When I first used an Oculus Rift headset I was blown away, and it represented the absolute bare minimum: terrible resolution, latency, all wrapped up in a big clunky headset covered in wires. But what is the dream of virtual reality, and how far off are we from that dream?
According to Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe, the ultimate dream is a Virtual Reality device that operates like a pair of sunglasses, a device that is so convincing that it’s almost indistinguishable from actual reality.
“We will be able to put it on a pair of glasses, have face-to-face communications, we may be able to have a conference like this where we’re all sitting at home or in the office, and your brain will think you’re there,” said Iribe, speaking at Stanford University.
How far are we from that point? Two decades is the current estimate.
“To do that is going to require another few decades of work – we’re at the very beginning; we call this Day Zero. The dream of sunglass VR where we all believe we’re there is still a decade or two away.”
A decade or two? But I want it nooooooow.
[Pouty face]
But seriously, I will be happy with a hi-resolution cable free, slightly less heavy version of what I’ve already messed around with. I will buy it for a high price.
I see Virtual Reality as the new mobile phone. One day we’ll laugh at the clunky things we once wore on our head, but when it first arrives to market, it will revolutionise everything.
Oculus boss: True virtual reality is ‘a decade or two’ away [The Register]
Comments
16 responses to “The Dream Of Virtual Reality Is Two Decades Away”
I did a presentation on Virtual Reality in year 12 in 1992. Nek 22 years later, day zero.
Absolutely agree that it will revolutionise everything. It will not be a game-changer, it will be a world-changer. Sounds lofty but I have no doubt.
I’m so very glad I’m (likely) going to live to see that. It’s also going to make those last few years in an old folks home a whole lot more enjoyable than playing Bingo all day.
Maybe they’ll release ‘Virtual Retirement’ in Australia, eh? 😉
Nice RE4 reference.
Ok, I’ve re-read four times now, can you please point it out to me?
Inception.
lol, stranger. I had almost forgotten the merchant,
As soon as they have ARMA-VR and elder scrolls VR working I’m basically inserting a feeding tube and saying goodbye to everyone. It’s going to be awesome.
Get out of my head!
Looks like someone at Oculus has read Virtual Light.
People need to read net force by clancy. Thats where I see vr heading. Although that series had an optimistic timeline setting, I think the first one starts in 2015
NerveGear
nuff said
It’s not heavy…
And in every article since about 1975, artificial intelligence is about 2 decades away. I get the feeling VR is going to be the same. I keep coming back to the cost of content creation, can’t see a way past that.