Shiyi Liu

Every time when I sat down and watched movies with my family, I said to them that I wish I could jump into the screen and feel what protagonists feel at the same moment. Immersion and empathy will become two essential elements when people are watching television, films or computers in the near future as I believe. That is the reason why virtual reality tech becomes much in demand. It is extraordinarily incredible that people can experience lives totally different from theirs by just use a VR device. Therefore, virtual reality technologies appear to be the most appealing thing I hope to learn more about. Luckily, I catch this opportunity to take the VR course during my master program.

On the first class in the innovation lab, Professor Pacheco led us to try every VR devices, such as Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift DK2 and HTC vive. Among three techniques I have experienced, the Samsung Gear and HTC vive work better than Oculus Rift Dk2 based on storytelling dimension. What impressed me most is the ocean rift experience on the Samsung device. I can see turtles, water snakes and even dolphins swimming around me, which made me believe that I am literally there. Besides, the natural bubble sound and smooth movement both provide me with a real undersea experience. My classmates also tried the ocean scene and battle for Avengers Tower, and she said that the circumstance is so real that she almost thought she was one of them. I have got into the night café scene by Samsung Gear as well, and the scenario is so real that I almost believe I am one of those guests.

The Oculus Rift Dk2 is the second equipment I used for Google Map and Tilt brush. To be honest, it is not newbie-friendly because my classmates and I all feel hard to control the holder to paint in tilt brush. However, the view is literally real and clear. Furthermore, HTC vive really makes me feel excited for the reason that I can finally experience a mature VR device with walking and touching function. The film Professor Pacheco showed us is after solitary. I saw a man standing in his room who was telling me his own story. It is quite animating because I can walk around in his room and stumble by some barricades. However, we are not allowed to interact with the protagonist in that film.

There are diverse factors affected the experience of virtual reality technologies. For instance, high screen resolution has a huge impact on the perception of the film. The ocean rift and Google Map are both perfect examples as the importance of screen resolution. A clear scene makes people feel that they are just right there. The sound is another indispensable element, especially 3D sound. I can hear surrounding natural water movement and bubbles, which let me have a sense of undersea. Moreover, the smoothness of head tracking determines the comfort degree when people are watching films by VR equipment. Personally, I hope all VR devices can be wireless because I often disturbed by different wires. Also, I feel nausea when I was using these devices, especially the Samsung Gear. I felt strong nausea in such a real scene because the movement is too quickly. In addition, myopia might be the other reason why I feel nausea.

In a nutshell, it is breathtaking for me to experience so many expensive VR technologies in one class. After using all three kinds of devices, I love the Samsung Gear best because it is the most suitable choice for home use. I am really looking forward to trying the interaction function on HTC vive. After the first class, I believe I have a brand new cognition of virtual reality. I expect to learn more about how to create the 3D scenario in order to establish a real VR circumstance.