Photo credit: X-Sim
This most certainly isn’t the first homemade full-motion flight simulator we’ve featured, but definitely the first that incorporates a virtual reality headset. To be more specific, it was designed for carrier launches and light aerobatics, complete with DOF 360° movement and Valve Index VR. Read more for a video showing this beast in-action.
Panasonic has developed the world’s first High Dynamic Range (HDR) capable ultra high definition (UHD) virtual reality (VR) eyeglasses that feature a Steampunk-inspired design. Not only do they offer a comfortable fit, it’s supposed to make users feel as if they were wearing eyeglasses. They come equipped with a micro OLED panel, co-developed by Kopin Corporation and Panasonic, that can achieve natural smooth images without “Screen door effect”, where the fine lines separating pixels become visible in the displayed image. Read more for a video and additional information.
VRgineers introduced the latest generation of the XTAL professional VR headset, which incorporates 8K resolution with a set of new features, including readability optimized for powerful GPUs such as the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 8000. What sets this headset apart from the others is the AR mixed reality module, and improved lenses that give it a 180° field-of-view. NASA astronauts could make use of this technology for VR simulations. Read more for a video and additional information.
Teslasuit revealed a full-body haptic feedback suit around a year ago, and today, they unveiled a glove that that lets you feel in virtual reality. That’s right, you’ll be able to feel virtual textures while it gathers biometric data and will make its official debut at CES 2020 in Las Vegas next month. It may be designed for professional applications, but would most certainly work for games as well. Read more for a video and additional information.
Scientists have discovered a link between a cow’s emotional state and it’s daily milk production, and the RusMoloko farm in Moscow decided to go high-tech with its solution. That’s right, cows have been equipped with virtual reality headsets adapted for the structural features of cow heads to reduce their anxiety and improve overall emotional mood in the herd. Read more for another picture and additional information.
Half-Life: Alyx has been officially introduced, and it’s a “full-length” experience that has been designed from scratch for VR headsets. Featuring all of the hallmarks of a classic Half-Life game: world exploration, puzzle-solving, visceral combat, and an intricately woven story that connects it all with the characters iconic to the Half-Life universe. Read more for a gameplay trailer, additional pictures and information.
Black Box VR opened the world’s first virtual reality gym in San Francisco, California earlier this year, and put simply, it takes Nintendo’s Ring Fit Adventure to the next level. It features the world’s first fully automated cable resistance machine that integrates virtual reality hardware and original eSport software, all powered by the HTC Vive Pro, Black Box VR users get an intense, time-dilated, custom workout while immersed in competitive virtual reality fitness experiences that redefine eSports into physically active vSports. Read more for a video and additional information.
Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 headset was first announced earlier this year, and now, it’s finally shipping to customers. Improvements from the original model include a diagonal field of view of 52°, which improves over the 34° field of view of the first edition, all the while keeping a resolution of 47 pixels per degree. This mixed reality device combines the company’s artificial intelligence, Azure, and cloud-computing platforms into one. Read more for a hands-on video and additional information.
HTC has partnered with the Louvre Museum in Paris to create a unique virtual reality experience, called “Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass”. It brings story of the Mona Lisa, the iconic masterpiece by artist Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), to life, in celebration of the 500th anniversary of da Vinci’s death in France. Through VR, the Louvre can now offer visitors a chance to experience the iconic image as never before, revealing details invisible to the naked eye, as well as providing insight into the techniques da Vinci used, and the identity of his sitter. Read more for a video and additional information.
The Microsoft Research team is working on a project called DreamWalker, which enables a person to be fully immersed in a virtual world even while walking in the real world. More specifically, it’s a method for allowing people to safely navigate a given route in real-world environments, like walking to work, all the while seeing themselves strolling a different VR world, such as a city or location of their choosing. Read more for a video and additional information.