It’s easy to feel like we’ve arrived at the future when you step inside one of today’s virtual worlds. The exciting truth is … we’re just getting started.

 

We’re looking 100 years ahead in this post because it’s a nice round number. It’s arbitrary, sure, but we want a glimpse at the Virtualities we’ll never see. Or will we? Part of what’s so exhilarating about this period in human history is that our both our knowledge and technology are growing exponentially. If this trend continues, most of us may lack the capacity to envision just how amazing VR will become.

 

The possibilities are staggering. From Elon Musk’s Matrix-like assertion that we are likely already living in a simulated world, to the bare minimum progress that VR, AR, and MR become part of our lived environments (house, work, and common public spaces), we’re interested in projecting what this means for the average person.

 

Virtualities will certainly be a part of the workplace. But what those jobs will be could change drastically as technology automates many of the tasks we previously to employed people to perform. How we will work and what we will do could be just as interesting at the digital tools we use.

 

What will a video game look like? It could be anything from an adventure on alien world to a trip into the ancient past, all in the total immersion of a holodeck-style environment that requires no gear on the body whatsoever.

 

How about something even broader, like personal entertainment? For those of us who like our fictional games and stories to be more realistic, Virtualties could be a simple as hanging out with your favourite celebrity or wearing a designer outfit. Visiting a tropical beach for an afternoon of quiet time could be a few clicks away.

 

What about try before you buy? If the Extended Reality marketing available in the future is as realistic and interactive as we anticipate, why would you buy a real item at all? Perhaps renting holograms will be the cure for consumerism. Imagine an apartment you customize with a few quick clicks that looks and feels real, but contains no (or few) actual real items.

 

Will we need to draw any lines or place any limits? What will the moral and ethical considerations be if we stray into simulations as complex (and visceral) as Westworld? Challenges will arise, and we take the optimistic view that we will meet them with responsibility and wisdom.

 

But drawing our imagination back to 2017, it’s still a very exciting time to be a part of the Virtuality revolution. This is a time when future generations will look back on with curiosity and an analytical eye. The time to get involved in VR is now.

 

Stambol dreamers and visionaries are going to be some of the first occupants of our virtual future. We hope you’ll be right there with us.

 

Photo Credit: Sergey Nivens / Adobe Stock