Category Archives: Virtual Reality

DUBLIN, December 09, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Virtual Reality (VR) in Travel and Tourism, 2021 Update - Thematic Research" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

In the past, VR has been perceived as a gimmick within the travel and tourism industry, but a combination of technological advancements and macroeconomic impacts such as COVID-19 have meant that VR is now becoming an important part of marketing strategies, the experience economy, employee training, and sustainability. The technology will continue to lose its gimmick perception as younger generations that are more familiar with this technology - such as Gen Z - continue to grow in importance as a consumer segment.

This thematic research report takes an in-depth look at the utilization of VR in travel and tourism. Firstly, the players section identifies some of the leading companies in this theme. After a technology briefing which discusses the technology's most critical aspects, a trends section is provided describing technology, macroeconomic, regulatory, media, and enterprise trends. An industry analysis is then provided with a mergers and acquisitions section, which also includes travel and tourism VR partnerships.

After a timeline which tells the story of the development of VR in tourism and beyond, a tourism industry analysis is provided which looks at key industry signals such as patents, hiring and company filings trends. Finally, the leading companies in the VR theme are outlined, along with their competitive position and sector scorecards are delivered, showing how the different companies in each tourism sector compare in the theme of VR.

Using smart technology such as VR not only enhances other operational musts such as data collection, but it also creates buzz around a company that can often lead to positive PR and brand positioning.

Key Highlights

The metaverse could create significant change for sectors in the tourism industry. Although it will not be available in the short-term, in future years theme parks, museums, natural attractions and destinations could be experienced by users in the comfort of their own home, with anyone else across the globe who is in the metaverse at the same time. While this prospect is exciting, it is also worrying for many sectors that rely on the physical movement of people across the globe for revenue generation.

According to The publisher's Q3 2021 Consumer Survey, 74% of global consumers are still either 'quite' or 'extremely' concerned regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This ongoing level of concern is positive news for the technology's chances of becoming a mainstay in the tourism space. As many travelers continue to stay at home instead of traveling because of the pandemic, a larger segment of the market will become used to VR for the creation and substitution of travel experiences. As more travelers become used to this technology, the more they may require VR experiences from tourism companies, whether this is in the form of VR room tours created by hotels or VR tours of destinations, which allows travelers to 'try before they buy'.

Scope

Story continues

This report provides an overview of VR usage in travel and tourism.

It identifies the need for VR to enhance internal and external operations.

This report provides a detailed industry analysis of VR in travel & tourism, discussing how it is being utilized in a range of different ways.

We highlight travel and tourism companies that are leading in the VR theme, such as Best Western, Delta Air Lines, and Fraport.

Reasons to Buy

Understand the impact of VR on the tourism industry, using use cases to help you understand how you can adapt and understand this theme.

Assess the strategies that companies are adopting when using VR.

Discover companies that are leading in the space.

To view real-world trends created by the adoption of VR from across the travel & tourism space.

The publisher's thematic research ecosystem is a single, integrated global research platform that provides an easy-to-use framework for tracking all themes across all companies in all sectors. It has a proven track record of identifying the important themes early, enabling companies to make the right investments ahead of the competition, and secure that all-important competitive advantage.

Key Topics Covered:

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/9w14oi

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211209005489/en/

Contacts

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2021 Thematic Research into Virtual Reality (VR) in Travel and Tourism - Featuring Marriott International, Walt Disney and Fraport Among Others -...

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Apple has registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office about haptic gloves that would work in combination with virtual reality devices, being compatible with both Mac computers and autonomous devices, such as the virtual reality viewer that Apple has long been rumored to be working on.

Haptic gloves provide the user with the sensation of touch and pressure through electrical signals

These gloves would have an internal system of cavities and electrodes capable of generating in the user sensations of touch and pressure in synchrony with the contents generated by the virtual reality environment in which they are immersed. The electrical signal would activate a component that would generate a small displacement in the internal component in proportion to the intensity of the stimulus pressure.

