Hello All,
Back in late January of this year I posted a previous conceptual design entry regarding virtual reality and it's future applications. Across a wide spectrum of industries from broadcasting news to meteorological reports, including how our bulky VR helms will be streamlined. As in: "Future Common Practices of VR Technologies in Society"
Above is a short 2:29 minutes in length segment from CNBC (PBS) business show of "Nightly Business Report" dated April 14th, 2016. Regarding how the national Lowes hardware store has 19 locations with a VR simulator for shoppers doing remodels of a home.
Seeing that news piece got me thinking about other shopper experiences a few years out regarding virtual and augmented reality interactions. Below is what follows from such a channeling session with my Angels utilizing clairvoyant automatic writing. These are potential realities and nothing quite is set in stone as of yet. What I envisioned was more about how VR goggles will be streamlined in practical applications in a manner to reiterate from my last January posting on the topic. Second, to that something like a virtual reality Super Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota which is over a kilometer in physical bricks & mortar in size. Third, to this I envisioned the gradual future of augmented reality shopping inside retail and other eatery locations. Since science-fiction has always been replete with for over a decade now predicting technology like a societal oracle forecast, but now we're actually on the cusp of it actually happening!
Dare I make a bold prediction, which I'll reserve the right to fall flat on my face like a fool if I get it wrong. Basically the handheld cellular smartphone market will go the way of the Dodo bird. To be replaced with user electronic computerized VR / AR goggles as completely wireless devices. Above is a prototype rendition by an artist of what the future may look like with a futuristic headset. Maybe in the next decade something like that could happen, maybe longer? Like the typical psychic-medium I can suck on specific timelines, but not the actual occurrence per say.
What will such a futuristic headset do well it can switch seamlessly between VR and AR (Augmented Reality) interactions with a tinting mechanism to the lens. Otherwise a standby HUD (Heads Up Display) mode that will respond to various forms of input commands. Such as voice recognition down to the voice of its individual owner, motion sensors for eye blinking commands, otherwise hand gestures in its field of view. The hand gestures will be like Indian Mudras which are symbolic religious ceremonial hand gestures in Hindu and Buddhist events. Here in the Western Hemisphere it'll be like a dance floor voguing in hand gestures.
Now picture (pun fully intended) a super mall location in virtual reality 3D for E-Commerce purposes. Let's entice you further it's "Black Friday" or "Cyber Monday" here in the States. With Mr. Jeff Bezo's of Amazon.com goes whole hog and creates a virtual reality Amazon super mall online. It isn't far fetched is it? He has already done so in full 2D as the super department store of the world wide web. If Amazon isn't your thing maybe Walmart gets into the act attempting to compete with Amazon and all others with such a VR footprint online.
How I envision such a VR super mall having MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) Gamification Features resembling a computer online game world. Using the "Mall of America" (2 Immediate Pictures Above) from Minnesota as my example it's a shoppers zone of all big box and small franchise retailers under the capitalistic sun. Such a gamification shoppers zone will be over a kilometer in virtual landscape like a small game world. Consumers can have the option of shopping with the general public in VR. Or can reserve a private instanced version of the zone level all to themselves in peace and quiet shopping. This latter point is especially poignant if it's like my example above of "Black Friday" the day after the American "Thanksgiving Holiday".
A VR shopper upon entering a store front like the Gap or the department clothing floor of Amazon. Moves about browsing the aisles and shelves, perhaps evening sampling outfits with their shopping avatar customized to look like them in real life. All store clerks are automated like a game world NPC (Non-Player Character) to ring up a sale. However either the Store Manager or Assistant Manager is onsite in VR as their real avatar like that of a shopper. Let's say the manager is busy with another customer and no real person is available to help such a consumer with a question or needing further assistance. They can press the Help button and a toll free phone call goes out to a customer service bureau responding to the customer's inquiry with a live attendant.
To make the Super VR mall a destination online it can have entertainment outlets in VR. Be it a dating service website that mimics a bar or dance floor. Otherwise a gamer pavilion makes this super VR mall feel more like a "Down Town Disney in Orlando, Florida". A concert hall for avatars of real musicians playing on stage as the main attraction on the weekend. Which the former children's MMO called "Free Realms" by "Sony Online Entertainment" pulled off such a feat for one song a few years back with a semi-known band in a Live session.
