You may have read here before about how to create a back yard oasis, from creating a food service area to getting that lawn just right. The effort can essentially be as great or as minimal as you want, depending on your vision for the yard. But what if a new technology could actually help you to form that vision in the first place? This is the question we’re asking in the age of virtual reality, and it actually introduces some interesting possibilities.
If you’re like most people, you likely think of VR exclusively as a technology for video games. Consider, however, just a few more of the different ways it can already be used beyond this core purpose:
- It can bring casinos to life. Not only has poker somewhat predictably made it into virtual reality, but some of the top games from popular digital casino platforms in New Zealand, Australia, and Europe have also been adapted. VR is on its way to producing full 3-D casinos.
- It can help people attend live events they might not otherwise make it to. VR has been experimented with in sports and music, for the most part, but may ultimately be used to broadcast theatrical performances, comedy routines, and more – all to people who are, virtually, seated in their exact preferred spots.
- It can help artists create. VR art is coming about through various programs and in various forms, but essentially it’s allowing artists to sculpt and paint in virtual space, with no messes made and total editing capacity.
- It can change shopping. VR has proven to be capable of changing retail experiences both in person and at home. In stores, it can accomplish things like helping people to visualize themselves in outfits in other settings. At home, it can provide a store-like searching experience in an entirely virtual way.
The examples are starting to pile up, and cover far more areas than even the ones indicated above. So its it really a surprise that VR is also being applied in home design?
Even this can mean a number of different things. VR can and will change things for architects, assist people who are eyeing properties for potential rental or purchase, and even assist with construction and remodeling. But on top of these home-related applications, the technology can also help you to design your own, ideal back yard space.
Imagine for a moment that you could strap on a virtual reality headset connected to a design program. With that program, you could input the exact dimensions of your yard. From there, you could actually walk around a virtual space designed to imitate your yard, changing things with a point of your finger. You could virtually set up plants, build a gazebo, extend your deck, set up a grilling area, erect a fence, or whatever else might occur to you as a potential addition to your yard. And once finished, you could have a full, detailed blueprint to work off of.
We don’t know of a VR program that does all of this just yet. But things are moving quickly in this direction.