Immersed in VR 2.0

This article is from our guest-blogger IOANA ALEXANDRA MEREUTA. She is a VR product development assistant for patients in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

Generally, the most common thought about virtual reality, VR, technology starts with the act of putting the glasses on. However, the whole experience goes beyond expectations. It is simply guided by our own imagination.

Last week, I attended the Virtual Game Night organized by VRee at Effenaar in Eindhoven, Netherlands. What drew my attention to attend the event was the promise of VR 2.0: Real-time wireless full body VR experiences. There are two things that make VR special. On one hand, it provides the capacity of physical immersion. Yet, on the other hand, it allows psychological presence which is portray in the the feeling of being in a place. Displaying the VR content through visual and aural dimensions seems to be enough to engage the user over the experience. Although, full body means going beyond conventional expectations. VRee was proposing a step further, VR: 2.0.

Menno Bischops, CTO at VRee explained the essence of the project, “We provide the technology to make possible to work with VR on a higher level with a very natural feeling experience”. As our slogan says “Play, Watch, Interact”. To play makes possible with the motion capture suits, data gloves, and VR HMD to achieve a higher level of VR. To watch makes people visualise the experience locally or internationally via streaming. Finally, we also provide functionality to interact with the experience so this can be a hosting application to make sure that everything runs smoothly. Basically, we make our technology available for other content developers.”

At the event, some of the attendees where children, parents, grandparents, and business people whom shared the same new and unknown atmosphere. Those participants wanted to have the full body experience. When their turn came, each person heard the same request “Put your pants off, you get a new suit”. For some people, it might take a while to understand such statement and carry out the instructions. But it was evident that the DNA of those who were there, reflected a high level of curiosity mixed with the desire of getting themselves out of their comfort zone. After putting the suit, participants got relaxed. They went with the flow enjoying the freedom of the virtual environment.

I consider this event a big step necessary to create awareness of the potential that VR applications have in sectors such as tourism, marketing, healthcare, and gaming. Despite of being an emerging technology, the advancements go fast and VRee is an example of this reality.

As Menno says, “There is still work to do.” However, as long as there are people believing in its potential and willing to collaborate, the improvement is just a matter of time. The philosophy to make things happen is “dream big and then, dream bigger.”-Howard Schultz