Category Archives: Virtual Reality

The Joys and Horrors of Virtual Reality in Anime

Weve talked in the past about the intersection of virtual reality and anime, and for good reason. VRand related fields like AR and the concept of a metaversehave long been mainstays of sci-fi and genre fiction. But as these things become more real and accessible, our perception of it changes. And so does animes.

Today, were looking back across the history of VR in anime: the good, the bad, and the in-between. Just like the real world, the virtual world has its share of both good and bad, and anime isnt shy about exploring both.

In the modern age, wed likely classMacross Plus idol Sharon Apple as more of an AR/AI hybrid than virtual reality. But her virtual idol status still holds true. The computerized songstress won the hearts and minds of the localswhich wasnt always a good thing. When her programming went haywire, so did the traditional love geometry of the franchise.

VR and AR have been used to much better (and safer) effect in later iterations ofMacross, including Sheryl and Rankas stunning live shows inMacross Frontier. I guess they learned things stay a lot calmer when the talent is organic.

In 1999,Martian Successor Nadesico andSilent Mbius creator Kia Asamiya asked the ultimate question: What if there were magical girls in virtual reality? The result wasCorrector Yui, an original anime series in which a computer-illiterate teen becomes a magical virus hunter.

Taking place in the year 20XX (yes, really),Corrector Yui posits the existence of ComNet: the VR-based evolution of the Internet. Both ComNet and the real world are under threat from an evil Host computer called Grosser. Eight antivirus programs exist to fight Grosser, but they need someone to command them. And that someone is Yuior rather,Corrector Yui. Her magical girl powers exist only within ComNet, where she leads the eight programs to save the virtual and real worlds.

Hot and fresh from SCIENCE SARU, the team behindDEVILMAN crybabyandKeep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, is a virtual reality series that hits way closer to home. Tom Sawyer Island, the world whereYUREI DECO takes place, feels much more within reach than other anime. Both AR and VR are a part of life here, thanks to either ocular implants or special glasses. The currency is Love: literally, social media likes. The world is colored by AR, and you can dive into one of many hyperverses for work, school, and games. Oh, and a customer service center oversees the whole thing.

WhileYUREI DECO challenges this lifestyle and its resulting drawbackscensorship and ignorance of the plight of others, for exampleit also gives credit to the great things technology gives us. Thanks to the tech of Tom Sawyer Island, the elderly Madam 44 can be an action hero. Extinct animals can be brought back to life in a virtual zoo. AR avatars can let you appear on the outside how you feel on the inside. In short, technology justis: its what you do with it that matters.

Dive into a real-world anime virtual reality for theRe:ZERO -Lost in Memories- anniversary exhibition.

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The Joys and Horrors of Virtual Reality in Anime - Otaku USA Magazine

Image: Optofidelity

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The Buddy test system measures VR and AR headsets with up to six degrees of freedom.

Optofidelity, the Finnish manufacturer of screen measurement systems, developed what is probably one of the nightmare-fueling test platforms ever, Buddy. Attached to a jet-black robotic platform is a (partial) model human head with a proprietary vision module that tests virtual reality headsets and augmented reality glasses.

With a headset placed on the model, two cameras in the artificial skull imitate eyes. An advanced version of the system handles tests in all six degrees of freedom. Buddys best design to date is capable of examining many headset parameters with full freedom of movement.

Numerous axes enable the systems testing versatility. The frame slides sideways on a floor rail, rotates around its axis, and raises and lowers the artificial head. This imitates free movements that real headset users also perform: forward/backward, up/down, left/right, nodding, rolling, and yawing (turning sideways).

The main areas of application are development departments and production lines for VR and AR headsets. Examples include calibration, performance tests, and examining software content. In addition to image quality factors such as sharpness or color fidelity, the tracking systems also find problems such as deviations.

The manufacturer provides information on all VR headsets compatible with the testing system. Optofidelity also describes the setup as relatively uncomplicated. All the necessary components are included. Buddy, therefore, replaces even complex laboratory setups, according to the promotional material.

An important metric is the motion-to-photon latency. It measures the delay between a head movement and its visible implementation in the virtual world. If the latency is too high, the backdrop moves too late, which can cause nausea or a weaker sense of presence.

How stably objects remain anchored in the world or in front of the head can also be checked. Thanks to a novel synchronization technique, modern and future screen technologies should also remain measurable. These include OLED, light field displays, and projection-based screens.

