VIRTUAL REALITY TAKES TECH BY STORM
February 2016
“They have that now?"
That was the reaction of sophomore Vivian Yip once she heard about virtual reality.
Virtual reality (VR) is the newest tech hype that has reeled in people with the promise of new lives, perspectives, and experiences. VR makes it possible to experience things not possible in this world by simply slipping on a headset.
“VR makes it feel as if you’re there,” said sophomore Justin Lee, who has heard of this upcoming trend. “You’re not just staring at one place. You’re looking around, and it feels real.”
When a user puts on that headset, they can be anyone, anything, or an outsider yet an insider in a world of dreams.
With a turn of the magic wand (in this case, the bestowing of a VR headset on a head), a user is in space, fighting against either side of the law in a 34th-century galactic battle. Racing the ship, shooting lasers, engaging in combat... it’s no longer contained in a computer screen, but all around you. This scenario is Elite Dangerous: a VR game that pulls users in beyond the game.
And that’s not all. Users can be inside a giant egg in outer space, tasked with breaking out of their shell and breaking things. Users can be a racer, shooting across the sand dunes under the glowing desert sun and squinting past the dust clouds. Users can even be an airplane dodging precarious spikes until the inevitable crash -- a plotline strikingly similar to Flappy Bird. In short, users can be in other’s shoes and see through other’s eyes.
However, VR isn’t all fun and games. Global companies including Youtube, CNN, and Netflix have taken VR under their wing -- CNN live streaming the Democratic debates in VR back in 2015, Youtube #360 showcasing 360 degree videos uploaded by Youtubers themselves, and Netflix releasing a VR version.
While these new features have gone largely unnoticed, publicity of VR has been pushed by online celebrities. Buzzfeed News has released several videos including VR, Youtubers including the likes of the Finebros have reacted to VR, and even the famous foul-mouthed yet likable Pewdiepie, the #1 subscribed channel on Youtube, has used VR in many of his videos.
These opportunities are all possible through a computer-simulated environment which feels like so much more.
To meet the public’s demand and deliver what the people want before they knew they wanted it, tech startups are experimenting with new mediums in which to experience virtual reality. With its endless algorithm of worlds, VR is setting up to be the next hype.
According to MIT Technology Review, countless startups are working on increasing VR’s immersiveness factor, from a company dedicated to building eye-tracking technology to another building suits that will enable users to feel the various environments of the simulation.
According to Smithsonian Museum, journalist Nick Greene was able to try one of these suits, known as the Teslasuit. He later said, “When he presses the shoulder on my little avatar, I feel a pulsing, like someone tapping me on the shoulder.”
And countless other companies are dedicated to creating games and elevating the world of gaming as we know them, such as combat-based games, making them even more visual and personal.
With the investment of many of Silicon Valley’s biggest names in tech combined with startups aiming to push VR into the present, many insiders on the industry are awaiting the development of VR.
Oculus, arguably the most well-known pioneer VR company, raised nearly $2.5 million in 2012 through a crowdfunding campaign to produce their Rift models, and was purchased by Facebook for $2 billion. According to Oculus, The Rift is currently available for preorder and comes at $599 with headsets rolling out in March 2016. Other companies including Google and Playstation, are releasing or have released VR headset models, with prices ranging from $20 to $3,000. VR is not just for the elite.
Many consumers are anticipating the experiences that VR has to offer and the revolutionary future it could bring. According to Wired, VR could snake into in every industry, and the ability to learn with the world’s best teachers or go shopping with an avatar with your exact proportions would be very possible.
With startups creating new worlds and investors supplying funds, even more doors will be carved out and pushed open.
The possibilities are endless.
That was the reaction of sophomore Vivian Yip once she heard about virtual reality.
Virtual reality (VR) is the newest tech hype that has reeled in people with the promise of new lives, perspectives, and experiences. VR makes it possible to experience things not possible in this world by simply slipping on a headset.
“VR makes it feel as if you’re there,” said sophomore Justin Lee, who has heard of this upcoming trend. “You’re not just staring at one place. You’re looking around, and it feels real.”
When a user puts on that headset, they can be anyone, anything, or an outsider yet an insider in a world of dreams.
With a turn of the magic wand (in this case, the bestowing of a VR headset on a head), a user is in space, fighting against either side of the law in a 34th-century galactic battle. Racing the ship, shooting lasers, engaging in combat... it’s no longer contained in a computer screen, but all around you. This scenario is Elite Dangerous: a VR game that pulls users in beyond the game.
And that’s not all. Users can be inside a giant egg in outer space, tasked with breaking out of their shell and breaking things. Users can be a racer, shooting across the sand dunes under the glowing desert sun and squinting past the dust clouds. Users can even be an airplane dodging precarious spikes until the inevitable crash -- a plotline strikingly similar to Flappy Bird. In short, users can be in other’s shoes and see through other’s eyes.
However, VR isn’t all fun and games. Global companies including Youtube, CNN, and Netflix have taken VR under their wing -- CNN live streaming the Democratic debates in VR back in 2015, Youtube #360 showcasing 360 degree videos uploaded by Youtubers themselves, and Netflix releasing a VR version.
While these new features have gone largely unnoticed, publicity of VR has been pushed by online celebrities. Buzzfeed News has released several videos including VR, Youtubers including the likes of the Finebros have reacted to VR, and even the famous foul-mouthed yet likable Pewdiepie, the #1 subscribed channel on Youtube, has used VR in many of his videos.
These opportunities are all possible through a computer-simulated environment which feels like so much more.
To meet the public’s demand and deliver what the people want before they knew they wanted it, tech startups are experimenting with new mediums in which to experience virtual reality. With its endless algorithm of worlds, VR is setting up to be the next hype.
According to MIT Technology Review, countless startups are working on increasing VR’s immersiveness factor, from a company dedicated to building eye-tracking technology to another building suits that will enable users to feel the various environments of the simulation.
According to Smithsonian Museum, journalist Nick Greene was able to try one of these suits, known as the Teslasuit. He later said, “When he presses the shoulder on my little avatar, I feel a pulsing, like someone tapping me on the shoulder.”
And countless other companies are dedicated to creating games and elevating the world of gaming as we know them, such as combat-based games, making them even more visual and personal.
With the investment of many of Silicon Valley’s biggest names in tech combined with startups aiming to push VR into the present, many insiders on the industry are awaiting the development of VR.
Oculus, arguably the most well-known pioneer VR company, raised nearly $2.5 million in 2012 through a crowdfunding campaign to produce their Rift models, and was purchased by Facebook for $2 billion. According to Oculus, The Rift is currently available for preorder and comes at $599 with headsets rolling out in March 2016. Other companies including Google and Playstation, are releasing or have released VR headset models, with prices ranging from $20 to $3,000. VR is not just for the elite.
Many consumers are anticipating the experiences that VR has to offer and the revolutionary future it could bring. According to Wired, VR could snake into in every industry, and the ability to learn with the world’s best teachers or go shopping with an avatar with your exact proportions would be very possible.
With startups creating new worlds and investors supplying funds, even more doors will be carved out and pushed open.
The possibilities are endless.