Virtual reality (VR) is continuing to gain popularity (in fact, most would agree that VR is a mainstream form of entertainment these days. Virtual reality is even being used for things like job training and therapy, which just goes to show how useful and beneficial it is.
This is all good and well, but the conversation around safety regarding VR is evolving in ways that few predicted. What was once a rather niche technology (mainly used by enthusiasts) has now found its way into malls, arcades, workplaces, and homes.
This isn’t a bad thing, but it has led to new challenges in ensuring user safety. The physical environments that VR users occupy obviously remain very real, and naturally, this means there are certain risks to using VR devices. We’ll be discussing this in more detail below, so stick around.
The Risks of “Total Immersion”
Virtual reality basically works by shutting out the physical world, and therefore fully engaging the user’s senses in an entirely digital environment. This ability to transport people into a different reality is what makes VR so compelling, but it also introduces a fundamental safety concern: users become unaware of their surroundings.
Unlike more traditional gaming (where players remain seated and visually connected to their actual environment), VR demands full-body interaction. Users need to walk, duck, swing their arms, and jump, all while being completely blind to the potential obstacles around them.
This increases the risk of people colliding with walls, furniture, or even other people. The last thing you want to do is accidentally punch your television screen or trip over your pet. If this does happen, though, you can always reach out to a slip & fall Indiana lawyer.
In public VR centers, there’s a whole other dimension to these risks. The responsibility to maintain a hazard-free environment shifts to business owners, who must mitigate the dangers that come with offering a technology that’s designed to make users unaware of their physical surroundings.
Redefining Safety Protocols
As we’ve already discussed, VR technology has become even more accessible, which means its adoption extends beyond entertainment at this point. Corporations use VR for employee training, the healthcare industry uses it for rehabilitation, and some schools integrate it into education.
With this expansion, the question of safety isn’t just about physical injury anymore – it also includes psychological well-being. Extended VR sessions can cause dizziness, nausea, or even confusion upon returning to the real world (this is sometimes referred to as “VR hangover”).
Another safety concern that’s been gaining attention lately is eye strain. Unlike traditional screens, VR headsets place displays very, very close to the user’s eyes. This could negatively impact a person’s vision over time.
The intense sensory experience can disorient some people, and might make them more vulnerable to accidents even after they take off the headset. In professional settings where VR training is used (especially for industries like aviation or medicine), employers should make sure that trainees are able to transition safely back to their regular tasks.
The Future of VR and Redefining Safety Concerns
As with any new (and frankly groundbreaking) technology, VR presents absolutely remarkable opportunities – but it also comes with new responsibilities that must be taken into account.
The VR industry must strike a balance between pushing the boundaries of immersive experiences and making sure that safety standards evolve alongside the technology’s innovation.
Conclusion
It’s all too clear that the more we integrate virtual reality into our everyday lives, the more we must redefine how we keep people safe in a world where actual reality and virtual reality can be seamlessly blended together.
Business owners, regulators, and developers will need to collaborate in order to create better safety standards (which will ideally address both the physical and cognitive risks associated with VR). If an employee slips and falls, for example, that could pose a serious liability. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