Data sheets on the official website largely focused on previous iterations of the Buddy system with three degrees of freedom (3DOF). This restricted version only moves on a fixed base, instead of also sliding sideways on a rail across the floor.

The motion-to-photo analysis described can be performed here at a frame rate of up to 120 hertz. Simulatable pupil distances range from 55 to 75 millimeters, which also imitates very narrow and wide eye distances.

The official Optofidelity Buddy website lists further technical details, including the Robotics Specifications for fine details such as movement speeds or possible deviations. There, the 3DOF variant can also be examined during a test run with Hololens. Optofidelity provides prices for the Buddy systems on request.

Note: Links to online stores in articles can be so-called affiliate links. If you buy through this link, MIXED receives a commission from the provider. For you the price does not change.

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Robot skull measures VR and AR headsets from any angle - MIXED Reality News

CDC data shows that more than 20% of Americans have chronic pain, with 36% of themhaving high-impact chronic pain.

The discomfort of this pain is arguably exacerbated by the rising prevalence of mental health conditions across the country, which is becoming an increasingly sizable burden on Americans wellbeing. In fact, the percentage of U.S. adults who received mental health treatment rose from 19.2% in 2019 to 21.6% in 2021, according to CDC research released earlier this month.

Experts think virtual reality (VR) can help address both of these public health issues.

The history of VR in healthcare began in 1996 at the University of Washington Harborview Burn Center, where Hunter Hoffman and David Patterson developed a novel technique of using immersive VR for pain management. They were seeking to help burn victims go through debridement, an incredibly painful process in which damaged tissue and foreign objects are removed from burn wounds. Typically, patients receive opioids to help manage their pain throughout these procedures, but Hoffman and Patterson recognized that opioids were only mildly effective and often had terrible side effects.

When the human body experiences pain, a signal goes from the point of injury and lights up brain receptors. Hoffman and Petersons research argued that if the neural pathway is flooded with alternate signals, you can get patients to feel less pain. They measured their tests with both subjective patient-reported outcomes as well as MRIdata, finding that VR was more effective at pain management during debridement than opioids.

They demonstrated that VR could outperform opioids proving the power of a pixel over a molecule, said Matthew Stoudt, co-founder and CEO of AppliedVR. That launched hundreds of studies, all validating that same insight.

AppliedVR, founded in 2015 and based in Van Nuys, California, develops VR solutions designed for low-friction adoption in healthcare. To Stoudt, the reason why Hoffman and Petersons findings havent revolutionized pain management is because technology has long been a limiting factor when it comes to hospitals adoption of VR. At the time of their research, VR technology cost $50,000, weighed 50 pounds and was tethered to 50 machines, so like a lot of innovation in this world, it sat squandering in the laboratory, he said.

Stoudt believes that the healthcare industry is sitting on an entirely new class of medicine, that can greatly improve providers approach to pain management once VR headsets and other portable VR devices are developed and deployed at scale. However, patients are sometimes wary of adopting new technology or straying from the longstanding care methods they have been conditioned to trust, he pointed out. His company is focused on delivering what could potentially seem like a complicated and intimidating device into patients homes in a way that is easy to use, engaging and efficacious.

The first condition that AppliedVR is looking to solve is chronic lower back pain. The company partnered with Beth Darnall, a pain psychologist and director of the Stanford Pain Relief Innovations Lab, to co-develop its eight-week chronic lower back pain management program. This physician-prescribed, self-administered solution allows patients to manage their chronic lower back pain without opioids from the comfort of their own home. AppliedVRs system for chronic lower back pain has received breakthrough device designation and de novo approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

AppliedVR has tested its VR devices at health systems such as Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, UPMC, Geisinger and Cedars-Sinai.

Cedars-Sinai stands out as a health system that is especially supportive of VR adoption. The health system has been using VR in its hospitals for nearly a decade and has treated around 3,500 patients with the technology, according to Dr. Brennan Spiegel, a Cedars-Sinai physician and medical VR researcher. And he thinks more health systems should do the same.

We treat the human body like a machine when people come into a hospital, and in Western medicine in general, and that works pretty well to an extent, he said. But we know that the mind and the body are connected. That is not voodoo science. The fact that the brain and the body communicate is actually well-established neuroscience.

