It always feels like some form of VR tech comes out with some sort of fanfare and with a promise it will take over the world, but it never does.
It always feels like some form of VR tech comes out with some sort of fanfare and with a promise it will take over the world, but it never does.
Though that is mostly a problem for big techs vision of VR, where we use it everyday allday (like all the shit with business meetings in VR). It was always a niche technology. But 3D printing is also a niche. But it got to be a big niche. And with even the current developments we got quite a reduction in size (thus better wearing comfort). I think an open hardware and software system would quite help the whole VR industry to get better, though still being a niche.
3D printing has found its niche in being able to create custom plastic models at a cost far lower than injection molding. That’s been big for RPG and wargaming as a way to create better boards at an acceptable cost. I’ve also seen some toys sold that are obviously 3D prints, which shows the technology’s viability as a part of a commercial production line. These are use cases where 3D printing is the best option available, so the technology gets used.
I don’t see that equivalent for consumer scale VR/AR. The state of the industry for VR tech seems be to sell rented experiences where the VR tech is integrated into an experience with other equipment or defined spaces. Thats an equivalent to when computer games were rented in arcades.