The Virtualization trend surrounds the concept of creating virtual 'simulations' of things with computers. Of particular significance, is the creation of virtual environments with technology. Virtual environments do not actually exist in the physical world. They only exist as 1's and 0's in computers.
There are three main areas of this trend:
- Virtual environments: These can be 'copies' of real-life environments such as classrooms, office boardrooms, cities, famous place, etc. or they can be purely fictional and fantasy places that do not, and possibly can not, exist.
- Virtual Interfaces: This is the technical hardware used to give the user feedback and which the user uses to interface with virtual environments. In the first wave of virtual worlds, this has been limited to visual and audial experiences controlled by keyboards, mice and joysticks. Now we are seeing additional devices being developed that give other types of feedback to the user and input devices that track user movement as well as facial expression.
- Mixed-Reality or Augmented Reality: This is a hybrid of the real world and the virtual world. The use of technology to enhance the real world with information or entertainment. The first wave of this, utilizing technologies like Google Glass, is already happening.
The initial phase of virtualization started with immersive online interactive games, such as World of Warcraft (WoW), and worlds such as Second Life. The next phase in virtualization is just now coming upon us with new technologies such as the Oculus Rift and the Leap Motion control.
Virtual environments could impact almost every industry. However, here are a few of the main impacts:
- Entertainment: This technology could revolutionalize the entertainment industry even further than it has with multi-player worlds and gaming.
- Education: Virtual classrooms is a huge potential game changer for this industry. Educational institutions and companies can sell education and training by their staff to anyone anywhere in the world.
- Transportation: Life-like virtual meetings could further reduce the use of international business travel.
- Telecommunications: New value-added services could be provided as well as continued justification for growing international communication bandwidth.
