Types of Virtual Reality: A Journey to Other Worlds

You have probably heard recently about virtual reality - a breakthrough technology that didn't take long to arrive. In this article, we will try to tell you about the various types of virtual reality that exist today, and also give some key tips on how to make this discipline the subject of your professional activity. Learn about it today!

What is virtual reality? Approaching the concept

Virtual reality is a technology created with the aim of building a parallel reality in a fully digital environment. To achieve the necessary immersion that will allow you to fully explore the various possibilities associated with this field, special accessories are required.

Virtual reality allows you to experience an alternative reality at 360°.

This technique has been evolving over many years, improving its appearance and applications. Although initially it could be considered an experimental science at the testing stage, today it has passed this first trial and, accepted by users, has become part of our lives, enabling the creation of new types of reality.

What types of virtual reality exist?

As we mentioned above, virtual reality has improved over time. Thanks to this development, we can encounter various types of virtual reality. Let's look at them in detail.

Non-immersive virtual reality

Although we consider immersion a distinctive characteristic of virtual reality, we should also consider non-immersive versions of virtual reality. That is, a type of virtual reality where users of the application do not need any additional accessories to enhance their immersion.

Sometimes we encounter non-immersive virtual reality applications that aim to represent reality at a digital level. This is widely used in architecture, in projects requiring creating 3D models from a blueprint on mobile devices.

Semi-immersive virtual reality

This is a bridge between the digital and real worlds. Semi-immersive virtual reality aims to connect both dimensions. Semi-immersive virtual reality is sometimes equated with augmented reality - a technology that allows embedding digital elements into reality.

Consider a simple example: Pokémon Go, a mobile application that simulates catching Pokémon in your city, uses exactly this type of virtual reality. To see a Pokémon, you don't need special glasses. Just look at it through the mobile phone screen, which acts as a door to a dimension combining reality and digital.

From a business perspective, this type of virtual reality can be used to show consumers how a particular product would look, including furniture, paintings, and even cosmetics. Today you can find many mobile applications that let you see the effect of dyeing your hair blond, applying eye shadow, or even getting a piercing.

The idea of a semi-immersive virtual experience is to enhance the customer's experience without abandoning reality and, moreover, doing it in a simple form.

Fully immersive virtual reality

Fully immersive virtual reality necessarily requires the use of external accessories, such as virtual reality glasses or virtual reality headsets. Thus, the user enters a completely different dimension unrelated to reality and gets a full 360° perspective.

This is one type of virtual reality that allows creating unique experiences for all types of industries. Currently, the most developed area is leisure and video games. This technology allows the player to feel like another character in the game and move within it.

Although many still think that virtual reality is only used in the video game industry, its applications are quite diverse (and even extend to the book industry). Here are some areas where different types of virtual reality are currently applied:

• Virtual reality in education. Virtual reality is used daily for educational purposes. More and more educational centers are incorporating virtual reality technologies into their curricula to supplement student training.
• Virtual reality in psychology. This technique appears as a very useful tool for addressing certain psychological issues. For example, many healthcare professionals recommend therapy using various types of virtual reality to overcome some phobias.
• Virtual reality in business. Developing customized virtual reality applications for various types of businesses allows offering clients an exclusive experience when purchasing goods or receiving services.