KevinM818’s Profile Student Toggle navigation

Kevin Mangal SOC 2401 Virtual Reality Virtual reality can be defined as a computer generated three-dimensional environment with the purpose to convince the user that the simulated environment is their true reality. This can be done by wearing a virtual reality headset, several of which have recently become available to consumers in early 2016. Video game controllers or gloves equipped with sensors can be used along with these headsets so that the user can have a device that will allow them to interact with the different elements that are in their virtual reality. The origins for virtual reality can be traced back to the nineteenth century. This can be seen in stereoscopic photographs and viewers invented by Charles Wheatstone in 1838. Wheatstone’s research confirms that the brain can process different two-dimensional images from each eye, and view them as a single three-dimensional object. The first electromechanical attempt at virtual reality was a flight simulator invented by Edward Link in 1929. Link used motors attached to the rudder and steering column to adjust the pitch and roll, and a device to mimic turbulence and disturbances in flight. Virtual reality headsets weren’t accessible until the 1960s. Morton Heilig was the first to invent a headset, but it only served as a film medium. The first motion tracking headset was invented the Philco Corporation in 1961. It was used to create an immersive remote viewing for dangerous situations that can be presented to soldiers. Attempts at virtual reality were not successful in the 1990s. In 1993 SEGA announced a virtual reality headset for the SEGA Genesis console. However, the product ran into too many technical difficulties and remained in the prototype phase. In 1995 Nintendo released the Virtual Boy, which was a headset that was promoted to display true three-dimensional graphics. This product eventually failed due to limited color and graphics. The Virtual Boy was discontinued in 1996. There are two types of virtual reality headsets that are available today. The first type is an accessory headset where compatible smart phones can be inserted into it to become the screen that the headset will use. Some examples of these products are Google Cardboard and the Samsung Gear VR. The second type of virtual reality headset is a stand-alone unit that has all of the needed components built into the device, it can also be known as a head mounted display. This includes products such as the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive. The only requirements to use these headsets is a computer or a gaming console to run the program that is generating the virtual setting. The goal of the head mounted display is to make the computer generated three-dimensional environment appear to be life size to the user. This creates an immersion that a television or a computer monitor will never be able to replicate. An HDMI cable connected from the headset to a computer or console is used to send a video feed to the LCD screen of the head mounted display. The LCD screen is divided so that each eye may have their own display. There are a pair of lenses that are placed in front of the screen, there are referred to as goggles. The purpose of the goggles is to focus and reshape the image that is being displayed on the screen to create a three-dimensional stereoscopic image. Similarly to the stereoscopic viewer invented by Charles Wheatstone, this is done by angling both of the two dimensional images from the screen to create a depth of field and a sense of immersion. Head tracking is another method virtual reality headsets use in order to establish additional engagement with the virtual environment. As the user turns their head the display will adjust the image to the direction they are looking in. This is accomplished with the use of internal tracking systems, which include a gyroscope, magnetometer, and an accelerometer. These components follow a system called six degrees of freedom, that plots you head movements on an x, y and z coordinate plane to measure the distance and determine the direction your head is moving. The features that virtual reality headsets have to offer provides a different experience for media consumption. Virtual reality video games have captivated the players by offering the opportunity to become completely engaged in the world of a popular game. Some of the titles that were available at launch are “Valkyrie”, “Lucky’s Tale” and “Omega Agent”. Along with video games, movies have also experimented with virtual reality. Films can now be created where the audience will be able to dictate the angles of the movie. There have been many short films that have been showing up at major film festivals, such as Sundance and the Tribeca Film Festival. These include titles such as “Gone”, “Hard World for Small Things”, and “Waves”. While movies and video games serve as a mainstream use for virtual reality, it can also be used for more productive applications. Simulators used for flight training have been enhanced due to development in virtual reality. Medical procedures and treatment of psychological disorders have also experimented with this technology. The University College London and the ICREA-University of Barcelona performed a study where fifteen depression patients were given a virtual reality headset that displayed a life sized avatar. The avatar would moves as their own body moved. This created the illusion that made the patients see the avatar as their own body, which created a sense of embodiment. The results showed that nine patients showed reduced depressive symptoms a month after the therapy. A group of cardiologists has successfully used virtual reality to guide them in the treatment of opening up a blocked right coronary artery on a male patient. This was done by displaying images on a Google glass with an optical head mounted display that guided the surgeons through the operation by highlighting the distal coronary vessel and the direction of the guide wire advancement on the blocked vessel. With all of the achievements virtual reality has accomplished, the problem of giving its users motion sickness has been encountered early in development. