Missing the moment: Virtual reality’s breakout still elusive

A file photo of a woman using her Oculus headset. Headsets’ hefty weight, slow software, and tendency to sometimes cause nausea also kept VR from taking off. — AFP

NEW YORK: Virtual reality – computer generated 3D environments that can range from startlingly realistic to abstract wonderlands – has been on the cusp of wide acceptance for years without ever really taking off.

The pandemic should have been VR’s big moment, offering an escape for millions of locked-in households. Special headsets and gloves let people interact with a 360°, three-dimensional environment, seemingly a good fit for people stuck indoors. But consumers preferred simpler and more accessible tech like Zoom, Nintendo’s Switch and streaming services like Netflix.