The world of virtual reality has experienced major developments recently, which include HTC’s announcement of the Vive, their ver­sion of the VR headset, and the advances Samsung and Oculus have been making with their Gear VR. With Samsung and Oculus aiming to release their products sometime this year (as announced in a recent Game Devel­ops Conference), it’s not hard to believe that virtual reality will soon play a large role in our daily lives. Currently, the technology is geared towards video games and designed to work together with mobile phones. However, as use becomes increasingly widespread, it’s highly likely that the technology will expand into other fields.

Right now, many are eager to incorporate VR into video game systems. Inspired by anime and video games,such as the widely popular Sword Art Online and the lesser known .hack (pronounced “dot-hack”)series, fans are ready to jump into the virtual real­ity world. However, we can do much more than simply entertain video game enthusiasts with VR. Doctors could have simulations of surgeries, allowing themto practice their skills without the urgency or risk of an actual emer­gency situation, or provide therapy for phobias in safe and contained environ­ments. Tactile and creative learners would learn much more in schools through physical interactions with their subjects and engineers would be able to cre­ate 3-D models and visualizations of their ideas. The use of VR isn’t limited to games and movies and with current advances, we will soon be able to implement such ideas.

Of course the VR technology is still in de­velopment and comes with its own risks. For those who’d like nothing more than to escape reality, virtual reality becomes an easy way to avoid their problems in real life. There’s also the problem of addiction. Even today, we see older generations complaining about the reclusive life styles of teens who’d rather text their friends than actually meet them and interact in person. With the introduction of VR technolo­gy, there are sure to be even more people who would rather stay inside or glue themselves to their phones than go to the park and play soc­cer or even speak to other people.