Virtual reality – technology of the future

Author: Darko Sigur

The idea of ​​virtual reality (Virtual Reality – VR) has always been promising and present among us. We are all in some form already seen the cinematic canvas, and the concept has always been more or less the same – put glasses / device on the head and get in the virtual world, run away from reality. Before us is a time in which virtual reality will no longer be just an idea, imagination or a device that we’ve seen on TV. There is a very high probability that in 5 years anyone who owns a gaming console or PC gaming, have in his room and virtual reality headset.

Devices for virtual reality deal first began to develop at the end of the 80s of the last century. The idea then was the same as in the present time but unfortunately the technology of the time was not sufficiently developed to bring the idea to a satisfactory product that would be sufficiently convincing using. At that time also exploded a new technology that was much more promising than virtual reality – the Internet. So in the mid-90s of the last century VR industry closed its doors and ceased with the development of technology.

That changed in 2013 when a young man named Palmer Luckey, then 19-year-old, took several technologies and merged them into a single unit. His first version of the VR headset was quite cumbersome, the graphics are a basic, but the experience was very surprising – in real terms. He launched a Kickstarter campaign raised $ 2,000,000, and started with the production. That’s how “Oculus Rift” Development Kit Facebook first recognized the potential of this technology and in early 2014 bought Oculus for 2 billion dollars.

Other big technology players have also recognized the potential of this technology of the future and start developing their version of the VR headset. Sony has introduced version under the name “Project Morpheus”, VR headset for PlayStation 4th Valve manufacturer games and the largest distributor of them through its online service Steam, in conjunction with the HTC-TV presents “HTC Viva”, VR headset for your computer, at the same time and increasing competition Oculus Rift.

Oculus Rift is currently in development kit 2 stage of development, with a screen resolution of 1920×1080 (960×1080 per eye) and a refresh rate of 90 Hz and sensors to monitor the movement of the head with “6DOF” (6 degrees of freedom) – motion detection in all directions. As the device screen we look at a few inches from eyes, it is very important that the high-resolution screen which contributes to the reality of the picture display. The final version of the end-user will also have an even higher resolution – 2160×1200 pixels (1080×1200 for each eye). The computer will be connected via DVI / HDMI and USB interfaces. The expected release of this device on the market in the first quarter of 2016.

HTC Viva unlike Oculus Rift does not use one screen is divided into two parts, but two separate screen resolution of 1920×1080 pixels and a refresh rate of 90 Hz for each eye. With the development have gone a step further than the Oculus Rift, and developed two devices for monitoring the movement of the hands held in the hand. It also comes with two laser base stations placed at two ends of the spacious rooms can follow the movements of people in the area about 20 square meters. This device uses a total of more than 70 sensors to monitor movement. The planned release of the HTC Viva headset at the end of 2015, in a festive time.   Sony VR headset under the name Project Morpheus will be used exclusively with the PlayStation game console Sony 4th Project Morpheus uses a screen with lower resolution than its competitors, 1920×1080 (960×1080 per one eye), but with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. It will also have two devices to track hand movements combined with already available device PS Eye, similar to the HTC Viva. The planned release in the first quarter of 2016.    In addition to the three leading products, there is a handful of low-budget versions that work on the principle of a plastic frame in which the headset is inserted into a mobile phone and so gain VR headset. One such product is the Samsung Gear VR, which was created in cooperation Samsung and Oculus. This device works with the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 or Galaxy S6 devices.   Other VR headsets, which operate on the principle of mobile phones are Carl Zeiss VR One, Archos VR headset, Google Cardboard, …      In addition to fun and games, this technology has a number of practical use. Can be used for exploration of inaccessible locations on Earth – for example, in combination with Google StreetView will be able to virtually visit any place you can think of. Already used in architecture to tried a project prior to construction. The medicine is used to teaching young doctors, in terms of virtual operation. It is used as a therapy for the treatment of cognitive behavioral disturbances – phobias and even PTSD. It is expected to be used in the future in education and will be a complete virtual classrooms. Which application of virtual reality technology to succeed and which will not, only time will show. In any case, with these new technologies still to come, the future looks very interesting – we can hardly wait!

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4