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison demonstrated this by playing motion heavy videos for participants on the Oculus Rift. Two-thirds of the viewers had to stop the video early due to getting nauseous. This problem has attempted to be solved by increasing the screen resolution and minimizing the latency for head tracking. CEO of Oculus, Brendan Iribe partnered up with an engineer from the Valve gaming company, named Michael Abrash in order to create the Oculus Rift. Both men worked to come up with a device that would improve on the old virtual reality technology, and to fix its flaws to create a truly immersive experience. With the Oculus Rift set to be released in early 2016, there is a debate on how well it will affect the gaming industry. The headset has a high price point of six-hundred dollars, and requires a powerful computer to run the applications. Due to these conditions, consumers may not be open to this type of media. However, the creative minds of content developers have the ability to make virtual reality a well-received form of entertainment. Annotated Bibliography Aneja, A. (2015, August 6). How Does Virtual Reality Work? Time. Retrieved March 07, 2016, from http://time.com/3987716/how-does-virtual-reality-work/ This article from the Time magazine website takes the rise of popularity in virtual reality into consideration and briefly discusses some of the technology in the headsets, along with possible uses for it. They mention that while movies and gaming is an obvious option, virtual reality can also be used training, medical procedures, and some psychological therapy. They also go on to explain how sensors in the headset track your head movement, as a screen shows you a 3D rendered image to create the immersion. Brownlee, M. (2015, March 27). Virtual Reality: Explained! [Video file]. Retrieved March 07, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4Zt3JZejbg In this video, the popular tech you tuber Marques Brownlee explains the meaning of virtual reality. He states that the purpose of virtual reality is to replace the environment that you are currently living in with a computer generated environment, in order to convince you that the computer generated environment is your true reality. Marques then goes on to talk about the different types of virtual reality headsets that are available today. Charara, S. (2015, August 3). Explained: How does VR actually work? Wareable. Retrieved March 07, 2016, from http://www.wareable.com/vr/how-does-vr-work-explained With the goal of virtual reality being to create an immersion for the user, this article takes a deeper look at the technology that goes into the headsets. The LCD screen in the headsets are positions so the each eye gets its own display. Lenses are placed between your eyes and the screen to create a stereoscopic 3D image. Head tracking is completed by using sensors such as a gyroscope, accelerometer and a magnetometer. Hern, A. (2015, December 28). Will 2016 be the year virtual reality gaming takes off? The Guardian. Retrieved March 07, 2016, from http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/dec/28/virtual reality-gaming-takes-off 2016 With the Oculus Rift set to be released in early 2016, there is a debate on how well it will affect the gaming industry. With the creative minds of developers that have the capability to create a thrilling immersive gaming experience, virtual reality can thrive in gaming. However due to the high price of the Oculus Rift headset and powerful computer requirements, consumers might not be open to this type of media. History Of Virtual Reality. (n.d.). VRS. Retrieved March 07, 2016, from http://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual reality/history.html This article comes from a website entitled Virtual Reality Site, which contains many different articles on the topic of virtual reality. This specific article presents the history of virtual reality and its concept origins in the form of a time line. It starts off in 1838, where the first stereoscopic image was created, and discusses the attempts that were made at virtual reality in the 20th century, all the way up to 2016, where the Oculus Rift is set to be released. lsevier Health Sciences. (2015, November 20). First-in-human use of virtual reality imaging in cardiac cath lab to treat blocked coronary artery: Virtual reality device successfully used to guide recanalization of right coronary artery. