We have completed maintenance on DiscoverMagazine.com and action may be required on your account. Learn More

Are There Health Risks to Using Virtual Reality Headsets at Work?

Virtual reality may be transforming the workplace, but strapping into a virtual reality headset can also carry consequences. Find out how virtual reality headsets work and if they are bad for you.

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry
Oct 11, 2023 6:00 PM
A man using a virtual reality headset for work
(Credit: G-Stock Studio/Shutterstock)

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

Virtual reality (VR) is becoming more popular in corporate offices, thanks in part to the rise of remote work in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. VR headsets offer many potential employee benefits, from a more private and customizable virtual office to more engaging training sessions. According to Deloitte, by 2025, around 70 percent of employee training will include a VR headset.

But this increase in virtual training is already driving up the number of hours employees wear a headset, causing many experts to become concerned about VR's potential pitfalls — particularly when it comes to our physical health.

How Do VR Headsets Work?

A VR headset is a wearable device that immerses the user in a computer-generated, three-dimensional virtual environment.

When it comes to the workplace, employees have the opportunity to engage in workplace simulations that might otherwise be cost-prohibitive, hazardous or unfeasible to replicate in conventional settings. By donning a VR headset, personnel or trainees can immerse themselves in diverse workplace scenarios.

0 free articles left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

0 free articlesSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

Stay Curious

Sign up for our weekly newsletter and unlock one more article for free.

 

View our Privacy Policy


Want more?
Keep reading for as low as $1.99!


Log In or Register

Already a subscriber?
Find my Subscription

More From Discover
Recommendations From Our Store
Shop Now
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2024 Kalmbach Media Co.