Virtual Reality: Explained!

The idea of virtual reality is to replace your reality with something new virtual computer generated environment and it could be some games or some environment you walk around or some video that’s playing all around you when you look around but the idea is to trick your brain into thinking that that’s your new reality. Virtual reality (VR) actually started with the Air Force as part of their flight training program and its flight simulator is obviously cheaper and efficient way to have new pilots practicing without getting any actual aircraft involved. Now in 2015 companies are making personal VR headsets that you can buy and use for your own entertainment.

Google Cardborad

Just like you use headphones to completely take over your sound such VR headsets completely take over your vision. Now there are two kind of VR headsets, type one is the accessory that you plug your smartphone into and that becomes your screen like Google Cardboard or Samsung Gear VR and type two is the stand- alone unit that does everything, has gyroscope, screen built-in like Oculus Rift or HTC’s VIVE. Both types of course have these lenses that help your eyes focus on stereoscopic image that’s right up against your face which isn’t great for your eyes but whatever using VR headsets indeed is a different experience. The first type of VR headsets is pity simple and easy to use. It’s like a giant box like accessory that you strap onto your head, such type of VR headsets depends on your smartphone for the screen and different sensors. So, it’s kind of using your smartphone in an accessory for the VR experiences. But the second type of VR headsets like Oculus Rift, HTC’s VIVE is completely different because it has its own built in sensors, screen and requires some extra space for additional sensors which can be a pain. However such dedicated headsets can be great for the optimum VR experiences.

Making a VR headsets right now is very much tough job, there are so many things that you need to consider like the pixel per inch of the display since it is right up against your face and it is magnified. It is also important to heed the field of view for more immersive experience as far as possible. However there is a good hope though as you can see, the field of Virtual reality is growing with a great pace from zero to five or six major players like Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, Google Cardboard and HTC Vive, SONY Morpheous which are coming soon.

Let me also make clear that Microsoft’s Hollow Lens which everyone is talking about is not virtual reality in fact it is Augmented Reality (AR). So, virtual reality and augmented reality are two different things. In addition virtual reality is to replace your entire reality so, you are immersing in a new world with nothing left with the real world. But Augmented Reality is to augmenting your reality a little bit, it like adding something and combining it with the real world in the form of overlay or seeing something on the top of real world object like Google Glass. But the key factor that makes VR interesting is the fact that you are totally in a new world, it’s like a headphone on where you can listen only to the music. With a VR headset you’re essentially blindfolded and put into the entire new world with whatever the artist makes. The virtual reality content will take off only when there is lot of virtual reality stuff to look at. Let us hope it does not essentially face the same pain of 3D TV which could not survive more due to lack of more 3D stuffs to look at. However VR experience is completely new and with the good VR experience anyone gets puffed off. So, let us hope that VR be the next big thing.