Through this haptic response (tactile perceptions) the sensation of a user touching or holding different objects could be recreated. According to Apples patent documentation, this would include simulate differences in textures, tactile sensations and perceptions associated with different materials, some as concrete and complex as the sensation of letting sand slip through your fingers.

From the diagrams that accompany the patent, it is possible that these Apple haptic gloves work in conjunction with a Mac computer that would be in charge of providing the information about the sensations, without being necessary to use a virtual reality viewer, so that its use would not necessarily be linked to virtual reality with one of these devices.

In fact, the possibility is added that the haptic gloves patented by Apple can operate linked to other external devices such as cameras, both two-dimensional and three-dimensional. Finally in the document there is a single mention of headset, Understood as a virtual reality viewer, so a complete virtual immersion environment could be configured within the Apple ecosystem with multiple applications, both professional and leisure. It could even be part of that recent prediction that gives the iPhone ten years to live until it is replaced by virtual reality devices.

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Apple patents haptic gloves for virtual reality - How smart Technology changing lives - InTallaght

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Getting work done in the metaverse might happen a lot sooner than we think.

Microsoft co-founder and billionaire Bill Gates predicts most workers will take their virtual meetings within the metaverse in the next two or three years.

Gates shared his thoughts in a year-in-review post published to his personal website.

"I predict most virtual meetings will move from 2D camera image grids which I call the "Hollywood Squares model," although I know that probably dates me to the metaverse, a 3D space with digital avatars," wrote Gates.

Gates said adoption of metaverse meetings would be slow because many people lack the tools to fully immerse themselves in the experience, such as virtual reality goggles. But he expressed optimism for advances made with three-dimensional avatars and spatial audio to help users feel more connected virtually.

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"Theres still some work to do, but were approaching a threshold where the technology begins to truly replicate the experience of being together in the office," said Gates.

The metaverse is a digital realm combining technology such as VR, augmented reality and video where users "live" in a virtual universe. Supporters of the metaverse including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg believe the metaverse could supplant the modern internet.

Zuckerberg predicts key components of the metaverse will become mainstream in the next five to 10 years.

Earlier this year, Meta (formerly known as Facebook) introduced Horizon Workrooms, a VR app where people can congregate in virtual workrooms.

Multiple companies have taken the plunge to claim their stake. Microsoft is using holograms and creating mixed and extended reality applications, and also owns Minecraft, a kid-friendly game that has morphed into its own virtual universe.

Meanwhile, another platform loved by kids, Roblox, has partnered with several brands including Ralph Lauren, Gucci and Vans to bring unique experiences to the metaverse.

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.

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Bill Gates predicts our work meetings will move to metaverse in 2-3 years - USA TODAY

ORTA is bringing its denim to the metaverse for the first time, introducing a new circular and conscious collection designed to be viewed in the virtual world and worn in the physical world.

Open Ticket is the inaugural collection showcased in what ORTA calls its MetaDENIMverse, which was first launched as an online virtual reality (VR) experience earlier in 2021.

Global society today is at the cusp of two major transformations, each driven by new technology and the collective interests and passions of people, said Dr. Sedef Uncu Aki, who leads ORTAs denim sales and marketing, product development, R&D, planning and operations. ORTA has been at the forefront of innovating our use of resources through our ORTA BLU Handprint mission since 2010 to lead with the most sustainable, zero-waste and regenerative practices to contribute to net-positive sustainability.

By bringing Open Ticket and future collections to both the physical and virtual worlds, the denim manufacturer can contribute to the health and well-being of the planet, while improving social engagement with consumers and brands alike.

ORTAs Open Ticket collection focuses on one of the fastest-growing denim categoriesstretch. Recognizing that using elastane in stretch contributes to the microplastics threat in the earths water systems and atmosphere, the tech team at ORTA Lab created the Magical Comfort Stretch, a patent-pending denim that has zero elastane or polyester, yet achieves flexibility, recovery and comfort.

