Have you ever wondered about virtual reality? A different world, created by others or even yourself. Now, we are one step closer with new apps, bringing the capability to scan the world in 3-D. This will bring big changes in the gaming and photography industries, adding a new dimension for people's creativity to work in. The first sensor is going to be the Structure Sensor, developed as an add on for the iPad. The company behind the sensor, Occipital, has made apps that allow the sensor to scan a whole room, then add the virtual images on top of the real world images. This provides a mix of the real world and the virtual one, adding another layer of immersion. It's not just for gaming; you can also use it to scan and recreate images in 3-D if, for example, you wanted to 3-D print it. The sensor itself works by releasing infrared light outwards, then recreating objects by seeing how the light pattern is warped when it hits them.
The chip behind the sensor comes from another company called PrimeSense, who have created their own sensor known as the Capri. A game uses the sensor to take the shape of the background and turn it into your own game board, complete with virtual terrain and working physics behind the characters. The app was created by adding 3-D support to Qualcomm's Vuforia technology, which helps developers to build these kind of apps. They plan to make the technology available to all app developers next year, so soon we will be seeing these kind of apps everywhere. Sometime in the future, perhaps we will also see new devices with this technology built into it. Maybe one day, it will become something that we grow accustomed to and eventually expect in all new devices. I can see depth-sensing technology to continue to grow and grow until our 2-D photography and gaming will become entirely obsolete. One day we may see people start to not only get used too but become addicted to their own world, unwilling to leave it for the real one. The biggest question is: If the technology in this area continues to progress and become more realistic, will we lose our grip on what's real and what isn't?
October 8, 2013
This tech is great, I just wonder how long it will be until its priced so that it becomes more easily accessible to the general public.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how this will compete with the oculus rift. is virtual reality the future of gaming? in 10 years, we'll all be the controller and we can play games on our google glasses. *falls into the sarchasm*
ReplyDeleteI agree that within a few years, simple 2-D imagery will be replaced by 3-D imaging. However,will this change be good or bad? Will people lose their grip on reality? Will people become addicted to their own world, unwilling to leave it for the real one?...I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
ReplyDeleteThis helmet thing is quite cool. It's like you're a character on a game. But as you say, what if no one wants to come out of their "fantasy" world and face the "real world". What if in the future, the world looks like the movie "surrogate" then nothing would be real anymore!
ReplyDeleteI want a VR helmet that simulates smells as well.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather just have my 2d screen, 3d is a little intense for me, and I can't imagine it being very good for certain games such as DOTA or Starcraft or something. also probably way too expensive.
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