Intro To

Virtual Reality and Spatial Computing

Virtual Reality

Digital Immersive Environment, Simulated Worlds, Head Mounted Displays

Virtual Reality

an artificial environment … provided by a computer and in which one’s actions partially determine what happens in the environment. – Merriam Webster

Augmented Reality

Added Digital Layer on Top of Reality

Mixed Reality (AR/XR/MR)

an enhanced version of reality created by the use of technology to overlay digital information on an image of something being viewed through a device/camera. Merriam-Webster ex: Pokemon GO, Minecraft Earth, Face Filters, etc.

Spatial Computing

Computational Vision, Positional Tracking. Anchored digital assets in the real world.

Spatial Computing

“..digital technology that interacts with us in the places we live, work and play. A spatial computer … knows where it is in space. It uses a variety of sensors and cameras to build an understanding of both its environment and its user.” –Magic Leap –Video

VR has a storied history and this infographic covers the highlights. The concept has been around for decades but the technology is only now catching up to the vision.

1838: Researches found that “binocular depth perception” can trick one’s brain into combining two separate images – shown to each individual eye – into one unified 3D object.

1977: Street View in Aspen, just like Google Maps.

1990s: VR was available, but flopped for a variety of reasons (price, lack of features, technology limitations, etc.)

2012: Oculus Kickstarter and subsequent $2B acquisition from Facebook.

2015-2019: Ups and downs. Companies comings and goings, success stories, failures, etc.

2020 – the beginning of 6 Dof MobileVR

Full Infographic

2016-2019

Tracking

How Positional Tracking Works

Inputs

Controllers are sometimes a barrier to entry and can prove confusing for new users. Native hand tracking will usher in new, intuitive user experiences for people of all experience levels.