Is virtual reality the future? Facebook is certainly betting that it is. The company said it would pay out $2 billion (€1.4 billion) for Oculus VR only a matter of weeks ago, as it seeks to expand into new areas.
That deal could be an indicator of something big on the horizon. Virtual reality has long been talked about, but the next generation of devices – the Oculus Rift and PlayStation’s Morpheus project, among others – may push that aspiration into reality.
If you are reluctant to shell out $350 for a product that hasn’t even hit the market yet – the current models are developer kits – a workshop at this year’s Darklight festival could provide what you need.
Smartphone and goggles
The session,
Oculus Rift Bedamned
, shows you how to create a working virtual-reality headset of your own using a 4in-screen smartphone, goggles and a few bits and pieces.
The session, which takes place tomorrow, is co-ordinated by Eoghan Kidney, a filmmaker and co-founder of animation collective Delicious 9, with input from games designer Owen Harris, who works with games firm BitSmith.
"The Oculus when it was first shown was actually a mobile phone duct-taped to some ski goggles with some extra hardware," says Harris.
“It is based on technology that we are all carrying around in our pockets. The Rift started out as a DIY viewer headset, and I’ve seen them out in the wild – they work pretty well.”
Harris will talk about his experiences with virtual reality at the workshop, giving attendees a first-hand account of what the technology can do.
He will also show some of his own experiments with virtual reality, and discuss where he sees the technology going.
'Culture-shifting'
"I think this is going to be just as important as the internet or the internal-combustion engine," he says. "This is going to be a culture-shifting technology that is going to have a huge impact on every corner of culture over the next five years."
The workshop may not build anything as slick as the devices of the future, but it will give attendees an idea of what they can do with the materials at their fingertips.
“There’s something to be said for the punk-rock aesthetic of DIY,” says Harris.
