We’ve extensively covered the most common VR training applications in our blogs. While VR’s impact on the aerospace and medical fields is well-known, what about the more unconventional VR uses? In this blog, we will explore some of the unique and innovative ways VR is being utilised, and speculate on future possibilities.
Emergency Response in Theme Parks
No one likes to imagine the worst, but in theme parks, it’s crucial for staff to react swiftly and correctly when things go wrong. Training employees to handle emergencies like ride malfunctions, guest injuries, or evacuations in a realistic and immersive environment is far more effective than purely theoretical training. This approach ensures staff can respond promptly and efficiently, reducing the risk of serious incidents.
Journalism
Since the inception of news media, reporters have had to brave uncomfortable, volatile, and dangerous situations to capture stories of public interest. Traditionally, these skills were learned through a “baptism of fire” approach. However, VR technology can now alleviate some of the fears for new and inexperienced reporters. By simulating war zones or disaster areas in VR, journalists can be trained to safely and effectively cover high-risk stories. This training could also help student journalists determine whether they want to pursue such perilous assignments or consider alternative career paths!
Hospitality Management
The hospitality industry demands experienced staff to deliver the highest level of service to customers, especially in high-end sectors where perfection is expected. Unfortunately, this industry often faces high turnover rates and a prevalence of inexperienced staff. VR is an excellent tool for providing engaging and memorable training to large numbers of employees. By training hotel staff in luxury service protocols, crisis management, and personalised guest interactions within a virtual replica of the hotel, all staff can quickly become proficient in company standards. This approach also ensures consistent training across different geographical locations, guaranteeing a uniform and perfect customer experience.
Space Tourism
Space tourism is in its infancy, but there is no doubt that space travel will become an option for consumers in the future. Preparing future space tourists for the physical and psychological challenges of space travel using VR experiences will help ensure a comfortable trip in what will be a new and strange environment. Beyond teaching valuable information and skills, VR can also enhance the overall experience. Space tourism companies will likely want to create engaging and beautiful VR experiences that can be packaged as part of the unique journey they offer.
Enhancing Empathy and Understanding Through VR
VR is increasingly being used by companies to teach a range of “soft skills,” often through role-playing scenarios where users practise responses to challenging situations. This method has proven effective in helping individuals prepare for real-life interactions. However, VR offers deeper applications for training in Cultural Sensitivity and Diversity. VR can immerse users in experiences that allow them to “walk in someone else’s shoes.” For instance, a VR app can simulate what it feels like for an autistic person to navigate a poorly designed office environment. Such immersive experiences can foster empathy and significantly enhance cultural awareness and sensitivity. By exposing employees to diverse cultural contexts and scenarios, VR can improve their understanding and sensitivity, making them more effective in multicultural environments.
Archaeology
VR is extensively used in archaeology, primarily to show laypeople how artefacts, buildings, or locations looked in the distant past. This approach can vividly bring history to life, especially for those who struggle to visualise the past from partial artefacts. However, VR has much more to offer archaeologists. It can be used to train students and professionals in excavation techniques and artefact handling by recreating historical sites in an immersive environment. This approach can minimise damage caused by inexperience and help new students identify important signs and signals during excavations.
Non-Profit and NGO Training
Similarly to example of journalism in war torn regions above, it is difficult to prepare workers for the stresses that they would encounter when responding to humanitarian disasters and dealing with traumatised victims and also traumatising sights. By simulating fieldwork scenarios for volunteers, such as distributing aid in disaster zones or working in refugee camps in VR, workers could be better prepared in dealing for these stressful scenarios. VR headsets also provide a highly portable solution for bringing the classroom to challenging or remote areas.
Fashion Industry
In the fashion industry, VR technology can be utilised to train designers and retail staff in various essential skills. By conducting virtual fashion shows, designers can experiment with different styles and concepts without the high costs and logistical challenges of physical shows. This immersive experience allows for real-time feedback and iteration, fostering creativity and innovation. Additionally, VR can be used for garment fitting, enabling designers to visualise how their creations will look and fit on different body types, thus improving the accuracy and appeal of their designs For retail staff, VR-based training can enhance customer interaction skills by simulating various scenarios, from greeting customers to handling complex inquiries, ensuring they are well-prepared to provide excellent service This comprehensive approach not only enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of fashion industry professionals but also ensures a more engaging and satisfying experience for customers.
VR for Artists
Artists have been exploring the possibilities of VR for some time, creating immersive shows and pushing the boundaries of how art and viewers can interact. Professional artists are using VR to craft experiences that blend visual art with interactive elements, transforming how audiences engage with their work. Hobbyists, too, are delving into the virtual world using various tools and apps that enable painting and sculpting in VR, resulting in unique 3D interactable artworks. VR offers immersive environments that allow artists to explore and create new forms of art, significantly enhancing their creative processes and expanding the realm of artistic expression
Pharmaceutical Sales
The pharmaceutical industry is adept at using models to predict drug efficacy and product profitability. VR offers a novel approach to creating and understanding these models and can be utilised for training sales representatives on drug mechanisms, patient interactions, and compliance regulations through immersive simulations. The unique visual and interactive elements of VR are excellent for explaining and embedding complex processes, helping to bring efficiencies to this highly regulated and intricate industry.
The versatility of VR technology is proving invaluable across a broad spectrum of industries, from emergency response training in theme parks to enhancing empathy and cultural sensitivity in corporate environments. These unconventional VR uses not only showcase the innovative potential of VR but also highlight its capacity to improve training, efficiency, and user experience in diverse fields. As VR continues to evolve, we can anticipate even more groundbreaking uses that will transform how we approach modern challenges, making VR an essential tool for future progress.