Launched by Vizuality Studios, the world’s first glimpse of commercial VR will take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel, where developers Fred Meyer, Phil Morris and Melanie Seal will demonstrate their system’s capabilities and excite the interest of potential customers in three key markets: architecture, education and entertainment.
The Vizuality system offers a completely immersive virtual experience that combines VR with motion tracking technology to enable users to walk and run around their virtual environments. To achieve this, the team has developed its own wireless headset and combined it with a high-tech motion-tracking studio, giving users the ability to physically walk around their virtual world and at the same time, cutting down on feelings of motion sickness that seated users of VR often experience.
“Virtual reality has had many ups and downs over the past few decades but more recently has been reaching the point where it is becoming commercially viable, with the big players are announcing that their VR headsets will be released to the market early next year,” said Fred Meyer, Director and Lead Developer at Vizuality Studios.
“Our research showed that headset-only VR not only doesn’t deliver the full potential of virtual reality but also has a big obstacle in that users are more prone to motion sickness. By combining motion tracking studio technology with our own wireless headset, we have been able to create a virtual experience that completely immerses the user and keeps them comfortable at the same time.”
Vizuality Studio sees a wide range of applications for VR but is focusing on architects, education and entertainment at launch.
“Our system enables architects to offer their clients and planning officers the opportunity to walk through proposed designs,” said Phil Morris, Technical Director at Vizuality Studios.
“The potential for educators is enormous. Just imagine being able to take your students to ancient Egypt! Well, now there’s no need to imagine, we have developed an ancient Egyptian environment in which kids will have great fun whilst learning in a way that appeals to the majority of their senses.”
VR’s potential in the entertainment sector is clear and users at Friday’s demonstration will be able to experience driving a Formula 1 car in Vizuality Studio’s replica of a Sauber BMW F1 or they can ride a rollercoaster, fly a US military A-10C “Tank buster” Warthog or a Royal Air Force Red Arrows Hawk.
On the commercial side, Vizuality is setting up its own studio but remains aware of the need to be flexible, so the system has been designed to be both portable and easily replicated, making it possible for companies that wish to use VR on a regular basis to have a studio built on their own premises.
“Virtual Reality at its best shouldn’t replace real life, just modify it, giving us access to so much that is just out of reach both physically and economically,” said Melanie Seal, Sales and Marketing Director at Vizuality Studios. “This time, I’m pleased to say that Virtual Reality is here to stay and I’m delighted that we’re able to launch the world’s first commercial system here in Jersey. We may be a long way from Silicon Valley but that doesn’t stop us creating world-leading products and delivering world technology firsts!”
Vizuality Studios will be presenting their Virtual Reality system at the Radisson Blu Hotel in St Helier, Jersey from 1 pm today – you can learn more here.