virtual reality

Andrew bought an HTC Vive virtual reality device and he says it's a blast to play games with it. But it's a few years old now and wants to know what's the new hot device for VR? Leo says that Facebook pretty much owns the VR space now with the Oculus Quest 2. But he will have to log into a Facebook account to use it, which Leo doesn't like. And if he uses a dummy account, they can cancel his Quest account and make the device useless. Outside of that, development in VR has really slowed down.

Virtual Reality Desktop?

Episode 1635

Grant from St Paul, Minnesota

Grant is interested in a Virtual Reality desktop experience. Microsoft was looking to push that idea with their Hololens for VR, but Leo believes they are backing off on that idea as people believe there's still a ways to go with VR. Having to wear VR goggles for so long can potentially make you sick and that you can't see the world around you. Augmented Reality, or Mixed Reality as Microsoft is calling it, is a possible fix around Microsoft is pushing since it overlays information onto your display while enabling you to still see the world around you.

Oculus Announces VR Social Network

Episode 1631

This week, at Oculus annual VR conference, Oculus announced a new virtual social network called Facebook Horizon, where you can join friends in a virtual room and hang out. It's like the infancy of Ready Player One. Leo says it makes sense now the way Facebook would spend $3.2 Billion for Oculus, now. They see the future. Here's what it will look like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=Is8eXZco46Q

Dick DeBartolo, The Giz Wiz

Episode 1537

The Virtuali-Tee offers a guided tour inside your body! It's easy. Put the Virtuali-Tee shirt on, open the app and point your device’s camera at the Virtuali-Tee. The app scans the Virtuali-Tee and you'll see an image of the internal body system. Then you can – and kids will love this part – virtually dissect the organs in gross detail! Tap anywhere on the screen to peel back the layers of the body and interact with the different systems and organs by clicking on the hotspots.

Can virtual reality be used to treat chronic pain?

Episode 1536

Ted from Camarillo, CA

Ted has an article about virtual reality, where Cedar Sinai hospital is using VR to treat chronic pain. Is that legit? The software costs about $2,000, so he's not sure he wants to buy into it. Leo says that there is an article from the National Institutes of Health about the work being done studying how to use VR to treat pain. . Here's another from journals.plos.org.

Leo Tries the Magic Leap VR Headset

Episode 1532

Leo had a chance to try out the "Creator's edition" of the new Magic Leap Virtual Reality Headset. Magic Leap has raised $1.4 Billion to create this VR headset. Leo says that selling a developer's edition is the new Beta. People buy them, and then shake out the bugs. Leo says that while VR is initially a wow experience, over time, you start to get sick to your stomach. And while Magic Leap was interesting, Leo says we are still in the infant days of virtual and augmented reality.

Magic Leap Jumps into VR Headset Game

Episode 1517

Magic Leap has jumped into the VR headset game with a strange looking goggle like headset that makes you look like an alien when wearing them. It's called Magic Leap One, and it's a developer edition, so most people won't get it in this form. As the field continues to mature and more companies offer headsets, though, the price will go down.

Why doesn't Oculus Rift work with my computer?

Episode 1516

Austin from Norwalk, CA

Austin bought an Oculus Rift but it doesn't work with his computer. Leo says that the Rift requires a lot of computer power, and so he'll likely have to upgrade his computer. What about the Gear VR? Leo says that Gear VR is for the mobile device. One thing he may want to look at is the Oculus Go.

Can I watch streaming video on my Oculus Go?

Episode 1508

Dale from Palmdale, CA

Dale says that DirecTV has an insurance protection program that will protect your TV in case it dies. They will either fix or replace it. It costs $7.99 a month. Leo says that insurance is a very good business.

How can I create 360-degree stills and videos?

Episode 1475

Shawn from Tampa, FL

Shawn is an architect, and he has invested in some 3D technology that allows him to do walkthroughs and 360-degree video. The background format he uses is called a Skybox. He wants to be able to go out to a client's land and put together his own background so he can give the clients an idea of what it will be like as a finished product. Leo says that the Skybox file format is particular to Enscape, but he says it's also easy to convert to another format. He should look for a way to convert Skybox to a YouTube video or Facebook.