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 7, 2016 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151120092137.htm This article shows some of the potential that virtual reality can have on medicine and healthcare. While it has already been known that different medical specialties are using virtual reality to train physicians and assist diagnosis, a group of cardiologists has successfully used virtual reality to guide them in the treatment of opening up a blocked right coronary artery on a 49 year old male patient. Images on a Google glass device guided the surgeons through the operation. Rubin, P. (2014, May 20). The Inside Story of Oculus Rift and How Virtual Reality Became Reality. Wired. Retrieved March 07, 2016, from http://www.wired.com/2014/05/oculus rift-4/ After many failed attempts at virtual reality throughout history, this article discusses how Brendan Iribe created the Oculus start up project that brought about one of the most promising virtual reality products in recent years. He partnered up with an engineer from the Valve gaming company, named Michael Abrash in order to create the Oculus Rift. Both men worked to come up with a device that would improve on the old virtual reality technology, and to fix its flaws to create a truly immersive experience. Schwartzel, E. (2016, March 4). Virtual-Reality Movies: Get Ready for the VR Revolution. WSJ. Retrieved March 07, 2016, from http://www.wsj.com/articles/virtual-reality-movies-get-ready-for-the-vr-revolution-1457030357 With the help of virtual reality, movies can now be created where the user will be able to dictate the camera angles of the film. There have been many short virtual reality films that have been showing up at major film festivals, such as Sundance, and the Tribeca Film Festival. These films gives viewers a unique way to experience movies, and they might be able to have a prominent role in Hollywood. University College London. (2016, February 15). Virtual reality therapy could help people with depression. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 7, 2016 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/02/160215090140.htm University College London and the ICREA-University of Barcelona performed a study where 15 depression patients ranging from 23 to 61 years old were given a virtual reality headset that showed a life sized avatar that would move as the same ways as their own body. This caused the patient to view the avatar as their own body, creating a sense of embodiment. The results showed that 9 patients reduced depressive symptoms a month after the therapy. University of Wisconsin-Madison. (2016, January 29). Virtual reality makes its best users the most queasy. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 7, 2016 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/01/160129091643.htm With all of the achievements that virtual reality has accomplished, this article shows us a problem that can be caused by it. Motion sickness is a problem that virtual reality has tried to overcome early in development. An improvement in screen resolution videos has resolved this problem, but some users still experience nausea. Researchers demonstrated this by playing motion heavy videos for participants on the Oculus Rift, where nearly two thirds of the study stopped the video early.

Kevin Mangal SOC 2401 Virtual Reality Virtual reality can be defined as a computer generated three-dimensional environment with the purpose to convince the user that the simulated environment is their true reality. This can be done by wearing a virtual reality headset, several of which have recently become available to consumers in early 2016. Video game controllers or gloves equipped with sensors can be used along with these headsets so that the user can have a device that will allow them to interact with the different elements that are in their virtual reality. The origins for virtual reality can be traced back to the nineteenth century. This can be seen in stereoscopic photographs and viewers invented by Charles Wheatstone in 1838. Wheatstone’s research confirms that the brain can process different two-dimensional images from each eye, and view them as a single three-dimensional object. The first electromechanical attempt at virtual reality was a flight simulator invented by Edward Link in 1929. Link used motors attached to the rudder and steering column to adjust the pitch and roll, and a device to mimic turbulence and disturbances in flight. Virtual reality headsets weren’t accessible until the 1960s. Morton Heilig was the first to invent a headset, but it only served as a film medium. The first motion tracking headset was invented the Philco Corporation in 1961. It was used to create an immersive remote viewing for dangerous situations that can be presented to soldiers. Attempts at virtual reality were not successful in the 1990s. In 1993 SEGA announced a virtual reality headset for the SEGA Genesis console. However, the product ran into too many technical difficulties and remained in the prototype phase. In 1995 Nintendo released the Virtual Boy, which was a headset that was promoted to display true three-dimensional graphics. This product eventually failed due to limited color and graphics. The Virtual Boy was discontinued in 1996. There are two types of virtual reality headsets that are available today. The first type is an accessory headset where compatible smart phones can be inserted into it to become the screen that the headset will use. Some examples of these products are Google Cardboard and the Samsung Gear VR. The second type of virtual reality headset is a stand-alone unit that has all of the needed components built into the device, it can also be known as a head mounted display. This includes products such as the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive. The only requirements to use these headsets is a computer or a gaming console to run the program that is generating the virtual setting. The goal of the head mounted display is to make the computer generated three-dimensional environment appear to be life