Category: Virtual Reality

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Virtual Reality

Master your reality with the SEER augmented reality helmet

The future is truly now, and a procession of various augmented and virtual reality products signify that with their promises of revolutionary experiences. The problem with many of them is their relatively small fields of view that can lessen the illusion of reality.

SEER by Caputer Labs uses a smartphone to fully immerse viewers into an alternative reality with a headset capable of displaying an impressive field of view of 100°. With so much screen space, experiences once limited by the un-augmented world creeping in on the sides are able to become so much more. The campaign touts augmented reality experiences that are already available on the iOS and Android platforms but reinvigorated through the immersion SEER offers.

Star maps and gaming take a leap forward in terms of usability, all controlled with a wide-range of inputs like joysticks, gaming controllers, keyboards, or gestures when nothing else is around. Open source hardware and software ensure new applications will be developed, given enough interest. The increased field of view makes SEER incredibly bulky when compared to other, more standard headsets like the Viewbox. (But luckily, it doesn’t look as inane as the AirVR.) SEER is impressively priced at just $119, and its $100,000 goal has a deadline of March 3. Its developers see the product shipping in September of this year.

Categories
Virtual Reality

PRO3D virtual reality headset aims to bring stereoscopic 3D to the masses

Virtual reality has become one of the hotter technologies of the past couple of years. But the Oculus Rift and others of its ilk have yet to become available to consumers and, when they do, aren’t expected to be cheap.

The Long Beach, California, maker of the PRO3D stereoscopic 3D and virtual reality viewer is aiming to bring similar technology to the masses with an inexpensive attachment for the iPhone 6 Plus. Their model won’t be anywhere near as bulky as the Oculus Rift and other similar devices. Backers who pledge $29 will get a bare bones version of the attachment when it ships in June. Those who pledge $47 or $86 will get more elaborately designed versions of the product. Its maker is looking to raise $39,700 on Kickstarter.

This isn’t the first cheap virtual reality product for smartphones, following on the heels of devices including ShareVR. PRO3D’s focus on only one smartphone model stands to limit its appeal significantly. If the effect it provides–the quality of which is impossible to tell from its Kickstarter campaign video–is mediocre or worse, that will cut down on its chances even further.

Categories
Virtual Reality

ViSR VR cardboard headset is a low cost of entry for a high-quality virtual experience

One of the boldest moves in the past few years, in the midst of tech companies chasing the dream of virtual reality, was Google coming out with Cardboard. If you hadn’t heard, it was a pair of VR googles made completely made out of the ho-hum material that worked in tandem with Android devices. As ridiculous as it may seemed, what most surprised everyone was that it worked. 

Now, there are Google Cardboard imitators pretty much everywhere, but the folks at ViSR VR would be quick to point out the superiority of their Mark I headset. Theirs is a laminated, high-quality quality cardboard visor that is extremely durable and can last as long as most smartphones.

At the end of the day, though, it isn’t a very new idea to upgrade Google Cardboard with better material, but its durability will certainly attract those who had been previously been on the fence about VR. Compatible with iPhones, Android devices, and Windows phones, most anyone can get into the VR game as long as they have £15 (~$23) to spare. Notable stretch goals include special edition versions in gold, a day with the team, or even a backer’s own ViSR game! The £25,000 (~$37,900) campaign is looking to ship the Mark I ViSR by March 2015.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Virtual Reality

Pinć VR smartphone case offers portable virtual reality, Minority Report-like gestures

True, accessible virtual reality seems so tantalizingly close yet so very far at the same time. Big names like Oculus Rift are mentioned in the news every day but are never actually seen outside of events like trade shows, limiting the kind of effect VR is supposed to have on technology and culture.

The Pinć VR is a virtual reality kit folded into a 15mm smartphone case that, when unfolded, can be worn around the head. The system is really a marvel, managing to tuck away a pair of glasses and the necessary optics to allow users to manipulate virtual elements with the help of Pinć Rings. These small input devices are worn on the finger and allow gestures like scroll and rotate while in the virtual world. With help of the introductory Pinć apps like Browser, Video, and Mall, the grander possibilities of the true portable virtual reality system are getting closer and closer.

Pinć VR is already an engineering marvel, but the company behind it has a lot of work going up against the cultural rejection Google faced in their bid to introduce a similar, wearable, augmented reality in Glass. As impressive as it is, it isn’t sure to be a hit, although curiosity is at an all-time high. The $99 CAD (~$85) case can be purchased for iPhone 6, 6 Plus, and an array of popular Android devices. A successful $50,000 CAD (~$21,500) campaign will see Pinć VR shipped in July 2015.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Virtual Reality

Get comfy with the Viewbox neoprene virtual reality headset

If it wasn’t already apparent, virtual reality, or VR, is here to stay. Events like Facebook’s acquisition of Oculus Rift prove exactly that. As such, the future is one where both augmented and virtual reality will be as commonplace as the smartphones and tablets are in our lives now. For now, though, the industry is still in its infancy.

Currently, the most inexpensive and popular route to a full VR experience is with the use of smartphones alongside headsets designed to facilitate a user’s experience, with Google Cardboard being the most popular example. Company evomade has taken up a notch by creating the Viewbox, a product remarkably similar to Cardboard but with minor differences that end up making all the difference.

Instead of being made from cardboard, the Viewbox is made of soft neoprene which allows it to fold up and be easily transported from one location to the next. In addition, the material makes wearing the product comfortable even with glasses on, and ventilation holes prevent moisture and fog to build up within the viewing area. The kr350 (~$45) product is expected to ship in April of 2015 with a successful campaign goal of kr80,000 (~$10,197).

