Why VR

Why VR is touted as the Technology of Future

The digital revolution in second half of 20th century is sometimes referred to as the third industrial revolution. This new age of computers and internet and smartphones transformed the way we communicate, learn and interact. However, these 2D visual display systems missed one key component of audio-visual stimuli: depth perception and heightened spatial awareness. This is where VR technology excels; it provides the full human experience through virtual 3D immersion and interaction. Largely limited to gaming and entertainment at present, 3D audio-visual stimuli using VR head-mounted displays (HMD) have the potential for plethora of applications, ranging from treatment of PTSD and anxiety to interactive corporate training and education. Studies show that immersive presence increases cognizance including memory recall and retention. A more pragmatic version of VR is XR (mixed/extended reality) where a virtual environment integrates real world physical modules for a more realistic immersive experience. Technologies like AI and 5G along with AR/VR holds the key to creating what is dubbed as the ‘Metaverse’.

In order to understand our path forward, we need to first take a look at how we have arrived thus far.

1838

Sir Charles Wheatstone demonstrates the first stereoscopic technology that elicits depth perception and 3D immersion.

1956

Cinematographer Morton Heilig develops a patented booth-sized VR machine called ‘Sensorama’ to stimulate all the five senses for a complete immersive experience of his films.

1968

Ivan Sutherland and his student Bob Sproull creates the first VR HMD called ‘The Sword of Damocles’ that tracks head motion.

1975

Myron Krueger exhibits ‘Videoplace’, the first interactive VR platform at Milwaukee Art Center.

1985

VPL Research, Inc. founded by Jaron Lanier and Thomas Zimmerman becomes the first company to sell VR HMDs and gloves.

1991

NASA scientist Antonio Medina creates ‘Computer Simulated Teleoperation’ VR system to drive mars robot rovers from earth. Virtuality group launches the first mass-producible VR arcade system supporting multi-player and networking.

1995

Affordable consumer VR devices like Nintendo Virtual Boy, Virtual IO I-glasses, and VFX-1 Headgear by Forte Technologies hit the shelf.

1997

Georgia Tech and Emory University creates ‘Virtual Vietnam’ for PTSD therapy of war veterans.

2010-2019

Mainstream tech giants enter the race for creating more advanced commercial VR HMD systems. In 2010, Google introduces 3D stereoscopic version of ‘Street View’ and Palmer Luckey creates a computer aided VR HMD Oculus Rift which gets acquired by Facebook in 2014 for $2bn. Same year, Google and Samsung launches low-cost smartphone-based ‘Cardboard’ and ‘Gear VR’ respectively. Project Morpheus VR headset that was announced in 2014 by Sony for PS4 console, later in 2016 introduces Playstation VR (PSVR). That year, HTC releases VIVE SteamVR headset with first commercially available sensor-based tracking system for seamless VR movements. In 2017, Facebook releases untethered Oculus Go headset and later on in 2018, a more advanced Oculus Quest headset with camera and tracking system. Since 2019, they have been working on a varifocal system ‘Half Dome’ with wide field-of-vision.

The Elephant in the Room

Current crop of 3D VR HMDs however has something key missing, making this immersive experience a time-constrained one with limited applicability, and manifesting itself with negative effects of dizziness and motion sickness. All the tech giants with VR products are trying to fix this problem in their next generation products. But a bigger question still lurks; assuming they hit the shelf soon, how affordable will they be for the mainstream?

“Why our VR?”

At NewEyes, we have developed a patented optical technology that mimics our natural eye lens. When integrated in a conventional VR headset, it results in a seamless and muti-faceted VR experience without negative experiences of dizziness, be it for medical and workforce training, or learning and development. More interesting, you can run our VR technology on smartphones with uncompromised performance speed and graphics. This is the first viable step towards mainstream adoption of an affordable multi-purpose AR/VR technology.