FLYING INTO A NEW DIMENSION OF VR

About the project

ARworks has once again come up with a groundbreaking idea to showcase the possibilities hidden in virtual reality. As part of an experiment, we connected the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset — this year's big sensation (and acquired by Facebook) — with the Xbox Kinect motion sensor accessory. As a result of this fortunate pairing, users can not only look around in the perceived virtual space, but also move within it. We connected the paired devices to a flight simulator program: the cockpit appeared in the Oculus Rift headset, while the Kinect detected the user's hands on a virtual joystick, allowing them to control the aircraft with subtle movements. The Oculus Rift is a very important milestone in the history of virtual reality on its own: it is expected to become commercially available this summer. However, the experience offered by Oculus can be made even more enjoyable if users can not only look around but also interact with the virtual space. We experimented with several different solutions, such as voice and gaze control, but in the end Kinect proved to be the most suitable for detecting movements and gestures. The pairing of the two devices resulted in a unique simulator. As our theme, we chose gliding, something many people dream of, allowing users to try themselves as pilots while facing no real danger, even if they plunge toward the ground in a spin. The technology can also be used for other purposes, not just simulators — it offers exciting possibilities in sports and education as well.