Although users can easily create their own VR headset, the Viewbox is a very streamlined and low-key way to enjoy a wide variety of VR apps already available now, and the fact that it works with smartphones with screens as big as 5.7″ ensures many can use it. The AirVR looks kind of wacky to wear practically, while the Samsung Gear VR offers a similar experience to the Viewbox, but with a steep premium and bulkier design.

Categories
Sports Virtual Reality

Eon Sports uses virtual reality to teach real football

Breeding the next crop of NFL superstars takes a ton of hard work and dedication both on the field and off. The development of an athlete’s skills is a delicate balance between repetition and on-field immersion, both of which are in short supply for those who are absolutely serious about the game of football. The EON Sports virtual reality simulator offers players the opportunity to practice anywhere at all and still get the immersion necessary to effectively train their on-field intelligence.

The EON Sports virtual reality simulator is the type of advance both players and coaches were waiting for, erasing the limits regarding where and how training can be accomplished. The simulator utilizes a modified version of Shoogee’s DIVE handsfree VR headset with an iOS, Android, or Windows smartphone loaded in. When combined, the headset provides players an authentic viewpoint from which to sharpen their ability to pick apart defenses or make snap decisions. EON Sports has not only created the system itself, but partnered with legendary coaches like Mike Ditka and Terry Shea to offer training sessions exclusive to the platform so players will learn from the best when they strap themselves in. The headset will cost $99 during the $50,000 campaign, after which it will go up to $129. Backers can expect their own simulator in May of 2015.

The EON Sports virtual reality simulator is a fantastic idea, but instead of assisting in the mastery of physical movement like Virtual Knockout or the Shoot Natural Glove, it only focuses on IQ through the use of a gaming controller. Although football intelligence is a vital part of the game, the option to train physical movements just isn’t present, a huge missed opportunity for true innovation rather than settling for what Google could have done with cardboard. What EON Sports has really done is provide valuable strategy from coaching legends and make it widely available, but wouldn’t making such useful advice widely know degrade its quality?

Categories
Virtual Reality

Open DoVision creates VR using open components

When Oculus Rift was bought by Facebook, many interested parties suddenly found themselves without that passionate interest in the device. Thankfully, companies like DotLab are working on alternatives, like the Open DoVision; a fully open-source VR headset that is easy to connect and use. By simply connecting the USB cable and the display output cable of choice (HDMI, VGA, A/V), Open DoVision can display any content right in front of the user’s eyes, with head-tracking features by moving the mouse cursor with accelerometers.

Because Open DoVision is open-source, DotLab encourages users to get their hands into the code and create new features and functions for the device. Additionally, a few parts can be interchanged in the headset to create a simple head-mounted display for use in games that don’t natively support VR headsets or for movies or other media content.

DotLab needs $20,000 AUD (~$17,000 USD) to release Open DoVision, and backers can get their head in the game for $99 AUD (~$85 USD) in January 2015. The presentation is a little lacking, and gamers shouldn’t expect direct support for the Open DoVision for a while, but at this price tag, this is a VR headset worth looking into.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Virtual Reality

ShareVR is another way to get virtual reality using your smartphone

At the top of many holiday wish lists this year will be VR headsets. However, many of the devices that are already household names are not ready to go to market just yet and almost all of them will be rather expensive. shareVR is an interesting new way to make VR possible with head-tracking functions by connecting a smartphone to a PC. With just a micro USB cable, a head mount, and the software that communicates with the PC, shareVR can give a consumer a functioning VR headset for less than $50.

The device works with any game using DirectX 9, 10, or 11, and head-tracking through an Inertial Measurement Unit. With only 30ms of latency, the time between the action on the main screen and what’s happening in the goggles is minimal for most kinds of applications. shareVR inventor Marcin Grygiel is raising £50,000 (~$78,250) to complete the software. For backers, the program will cost only £9 (~$14) and they can use their head mount of choice. shareVR offers an interesting DIY way of bringing VR home, and will be a great entry point for many customers. However, the specific compatibility requirements and technical limitations may be off-putting to purists.

Categories
Tablet Accessories Virtual Reality

AirVR makes the iPhone a window into the world of virtual reality

VR headsets are a hot item that everyone wants to get their hands on, but why not beat the rush and convert some existing technology into a fully functional VR headset instead?

That’s the philosophy behind AirVR, an iPad Mini or iPhone 6+ mount that straps onto the head to create a VR headset with visuals on a high-quality retina display. By taking a tablet or phone consumers may already have, the cost of adopting a VR device is cut significantly, requiring consumers only to purchase the mount. With foam padding and adjustable nylon straps, the AirVR is easy to adjust to any head size or shape. The front-facing camera also allows the iOS device to pick up on augmented reality markers and create a 3-D environment that users can move and look around it with complete motion tracking.

Utilizing only a portion of the screen for the virtual experience, AirVR does not simply waste the additional space on the iPad Mini screen. Instead, a dynamic touch interface is put at the bottom allowing users to comfortably navigate through content without having to remove the device, change the content, and then put the headset back on. Toronto, Ontario designer Metatecture is raising $20,000 CAD (~$18,000 USD) to get AirVR out in time for the holidays. Existing iPad Mini and iPhone 6+ owners only need to pay $49 CAD (~$43 USD) to have their own VR headset in February 2015.

Devices like the AirVR and Samsung Galaxy Gear VR are looking to leapfrog the delayed VR headset manufacturers that built all the excitement up, but have yet to release a product. If it fits consumers’ needs and existing hardware, they’ll take the easier, cheaper route. The market is primed for a product like AirVR to be wildly successful.