Category Archives: Virtual Reality

Teacher William Parker and a 10th-grade student from Boyd County High School in Kentucky immerse themselves in One World, Many Stories: Amman, Jordan.

Global Nomads Group

In November 2015, middle school students from Westchester County, New York, found themselves on a windswept field in South Sudan mingling with a crowd of refugees fleeing civil war. Suddenly, they heard the deafening roar of low-flying military cargo planes overhead, followed by large bags of grain thudding to the ground all around them.

The kids were jumping back from those bags dropping at their feet, recalled Cayne Letizia, the teacher who used immersive virtual reality to transport his class into this emergency food drop featured in the New York Times 360-degree video series about refugees. Count Letizia among VRs burgeoning fan base in education, where the spread of high-quality content and more affordable hardware (especially Googles $15 Cardboard viewer) give students myriad ways to briefly inhabit what theyre learningfrom wandering the streets of ancient Rome to touring the International Space Station.

So much of the technology our kids use removes empathy. [Virtual reality] breaks that distance down.

Education researchers caution that immersive VR, like any technology, may be perfect for some kinds of learning and superfluous, or even counterproductive, for others. Studies of immersive classroom VR are still scarce. But emerging evidence suggests that one of VRs biggest strengths is its ability to tap student emotions, notably empathy and the can-do confidence known as self-efficacy.

The power of VR to stoke empathy is the focus of research at Stanford Universitys Virtual Human Interaction Lab, led by communications professor Jeremy Bailenson. In the labs Empathy at Scale studies, people who inhabit avatars of a different race in a virtual world later score lower in tests of subconscious racial bias, and young people who wear an elderly avatar are then more inclined to save for retirement. Charities, including the International Red Cross, have made VR films to counteract compassion fatigue and boost donations.

Empathy isnt a subject in most schools, and its not an explicit part of the Common Core standards, noted Letizia, an English teacher who parlayed the emotional connections of immersion into reading and writing lessons in the power of narrative and authorial point of view. Still, he thinks empathy needs to be taught, especially (and perhaps ironically) due to how much time we spend interacting digitally.

My students live and die by their phones. They like somebodys Snapchat and move on. Its so temporary and removed, he said. So much of the technology our kids use removes empathy. But in this case, by placing kids in the moment, [VR] breaks that distance down.

Another middle school teacher who dropped his students into the virtual lives of refugees was Charles Herzog in Londonderry, Vermont, whose class tried VR in December near the end of a unit about forced migration. The Google Cardboard viewers that Herzogs students used were bought by his partner in the project, the Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education at the University of Vermont. According to Tarrants professional development coordinator, Rachel Mark, empathy education fits into Vermonts required Transferable Skills, specifically Responsible and Involved Citizenship, which includes the ability to demonstrate ethical behavior and the moral courage to sustain it.

Marks blog post about teaching empathy mentions both the refugee VR video and one about the lives of police in Flint, Michigan. In other forms of media, people may see conflicts as black and white, she said. By bringing in the perspective of human beings living through this, it might make you, as a fellow human being, reconsider the topic through someone elses eyes.

Thats the idea behind a new VR-based curriculum called One World, Many Stories by the nonprofit Global Nomads Group, which produced a series of 360-degree autobiographical videos from the perspective of a boy in eastern Kentucky; a young man in Amman, Jordan; and a young black woman in New York City.

Last fall, when Daniel Gross, a sixth-grade teacher in Los Altos, California, heard about One World, Many Voices, he jumped at the chance to pilot it. We discuss current events on a weekly basis, said Gross, and inevitably that ends up with us talking about perspective-taking and empathizing with others.

The four-minute dips into the lives of these young people are interwoven with paper-and-pencil class activities and discussions about the mix of individual and communal identities and the importance of perspective. A post-VR worksheet, for instance, asks students what preconceived ideas they had about the people in each video that were either bolstered or changed after being immersed in their worlds. Finally, students storyboard the scenes that they would include in their own 360-degree videos.

