How VR could shape the future of business
Virtual reality has quickly progressed from a novel toy into a powerhouse of entertainment potential. However, the use of...
by VR NOSY STAFF - Slack
Posted on April 25, 2020 at 04:00 PM
Virtual reality is quickly progressing in the public eye from a gimmick to an essential life tool. As technology continues it’s inevitable march forward, the applications and capabilities of virtual reality and its sister, augmented reality will only grow. While there are now plenty of headsets to choose from, the Oculus Quest stands to have the greatest impact on the future of virtual life.
When you look at the various versions of virtual visions being realized by multiple corporations, it can seem like virtual reality is in a healthy place in terms of longevity and further future integration into everyday life. VR is definitely in a healthy growth cycle at the moment, but this early time is also critical in the development of the future of the technology.
The many options for virtual experiences range from smart-phones to high powered super computers. Access to the joys of VR are plentiful, but each offers a unique experience. The original front runners, the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive, used the power of high end home computers to create what we now consider the standard virtual experience. They allowed the potential of virtual reality to not only be seen, but felt. Once the stuff of science fiction, these pioneers showed that it was now possible to enter a virtual world.
The next big player on the scene was the Playstation VR headset. This proved to help push the concept and acceptance of virtual reality further by providing a low cost solution to those that could not afford the more expensive computers and headsets of the competition. Playstation 4 was the front runner of console gaming at the moment, and had the benefit of being in many homes already. Instead of saving up for a powerful computer and then having to also procure funds for their choice of headset, people were able to use the technology they had already possessed for years in order to enjoy the benefits of VR. While tracking wasn’t as robust as its high end competitors, it proved that the same experience could be garnered by cutting a few corners.
While smart-phones lacked the power of larger gaming PC’s or the Playstation, it still pushed forward the idea that virtual reality didn’t have to be exceedingly expensive. The Oculus Go furthered this by showing that there was capability and potential in casual VR; Using the headset to watch movies, chat with friends, or simply enjoy the feeling of being somewhere else. This casual usage of VR, and the more moderate price range of the Oculus Go once again helped push the idea of VR to the forefront of the public consciousness.
There have been other headsets created by rival companies since showing the possibilities and capabilities of virtual reality. The Valve Index, created by the minds behind Steam, Portal, and the Half Life gaming series, provided advanced controls and tracking for your hands, allowing you to feel more immersed in your virtual world. Microsoft created Mixed Reality, a headset that showed the capabilities that opened up by marrying virtual reality and augmented reality. While these other options provided differing price points and capabilities, they all still existed with the idea of those already introduced to virtual reality in mind.
The Oculus Quest, a successor to both the Oculus Rift and the Oculus Go, defeats one of virtual realities biggest problems. Regardless of which system you chose, you were always tied to your computer or console. Even when the HTC Vive provided a wireless option, you were still tethered to the computer that ran the programs and hosted the data. The Quest, much like the Oculus Go, freed itself from these constricting limitations.
Where before you were connected by a cable or you had to stay inside a “zone” created by sensors, you now had complete freedom. No longer confined to your bedroom or living room, the Quest allows virtual reality to exist anywhere in our reality. This not only provides versatile options for casual usage of virtual reality, but also for those that wish for more hardcore and immersive virtual experiences. The greatest impact it had, however, was acting as a gateway from casual use to full on immersion into VR.
Released at a price point similar to the Playstation VR, it improved the scope of virtual reality even further. Where once it was primarily used by gamers, the quest provided more access to those that owned neither a powerful computer nor a dedicated gaming console. Shedding the previous limitations of sensors and wires, the Quest provided more available spaces for becoming acquainted with virtual reality.
The future of virtual reality is still shaky, however, and the versatility and ease of access to the Oculus Quest makes it a very important machine in the future of VR. It allows for the same six degrees of freedom that it’s more powerful cousins enjoy, with a reduction in graphical capability that even the most hardcore virtual enthusiast will find negligible. If virtual reality is to survive, it needs to be able to prove useful outside of the sphere of gaming and short experiences. Already companies like Facebook are planning on using the virtual world we now have access to in order to provide communication and community. In order for plans such as these to succeed, they need a stable, affordable, and easily accessible form of Virtual Reality that does not lack the capability of its tethered ancestors.
The Oculus Quest is currently still in its first phase of existence, and is still early in the life cycle of itself and virtual reality. It exists as an important moment for the technology as a whole, however, in deciding where the future for VR will find itself. With the Quest, you can invite your cousins, your brothers, your parents, even your coworkers to enjoy virtual reality without worrying them about technical know how or setting up sensors.
The easy of carrying mean that more people will be willing and able to adopt the technology than ever before. People on lunch break at work can now take that time to exist in a world that is far away and exotic. Those that are housebound can now leave their homes to find themselves in a tropical location or an island getaway. All of this is important to the future of virtual reality. The more common the technology becomes, the more applications it will be used for.
While movies such as Ready Player One might seem far away in our current time, virtual reality itself seemed a dream only ten years ago. The more the technology is adopted and commonplace, the closer we can become to turning science fiction into science fact. The world stands to change in immense positive ways from the benefit of a virtual world, and the Oculus Quest stands at the forefront of that possible future. More than other VR headsets, the Quest is set to pave the way for widespread adoption of virtual reality, and has the capability to shape the road that VR travels for many years to come.
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