Virtual Reality...in the Classroom?

What do you think about when you hear the term "virtual reality?" Perhaps virtual gaming consoles, futuristic governmental programs or some type of space tech application? We bet that the last place you'd imagine VR being applied is inside the classroom.

However, whether you knew it or not, many institutions have been making steady progress inserting virtual reality technologies within elementary, high school and even university curriculums. The Medical Virtual Reality group at the University of Southern California Institute for Creative Technologies has been studying the use of virtual reality simulation technologies' potential implementation in medicine. A project called the World of Comenius last year installed multiple computers connected to the Oculus Rift DK2 Virtual Reality headset (we'll explore this tech in another post soon) in a classroom at a grammar school in Opava City, Czech Republic. The young students were treated to virtual biology and anatomy lessons in which they explored the different organs of their own bodies - virtually, of course. Hypergrid Business, an online publication focusing on the development of virtual reality and "OpenSim" technology, published a great article on the 5 ways virtual reality will change education. We encourage you to check it out!

This trend took another leap forward two days ago with an announcement by Google that made front-page headlines around the world. The technological giant, known for pushing the boundaries of nearly every status quo imaginable, reported the beginning of an initiative that will bring free virtual reality classroom systems to schools around the world. The program, called Google Expeditions, will provide teachers with all of the tools needed to take their students on journeys anywhere, starting by delivering "kits" to the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Brazil.  The official website describes the Expeditions as the following:

 "Guided tours of places schools buses can't go. They are comprised of virtual reality panoramas and are led by a guide or teacher. Using a tablet, teachers can guide up to 50 students wearing virtual reality viewers. Teachers can guide their class and point out highlights while referring to editable notes."

Be sure to watch the goose bump-inspiring video below - and if you're a teacher, sign up to request an Expeditions delivery to your classroom - we are sure it will enhance your students' learning. Enjoy!

The Application of VR in Journalism and Story Telling

The use and application of virtual reality technologies aren't just changing the way we entertain ourselves, they're also shifting the way in which we see and experience the news. 

Progressively journalists are considering virtual reality technology to submerse viewers in a story and give them a real sense of space.  The journalist Nonny de la Peña has broken new grounds with this technique; she first created a virtual reality film of a bomb detonating in the heart of Aleppo, Syria in 2014. She worked on this piece in conjunction with the World Economic Forum to try to express to the world the degree of suffering that children in Syria have witnessed.

Since then, other immersive journalistic pieces have emerged, including a VR documentary on the aftermath of the massive earthquake that struck Nepal earlier this year (Watch the devastating aftermath of the Nepal earthquake in VR). 

More recently, SmartNews Agency and the Okio Report recently co-produced an immersive journalism piece on the destroyed town of Jisr al-Shughur, Syria, using new VR technologies. The resulting 360⁰ video  transports viewers to the devastating scene, truly replicating the feeling of “being there."

Everything that you see, hear and experience has really happened. This video will submerge you into one of the greatest humanitarian tragedies of our era. 

Viewers can navigate through the images and explore the remains of the city by controlling the viewing angles and the directions as if they are using Google Maps' street view. 

Although a dedicated headset is recommended for an optimally immersive experience, it is not required.

Will virtual reality journalism be sufficient to get people to take action on the world's most pressing issues? Hopefully, it will at least get them thinking.

Check out the Syrian civil war VR video below:

What is Virtual Reality Anyway?

Now that we've established a blog exploring the in's-and-out's of virtual reality, it might be helpful to actually define what we're talking about in the first place!

If we check out the Cambridge dictionary we'll see that VR is “a computer system that creates an environment that looks real on the screen and in which the person operating the computer can take part.” 

Why not read the definition on Wikipedia? VR is an “immersive multimedia or computer-simulated life, replicates an environment that simulates physical presence in places in the real world or imagined worlds and lets the user interact in that world.”

Maybe we should double-check our sources.. NASA tells us that “virtual reality is the use of computer technology to create the effect of an interactive three-dimensional world in which the objects have a sense of spatial presence.” Essentially the same definition, but with a sci-fi twist.

It's clear that these explanations are quite similar and all relate to the relationship that exists between computers (and their virtual worlds) and people. 

It's also important to note, however, that VR often goes beyond the visual and auditory senses. It can also include taste, touch, smell and other sensory experiences.

But how did it all begin?

According to the University of Illinois, virtual reality technologies trace their roots back to the late 1950's when Douglas Engelbart, an engineer and inventor, realized that early computers could be connected to screens and used to solve problems. Engelbart laid the framework for a technology that, combined with powerful advancements in computing and visual graphics, would later develop into VR. 

http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/16/

morton-heiligs-sensorama-simulator 

Following Engelbart's initiatives, a visionary inventor and cinematographer named Morton Heilig created a new machine called the Sensorama that produced a reality-imitating environment. It was the first multi-sensory technology of its kind -- users were carried onto movie sets through stereoscopic 3-D images, a body-tilting platform, stereo surround sound, special wind audio tracks and aromas -- all triggered throughout different parts of a film.

Following these bursts of development, the creation and adaptation of VR technologies slowed down until the 1990's, when personal computers became more commercially available, popularity of video games soared and movies began including VR in their plot lines.  

The rest, essentially, is history. Virtual reality applications have quickly expanded into every sector: gaming, education, healthcare, the military, sciences, business, entertainment -- you name it!

Now that you know what VR really is and how it all began, you'll be much better equipped to learn about the different applications of the technology in today's world! So enjoy, share, comment and read on! 

The Beginning

To everyone that likes technology and, especially, virtual reality - welcome!

In this blog we will help you to discover how virtual reality and augmented reality are changing the way people interact with the world. We'll post about different aspects of this technology, how we can use it for more immersive learning and entertainment experiences and how industries are utilizing it to outperform the market! 

Read along with us as we discover the wonders of this incredible technological phenomenon -  your new world!