Five Strangest Things You Can Do With VR

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5. Watch the Super Bowl

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Watching the big game isn’t just about the final score, it’s also about the social atmosphere that goes along with the annual event. For those of us who can’t afford a private seat in the stands, virtual reality can offer a more reasonable alternative. Companies like LiveLike VR are working on developing ways to put you in the stands virtually. The software offers the option to customize your very own VR suite where you can invite friends and family from social media to watch with you. Their personal 3d avatars can sit beside you and discuss the game just like in real life.

Not only do you and your friends get a front-row seat for the action but you can even pull up replays and analyze them in the shared virtual space. Because of this opportunity for multiple screens and camera angles, the VR experience can be considered even more immersive than real life in some ways.

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4. See Through the Dragon’s Eyes

So much of our interaction with the world is visual in nature. Sayings like “I’ll believe it when I see it,” and “A picture is worth a thousand words,” indicate just how central eye-sight is to our day to day life. More than that, they suggest how closely we associate our sense of what is “true” and “real” with what our eyes provide us. In light of this fact, it can be a life-changing experience to realize that other animals don’t necessarily see the world the way we do. For example, some birds can see more colors than we can and some cats can see in the dark.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could see the world through their eyes?  Virtual reality is bringing us one step closer. A creative studio that goes by the name of Marshmallow Laser Feast recently developed a software program that can put you behind the eyes of an animal. This technology allows you to wander through a virtual forest and see the world as it’s seen by the likes of frogs, owls, and even dragonflies. While this might not be the most practical use for virtual reality, it definitely hints at just how vast the creative potential truly is.

3. Walk On Mars

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The thought of visiting other worlds is as fascinating as it is terrifying.  The possibility of getting a first-person view of another planet without the horror of actual space travel is an exciting prospect. This is a no-brainer for virtual reality and seems like it will be one of the most natural applications to develop out of this technology in the near future. Because of cost and safety issues, space exploration is one occupation that is better suited for a robot than a man. NASA is already connecting space exploration robotics with devices like the Oculus Rift and Microsoft Kinect in order to gain precision control over scientific instruments that can explore the solar system.

One interesting thing to note is that, as VR technology makes these other-worldly experiences more vivid and accessible to the average person, there very well might be a renewed interest in space programs worldwide. It’s not difficult to imagine a symbiotic relationship developing between VR and space exploration where they both mutually support each other and accelerate scientific advancement in both fields simultaneously.

2. Buy Your Dream Home

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VR doesn’t only have to be used to explore far away planets. It can also be used to explore your very own backyard or, in this case, your very own future back yard. Real estate agents are quickly recognizing the potential of virtual reality headsets to optimize their workflow.

A virtual tour gives a much more realistic depiction of a house’s dimensions and layout than a 2d image ever could and it doesn’t involve all the hassle and inconvenience of an in-person visit. It’s much more time and cost efficient to give a client a virtual tour of a dozen houses than it is to drive them to each one individually. Because of this, many agents are buying VR headsets and inviting clients to meet them at their offices for a virtual reality showcase. Buying a home is the largest financial purchase that most people will ever make in their entire lives and VR is already changing the way these deals are done.

1. Find God

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The conflict between science and spirituality has been around for a long time. At times, the two value systems can seem completely irreconcilable but this hasn’t discouraged some creative software developers from trying to bridge the gap. Meditation is one area of life where science and spirituality seem to occasionally support each other and some VR companies are attempting to capitalize off of this reality.

There are now programs that offer virtual reality environments specifically designed to help you get in touch with your inner-being.  These virtual environments not only provide soothing audio and visuals but also biofeedback to help you keep track of your meditation’s effectiveness. With this live visual feedback to help guide your breathing and attention, virtual reality could prove an extremely useful for helping people transcend the physical plane altogether (or at least get a good night’s rest).