Let's say there's a "Ford Dealership" at such a VR super mall locale online. After a prior screening as a qualified buyer keeping out wannabe's from test driving the latest VR "Ford RAM Pickup Truck". In a VR obstacle course that resembles more like a video game map design level.You sample the pick up truck by putting it through its paces since it's handling is fully represented in all its glory. The prospective driver can even crash the virtual reality "Ford RAM" pickup truck to see how it handles with its on-board safety features. Whether or not such a qualified buyer purchases the RAM pickup truck from "Ford" as part of a limited time promotion. The "Ford" dealership online can send them via snail mail a merchandising goody bag as a thank you. Either with a full purchase or something less with just a test drive like a T-Shirt thank you gift. For decades cosmetic counters at department stores have done this with a goody bag with a qualified purchase.
Taking this further out into AR (Augmented Reality) let's say a shopper is in a store with their own VR / AR goggles. (since smartphones are yesterday's tech) :oP Wearing the goggles slash swanky pair of tech driven sunglasses a personal digital assistant follows you as a virtual npc pet of sorts. This Npc (Non-Player Character) pet you have customized much like a current generation GPS device today in your vehicle you have customized voice wise. This augmented reality digital assistant looks like an apparition with a floating torso without any legs. Like something out of Disney's "Haunted House" pavilion ride at Walt Disney World theme park. The AI (Artificial Intelligence) of this npc can be formal to downright snarky according to your personal settings. It'll only appear for you due to recognizing its owner's voice and retinal scan as a form of goggle security mechanism.
The AR digital assistant helps you out by having a automatically generated shopping list for you. Due to now is the advent of the burgeoning Internet of things in every household and public venue. The digital AR assistant scans your kitchen cabinets knowings what's in stock and what isn't via sensors on packaging. This is all the while you are standing in the bricks and mortar storefront of let's say a Walmart location. Your personal settings can permit which item categories you'll allow to receive adverts and promotions inside a store. Otherwise much like a web browser blocker you can block unwanted consumer item advertisements and cheesy promos you're not interested in from reaching you as a shopper.
We've all heard of Amazon Prime which is an annual membership for its premium shoppers. In this near future era all sorts of retailers trying to increase profit margins much like the Airline Industry will offer premium consumer membership tiers at various price points. Those shoppers with the VR / AR goggles will be no different getting preferred customer service with a live person versus a NPC (Non-player Character) artificial intelligence bot. The higher the membership premium tier the better the concierge service the shopper will experience. This can include consistent 10% discounts across the board of all retail items allowing for any other current promos to stack onto the member discounts. There can be other assorted feature sets made available in VR / AR for shoppers as premium store members. Perhaps expedited back orders when an item is out of stock as they're shopping. At a physical store front they go to the front of the checkout line or have a special premium member check out register all for them. Much like theme parks have premium no waiting lines for park attendants willing to splurge on such an option.
What about AR experiences at your favorite fast food franchise location or at a fancy restaurant? Children while they are wolfing down their burgers at a McDonald's can have "Ronald McDonald" accompany each child to their table. Keeping them company much like the 20th television did for kids for several decades and even up to today. The 2D Tv set will give way to AR 3D experiences with cartoon or live action characters for kids of all ages. With AR Npc avatars offering their latest promotion like "McDonalds" current all day breakfast or the McPick 2 meal for $5.00 here currently Stateside. So when "Burger King" offers "Star Wars" drinking glasses as souvenirs for customers. They can have a Sith Lord or Jedi accompany them to their table and speak a line or two from the future movie. Talk about fanboys wetting their pants in geekdom when augmented reality offers that to all consumers. :o) Regular casual restaurants can have AR waitresses attend your table taking your order with an Npc bot.
Lastly this is what I envision with my Angelic Oracle channeling ability what could be potentially if events transpire via the free will of others. Will all of this happen? Maybe not, but it's the field of potentiality and possibility, but certainly things greater than this will occur in the decades to come, if not sooner than later. I hope you've enjoyed pondering the societal implications of virtual and augmented reality with me here at "Atrayo's Oracle" blog site with this "Gems of Opportunity" conceptual design.
Ivan "Atrayo" Pozo-Illas, has devoted 21 years of his life to the pursuit of clairvoyant automatic writing channeling the Angelic host. Ivan, is the author to the spiritual wisdom series of "Jewels of Truth" consisting of 3 volumes published to date. He also channels conceptual designs that are multi-faceted for the next society to come that are solutions based as a form of dharmic service. Numerous examples of his work is available at "Atrayo's Oracle" blog site of 10 years plus online. Your welcome to visit his website "Jewelsoftruth.us" for further information or to contact "Atrayo" directly.