We have always used technology to help connect young people who would otherwise not have a way to connect, to promote global awareness, curiosity, and critical thinking, said Abigail Finck, the marketing manager for Global Nomads. For more than a decade, the nonprofit has fostered discussions between young people from different cultures via webcasts, and one of thesea 2015 exchange between teenagers in South Los Angeles and Syrian refugees living in Amman, Jordanfirst showed the potential of VR to further Global Nomads mission. Before the two groups met online, the kids from Los Angeles visited the lab of VR pioneer Nonny de la Pea to walk a mile through a simulation of war-torn Aleppo, Syria.

When the students finally did sit for their webchat, along with translators, the two groups of young people soon felt comfortable enough with each other that the discussion moved from the violence afflicting Syria to the food deserts of the inner-city neighborhood where the Los Angeles students lived.

The refugees asked, Why dont you have a garden? Finck recalled. We dont have a home, but of course we have a garden, because thats how we survive. Soon after, the students from Los Angeles started a community garden at their school.

In addition to sparking connections with others, there is evidence to suggest that embodying a VR avatar can change a students self-perception as well.

I believe that immersion is very important and powerful, which is why I started working in it 25 years ago, said Chris Dede, a professor of learning technologies at Harvard Universitys Graduate School of Education who is editing a book about VR and learning. But VR isnt magic. Its a very specialized tool.

Dedes research focuses on both VR and less-immersive augmented reality for science learning. On the fully immersive end of the spectrum, Dede and his team created a VR science game called EcoMUVE, in which students are immersed in a pond or forest ecosystem where they have to solve the mystery of a species collapse. Studies of EcoMUVE indicate that spending time working as a scientist in a virtual world may bolster a students confidence in her ability to be a scientist in the real world.

Were not just interested in what students are learning intellectually, but also in their degree of engagement and self-efficacy, so when the going gets tough, they will have confidence in themselves and keep trying, said Dede. In our virtual ecosystems, we want to help students believe that they, too, can be ecosystem scientists.

This story was produced by the Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Future Tense is a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate.

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Can Virtual Reality Teach Empathy? - Slate Magazine

On May 25th, 2017, bride and groom Elisa Evans and Martin Shervington will get together with friends and family at one of their favorite hangout spots: a quirky florist that doubles up as a bar in the Welsh city of Cardiff. They will then don their HMDs, and join the remainder of their guests scattered all around the globe for the worlds first official VR wedding ceremony of its kind.

The value of VR is its ability to allow people to connect emotionally with one another, says Gerald Gottheil from AltspaceVR, the social platform which is facilitating this. Whats interesting about doing a wedding is that while other social VR events might bring people together, theyre focused on the event itself were watching a film, a show, playing a game in a wedding the whole purpose of having this event is to connect emotionally by showing support between friends and family for the couple who are making that commitment to each other. Its the purest example of using VR to connect people.

The ceremony will be officiated by AltSpaceVRs Community Manager and Social VR Content Creator Lisa Kotecki, who will be 5,000 miles away on the other side of the world in San Francisco. Shes certified to lead civil ceremonies in America, but in the UK the marriage certificate must specify the physical location where the wedding took place, and this needs to be a certified wedding venue. This is why the bride and groom are in the process of registering their local florist-bar as such, and booking a registrar to make it official after the VR ceremony takes place. When I spoke to Shervington, he was relaxed about the arrangements, happy to do whatever it takes for us to legally end the day married.

While there are plenty of examples of people using VR to construct creative and rather moving ways of proposing to their loved ones, Kotecki believes that this is the first time that a Social VRplatform will host a full-blown wedding ceremony and reception like this.

Its certainly a first for there to be VR guests, and for it to be a proper marriage and for it to be recorded in this way, says Shervington, alluding to the way that guests will not only be able to share into the live event through VR, but also continue to revisit it afterwards. By employing an AltspaceVR feature called encore (which the company already uses for live events such as comedy shows) the ceremony will actually be filmed in VR. Its entirely different from seeing a movie or watching a video, he says, because youre enabling people to experience a special moment in time, as often as they like.

