[Park Sae-jin = swatchsjp@ajunews.com]
An eerie silence with the occasional buzzing of drones filled an exhibition hall as tens of people wearing headsets and headphones were immersed in experiencing the world of virtual reality, turning their heads about and opening their mouths with amazement.
The scene was spotted on June 30 on the final day of a three-day double exhibition titled "Virtual Reality SUMMIT" and "RoboUniverse & K Drone Conference & EXPO" at an event hall in KINTEX, a center for conventions and exhibitions in Ilsan northwest of Seoul.
[Park Sae-jin = swatchsjp@ajunews.com]
"I just won in a fight with a VR robot," Park Eun-yoo, an eight-year-old primary school student, told Aju News. The kid could not hide excitement she felt during her VR taekwondo fight. "It felt so real! I wish to try it again!"
Unlike ordinary computer games, those displayed at the center required the physical involvement of users. At every booth, the participants volunteered to take a shot at the VR games. At some popular booths. dozen people formed a queue, waiting for their turns.
[Park Sae-jin = swatchsjp@ajunews.com]
"I was not interested in these kinds of games. But now, I am thinking of having one at home," said Kim Ji-hoon, a 43-year-old businessman who just finished his VR shootout against gangsters wielding double pistols.
At the other corner of the event hall, drones, the size of an ordinary office desk, were displayed. Previous exhibitions displayed many drones attached with filming equipment, but this year, commercial drones used for surveillance, agriculture and security were the mainstream.
[Park Sae-jin = swatchsjp@ajunews.com]
Agricultural drones used for crop-dusting were visible. "They are highly effective as they can cover an area as large as 4,000 hectares in less than 10 minutes," said Jo Soon-sik, the chief engineer and CEO of E7, an agricultural drone company. "It saves time and money spent on manpower. The drone is capable of doing jobs which require about a dozen people."
[Park Sae-jin = swatchsjp@ajunews.com]
Experts and companies believe drones will expand the scope of expertise. "Next year, more specialized drones will be introduced at the expo," said Woori Aviation President Park Sun-kie who developed a gas-detecting drone using laser and infra-red technology. "This drone can be used by firefighters or industrial workers to detect the source of fire," he said.
Park Sae-jin = swatchsjp@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
