iVROX

August 6, 2018

5 Virtual Reality Applications for Artists

Virtual reality (VR) is probably the most used oxymoron of this century, and it is only in recent days that people have started to get their heads around the breadth and scope of this technology. Virtual reality is dream like. In fact, it is a dream but with the added fact that you are conscious about your presence in it. While virtual reality will affect everyone’s life in one way or another, it is the painters who will see the most colourful side of it. If you are someone with slightest interest in painting, here are five VR applications to take things to the next level.

1. Tilt Brush

If there is one tech giant that seems to push technologies like virtual reality and artificial intelligence to the next level, it’s Google. Google’s Tilt Brush is a perfect example of how the company wants to bring something fresh and dazzling to the table every time. This VR application lets you create 3D paintings in a virtual world.

You don’t need a canvas in this world – draw anything anywhere. You can take a walk around the art you create and use a variety of brushes and other options to create a world that you had only imagined in your dreams before. Keep in mind that Tilt Brush is only compatible with HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.

2. CoolPaintrVR

It has been some time since Google’s Tilt Brush has been out. It was about time when someone stepped up and took this idea to the next level. CoolPaintrVR from WildBit Studios is just that. Enter the dreamlike world of CoolPaintrVR, which is compatible with PSVR, to satisfy the artist in you. Once you enter the application, you are in a world that’s nothing less than a dream.

You can create your masterpieces using the various brush types and colours that are available. You don’t have any limitations on where you can draw and where you can’t. The world is yours and your creations are only limited to your imagination.

3. Gravity Sketch

This is yet another amazing application that’s not only for entertainment but productivity as well, and it runs on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Just like CoolPaintr VR, you can enter the virtual world to create 3D objects. Once you have created the objects, you can even print them out. The best thing about the application is that it lets you sketch professional object models as well. You can be in the virtual world joining various geometrical shapes to create your new futuristic car using this application.

4. Kingspray Graffiti Simulator

Just like Gravity Sketch, Kingspray Graffiti Simulator works only on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. As cool as graffiti looks, drawing it can be quite a daunting task. You can’t use other people’s walls and vehicles to try your spray painting skills.

As soon as you do that, there will be police ready to take you behind the bars. However, this art must be shackled and to let your graffiti artist free you have Kingspray Graffiti simulator. Draw whatever you like and wherever you like without ever fearing that the police will approach you from somewhere. It is all legal and in fact, much more fun than drawing in reality because of its dreamlike atmosphere.

5. Graffiti Paint VR

You are going to love this one because it is not limited to only a particular headset. It runs on Android, so any VR headset that can accommodate your Android phone is perfect to play this game. Keep in mind that this application will not work if you don’t have a VR controller or at least an action button on your VR headset.

Once you are in the application interface, you can use the tilt of your head to pick the colours and draw whatever you want in the form of graffiti. The addition of a colour picker is intelligent so you can pick and draw with any colour you can imagine. You can change the radius of your spray, save your images and load them later to continue working on your old ideas.

Here you go. These are some of the best VR applications for creatives that can let you create your own worlds. As the time passes, you might see even more advancement wherein you would create a moving world around you and never want to feel like coming out of it.

July 4, 2018

Immersively Affordable: 5 VR Headsets You Can Buy For Less Than £80

Once an attraction in sci-fi movies, virtual reality (VR) has now become a reality of today. (No pun intended.) The technology has become so accessible that you can buy an affordable VR headset, stow your smartphone in it and explore virtual worlds like you were a part of them. Here is a list of 5 VR headsets you can purchase without breaking the bank. Please note: Prices are accurate as of the end of May 2018.

Merge VR

They are made out of flexible foam for the comfort of your face when you wear them for a long time. You can conveniently use this headset with any Android or iOS-powered device. The weight is just 340 grams, and what makes them special is their shock and water resistance.

You can clean them with a piece of cloth, use left and right buttons for input, and adjust lenses according to your needs. You can find them in special offers for as low as under £50 (GBP). The Field of View (FOV) for this device is 96^o.

