The movement of virtual and augmented reality from niche industrial and enthusiast technology to something the world is talking about really was palpable at CES this year. Here’s a 6 minute video tour of the world’s biggest technology event highlighting most of the VR and AR devices on show.
Virtual reality was the undisputed hot topic at CES 2015. Once you picked past the tiresome fug of buzzwords relating to ‘wearables’ and ‘the Internet of things’ it was quite apparent that virtual and augmented reality was where the real interest was focusing at this year’s show.
This is of course generally a very good thing. Since the inception and subsequent demonstration of John Carmack’s ‘magic hat’ at E3 2012, the Oculus Rift has fired-up a once dead consumer interest in immersive technologies, such that everyone is seemingly trying to get in on the buzz. That said, the number of poor quality systems available to potentially confuse the uninitiated is clearly something that those wishing to see VR take off may wince at. In either case at this point the phenomenon seems inevitable.
This 6 minute video, shot by industry stalwart Kevin Williams (The Stinger Report, DNA Association), aims to show you everything good, bad, ugly and downright bizarre present at the show tagged with the VR / AR moniker. It’s a whirlwind reminder of how far the industry has come and how far it still has to go before devices designed and sold as immersive devices reach any sort of technical or commercial maturity.
See Also: CES 2015: But Seriously, This is What 3DHead Had to Say for Themselves
There are a few devices you’ll know, some you won’t and many that’ll likely make you exclaim ‘WTF?!’ You’ll see the infamous 3D Head HMD, early versions of the Avegant Glyph, numerous far-east sourced ‘me too’ devices, some with curious names (my personal favourite: the ‘BeeNoculus‘) and a few new kids on the block, in particular AR devices such as Sulon and SeeBright‘s new augmented reality HMDs. It’s an interesting mix and a collection that is sure to grow come CES 2016.
Let us know your favourites in the comments section below. Our thanks to Kevin Williams for collating the clips and sharing them with us.
About the Author – Kevin Williams has an extensive background in the development and sales of the latest amusement and attraction applications and technologies. The UK born specialist in the pay-to-play scene; is well-known through his consultancy KWP; and as a prolific writer and presenter (along with his own news service The Stinger Report), covering the emergence of the new entertainment market. Kevin has co-authored a book covering the sector called ‘The Out-of-Home Interactive Entertainment Frontier’ (published by Gower). And is the founding chairman of DNA Association, focuses on the digital Out-of Home interactive entertainment sector. Kevin can be reached at – kwp@thestingerreport.com – http://www.thestingerreport.com
