How can VR technologies improve to enable a better workplace experience?

3/20/20222 min read

I have been attending VR meetings for a while now, but the experience is lacking and can be drastically improved. To be fair, VR technology is still very nascent and there is a lot of room to grow. Here are the top 5 issues that VR needs to solve:

1. Solve the headache problem

A lot of folks have headaches when they use VR headsets today. As a result, they either refuse to attend VR meetings or have to take the VR headset off after using it for a short period of time. Widespread use of VR for workplace meetings is not going to happen unless the headache issue can be resolved.

2. Make VR headsets lighter

Today’s headsets are a huge improvement over the first VR headsets 20 years ago, but there is still a lot to improve. VR headsets are still too bulky and heavy for wearing more than just a short period of time. For instance, the Oculus Quest 2 weighs over 1 pound. You wouldn’t be too happy carrying over 1 pound on your head for hours on end.

3. Improve picture resolution

A lot of times when I use VR headsets, everything looks fuzzy. Part of the issue is the unforgiving VR lens positioning for visual focus. I’ve found myself frequently adjusting my headset to maintain proper focus. There is also the issue of poor screen quality for the VR content. The “feeling fuzzy issue” may have caused the headache issue as well.

4. Ability to use photorealistic 3D avatars

In today’s VR meetings, you would not be able to recognize your coworkers unless you click towards your coworkers’ avatar and check who they are. That’s a disadvantage compared to Zoom or Microsoft meetings where you know who is talking by looking at their name displayed or their faces in the camera. Imagine in future VR meetings you’ll talk with your coworkers through photorealistic 3D avatars of us (i.e. we all have a “mini-me” in VR), that will be such an immersive experience!

5. Improve VR apps to enable a more immersive experience