As soon as I saw this I thought crikey because this is something that people can keep revisiting, says Shervington. I can go back as an avatar, or as myself, and go live it all again. For something as personal as a wedding, that adds another very interesting psychological layer.

Avatars can indeed help enhance the sense of presence in VR, and in this case even though they were using standard, off-the-shelf avatars they helped provide Shervington with another level of psychological connection with his wife-to-be when they first met in the virtual space where they were going to be married.

You know, I quite like the idea of not being a humanoid, explains Shervington. Shes a pink and white robot and Im a blue one. The psychological connection is not only the physicality and its not only environmental, its about subtle things like your voice and your tone, and you layer that familiar physical presence you know onto that avatar. It was different meeting her in VR to what I expected. I looked at her, with those big eyes, the way the head moves, and the lights go on and off as she speaks, and its cute! And its because shes behind there. I love her, so why wouldnt I love the representation of her?

Shervingtons background in organizational psychology is what got him into VR initially, as he explored how the medium could facilitate better communication and social interaction. He then went on to work with Wearevr on a project and became an early adopter of AltspaceVR. Next month, he tells me, he will combine that interest in VR with a passion for stand-up comedy and debut a show on the platform he describes as comedy in VR about VR.

So after him and his fiance announced they were engaged, it seemed natural when a friend suggested they should do a VR wedding. Were not church-goers, and as far as Im concerned marriage is in your heart, you make a decision, if youre going to be with someone thats what matters, says Shervington, who approached AltspaceVR with the idea.

It all unfolded very organically from there, recalls Kotecki, who arranged for them to get special permission from the owner of an exclusive nightclub space in the platform called the Spire, which features, among other things, a lava lake. You get an immediate psychological lift by being there, says Shervington. its great fun to be able to hang out in there and have a bit of an after party, we wanted to add something through the VR experience that we couldnt get with a real-world venue, he explains.

Theyre not yet sure about the number of people that will attend the VR portion of the event, but there is capacity for about 150 guests, and the invites have started going out to the couples friends and family all over the world, including some who would not have been able to attend otherwise. Guests receive formal invitation and theres a process in place to manage RSVP and registration to make sure it all comes together. The couple are also making a range of Samsung GearVR, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift headsets available to guests so that people in Cardiff can join the Spire party too.

Unlike Linden Lab which has already started enabling some monetization on Sansar, AltspaceVR are not looking for these types of event as a revenue stream for themselves or their users yet. In the future, however, they do see multiple business opportunities emerging.

Maybe this is where the wedding planners of the future will work, Gottheil speculates.

There will also inevitably be legal issues to sort out as more people choose to go down that route and express their love and commitment in this way. This is, after all, uncharted territory, and the law often takes a while to catch up with technology so well eventually have to wrap our heads around how exactly this is going to change relationships in the virtual age. But in the meantime, platforms like AltspaceVR are content with providing a place for couples like Martin and Elisa to get together with their friends, and have an awesome party in the process.

Tagged with: altspacevr, marriage, Valentine's Day, wedding

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AltspaceVR To Host World's First Virtual Reality Wedding - UploadVR

HTC will soon launch a new virtual reality toy you can use on the go.

The device will be compatible with HTC's new flagship phone, the U Ultra. But HTC says it won't be just a simple headset like Samsung's Gear VR.

VR, which puts headset wearers into a computer-generated digital world, has swept across the tech industry over the last few years. HTC bet on the high end with its Vive system, which requires a pricey, powerful PC to run. But there are more affordable options like the Gear VR and the Google Daydream View that work by plugging in your phone to a cheap headpiece. HTC's follow-up to the Vive could could bridge the gap between these two types of system.

"We have a good plan in terms of combining mobility with VR," said Chia-lin Chang, HTC's president of global sales, in an interview at the HTC U series launch event in Singapore.

