People have dreamed of virtual reality systems that would allow realistic experiences in fictional locations for years. Now, technology finally caught up to that ambition. The first wave of effective virtual reality systems is here and they promise to permanently alter how humans interact with technology. While we are still a few years away from widely-marketed virtual reality headsets, some companies are taking the first steps into a bold digital future and powerful magnets will help make it possible.

Real virtual reality
The virtual reality headsets that exist today greatly outstrip the abilities of devices from even ten years ago. A range of technological advances make it possible for today's VR headsets to provide an unprecedented immersive experience. These systems use special headsets that cover a user's eyes. An array of sensors inside the device allow the headset to track a person's position in 3-D space, and the screens inside the headset mirror any head motion in the virtual world, NBC News reported.

This tracking allows software designers to create a digital world that feels entirely real to users. Because the headset displays provide a slightly different image to each eye, these devices provide a 3-D effect that is more realistic an engaging than the 3-D systems used in movie theaters. All of this is only possible with the advanced sensors that track the most delicate head movements. The need for more sensors to track fine motion if these devices catch on could fuel demand for magnets required for manufacturing.

Applications in the future
There are currently three major players in the virtual reality space. Facebook's Oculus pioneered virtual reality technology with their device, the Rift. While the Rift is not yet available for sale, its pioneering technology demonstrated the efficacy of virtual reality systems. Google approached virtual reality from a different angle with it's Cardboard project that leverages users' Android-powered phones. Cardboard is an inexpensive kit that allows users to create a cardboard headset that props their phone in front of their eyes. While it is not as elegant as the Oculus system, Cardboard allows people to get a taste of what virtual reality will be like.

The final player in virtual reality is Microsoft. Its new HoloLens project differs from Cardboard and the Rift because it does not completely shut out the outside world. Instead, it projects digital items into 3-D space, making it appear as though virtual objects exist in the real world, CNET reported. That has the potential to revolutionize the ways that humans interact with digital information in all facets of their lives.