David M. Ewalt, author of Defying Reality: The Inside Story of the Virtual Reality Revolution, which covers the history, development, and future of emerging tech, leads us on a virtual world journey covering the state, and future, of emerging technology.

David is an award-winning business journalist and author. He is a noted expert on the nexus between gaming and technology. David is a special projects editor for Reuters and is a former senior editor of Forbes magazine.

David also writes for major periodicals such as The Wall Street Journal, New York magazine, and The Boston Globe, to name a few.

David Ewalt’s keen interest in virtual, augmented, and mixed reality drew him into further study and research of trends and future movements in emerging tech. Ewalt explains how virtual reality truly offers businesses an ideal means in which to demo their products to potential customers worldwide, by offering an experience that heightens a user’s understanding and feel for the product. From fashion to automotive and more, virtual reality offers a remarkable adventure that goes far beyond facts and pictures. Connecting people with a palpable physical presence is perhaps what takes virtual reality far above other means of communicating, as the human brain can be lulled into feeling the experience is somewhat real.

While the value of virtual reality for commercial businesses, and of course the porn industry, is obvious, Ewalt suggests that virtual reality experiences can dramatically increase interest in humanitarian causes as well. For as interviews or documentary style clips are filmed to be experienced in virtual reality, the viewer is often more engaged in the story and subject, and certainly the people as they tell their stories, which can increase one’s empathy or interest in the issue.

The technology journalist suggests that we are heading for a future society in which a large percentage of people will be wearing smart glasses with virtual assistants, icons, and virtual reality options into virtual worlds for literally everything. And as virtual reality may cause some to retreat into their basements to never be seen again, Ewalt’s expectation is that the technology will enhance most peoples lives in many ways such that the tech will surge.

As young technologists who grew up watching The Matrix or reading William Gibson move into the entrepreneurial mindset, virtual reality options for our world will become more pervasive, and perhaps ubiquitous. Ewalt states that products are still in the Model T phase but the rate of advancement with the technology is dizzying, with new improvements happening monthly.

And with hardware improvements, and better content for business and play, and the introduction of virtual reality into other traditional businesses, innovation will explode.

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