Virtual Reality (VR) has been around for what seems like forever. But unless you are a VR headset owner, the only place you might have encountered it might be at an arcade.

Augmented Reality has been around longer, but the only use case most people can recall is the popular AR game Pokemon Go.

And if you’re Grandma is anything like my Grandma, I am pretty sure she did not understand why I was running around catching virtual creatures in the real world.

So I decided to write an article to explain to every Grandma how XR technology has actual applications. Like, real ones.

Try on Clothes Without Trying on Clothes

Have you ever wondered how convenient it would be to try on clothes when buying them online? Well, now you can.

PICTOFit from reactive labs is doing just that. Their AR solutions help you see how clothes will fit the real you using your virtual avatar.

Feed in some details such as your height, weight and waist size, and the app creates a virtual replica of your body. You can now try on clothes to see how they fit you and effortlessly try out combinations of hundreds of catalogue options.

Under Armour setup an AR-based in-store experience in Boston- before the physical store was opened. This visual “tour” was created using store layouts and blueprints and intended to attract users to the physical store when it opened.

Data shows higher conversion rates for this “metaverse-style” store operation model by up to 33%, leading to quite a few mainstream brands exploring this option. These include sports brands like Nike as well as luxury brands such as Gucci and Balenciaga.

Sounds cool, right?

This is definitely for people like me who don’t enjoy going to the mall to shop but also don’t want the hassle of returns- the company claims their technology reduces returns by 30%.

So next time Grandma wants a new set of shades, she knows what to do.

Learn Anything, Faster and Retain Better

One of the core areas where VR can enable better experiences is education. VR-based applications are being used in schools to create immersive learning experiences for children, especially one with learning disabilities. Research has shown these experiential learning experiences are easier to grasp for most individuals.

There is some type of content, such as studying the structure of DNA, that can be better delivered using three-dimensional media, and this is where VR comes in. For example, three-dimensional modelling that would generally be out of the scope of a typical classroom can easily be done in VR, allowing learners to grasp abstract content better.

VR also provides an ultra-low-risk environment to conduct experiments without diminishing the learning experiences. Additionally, historical monuments and events can be rendered in true scale to create experiences that can function as virtual field trips.

VR soft skills training has on average, a 75% learning retention rate, versus 5% for classroom listening, and according to studies by PWC, VR learners are up to 275% more confident to act on what they learned after training — a 40% improvement over classroom learning and 35% higher than e-learning- Forbes

VR education can provide accelerated learning for the elderly too. Often, the rapid technological landscape is hard to adapt to for this generation. Still, the interactive and immersive tools in VR can significantly aid this learning using gamified elements. It’s much more enjoyable than watching monotonous videos because you can interact with the elements in these virtual classrooms, speeding up learning. We know Grandma always wanted to be an ace coder, so now’s probably a good time!

Overcome Fears and Rediscover Your Zen

Virtual Reality is finding its place in therapy and meditation settings, too, especially as an augmentation to existing methods.

A specific form of Virtual Reality Therapy, called Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET), immerses users in a virtual environment via a headset. These hyper-realistic environments have been shown to help overcome phobias such as fear of heights and have shown promise in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The advantage of VRET exposure is that if the patient feels uncomfortable, they can simply remove the headset. Similar therapy has also shown positive results in cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy, helping them reduce anxiety before a radiation session and combat loneliness and depression in the elderly.

Virtual Reality is also being used in guided meditation practice. Apps like Flow and Tripp use a calming virtual mode with music and narration to guide you through a meditation session. While reviews are somewhat mixed, these applications provide a good entry to individuals who have no experience in meditation or have struggled with it in the past.

A subscription-based model is common for these applications, which has been controversial as some users feel the (lowish) rate of addition of new content does not justify a monthly fee.

Next time Grandma asks you why you have a brick over your head the whole day, you can just tell her you’re meditating. She’ll believe you.

Won’t she?

VR Workouts: Faster, Stronger, Better?

The home fitness trend was accelerated due to the pandemic. But while the “back to normal” has reversed this trend largely, one trend has stayed strong- VR Fitness.

The use of VR for classes such as shadowboxing or HIIT, or even dancing has created a compelling use case for at-home training. Users routinely find these activities enjoyable, and a high level of engagement has been seen due to gamification. FitXR, Les Mills Body Combat and BoxVR are examples of popular fitness games in this genre. FitXR particularly boasts a wide range of box, dance and cardio workouts. If something more visually stunning is your thing, try Supernatural which transports you to stunning natural locations and possesses some workouts with Beat Saber-like mechanics.

The trade-off is that most of these applications (again) use a monthly subscription-based model, which has been frowned upon by the community. The app developers argue that this is still cheaper than a gym membership, and gyms work on subscription models, right? Hard to argue when you put it that way, guys.

The most amazing thing I found was these workouts seem to be enjoyable for everyone. Progression levels help, as do workout styles.

Recently, I volunteered at a VR event, and we had people of all ages (even 60+) trying out a sports simulation game called Rezzil Player. I dare to dream of a transformation where the gamer stereotype is that of someone lean and muscular, opposite to what my generation grew up with. Perhaps then, we can call e-sports just sports.

Until then, help your Grandma live her lifelong dream of recreating that Cristiano Ronaldo goal in Rezzil Player, or feeling like the Wonder Woman she is in Supernatural.

Or try to explain to her why you are catching virtual creatures by swiping at your phone.

Up to you.