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C114 News March 3 Zhuangao (Exelon) in the past MWC 2016年, we again felt the rising wave of VR technology. Whether it is high-profile release HTC HTC Vive Pre, or the SamsungGalaxy S7 using VR technology live series phone conference, as well as various manufacturers launched a new VR product, which declares to us in the 2016 consumer electronics products will be VR outbreak year.
For a long time, from the printing press, the telephone, television and then smartphones , science and technology are breaking down the boundaries of human time and space. The VR as a connection between two-dimensional and three-dimensional space of the real bridge, people will live in the future play an important role. However, VR technology has been around for a long time though, but it has been the user experience it’s downhill. Now, Oculus Rift virtual reality helmet of the past half-immersive virtual experience upgrade to a fully immersive, but this is just the initial stage of this experience.
Recently, C114 for IEEE Senior Member, IEEE Internet security experts in the field, the University of Ulster British intelligence environments and virtual worlds research laboratory chief of the team, Dr. Kevin Curran and IEEE members, the University of Southern California, ICT R & D department in charge of advanced prototype equipment Dr. Todd Richmond on the development of VR technology had an exclusive interview, in which two IEEE expert opinion, VR time has come, and will gradually become the next generation of human everyday consumer products.
Why VR consumer electronics products will erupt in 2016?
“We are beginning to produce VR contents, as long as the VR content generation tool becomes standardized, it is likely to become the preferred way of browsing public. Whenever experienced quality VR who will praise its exciting effect .VR wave continues to move forward, VR time has come “-. Kevin Dr. Curran
“For (VR) New listing, we look forward to the excitement of the people, and perhaps a little disappointing: on the one hand because the product is not enough to cool the contents, on the other hand it is because the virtual simulator cause vertigo can also affect the user experience. “–Todd Richmond Dr.
Dr. Kevin Curran believes, VR will become in 2016 the consumer electronics products for two main reasons: First, Moore’s Law (this law reveals the speed of advances in information technology); second on the people seeking a better vision of the firm determination.
VR technology can achieve such results today, the outstanding contribution inseparable Oculus founder Palmer Luckey: he overcome numerous technical difficulties, success brings stereoscopic 3D technology (3D stereoscopy), radio, 360-degree viewing angle, but also to create a more compact, portable Oculus Rift. Use newest Oculus Rift need to match a high-end computer, which means that at present is to obtain high-quality virtual reality experience, still expensive capital investment, but I believe shortly after the required fee must be declined.
In the network the rapid development of shopping today, and why there are still many people prefer to drive self-store shopping? The answer is simple, if you do not take into account other factors such as price, people still prefer to buy the real experience of physical goods. The VR precisely give us a stronger sense of participation scene. Dr. Kevin Curran expressed, VR will fully change the entertainment, gaming competitions, simulation demonstration, retail, health care,social networking and other areas of the forms. The IT giants in anticipation of this trend, they all have begun to set up virtual reality team.
Dr. Todd Richmond claimed that all types of consumer-oriented VR products have plans to market this year, “despite the limited supply, the demand for the product is still climbing higher and higher, until 2017 the situation was likely to be eased.”
Before becoming a mass consumer VR / AR need to cross barriers
“For science and technology for the industry, VR is the future, is an inevitable choice without having to think.” – Dr. Kevin Curran
“In the long run, I believe that education, health and fitness industry for VR / AR is also business opportunities and VR and AR will also meet with the human body. Sensors and other data sources together, constitute more advanced immersive experience.” – Dr. Todd Richmond
Currently, video games have become the VR / AR most important applications, not only because it is one of the earliest applications of the technology, but also because the game itself is the most likely to entertainment content adaptation VR / AR (such as game engine Unity).Meanwhile, AR has been applied to industrial production lines, design and engineering, some companies also use projection-based immersive VR display system (caves) for some time. In Richmond, Dr. Todd opinion, the future of education, health and fitness industry for VR / AR is also unlimited.
Dr. Kevin Curran said, VR will become mass consumer goods, and will display their fists in the field of games, television, navigation, medicine, psychology, online shopping and other segments. He said, first-served basis as the online world to seize the opportunity of the business case, as in the field of VR, Google and other IT giants will not sit still and let Facebook ‘s Oculus Rift, Microsoft ‘s HoloLens or Samsung Gear VR and other equipment VR head start.