Google Daydream 2

The second version of the Google Daydream is a huge improvement from the first iteration of these headsets that were only compatible with the Google Pixel lineup of smartphones. They weigh 261g and the main material they are made from is fabric. You place a smartphone in the headsets to make them work. The device features a homemade VR interface, which allows you to download content and apps from Google Play. You can navigate through the system while wearing your headset.

Furthermore, the VR headset can be controlled via a remote. The FOV of the Google Daydream 2 is an upgrade on the initial iteration – 100^o compared to 90^o. The headset is compatible with almost all Android smartphones. While the device is expensive, you can find it in some stores for under £60.

Samsung Gear VR 2

2017’s upgraded black Samsung Gear VR 2 might be a stylish VR headset but it is, perhaps surprisingly, among the heavy ones at 420g. It has a 96^o FOV and easy to use control panel on the right side of the headset. It also features backward compatibility, but unfortunately it is compatible only with smartphones produced by Samsung. These too are among the more expensive VR headsets on the list but you can search for a special offer to get them for under £79.99.

Well, it would be pretty silly not to mention ourselves now, wouldn’t it? iVROX VR headsets are also among the cool-looking ones (if we do say so ourselves) due to their stylish design. Like other headsets, the iVrox is powered by smartphones. Eye strain is minimal due to the anti-glare lens combined with a 103^o field of view. The VR headset is compatible with iOS and Android, allowing you to enjoy the wide variety of apps available on the App Store and Play Store.

You can of course also access iVROX’s own VR Store. They have a design compatible with almost any smartphone, provided the screen size is between 4 and 6 inches. You can also use the Bluetooth compatible remote control for a seamless VR experience. Get your hands on great deal to get them at under £49.99.

ZEISS VR ONE Plus

The highlight of these headsets is the ZEISS optics. They are eyeglass compatible and the head strap can be removed too. VR ONE Plus supports any smartphone between the screen size of 4.7-inch to 5.5-inch. It has a nearly 100^o FOV. It is made of foam that you can detach when it wears out. These headsets are among the cheaper ones that you can conveniently get them at under £79.90.

Zeiss VR ONE Plus These are some of the most affordable VR headsets on the market that offer an authentic virtual reality experience without disturbing your budget. While there are many other gadgets out there, with these you get the best bang for your buck.

June 18, 2018

How Virtual Reality Can Transform Language Teaching

In the connected world that we live in, having command on multiple languages can be a great plus for anyone. In some countries, learning English serves as a way for people to find jobs in foreign countries to achieve financial stability. However, these people are often faced challenges when it comes to grasping command on other languages. Their language training is often missing the vital elements that help a person learn a language quickly. Virtual Reality (VR) might be on the verge of changing that completely. VR technology is quickly penetrating into educational landscapes and transforming the way students learn.

Learning / Education Before talking about VR’s role in language learning, let’s take a look at the common challenges faced by students while learning other languages.

Common Challenges When Learning a Language

Non-Practical Learning

In most language classes, teachers end up teaching language like any other theoretical subject. They teach grammatical rules and help students dissect sentences, eventually enabling them to make sentences without external help. However, these sentences are often very “literary” i.e. they don’t fit in day-to-day conversations. Consequently, the student is able to make sentences but has a hard time “conversing” in a real-life situation.

No Exposure To Native Speakers

It can help a student big time to be able to talk to a real person who speaks the language the student is learning. However, the student has to talk to other students who are not very good at speaking the language themselves. The teacher, on the other hand, does not have enough time to converse with every student individually. Such lack of exposure to native speakers makes learning difficult for the student.

Non-Experiential Learning

Experiential learning is when a student can be a part of the situation and learn from it. Classrooms are classrooms, no matter how much you change their settings. Mimicking a real-life situation is close to being impossible in a classroom. As a result, a student is never fully able to experience a situation and loses to the pressure of a real-life situation causing him/her to choke while trying to speak another language. Did you know retention rate is up to 90% for experiential learning as compared to only 5% for traditional learning?

Boring And Monotonous

The whole idea of treating language learning like any other subject makes the whole experience quite boring for most students. They get to listen to 45-minute lectures, read from small booklets and convert sentences just like they do in any other subject’s class. The boredom causes lack of motivation and non-interest affects learning negatively.

