The Newhouse innovation lab boasts an impressive collection of VR equipment and accessories. It has hardware for every part of the spectrum and wide array of different apps and experiences to demo on each device. As someone who has utilized this hardware before I am well aware my experience was very different from first time users. For many devices the awe of their capabilities did not necessarily phase me as it had the first time around. However I realized this gave me the opportunity to start assessing each device and experience in a much more genuine and grounded way.

Starting from least immersive to most we have the google cardboard. This is a device which is as simple as its materials, once you put your phone into it and load up the app you are ready to experience it and for this reason it is an excellent way to introduce people to VR/AR without significant learning or financial investment on the users part. That being said it was also the least immersive, because of its limited technical capabilities and the fact that it required me to hold the phone to my face the whole time. The other devices at this table had similar issues regarding immersion and comfort with some being mildly better then others in each area, but save for a headstrap most of the issues were the same.

The next device is one which I have already used quite extensively and that is the Samsung Gear. This headset is the next rung on the ladder and offers a more immersive albeit more expensive experience. The gear overall feels like much more of a real Vr experience then a gimmick like some of the lower models often find themselves being. The two apps I used: one which allowed me to explore an underwater reef and the other allowing me to experience watching a show which is something many of us are used to doing in a very refreshing way which placed me in the audience. The visuals and audio combined much more naturally and as a result I was much more entertained. However the devices reliance on a mobile phone was again a large shortcoming as its quality was much lower then the TVs and monitors I am used to, it also frequently overheated causing me to be sucked out on the experience I was currently in.

The creme de la creme of the innovation lab is the Oculus Rift Dk2 and the HTC vive, both are strictly VR headsets with a very similar offering of applications and games to try. On the oculus I tried both google earth(which I have used before and found it to be a great intro to the device) and a 3-D sculpting app which allowed me to draw and sculpt using light and other brush types in a way which was much more comfortable and precise then I would have expected. Also it is important to note that I was unbound by any wires which made navigating around my creations more comfortable but I was also confined to the oculus's smaller area. The Vive is where I spent a majority of my time(having remained in the lab long after everyone had left playing with it). I did not expect the fact that I could walk around to make much of a difference initially. I looked at the small space and scoffed, but once I was playing games and interacting, even though I was rarely moving more then 3 feet in any direction it made a monumental difference in the experience. It was like the first time I had played a videogame which was something that I hadnt really felt in 17 years. Overall I really enjoyed each device and the ramping levels of quality and immersion made for a very stimulating and thought provoking experience. I really look forward to exploring them further and am incredibly excited to see where this course goes.