Virtual Reality For Your Business with Neil Gupta

Published by Andrew Noll at May 11, 2016

Some people are uncomfortable with Virtual Reality while others are already in love with the idea. In writing this article, I see clear benefits for society, as well as potential misuses of Virtual Reality. I caught up with Neil Gupta, a lead organizer of the BostonVR and BostonAR meetup groups, on his experiences with VR and AR and how these new developments will impact the business world, our lives, and the future of human interaction.
How would you explain virtual reality and augmented reality to a total novice?Neil: Virtual Reality is unlike anything you’ve ever tried before. It is the first time your brain doesn’t just watch content, it experiences it. VR (good VR) creates a virtual world that you get completely immersed in, and your entire sensory experience comes from that world, instead of the real one you’re in. For now, it’s not quite there yet. I can still feel and smell the real world, but we’re getting there…
Unlike Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality doesn’t try to make you think you’re somewhere else. It just adds information or content on top of the world you’re already in. A great introduction to AR is the following Ted talk by Meron Gribetz:


Q: How do you anticipate VR changing the way we perform everyday activities and interactions?Neil: For everyday activities, I actually don’t think VR will change all that much. I actually think that Augmented Reality is going to change things dramatically. We as humans are social creatures, and VR, in its current state, is not a very social experience. Sure there are social apps and rooms like AltSpaceVR, but that does not trigger the same kind of feeling as actual social interaction.
That being said, there is a lot that VR will change when it comes to communication. Storytelling will completely change as the VR medium is a shift in paradigm that is bigger than going from written text to movies. I say that because, in all previous forms of storytelling, the storyteller had complete control. He or she directed what you saw, heard and experienced. In VR, the audience is now in control and you cannot create a single unified experience for them all.
VR will change how we communicate in other ways as well.

• With ourselves via meditation and relaxation apps, as well as the potential for interactions with virtual assistants.
• With our friends and families by allowing them to experience moments with us in a much more intimate and real way than ever before
• With people we don’t know – there are ways that VR increases our ability to empathize with others and there are ways it does the opposite and creates scary possibilities for cyber bullying and things of that nature.

Andrew: We also spoke about violent video games and how that influence can affect VR users. Training simulations with hyper-realistic violence could have damaging consequences on the psychology of individuals. It is important to discuss these kinds of questions as a society sooner rather than later.
Q: How do you think VR will change existing business structures?Neil: Slowly but surely. As people develop the medium, it has huge potential for changing how we interact with data as well as each other. On a general level, it will allow for more remote connectivity and new ways of exploring data as opposed to just on a screen. Because of the way it interacts with the brain, training and education areas will benefit hugely from VR.
It will affect verticals differently. In the fields of Architecture, Engineering, and Contracting, the effects are fairly obvious, as VR allows for more accurate understandings of a model design, easier collaboration, etc (Andrew:See how SpaceX currently performs 3D modeling).
In retail, it will change how people shop and buy things. Fundamentally advertising will change as it no longer needs to just ask something of the consumer but can now give them an experience. A very accurate 30 second VR test drive is an experience that seems more likely to get me to want to try a car than a video of Matthew McConaughey
telling me about one.
Andrew: Imagine being able to try on clothing sizes, virtually and place orders on-the-go through a headset. Current tools for advertisers, such as phone notifications, could be transferred to Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. Innovations in VR and AR will help us to stay connected and grow faster as a culture. We have to question potential drawbacks of VR, such as artificially-real violence and manipulative advertising practices.
What do you anticipate going wrong in the VR/AR space? Click to TweetQ: What kind of VR discussions do we need to have now in preparation for the future?Neil: People are going to get addicted and obsessed. People will become depressed with the real world. Cyberbullying on Facebook already makes kids suicidal, I can’t imagine what it will be like in VR. How does this affect a child’s brain? We can put restrictions on the medium for now but there’s really only so much you can do.
From a privacy perspective, how comfortable are we with the eye tracking and response data, that gives people a more intimate profile of us than ever before? There are a lot of positive things that will happen because of VR but let’s not pretend that the medium is not also incredibly dangerous if not implemented properly. You will be able to experience trauma in VR.
Andrew: We have to also consider the morality of advertising in VR and AR. At present, we have the option to put down our phone or disconnect from other forms of media, but what is it going to be like when we are receiving advertisements that require personal interaction in a virtual environment? There will need to be stipulations for what is and isn’t okay for advertisers. VR and AR both provide amazing possibilities for advertisers, but it must be implemented wisely.
Q: How can VR act as an extension of current Digital Marketing practices?Neil: The introduction of eye tracking into Head Mounted Displays is going to change just about everything. We used to only tell you what we wanted to. Now we’ll be able to tell you how the technology makes us feel. I’m always looking for entrepreneurs to work with. I’m the go-to guy in Boston for getting plugged into the VR/AR scene, so feel free to reach out!
Andrew: For marketers, new implementations such as pupillometry (watching how pupil’s dilate based on stimuli and psychology) will give a clearer composite image of target audiences. This data can be used to improve marketing efforts, and promotional materials. Marketers will be able to create more direct connections with users online as they develop VR and AR promotional materials. This will give the user a more profound interaction with content, but it also creates a challenge for the marketer as they no longer have total control over the end product.
About Neil
Neil currently works full-time at Draper, where he has spent the last few years researching the VR/AR space and advising internal research projects. Neil is one of the lead organizers for the BostonVR and BostonAR Meetup groups. He helps organize multiple Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality hackathons, advises a few startups, consults for investors, and generally aims to be a resource to the Boston Virtual Reality Community. Neil’s primary passion is working with entrepreneurs and making them successful.
Twitter: @MrNeilGupta
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmgupta