2015 will see an avalanche of virtual reality devices appear in the mass market, with the likes of Sony, Google, Facebook and Microsoft targeting gamers across the globe. The technology may now be an attainable reality, but will it be used for anything beyond video games?

Cloud over Sidra is the United Nations' first ever virtual reality film. It follows a twelve-year-old girl – named Sidra – who lives in the Za’atari camp in Jordan, and is designed to support a UN campaign highlighting the vulnerable state that is refugee life.

The beauty industry might not seem the obvious choice for a VR makeover, but subscription service Birchbox plans to merge its products with an online experience in a new initiative for male subscribers. “It's all about discovery,” says Brad Lande, GM of Birchbox Man. But how does it work?

Gun-wielding men stand atop a boat pitching and rolling on turbulent water, while a tank explodes in slow-motion. This is the TV spot for the Army Reserve and it’s accompanied by a roadshow in which potential candidates can use Oculus Rift to really get a taste of how life in the army could be.