Archive : XR

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VR, XR

Using XR to Get Away: Elevator Jones in the Era of Social Distancing

My son loves elevators. I call him Elevator Jones. Before COVID we’d go to the malls, office buildings, hotels, Metro, and anywhere else that elevators existed and take dozens of rides. We would record the outing with my phone, a video camera, or my trusty Samsung Gear 360.

We cannot go anywhere during this pandemic. He does not quite understand what this means, though he accepts it…to a point. He keeps asking when we can go back to visit the mall, ride the elevators at the office building, and stay at hotels again. I do not have an answer for him.

In my earlier post Escaping with Virtual Reality I wrote about using XR—Virtual Reality (VR) specifically—for social and entertainment. An extension of that is getting away. For my son that has a therapeutic effect.

If you have videos, use ‘em

We had taken quite a few videos before the pandemic happened, both regular style and 360-degree videos. He already loved reviewing those videos at home on his iPad and in our Oculus Quest VR headset. Now they are critical.

Boy wearing a VR headset watching videos of elevators
Elevator Jones in an Oculus Quest

You may already have some photos and videos you’ve taken in the past. If you’re lucky you have some 360 videos too. Either way, you can pop them into your VR headset and immerse yourself in another world. A pre-COVID world.

He loves watching videos we took together of elevators, my office, and the amusement park. While he would prefer to go there in person, this is an effective stand in for the real thing. At least for now.

The Internet of Content

If you do not happen to have photos and videos you can use there is plenty to find on the internet, including videos of the 360-degree variety.

In fact, if you are an elevator buff like my son there are literally thousands if not millions of elevator videos on YouTube to enjoy. YouTubers such as Diesel Ducy, JimLiElevators, and Floridian Elevators have been posting videos for years. There are hundreds if not thousands more. They have massive followings online. It’s a beautiful community. I started the Elevator Jones channel on YouTube to add to the pile. Maybe one day I’ll be able to add more.

360-degree photo of the CNN Center in Atlanta
A 360-degree photo from our trip to Atlanta

My son also loves malls. There are videos from folks such as Dan Bell and Sal that document the rise and decline of malls. This is a topic that fascinates me too. I grew up in the mall era. I love watching videos of dying malls, abandoned malls, closed malls. Another great escape are videos of abandoned places by the likes of Mobile Instinct and Bright Sun Films.

Getting into the 360-degree and VR side of things, check out the YouTube VR site. NextVR also looks promising, but we may have to wait and see what Apple does with them. Check out AFS-USA Explore. Companies like Ascape are making VR videos for the travel industry and many of these are on YouTube VR.

Give it a try

Just because you are stuck at home and not able to go to your favorite destinations does not mean you cannot visit those places. Pull out the photos and videos you took. Put them on your VR headset. Find some new content online. Try out a new VR travel app.

The world is still out there. You just need to look.

Joel Ward 0
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AR, VR, XR

Escaping with Virtual Reality

With the arrival of COVID-19 in the United States, we have hunkered down at home, the kids are out of school, and we are not going anywhere for a while. We hope this pandemic ends sooner than later. But at this point nothing is guaranteed. Do what you need to do to be safe, keep your family safe, and help quell this global threat to our health.

This unexpected turn of recent events has given me a little extra time to tinker with the tech toys around the house. Much to the chagrin of my wife, I collect a lot of stuff. I am also lucky to have access to various devices for my job. Typically, I do not always have (or make) enough time to test everything out as much as I’d like. The lack of commute and cabin fever this past week have changed things a bit.

While I work with XR (eXtended Reality) at work, in particular Augmented Reality (AR) and the Microsoft HoloLens 2, I have let my use of the consumer side of Virtual Reality (VR) lapse a bit. Now that I have extra time—and motivation—to tinker and get distracted, I am getting back to using some of the apps I’ve setup for work and the kids. This reminded me how much this technology can enable engagement and escape to aid psychological and physical well-being.

