VR Helmet Distracts Nervous Fliers
People have tried just about everything to overcome their fear of flying -- sleep medicine, soothing music, a tablet full of Breaking Bad episodes -- but they likely haven't considered virtual reality. That's where Airbus comes in. The airplane manufacturer has patented a special type of VR helmet that would allow paranoid plane passengers to slip into a happy place for a few hours.
According to Airbus' USPTO patent, the proposed VR helmets are built to provide "sensorial isolation" for fliers. Based on the patent sketches, each seat on a VR-equipped airline would have a dome-shaped headrest, with a visor that slides down over the user's eyes. The patent suggests that the headsets would have built-in earphones, allowing passengers to get fully immersed in whichever TV show, movie or video game they choose to pass the time with.
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Airbus' VR patent could also help you get work done in the air without lugging a laptop. The headset would allow for a virtual keyboard, which would assign inputs to each of your fingers via touch-enabled gloves. If you need to access files from your own devices, the VR-ready headrests would have audio and video inputs for smartphones and other small gadgets.
We're not sure when Airbus' ambitious idea will materialize, but you'll probably be seeing VR headsets on airplanes before then. Samsung's Gear VR headset is hitting this fall, and makes VR highly mobile by using the Galaxy Note 4 as its display. However, the Gear VR will likely require a decently hefty investment from those interested, whereas Airbus' plan could make airborne VR as standard as free in-flight water.
The thought of a VR-equipped future, in which everyone on a plane looks like Robocop, is a little bit scary. Still, the ability to fully lose yourself in a movie or game could certainly make flying more fun, and, more importantly, less scary.
Mike Andronico is an Associate Editor at Tom's Guide. He thinks VR is pretty neat. Follow Mike @MikeAndronico and on Google+. Follow us @TomsGuide, on Facebook and on Google+
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