Virtual reality: glasses for PC. Review of the best models

Points of virtual reality, oddly enough, are not a new invention in the IT industry, but at the same time one of those that are considered the most technologically advanced today. In the development of such devices, the world's leading brands are investing huge resources. A new market niche is being formed. What is the specificity of devices designed to immerse a user in virtual reality? Can I assemble a similar device to a digital amateur myself?

What are virtual reality glasses?

The development of the IT industry is accompanied by the appearance on the market of the most unusual solutions. But to name the gaming glasses of virtual reality the language does not turn out to be a wonder: similar devices are on sale in the widest range of varieties. The devices in question are intended for visualization of a multimedia stream, usually in 3D, in order to create a user's sense of presence in the game or other graphical environment.

Points of virtual reality for a PC or mobile device can be represented in various technological modifications. In a number of cases, they are called helmets, if they are supposed to be performed in the form of a device, which must be worn like a suitable device. In many contexts, the terms "glasses" and "helmet" will not be a mistake, they can be considered synonymous.

Correlation with Augmented Reality Devices

An important nuance: the devices in question and the glasses (or helmets) of augmented reality are not the same thing. How to relate these types of devices depends on the methodology adopted in this or that IT community. According to the widespread approach, glasses of augmented reality should be considered a subspecies of virtual ones. The argument is the following - in the structure of the corresponding visual images one way or another there is a digital environment that disappears after the removal of the glasses.

In accordance with a different interpretation, the glasses of virtual and augmented reality are completely different devices. The argument - the basis for visualization in the first type of device is completely digital. In the glasses of augmented reality, the basis of the environment is a real, natural environment of human habitation.

For clarity in our article, we will consider examples of devices of both types. We agree that they can be referred to one category - the points of virtual reality, that is, we take the first methodology as the basis.

Oculus Rift

Among the most famous and sold today solutions - virtual reality glasses Oculus Rift. They were created in the US, their developers - Palmer Lucky, a military engineer, and John Carmack, who created games such as Wolfenstein, Doom and Quake, which are known all over the world. Oculus Rift virtual reality glasses are also sometimes referred to as a helmet. They relate to full-fledged virtual solutions - the user's visual environment is completely digital.

Like the helmets used by Air Force pilots, the device can react to head movements. The viewing angle in the device is about 100 degrees, while many competitive solutions can provide a figure of only 45 degrees. The position of the user's head is tracked with a high frequency. The helmet allows a person to feel himself a character of a computer game from the first person, and not the subject of controlling the hero from the screen. The device uses the following sensors: gyroscope, accelerometer, infrared sensors, as well as a magnetometer.

The device is complemented by a set of development tools that allow programmers to create software that is adapted to certain types of digital devices and operating systems. Now the Oculus virtual reality glasses are compatible with the world's most popular user PCs - Windows, Linux, Mac OS X.

Samsung Gear VR

The device described above is intended for PC users. What are virtual reality glasses for a smartphone on the modern IT market? Among these - the device Samsung Gear VR. This device can also be classified as a helmet. On sale it was received in late 2014. There is a version that the developers of the Oculus Rift glasses took part in the creation of the helmet.

The technical characteristics of the Korean device are to a certain extent similar to those of the American development discussed above. So, 3D-glasses of virtual reality for mobile devices developed by Samsung, function, providing a large viewing angle - 96 degrees. They have a built-in accelerometer and gyroscope.

Separately from the smartphone, the helmet can not work, so its functionality mostly depends on the capabilities of the corresponding type of mobile gadget. At the same time, it is more likely that the smartphone is considered an integral part of virtual reality glasses. The mobile device is inserted into the device by means of a special fastening mechanism.

How is the helmet of virtual reality controlled by Samsung? Very simple. On his body there is a special touch panel that reacts to the touch of your fingers. In addition, control in the virtual space is carried out by turning the head - and in many cases this can be limited without using the touch panel.

As soon as the device starts, the user's eyes open virtual tiles, allowing you to run applications. Noteworthy are the names of some of them - Oculus 360 Photos, Oculus Cinema. It is possible that the assumptions of those IT experts who believe that the specialists who created the virtual reality glasses "Oculus" took part in developing the device, have much in common with reality.

Fibrum

Russian IT developers have also prepared a worthy response to foreign IT brands. In Kazan, the device Fibrum, also referred to the category of helmets of virtual reality. Its developer is Ilya Flux. The idea to create such a decision came to him in 2013. By the time Flux was an experienced entrepreneur, engaged in the development of computer games.

The operating principle of the Russian virtual reality glasses is quite close to the concept realized in the Korean device. The fact is that as a screen in Fibrum, as well as in the device from Samsung, a smartphone is used. This may be a device that has a screen with a diagonal of 4-6 inches. With the help of special lenses, virtual reality is created. Glasses are suitable even for those people who have problems with vision. You can use the device with myopia or farsightedness from minus 5 to plus 5 diopters. Similar to the devices discussed above, the Russian development is equipped with a gyroscope and an accelerometer. These modules, as well as a number of software algorithms implemented in glasses, allow you to track the position of the user's head.