Dr. Spiegel argues that if you can put the brain into a position of comfort, that relaxation will have downstream effects on the rest of the body. This can help reduce heart rate, blood pressure and stress hormone levels, he claimed. This not only helps patients have a more positive experience during their hospital stay, but it can also yield clinical benefits, such as lowering pain scores and reducing the need for pain medications.

Pain medications may reduce the physical experience of pain, but they dont do anything to manage the emotional experience of being in a hospital, or anxiety that comes along with that, Dr. Spiegel said. Hospitals are a very unnatural environment that nobody literally no body was designed to be in.

At Cedars-Sinai, VR use aims to reduce both pain and anxiety scores. When I spoke with Dr. Spiegel, he was in Cedars-Sinais surgical intensive care unit, where VR is deployed every day. Clinicians wheel around a four-wheeled mobile cart that carries VR equipment that can be easily transported and set up from room to room. The cart houses headsets made by HP, which can measure patients biometrics such as heart rate, heart rate variability and pupillometry. These metrics help clinicians assess the physiologic impact of the VR on the patients body.

The health system has created its own VR software, called Nature VR, that allows patients to enter various natural environments so they can reduce anxiety and/or pain through meditation, paced breathing exercises or relaxation of their own accord.

Patients are typically treated with the VR headsets for about 15 minutes. Their baseline pain and anxiety scores are measured both before and after treatment so that clinicians can see whether the patient had a positive response. Most of the time, they do. When that is the case, the headset will stay at the patients bedside so they can then use it throughout the rest of their hospital stay.

In addition to this inpatient program, Cedars-Sinai also had outpatient VR programs in which patients take headsets home to manage things like pain, anxiety or irritable bowel syndrome.

Dr. Spiegel had treated a patient with a VR headset minutes before our call. He said that patient was appreciative of the treatment, notingthat it allowed him to get away from the less-than-comfortable environment he was in and enter a calm, relaxed space.

Having the option to momentarily escape the hospital environment can do a lot to improve the inpatient experience. Solomon Rogers, the director of global innovation at Magnopus, is another strong supporter of this thesis.

Rogers company is atechnology studio based in Los Angeles and London that has created VR projects for numerous films and television shows. Now, its exploring applications in the healthcare space. One of Magnopus biggest healthcare partners, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, piloted its VR technology in 2019 to help pediatric patients escape reality for a short while.

There was a patient who was bedridden, who couldnt move from their back, he said. We enabled virtual reality technology to bring in an experience in which that patient could become an astronaut. Without needing to sit up and move, they were able to climb around the space station and be free of the bounds of the bed, all while being able to look down back on Earth.

Not only does momentarily freeing pediatric hospital patients from their reality improve their mental wellbeing, it has also been shown to marginally improve the speed of their rehabilitation, according to Rogers.

Magnopus has also deployed VR technology to alleviate anxiety in pediatric patients parents. Through a partnership with the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, Magnopus developed technology to lower families anxiety before a childs hospital stay through the use of 360-degree hospital VR tours. Immersing the patient and their family into the world of the hospital before they ever enter the building helps them enter their stay with less unknowns, and therefore more comfort, according to Rogers.

Its well-known that hospitals use VR for surgical training, but there are so many other ways it can be applied in healthcare, he said.

Photo: LightFieldStudios, Getty Images

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Why VR could be the new dawn of pain, anxiety management - MedCity News

The future of streaming may be unfolding before our eyes on Disney+. Disney recently released Remembering, a short film starring Bree Larson, as part of Disney+ Day on Sept. 8. In the film, Larson plays an author who teams up with her own inner child to recover a lost idea that will aid her in a story she is attempting to write.

The short film itself is not so revolutionary, but the augmented reality features embedded in the film represent a new foray into VR for streaming companies. By downloading a special app, scanning a QR code, and playing the film on a TV, viewers can bring a whimsical fantasy world to life in their own living room. The AR features are only available via a free iOS app, so Android users are currently out of luck when it comes to altered reality streaming.

With a first-of-its-kind companion Augmented Reality app, where the AR experience is triggered by the films moving image, select Disney+ subscribers in the U.S. can interact with the story by scanning the TV to extend The World of Imagination into their living room, said Disney regarding the films release.

