Virtual reality–or VR–is quickly becoming more and more common each day. Most news outlets report on its use in video games or movie watching, but some developers are using it for loftier goals. Like a little organization you may have heard of called NASA. Teaming up with Microsoft and Microsoft’s virtual reality device “HoloLens,” NASA’s Sidekick project has been training astronauts in a vastly different way than ever before.
Back in December, NASA launched a supply run to the International Space Station. In the cargo were Microsoft’s HoloLens devices. Recently, Scott Kelly took pictures before he returned to Earth from space showing the HoloLens in action aboard the ISS. The initiative–called Project Sidekick–may look like it’s being used for relaxation and entertainment, but it’s actually an attempt to change the way we do training. Instead of making astronauts look through lengthy manuals, astronauts instead use a virtual reality environment. Call it kinesthetic learning, call it learn-by-doing, astronauts can now learn things in a risk-free world where they can practice and train as much as they need to. Along with Skype, astronauts can also be walked through a problem by voice and view the same things as the operator or troubleshooter on the ground to complete a task (though this becomes impossible at a farther distance from Earth).
This could completely evolve the way we look at “specialist positions.” No one can deny that it’s still a good idea to have highly trained experts on the job doing what they do best. But it also allows for more flexibility when hiring. Employers can soften their stance on strict prerequisites or train inexperienced employees in the field. Or employers can potentially hire one specialist and expert to lead a team of lesser-experienced employees who train through virtual reality devices. This could also provide interesting experiences for students or hobbyists: an expert inside-look at what it takes to be in that environment before stepping anywhere near a rocket. The possibilities are endless.
For young learners, this could have infinite applications in inspiring greatness. Children could get a simplified and imaginative version of their dream job, one that both encourages and teaches them to dream bigger and get comfortable with big ideas. For high school students trying to choose a major, or trying to choose which college to go to based on a career choice, they could attend a series of virtual reality sessions to better decide what to do.
For current older workers who have a hard time adjusting to newer technology, this could be a way to catch up. Sure, trying to teach an elderly person how to send an email through Outlook via virtual reality may be a bit ridiculous and ironic, but if virtual reality can be made simple and accessible it could be used to solve a variety of problems of varying degrees.
For more on Project Sidekick, you can check out the video below for a look at scientists and technicians testing it out on a plane during freefall. Also, tell us if there’s any experience you would like to try with VR, or what kind of jobs could benefit most from VR technology.
Source: Microsoft and NASA, via Popular Mechanics and Engadget
Image Source: Scott Kelly