The denim is manufactured from an eco-generative, proprietary mono material called Torque that has no artificial fibers, microplastics, elastane or polyester. ORTA named the material for its angular momentum capabilities, alongside its own intent to push new boundaries of alternatives that solve the synthetic fiber usage problem in stretch denim.

With the Open Ticket collection, ORTA adds a new element to its VR denim journey, which already serves as an interactive selling tool and Zen-like experience designed as a more carbon-friendly way to engage with customers.

ORTA also offers a new denim fabric family Platform, which is designed to cater to a more gender-neutral style of lifewear built for a diverse audience. Designed as a venue to explore unlimited possibilities and inspire the legends of tomorrow, ORTA also expanded its VR experience, adding references to some of acclaimed and iconic science fiction writers: Huxley, Herbert, Shelley and Wells.

Additionally, the manufacturer unveiled a new lightweight performance denim designed to raise the standards of organic and pre-and-post-recycled denim fabric family, called Joyride. The denim meets Ellen MacArthur Jeans Redesigns strength criteria, which requires optimal tensile strength after 30 home launderings.

The lightweight utilitarian fabric also meets several sustainability standards such as the Global Recycle Standard (GRS), which is certified to contain 40 percent recycled content; as well as the Organic Content Standard (OCS).

Additionally, Joyride fabrics are compostable with 100 percent cellulosic-based fibers suitable for mechanical recycling at the end of their lives. They are dyed with ORTAs Indigo Flow sustainable dyeing process, which saves up to 70 percent of water in the process.

Our aim is to constantly push new denim horizons beyond sustainable, circular and upcycled toward creating regenerative denim that gives back more than it takes, said Dr. Aki, noting that ORTAs Open Ticket denim concepts are supported with life cycle assessment (LCA) data, certified climate-kind fibers and chemicals, sustainable washes, reduced waste, pre-and-post consumer cotton circularity and biodegradable compositions.

We have improved resource efficiency and responsible fiber usage 60 percent since 2019 and will continue to reach new environmental standards with low-impact denim fabrics, she said. We see the future of denim as both creative and regenerative, and this is the same vision we will bring to the metaverse as we expand our denim experience in carbon-friendly and highly engaging new worlds.

Discover more about the MetaDENIMverse and ORTA BLU at https://ortaanadolu.com/.

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ORTA Debuts Open Ticket Denim Collection Within the 'MetaDENIMverse' Sourcing Journal - Sourcing Journal

This article was translated from our Spanish edition using AI technologies. Errors may exist due to this process.

If you are planning your next group vacation and there are gamers among your family and friends, this interests you. The Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya announced the opening in its facilities of the first HyperX video game room in Mexico, the HyperX Gaming Lounge .

The innovative game room was created thanks to a collaboration between RCD Hotels , owners of the luxurious resort, and HyperX , the games division of HP Inc. It is an interactive room equipped with everything necessary to provide an immersive experience for players.

"The HyperX Gaming Lounge Riviera Maya brings a unique value to the guest experience at Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya that goes beyond just serving children and teenagers. The world of games and electronic sports has grown exponentially in recent years. years, and we are delighted to be at the forefront of our industry, " said Mariana Briseo , public relations manager for RCD Hotels , in a statement.

In line with its slogan We're All Gamers , this room includes everything to satisfy any gamer, from beginners to experts. It is also designed to host video game events and tournaments , and to feature industry personalities and influencers from around the world.

The new entertainment space was designed with the needs of gamers in mind. For example, its futuristic environment with simple and geometric elements, create a totally immersive gaming experience. In addition, it is equipped with state-of-the-art devices: special high-performance computers for gaming , consoles , a virtual reality station and the latest HyperX products, which offer an enhanced experience for any type of gamer.

