Category: VR / AR Fundamentals

 Review on Spacewalk

In general, Spacewalk is a good VR project. Firstly, it is “3dof” project. As an astronaut in the project, users only have a 180-degree view. For images aspect, it is a 3D project and it works successfully to fool my eyes because it uses many images to create a verisimilar environment of space–without gravity. The pictures in front of me are dynamic and the highlights like floating items in spaceship provide me such an excellent sense of immersion. 

For the audio aspect, it is normal because it seems that the creator of this project has not used spatial sound or multiphonic techs to build a sound immersion. The only sound in this project is the sound of the phone, which is non-spatial and non-stereo. 

But generally, I like this project because it excellently shows me a great space world and successfully immerses me into it. What I dislike is that it is a “3dof” project. If it were a “6dof” project, it will help people to experience how is the feeling of being an astronaut.

Review on Scaring movie project on Youtube

This is the worst VR titles I experienced. The sacring movie project on Youtube is a video project. It is a “6dof” project and it is a panorama display with 2D images–that is the thing that makes this project unsuccessful for me: 2D images cannot make a big shock for audience, especially in the area of the scaring movies. The opening of the movie project is a 3d intro of the video of walking alongside a corridor. Accompanied by sacring background music, I began to be scared and wanted to stop it. What disappointed me is that the main body of this project didn’t perform as well as its opening. Low-quality 2D panorama images could not immerse me into the environment. What is worse is that I could not move around but could only watch and listen. Audion performance was not good as well. It is not spatial and not stereo–it is just the simple audio sound like what we will hear in normal form of movies. In conclusion, I like the opening part because the 3D-dynamic walking scene with scaring movie provides me a great atmosphere of scaring movie and speed up my heartbeat. What I dislike is that both the audio and visual performance of this project could be better by using 3D tech and stereophonic display.

Review on the Cowboy shooting game

That is the only game I experienced in class. It is an ordinary project both in audio and in visual. For visual, it is 3D cartoon-style but “3dof”. Users can only rotate their head in 180 degrees and see the things in front of them. Besides, users cannot move around. Audio is not spatial but good in quality. Therefore, I get the conclusion that it is an ordinary VR project and I keep a neutralizing attitude towards this project.

The future of AR according to the ‘Mirrorworld’ theory includes a full integration of the physical and digital world. In many respects this future offers a plethora of opportunity but also introduces many consequences. 

1. What happens to privacy in the ‘Mirrorworld’?
2. Is there any social repercussions such as an impact on a social currency? 

Most agree:  No.6 Remote work via VR will become the norm

From my perspective, VR is going to be popular in the close future as the VR technology is developing rapidly, and it is very possible to make a simulate working environment using VR technology. By doing this will save a lot of cost not only for the company, but also for the employees. Working just need a VR headset and a handler with a place to use, both at home or in the office.  So either will save a huge space for the company to build to work and the employees can save the time and money spend on transportation and other unnecessary events, or the office building can be much smaller than now as everyone just need to use the VR equipment to work, company might only need to be focus on spaces for entertainment and relax for the employees. Also the problem of huge traffic jam during the rush hours will absolutly be remitted.

Most disagree: No.2 VR may play a bigger role in our future lives than AR

From my perspective, also being subjective, I support AR to be playing a bigger role in our future lives than VR. Even though VR is much more mature than AR now, but I believe the application of AR will be much broader than VR as it can be carried with someone and react with the surrounding environment realtime. Remote working is also possible using AR as you might just need a table or something like a board can AR set it as a office table and develop virtural working environment based on it. So comparing the mobility, AR is far better than VR, when you walk out, everything in your eyes through a AR headset will automatcially pop up an information window beside it showing any information or news related to it, for example, showing the realtime stock of an enterprise when you walk pass its building or advertisement. Also talking about intelligent home, using a AR might have a window on the interface showing the realtime data of your house, and you can remotly control it at your will.

VR experience

I only successfully experienced the BBC Spacewalk using HTC Vive Pro, the user experience is perfect, with a headphone giving me a surrounded feeling makes the VR scene more like reality to me. I’m experiencing as an astronaut in the application, my mission is to fix the space station, and by using controller can I feel like using the real hand of the astronaut to climb on the space station. And when I am floating in the space due to the explotion of the space station, the scene that the astronaut is floating everywhere really gives me a sense of dizziness. Everything is too real. I also want to try the PSVR but due to technological reason, I did not make it.

Review of the Kevin Kelly AR article

What the author has mentioned about the mirrorworld is to create another digitized ourselves in the AR world, also if everything can be digitized and be labeled in the AR world, the information we can gain by watching through a AR device will be far more than now. This is an achievable future but still need time.