"Vive is very top end, and in the coming months you'll see our plans in terms of mobility and VR, and it's not a phone slapped onto a headset," he said. "It'd be a different thing."

Chang added that the mystery VR product would launch before the end of the year.

"We're a VR company, we're going to have something," he said.

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HTC U Ultra and Play shine on in glass

HTC's shift in focus to VR comes as the company continues to stumble with its core phone business. The Taiwanese company put its marker down on virtual reality in 2016 with the launch of the Vive, which went up against the Oculus Rift system from Facebook and against Sony's Playstation VR. Chairwoman and CEO Cher Wang highlighted the VR efforts in a statement when HTC disclosed poor financial results in its fourth quarter on Tuesday.

The company reported an operating loss of NT$3.6 billion (about $116 million) with revenue falling 14 percent to NT$22.2 billion (about $722 million) despite "robust sales performance."

While HTC remains high on virtual reality, critics question whether the technology has lived up to the hype set last year with the debut of most of the big-name VR systems. The amount of fresh VR content that appeared at CES was underwhelming, although filmmakers are trying to find ways to draw you in.

HTC is working to foster that content as well.

"We have learned much from our entrance into the world of virtual reality," Wang said, "and we believe our focused approach to building the ecosystem is the right strategy to enable the whole industry to expand through the creation of compelling content and rich experiences."

Life, disrupted: In Europe, millions of refugees are still searching for a safe place to settle. Tech should be part of the solution. But is it?

Virtual reality 101: CNET tells you everything you need to know about VR.

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HTC will launch mobile VR device as follow-up to Vive - CNET

Valve is building hardware for virtual reality, and its taking cues from one of the console industrys brightest minds.

Above: Valves prototype grip controllers.

Image Credit: GamesBeat/Jeffrey Grubb

VR is still in its early stages in terms of revenues relative to the industry as a whole, but Valve is pushing virtual realityforward by following the methodthat legendary Nintendo designerShigeru Miyamoto used in the development of devices like the DS handheld or the Wii motion-controlled console. Miyamoto, creator of the Mario and Zelda franchises, has repeatedly worked on hardware and software in conjunction with one another to ensure that the companys games and systems take full advantage of their capabilities.

Valve wants to emulate that process with SteamVR.

One of the questions you might ask us is, Why in the world are you making hardware,' Valve founder Gabe Newell said during a roundtable interview with several media outlets including GamesBeatlast week. Were building three VR games. What we can do now is we can be designing hardware at the same time that were designing software. This is something that Miyamoto has always had. Hes had the ability to think about what the input devices and design of systems should be like while hes also designing games. And our sense is that this is going to enable us to build much better entertainment experiences for people.

Newell said that Valve isnt suddenly looking to make a significant profit from hardware devices because the margins are typically not great on those kinds of products. Instead, he explained that in order to move VR forward, Valve needs to think about software and hardware developing in unison.

It feels like weve been stuck with mouse-and-keyboard for a really long time, said Newell. The opportunity to build much more interesting kinds of experiences for gamers is there, we just had to expand what we could do. But its not about building hardware, its about making bigger leaps forward by working on these things together.

All the senior members of Valves VR team acknowledged that its efforts could flop because they dont know whats going to work. But the company thinks that any potential failure could provide useful data for anyone else working in the space, and since SteamVR is open, someone else could swoop in with a successful idea that Valve couldnt think of.

The presumption is that when youre trying to build something new, youre going to have a lot of failures, said Newell. So you want to be in a position so you know if something could work. If youre not failing, then youre probably not exploring the potential space.

But Valve is determined to do that exploring, and Newell specifically points to Nintendo as an example of how to do this kind of experimentation.

Because you can always be surprised, said Newell. Personally, I thought the DS was kinda stupid. I thought Sony was going to crush Nintendo in that generation of handheld devices. I was totally wrong. I hadnt worked on it. I hadnt tried to design any games for it. And clearly the DS ended up the winner.

