I rowed a boat in a river and swam with fish in the deep ocean. I did all that by sitting on a chair at the Newhouse lab and putting on the virtual reality device(s).

I tried the four available VR headsets. The two versions of Oculus Rift, DK1 and DK2, the Samsung VR gear and the Google cardboard and it was a phenomenal visual experience.

Everyone seemed excited to try the VR headsets. For some, it was not a novel experience, but many (including me) were trying these for the very first time.

The scenes and the animated elements were vivid and life-like.

I liked Samsung's VR device and the Oculus Rift DK2 the most. They seemed the best in terms of a really great virtual visual experience.

At first, I was really hesitant to try the devices because I was scared I might feel nauseous but I felt fine after trying the devices. Although, Google cardboard did make me feel giddy, but just a little bit. The devices seemed to have minor glitches. For instance, with Oculus Rift DK2, there was a lapse in time continuum when I turned my head back and forth swiftly but otherwise it was great.

The animation gave away that you were in a virtual world not an alternate one! While rowing the boat through the Oculus Rift DK2, I could see my animated arms and feet and that took my mind off the scene, as I could not picture myself in rower’s shoes.

But these are minor glitches that can be fixed. The overall experience was incredible. There’s so much scope to improve as this is merely a testing stage for what’s going to come in the near future. I was amazed to see the range of improvement between Oculus DK1 and DK2 as it has happened in about six months or so. The bulky DK1 looked juvenile compared to DK2 with the range of features it offered and the spherical head tilt.

Head tracking was much smoother in DK2 and so was the spherical range of vision. The sound effects definitely added to the visual experience but might not have been necessarily relatable. For instance, the Great River scene in Oculus Rift DK2 was nice and serene but not “real”.

I am interested in understanding how  VR as a tool can help create a transitional space and be used to tackle real-life issues. I came across a teaser for "Phobos" on Oculus VR share page that can potentially help with cognitive behavior therapy. It is aimed to help with people's fears and anxiety syndrome.

I think VR will most definitely add a new dimension to the way stories are being told. I recently came across some journalistic pieces that have been done in the VR format. Project Syria is one such example. The project depicts real life bombing scenarios in Syria along with displaced Syrian refugees to tell a story. I feel that this is just a tip of the iceberg and there’s so much that one can do via the medium of VR technology.

I am enthused to explore new avenues in the VR medium through this class.