Although the prospects are promising, but the development of VR / AR technology naturally also facing obstacles. In simple terms, one is cost, the second is content.
Once renowned Google’s Carboard projects, although providing people with cheaper virtual reality experience, but it does not provide a true VR experience. And quality of VR technology and equipment is expensive and extremely difficult development process, Dr. Kevin Curran believes that only some of the strength of the enterprise may have a difference in the field of VR.
Meanwhile, Dr. Kevin Curran said in a way, VR is more biased in favor of an art than a science and technology, but also need to produce supporting VR content as a support. And this is the greatest difficulty Dr. Todd Richmond thinks VR technology development faced lies. “Vendors will continue to produce better hardware and new equipment, research and development staff will then create its corresponding digital content and experience for future school and families will spend VR / AR, but as to how people will use it, ( more importantly) how to use it, we do not know yet. ”
Fortunately, VR support tools are continuously enriched, prices VR imaging device is rapidly falling. Therefore, we can foresee in the near future, we will usher in a large number of outputs VR content day.
Will there be substituted smartphone that day
“The distance VR device becomes the necessities of life is still a long way to go.” – Dr. Kevin Curran
“VR / AR device to develop into the next generation of smart phones, need to gradually replace or integration of certain functions of daily life items.” – Todd Richmond Dr.
When we asked “Do you think VR / AR whether the device will one day reach as smart phones like the popularity of” question Dr. Xiang Liangwei opinions there is disagreement between the two experts, but they think, VR future devices may smartphone integration.
Smart phones for our present life is concerned, it has become understandable necessities. In the past, people just need to go out with keys, wallet and so one of the few essentials, now almost everyone is accustomed to bring smartphone. However, comparatively speaking, VR equipment the next major application scenarios and areas not so widespread, there must be a considerable number of people have no interest in VR, I feel no need to use.
Therefore, Dr. Kevin Curran believes from VR equipment become necessities is still a long way to go. And “After experiencing a long period of development, VR may become standard smart phone interface, the two combined is not impossible.”
But Dr. Todd Richmond’s attitude is clearly more optimistic, he said, “VR / AR is likely to develop into the next smartphone – will replace a smartphone or fused with, but it should be something years later a. ” In fact, the smart phone has been able to become a necessity of our modern life, because it replaces or incorporates some features of daily life items. Thus, the same token, if the VR / AR want to develop the next generation of smart phones, but also gradually replace or fusion of certain functions of daily life items.
Boundaries and standards between VR and AR
“Lack of standards is a major factor limiting the VR technology innovation.” – Dr. Kevin Curran
“I believe that the line between VR and AR will become more blurred, the two eventually merged, as I often say,” emulsification “(emulsion).” – Dr. Todd Richmond
On the relationship between VR and AR, Richmond Dr. Todd that the two eventually merged.Although some people will call it “mixed reality” (referring to virtual and physical reality merge), but in his opinion, is not a mixed reality and virtual humans (reality) and the digital world (virtual) relationship is like oil and vinegar, an adhesive is required to make it blend – and the story is just one of the adhesive VR and AR. He said, how to use technology “to break the boundaries of time and space” to make the user experience better and more sense, is a major challenge facing the industry.
Formulated in terms of technical standards, Dr. Kevin Curran respect, lack of standards is to limit the VR technology innovation is a major factor. Currently, developers must choose a specific device platform during VR VR content creation, that is, the specific content of the VR only on a certain type of equipment demonstrations, and can not be compatible with other devices. This is not only bad for consumers, but also limits the development of VR market.
As a leader in the field of VR equipment, Oculus founder expressed, Oculus Rift is an open platform, it will not self-enclosed. Another VR enterprises Valve Company is building a more open platform to support multiple manufacturers of a variety of VR devices, these devices are required to follow “OpenVR” technical standards, including the most famous HTC Vive. Other results of cooperation including cooperation with third-party hardware manufacturer Razer (Razer) to develop open-source virtual reality system (OSVR).
It is noteworthy that, OSVR as a unified platform that can decipher different vendors VR hardware input and output data, interoperate. This hardware manufacturers also good news, with OSVR, no longer need the trouble please vendor compatibility with their hardware.
However, Dr. Kevin Curran believes, VR remains unclear how the future direction of the industry. “For example, if Oculus Rift VR become the industry standard in the field of real, then its software development kit is likely to monopolize all VR content producers. If other VR vendors to seize good market share, it would more likely to develop an open industry standard. “
