CIOInsider India Magazine

Acknowledging that technology is playing a crucial role in times of COVID-19 and when lockdown is imposed, we humans will be indebted of some technologies forever. Virtual Reality is one of those. Already, the world is predicted to spend $18.8 billion in 2020 for augmented reality and virtual reality. It is an increase of 78.5 percent from $10.5 billion International Data Corporations (IDC). IDC’s latest update on Worldwide Augmented and Virtual Reality Spending Guide depicts the annual growth at compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 77 percent between 2019 and 2023.

Look Into The Fields Where Virtual Reality Will Play A Major Role:

1. Marketing – As Covid cases are rising, it is making companies to rethink their strategies everyday. WebVR is the new addition to virtual reality. Virtual Reality platforms are enabling users to connect for business meetings in immersive, realistic, and natural ways. Another reason is sales are increasing and customer experience is enhancing. Virtual Reality signifies the presence of a person and increases the wavelength of connection more during the pandemic times.

2. Simulation – Virtual Reality simulations are advantageous. By implementing virtual reality simulators, business heads are able to understand the behavior of anything particular when simulated on particular events. With the help of virtual reality, they are able to make such simulations from anywhere. It also leads to perfect application of social distancing and avoiding chances of infection. Additionally, simulations of COVID-19 itself is done via virtual reality. Like patient management and hospital triage is done, simulation of psychological support for COVID-19 victims’ family members is provided with the help of virtual reality simulation. It is also helping the professionals to manage their emotions in a better way and control anxiety and depression properly.

3. Communication – The foremost thing of any business is communication. Hence, tools like Zoom are enabling communication between teachers and students, business professionals with ease. Families separated by distance are able to contact each other using virtual reality.

4. Training – Students who want to learn new topics, professionals who want to develop certain skills and non-professionals who want to acquire skills are relying on virtual-reality tools to learn and improve certain skills by practicing. Saving structural and logistics costs, staff mobility, and giving greater security choices are the offers of virtual reality.

5. Entertainment – Nothing rules out the entertainment industry. Even during the pandemic, entertainment industry worked hard adhering to the rules to entertain. Virtual Reality helped on the way. Virtual reality stood as the differentiating factor on how everyone gulps the multimedia entertainment. There are concerts to happen in virtual reality environment and movies to watch in the same.

Director General of WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tells that coronavirus outbreak is a human solidarity – political, financial, and scientific toughness test. He says that humanity should come together for fighting coronavirus and research must be an important part. The faith in technology should be laid to find research and find ways to decrease the pain of millions in the world.