I really think we're moving into a VR/Augmented reality renaissance.
If you've got 10 minutes to thumb through this 20 minute video this shows off whats possible with augmented reality: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc_TCLoH2CA If we can get that into a pair of sunglasses in the next 10-20 years I'm pretty sure we'll be living in a wildly different world than we are today
There was an interesting comment on that youtube video too. (Shocking, I know.) When watching content for the OR on a monitor, you can actually see it in 3D by crossing your eyes so that the two pictures overlap. It's a bit taxing and obviously... rather less immersive than the Rift, but it does work and is fun for a few seconds.
Edit: experimenting with it a bit, I've found an easy way to do it is to full screen and sit a good ways back from the screen. (I went about 5' from my 27" monitor.) Then hold your hands up in a sort of window about a foot in front of your face. The idea is that looking through a window between your hands, each eye can only see the picture opposite it. Not seeing the other picture makes it a lot easier to focus on the composite one.
I thought the multi-monitor simulation setup was very impressive, you can imagine all kinds of non-gaming applications for this! Any environment where you need to be utterly focused and shut off from distractions (turning a potential negative of VR into a massive plus), with multiple monitors (e.g. Trading floors in wall street, coders) would benefit hugely from this. The company could make an absolute fortune solely from selling to wall street, and replacing traders 2,3,4+ screens with a single VR headset.
If you've got 10 minutes to thumb through this 20 minute video this shows off whats possible with augmented reality: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc_TCLoH2CA If we can get that into a pair of sunglasses in the next 10-20 years I'm pretty sure we'll be living in a wildly different world than we are today