Virtual Reality can be a Great Escape

I fired up my Oculus Quest and attached it to a gaming laptop to test out the Oculus Link feature. Browsing around the apps in the library, I found Google Earth VR. What a great way to get out of the house without leaving the house. I’m hooked. Again.

These sorts of apps are great for escape: you can visit anywhere in the world, watch videos on YouTube of events and places back in time, and even participate in live events in virtual spaces like AltSpaceVR, Wave, and NextVR. You can even catch up with your friends to watch a movie in the Oculus Quest or have a social hour in one of the many meetup apps like Bigscreen.

You can also watch VR and 360 videos in YouTube or upload your own photos and videos to the VR headset. I have a Samsung Gear 360 camera to take videos and photos and upload them to the Oculus Quest. My son loves revisiting our adventures.

I got my wife to try out VR again and it impressed her

I have planned to write about virtual collaboration apps like Spatial, Doghead Rumii, HTC’s Engage, and Glue. That’s not what I am talking about here. I mean entertainment and socializing. Think travel, concerts, and meetups with friends. You do not need to go anywhere but can get some semblance of escape.

Then there is the whole game genre. That is what most people think of when they think of VR. We downplay that at work to talk about training, design, and collaboration because those uses are more appropriate in the professional setting. But we also talk about therapy and medical uses. You know what is therapeutic? Playing games. Connecting with people. Getting out of your head and out of your house and going somewhere else. VR can do all of this.

Virtual Reality is more available than ever…if you can get a headset

VR once was relegated to those in the know and those with the means. Nowadays, the Oculus Quest and Go make it amazingly simple to get yourself into VR. Even the newer HTC, Oculus, and Windows Mixed Reality headsets are easier to setup and use than the original HTC Vive and Oculus.

The only problem of late is supply and demand. The demand was high for headsets like the Oculus Quest for holidays 2019. When the coronavirus started, production that was already delayed was affected and devices went out of stock. They have come back periodically. For example, on Friday 3/13 Oculus.com had some in stock but they ran out quickly. You can currently find devices for a 50% premium on Amazon and eBay. Most people are out of luck though.

If you are lucky enough to have your own device, or have access to one to borrow, pull it out again to investigate what it can do for you.

Right now my go to recommendation is the Oculus Quest, if you can get one. They are $399 list for a 64GB model and $499 list for a 128GB model. Anything higher means stock is restricted so people are taking advantage. It may still be worth the cost if you want something sooner than later.

If you already have a gaming PC or laptop with a good graphics card, or want get one and have a higher budget, you should look at the Oculus Rift S and Windows Mixed Reality headsets like the Samsung Odyssey+ and HP Reverb. If you really want high quality graphics, the HTC Vive Pro Eye or Valve Index are for you, if you have the right graphics card.

Put me in VR, I’m ready to play

Besides the fact that there are plenty of other ways to play games, interact with people, and engage with content, why do we need VR?

Well, we don’t. But it is a worthwhile addition to the list. I am willing and ready to re-engage with VR as a consumer, not just as a professional. For the next four weeks or more my whole family will be home. This may keep us from driving each other crazy. Maybe we’ll learn something too.

Epilogue

I am not ignoring Augmented Reality. There are plenty of AR apps for your phone and tablet, including games and learning apps. Soon enough we’ll have AR headsets that will be even more engaging. Right now, though, VR is where the real engagement is at. Especially if you want to get away from the real world for a while.

Get some VR now

Key:

  • Most  = aka most popular headsets, the Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, PC-VR
  • Most + more = Popular headsets plus others like the Oculus Go and/or Playstation VR
  • PC-VR generally includes the HTC Vive, Valve Index, and Windows Mixed Reality support

Travel apps

Social/event apps

Games

Joel Ward 1
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AR, XR

Is 2020 the Year of Augmented Reality?