The HyperX video game room is exclusive for those staying at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya . All guests over 10 years old can use the facilities from Monday to Sunday from 2pm to 12am. However, it should be noted that children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult or present a signed consent form.

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This is the first HyperX video game room in Mexico with virtual reality devices and everything a gamer needs - Entrepreneur

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nextech AR Solutions Corp. (Nextech or the Company) (OTCQB: NEXCF) (NEO: NTAR) (CSE: NTAR) (FSE: N29), a Metaverse Company and leading provider of augmented reality (AR) experience technologies and services, is pleased to announce it will be presenting with Microsoft and Ryerson University at The Metaverse & Augmented Reality Labs: The Future of Learning'' event today, December 9, 2021, followed by a Q&A question.

Click here to register and attend the event

Last month, Nextech AR announced a major Metaverse upgrade to its events platform. ARitize Events 3D is now able to showcase 3D products seamlessly with the Companys existing suite of Augmented Reality solutions, creating a first of its kind metaverse event platform. Notably, event hosts will present through this upgraded metaverse events platform, and this will be the first time Nextechs new product will be shown live to an audience.

The upgraded features on ARitize Events 3D bring 3D objects into the events space and people's homes, creating interactivity between the audience and the presenters, which is not available on other platforms. The integrated experience consists of human holograms, 3D Virtual Sets, 3D AR Showrooms, and 3D AR product visualizations.

Join Paul Duffy (President, Nextech AR Solutions); Clinton Els (Head of Education, Nextech AR Solutions); David Cramb (Dean of Science, Ryerson University) and Nancy Teodoro (Education Partner Lead: Microsoft) to explore the future of learning with Augmented Reality Labs and the Metaverse.

The event will cover:

In addition to the event, the company's Augmented Reality Lab Builder for the Metaverse is now available in the Microsoft marketplace. The AR Lab builder will enable any higher education student to create their own immersive AR labs with Nextechs online course and creator tool using a Unity Plugin. AR Labs are easy to use, experiment based labs in augmented reality that encourage students to learn by doing. The labs will engage, supplement, and/or replace student lab experiences which are a fraction of the cost of wet labs and are accessible online any time, anywhere across the globe.

Watch a video previewing the AR Lab Builder - click here

Earlier this year, Nextech AR announced its partnership with Microsoft to power EdTechX (recently renamed to ARitize University) and its suite of enhanced augmented reality solutions for education. Nextechs global higher education solution combines enterprise scale video streaming, integrated assessments, augmented reality holograms, augmented reality labs and data analytics. Higher education institutes such as Ryerson University and Carnegie Mellon University have successfully implemented ARitize University in their daily operating businesses. Additionally, in June Nextechs ARitize University, built on Microsoft Azure had achieved Co-sell Ready status, becoming an approved Microsoft Co-sell Partner and allowing the Company to work with Microsoft sales teams to actively fulfill customer needs across a global marketplace.

ARitize University is currently on Azure marketplace and discoverable to millions of customers across 141 geographies and provides access to Microsofts existing procurement relationships.

ARitize UniversityARitize University is an online education platform that enables educational institutions to transform traditional learning and event formats into valuable, immersive digital experiences that higher education students are seeking. Through ARitize University, students can access course materials, learning objectives, and ARitize labs.

ARitize LabsWith ARitize Labs higher education institutions can bring classrooms to life with immersive and engaging augmented learning labs. Using the ARitize Play app, students are welcomed into a virtual learning lab, where they are able to interact and learn in 3D, mimicking a traditional lab environment. Learn more https://www.nextechar.com/augmented-learning

To learn more, please follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, or visit our website: https://www.Nextechar.com.

About Nextech ARNextech AR Solutions is a Metaverse company that develops and operates augmented reality (AR) platforms, transporting three-dimensional (3D) product visualizations, human holograms and 360 portals to its audiences altering e-commerce, digital advertising, hybrid virtual events (events held in a digital format blended with in-person attendance) and learning and training experiences.