How VR Is Overcoming These Challenges

VR can provide a solution to every issue that existing language learning system has today. Students can become a part of a world using virtual reality – a world in which they can interact with life-like characters. For them, it will be like talking to native speakers. Furthermore, learners will be able to walk into real-life situations, which is as close to reality as it can get. Some companies have already created such applications for language learning and the Mondly VR app is a great example of that. This application has been designed for language learning and it allows students to be in real situations for experiential learning.

Second Life is a virtual world that allows people to have real-life experiences and get exposure to things that might otherwise appear boring on textbooks. Another language learning platform Alelo has also added VR to its web-based learning.

The Challenges in Implementing VR for Language Learning

Since VR in education is in its early stages, there are many challenges that it has to overcome with the passage of time. Some of the common issues that VR implementation faces in learning languages are as follows:

The technology needs to be more prevalent than it is right now. At the moment, there are very few companies with VR applications that are specifically for language learning.
VR headsets have to be affordable too because language institutes in under-developed countries cannot afford to invest in expensive technologies no matter how useful they are. There are some companies with products like our own iVrox VR, Merge VR or Freefly VR that are trying to provide high-level VR experience at affordable prices.
The teachers with old-school approach have to embrace the technology rather than pushing it away due to the fear that it might take away their jobs.

Final Thoughts

There should not be a hint of doubt that VR can play a revolutionary role in transforming not just language learning but the entire existing education system. With more and more companies realizing the changing landscapes of education sector, you can expect the technology to improve fast and become affordable and accessible to everyone around the world.

May 31, 2018

A Brief History of Virtual Reality

Although virtual reality (VR) technology may seem like something out of a science fiction movie, this innovation isn’t as new as you might think. While people argue, sometimes at length over what the true definition of VR is, many of the ideas that led to where we are with today’s immersive technology has roots in developments several hundred years ago. In terms of inventions, VR had developed as an idea around the time that practical photography was established.

There is, of course, one thing to conceive of the idea and another to actually bring the idea to fruition and there were many efforts to properly execute the idea of VR. The first recorded instance being in 1838, when the stereoscope, the first of its kind, was introduced.

After the modest stereoscope came the Link Trainer in 1929. This was a Flight Simulator that featured a small device that was driven by a motor. While these helped in imitating the turbulence associated with flights, there were other motors connected to the steering that could influence other aspects such as the pitch. This device, however, wasn’t some game invented for the thrill but rather to train pilots in a safe yet effective manner.

Link Trainer Consistent advancements eventually led to the making of a patented device, the View-Master, in 1939. A brand still going to this day.

In 1960, head-mounting gear made its first appearance and was invented by Morton Heilig, but it was far less interactive from what we can experience today. Eight years later, Ivan Sutherland and Bob Sproull attempted to connect the head mounted display to a computer instead of a camera and created what came to be known as ‘The Sword of Damocles’.

But in doing so, the resulting device was too large and bulky for a user to wear on its own, thus it hung from the ceiling. Wearers could see a series of 3D generated computer graphics that, while advanced for their time, would look like pixelated boxes to us now.

Even though the creation of what we know as VR technology was in the works back in the 1800s, the term itself made its debut in the 1980s. That was when the founder of VPL Research, Jaron Lanier, started working on his own version of what we now call ‘gear’, which also included special sense gloves and goggles that would help the wearer experience the phenomenon of VR.

After this milestone, there were a number of impressive feats that were accomplished. To begin with, VR was made accessible to the public in the early 1990s, in the form of arcade games where a headpiece could be worn and used to view graphics. A few years later, videogame giant SEGA announced that they would be creating VR glasses to accompany their Sega Genesis/Mega Drive console. Revealing it to the public at the Summer International Consumer Electronics Show (SCES) – what is now CES – in 1993. Although, it would never come to market.

SEGA’s big rival Nintendo followed suit with a VR push and in 1995, they introduced the Nintendo Virtual Boy to their devoted base of customers. Even though the excitement that surrounded this console hit that of its predecessors out of the park because it was portable, it slowly diminished. That was because the console didn’t abide by the standards of ergonomics, and was thus discontinued.

