Virtual Reality: Imagining the Future

VIRTUAL REALITY: IMAGINING THE FUTURE

Chris M. CollinsUniversity of Cincinnati

Chris M. Collins | @fleep

Center for Simulations & Virtual Environments Research (UCSIM)UCIT Research & Development,Division of Innovation & Partnerships, UC Office of Information Technologies University of Cincinnati

[email protected](513) 556-3018http://ucsim.uc.eduIT@UC

UC Information Technologies

SESSION OVERVIEW• What is Virtual Reality• How the tech works• Now & Future uses• Career opportunities• Student devs @ UC• Next steps

FUN FACT: Facebook bought Oculus VR for $2

Billion in 2014.

IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGIES

Immersive technologies blur the lines between

the physical world and the digital world, creating a sense of immersion or

presence.


VIRTUAL REALITY


VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS


AUGMENTED REALITY


GESTURE INTERFACES


HAPTIC INTERFACES

WHAT IS VIRTUAL REALITY

VIRTUAL REALITYis technology that simulates physical presence in a virtualenvironment YOU!

HOW DOES IT WORK?TRICKING THE EYE

Head-MountedDisplays (HMDs)like the Oculus Rifttrick your eyes intoseeing 3D by usinglenses and screens.

Image Credit: Oculus VR. “VR Sickness, The Rift, and How Game Developers Can Help”.https://www.oculus.com/blog/vr-sickness-the-rift-and-how-game-developers-can-help/


Most HMDs are constructed very similarly – the difference is in the quality, price, and complexity of components.

Image Credit: MIT Technology Review. “10 Breakthrough Technologies”.https://www.technologyreview.com/s/526531/oculus-rift/


The software on the display can be optimized to make the experience comfortable – or nauseating!

Image Credit: MIT Technology Review. “10 Breakthrough Technologies”.https://www.technologyreview.com/s/526531/oculus-rift/

HMD PRICE OPTIONS

GOOGLECARDBOARD

$10 - $20

DIY or KIT

SONYGEAR VR

$99

Must use aSamsungPhone/Tablet

OCULUS VRRIFT (CV1)

$650

Pre-Order now available

HTCVIVE

$700????

Pre-Order starts Feb 29th

WHY USE VIRTUAL REALITY?

Virtual Reality is exciting because it can take us

any whereany when

any place we you can imagine.

ENTERTAINMENT

Image Credit: Vice. “How to Get Back Into Video Games”.http://www.vice.com/read/how-to-get-back-into-video-games-000

ENTERTAINMENT

Image Credit: Vice. “How to Get Back Into Video Games”.http://www.vice.com/read/how-to-get-back-into-video-games-000

ENTERTAINMENT

Image Credit: Virtual Reality Reporter. “Will Cinematic VR Disrupt the Film Industry?”.https://virtualrealityreporter.com/virtual-reality-cinema/

SCIENTIFIC VISUALIZATION

EDUCATION

TRAINING

Image Credit: NASA

HEALTH CARE

VR A GROWING INDUSTRY

Image Credit: KZero. “Consumer Virtual Reality market worth $5.2bn by 2018”.http://www.kzero.co.uk/blog/consumer-virtual-reality-market-worth-13bn-2018/

VR A GROWING INDUSTRY

Image Credit: Cornerstone Media. “Augmented & Virtual Reality to Change How Business Operates”.http://www.cornerstonemedia.com.au/blog/augmented-virtual-reality-to-change-how-business-operates

CAREER PATHSVirtual Reality will touch all disciplines.

VR requires science AND art.

SKILLS & MAJORS

COMPUTER SCIENCE ENGINEERING IT & PROGRAMMING MATH

FINE ARTS GRAPHIC DESIGN ARCHITECTURE MARKETING

UCSIM STUDENT DEVELOPERS





NEXT STEPS• Get a VR HMD • Graphic Design & Textures:

PhotoShop or GIMP• 3D Modeling: Blender• Audio Engineering: Audacity• VR Applications: Unity

VIRTUAL REALITY: IMAGINING THE FUTURE

Chris M. CollinsUniversity of Cincinnati