Virtual Reality may seem like a modern phenomenon, however, the origins of VR can date back to as early as the 19th century, nearly 180 years ago. The Stereoscope in 1838 was technically the first device to essentially pioneer 3D by having the viewer look through a lens with two of the same image and then letting the brain blend…
Virtual Reality is a rapidly growing industry, currently dominated by companies including Samsung, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, HTC, and Sony. Each of these companies has a VR or AR device currently on the market, all ranging in cost. It is estimated that by 2020, 52 million head-mounted devices will be used in the US. These VR headsets are continuing to impact…
Virtual reality has been all around us since the first panoramic paintings in 12th Century China. Today we can see it used in virtual and augmented reality apps like Pokémon Go, which allows players to catch digital monsters in real settings. According to this infographic created by Couponbox.com, we have a lot of innovative and interesting technology headed our way….
With a variety of Virtual Reality devices now on the market, there are many different aspects a potential buyer should consider before making a purchase, including cost, reliability, and the devices that each supports. Some of the more well-known VR devices include the Google Cardboard and the Samsung Gear VR. The Google Cardboard supports a wide variety of smartphones and comes…
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality were expected to boom in 2016. With a variety of new AR and VR games and devices hitting the market this year, more people were using this new technology this year than ever before. AR became reachable to all ages when Pokémon Go hit the app store this summer. This record-breaking app has been downloaded…
Virtual Reality is best known for its role in the entertainment industry, but it is also growing more useful in a variety of industries such as tourism, education, and even real estate. Building, buying, and selling homes has become more efficient and less stressful by adding VR technology to the process. Home buyers who are relocating are able to tour…
Augmented Reality, and Virtual Reality were conceptualized in the early 1900s with “Precursor” technology. Precursor was an early technology that blurred the lines between the physical world and the virtual world. This later stemmed to Augmented Reality, technology that adds virtual elements to one’s real world environment, and Virtual Reality, which is technology that immerses users into a false reality. The first…
As technology continues to advance, more variations of Virtual Reality will continue to arise. Mixed Reality, for one, combines Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. Though these “new realities” are very similar, there are also very significant differences between them. In using Virtual Reality, a headset or smart glasses are required. This headset immerses the user into a fully digital environment…
Unlike Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality does not immerse its user into a new environment; it enhances one’s reality by overlaying digital information onto things being viewed on a digital device. Though AR is rising in popularity in 2016, variations of it have been around since 1957 with Mortin Helig’s Sensorama machine as one such example. In 1999, the ARToolKit was…
This summer, entertainment in Virtual Reality is being taken to the next level with its incorporation into rollercoasters and arcades across the globe. The United States is leading this trend compared to the other countries currently working to bring VR to theme parks, with 14 separate locations that have a VR rollercoaster or arcade experience. Six Flags alone is introducing…