The foray into virtual reality is likely just a first step for Disney, in order to test the viability of the product and get consumer feedback. If it proves successful, expect Disney to roll out AR shows and movies on a variety of different platforms and devices, not just iOS.

Indeed, more augmented reality content is a big part of Disneys future plans for Disney+. Disney CEO Bob Chapek said that the company wants to launch what it calls Next-Gen Storytelling on its streaming platform. Next-Gen Storytelling will provide a more interactive streaming experience that will not only include movies and shows, but give subscribers the chance to enjoy virtual experiences like Disney rides that were previously only accessible by visiting a Disney park in person.

Disney+ will not just be a movie-service platform, but its going to become an experiential lifestyle platform, Chapek said. A platform for the whole company to embody both the physical things that you might be able to experience in a theme park, but also the digital experiences that you can get through media.

If test cases like Remembering prove successful, expect to see more augmented reality content hitting Disney+ very soon.

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Disney Releases First AR Short Film; Is Virtual Reality the Future of Streaming at Disney+? - The Streamable

Virtual reality gaming is the application of a three-dimensional (3-D) artificial environment to computer games. Virtual reality environments are created with VR software and presented to the user in such a way that they supercede the real-world environment, creating suspension of disbelief and helping the user experience the VR environment as real.

At its simplest, a VR game might involve a3-Dimage that can be explored interactively on acomputing deviceby manipulating keys, mouse or touchscreen. More sophisticated and immersive examples include VR headsets, wrap-around display screens and VR rooms augmented with wearable computers and sensory components, such as scents andhapticsdevices for tactile feedback.

VR gaming has been dreamed about almost as long as video games -- and especially 3D games -- have existed. Prior to the development of compact technology, VR gaming used projector rooms or multiple screens. VR gaming control may involve a standard keyboard and mouse, game controllers or motion capture methods. More complex VR rooms may include treadmill floors or similar methods to further the users sense of freedom of movement and feelings of immersion within the virtual environment. In other VR gaming setups, the user may be confined to a limited area surrounding a computer but have free range of motion within the area.

As technology progresses, virtual reality gaming hardware has matured to the point that VR headsets offer a great exerience with little lag or nausea, two areas that had presented problems historically. Some VR headsets on the market include HTC Vive, Occulus Rift, Microsoft Hololens, Samsung VR,PlayStation VR and Google Cardboard.Most of these offer motion sensing controllers and a tracker to work in concert with the headset. Someoffer room-scale VR capabilities while others are designed to be used in a seated or stationary position.In addition to entertainment, VR games can be used for various types of training and for virtual reality therapy.

VR gaming is distinct from augmented reality gaming, which involves the integration of digital content with the users real-world environment.

This was last updated in August 2016

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virtual reality gaming (VR gaming) - WhatIs.com

Guests will enjoy a futuristic virtual reality experience featuring unique real-time motion capture technology, latest generation VR headset and 5 holodecks, each hosting up to six guests. Special pre-opening savings are available for those who book early.

LONE TREE, Colo., September 01, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sandbox VR, the global leader in free-roam virtual reality experience with 25 locations open across the United States, Canada, Asia and Europe, will open the doors to its first Colorado location at Park Meadows Mall on September 9, 2022.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220901005278/en/

Sandbox VRs socially immersive gaming experience combines full-body motion capture and high-quality haptics to provide unprecedented realism and complete immersion thats not possible with home VR systems or other location-based VR venues, taking group Virtual Reality gameplay and competitive socializing to the next level.

Players experience heart-pounding, exhilarating, and unforgettably immersive gameplay when they fend off zombie hordes, enter a world of swashbuckling adventure, soar into the clouds in a space elevator or compete against one another in a futuristic combat arena the true future of immersive entertainment.

The Park Meadows location will feature five private rooms for virtual reality gameplay called "holodecks" in which groups of up to six players have a truly shared experience, exploring virtual worlds and relying on each other to succeed in games specifically designed to be social experiences. Sandbox VR will add an entirely new entertainment experience in the Denver area.

"Opening the first Sandbox VR in Colorado is hugely exciting for us!" says Steven Zhao, CEO of Sandbox VR. "Were thrilled to introduce a new type of immersive entertainment to the area. Park Meadows attracts visitors from all over the state and were proud to join this bustling community."

