Virtual-reality (VR) headsets are now being used in many industries as a way of training people or providing a new way to experience things. Here are 10 ways virtual-reality technology is being used.

Entertainment

Theater audiences can already enjoy 3D movies, but with apps like Oculus Cinema, users can be even more deeply immersed in their movie experiences. They can watch movies on a huge virtual screen, something like their own personal theater, or even watch as if they were inside the movie itself, surrounded by the imagery and sound effects. And if you are a sports fan, the virtual-reality platform company LiveLike VR has built a virtual stadium so you can have the thrill of game day experiences with your friends, right from the comfort of your couch. Similarly, virtual reality can also transport users to a Cirque du Soleil performance, or a Coldplay concert as shot by the virtual reality filming company Next VR, minus all the rowdy fans.

Even the tourism industry has jumped onboard, with Marriott’s Travel Brilliantly collaboration with Oculus promising to satisfy people’s wanderlust.Using the app, you can be transported virtually to Hawaii in just 90 seconds, according to its website. Say goodbye to those winter blues

Health care

The health care industry has been a big adopter of virtual-reality tech, with some institutions using the computer-generated images for diagnosis and treatment. Virtual-reality simulations, such as those created by software companies Surgical Theater and Conquer Mobile, use actual diagnostic images from CAT scans or ultrasounds to construct 3D models of a patient’s anatomy. The virtual models help both new and experienced surgeons determine the safest and most efficient way to locate tumors, place surgical incisions or practice difficult procedures ahead of time.

Beyond surgery, virtual reality could also serve as a cost-effective and engaging tool for rehabilitation. Stroke and brain injury victims across Europe can now use an immersive virtual-reality therapy created by MindMaze6 to regain motor and cognitive function faster than with traditional physical therapy, according to the company. The virtual exercises and real-time feedback in MindMaze are made to feel like games, helping to motivate patients to practice everyday activities.

Space

Scientists at NASA have a tough mission: to search for life on other planets. That’s why they look to cutting-edge virtual-reality technology to control robots on Mars and to provide astronauts with a way to de-stress. At NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, researchers connected the Oculus Rift with motion-sensing equipment from the Kinect 2 sensor and Xbox One game console to control a robotic arm with the operator’s gestures. The setup could one day be used to control rovers or other instruments millions of miles away, according to NASA. By adding a Virtuix Omni treadmill to the setup, researchers were also able to simulate a walk on Mars to prepare astronauts for a potential human landing.

Museums

Virtual reality could add a lot of culture to our lives. The technology could instantly transport users to the Louvre in Paris, the Acropolis in Athens and the Guggenheim in New York City, all in one day. In fact, a number of museums have already collaborated with developers to create virtual spaces where people can experience the museums’physical collections. In 2015, the American Museum of Natural History in New York City made some of its collections virtually accessible through Google Cardboard.

Automotive manufacturing

In Ford Motor’s Immersion Lab in Dearborn, Michigan, employees can don a virtual-reality headset and inspect the interior and exterior of a car, as well as have a seat inside an automobile before it is manufactured. The virtual prototype allows designers and engineers from various departments to closely inspect different elements, such as the engine or upholstery, and spot potential problems before they arise.

Education

Toyota is using Oculus headsets as part of its TeenDrive365 campaign, to educate teenagers and parents about distracted driving. By making field trips and simulations of complicated concepts accessible to people of all ages, virtual reality can make cognitive learning faster, more effective and efficient. Unimersiv and Cerevrum are examples of two such apps that offer an immense resource of educational VR content online.

Courtrooms

Jury members may no longer have to evaluate crime scenes by looking at dull, two-dimensional photographs. Seeing a crime scene in 3D could help jurors visualize how people and objects, such as bullets, move through space. The use of interactive technology made it easier for people to visualize and understand the details of a case and make a decision regarding whether a suspect was guilty or not.

Meditation and mental health

Virtual reality can also act as a therapeutic tool for those who experience debilitating stress, including PTSD, and panic disorders or phobias.researchers say. Virtual-reality tech could provide a safe environment for patients to come in contact with the things they fear, while remaining in a safe, controlled environment.

Shopping

Many people are already familiar with online shopping websites, but virtual-reality apps like Trillenium could be the next step in how consumers purchase products on the Web. These apps can provide a virtual tour of an entire store, improving on the traditional online shopping experience. Instead of looking through catalogs on a website, shoppers can get a real-time shopping experience and even shop with their friends. Shoppers will soon be able to purchase items from ASOS through the use of their headset as easily as buying something on Amazon.

Military

The U.S. military often uses virtualreality simulators to train soldiers before they are deployed. Noncommercial versions of games like Virtual Battlespace 2 and Unity 3D are used to prepare troops for combat. The gamelike simulations allow teams to practice working together in realistically replicated environments before they have to use real-world tactical equipment. And this immersive environment is extremely important, because training that captures the attention of the learner is often retained longer and is better understood.