Way back in early 2019 it was looking like 2020 would see a surge in augmented reality headsets and adoption across both the consumer and enterprise space. There were rumors of Apple announcing an AR headset in early 2020. Microsoft was releasing its long-awaited HoloLens 2 by the end of 2019. North Focals, nReal, Magic Leap, and others had devices out or coming soon. The excitement was strong.

The Reality of AR

Once the end of 2019 came around, we realized that we would instead be seeing important yet incremental progress in AR devices. Consumers will be getting more options like an updated North Focals, nReal Light, and the promise of AR contacts in a few years. Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 rolled out, albeit to production constraints. The Apple AR glasses ended up being a 2022-2023 thing instead of a 2020 thing. We just have to wait a little bit longer.

What happened?

The limitations on technology are a major factor. We want smaller, lighter glasses with a wide field of view (FOV), 3D optics, ease of use, and low cost. Right now, we can have one or maybe two of those features in a single headset. You could have small and relatively inexpensive North Focals. You can have the Varjo XR-1 with a wide field of view for $10,000. You can have the HoloLens or Magic Leap that are self-contained and easier to use, but lacking an ideal FOV.

The other issue is cost. Anything with true spatial 3D computing is upwards of $1000 or more. Headsets like the North Focals come in under $1000, but only offer 2D optics for notifications and do not include enhanced input methods. nReal Light consumer glasses are supposed to start at $500 and include 3D optics but are not available quite yet.

This year promises to bring down the cost of the entry level AR glasses, but we are not quite there yet.

What AR will we get in 2020?

For the most part, we may already know what AR is coming in 2020. Most of the AR devices are already here or already announced:

There are likely more devices in the works, but I do not expect to see major new production devices before 2021. Facebook/Oculus, Google, Apple, and others are likely working on their own new products. Microsoft and Magic Leap are working on their next generation headsets. Smaller companies like nReal and North Focals are progressing their tech as well. Right now, we have what we have. We may get announcements of new products this year, but I would be surprised if we get anything tangible to try before 2021.

For a comprehensive list of AR predictions for 2020, check out Tony SkarredGhost’s summary of AR.

When will AR really take off?

For enterprise, 2020 and 2021 will have a lot of adoption of AR. With fieldable headsets from the Microsoft, Vuzix, and Magic Leap, some enterprise and government agencies will be able to afford piloting and deploying these devices in greater numbers.

For consumers, we will likely need to wait until 2021, 2022, or 2023 for substantial adoption. North Focals and similar devices may see some uptick before then, but we may need a Facebook/Oculus, Google, or Apple to make a pair of AR glasses that are attractive to the mass market. I would love to see a smaller company come in and be competitive, but experience points to a large company with big pockets as the winner.

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Joel Ward 0
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Accessibility, XR

Let’s Make XR Accessible

XR – eXtended Reality – has been around for decades. Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) allow for much more three-dimensional and realistic interaction with computing systems. As with most technologies, they have not been designed for accessibility from the start. But can they be used to enable interaction with people of all abilities?

Why should XR be accessible?

The better question is: why shouldn’t XR be accessible? Accessibility is a human right. It is also the law in many countries, including the United States, with laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Telecommunications Act.

XR, including AR and VR, came out of varying needs for 2D and 3D spatial computing over the years. Simulation, training, operations, and maintenance are a few of the common uses of XR. Gaming is also a common use of VR in the consumer space, dating back to systems like Nintendo Virtual Boy in the 1990s and made more mainstream by the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift in the 2010s.

AR started with the Virtual Fixtures system for the US Air Force, and earlier “heads up displays” (HUDs) are also predecessors to the modern AR headset. AR has evolved into both 2D and 3D with HUDs such as Google Glass, Microsoft HoloLens, and Magic Leap One. Phones and tablets can also run AR using cameras to detect and overlay imagery over the world.

Evaluating this holistically, XR is a perfect fit for making the world more accessible to everyone. Uses such as communication, training, navigation, remote access, and content creation can provide enhanced and alternative ways for anyone to participate.