size to the user. This creates an immersion that a television or a computer monitor will never be able to replicate. An HDMI cable connected from the headset to a computer or console is used to send a video feed to the LCD screen of the head mounted display. The LCD screen is divided so that each eye may have their own display. There are a pair of lenses that are placed in front of the screen, there are referred to as goggles. The purpose of the goggles is to focus and reshape the image that is being displayed on the screen to create a three-dimensional stereoscopic image. Similarly to the stereoscopic viewer invented by Charles Wheatstone, this is done by angling both of the two dimensional images from the screen to create a depth of field and a sense of immersion. Head tracking is another method virtual reality headsets use in order to establish additional engagement with the virtual environment. As the user turns their head the display will adjust the image to the direction they are looking in. This is accomplished with the use of internal tracking systems, which include a gyroscope, magnetometer, and an accelerometer. These components follow a system called six degrees of freedom, that plots you head movements on an x, y and z coordinate plane to measure the distance and determine the direction your head is moving. The features that virtual reality headsets have to offer provides a different experience for media consumption. Virtual reality video games have captivated the players by offering the opportunity to become completely engaged in the world of a popular game. Some of the titles that were available at launch are “Valkyrie”, “Lucky’s Tale” and “Omega Agent”. Along with video games, movies have also experimented with virtual reality. Films can now be created where the audience will be able to dictate the angles of the movie. There have been many short films that have been showing up at major film festivals, such as Sundance and the Tribeca Film Festival. These include titles such as “Gone”, “Hard World for Small Things”, and “Waves”. While movies and video games serve as a mainstream use for virtual reality, it can also be used for more productive applications. Simulators used for flight training have been enhanced due to development in virtual reality. Medical procedures and treatment of psychological disorders have also experimented with this technology. The University College London and the ICREA-University of Barcelona performed a study where fifteen depression patients were given a virtual reality headset that displayed a life sized avatar. The avatar would moves as their own body moved. This created the illusion that made the patients see the avatar as their own body, which created a sense of embodiment. The results showed that nine patients showed reduced depressive symptoms a month after the therapy. A group of cardiologists has successfully used virtual reality to guide them in the treatment of opening up a blocked right coronary artery on a male patient. This was done by displaying images on a Google glass with an optical head mounted display that guided the surgeons through the operation by highlighting the distal coronary vessel and the direction of the guide wire advancement on the blocked vessel. With all of the achievements virtual reality has accomplished, the problem of giving its users motion sickness has been encountered early in development. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison demonstrated this by playing motion heavy videos for participants on the Oculus Rift. Two-thirds of the viewers had to stop the video early due to getting nauseous. This problem has attempted to be solved by increasing the screen resolution and minimizing the latency for head tracking. CEO of Oculus, Brendan Iribe partnered up with an engineer from the Valve gaming company, named Michael Abrash in order to create the Oculus Rift. Both men worked to come up with a device that would improve on the old virtual reality technology, and to fix its flaws to create a truly immersive experience. With the Oculus Rift set to be released in early 2016, there is a debate on how well it will affect the gaming industry. The headset has a high price point of six-hundred dollars, and requires a powerful computer to run the applications. Due to these conditions, consumers may not be open to this type of media. However, the creative minds of content developers have the ability to make virtual reality a well-received form of entertainment. Annotated Bibliography Aneja, A. (2015, August 6). How Does Virtual Reality Work? Time. Retrieved March 07, 2016, from http://time.com/3987716/how-does-virtual-reality-work/ This article from the Time magazine website takes the rise of popularity in virtual reality into consideration and briefly discusses some of the technology in the headsets, along with possible uses for it. They mention that while movies and gaming is an obvious option, virtual reality can also be used training, medical procedures, and some psychological therapy. They also go on to explain how sensors in the headset track your head movement, as a screen shows you a 3D rendered image to create the immersion. Brownlee, M. (2015, March 27). Virtual Reality: Explained! [Video file]. Retrieved March 07, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4Zt3JZejbg In this video, the popular tech you tuber Marques Brownlee explains the meaning of virtual reality. He states that the purpose of virtual reality is to replace the environment that you are currently living in with a computer generated environment, in order to