Current and Future Virtual Reality Applications and the Application of User Experience Design Principles

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) has gained a lot of attention recently in the entertainment industry with gaming and video display. As head mounted devices (HMD) become more affordable, consumers and developers have begun to explore new applications for VR. Outside of entertainment, VR may have potential uses that can expand industries by placing users in situations that they may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience. When designing these applications, developers have new and untested features that users can interact with. Designers must take into account the concept of presence, and limit factors that take people out of the experience such as motion sickness. We discuss how VR has a place in many different industries. Our research examines how VR can be used in training, testing, education, and therapy, as well as its potential for future applications. Our goal is to extend the knowledge of VR development, during a time where it is still relatively nascent.