Tag Archives: Virtual Reality

Turning Virtual Reality Into Simulator Rides

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaUtH87hBAE

One of the biggest problems with Virtual Reality that I keep coming back to (other than cost and ethical concerns) is the lack of interaction in most VR simulations. There are many ways around this, but many of them still involve tracking hands or movements. If you want to go sit on a virtual horse, you can’t. Until now it seems. FutureTown has created a device that converts into a motor bike, a mechanical horse, and a standing ski/surfing simulation board (see the promo video above). Connect this device to your favorite VR headset, and its like you are almost there! Well, not really, but it probably does bring us closer to Holodecks. But it also highlights the problems with the whole idea: how expensive is it going to get to create a new set-up for every way you could use this? Cars, boats, biking, etc all have different contexts for motion. Will this be useful for education anytime soon? Not really. But I did get to play in something like this in a mall – basically, an eggshell that worked like a space ship while I fought off an alien invasion. It was pretty cool, bur practical? We will have to see.

Turning a Bus Into a Virtual Reality Ride

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Even though some ideas aren’t very practical for everyday usage, they are still pretty cool nonetheless. One such project is the one where a team from Framework turned an actual school bus into a virtual Mars ride. It’s a pretty intense project. They have computer screens that switch from clear to opaque, so that the windows of the bus can be windows as well as computer screens. Then the mapped the surface of Mars to the city streets. Then they made the simulation react to bumps and turns. Sounds really expensive, but the idea is a good one. Watch the video above to see the whole thing – the look on the kids faces are priceless.

Making Virtual Reality More “Interactive”

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One of the problems with virtual reality is that it is virtual – the things yopu see and interact with are not really there, so you can’t reach out and touch them. Which generally makes most VR experiences pretty passive – even adding a joy stick makes VR more like a game than a simulation. Of course, many companies are working on ways to add touch to virtual objects. One recent company is Dexmo, which adds an exoskeleton to your hands to enable simulated touch. While the set-up looks clunky, the idea that it is recreating the shape and consistency of virtual objects could be very useful in medical, educational, and manufacturing realms, among others. Apparently, no price is given, and the manufacturer wants to wait until VR software begins programming touch into their games and simulations. But this is still one step closer to Star Trek Holodecks (or at least the immersion suits described in Ready Player One).

Virtual Reality + Augmented Reality = Merged Reality

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Intel has been showing off Project Alloy, a self-contained headset that combines augmented reality with virtual reality. My first thought was “isn’t anything that isn’t virtual reality just augmented reality by default?” Well, the answer seems to be yes and no. It seems that alloy will use built in cameras to bring real life objects and people into the virtual world. The demonstration video above doesn’t wow as much as offer promise (especially in the commercial at the end), but ultimately I could see these kinds of projects solving the isolating problems that virtual reality could cause. Also, it is interesting that they are designing a self-contained headset that does not rely on an external computer. Which is probably why there is such low quality in the demonstration video when real objects come into view. At least you can finally see your hands in VR. To me, this seems more like what Virtual Reality should be – a virtual simulation that can bring your real body and those around you into the simulation. Saying it is merged with augmented reality is a bit of a stretch for some, i am sure. But probably an important distinction to make.

Is Virtual Reality Going Mainstream?

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One of the biggest questions about any emerging technology is “will it make it?” In other words, will it become popular enough to became an actual, sustainable “thing”? This question has profound effects (not always in good ways) on whether or not new technologies have a future in learning innovation. The more popular an idea becomes, then more companies will starting make products, and increased competition drives down prices while increasing options. And hopefully, a low-cost easy to use option will arise.

Virtual Reality seems to be (slowly) crossing that barrier into mainstream adoption. Depending on how one maps the growth of VR, its been on a traditional trajectory, or a highly unusual one. But the signs that it is reaching more adoption are things like the Virtual Reality fueled promos (like the one above for the most-awesome Stranger Things series on Netflix) as well as new Virtual Reality films in production. From Lucasfilm making a Darth Vader virtual reality movie to a panoramic alien invasion movie starring Wesley Snipes that might have VR-like sections, it seems that at least Hollywood is taking notice. And it probably won’t be too long before we unfortunately see “How VR will disrupt Education!” sessions at Ed-Tech conferences. But it seems that VR is actually going somewhere.

