Virtual Reality is here!
When Oculus VR Company made its first prototype
available to purchase in 2012 many people were convinced it’s a matter of a year
or two when virtual reality will be easily accessible for everyone.
Unfortunately it took 2 years to release the second, better prototype, yet no
commercial product, even though it was bought by Mark Zuckerberg in the
meantime. Right now Oculus states they will release their first product in the first
quarter of 2016.
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Picture of woman using Oculus Rift DK2
src. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oculus_Rift
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So, are there any disadvantages of such a device? In Samsung Gear VR the biggest one is its battery consumption, using it for 1 hour takes almost 50% of battery (there is micro USB port for charging it while using). Generally speaking, when you put this headset on you, it completely cuts you off the reality, if you are using additionally headphones, it makes no matter where you are right because you are taken into VR!
1. Do you think that the massive usage of such headsets will lead into greater and greater alienation of users?
2. Can those headsets be somehow useful for society, except for bringing entertainment?
I shouldn't say that as a student of computer science but technology, when used in excess, might be really harmful. Nowadays people get addicted too fast to almost everything, also to electronic devices. When used properly, as one of the ways of pure entertainment from time to time it is a great idea, but let's imagine for example a couple watching movies in a few years (when it will become really popular). Everyone with Oculus on one's eyes, won't see the partner's emotions while watching film. The alienation will drastically increase.
ReplyDeleteIt will reach the point when people won't wear headphones while walking on a street, but this devices. We won't comunicate with each other. We will have a great, well-developed virtual life with no real one.
Still, Oculus as a part of progress, is a great step forward of technology, but can cause the step back of social abilities of mankind.
DeleteThis vision of close future is pretty scary, but I have to admit it is possible, at least at some point. There are many people who prefer loneliness, and having devices like that only helps them to alienate. I hope users will find balance between virtual reality and reality.
I don't think so. The society haven't massive used to such headsets. I think it will be used by only users who likes new technology. This is only for entertainment, maybe, potential users will use it. This is only my opinion.
ReplyDeleteOculus Rift is a very interesting device. However, technological innovations of this type are not very popular. My impression is that these devices are used only by people interested in new technologies. So far I see no other use than entertainment.
ReplyDeleteI wonder whether long-term use of the Oculus Rift doesn't damage vision or cause headaches.
Apart from the Oculus Rift topic, I think that the issue of virtual reality or augmented reality is very interesting and can have many advantages. Personally, I hope for the rapid development of augmented reality technology.
Have you ever used one of these devices? The first versions were unusable, after a few minutes most users wanted to vomit. Now they are better, but they must have content compatible with them or you won't use them more than 15 minutes.
ReplyDeleteI am waiting for Full virtual reality, where you connect all your senses and you can for example connect to a online server where you can fly or cast magic spells.
Right now I’m working on my thesis, an application on Samsung Gear VR, and after longer usage (about 30 mins) I have no nausea. There are already plenty apps on the market allowing you to watch movies (2D, 3D like in cinema) there are some animations where you are in the action center which made me quite amussed.
DeleteI used Oculus Rift googles twice and I must say it was but that's it. I can't see any other usage than entertainment. First time when I had contact with those googles, it was on Google I/O conference in our school over one and a half year ago. We were able to sit next to the computer and watch some roller coster demo. Like I said it was fun but only for a few minutes. I never tried them with any game and actually I think they can give more fun when you can play and do something rather than just watch a demo...
ReplyDeleteI don't think that those headsets can be useful for society. Virtual reality just isn't, augmented reality is. It can help you see more information about places around you and that's useful.
Price is high for this , and it's only for entertainment , and at this moment i don't see any useful for society but as we know technology is going fast so maybe something will change. For me at this time this device is only for few days but in the beginning of usage it can make a lot of fun and strange sensations
ReplyDeleteRight now it’s expensive, but as more players will present their products they will have to lower the price to be more competitive. I think that starting with some massive multiplayer online games it can affect social lives of many people, later (with next generations of device) people will eventually start to browse social media, or even web.
DeleteI think that gadgets will be used persons which are interested in new technologies. It is cool entertainment :)
ReplyDeleteI think that the man which isn't interested in a new technology won't know what it is.