Virtual Boy For a number of years the idea of VR was something of a laughing stock, a tech industry punchline. Arguably that changed at the brink of the new millennium – not through any technological leap, but when the film The Matrix was released. Featuring protagonist Neo who lives in a completely virtual world, the movie had a huge impact on viewers who looked forward to such a possibility in the future. The idea of VR breathed again.

Onto (and into) the 21st Century and more recent history which has brought with it many advancements most would have considered futurisitic even a decade ago. The development of VR skyrocketed and with the advancements in smartphone technology a huge number of mobile owners now have the ability to use VR practically in their pocket. Now, reigning tech giants like Samsung and Google and virtual reality focused companies (such as ourselves at iVROX) are all enjoying their share of popularity when it comes to being known for their VR devices. It’s strange to think that so many people have now been able to try out VR – a concept that seemed impossible just a few decades ago.

What changes will the next year, or five, bring?

April 30, 2018

Immersive Learning: How VR Is Changing The Nature Of Education

Teaching is about exciting the imagination of students, opening the door for further exploration and developing their understanding of the world around. It’s a journey each of us go on from a young age and an experience that can leave an indelible mark on us as we move forward throughout our lives. The methods used to facilitate this process of discovery vary from teacher to teacher, from class to class. However, what is ubiquitous across all forms of education, is the desire to impart wisdom, to intrigue young minds and send them off on their own voyages of discovery.

Titanic VR model shot 3 Technology has always played a part in this process but now, with the proliferation of low cost virtual reality (VR) solutions, the classroom experience is beginning to enter a whole new realm of interactivity, crafting experiences never seen before. VR technology allows for a complete reconceptualization of the relationship between the student and what he or she is taught. No longer do teachers have to simply describe what life was like on say, the Titanic; now students can explore it for themselves. No longer do teachers have to rely solely on description and video media to explain the inner workings of the human body; simply put on a headset and you’re off swimming alongside red blood cells.

Ever since the inception of VR technology in its current form, some have been doubtful if headsets could get into the hands of students on a truly large scale. VR units have historically come at a high cost – with products such as the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive coming in at the steepest sum – hindering the ability for VR newcomers to fully understand the impact it could have on the teaching process. For headsets to move out of gaming space and truly find the mass audience required to influence other aspects of everyday life, developers have created lower cost solutions i.e. headsets able to work with compatible smartphones. In the context of education, this small but significant step spells the difference between one VR unit per class and one per student, opening the possibility for shared classroom experiences using low cost solutions and creating a culture of VR use. (Rather than individual cases, unable to maintain the adoption rate needed to foster belief in new technologies.)

There are ways significant effects VR could have on teaching. First, as has been established, the realm of possibility for the types of experience offered within the classroom environment would grow exponentially. The exploration of distant planets would become commonplace; an exciting safari just before lunch would become the norm. But another aspect could be even more significant: students may connect with otherwise “stale” subjects, in ways they never thought possible, through the implementation of technology. Now, we all had subjects we liked and didn’t like back in school but imagine the implications of a young student today, using VR to explore the wonders of say, chemistry. The form of that experience could excite his/her mind in new ways, precisely because VR goes beyond mere words, facilitating interactivity and creativity by drawing upon a growing range of software programs.

Low cost apps such as Unimersiv allow for a range of experiences, from a fully animated journey into the human brain to an exploration of Ancient Rome, whilst Google Expeditions allows for VR field trips to over one hundred locations worldwide from the comfort of your average classroom.

Experiences such as these are changing the nature of education, allowing for greater freedom, creative expression and immersion, opening whole new avenues for students to explore.

April 23, 2018

5 Historical Events And Time Periods You Can Visit In VR

Virtual Reality (VR) is a tool that can be used for complete immersion into a number of different experiences. Everything from horror videogames to simulating the experience of flying. There are a wealth of user experiences to try in VR. As VR applications become more realistic and as more genres are explored, it’s possible to give VR users the chance to take on new experiences.

One of the most popular new applications that VR users are enjoying is an app called Timelooper. This application allows individuals to completely immerse themselves in historical scenes from the past. Timelooper can help to place people into accurate historical scenes where they can experience them from a first-person view.

Timelooper isn’t the only way to experience history from the perspective of VR of course, you can also can find excellent immersive content on YouTube.

