Wednesday was only the second time in my life that I have used any form of virtual reality technology. I visited the Innovation Lab over two years ago with my COM 117 class and got to try out the Occulus Rift headset for about two minutes. I really got to experience different types of virtual reality on Wednesday.

The first thing I tried was the Samsung Galaxy VR headset and I did the skydiving experience. What struck me with this was that it was not 3-D graphics but a real video. I think this made it all the more immersive. While it obviously did not give me the sensation that I was falling, it felt like I was actually in the sky, thousands of feet above the ground. The sound of the rushing wind also aided in this sensation.

I next tried the HTC Vive where I was transported into a cell in Alcatraz Prison. I say transported to because it truly felt like I was in that small, cramped cell. The best part about this technology was that it allowed me to walk around, in addition to looking around. While it is limited both by the wire and the sensors, I didn't feel like it was limited because of the space that I was transported to. The cell was so small that I was able to walk around it completely without ever going outside the field of the technology. The use of real video made it feel truly real and it was an incredible experience.

Lastly, I tried the HoloLens which was different in that it was a mixed reality technology. I wouldn't call it immersive but it was still a somewhat surreal experience. Being able to walk around the room and seeing things that weren't actually there was bizarrely wonderful. I enjoyed the lack of limitations in that you can walk around freely without worrying about a wire of walking into things.

I equally enjoyed watching my classmates try out the technology. There was often a mixture of awe, confusion and amusement on their faces while they were trying the varying different technologies. Nearly every person, at one point or another, had their mouth hanging open and nearly everyone broke into a smile or laughter.

Wednesday's experience made me even more excited to delve into the technology and further understand it and how it can be utilized in the future.