Marcus: The Oculus Rift

Ever the game aficionado, Marcus has been exploring innovative elements of gaming.  He is currently developing a biometric experiment that he hopes to commence in the near future.  He has also begun to explore cutting edge gaming devices.  Of those that he has researched, no competitor currently bests the Oculus Rift (@oculus_rift).

Developed by Oculus VR (@oculus), the Oculus Rift (OR) is essentially a virtual reality (VR) device that a gamer can wear on his/​her head.  According to the Oculus VR website, the OR achieves impressively realistic vision, in part, by directing one image to both eyes simultaneously.  A gamer is also able to enjoy "360° head tracking, allowing you to seamlessly look around the virtual world just as you would in real life. Every subtle movement of your head is tracked in real time creating a natural and intuitive experience."  Gamers have heretofore been able to control a camera angle/​point-of-view (POV) only using a control stick or a mouse.  With the OR, these same users can turn their heads and expand their field of view much as they would in real life. (For a clip showing a gamer use the Oculus Rift with Minecraft, please see below).

This device has been something of a Holy Grail (or pipe dream) in the gaming industry for years.  Now that it is here, it opens up possibilities for increasingly immersive gaming experiences.  But...what else might it do? Might a therapist repurpose it to provide targeted desensitization therapy? Might the Armed Forces use it to develop tolerance of stress and pain? The opportunities are endless.
And Marcus agrees.  He believes the OR to hold such potential that he purchased the device himself.  Kildonan's tech expert, Mr. Stark, felt similarly; for its educational promise in teaching game design and digital literacy, he bought two.

Have a comment about the OR? Please post in the comments section below.

Description of 1st image:  A user wearing the Oculus Rift.  Picture located at www.oculusrift.com/rift/.  Kildonan and its IP program claim no ownership over the above photo.