Last Updated on 26 July 2023 by Cycloscope
VR is popping up in a lot of different industries, but is it the next step in exercise it claims to be? Read on to find out.
Virtual reality has beaten the likes of the PlayStation Move and the Gameboy Camera and Printer to prove itself as neither a failed gadget, nor a passing fad. Instead, it has been embraced by gamers as a way to elevate their adventure-filled experiences.
Like the Wii once dreamed, itโs gaming that gets you moving, making it an advantage to cyclists in particular. Read on to find out how and why you should incorporate VR into your routine.
Working Out from Home
With increasing numbers of people working from home, it only stands to reason that people are looking to also workout from home.
Over the past couple of years, YouTube yoga videos gained popularity, sales of workout machinery went up, and Joe Wicks became a bona fide celebrity.
People started incorporating their workouts in their work, whether that was using their lunch break to walk around the neighborhood or going so far as to put a treadmill under their standing desk.
And like that innovative idea, merging technology into your workout can help you too.
Advancements in VR
Principally, Virtual and Augmented reality was created to be the next stage in gaming, and lately that is happening. More and more console games are being released with a VR equivalent, gaming YouTube and Twitch streamers are making VR content, and PlayStation has even manufactured their own VR headset.
Lower prices in 2021 have made the equipment more accessible and breakthroughs in hand tracking have made for a more realistic experience. But gaming isnโt the only industry thatโs interested.
Going into the real world, there are VR Experience establishments popping up all over the country.
Like a round of mini golf or laser tag or visiting the casino rather than playing GGPoker, they are a fun day out, with games played in VR usually accompanied by a 360-degree treadmill and sensory hand tracking gloves, to give the experience of being in a gaming adventure. Itโs all like something from Ready Player One.
Your working life might also be affected by the VR experience. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has announced plans to incorporate VR into the workplace with his initiative: Horizon Workrooms.
Considered a step forward from Zoom meetings across businesses, Horizon Workrooms would gather virtual versions of employees and managers in an augmented reality to share graphics and charts and collaborate and talk as one would if they were physically in the office.
Combine the two?
Virtual reality is already a part of the exercise landscape. Many people have picked up a VR headset to have a world where they can run, dance, and play out the adventures of more active heroes.
Itโs how games like FitXR and Supernatural have come to fruition. FitXR makes no secret of its full body aerobic concept, whereas Supernatural offers you a game that happens to give your entire body a workout without you noticing.
Some people have simply wanted somewhere to dance that isnโt their kitchen. Games like Dance Central offer a cycling club environment and hit tunes from the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Dua Lipa to get you moving.
But on the bike, it can really change the game. Stationary bikes like Pelaton bikes already know the value of a screen showing either a class or a scenic route, but a VR headset will put you in that place. Put on your VR headset while on a bike at home and you can follow trails, cycle away from dragons, or be cheered on by your favorite instructor. Unlike a screen in front of you, VR blocks out the rest of the world physically around you, creating full immersion.