CLOUDY podcast | #18 Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality

What is virtual reality?

It must be said that the boundary between the physical and the digital world is constantly collapsing, which brings immersive experiences that we could only find in the imagination of science fiction authors a short while ago.

It is a way to generate realistic images, sounds and affect other human sensations, stimulate them and put you in the middle of a virtual world. So the technology is catching up with fiction. Virtual reality is no longer just about games.

Can we say that virtual reality ever started with computer games? When did it come into being?

For example, the first headset, the first VR glasses, were created in the 1960s. And this device was so heavy that it had to hang from the ceiling. It was on a structure and displayed only simple 3D objects, and yet it was a revolutionary step for that time.

At this time, the first attempts to create an experience also came. Those devices already combined images, sound, vibrations, even smells. So imagine if you could try riding a motorcycle with the smell of gasoline.

What was virtual reality intended for anyway? What was its original intention?

The original intention, or the pioneer, was of course always the army.

What is mixed, augmented reality, cinematic reality?

We can use virtual reality as a kind of umbrella term to describe other similar technologies. Virtual reality is an immersive experience that deceives the senses and people feel like they are in another environment or in a completely different world. So, through VR glasses we get to the center of the action. We can move there using haptic controllers or manipulate virtual objects.

For virtual reality, we need a 3D image. We see it thanks to virtual glasses. It's like in our physical world - when we have an object, we put it on a table and cover one eye and then the other, the object optically shifts. That's actually the difference, that's the focal length of the eyes. And that gives us the feeling of depth and that we can grab the object.

Or then there's the cinematic, or filmic virtual reality, where the environments are not generated by a computer, but are captured from the physical environment. Shot with a special camera that is 3D and 360° degrees. And it's this cinematic virtual reality that offers the most suggestive experience for the viewer, since those environments are from the real physical world.

Augmented reality complements our physical environment, our physical world, with digital elements. It adds digital information, so it works, for example, on the principle of a QR code. So we have an AR code application for augmented reality. And it's programmed so that when the camera records an object that is set up, it brings us the desired content.

Mixed reality connects these two worlds, i.e. it connects the physical world with digital elements with the virtual world. So in this mixed reality we see the physical world around us through VR glasses, but at the same time we interact and manipulate objects with our own hands in the digital world and we also see the physical world, without having to take off our VR glasses.

Can VR be useful or is it only suitable for the entertainment industry?

In general, it has a wide range of uses. In practice, it is widely used in education, healthcare, industry, the military or navigation. And then of course there is the film industry, games...

For example, in education, imagine interactive learning. Instead of passive listening and reading, you can get to the center of the action. Going to a laboratory, looking at the human body or human organs from the inside. Or you can walk through ancient Rome, you can, for example, try piloting an airplane on a flight simulator in safety, or in healthcare you can try surgery on a simulator. There are various programs for stress relief, anxiety relief, and phobias.

In industry, imagine technicians who have their hands free to work while the information they need is displayed to them in glasses, then design and architecture. Architects can visualize buildings, spaces, and interiors before they are built.

You can visit a concert, see a gallery, and of course games are a separate category. This is where a new dimension of gameplay comes in because you also involve movement, so you are not dependent on sitting at a console and computer.

Nowadays, you can virtually meet someone in any environment regardless of geographical location. This is possible through Metaverse.

What do I need to try VR?

All you need is a quality VR headset, download the application designed for it, and then download it to your device and you're done.

Are there any restrictions for people? Some health problem, etc., what about people who wear glasses?

There are certainly some restrictions, for example, epileptics might have a problem. People with glasses don't even have a problem anymore, these headsets are made today in such a way that we can move the display away from our eyes and there is space for prescription glasses.

But yes, I know from practice that it used to be a problem, a person can forget and put on a headset with prescription glasses and scratch both the headset and the glasses. Don't forget about the sun's rays. If you put the headset with the lenses up and the sun shines, it only takes a few seconds and it acts like a magnifying glass and burns holes in your display.

For example, many people are also afraid of motion sickness. This can be solved by having a chair on wheels. So if someone is afraid, they sit on the chair and can rotate 360° degrees.

What awaits us in the future of virtual reality?

Devices will continue to get smaller, lighter, smaller, and use faster chips. Soon we will have VR glasses in classic glasses. The company Meta has already come up with the first prototype - they are called Orion AR Glasses. And in addition to sensors and cameras, they have special projectors built inside that project the desired digital content onto a certain layer of the glasses. So this is roughly the direction it should go.

You can listen to the entire podcast on Spotify, Apple podcastoch or watch it on YouTube.