This is a device, made by HTC, allows for virtual reality experiences with two controllers to interact with the surroundings.
This provides an immersive platform for virtual reality. With the help of this we can transport ourselves to another world where we can interact with the environment with the help of the two controllers. It has wide ranging applications. Using this can reduce the cost for many real world applications. It is used in simulation programs to train robots without actually testing them real time. It provides one of the best virtual experiences for the user and makes you wonder if this can be better than reality.
Even though there are a lot of advantages, VR is a virtual environment and the reality is still what we live in and cannot be changed. The controls needs to be retaught for every application and it's not very intuitive. People who get motion sickness are going to have a difficult time getting adjusted to VR. Some lose track of their surroundings and can lead to serious accidents unless restricted properly. Also the file sizes for each VR game is large and with better quality support being given to devices(HTC Vive/ Oculus) the game size increases which will take a long time to download and play. Also satistics show that many people who use VR tend to get addicted. The mobility of the player is restricted as the vive is wired. Also, recent categorisation of gaming by the WHO as a medical condition only goes on to prove that VR needs to be used wisely!
It can be used for training, conferencing, and for entertainment purposes. Many training programs, for instance pilots, take advantage of virtual reality to fly an aircraft. This is much cheaper and prevents the danger of crashing a real aircraft. Similarly doctors can treat patients virtually and avoid any medical accidents. Many important business calls get delayed because of the distance and availability of the people. Virtual Reality can overcome this by creating an environment of all the people in the same room. Since this is virtual we can create addition interactive models to aid the discussion. We will also get a feel of being close with the people, despite being miles away. Last but not the least, actually the biggest, is the application of VR in entertainment. In this current day and age where people want to escape from the busy world to experience something ethireal, or for the inattentive to lift up the spirits through some intense gaming environment.
This is also known as “Project Baraboo” and is a pair of mixed reality smart glasses developed and manufactured by Microsoft.
This resembles a specks with an add-on lens for visualizing and placing models in the real world. These models are seamlessly integrated into the real world and provides a surreal experience. Support is incorporated to interact with these models with hand gestures. The hololens is a stand-alone device that can be used without any controllers. We can see the real environment around us through the transparent lenses. The information is displayed over the lens through lasers. It has built in speakers and microphone that you can give commands to. Spatial mapping is possible and it cashes the environment to load it quickly each time.
This still has a long way to go to be built for everyday use. The field of view is restricted to the boundaries of the specks which is lesser than the field of view of the eye. The cost of the device is a few hundred dollars, which is more than the budget of any normal buyer. It does not have a great battery life. It lasts up to 2 hours when charged to 100%. On top of this there can be CPU/GPU constraints. Microsoft guarantees a load of 1000 polygons in a scene which can be very less for large games. Also the “Air Tap” can be a little off sometimes and requires getting used to.
Hololens has far fetching applications in training, conferencing, gaming and for the comfort of the common man. AR has a lot of applications in space planning, engineering, design, and architecture. Holographic gaming is another domain that is upcoming but it is not as popular as VR gaming. It can free the worker from the shackles of the everday computer to a augmented interactive workplace with the field of view of the human eye. Using hololens we can have how many ever screens we want and it can replace our everday usage of physical devices. Here is a food for thought, we can have a theater from our balcony instead of restricting ourselves to a 60" television!
With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), computer scientists at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) are pushing science fiction closer to reality with a wraparound virtual world in which a researcher wearing 3-D glasses can take a walk through a human brain, fly over the surface of Mars and more! The system, known as CAVE2, has an 8-foot-high screen that encircles the viewer by 320 degrees. A panorama of images springs from 72 stereoscopic liquid crystal display panels, conveying a dizzying sense of being able to touch what's not really there. By Nation Science Foundation
The CAVE2 takes a very different approach to virtual reality. It comprises of 72 1MP 46” clarity matrix 3D LCD screens displays stacked in 4 layers. It stands eight feet tall, providing a 530 square feet space and 320 degree workspace. It can track the user location and provides depth through 3D specks. A vast multitude of 2D information can also be represented on the screen for collaborative work. It can hold up to 25 people inside and none of them will feel left out as they can see the screen right in front of them. It is better than the HTC vive as there is a huge space to move around and give you a feeling that you are not in a complete virtual world. “Planar’s 2D and 3D technologies enable users to make better-informed decisions that can lead to significant advancements in science and industry.” -Jason Leigh
This hi-tech steel cave is definitely one of the few exiting in the world. Despite its numerous advantages, it is chunky piece of equipment that consumes a large amount of electricity. The intricate wiring can take months to set up. Let’s not forget the cost, which is around 1.5 million dollars. A small change to install a software needs to be carefully followed through and is time consuming. It is not mobile and hence the accessibility is limited. The speed is slow as supporting 72 large LCD displays requires a high performance from CPU and GPU, which is difficult to achieve.
Application of CAVE2 are wide ranging. It helps for simple collaborations over-seas. Research biologists can visualize their work and help them innovate. For instance, Monash University recently identified gene-led changes in their two-year study into Huntington’s Disease using the CAVE2. It can be an amazing place to teach students. The University of the Sunshine Coast uses the CAVE2 primarily as an education tool, showing students simulated versions of real-life locations, such as Bambui, Cameroon. Also major conferences can be held to mediate multiple information at the same time. A government facility examines potential threats, design challenges, and emergency situations in CAVE 2.
Google Cardboard is a virtual reality (VR) platform developed by Google for use with a head mount for a smartphone.
You get it, fold it, place your phone and look inside to experience VR in a very cost effective manner. The cardboard is made from recycled paper, lenses are made out of plastic, and the magnet is made up of neodymium material. It is widely accessible. There are a large number of vendors in the market currently manufacturing and exporting these cardboards and the number is increasing due to the low entry barriers in the market. It is customizable according to user preference.
The cheap and easy to access cardboard has its perks. It does not provide a stellar experience. The cardboard has gaps through which light can enter, which can be a hindrance to completely lose yourself in the VR world. Since the cardboard has to rely on an external device, which is our cell phone, its usage restricted to are the processing capabilities of the phone. Latest phones can run the required VR apps with high resolution but the old phones poor displays is not compatible. Phones also come in different sizes and can be a little hard to adjust to get the display you need. Some cardboards cannot accommodate large phones. There is lack of content in the app store and it can be in low resolution. Getting user input through the cardboard can be difficult.
Google Cardboard was developed to understand the needs of VR consumers and provide a platform for VR developers to create content. Developers are expected to come up with enterprise applications for teleconferencing, training and simulation, and designing through the forecast period. It can be used for entertainment purposes, where in most of the application that we normally see in 3D can be viewed in a 3D space, of course only if the content is made to support VR. For instance, Titans of space VR. How it works: Just put Google Cardboard on Android phone and enjoy a virtual reality tour through the solar system, GoPro VR, Netflix VR, Public Speaking VR, Inside Abbey Road, Apollo 15 Moon Landing VR, Google Arts & Culture in360 Tube, etc.