- Existing virtual reality devices have failed to live up to the promise of providing magical, full-immersion experiences, where users feel as though they are physically present inside a seemingly real, digitally generated world.
- Evolutions in both hardware and software are starting to make full-immersion experiences possible, and AI development will further enable the creation of authentic and innovative virtual worlds.
- Location-based VR experiences hold tremendous potential for learning and development of greater human connection.
KEY INSIGHTS:
The uncanny melding of perception and reality has always been central to the promise of virtual reality (VR). In a highly immersive VR experience, users lose their sense of disbelief and embody their avatars, roaming freely as if in “The Matrix,” “Star Trek’s” holodeck, or “Ready Player One’s” Oasis.
Today, most VR technologies are a far cry from this full-immersion ideal. While standalone consumer VR headsets are now relatively affordable, the experiences they provide are limited: floating-joysticks arms, legless avatars, and space-restrictive locomotions. These shortcomings do not stem from a lack of funding: Meta has invested no less than $12 billion into the metaverse.
A new approach to VR
I believe that creating truly memorable, emotionally resonant VR experiences first requires solving the problem of embodiment. Headsets offer a limited view, akin to peering into a world through a window. To achieve the illusion of embodied consciousness, VR needs multisensory, full-body tracking and inverse-kinematics mapping, which allow for the physical body’s movements and sensations to be replicated in virtual environments.
Since this level of technology is not practical for home use, companies like ours are pioneering location-based VR experiences that explore the possibilities of full immersion. At more than 50 Sandbox VR locations worldwide, up to six players at a time can step into our virtual gaming worlds, from zombie apocalypses to “Squid Game” challenges. Along with VR headsets, players wear multiple sensors on their wrists, ankles, chest, and head, enabling precise full-body tracking. This allows people to feel as though they are physically present with one another in the same space. It’s not yet The Matrix, but it’s getting ever closer.
Over time, advancements in motion-capture hardware and sensory feedback will further enhance immersion. However, the most transformative changes will come from software. AI-driven development will accelerate the creation of more complex, authentic, and imaginative virtual worlds. Imagine players being able to interact with AI digital characters in a way that feels organic and normal — not through text prompting or game controllers, but through voice and the natural expression of body movements.
“I believe that fully immersive VR has the power to spark human curiosity and deepen social connections.”
The possibilities extend far beyond gaming and entertainment. I believe that fully immersive VR has the power to spark human curiosity and deepen social connections. When designed to transport users into novel, otherworldly experiences, it can enrich our understanding of the real world and each other.
Engaging human curiosity through immersive learning
Consider, for example, the potential of VR to revolutionize education. For decades, the integration of project-based learning into schools has been driven by a simple research-backed insight: Students are more likely to develop deep, lasting knowledge if their senses are fully engaged in real-world experiences.
Picture floating aboard the International Space Station, experiencing the sensation of zero gravity, interacting with astronauts from different countries, and marveling at the Earth from orbit. VR could also bring endangered or extinct species to life, allowing students to see them in their natural habitats. Or it could jump back to 1787 to capture the struggles and sacrifices of America’s Founding Fathers, helping us better appreciate our nation’s origin stories. Perhaps such encounters could inspire the next generation of astronauts, scientists, and conservationists. In the not-so-distant future, we envision collaborations that would allow schools, universities, and museums to offer these learning journeys.
“Picture floating aboard the International Space Station, experiencing the sensation of zero gravity, interacting with astronauts from different countries, and marveling at the Earth from orbit.”
A new remedy for the loneliness epidemic
Immersive VR experienced together in groups can also become an unexpected yet powerful tool in addressing social loneliness. In 2023, a report from the US surgeon general highlighted a troubling “epidemic of loneliness and isolation.” According to the report, nearly half of US adults recently reported feeling lonely—a condition that significantly impacts both mental and physical health. Research shows that chronic loneliness increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. In fact, the health risks of social disconnection are comparable to those of smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
“Immersive VR experienced together in groups can also become an unexpected yet powerful tool in addressing social loneliness.”
While it might seem counterintuitive that wearing a headset can foster deeper human connection, locations designed for shared and innovative virtual experiences can draw people out of isolation, create opportunities to bond over mutual interests, and provide the foundation for meaningful conversations and activities. For example, over the past year, Sandbox VR has brought more than a million friends, families, and colleagues together. More than a few couples who bonded during their first dates have gone on to tie the knot. We’ve helped host a few marriage proposals as well.
Virtual travel represents particularly rich opportunities for social connection. This is especially true for older adults, many of whom face mobility challenges that make travel impossible. Immersive VR platforms could bring these individuals together, helping them explore destinations on their bucket list while forging new social connections. For a population most vulnerable to the harmful effects of loneliness, these shared adventures could provide a much-needed antidote to isolation.
While nothing can fully replicate the experience of watching the northern lights dance across the Arctic sky, the reality is that international travel requires substantial time and financial resources. VR offers an accessible escape. Beyond cost, VR travel experiences offer opportunities for cultural immersion. Imagine not only “visiting” the pyramids, but witnessing their construction and observing the day-to-day lives of ancient Egyptians. I believe these experiences will inspire many users to want to see the actual destinations, increasing physical travel, not cannibalizing it.
“In the future, as virtual worlds evolve, [VR] just might also help make someone a little bit more curious, inspired, and optimistic.”
Making us more human
While much of the technology that pervades our daily lives has been criticized for fueling social isolation, technology itself is inherently neutral—it’s how we use it that matters. Location-based VR has the power to reverse this trend by bringing people out of their homes to connect with others inside a game. In the future, as virtual worlds evolve, it just might also help make someone a little bit more curious, inspired, and optimistic. The work that Sandbox VR and others are doing has convinced me that VR can not only bring its elusive potential to life, but leap well beyond what anyone currently thinks is possible.