Nextech focuses on developing AR solutions for the Metaverse, however most of the Companys revenues are derived from three e-Commerce platforms: vacuumcleanermarket.com (VCM), infinitepetlife.com (IPL) and Trulyfesupplements.com (TruLyfe). VCM and product sales of residential vacuums, supplies and parts, and small home appliances sold on Amazon.

Forward-looking StatementsThe CSE and the NEO have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain information contained herein may constitute forward-looking information under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, will be or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results will occur. Forward-looking statements regarding the completion of the transaction are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Nextech will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

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Nextech AR to Present at The Metaverse & Augmented Reality Labs Event with Technology And Edtech Partners - Business Wire

This list is about the Best Apps of Augmented Reality for the iPhone. We will try our best so that you understand this list Best Apps of Augmented Reality for the iPhone. I hope you like this list Best Apps of Augmented Reality for the iPhone. So lets begin:

Augmented reality typically presents a view of the physical environment of the real world with overlapping computer-generated images, changing the perception of reality. The scope of this technology is limitless as the world of technology is continually evolving. The latest advancements in technology have also brought people into a completely new environment or, as it were, a virtual world.

Today, from gaming to searching for new business opportunities, it is now possible to virtually inspect, and all of this is done through the evolution of augmented reality (AR). In recent years, the growth of AR applications allows users or consumers to view the products and experience the service before purchasing.

Augmented reality (AR) came to our handhelds with a thud when smartphones were still new. The first AR implementations were interesting but notoriously buggy. This led many to dismiss the technology as a gimmick rather than a serious tool for work and play.

IKEA Place allows users to virtually place furniture in their space. From tables, sofas and lamps to rugs and chairs, all IKEA Place products are 3D and true to scale, so people can ensure the right size, design and functionality for their room. The Swedish furniture retailer IKEAs app usually gives a bigger picture, taking into account the full floor plan of customers homes to see which items will fit best in each location.

IKEA Places easy drag-and-drop functionality and multi-color view create a unique customer experience. IKEA promises an accurate impression of the size, design and functionality of the chosen item. Visualization is probably worth taking with a grain of salt, but its an excellent tool for building a virtual room that you can later turn into a digital shopping list.

SketchAR turns your iPhone into an augmented reality drawing aid. The app overlays a sketch or line art image onto a blank sheet of paper that you can then trace or use as the basis for your own sketch. This app makes it extremely easy to draw and sketch in the simplest way possible. All you have to do is point your iPhones camera at its drawing panel or surface and draw the virtual lines that the app creates for you.

Plus, it lets you turn your images into one-of-a-kind illustrations instantly. You can also play some fun games or opt for various courses that will help you learn how to draw portraits, cartoons, graffiti, and much more. There are plenty of other fun tools you can try in the app to help your creative side flourish.

Theres a library of sketches that comes with SketchAR, but youll really get the most out of the app by turning your photos into traceable line drawings. SketchAR is designed to work on A4 size paper or any paper with four reference circle markers drawn to provide scale markers to the application.

GIPHY World, developed by Planeta, the studio behind Drops, is an augmented reality app that allows people to communicate in AR. The application combines animated GIFs and AR, converting photos and videos into canvas for 3D graphics. The GIPHY World app also allows users to record a video of their creation to post to the web or better yet share a link to their scene with friends to explore.

Overall, this augmented reality app features a virtual playing field where a gamer can search GIPHYs vast library of looping video content and paste them as stickers in one of three environments. The Giphy AR app allows you to take photos and videos of real-world scenes using your devices camera and edit them by overlaying GIFs and stickers.

If you are obsessed with GIFs, this is for you. GIPHY is the best place to find various GIFs, and now they have an AR app that allows you to modify the world around you with GIFs and stickers. Find your favorites, select them and place them in the space around you with one tap. The GIPHY World app allows users to put moving images into videos and photos, and then share them with friends. Many apps have added similar AR decal features over the years, but were still delighted with how GIPHY pulls it off.

