Virtual Reality, features and articles | Educational Science

Mar 26, 2014

Oculus Rift: 5 Virtual Reality Uses Beyond Gaming

Social media behemoth Facebook just paid $2 billion for Oculus VR, the virtual reality company that makes headsets and software hotly coveted by gamers. But Facebook creator and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is setting his sights far beyond immersive, first-person shooter video games. After games, we're going to make Oculus a...

Apr 10, 2014

Google Glass Virtual Tour Lets You See Inside New Solar Plane

Two Swiss pilots who will attempt to fly around the world in a solar-powered plane are planning to give the public a virtual tour of their high-tech ride today (April 10). André Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard will host a guided tour of their newly unveiled solar plane, named Solar Impulse...

Aug 8, 2014

Virtual-Reality Tech Helps Treat PTSD in Soldiers

WASHINGTON — Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could gain some relief from a new virtual-reality program, new research suggests. The simulated environment, which lets members of the military relive their traumatic experiences in a computer-game environment, has shown success in several early studies, researchers said in a talk...

Oct 20, 2014

Virtual Reality Could Let Astronauts 'Go to the Beach'

Spending long periods of time in space can be a psychologically demanding experience, but a new virtual reality system could give NASA astronauts a welcome escape. The system, which features the super-advanced Oculus Rift virtual reality display, would allow spacefarers to virtually visit friends and family at home, or places...

Nov 10, 2014

How Virtual Reality Can Help Treat Sex Offenders

This article was originally published on The Conversation. The publication contributed this article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. The quality of virtual reality systems – immersive, computer-generated worlds – has advanced dramatically in recent years, as can be seen by the expansive editorial from journalists testing Oculus...

Dec 5, 2014

Virtual Reality Affects Brain's 'GPS Cells'

Virtual reality is a growing technology used in everything from video games to rehab clinics to the battlefield. But a new study in rats shows that the virtual world affects the brain differently than real-world environments, which could offer clues for how the technology could be used to restore navigating...

Feb 3, 2015

Samsung Gear VR: Virtual Reality Tech May Have Nasty Side Effects

Samsung recently released its new virtual-reality headset, the Gear VR (powered by Oculus Rift), but the product comes with a foreboding list of possible health-related side effects. The electronics giant cautions that people should stop using the Gear VR immediately if they experience seizures, loss of awareness, eye strain, nausea...

Feb 27, 2015

Virtual Reality Can Make You Forget Pain

This article was originally published on The Conversation. The publication contributed this article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. A couple of weeks from now I will be in hospital undergoing a knee replacement. It will be the most extreme surgery I’ve ever experienced and I’m pretty scared....

Mar 13, 2015

When Will Virtual-Reality Headsets Stop Making People Sick?

From the Oculus Rift headsets to the new HTC Vive, virtual-reality devices will soon be flooding the gaming market. These gadgets have the power to transport their wearers to another world, but the technology has also been plagued by some unwelcome side effects. Companies have long known that virtual-reality headsets,...

Mar 13, 2015

Drift Through a Wormhole with New Virtual-Reality Tech

AUSTIN, Texas — What if you could feel the weightlessness of drifting in space, without leaving the ground? To try it out, I strapped on a virtual-reality (VR) headset and headphones today (March 13) here at the South by Southwest Interactive conference. The demonstration gives people a small taste of...

Oct 7, 2015

Supersleuth: Virtual Assistant 'Sherlock' Uses Crowdsourced Knowledge

A new Siri-type virtual assistant promises to be as useful as the problem-solving detective Sherlock Holmes (but it’s still small enough to fit in your pocket). Developed by researchers at Cardiff University in the United Kingdom and IBM in the United States, the new software program expands on the question-and-answer...

Dec 12, 2015

Virtual Reality Tech Lets You 'Teleport' Back in Time

The feeling you got when you first saw your newborn's face. That glorious moment when the entire family was laughing over dinner. The epiphany you had when you reached the peak of your favorite mountain. If only you could travel back and experience those instances again. A group of engineers...

Dec 28, 2015

Mattel Goes High-Tech with Virtual Reality View-Master Toy

One of your favorite childhood playthings just got a high-tech makeover, thanks to a collaboration between toy-maker Mattel and Google. In October, Mattel unveiled an updated version of its View-Master — a toy that traditionally resembled a pair of plastic binoculars but was fitted with cardboard reels of photographs or...

Jan 19, 2016

Beyond Gaming: 10 Other Fascinating Uses for Virtual-Reality Tech

Gamers and gadget hounds can now get their hands on the hotly anticipated Oculus Rift virtual-reality headset: The Facebook-owned company announced the commercial release of its virtual-reality device last week at CES in Las Vegas. At a whopping $600, the Oculus Rift may seem expensive for a gaming device, but...

Mar 21, 2016

What Is Virtual Reality?

Virtual reality means creating immersive, computer-generated environments that are so convincing users will react the same way they would in real life. The idea is to block out the sensory input from the outside and use the visual and auditory cues to make the virtual world seem more real. While...