In the world of virtual reality the “presence” is everything. To be more specific virtual reality would not be attractive if it wouldn’t trick our brain into thinking we were somewhere else. To make this virtual environment look more convincing, developers need to utilize all resources at their disposal. Without a proper presence, VR manufacturers will face a steep uphill battle.
Presence Is Everything In Virtual Reality
It may sound odd to think of VR as having a “presence,” even though it is absolutely true. VR users immerse themselves in a different environment. To do so successfully, they must feel present in this new environment. It is up to hardware manufacturers and software developers to ensure this virtual presence is as realistic as possible. That is not an easy feat by any means, though.
It is hard to make the human brain believe the body is in a different environment. In most cases, we are all too aware of the actual world around us. Virtual reality is designed to make us forget our physical presence and embrace the virtual counterpart entirely. It is a solution to get away from everyday life, but without a convincing presence, that will not happen.
If the user is tasked with exerting concentration and paying attention to the virtual reality world, they will have an easier time believing they are actually there. Thus a real virtual presence is effectively established. Proper sounds, high-resolution frames, and proper motion tracking will attribute to this feeling. Moreover, one has to forget they are using technology to achieve this goal, which is another hurdle manufacturers need to overcome
More specifically, the VR headset needs to be as comfortable as possible. If you feel the HMD presses on the bridge of your nose for example, the immersion in VR will vaporize pretty quickly. A proper presence requires comfort, interaction, and stimulation. Right now, the more expensive VR headsets provide exactly that. Mobile counterparts often fall woefully short in this regard. In a few years from now, we will become so accustomed to this technology, our presence may be able to exist in both the physical and virtual worlds at the same time.
If you liked this article make sure to follow us on twitter @thevrbase and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with the latest VR trends and news.