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"We love introducing new brands at Park Meadows and are proud to welcome Colorados first Virtual Reality of Sandbox VR," says Pam Kelly, Senior General Manager of Park Meadows. "We are delighted to expand the offerings to our customers, and we know our community is excited for this new opening."

Together with friends, family, or co-workers, players are equipped with a VR headset, a haptic vest, a backpack, and motion sensors on their wrists and ankles. This technology allows players to see and physically interact with one another while feeling like they are in the middle of an action movie, with the heightened emotions that come from not just watching a film, but from actually becoming the stars of the action.

Guests choose from any six exclusive immersive experiences, each created by Sandbox VRs in-house creative team of video game industry veterans:

Deadwood Valley - Images available for download HERE

Deadwood Mansion - Images available for download HERE

Do you have what it takes to survive a zombie apocalypse? Work with your team to protect Deadwood Mansion from a terrifying horde of undead. The experience that started it all, and still brings the screams today.

Curse of Davy Jones - Images available for download HERE

Amber Sky 2088 - Images available for download HERE

Star Trek: Discovery - Images available for download HERE

Built in partnership with CBS Interactive, Star Trek: Discovery Away Mission fully immerses you in the world of Star Trek like never before. Become a Starfleet Officer and beam down with your friends to explore alien worlds.

UFL: Unbound Fighting League - Images available for download HERE

Sandbox VR provides an unparalleled entertainment experience that has been rated 4.8 out of 5 stars by over 14,500 guests worldwide!

Guests who book their experience at the new Sandbox VR at Park Meadows by September 8th will receive an exclusive pre-opening savings. Plus they will also be entered to win free Sandbox VR visits for a year. These bonuses celebrate the new location and are only available before doors open.

Sandbox VR is also the perfect destination for group activities such as birthday parties or corporate events. The Park Meadows location features a private party room for these events.

Sandbox VR is backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, Gobi Partners, Craft, and Stanford University, along with individuals such as Kevin Durant, Justin Timberlake, and Katy Perry.

To learn more about Sandbox VR and book, visit https://sandboxvr.com/lonetree/. Follow Sandbox VR on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, & Twitter at @sandboxvr.

Digital assets and Sandbox VR Intro Video below, courtesy of Sandbox VR:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1CiI7LW2FwOxfj1GO_qnypJacflImuiFq?usp=sharing

About Sandbox VR

Sandbox VR is the world's premier destination for premium location-based virtual reality games. The company has created the worlds most immersive full-body VR platform and boasts games you cant play anywhere else. Sandbox VR is now operating in 25 locations across five countries and expanding rapidly. Sandbox VR is headquartered in San Francisco, California with an office in Hong Kong. Sandbox VRs latest round has raised over $37 million from investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, Gobi Partners, and Craft. Individual investors include Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Kevin Durant and Will Smith.

About Park Meadows

Located just 5 miles from Denver and 40 minutes from Colorado Springs, Park Meadows is Colorados biggest shopping mall. Explore 185 stores and restaurants, from the largest selection of athletic apparel stores to the best in branded fashion and dining. Enjoy the unique Grand Mountain Lodge architecture and artwork by Colorado artists.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220901005278/en/

Contacts

Press DepartmentSandboxvr@whipsmartpr.com

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Worlds Most Immersive Virtual Reality Experience, Sandbox VR, is Coming Soon to Park Meadows - Yahoo Finance

PALO ALTO, Calif., Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Inspirit, an online 3D & VR STEM learning platform, today announced its collaboration with Meta Immersive Learning to launch the VR Lab Starter Kit Program in 2023 to provide over one hundred Title I schools across the US with Meta Quest 2 VR headsets, curriculum, & training in a joint effort to transform the future of learning.

Learn more about the VR Lab Starter Kit program and find out if your school qualifies here.

This is why we started Inspirit: to inspire curiosity and wonder in the most diverse, underserved science classrooms.

Inspirit was founded in 2019 by two college friends with a mutual desire to revolutionize the way future generations learn science. Co-founders Aditya Vishwanath and Amrutha Vasan studied the impacts of VR on science education during their time at Georgia Tech. Their ongoing research at Stanford University developed into a creator-focused platform where users learn science by doing instead of reading or watching.

Vishwanath and Vasan realized that getting VR technology in the hands of educators and students would be vital to ensure its enormous potential to improve student memory retention, engagement, and learning outcomes would not be limited to only a select few.