Fibrum: features and prospects of sales

The agreements on the promotion of the marketing presence of the brand from Kazan on the IT market are concluded with re: Store, as well as with Samsung and Sony. Developers Fibrum released several of their own games for the device. It is expected that soon will be an additional set of SDK for the device. The main distinguishing feature of Fibrum - compatibility with the phone on any platform, Android, iOS or Windows Phone. In the development process - a Bluetooth-module to manage the device.

Considered by us the devices with which help virtual reality is created: glasses Oculus, Samsung Gear VR, Russian Fibrum - held products. But there are notable solutions, which are still under development, but undoubtedly deserve attention.

Microsoft HoloLens

Among the most anticipated devices are virtual reality glasses Microsoft HoloLens. They relate just to the type of gadgets building an augmented reality. The main idea of the developers is to unite the physical world that surrounds the person with the virtual world.

Using virtual reality glasses Microsoft HoloLens, you can, for example, create the illusion of the presence on the wall in his apartment a large screen, which will broadcast a movie or run a computer game. The same effect is obtained when using a table surface, a refrigerator and any other flat object of sufficient size. Through software embedded in the glasses, you can run games, create three-dimensional models, organize video conferences. The device operates due to the computational module and various types of sensors that scan the user's physical environment. A special processor processes the corresponding signals.

The main feature of virtual glasses from Microsoft is that they do not need to be connected to a PC, they work autonomously from any digital devices. Visualization is built on the basis of holograms, which are recorded in the memory of the gadget. You can create them with the help of special software - HoloStudio. Use this program is also supposed with the help of the device itself, managing it with your fingers or using voice commands.

It is expected that virtual reality glasses from Microsoft will come out with the release of Windows 10 in 2015 or somewhat later. But the broad public does not have accurate official data on this matter.

Games for virtual reality devices

Games for virtual reality glasses are created in huge numbers. Let's look at some examples. Among the popular - Half-Life 2, adapted for the glasses Oculus. A well-known "shooter", which has become very popular among gamers, moves from PC screens to virtual space. By using the Oculus helmet controls, the user can feel full immersion in the digital environment.

Another popular game for virtual reality glasses is Euro Truck Simulator 2. It allows the user to feel himself behind the wheel of a truck. IT enthusiasts note the highest realism of the game, which is achieved thanks to the technologies implemented in the helmet. A person feels himself really moving along the road.

New emotions that arise in users of helmets and virtual reality glasses predetermine a completely different perception of seemingly outdated games that were not even produced for PCs, but for gaming machines or TV set-top boxes. So, the package New Retro Arcade, adapted to helmets Oculus, allows you to make a virtual walk through the hall of machines with different games.

As we noted above, the developers of Russian virtual reality glasses Fibrum create their own games for the device. Among the notable - "Roller Coaster", "Unforgettable Journey", "Feel yourself a cowboy".

Is it realistic to make virtual glasses myself?

The structural scheme of some of the solutions presented above may seem simple enough - you need seemingly only a smartphone and several lenses. Can I make virtual reality glasses myself? Objectively speaking, this is not easy. At least because to accomplish such a task you need narrow knowledge in the field of optics. In the development of the devices we examined, huge financial resources were invested, in many ways aimed at finding components for devices optimized in terms of interaction with the user's eyes.

However, the simplest concept, according to which you can try to make virtual reality glasses yourself, looks like this. We will need the following main components: a smartphone on the Android platform, on which a special Cardboard application, a cardboard box, a knife, an adhesive tape, a ruler, and a pencil should be installed. This scheme is very simple, we do not need any drawings of virtual reality glasses. At the same time, we will create a fairly workable model of the device.

First of all, turn the box into the optimal case for virtual reality glasses. It's easy to do with scissors. The box must have three walls as a result (the right, left and back, the front one is not needed) and the bottom, the top is open.

The next component of homemade glasses is a biconvex lens. The more diopters in them, the better. Optimal lenses with a focal length of 40 mm. Cut out the holes for them in the box - in the back wall. Next, fix the lens with the help of the scotch we prepared.

Then you need to "catch" the focus for the image that is broadcast on the smartphone. To do this, place it on the screen with the lens, and then, moving it in different directions, determine the point at which the image will be most clear. Using the Cardboard application, you can watch videos that form a virtual space in a certain way, or, for example, run a panoramic program, such as Google Street View, with which you can take a virtual walk through a city.

Technologicality requires investment

Of course, this is a very simple in structure virtual reality. Points, in which world famous developers have invested significant resources, are incomparably more functional. In our sample there is neither a gyroscope nor an accelerometer. It is highly not recommended to use homemade glasses for a long time - they will be assembled, obviously, without the participation of professional specialists in optics and therefore harm the eyes.

Let and a superficial, but nevertheless quite indicative impression of the operation of this type of device, we collect points on the scheme, we can get. Also we will have an idea of how to make virtual reality glasses comparable in capabilities with the best world solutions. To do this, we will need lenses created with the participation of professional experts in optics, as well as a hardware and software complex that allows tracking the movement of the user's head and organizing convenient system management. But in order to have a competitive virtual reality, glasses should probably not be an amateurish product, but a powerful business project.