The (Mostly Ignored) History of Virtual Reality

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One of the main goals of Innovate LINK is take a brief look at technologies and ideas that fall under the fuzzy banner of “Innovation.” Of course, Innovation is often in the eye of the beholder – some people are still discovering PowerPoint for the first time every week. I tend to look at new technology that is being worked on that may be of interest to educators, without really commenting (much) on company hype, claims, propaganda, etc. However, critical examination of those areas and others must be a part of the conversation. Audrey Watters is one of the top voices bringing that critical lens to the table. Her recent post “(Marketing) Virtual Reality in Education: A History” is a must-read for anyone interested in Virtual Reality. As Watters points out, there is a lot to question about the recent VR hype that isn’t being questioned… or is it being intentionally obscured? Anyone that has put on a VR headset has probably thought “this is cool!” But… can it really help learners learn better? What about the cost? Is it really “virtual reality”? Be sure to ask the hard questions and dig into the history and bias behind technology before investing big money or time. Also see the video above for other VR historical events (and mistakes) as well as the whole “it will be different this time” argument (as opposed to the last time it was argued it will different this time, and the time before that, and so on).

Position Tracking in Virtual Reality Through Stereo Cameras

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One of the current problems with Virtual Reality (in addition to price and access and…) is that it is hard to move around in the virtual space. Many VR programs solve this by controlling your vantage point, making them more like interactive immersive movies. Which are often still pretty cool, but if you want to move around in an immersive environment, you usually need some heavy duty hardware to track your movement. Stereolab is aiming to change that with a $449 stereo camera that mounts to the top of your VR headset. Still not cheap, but as this article explores, someday this functionality may be built into our phones (the iPhone 7 is rumored to have a stereo camera). The video above is an example of how the camera itself captures depth, which is an interesting concept in itself (as the video says, what if each pixel could capture depth as well?). Obviously this is still an idea in its infancy, but add this to eye tracking software in VR headsets, along with VR biosensers (when do we get haptic feedback gloves and smell emitters from Ready Player One?)… virtual reality is getting a lot more immersive by the day.

Using Kinect to Bring Your Body Into Virtual Reality

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So the rumor is that Microsoft is killing the Kinect motion detector. Or at least, not building a connector for a Kinect into their next gaming console, which will mean that its future is looking shady. Which is too bad, because people are doing interesting work with the Kinect. For example, see the video above where they essentially use three Kinect cameras to bring someone’s full body into virtual reality with them. The interesting part is where he changes the view and basically gets a virtual out of body experience. Hopefully, this won’t mean the end of projects like this – think if you could set down some 3-D cameras at a historical site on the other side of the world and load that up instead of the office in this picture? Virtual out of body field trips.

Razer Open Source VR Platform

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZBfRtriw_Y

One of the biggest problems with Virtual Reality is the cost. Behind that is the closed nature of the main systems. Games made for an Occulus Rift only work on an Occulus device. Razer looks to change that with a Virtual Reality viewer built on open hardware that runs Steam-based open software. The specs are designed to compete with higher end VR headsets like Rift, while the price is aiming at the mid-range category. They even have highly adjustable lens so that people with glasses can use the devices without their glasses on. The biggest problem seems to be finding out how massive of a computer you need to run this headset. Most people probably still don’t have that kind of computer, so it may be hard for anyone beyond gamers to jump in at this time.

Overcoming Stage Fright With Mobile Apps and Virtual Reality

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I have never been a part of Toast Masters, but co-workers that have said it is a great idea for improving your public speaking skills. While nothing will probably ever replace input from a live audience, there are some tools that could possibly help in some ways if you don’t have access to a Toast Masters meeting, or time, or maybe are still not quite to the point where you want to practice with a live group. This article from the New York Times highlights several mobile apps and virtual reality programs that could help. I would think the Ummo app for $2 would be the best place to start – it counts your “ummmms” and mistakes and helps you reduce those. The Public Speaking VR app can transform your Google Cardboard into a public speaking simulator (see video above). Not totally realistic, but interesting possibilities. Other apps like speech timers and teleprompter apps round out the list. Not really a cure for stage fright by any means, but some interesting innovations to help people on their path.