convince you that the computer generated environment is your true reality. Marques then goes on to talk about the different types of virtual reality headsets that are available today. Charara, S. (2015, August 3). Explained: How does VR actually work? Wareable. Retrieved March 07, 2016, from http://www.wareable.com/vr/how-does-vr-work-explained With the goal of virtual reality being to create an immersion for the user, this article takes a deeper look at the technology that goes into the headsets. The LCD screen in the headsets are positions so the each eye gets its own display. Lenses are placed between your eyes and the screen to create a stereoscopic 3D image. Head tracking is completed by using sensors such as a gyroscope, accelerometer and a magnetometer. Hern, A. (2015, December 28). Will 2016 be the year virtual reality gaming takes off? The Guardian. Retrieved March 07, 2016, from http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/dec/28/virtual reality-gaming-takes-off 2016 With the Oculus Rift set to be released in early 2016, there is a debate on how well it will affect the gaming industry. With the creative minds of developers that have the capability to create a thrilling immersive gaming experience, virtual reality can thrive in gaming. However due to the high price of the Oculus Rift headset and powerful computer requirements, consumers might not be open to this type of media. History Of Virtual Reality. (n.d.). VRS. Retrieved March 07, 2016, from http://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual reality/history.html This article comes from a website entitled Virtual Reality Site, which contains many different articles on the topic of virtual reality. This specific article presents the history of virtual reality and its concept origins in the form of a time line. It starts off in 1838, where the first stereoscopic image was created, and discusses the attempts that were made at virtual reality in the 20th century, all the way up to 2016, where the Oculus Rift is set to be released. lsevier Health Sciences. (2015, November 20). First-in-human use of virtual reality imaging in cardiac cath lab to treat blocked coronary artery: Virtual reality device successfully used to guide recanalization of right coronary artery. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 7, 2016 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151120092137.htm This article shows some of the potential that virtual reality can have on medicine and healthcare. While it has already been known that different medical specialties are using virtual reality to train physicians and assist diagnosis, a group of cardiologists has successfully used virtual reality to guide them in the treatment of opening up a blocked right coronary artery on a 49 year old male patient. Images on a Google glass device guided the surgeons through the operation. Rubin, P. (2014, May 20). The Inside Story of Oculus Rift and How Virtual Reality Became Reality. Wired. Retrieved March 07, 2016, from http://www.wired.com/2014/05/oculus rift-4/ After many failed attempts at virtual reality throughout history, this article discusses how Brendan Iribe created the Oculus start up project that brought about one of the most promising virtual reality products in recent years. He partnered up with an engineer from the Valve gaming company, named Michael Abrash in order to create the Oculus Rift. Both men worked to come up with a device that would improve on the old virtual reality technology, and to fix its flaws to create a truly immersive experience. Schwartzel, E. (2016, March 4). Virtual-Reality Movies: Get Ready for the VR Revolution. WSJ. Retrieved March 07, 2016, from http://www.wsj.com/articles/virtual-reality-movies-get-ready-for-the-vr-revolution-1457030357 With the help of virtual reality, movies can now be created where the user will be able to dictate the camera angles of the film. There have been many short virtual reality films that have been showing up at major film festivals, such as Sundance, and the Tribeca Film Festival. These films gives viewers a unique way to experience movies, and they might be able to have a prominent role in Hollywood. University College London. (2016, February 15). Virtual reality therapy could help people with depression. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 7, 2016 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/02/160215090140.htm University College London and the ICREA-University of Barcelona performed a study where 15 depression patients ranging from 23 to 61 years old were given a virtual reality headset that showed a life sized avatar that would move as the same ways as their own body. This caused the patient to view the avatar as their own body, creating a sense of embodiment. The results showed that 9 patients reduced depressive symptoms a month after the therapy. University of Wisconsin-Madison. (2016, January 29). Virtual reality makes its best users the most queasy. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 7, 2016 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/01/160129091643.htm With all of the achievements that virtual reality has accomplished, this article shows us a problem that can be caused by it. Motion sickness is a problem that virtual reality has tried to overcome early in development. An improvement in screen resolution videos has resolved this problem, but some users still experience nausea. Researchers demonstrated this by playing motion heavy videos for participants on the Oculus Rift, where nearly two thirds of the study stopped the video early.