Virtual Reality: Beyond Visualization

Virtual reality (VR) has recently become an affordable technology. A wide range of options are available to access this unique visualization medium, from simple cardboard inserts for smartphones to truly advanced headsets tracked by external sensors. While it is now possible for any research team to gain access to VR, we can still question what it brings to scientific research. Visualization and the ability to navigate complex three-dimensional data are undoubtedly a gateway to many scientific applications; however, we are convinced that data treatment and numerical simulations, especially those mixing interactions with data, human cognition, and automated algorithms will be the future of VR in scientific research. Moreover, VR might soon merit the same level of attention to imaging data as machine learning currently has. In this short perspective, we discuss approaches that employ VR in scientific research based on some concrete examples.