"It is staggering to realize the magnitude of the digital divide that still exists in our societies and how marginalized communities all around the world are being affected by this crisis." - Aditya Vishwanath

Their mission thus evolved from simply creating powerful high-quality 3D & VR STEM resources to making them freely accessible to all educators and students across the globe, regardless of socioeconomic circumstance. Today, over 275k educators and students have transformed science education using Inspirit's thousands of 3D resources.

Vishwanath commented, "This is why Amrutha and I started Inspirit in the first place: to inspire curiosity and a sense of wonder in learning across the most diverse and underserved science classrooms."

"I am beyond excited to have this opportunity to work with Meta to make meaningful VR experiences accessible to all science teachers," echoed Vasan.

The Meta Immersive Learning initiative aims to develop the next generation of metaverse creators, fund high-quality immersive experiences, and increase access to learning through technology. Through the VR Lab Starter Kit program, Inspirit and Meta will make their joint vision of transformative, accessible education a reality.

Applications to join the VR Lab Starter Kit program open September 1, 2022. Find out if your school qualifies and apply today to be one of the first to receive a VR Lab Starter Kit shipping as early as November 2022.

About Inspirit

Inspirit is a growing virtual education platform with a mission to develop safe, powerful, and high-quality VR & 3D STEM resources made universally available to all learners and educators. Today, Inspirit offers over 1500 3D models, interactive simulations, and 3D-embedded slideshows and study guides across biology, chemistry, and physics. Most importantly, Inspirit is a global platform with over 275k educators and students revolutionizing what it means to teach and learn .

Contact

Sarah Taylor PR Manager, Inspirit [emailprotected]

SOURCE Inspirit

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Virtual Reality Becomes Actual Reality for Title I Schools Across the Nation - PR Newswire

Virtual reality (VR) technology is front and centre to Mark Zuckerbergs metaverse plans. The CEO of Facebook-owner Meta has made it clear that the next stage of the revolution of the internet will involve more digital escapism than ever before.

However, the Zuck is hardly alone in championing the advent of the VR paradigm shift. Indeed, technophiles have evangelised the coming of the new VR age for decades. VR has a long history, dating back to 1956. This was when one of the early VR systems, Sensorama was created.

The term VR was popularised in the 1980s and tech bros have awaited the introduction of a techscape akin to that envisioned in Ready Player One ever since.

Yet despite those endorsements, mass-adaptation has so far eluded the VR industry. This could be about to change.

The global VR market will be worth $51bn by 2030, a significant rise from an estimated $5bn in 2020, according to forecasts from GlobalData. The research firm estimates that the VR market will expand at a 27% compound annual growth rate leading up to 2030.

What is behind this sudden surge? Where is the growth happening? And, come to think about it, what is VR?

If youve caught yourself asking those questions, then youre not alone. But dont worry; weve got you covered.

So, lets start with the basics: what is VR? The short answer it that its a shorthand for ways to access digital realms. The long answer to what VR is is a bit more complicated.

[VR is a technology that] uses special equipment such as headsets or gloves fitted with sensors, sometimes in combination with physical environments or props, to generate realistic images, sounds, and other sensations that simulate a users physical presence in a virtual or imaginary 3D environment, Rupantar Guha, analyst at GlobalData tells Verdict.

User need a VR headset in order to access the these digital realms. The headsets have built-in screens, one to cover for each eye, to eliminate all real world interactions.

Visuals are rendered on those screens through direct connection with other devices, such as a PC. For untethered devices, visuals are rendered by an inbuilt computer system.

There are projects underway to develop solutions to stimulate the touch and feel of virtual objects.

Microsoft has developed one such project, christened the Claw. It is a handheld haptic controller enabling users to grasp, touch and trigger objects in a virtual world.

VR has been singled out as one of the most crucial technologies in Zuckerbergs metaverse push. Whether or not the Facebook founder wouldve been equally enthused by the technology if the company hadnt acquired Oculus Rift back in 2014 well leave unsaid.

What we can say is that the Meta CEO isnt alone in singling out VR as a key technology. Several industries are already using VR technologies. VR is already used in in retail, aerospace, airlines, oil and gas, education, healthcare, training, collaboration, in innovation and work.

When it comes to end-users, GlobalData believes the consumer VR market has the most opportunities. The market accounted for 71% of total VR revenue for 2020. Consumer VR markets include gaming and retail.

