At some point in the near or distant future (no-one can figure it out precisely), virtual reality will break from its nerdy shackles and go mainstream.
In the meantime, we have some of the biggest brands on the planet trying to position themselves for when it does finally happen... with tourism one of the most obvious examples.
Amazon has a new patented technology: a blended-reality display that puts your image into a virtual scene.
The blended-reality display, described in a new patent, relies on a system of cameras, projectors, displays, mirrors and lights that can add layers of pixels to your moving image on a real-time basis.
For example, the transmitted image could show a beachside scene, or the dance floor at Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry.
The image would be processed to put you into the scene, and potentially superimpose virtual clothes - say, a swimsuit - onto your real body.