After spending whole night trying to defuse a bomb on an samsung vr, I can totally say that applying good applications to these devices can make the difference. The problem today is that most of the example games are most focused on using the googles only as a screen, putting your 2d flat screen surface around you. But that's not a proper target. Adding a complex controls connected with where the player is looking, rotating objects in front of your eyes - these are good attempts of using virtual reality. I think making more games like "Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes" would help these devices become more popular, especially on parties and such occasions. And making it popular would make the companies that develop these devices focus more on improving the quality and providing better software.
ReplyDeleteIt's becoming more and more popular. Probably we will close the outside world, beacuse we could be any where by oculus, we will not need to go to another country to see how there is.
ReplyDeleteI think the main featur of Oculus is to entertain us, but if we add motion control sensor we could exercise our body and mind.
200$ for a smartphone holder? That's adorable. https://www.google.com/get/cardboard/
ReplyDeleteI guess it's really cool etc, but definitely not practical for any kind of day-to-day use. Just try to eat a sandwich while playing with this *thing* on your face.
Oh, and by the way - we already tried that https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Boy
I think that virtual reality technology can be beneficial and useful. VR technology isn 't just for video games .I think that VR technology can help a lot of people in certain fields do their jobs a lot better and easier. Unfortunately prices for VR devices are high now, and they don't work well enough to be useful now. But I look to future positively because there is in production a lot of interesting technologies related to VR like Project Morpheus by Sony, Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR and HTC Vive.
ReplyDeleteVR has already lots of users, creating apps for this kind of technology is easy. I used Samsung Gear VR, this one is great comparing to other cardboards. There are lots of games for VR, I've recently played "Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes", it's a great VR game where your job is to disarm the bomb with help of your friends.
ReplyDeleteI'm waiting for Oculus Rift release, I'm sure that I will buy one for myself.
I see a real potential in VR, especially Oculus Rift for gaming experience. I already played some titles with development release and it has a potential especially in adventure games, when low latency and fast reaction is not needed, and getting into story and virtual world is all what matters.
ReplyDeleteI think this type of equipment will not become a total must-have. This gadget is for geeks and according to me will remain so. Devices of this type are more toys than equipment for professional use and probably will remain so.
ReplyDeleteVirtual reality devices are getting really popular these days. I have never used Oculus rift, but I can imagine that it is a great device and I would like to have it when it will be released for average customers. Nowadays, all large technological companies like Google, Facebook or Sony have their VR glasses. So, I think, in the next few years most of us will have Vr glasses.
ReplyDeleteThere is much focus on VR, as you said biggest players are putting attention on it. Perhaps in 3 years market will be flooded with such devices or companies would present us something even more technologically advanced. Yet if they want to be competitive, they need to reduce the price.
DeleteI think the future of such devices depends on many factors. First, if it becomes widely available device or just for rich people. secondly, whether it will be in everyday life can replace other devices such as television and people can turn their favorite program in a much better quality at every location on earth. Or maybe it would be a good navigation for blind people? I think that this device has such a good chance to conquer the world, it's hard to predict what will could be useful.
ReplyDeleteFor me it looks like a way to completely alienate from other people, it's not good I think it gives a thoughts of scenarios that Tomasz Gelo described, it's a bit scary, everyone with his goggles on, you know, 'doing stuff in air', no I wouldn't like it. Despite fact that IT people are weird, I prefer direct contact with others and good ol' computer ;) It's a way to be completely in your own world.
ReplyDeleteI see it as an entertainment but people can surprise, they do it all the time, so in some time we will see an world-breaking program or app that will be accepted by the community. Generally speaking, those apps for oculus are fairly easy to produce, so for some people who want to achieve something it's good area to start with :)
1. It could be possible, yes. Considerations about this matter were well portrayed in 2009 Hollywood blockbuster Surrogates, with Bruce Willis playing the main role.
ReplyDelete2. Of course they can, for training purposes like flight simulations for airplane pilots, for instance.
I think it's possible... but not yet.
ReplyDeleteWe have to achieve much more to accomplish something more. Surrogates movie, seems more and more possible, to me.
Apart from entertainment, there a lot of other possibilities to use that technology, even for education, and it don't have to be improved (this technology) It's good enough to use it in school.