminates the need for high-spec equipment when implementing VR.
The Bottom Line
VR technology will go beyond the gaming and medical industries in the future. With VR glasses costs plummeting and 5G rolling out in various parts of the world, virtual reality and augmented reality will take off in a major way.