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7 Failed Virtual Reality Technologies

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Dug
06/05/09

In reply to 7 Failed Virtual Reality Technologies
I had the opportunity to spend 2 days working in a fairly decent 3d "cave" environment, (fakespace VR, head-tracked goggles, wand & 4 display screens) taking museum visitors on tour of reconstructed ancient places, and through a 3d display of a large dataset. At first it was more fun than I thought possible.

I expected some motion sickness, but it really was not much of a problem. But at the end of two days, I felt like I had been hit by a truck.

Taking a group of 10 - 12 people on a normal site tour is pretty exhausting. Taking 10 - 12 people on a tour where you could not just walk around, but "fly" through representations of data sapped every last bit of energy I had. After two days, I woke up and could not get out of bed. The VR lab called me at 8 am and asked if I could give one more tour, and just the idea of going back into space made me hurl.

PS, that Nintendo Virtual Boy display caused vision damage, a total disaster.
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Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
06/05/09

@Dug: That's interesting. Not many people have had that long of an experience with it, and I wonder if the exhaustion would keep it from catching on even if it was small and cheap.

"Work and fun: now with more barf and exhaustion than the real world!"
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Austin Grossman
06/05/09

In reply to 7 Failed Virtual Reality Technologies
I loved the "Giant Headset" devices. I never tried the arcade version (Dactyl Nightmare?) but on the PC games I tried (System Shock, Flight Unlimited), they produced a vivid illusion of being in a space, even on pretty low resolution display. It's too bad they never found a commercial niche - too expensive, not enough software support. Someday they'll come back!
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Garrison Dean: R.O.A.C.H.
06/05/09

@Austin Grossman: I got to play Dactyl when they had the VR arcade come through my college. What a confusing waste. By the time you figured out how to sort of control your person and where the hell you were you were done and it was someone else's turn.

The sad truth is that the whole VR movement was 10 years before its time. If they tried it now with the motion tracking they can do, the graphics capabilities and the fact that they can cheaply put HD video into a screen the size of your eyeglasses it could probably be formidable. But, sadly, I fear it will stay a nostalgia.
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Alexis
06/05/09

In reply to 7 Failed Virtual Reality Technologies
"I love the Power Glove. It's so bad"

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NerD: Blattella
06/05/09

@Evlsushi: LOL, we can all go home now.
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Garrison Dean: R.O.A.C.H.
06/05/09

@Evlsushi: This is why I can never take Rilo Kiley seriously as an indie band.
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Alexis
06/05/09

@Garrison Dean: R.O.A.C.H.: You're breaking my Rilo Kiley fangirl heart! LOL
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