GlobalData forecasts that the enterprise segment will eventually overtake the consumer segment in the VR market. The research firm predicts that the enterprise VR market will account for 62% of total VR revenue by 2030.

Guha believes gaming is the most fertile ground for VR in the consumer market. The technology is also gaining traction in social media and live streaming.

Consumer-focused VR companies are striving for a semi-mythical killer app to make VR a mainstream hit, Guha says. Meanwhile, VR companies are increasingly exploring growth among enterprises.

The pandemic and the jump in remote work accelerated innovation and usage of VR. Analysts believe more people will begin to use VR in the next few years.

VR-based collaboration and training will become important use cases for emerging enterprise-grade metaverses in the coming years, Guha says. As a result, big companies (e.g., Accenture) are adopting VR for task-specific uses such as employee onboarding, virtual events, and collaboration. More VR-based use cases will emerge as the technology matures.

Over the next few years, VR will impact the metaverse. The virtual reality industry is set to grow even more, leaving businesses the chance to use this opportunity to adapt and build on the technology to be apart of and contribute to future of the metaverse.

While it is still in the early stages of development, tech companies are expanding the VR ecosystem and positioning it as a next-generation computing platform, Guha says. VR is also a critical enabler of the metaverse, an emerging mega-theme that could revolutionise digital media.

GlobalData is the parent company of Verdict and its sister publications.

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Why is VR so important to the metaverse? - Verdict

DUBLIN, Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --The "Virtual Reality (VR) in Gaming Market 2021-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

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The global virtual reality (VR) market is growing at a significant CAGR of around 18.0% during the forecast period. The market is mainly driven due to various factors including rising demand for VR in various industries such as consumer electronics, gaming, increasing demand for interactive video platforms in the retail sector, rising penetration of smartphones and other smart devices.

The COVID-19 pandemic has a positive impact on the global VR market since December 2019. The pandemic has increased the digital transformation of companies, The industries are focusing more on the digital platform to interact with their customers. as well Persons working from home are more consistent on digital sources. The e-commerce market is growing faster in this pandemic and virtual reality can be taken benefit of by creating an artificial vision of the clothes that people like, also superimpose the image of furniture on the place it needs to be placed, the growing adoption of virtual events is driving the growth of the market in COVID-19 pandemic.

The is global VR market segmented based on components, system, application, device, based on components, global VR market is segmented into hardware and software. Based on system, the global VR market is segmented into non-immersive VR, semi-immersive VR, fully immersive VR. based on the application, the global VR market is segmented into entertainment, gaming, tourism, automotive, training, and education, defense, healthcare. based on the device, the global VR market is segmented into the head-mounted display (HMD), gesture-tracking device (GTD), projectors & display wall (PDW).

The global VR market is analyzed based on the geographical regions that are contributing considerably towards the growth of the market. Based on the geography, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World. North America held the largest share in the VR market.

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The factors that drive the market in the region included rising research activities in the field of VR, and the presence of key market players in the region such as Apple, Inc., Google LLC, Microsoft Corp. Invention by the US government by deploying virtual training sessions on public health veterinary, and speedy internet penetration and advancement in immersive technology. Moreover, South America is projected to witness steady growth due to rapid internet penetration and developments in immersive technology.

The Report Covers

Comprehensive research methodology of the Global VR market.

This report also includes a detailed and extensive market overview with key analyst insights.

An exhaustive analysis of macro and micro factors influencing the market guided by key recommendations.

Analysis of regional regulations and other government policies impacting the Global VR market.

Insights about market determinants that are stimulating the Global VR market.

Detailed and extensive market segments with the regional distribution of forecasted revenues.