Both app and service can be fantastic for education and for helping people truly feel like time travelers! If you are interested in trying Timelooper or other history video content, here are some five historical events and time periods that you can currently visit in VR:

Washington’s Inaugural – 1789

Experience Washington’s inauguration in the year 1789 through the Timelooper app. This re-creation was filmed on location in period costume and it is truly a unique moment in history where you can step back and experience the inauguration of the first president of the United States. If you are a presidential history buff or you are simply interested in what public gatherings were like in the year 1789, this is a wonderful experience to try.

Pearl Harbor – 1941

Experiencing the attacks on Pearl Harbor firsthand is possible thanks to a TIME magazine experience that has been published on YouTube. In a 360° video you can listen to a veteran retelling their experiences over some stunning visuals in a beautiful tribute to those that lost their lives. Although this is a short experience it can truly leave an impact.

The John Lennon Memorial – 1980

This experience which dates back to the year 1980 is a 360° immersive experience of what it would be like to attend the John Lennon Memorial. With scenes filmed at the time and remastered into a 360° experience, you attend John Lennon’s Memorial first-hand just like a time traveller. This is another experience built just for Timelooper VR.

Dunkirk – 1940

In the Dunkirk VR Experience also published by Time magazine, you can go through a four minute journey of what the beaches of Dunkirk were like during this bloody battle. This experience places you on the beach with British forces as you are waiting to be picked up. It can be haunting but an incredible VR experience to visit. It was created as a preview for the Dunkrik film by Christopher Nolan and features many of the same costumes and sounds that were found in the film. If you are a fan of this film or if you are a history buff interested in this event from World War II, this could be an experience that you should try first.

Life As A Viking – c.800-1050

See what a true Viking battle was like from a 360° camera that was brought into a re-enactment fighting pit. With a gigantic group of 600 reenactors all armed with real axes and swords, you can join in the immersion and see what a true Viking battle would be like. National Geographic filmed this re-enactment on location at the Wolin Festival. The sounds and the visuals make you feel as though you are clashing swords with everyone first-hand!

Keep in mind that VR is now making it easier for anyone to transport themselves into a number of incredible experiences. With the help of immersive content you can find in Timelooper and Youtube, you can feel like a time traveler and see what it was like to be at each one of these important moments in History!

April 3, 2018

Searching For Mobile VR: Places You Can Get Apps Easily On Android And iOS

If you have just picked up a virtual reality (VR) headset or even put together your first Google Cardboard you may be interested to know where you can find all the best VR applications available right now. There are millions of apps available in the app stores across Android and iOS, but sorting out the ones that are VR apps can be a big challenge.

Works With Google Cardboard Rather than sorting through thousands of results it could be easier to browse through VR apps in a single place through the use of categories. Going to a single VR store that only contains VR apps instead of the other generic apps on the App Store and Google Play Store could save you a lot of time.

Comparing three VR apps platforms available on Android and iOS:

Some of the best places to simplify your search is with the help of apps like WearVR, the iVROX VR Store and the Google Cardboard app. Rather than using the App Store or the Google Play, these are stores that can display only the latest in VR apps from both major marketplaces. Downloading these VR stores will eliminate all of the generic applications and ensure that you can quickly find VR apps compatible with your device.

We did a quick comparison between these three to help you choose your favourite VR app platforms available right now:

WearVR

The WearVR marketplace is a listing of over 1000 VR games and experiences. It was founded in 2014 in Atlanta, USA and in Leeds, UK. WearVR offers a wide range of great experiences including 360°. This app stands as one of the leading independent reality application stores available right now. It features apps of almost every type including social apps, horror apps, immersive VR games, multiplayer experiences and more. If you want to try out a series of immersive worlds this is an application with massive compatibility and all the latest apps that can be added to the system as soon as they are launched.

