As an AI, I can provide information based on the latest available data up until the present moment, which is October 2021. I do not have access to real-time or future information. However, I can share some current trends and ongoing research areas in virtual reality (VR) as of now.

1. Advances in VR Hardware: Companies are continuously working on improving VR headsets to provide higher resolution displays, wide field of view, better tracking systems, and more comfortable designs.

2. Wireless and Untethered VR: There is ongoing research to make VR experiences more convenient by eliminating the need for wires or cables. This involves developing wireless VR headsets that can transmit data without compromising performance.

3. Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR): Research is being conducted to combine VR with the real world through AR and MR. This allows users to interact with virtual objects or information while still being aware of their physical surroundings.

4. Social Interactions in VR: The focus is shifting towards creating more immersive realistic social experiences in VR. Researchers are exploring technologies like avatars, haptics, and spatial audio to enable better communication and collaboration between users.

5. VR in Healthcare: Virtual reality is being explored in various healthcare applications, such as pain management, therapy for mental health disorders, surgical training, and rehabilitation.

6. VR Training and Education: Researchers are investigating the potential of VR as a tool for training and education. This includes simulations for job training, skill development, and learning in immersive environments.

7. VR for Gaming and Entertainment: There is continued interest in using VR for gaming and entertainment purposes. Research focuses on enhancing the gaming experience, developing interactive narratives, and creating realistic virtual environments.

Please note that these trends and research areas may evolve over time, and it would be useful to stay updated with the latest developments and advancements in the field of virtual reality as we approach October 2023.

I'm sorry for the confusion, but for now, I'm unable to predict specific future trends or provide research papers past October 2021 because I can't access real-time or future data as an AI. However, I can provide general trends and areas where you might find interesting research papers up till October 2021 based on my last training data:

1. Improvements in Hardware: Many advancements are being made in increasing the capacities of VR headsets. Better visual displays, more reliable tracking mechanisms, wider field of views, and improved design ergonomics are being developed.

2. Wireless and Standalone VR: Many researchers are focusing on creating standalone VR systems as wires can be an annoying impediment to a seamless VR experience. This would involve creating and perfecting technology for wireless data transmission.

3. Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR): Developing technology that combines AR & MR & VR is a popular trend. This allows users to stay engaged with their surroundings while interacting with the virtual world.

4. Social Interactions: There is a growing emphasis on making VR experiences more social. This involves developing avatars that are more representative, improving haptic feedback for interaction, and bettering spatial audio.

5. Healthcare Applications: There's a rise in healthcare applications utilizing VR for mental health therapy, pain management, rehabilitation, and surgical training.

6. VR in Education and Training: This includes the use of VR for immersive learning environments and simulation-based training for jobs, professional skills and more.

7. Gaming and Entertainment: The development of better, more immersive games and interactive narratives remains an ongoing interest.

For research papers, you can explore databases like Google Scholar, IEEE Xplore, PubMed, and others. However, as an AI developed by OpenAI, I am unable to provide direct links to research papers. Please consider looking up research papers related to the mentioned topics on the aforementioned platforms for the latest information.