Extensive profiles and recent developments of market players.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Report Summary

2. Market Overview and Insights2.1. Scope of the Report2.2. Analyst Insight & Current Market Trends2.2.1. Key Findings2.2.2. Recommendations2.2.3. Conclusion

3. Competitive Landscape3.1. Key Company Analysis3.1.1. Overview3.1.2. Financial Analysis3.1.3. SWOT Analysis3.1.4. Recent Developments3.2. Key Strategy Analysis3.3. Impact of COVID-19on key players

4. Market Determinants4.1. Motivators4.2. Restraints4.3. Opportunities

5. Market Segmentation5.1. Global Virtual Gaming Market by Device Type5.1.1. Gaming Console5.1.2. Desktop5.1.3. Smartphones5.2. Global Virtual Gaming Market by Game Type5.2.1. Racing games5.2.2. Adventurous games5.2.3. Fighting games5.2.4. Shooting games5.2.5. Mystery thriller games5.2.6. Science fiction games5.2.7. Simulation Games5.2.8. Other games

6. Regional Analysis6.1. North America6.1.1. United States6.1.2. Canada6.2. Europe6.2.1. UK6.2.2. Germany6.2.3. Italy6.2.4. Spain6.2.5. France6.2.6. Rest of Europe6.3. Asia-Pacific6.3.1. China6.3.2. India6.3.3. Japan6.3.4. South Korea6.3.5. Rest of Asia-Pacific6.4. Rest of the World

7. Company Profiles7.1. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.7.2. Arctic Sun VRVR7.3. bHaptics, Inc.7.4. Cloudhead Games Ltd.7.5. Firsthand Technology Inc.7.6. GoogleLLC7.7. HTC Corp.7.8. Microsoft, Inc.7.9. nDreams Ltd.7.10. Niantic, Inc.7.11. Nintendo Co., Ltd.7.12. NVIDIA Corp.7.13. Oculus (Facebook Technologies, LLC.)7.14. Samsung Corp.7.15. Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC7.16. Surreal VR Studios7.17. UBISOFT ENTERTAINMENT SA7.18. Unity Technologies, Inc.

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Worldwide Virtual Reality in Gaming Industry to 2027 - Rising Research Activities in the Field of VR is Driving Growth - Yahoo Finance

Trolls she can mute or block. VRC Kmart employee infractions require more nuanced solutions. The store maintains its own HR department and documents complaints, which can be filed anonymously. If an employee were to report a homophobic comment by a coworker, Carbon would step in to do a little bit of parenting, explaining to the employee in question, This is why we dont do this to our friends.

Thats one of the differences between us and an actual place of employment, she says. Were here to help you be a better person. Were not a job. Were not your government. We are not the moral police force of the internet. Were here to try to get everyone to work together willingly.

A Belgian player who goes by ThisMight has found growth through VRC Kmart employment. He stumbled across the store while on the hunt for milk and decided to stick around, joining the games discord, then its dev team. After going through in-game training, he got an associate gig, posting up in the electronics department behind counters filled with pixelated boxes of movies or games. Hes never seen a Kmart in real life.

VRChat isnt set up to fully mimic a store experiencethere is no sophisticated system to check out, for exampleso players take their role-playing duties very seriously. Despite a strict rule that customers can only buy electronics in that section, people often came to ThisMights counter with garden shop items or food. This is electronics, he would yell, turning them away. You have to go into the checkout lanes!

ThisMight eventually worked his way up to manager. Now instead of being stuck behind a counter he walks through the store to check on associates and customers who might need help. He helps select items for the Blue Light sections that denote Kmart sales, like Kodak cameras, because no one cared about them. Why did he care so much about the Kodaks? Because every single item is special in electronics.

VRChats Kmart heads are insistent that real lives come first, meaning players can choose to workthey clock infor just a few minutes at a time, but ThisMight sometimes put in anywhere from four to six hours. There are no rules to how long people work because theres no money changing hands. It would be insane if you have to pay like 200 people for absolutely nothing, he says. (This also means there are no unions, though people often joke about it.)

Were here to help you become a better person.

Carbon, VRChat Kmart CCO

The actual payoff has been worth more for ThisMight, who suffers from social anxiety. I wanted some real-life work experience in a safe environment, he says of his decision to take a virtual job. I thought that joining a store would be one of the best steps to stop social anxiety, because I am forced to speak with people from that point onward. ThisMight described himself previously as a bystander, more likely to turn tail than intervene. Now I have the willpower to speak up and say something about it, he said.

Clashes happen. This is a community that draws in people with wildly different politics, religions, and life experiences. But its also the only place where some people feel validated, or free to use their preferred gender expression in a social setting. There are members in this community where this is their primary family people where their home life isnt that great, so they come to these communities, Carbon says. You start to become very reliant on these groups of people. If Carbon and other higher-ups cant set a good example for conflict resolution, how can we expect them to go into life?

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Clocking In at the Virtual Reality Kmart - WIRED