On the flipside, the first time I played Wii Sports, I was like, Oh, my god theres so much potential here. But it turned out that Wii Sports pretty much nailed it, and that was it. And there was less innovation that I expected.

So Newell is wary of his initial instincts.

You can still find out that there was more or less [to an idea] than you thought, said Newell. And you find out by making a bunch of experiments and getting a bunch of other people to try things.And the assumption is that as we continue this ongoing evolution of game design, tools, and hardware, were going to find stuff that really creates game experiences that take advantage of the unique characteristics of VR.

And so Valve will keep iterating on its hardware and software, and everyone will get to see if the company ends up with a success like the Nintendo DS or a flop like the Wii U. Either way, Newell and his team are prepared.

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How Valve is taking a Nintendo-like approach to virtual reality - VentureBeat

Virtual reality is quickly becoming one of the hottest trends in all of technology right now. With VR is becoming more accessible to consumers all over the world, it is only normal the number of accidents will continue to increase as well. In fact, there have been quite a few injuries as a result of experiencing virtual reality already. Thankfully, none of these accidents are life-threatening even though they arent fun by any means either.

The prank below shows an immersed user wearing a VR headset in a rollercoaster simulation. Right as the player is about to drop at the top of the track, the prankster gives him a push to trick his brain into thinking he is actually going to fall down. This sends the victim into a panic mode where he is both dropping in the rollercoaster and is on the ground kicking his feet, what ensues is hilarious:

One of the more pressing dangers associated with putting on a VR headset is the risk of running into objects. Not just coffee tables or couches, but some people have allegedly run into a wall while using the headset. Thankfully, most of these headsets have patched this issue by displaying transparent walls over game surfaces when the user comes near a wall in their home.

Although a smashed controller will not necessarily inflict physical damage on the user, it could cause some unwanted side effects. Earlier versions of VR environment did not tell the user where ceilings are in the real world. In some cases, users literally hit the ceiling with their controller and fingers. Most of the damage is done to the controllers in question, yet it can create some very dangerous experiences along the way.

Two Tilt Brush designers have had a rather unpleasant experience while experiencing the virtual reality environment. Since their desks are close to each other, both gentlemen punched each other n the face inadvertently while working on Tilt Brush. No one was injured in the process, but things could turn into an all-out brawl rather quickly. Especially when there is furniture around, things can get physical very fast.

Albeit this was done in a somewhat controlled environment, it goes to show things can get very dangerous if people stop paying attention. Walking out on the balcony and not expecting to fall down when going over the edge is a rather troublesome mindset after all. Then again, once one spends hours in a VR environment, it becomes more difficult to distinguish between reality and a fictitious environment.

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5 Things That can go Wrong While Immersed in Virtual Reality - The Merkle

Virtual Reality is seemingly here to stay. While its revolutionizing gaming, providing a much more immersive experience than anyone has seen before, its also contributing a lot to the app world. A growing number of apps now provide VR support and many are free.

Weve rounded up 10 essential apps for enjoying virtual reality on your phone.

1. Google Cardboard (Free) Google Cardboard viewers are a great and inexpensive way to get involved in virtual reality. It stands to reason then the Google Cardboard app is a great starting point in your VR journey. The app helps you set up a viewer, enjoy a brief hike through iconic cities, and even create your own flower garden. Its a great starter package.

2. YouTube (Free) Everyone knows that YouTube has a wealth of great video content, but its also good for VR creations too. You can use it to check out the newest and best VR-ready videos on the platform, experiencing some great 360 degree videos. The content is sure to only grow, too.

3. Within (Free) Within promises to offer the best VR content out there. It provides popular content like Catatonic, a creepy experience in which youre trapped in an insane asylum. Theres also the Mr. Robot virtual reality experience which ties into the show, and allows you to become part of a key moment in the main characters history. With a focus on storytelling, the app should be great fun.

