The majority of us have grown up during the first real boom of public technology. In the 90s and early 2000s, many people had access to personal desktops that were smaller, faster, and much more affordable than ever before. This opened a whole new world for all of us- and the technology boom did not stop there.
Eventually, cellphones would become commonplace. Later, smart phones, tablets, and other technologies have become such an integral part in our lives that the majority of us cannot image life without them. Though technology gets a bad rap for making people not “social,” there are several arguments that believe the opposite. 30 years ago, our knowledge was limited to ourselves and the people directly around us. Now, we have the expertise of millions of people across the world at our fingertips in an instant.
Every new era of technology has always improved from the last, and each time it seemed as though there would never be anything better. With technology being the industry it is, it’s difficult for the mainstream population to predict exactly what could happen next, but those who work in technology have been rising up and up to new heights unimaginable. But have they reached the pinnacle?
The pinnacle of technology may be virtual reality (VR). Although VR has been in our society either fabricated in films or even simulated in video games, it is true with products like the Oculus that we have reached a new frontier. However, the issue with the Oculus originally is that is was too expensive and the news only seemed to reach those who are already involved in new technology. In order for something to become as commonplace as smart phones, it needs to reach the masses.
In order to start this process, companies like Samsung and Google are using smartphones to share the advent of VR with the masses, creating affordable headsets and programs for consumers. Although the products are still very new, the capabilities are endless. At the moment, a lot of what is exciting about the headsets are games and chatting apps, but just as with smartphones, we cannot be sure what this new frontier will bring to our society.
The bigger question is, is this the final advance of major technology as we know it? What could go beyond virtual reality, and what will it do to us? What do you believe VR could bring to the world?