Created by the BBC, the Civilizations AR app will allow people to explore historical artifacts in virtual exhibits. Selected from 30 different museums, the artifacts have been 3D scanned in high resolution so that people can see every detail. This AR app is an add-on to the BBC Two series Civilizations, which aired in Spring 2018.

With this, users can virtually view and explore artifacts, such as looking at a mummy inside a sarcophagus. Users start with a globe and choose which artifact they want to see, then they can move and scale each artifact as they explore. There are even lengthy notes, web links, and voiceovers for each one. Walk and experience an ancient Egyptian mummy, famous works of art by Bellini and Turner, Roman helmets, and the Rosetta Stone, among other exhibits.

The artifacts are highly detailed and you can move them around, enlarge them, and see their actual size with the touch of a button. The subject is not only fascinating, but it is also a great example of how AR can transport us to places and allow us to experience them in a similar way as if we were in the same room.

A collaboration between CERN and Google Arts & Culture, Big Bang AR brings the history of the cosmos into your living room, using augmented reality rendering to help you visualize the first seconds of the universe and the unleashed titanic forces that define our universe today.

Scientists at CERN and Google Arts and Culture collaborated to bring together factual research and create a world around you where you can watch the creation of space, time and the universe unfold in real time.

Note that this app requires a portion of your battery to function, along with access to your location, your camera, and your gallery to allow you to take a selfie with the stars around you and load it onto your camera roll. However, it does state that your private information will always be protected.

I hope you understand and like this list Best Apps of Augmented Reality for the iPhone, if your answer is no then you can ask anything via contact forum section related to this article. And if your answer is yes then please share this list with your family and friends.

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Best Apps of Augmented Reality for the iPhone - BollyInside

Chesterfield VR is the latest addition to the Chesterfield Games Quarter, and is situated alongside Chesterfield Escape Rooms and Geeks HQ on Soresby Street.

The new centre will include four state-of-the-art VR gaming stations, utilising HTC Vive Pro headsets and controllers. There will be a wide range of titles to play, including options for multiplayer gaming, and the selection will be refreshed each month.

Manager of Chesterfield VR and Chesterfield Escape Rooms, Nick Hogan, said: After having over 5000 players through our doors at the escape rooms in the first six months of business, it gave the management team and I the confidence to invest further in the local economy.

The vision was always to create a gaming quarter for all different types of gaming needs, young and old. We are so excited to open the doors and welcome in the public and who knows, if the public continue to invest their time in the Games Quarter, there might be one or two further things in the pipeline.

Players will not be restricted to one game per visit, and can play as many as they wish in either 30 or 60 minute time slots.

There will also be two VR escape rooms for up to four players. Shootout and Race nights will be hosted on Wednesdays and Fridays respectively, and there is private hire available for parties and corporate events.

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Virtual reality gaming centre set to open in Chesterfield town centre - Derbyshire Times

Posted: Dec 8, 2021 / 12:05 PM MST / Updated: Dec 8, 2021 / 12:05 PM MST

Tired of giving the same old holiday gifts every year? This season, ditch the sweaters and gift cards and give the gift of first steps toward the metaverse!

In the not-so-distant future, the metaverse will be a social, 3D virtual space where you can share immersive experiences with other people. And while the metaverse isnt here just yet, this holiday season, you can give a loved one the gift of virtual reality (VR) with the Quest 2 headset.

Featured on Oprahs Favorite Things 2021 list, Quest 2 is an all-in-one, completely wireless VR headset that provides new, immersive entertainment, making it the perfect gift for everyone 13 and up on your holiday list. Quest 2 offers something for everyone to love, from high-powered fitness classes, exploring the world, watching sports and movies, dancing to live concerts, or challenging your friends to a multiplayer gaming match.

