Virtual reality today.
More and more nowadays virtual reality is gaining popularity. But many still do not know about her. I, as the owner of one of the virtual reality clubs, are immersed in this topic in some detail. So let's take it apart and dive into the world of Morpheus.
Now these are not just advertising scenes or 360-degree photos, these are whole worlds to interact with which involve different organs of our perception. More and more technical tools and software are used to create a convincing immersion.
To begin with, let's analyze the organs of interaction with the matrix at the moment.
The main means of orientation in virtual space is a virtual reality helmet.
Basically, these are a couple of screens for each eye, a microphone and headphones, folded into one structure. Also controllers for point interaction are connected to them. And all this is tracked using tracking systems.
The leaders of the virtual reality headset market at the moment are:
HTC Vive. These helmets have quite a few options from this manufacturer and are the most popular wired helmets. The functionality of the latest versions of pro and cosmos elite is close to perfect reproduction of the color palette, combining a large viewing angle.
Valve Index. Valve's virtual reality helmet is considered the best choice. Clear and high-quality high-definition picture is paired with the most convenient controllers. The operating frequency of each of the two screens is 120-144Hz. The fluidity of the picture makes the brain believe what is happening.
Pimax 8K X. This helmet is for richer people, only for a helmet without additional equipment you will have to pay 150 tr. But for this price, you get 2 screens of 4k each and a viewing angle of 200 degrees, which is more serious than the competition.
Oculus Go. This is a pretty budget option. But it is wireless, which gives it an advantage in use. Its functionality is severely curtailed. The picture quality and viewing angle are inferior to wired counterparts. Also, the battery is barely enough for a couple of hours of play.
Oculus Quest 2
Also a pretty budget option.
This is a self-contained helmet.
More powerful than Go, but still inferior to wired helmets.
And there is a constant link to the Oculus store.
- Sony PlayStation VR
Nice headset from Sony, made to connect to Sony PlayStation 4.
Great picture and 120 Hz.
But it's impossible to use it without a PlayStation.
- Oculus Rift S. The most powerful headset from the Oculus line, but it is not autonomous, unlike its brethren.
A good helmet for the money.
Basically, these devices are designed for video games, but this is only a part that reveals their potential. Transferring real videos and photos, which are then converted into textures to fill the world, turn it into one that is difficult to distinguish from the real one.
Experts are working every day to create more and more interaction tools for maximum immersion.
They are trying to replace the controllers with more familiar hands, for this, controller gloves are made.
Also now in the public domain are serial neurogagritures. For brain-assisted control without limb movement.
The problem of moving through virtual space has always been acute, because worlds can be huge, and a home room or a Vr studio is very limited. Special paths come to the rescue to move in all directions.
But how can you feel something that is not there? And even this problem has been partially resolved. Tactile vests help you feel touch and pain.
New technology from htc is face tracking. Imagine that your avatar in the matrix can not only open your mouth to sounds, but also express your emotions.
Having disassembled modern technologies, we can really judge that the future is already here. Is it so? Not really.
The availability of these technologies for the average citizen is rather ephemeral. The cost is rather big, it takes up a lot of space, and few people are interested in it.
What about virtual worlds? Why all this without proper implementation?
There are now hundreds of virtual worlds reflecting limited interaction through gameplay. There is an opportunity to walk the planet without leaving home, feel like a superman, chat with friends on the other side of the world, or just look at nature.
Mark Zuckerberg recently said that Facebook is already creating the largest virtual world ever.
It's worth the wait and see if he can get close in scale to the world from Ernest Kline's novel Ready Player One.