Simulated experiences have been popular for a while. Leonardo Da Vinci, known to simulate birds wings as he envisioned human flight, was an early adopter of this practise.
Flash forward to 2017. Humans are still simulating experiences, only this time anyone can jump in and try them out.
With the developments in Virtual Reality, headset competition, AI and cloud based computing, dropping into a world-sized simulation becomes very possible.
Google daydream with worldsense
Among a host of other announcements, Google mentioned their WorldSense tech at Google IO last week.
Standalone Daydream headsets will include WorldSense, a new technology based on Tango. Worldsense enables the headset to track your precise movements in space, without any extra sensors. This means a lot less hassle to jump straight into your very own escapist paradise.
Improbable SpatialOS
Taking the industry by storm, Improbable have been grabbing the headlines recently. Famed as a high valued startup, Improbable created SpatialOS, a cloud computing platform. This platform allows game engines to be stitched together seamlessly to create massive world environments. It will allow a lot of smaller software companies to rise without the need of serious computing power for test-beds:
The SpatialOS Games Innovation Program in partnership with Google Cloud, is now live and looking to support up to 100 eligible studios via reduced costs and co-marketing opportunities.
The Matrix Possibility
Although the jury is out on whether this cult sci-fi classic will be rebooted, the theory behind it is creeping towards reality.
Previously the Head of Sony VR division, David Ranyard is now CEO of Dream Reality Interactive and also has a PhD in AI.
The core team at DRI previously worked at Sony’s London Studio where they developed the best-seller ‘PlayStation VR Worlds’, featuring the critically acclaimed ‘The London Heist’ and ‘The Deep’.
Based in King’s Cross, London. Dream Reality Interactive aim to create compelling VR experiences that focus on natural interaction, believable worlds and AI.
Mr Ranyard believes there will be a merging of VR and AI very soon. The main reason for this belief is that VR would be the perfect medium to meet an AI face to face.
Go back a decade and VR was only a plaything for the rich. Nowadays you can grab a VR headset and have change from £600. As technology improves, prices will drop and so too will the size of the unit itself. Ranyard guesses that eventually we will just be wearing something similar to shades.