Virtual Reality

Can a drug-induced psychedelic experience be replicated by virtual reality? Or, can VR induce its own unique altered state of consciousness?

Project the equivalent of a 200-inch, high resolution screen a few meters in front of your eyes, and work with PCs, mobile devices and games consoles.

Though in-flight movies are available on many airlines, sometimes you just want to escape the confines of a packed cabin. BA has started a trial where first class passengers will be able to completely immerse themselves in movies, documentaries and travel shows by popping on a VR headset.

VR has aced movement of the hands and head, but it’s still tricky to track the feet. Now games hardware company Kat is crowdfunding the Kat Loco, a set of three sensors that attach to a player’s feet and hip to translate movements in the real world into walking, running or strafing in the game.

After briefly teasing it at CES back in January, HTC has now fully whipped the covers off the new VR headset, the Vive Cosmos. The new headset features inside-out tracking, improved displays, and a modular design.

Having teased its arrival last month, Valve has now revealed all the key details for its new Index VR headset, and is opening up pre-orders today. The high-end headset can be yours for US$999 with all the trimmings, but if you already own some HTC Vive gear, you won't need to spend that much.

Doctors in the south of the UK can now run through virtual reality simulations of emergency care for folks suffering from Type 1 diabetes, before applying what they've learned on real patients.

Oculus has released other virtual reality headsets since the original Oculus Rift launched to consumers in January 2016, but now we have its true successor. The Oculus Rift S increases the optical resolution, removes the need for external sensors, and improves the comfort and fit too.

Microsoft first introduced HoloLens all the way back in 2015. The mixed reality headset went on sale in 2016, but has remained distinctly business-focused. Now, a sequel has arrived: the HoloLens 2 brings with it better ergonomics, greater immersion, and improved technology across the board.

A team of researchers from the Universities of British Columbia and Saskatchewan has built a nifty-looking crystal ball display that can produce 3D images for up to two simultaneous users, clearing the path for head-in-a-ball style teleconferencing and new kinds of 3D multiplayer gaming.

When we first set foot in Zero Latency’s warehouse-scale virtual reality system three years ago, we were blown away by how immersive the experience was. Now New Atlas has gone hands-on with the latest development, which marks a logical next step for the tech – pitting players against one another.

At CES 2019, HTC has unveiled the Vive Pro Eye, which adds eye-tracking to last year’s high-end hardware, and the Vive Cosmos, which turns the tracking inside out. On top of that, HTC has outlined software updates to its content subscription service and something called the “Vive Reality System.”