Virtual Reality: All You Need To Know

Virtual Reality

Before now, virtual reality was nothing but a fantasy for writers who told stories and wrote about technology. As far back as 1935, American science fiction writer, Stanley G Weinbaum had this to say about VR in a brief story titled Pygmalion’s Spectacles, “But listen – a movie that gives one sight and sound.

Suppose now I add taste, smell, even touch, if your interest is taken by the story. Suppose I make it so that you are in the story, you speak to the shadows, and the shadows reply, and instead of being on a screen, the story is all about you, and you are in it. Would that be to make real a dream?”

Tech experts across the globe have definitely failed to crack the smell and taste code thus far, but Albert Ludwig’s “magic spectacles” clearly predicted the present rave for headsets, 360-degree games, videos, and virtual worlds.

Since Albert’s magic spectacles spread around the world, years of experimentation around virtual reality have gone down and this has led a lot of minds to believe that virtual reality is more real than we formerly believed.

The fact is the present age of virtual reality started in 2010 when US teen, Palmer Luckey came up with the first prototype of a VR headset that eventually evolved into what we know as the Oculus Rift nowadays. In 2012, Palmer started a $250,000 Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to commercialize his work, and after $2.4m worth of pledges, the technology industry’s interest in VR grew.

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg ended up liking the Rift so much, he bought the company for $2bn two years later.

Since that show of faith, various competitors have emerged, from the HTC Vive and Sony’s PlayStation VR to smartphone-powered headsets like Samsung’s Gear VR and Google Cardboard.

Also, several developers are currently developing VR games and applications, several movie producers are presently exploring the potential for documentaries and animation, and Facebook/YouTube has since hopped on the 360-degree videos train.

Are you new to the world of VR? Or you are looking for where exactly a newbie can start from? Not to worry, this article tells you all you should know about this tech revelation.

Photo credit: wonderopolis.org

Virtual Reality Basics:

The most vital piece of a virtual reality package has to be the headset, the thick pair of goggles that covers your eyes. Headsets that are costly will have to be connected to a PC to run applications and games, while the cheaper ones will use a phone clipped to the front of the headset.

Be aware that all headsets must be used alongside a top-quality pair of headphones, plus there are other optional accessories that will help enhance the experience that comes with being in a different world.

The hand controllers, for example, translate your real-world gestures into any game or app you are using, even if normal gaming joypads can also serve this purpose.

Virtual Reality devices come with their personal application stores, just like the app stores you are used to on your smartphone, where owners can search for and download games or apps. And you can access some of these stores on the device itself or on your PC.

Current VR Tools and Technologies for Businesses

There are a variety of tools and technologies that have been created to help businesses use virtual reality.

Virtual reality is a simulated environment that can be experienced in a head-mounted display. The user is immersed in an artificial three-dimensional world where they can interact with computer-generated objects and environments.

This technology is often used for entertainment purposes but has also been used for commercial purposes such as product demonstration, training, and marketing.

VR has been made accessible through development. Virtual reality is a new medium that is rapidly advancing. It’s becoming more and more popular.

The following are the few current VR tools and technologies for businesses:

1) Virtual Reality Headset – A virtual reality headset is a head-mounted display with an integrated processor which displays computer-generated images in a way that the user can see through them while feeling as if they are in the virtual world.

The headset typically includes sensors that allow it to track the movement of its wearer’s head, allowing them to control what they see.

2) Virtual Reality Game – A virtual reality game or experience is an interactive digital game where the player can move around within a simulated environment either using special controllers or by moving their actual body. Players interact with others or computer-controlled characters via voice chat, text chat

Players have the option of chatting with their friends and opponents directly. They can also chat with other players via text message or voice chat.

These modes offer a variety of fun and interactive features, such as real-time voice chat, typing indicators that show when someone is typing, easy-to-use commands for chatting with headsets, and more.

Online gaming has seen a surge in popularity since the release of online multiplayer games such as Overwatch. Esports, a type of competitive online gaming, is on the rise as well. There are many different types of esports that can be found on Twitch, YouTube, and other online streaming services.

In recent years, esports has seen a huge increase in popularity. Millions of people are now tuning into streams to watch their favorite professional gamers compete with each other or against each other.

These tournaments are often set up in a seasonal format and most professional gaming events include a variety of different games and genres.

Best High-End Headsets To Enjoy Your VR Experience:

1. Oculus Rift:

Photo credit: time.com

The first commercial version of this headset was unveiled in 2016, it was initially sold from the Oculus VR site but all that changed when retailers across the globe stepped in.

You’ll definitely need a powerful computer to use the Oculus Rift. The minimum specs needed are on its official site, and top brands like HP, Alienware, and Asus are all covered. Oculus VR has even gone as far as launching bundles of Rift with a PC, like the $2,050 Alienware bundle.

In summary, Oculus Rift began the newest generation of VR and it currently has a brilliant community of developers creating games and apps on its behalf. Facebook’s financial might also guarantee the Rift being around for a long time.

2. HTC Vive:

Photo credit: lib.ncsu.edu

This one is a collaboration between HTC, a Taiwanese technology company, and a popular games firm, Valve. Valve simply added a brilliant VR category to its existing Steam digital games store, and HTC unveiled its Viveport website for non-gaming applications.

Vive is clearly a direct competition for Oculus Rift, however, various games and applications are available for both devices.

A quality computer will also be needed to run its software, and HTC helps buyers to purchase the right kit with its list of Vive Ready PCs, including partners, Alienware, HP, and MSI.

3. Sony PlayStation VR:

Photo credit: theverge.com

Another force to reckon with in the VR race is Sony’s PlayStation VR headset, unveiled in 2016 as an accessory for the PS4 console. In fact, the PlayStation 4 and new PlayStation 4 Pro are both compatible with the headsets, even if the pro runs VR games at higher screen resolutions and frame rates.

This option uses the PS4’s standard console controller, DualShock 4, but the PlayStation Camera accessory will be required.

4. Samsung Gear VR:

With this option, your mobile phone would be used as both the screen and processor. It uses tech from Oculus VR, even if it is not as quality as the Rift.

Be aware that it only works with Samsung’s S6 and S7 smartphone series, as well as the Galaxy Note7 phablet too.

Conclusion:

It really doesn’t matter if you are a VR believer, skeptic, or somewhere in between, 2022 will definitely be a huge year to know how the potential for this technology can be exploited further.

Thanks for reading Virtual Reality: All You Need To Know. You can click to read about Must-Have Smart Home Devices In 2022.

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