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Virtual Reality sets continue to be a hot toy this holiday season - FOX31 Denver

SOUTH BEND Adell Badgett has always been a tinkerer.

Even as a child, he was one of those people who had to know how something worked, even if that meant opening that thing up to get a look at the gears or the wires. Even if that meant making the adults in his life mad.

Somebody was always yelling at me for taking stuff apart," he said. "But that has always been a passion of mine."

Badgett is now the owner of the virtual reality gaming arcade businessDellstarVR, which opened recently in the 200 block of West Colfax Street in downtown South Bend.

More: Bethel University gamers on 'pioneering edge,' bring esports to collegiate competition

Badgetts willingness to search for possibilities that exist beneath the surface extends to his business, which he runs with the help of his niece, Belinda Page.

Like most children of the 1990s, Badgett grew up playing video games.

But the interest for me was not about playing games, he said. It was getting behind the games and to the technology.

Badgett, 41, bought his son a VR headset for Christmas in 2019, and that offered a chance to learn more about thetechnology anditspotential.

"You know how the internet is, they send you all this related stuff because they have your information," Badgett said.

Soon, he was receiving updates about games, but more importantly about advances in VR technology.

"I was seeing all this information popping up on my feed, so I am seeing how it is progressing and how it is becoming more affordable," he recalled.

Badgett was also reading about the growing VR arcade industry, mostly in big cities, although there are some arcades in Michiana. He and his son visited an arcade in Chicago and he was convinced he could start his own business.

Badgett worked a variety of jobs over the years, including in construction. He was working as a delivery man in early 2020 but was laid off when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Soon after, he decided to open the VR arcade.

I had built a computer and I already had a headset, sothe only problem was how to get the computer to send information to that headset wirelessly, he said.

Once Badgett figured that out, he used money that he saved and pulled funds from his investment account to start the arcade.

Page said the business is growing at a slow but steady pace.

We want to keep it steady, but the people who have come have had a really good time, she said. We are trying to focus on hosting birthday parties, where people rent the space for two hours and we order pizza ... and they get a whole cooler of drinks. We are trying to offer an experience.

Beyond gaming, Badgett now wants to take another step. After opening the arcade, he soon realized that VR could be a way to connect people in communities with a dearth of mental health services to providers of those services.

More: Pandemic doesn't stop esports complex from moving forward in South Bend

That realization came from Badgetts personal struggles with anxiety and depression, which he has dealt with since childhood.Badgett said he has also struggled to find Blacktherapists who could provide culturally sensitive treatment but was eventually able to locate one in South Bend.

His sessions started in early 2020 andmoved to Zoombecause of the pandemic.

Badgett started using virtual realityexerciseprograms as a way to deal with stress. His therapist decided to buy a VRheadset, andthe two started conducting counseling sessions via virtual reality.

They created avatars for themselves and held sessions in arelaxing virtual space.

The environment that we went into was like a loft space with afireplace and sectional couch, he said. The lighting was dimmed down and it was a Zen type of environment.

Studies on the potential of virtual reality to treat anxiety and other disorders date to the 1990s, according to a recent article in the New York Times, with VR therapy slowly growing across the country as technology improves and headsets become cheaper.

Badgett's ultimate aspiration forDellstarVR is for the business to connect people fromunder-servedcommunities with therapists, and to useVR as an alternative way to provide counseling services.

It's only an idea for now, but one that Badgett says he's willing to take the necessary steps to make happen. He is convinced VR therapy can help a range of children and adults.

It can be hard to get kids to open up," he said. "But if you put them in a different kind of environment, like out in space or sitting on a trainor doing something that they like to do, now you have a chance to get them to open up."

Email South Bend Tribune reporter Howard Dukes at hdukes@gannett.com

Follow him on Twitter:@DukesHoward

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Virtual reality therapy? New arcade in South Bend hopes to offer more than games - South Bend Tribune