We also need to make sure XR experiences are accessible for everyone. VR games should be accessible. AR navigation apps should be accessible. MR remote 3D design platforms should be accessible. It should not be an afterthought.

The XR Access Symposium

In July 2019, I attended the XR Access Symposium in New York City. This group of about 100 people across academia, industry, and government got together at the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island for a day of presentations, demos, and breakout groups.

The room of about 100 people who attended the XR Access Symposium in July 2019

The plenary sessions got everyone thinking and the ten breakout groups allowed us to brainstorm the initial set of goals that the XR Access initiative would consider. There were demonstrations of current XR tech which was new to a lot of the audience. The mix of content, devices, and people enabled unique conversations that led to the next steps for XR Access.

How we make XR accessible

The goal for XR Access is to engage with the community, create guidelines, and influence policy for accessibility in XR. The focus is to support software, hardware, and content so that this technology is built from the ground up for all, not application by application.

To achieve this goal, we have organized the XR Access initiative into six working groups:

  • Guidelines & Policies
  • Awareness
  • Education
  • Hardware Devices
  • Content & Authoring

We have about 150 participants across the groups and an executive team of about a dozen leaders. I am the Lead for the Hardware Devices working group and excited to engage with our community partners on this effort. I am also looking forward to working across all the groups to meet the initiative’s goals.

There are some efforts in progress, including W3C’s XAUR and WebXR, along with Open XR and the XR Association that will feed into our work. We are not starting from scratch but acknowledge that a more coordinate and public effort needs to be made.

Our next symposium is slated for sometime this summer. Please visit www.xraccess.org and join a working group or attend a community gathering to get involved.

Joel Ward 1
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Accessibility, Assistive Technology, XR

Accessible Gaming: The Xbox Adaptive Controller

In September 2018, Microsoft released its Xbox Adaptive Controller to the world. This new controller provides alternative ways for gamers to interact with both the Xbox and Windows games. The controller has its own built in controls for some of the main buttons and inputs for up to 19 switches that use the 3.5mm standard and three USB ports.

Xbox Adaptive Controller and Logitech kit

Microsoft started development of the Xbox Adaptive Controller way back in 2015, and it took three years of iterations and collaboration to get to production. The company worked with gamers to develop and tweak the design, and it ended up being compatible with a wide array of switches, joysticks, and mounts and is massively customizable.

My son playing on the Xbox Adaptive Controller

Both of my boys love gaming. We got an Xbox One S last year and while my older son was quick to adapt to the new system, my younger son had challenges. He has cerebral palsy and had trouble using the standard Xbox controller for more complex games like NHL ’18. He loves hockey and really wants to play with his brother. So we got the Xbox Adaptive controller for Christmas along with the brand new Logitech Adaptive Gaming Kit.

The whole point of devices like this is to give people the choice of modifying input methods to fit their needs. You can use the base controller and a few 3.5mm switches, or a whole array of switches along with USB joysticks. There are switches for wheelchairs, hand mounts, foot controls, mouth controls, and more. You can remap the inputs any way you like. This is what true accessibility is about.

The Xbox Adaptive Controller gives my son the ability to interact with the games in his own way. The larger buttons of the Adaptive Controller are easier for him to push. The customizable switches allow us to space out additional button controls in a more accessible layout. The last step is to add some USB joysticks—this will allow complete control in NHL ’18, for example.

Microsoft is the only major game system maker that has done this in a comprehensive way, though adaptive controllers have been around in various forms for decades. My hope is that the success of Microsoft’s effort will trickle over to the other companies. I am looking at you Sony, Nintendo, and Apple.

One great effect of these new adaptive devices is their eventually adaptation (*ahem*) for other uses, including PC control and an area I am currently working in, XR Access: accessibility for virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality systems, aka eXtended Reality (XR).

Joel Ward 0