Virtual Reality, features and articles | Educational Science

Mar 24, 2016

Porn Website Launches New Virtual Reality Section

Let's face it: It was probably only a matter of time… One of the largest porn websites has announced a new section that integrates virtual-reality tech into the adult entertainment experience. Pornhub, which boasts more than 60 million visitors a day, is teaming up with BaDoinkVR, a Barcelona-based company that...

Apr 1, 2016

Are You Ready for America's 1st Virtual-Reality Roller Coasters?

Buckle up, roller coaster enthusiasts! The amusement park Six Flags has joined forces with Samsung to bump up the thrill factor of rides with virtual-reality roller coasters that are set to be the first of their kind in North America. Virtual reality (VR) is already changing how people experience museum...

Apr 7, 2016

Revamp Your Kitchen with Virtual Reality App from Ikea

One of the trickiest parts of renovating or decorating your home can be envisioning how various pieces of furniture or appliances will look together in a room. Now, furniture-retail giant Ikea has unveiled a virtual reality experience that could make decorating decisions easy, at least when it comes to outfitting...

Apr 12, 2016

Are We Living in a Computer Simulation?

NEW YORK — If you, me and every person and thing in the cosmos were actually characters in some giant computer game, we would not necessarily know it. The idea that the universe is a simulation sounds more like the plot of The Matrix, but it is also a legitimate...

Apr 20, 2016

Why Does Virtual Reality Make Some People Sick?

Virtual reality, long the stuff of sci-fi movies and expensive, disappointing gaming systems, appears poised for a breakout. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg spent $2 billion in 2014 to acquire Oculus VR and its Rift virtual-reality headsets. Google now sells a boxy cardboard viewer that lets users turn their smartphone screens...

May 20, 2016

VR at Cannes: How Will Virtual Reality Change Film?

The 2016 Cannes Film Festival, which began May 11 and runs until May 22 in Cannes, France, featured a festival first: screenings of virtual reality (VR) short films and presentations in a pavilion dedicated exclusively to VR. But not everyone is convinced that virtual reality should be part of cinema's...

Jun 15, 2016

Get in the Action: 'Transformers' Director Tackles Virtual Reality

It looks like Michael Bay is jumping on the virtual reality bandwagon. The director, known for Hollywood blockbusters such as The Rock, Armageddon and Transformers, is joining forces with The Rogue Initiative, a production studio that specializes in creating interactive virtual reality experiences. The partnership was announced today (June 15),...

Jun 22, 2016

Virtual Reality Could Be Film's Next 'New Wave'

A good movie can transport audiences, taking them to other worlds and briefly immersing people in characters' lives. And with virtual-reality technology, movie writers and directors have more tools at their disposal than ever before to create immersive experiences. Danish filmmakers Johan Knattrup Jensen and Mads Damsbo and their production...

Jun 29, 2016

Real-Life Holodeck? 'Star Trek' Tech Uses VR to Solve Global Problems

On the cult sci-fi TV show Star Trek, crewmembers aboard the USS Enterprise could explore simulated environments or participate in interactive virtual experiences — anything from walking around lush forests to trying to solve a Sherlock Holmes-style mystery — as a way to mentally escape the confines of the starship...

Jul 14, 2016

Oculus Project Lets You Feel in VR without Gloves

Haptics are a happening area in virtual reality these days. The term refers to devices and technologies that produce tactile sensations to go along with all those immersive visuals and sounds. The makers of the Oculus Rift, along with parent company Facebook, are working on a potential haptic add-on to...

Jul 25, 2016

'The Hubble Cantata' Weds Live Music with VR Views of the Cosmos

An event combining virtual reality and live musical performance aims to bring together a 20-piece orchestra, a 100-person choir and breathtaking views of the cosmos captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. And it's going to be available to the public for free. The Hubble Cantatawill premiere in Brooklyn, New York,...

Aug 1, 2016

2016 Olympics: Visit Rio with 360-Degree Videos and Virtual Reality

If you're not traveling to Brazil for the Summer Olympics, you can still explore the geography and culture of Rio de Janeiro, courtesy of Google. Rio: Beyond the Map, released to the public July 29, deftly blends archival materials with stunning video, interactive media and profiles of artistic Cariocas, as...

Oct 3, 2016

Are Virtual Reality Headsets Safe for Kids?

Virtual-reality headsets are likely to be at the top of many kids' wish lists this holiday season, but with many VR devices coming with age restrictions, is the technology safe for youngsters? The Oculus Rift and Samsung's Gear VR headsets are recommended for ages 13+, while Sony's recommendation for its...

Oct 11, 2016

Experience the Thrill of an Everest Expedition in New Virtual Reality Film

Armchair adventurers, rejoice! A new virtual-reality documentary series will let you join a team of mountaineers as they tackle a perilous climb up Mount Everest. The VR series, called Capturing Everest, will chronicle the journey of four climbers — including Garrett Madison, who summited Everest six times, and Brent Bishop,...

Oct 26, 2016

Preserving Fright: Haunted Houses Recorded in Virtual Reality

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. I vividly remember my first haunted house ride – it was at the local fairgrounds, just a temporary carnival truck, more façade than ride. I must have been about...