4. Discovery VR (Free) Discovery VR gives you the opportunity to explore new places and ideas. You can go underwater and check out shark infested shipwrecks, or you can try out mountain biking and surfing. Theres exclusive content from Discovery shows such as Gold Rush, Survivorman and MythBusters. Plus, survival tips and tricks are also provided just in case you end up in a real situation.

5. Google Street View (Free) Google Street View is a huge help for anyone scouting a new area, trying to find an address, or simply being nosy. VR support means you can enjoy a 360 degree view of everything going on around you. Its an immersive experience and one thats great if youve ever wanted to check somewhere distant out.

6. NYT VR (Free) The New York Times created an app that lets you be right at the center of news stories they tell. Instead of just reading about an event, you can dive into the experience, gaining a 360 degree view of whats unfolding. Its sure to make the story feel more hard hitting, whether its climbing the spire of the World Trade Center or embedding with Iraqi forces. New content is added monthly.

7. Relax VR ($1.99) Want a more serene and relaxing VR experience? Relax VR might be the perfect place for you. Simply select a delightful scene and then choose to meditate or take in the beauty around you. Scenes include places within Australia, Portugal and the Philippines, meaning you can escape to the beach any time you want.

8. Jaunt VR (Free) Jaunt offers over 100 premium and cinematic virtual reality experiences. You can use it to watch shows and events such as ESPN Gameday, VR documentaries like Inside Syria by ABC News, as well as Paul McCartneyconcerts and other music. With a wealth of interesting content, its sure to feel like a portal to a new world of entertainment.

9. VR mojo Orbulus Special Edition (Free) Want to travel the world or stand on Mars? Those are some of the options available through VR mojo Orbulus. The app allows you to do a little bit of everything, including experiencing New Year fireworks on Hong Kong Harbor, checking out the Northern Lights or discovering the Salt Flats. Its simple to use and entirely free.

10. VeeR VR (Free) One of the newest apps for VR, VeeR VR is a global community meaning it provides a handpicked selection of the best VR content out there. You dont need a VR headset but it helps, allowing you to check out a wealth of videos from around the world. Games as well as scenery-based videos are provided, plus its easy to share them with others.

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Get Lost in Virtual Reality with These 10 Essential Apps - Paste Magazine

Forbes

Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto Is Still Not Entirely Sure About Virtual Reality Forbes But when I see people play virtual reality, it makes me worry, just as for example if a parent were to see their kid playing virtual reality, it would probably make them worry. Another issue and challenge that I think everybody faces is how to create ... How Valve is taking a Nintendo-like approach to virtual realityVentureBeat Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto still has problems with virtual realityTechnoBuffalo Shigeru Miyamoto Says Virtual Reality Makes Him WorryDen of Geek US GameZone -WWG -International Business Times all 131 news articles »

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Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto Is Still Not Entirely Sure About Virtual Reality - Forbes

Coach, IMG and Simon Malls Partner on Virtual Reality Experience WWD Coach's virtual reality experience will be an all-access pass, offering perspectives from backstage to the front row and a preview of new Coach products for the season. The experience will take place at select Coach locations within Simon Malls ...

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Coach, IMG and Simon Malls Partner on Virtual Reality Experience - WWD

Forbes

Using Virtual Reality To Get Inside An Ailing Person's World Forbes More than 80 years ago, George Orwell wrote his first book, a memoir called Down And Out in Paris and London. It chronicled his life on the margins of society where he lived in poverty in these two cities by adopting the life of a tramp or in modern ...

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Using Virtual Reality To Get Inside An Ailing Person's World - Forbes

All About Circuits

IMAX Unveils Flagship Virtual Reality Center in Los Angeles Variety If you've ever wanted to fulfill your childhood dream of holding a lightsaber in your hand, virtual rality can be the vehicle to set those fantasies back in motion. At the official unveiling of the flagship IMAX VR center on Los Angeles' Fairfax Avenue ... IMAX VR Centre Shows Off VR Hardware, Brings Virtual Reality to the PublicAll About Circuits all 4 news articles »

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IMAX Unveils Flagship Virtual Reality Center in Los Angeles - Variety