Virtual Reality: More Than Just Games
2016 is shaping up to be the year of Virtual Reality. We’ve seen the release of 3 major high-end virtual reality (VR) headsets - the Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive, and Playstation VR. We are also seeing some advancements in the mobile VR world as well, with Samsung releasing a new version of their Gear VR headset, and Google releasing its new Daydream platform- unique for mobile VR in part thanks to its motion controller - to complement its existing Cardboard efforts.
Much of the focus with virtual reality has been around gaming. However, as the hardware and platforms mature, it is becoming evident that VR has many applications outside of gaming. The ability to see depth and to have real movements translated into virtual space provides an immersive feeling that is convincing enough to make your brain feel like you are in a different place. This is known as presence (see my previous post for information about presence).
This ability to create presence lends itself to a variety of applications. For example, it could be used for…
Emerging Tech: Virtual Reality Starter Guide
If you’ve paid much attention to the tech or gaming world lately, you’ve probably heard about the new virtual reality revolution that is taking place. Many thought VR was a bust years ago because of a lack of quality technology to make it really convincing or successful. But with the technological advances of the past few years, virtual reality is making a resurgence with 2 major headsets recently released and another coming later this year. If you’re interested in learning more about what VR is or how you might go about getting your own VR setup, this guide should give you a good starting point.
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