Cardboard App

Cardboard is a Google product and it’s created to help you source apps that are VR compatible. The app was launched in 2014 with the Google Cardboard VR system by Google California. By installing the cardboard app libraries, you can sort through a wide range of content that’s compatible with your VR device. The app sends out notifications for new VR apps which could suit your interest. Some of the most popular applications that are available on Cardboard include Exhibit, Arctic Journey, Photo Sphere, Tour Guide and Earth. As Cardboard is a Google product however, it doesn’t offer the best support for iOS devices.

iVROX VR Store

This VR Store is designed to help you discover the best in video contents and VR apps that can work with any VR device powered by Android or iOS. It was developed by iVROX in 2017 under this Franco-British company specialised in VR. Through this platform, you can find hundreds of games, 360° videos and VR apps all compatible with your smartphone. Rather than sorting through thousands of listings, the VR store by iVROX puts them all at your fingertips and simple to download on your device.

The categories available in this platform include a top 20, action, horror, simulation, social, camera apps, video players and more. The store is consistently adding new experiences. The iVROX VR Store that gets updated quite often features an astounding number of videos and apps that can lead to hundreds of hours of VR exploration.

iVROX VR Store Getting started with these stores just means finding and downloading any one of these VR stores from the App Store or the Google Play Store. They can look somewhat similar to the typical stores, only that they will display just VR compatible applications. With so many different categories available you can have the same wealth of choice that you did in a classic app store but without having any apps that might be incompatible or not in VR.

One of the best parts about using these new app listings is that there is no need for the complicated sorting and going through the other app markets.

With a market that can install just as easily as any other app on the smartphone, these stores remain one of the easiest ways to find the best VR content for your device with a compatibility rating on the VR experience. Ultimately, when it comes to having better VR experiences on any smartphone device, using a specific VR store function for finding apps remains one of the best paths to take. Check out Wearvr, the iVROX VR store and the Google Cardboard app to start improving your VR experience in finding new applications.

March 8, 2018

VR Film: A Cinema Inside Your Head

When many people think of virtual reality (VR) applications, their thoughts return to the idea of videogames or immersive experiences like simulations. VR headsets utilise some of the best in display technology today and what many VR users are discovering, is these devices can be excellent for creating a home theater experience even on a budget.

VR headsets are changing the way that people are viewing video content. Not only is there a wealth of unique streaming content available for VR devices, like up close and personal views on sporting events, but many users are even plugging in their VR headsets for applications like Netflix and regular content streaming.

VR headsets can be extremely immersive for watching any type of video. Just like with the simulation programs that bring you right into the action, a VR headset can help to play any 2-D film on a screen that is so immersive it’s like being at the theater. With the high quality sound or a pair of surround sound headphones, it’s possible for users to get virtually the same experience that they would in the theater all with a VR headset that is considerably cheaper to set up.

Building a cinema screen with surround sound in your home could be a dream of yours but with the cost of a high quality speaker system, a large screen television and then a device capable of offering quality surround sound and picture, you could be spending hundreds if not thousands of pounds more. You could equip yourself and even a guest with a high-quality virtual screen for a cinema experience on VR.

Why should you watch films on a VR device?

It can truly feel like being at the theater:

When you go to the theater you expect to see a giant screen that fills your entire field of view. A VR device is designed specifically to fill an entire field of view with an HD screen that is generally even better than a theater experience. The screen on a VR device can be just like sitting in an IMAX film and with an even higher quality picture.

The sound can be immersive:

Using a high-quality video file and a pair of high definition headphones, you can get the same results that you would experience from a theater surround sound system. The sounds of the films can easily offer a premier cinema experience, especially when paired with VR or a VR headset that has high definition sound included.

Watching VR films is quite easy:

With a digital movie that you download or pay for from a company like iTunes, you can perform quick conversions using some applications to have zero issues with watching VR films on a mobile phone VR headset. Converting files into a VR/SBS format has become easier than ever before through apps like iVROX VR player, Go VR and Moon VR that you can download for free on Google Play Store or App Store.

It is like having a full theatre on the go:

A VR headset can often be paired with a gaming console, used with a smartphone or even used with a desktop computer. This is far more portable than bringing along a full sized home surround sound system and a big-screen television wherever you may be. You can get the same cinema quality experience with items that could easily fit along with you on holidays or as you travel.

As you can see, watching video content on VR headsets can be one of the best ways to get an immersive entertainment experience today. If you have a VR headset and you haven’t watched a feature-length film, you should give it a try today!