The Future of Virtual Reality, Alex Howland, Co-Founder & President, Virbela

Alex Howland is not a software developer, he’s not particularly interested in gaming, and his background in tech is, well, nonexistent. So how then did Alex find himself co-founding Virbela and working on the cutting edge of virtual reality?

On this episode of Future of Tech we’ll find out as Alex takes us through his journey from organizational psychologist into the tech world, and he’ll let us in on the secrets of how experiential learning is playing a role in what the future of virtual reality will look like. So what will it look like? Will we all be wearing VR headsets in the years to come? Alex has the answers and the explanations. He talks about the rise of gamified VR and how it’s being used in military settings to train soldiers, and he dives into how virtual worlds and experiences are now being used across enterprise companies and in the education system to bring a sense of togetherness to an increasingly work-from-home focused world. Enjoy this episode! 

Main Takeaways:

• Virtual Water Cooler: With the rise of remote work, people are still craving some of the old features of the in-person office experience. Virtual workspaces are being created to simulate those water-cooler-type moments and give people a way to connect in meaningful ways even without being together in person.
• Beyond The Hype: A few years ago, the hype around VR was at a fever pitch, and the anticipation surrounding the technology becoming ubiquitous was palpable. That didn’t happen as quickly as everyone expected, but the VR industry has been making steady steps forward. Rather than get hopped up on the hype cycle, companies that have taken a slow and steady approach to developing their VR technology have been more successful than those that turned out to just be flashes in the pan.
• Physical Things, Virtual World: The future of VR will be built on how companies can sell or recreate physical things in a virtual world. Certain companies are already doing this, particularly in real estate, where VR walk-throughs are being used to sell real, physical properties all over the world.

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