Tech News: Is VR All It's Really Cracked Up to Be?

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• Virtual reality has been hyped as the next great tech revolution backed by many potential use cases but so far it hasn't caught on like developers had hoped it would.

• Applications in VR enable mind expanding experiences and contain a lot of entertainment value but may not become commonplace in society.

I've written articles in the past about VR and its potential to transform the way we interact socially or rehabilitation methods used by high end hospitals but I think it may be time to look at the topic from another perspective.

Is it really all that it is hyped up to be? What are its flaws and what possible reasons may there be for it not living up to all its hype.

So, without further delay lets dig into the matter and see what can be learned. I guess its best to start at the beginning. So what exactly is VR and how can it be described?

It is commonly understood that VR is :

The use of computer technology to create a simulated environment. Unlike traditional user interfaces, VR places the user inside an experience. Instead of viewing a screen in front of them, users are immersed and able to interact with 3D worlds. By simulating as many senses as possible, such as vision, hearing, touch, even smell, the computer is transformed into a gatekeeper to this artificial world. The only limits to near-real VR experiences are the availability of content and cheap computing power.

Basically it is computer technology designed to alter the state of reality for the user. The creation and application of a digital environment to bring about new experiences.

VR has the ability to take its user somewhere different and stimulate their senses in an effort to make the experience as real as possible while remaining stationary or possibly moving in a facility containing the equipment necessary to do so.

Even if we understand VR or have at least have begun to understand what it is. One has to ask does it really have much value? Why would someone want to experience a virtual reality when reality itself is at their fingertips? What purpose could it possibly serve that reality could not?

It is true that VR does serve unique purposes and its application for medical research and rehabilitation is undeniable. In an article published by Forbes entitled 'Virtual Reality: The Alternative To Marijuana And Opioids For Pain Management' I learned that it can be a surprisingly good alternative to the use of pain medication. To be honest this sounds too good to be true and I'm unsure of whether it is true or not. Does the mind really have that much power over the body?

According to the article there are many applications for its use in modern hospitals including surgery, rehabilitative medicine, psychiatry, and psychology.

One of the most common references of VR applications is its use as a “pain-killer”, and is even more relevant today with the ongoing opioid crisis in the United States which has resulted in almost 100 people dying every day due to opioid drug overdoses. In the U.S. alone, 116 million adults struggle with chronic pain at a cost of $635 billion in lost productivity and treatment. In 2012, healthcare providers wrote 259 million prescriptions for painkillers, which is enough for every American adult to have a bottle of pills.

I simply have trouble believing that our minds are so powerful that simply being distracted or visually experiencing something pleasant could do wonders to reduce pain... There is a saying, whatever floats your boat. I guess what I mean by this is that what works for some may have no effect on others. There is something called placebo which essentially is the power of the mind to alter a physical state. What if I told you that listening to the sound of river rapids could ease your pain. If you believed me and you tried it, the variable of placebo may actually help your mind to reduce your pain. That is the power of belief.

VR has already proved successful in addressing any pain associated with acute procedures, working by distracting the patients. But chronic pain usage is also coming up, and can significantly improve the lives of those living with chronic pain! AppliedVR has eight distraction applications, including games like ‘Feeding Frenzy’ as well as immersive experiences such as ‘Farm Sanctuary’.

According to this research, VR has the ability to reduce acute pain and has also proven useful in addressing chronic pain. I never wish pain upon myself or anyone for that matter and I don't have enough information at this point to validate or invalidate these findings. I guess time will tell...