The coronavirus pandemic has no doubt affected hundreds of millions of people around the globe. One of the most significant effects of the quarantine to contain the pandemic is the changing social dynamic. Schools are out for who knows how long, and most office jobs are now work-at-home, and video-conferencing has become the primary mode of communication. Virtual Reality, a rapidly developing field of technology, also has played and continues to play an instrumental role in keeping people connecting in a remote world.
John Legend, an American R&B star, used a VR platform called Wave as a medium for his major live show to promote his album, Bigger Love. This initiative gave people access to live music as if they were there listening to Legend was a major success. It even aided in raising significant awareness of mass incarceration. Legend was able to interact with his audience, which was tuning in through various mediums other than Wave. The platform was able to capture an “additional layer of intimacy and emotion,” according to a viewer. Other singers like Tinashe and Travis Scott are also following in Legend’s footsteps on the path of VR performances, and Travis’s performance was able to attract over 12 million viewers.
Initiatives in fields such as the music industry towards building and delivering a safe and accessible experience without the in-person aspect help stop the spread of coronavirus and help save lives. Pioneers in VR performances like Wave are paving the way for businesses beyond entertainment and culture, introducing a flow of ideas concerning virtual shopping malls, property viewings in real estate, and even in classrooms for all grades.
It’s no secret that the COVID pandemic has forced universities and schools to shut down and operate virtually either through Zoom, Google Meet, or some other video-communications platform. However, a company is known as GEAR UP NC, a project developed in collaboration with the UNC at Chapel Hill Emerging Technologies Lab, allows high school seniors and prospective college students to visit their dream colleges through a VR app. It serves as an alternative for an in-person campus visit from a virtual standpoint, yet it gives the user all the details they need to make the best decision. According to prospective freshman users, the app gave them a “way to explore and compare campuses to ensure [if] the college was a good academic ‘match’ or a right ‘fit’ in terms of environment and location.” Another student said that “being able to see the students up close made me feel like I was there.” This new substitute for a process usually done in person is making an impression on these users.
Of course, these VR applications are a few among the thousands popping up daily, available for everyone and anyone to use. Virtual Reality still has a long way to go before it becomes the new normal for the average person, but the advancements that it has already had are making their way slowly into all our lives and will change them for the better.
