We may be biased, but clearly, the Finger Lakes region has a lot going for it, including some of the most gorgeous scenery and friendliest people in the state. Despite this, however, living so far away from the massive urban hustle and bustle does have some downsides, the first of which is limited access to a range of activities and facilities. Unfortunately, there are some things you can find in the city that simply don’t have equivalents further away, in the outskirts.
In the future, virtual reality (VR) technology may be able to bridge this gap. We take a look at how exactly VR tech works and all the ways it can be used by residents in Finger Lakes and other more remote areas like it.
How Does VR Work?
Essentially, VR is used to create a hyper-realistic, immersive replication of real-world environments. Users can interact with this space or even move around it, in some cases. The primary way that VR is accessed is through a VR headset, which is worn over the eyes to block out the real world and effectively place the user within the virtual situation/space.
VR headsets now come in a wide range of sizes and types as well as a wide range of costs, however, the technology is becoming more and more commonplace. As a result, while the original software projects were limited to major companies and institutions, smaller groups are now exploring the potential.
Museums
One of the first sectors to really embrace VR was the arts, more specifically, museums, and exhibitions. Originally, this was limited to the largest such as the Smithsonian but the dropping cost and rising amount of expertise means that most mid-to-large museums are now capable of having a virtual version.
Essentially, in a virtual museum, the exhibits are carefully recreated in digital form with a high level of accuracy. and while seeing the original is still preferred in most cases, it means that people across the world can suddenly access it.
The Finger Lakes region does have great museum options such as the Corning Museum of Glass, which recently got a major expansion grant, and of course, the museums of New York City aren’t too far away. With that said, VR would give easy access to museums across the country and beyond with many European museums also going online in recent years.
Entertainment
Another sector with similarities to that of the arts is the entertainment industry, which has been experimenting with immersion over the years through formats like multi-player games for consoles and movement-based systems like the Nintendo Wii.
VR has even greater potential to bring top-notch entertainment directly to peoples’ homes. One way in which this burgeoning technology could be utilized is within live dealer casinos, which currently allow players to enjoy their favorite classic table games like poker and roulette from the comfort of their own living rooms. Franchises like Vegas Slots Online already have the infrastructure to enable players to tune in via mobile or desktop devices, and engage with a real-time croupier in a studio and often with other players too. However, with the addition of a VR headset, the game would be taken to the next level. This is just one of many examples of how VR can be used to replicate authentic environment-specific experiences remotely.
Medicine
On a far more practical note, virtual reality has the potential to revolutionize the way that medicine is practiced in the region. For a few years now, we’ve already had things like remote surgery where a surgeon is able to use special tools like the Da Vinci Surgical System to perform complex surgeries on patients across the country or around the world, and VR is making that far easier by emulating the surgeon actually being in the room instead of just using cameras.
Beyond day-to-day medical usage, there’s a great opportunity to train the next generation of doctors and surgeons via VR. Already, many major, global medical training institutions already include virtual exercises, and this means that medical professionals right here in Finger Lakes could get the same high-level training remotely without all of the logistical issues.
Currently, VR prices are high but dropping and there is a great opportunity for local governments to invest in the systems. There are plenty more reasons other than the ones we’ve been able to list here and the potential for the region is extremely high.
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