Virtual Reality (VR) is one of the most talked about technological innovations in recent years, and for good reason. It’s a pretty cool idea, however, it’s not ready for widespread adoption just yet. Here are three reasons why.
Cost
VR is insanely expensive. You need the headset, controllers, motion trackers and games, as well as a computer powerful enough to run the whole show. A decent VR set up can cost thousands of dollars, putting it out of reach dedicated gamers.
Health impacts
Using a VR headset for as little as five minutes can yield a variety of negative health impacts, including:
- Seizures
- Loss of awareness
- Eye strain
- Eye or muscle twitching
- Involuntary movements
- Altered, blurred, or double vision or other visual abnormalities
- Dizziness
- Disorientation
- Impaired balance
- Impaired hand-eye coordination
- Excessive sweating
- Increased salivation
- Nausea
- Lightheadedness
- Discomfort or pain in the head or eyes
- Drowsiness
- Fatigue
- Other symptoms similar to motion sickness
Uncertain future
Since VR is a relatively new technology, it hasn’t proven itself yet. Many consumers struggle to see the value of investing in VR, especially since there is no guarantee that it will have a bright future ahead.
The adoption of VR could go either way. It may see widespread adoption like the iPod did, or it may fade into obscurity with other tech, such as 3D TVs.