Oculus Rift

Oculus Rift

Part of a series on Virtual Reality / VR. [View Related Entries]

Updated Sep 29, 2023 at 12:09PM EDT by Zach.

Added Jul 19, 2013 at 06:07PM EDT by amanda b..

PROTIP: Press 'i' to view the image gallery, 'v' to view the video gallery, or 'r' to view a random entry.

About

Oculus Rift is a virtual reality head-mounted display (HMD) being developed by Oculus VR. After a protype debuted at 2012's Electronic Entertainment Expo, the first batch of developer systems were initially funded through a Kickstarter campaign.

History

Oculus Rift creator Palmer Luckey[1] had been collecting HMDs for years, seeking one that would fit his needs.[2] After getting a Virtual Research V8[3] and learning that its 60 degree field of vision was one of the best on the market, Luckey realized that he would have to develop his own model. As a moderator of the Meant to Be Seen 3D (MTBS3D) forums for stereoscopic gaming enthusiasts, Luckey began working on his own HMD project. He named the organization Oculus and HMD itself "Rift," based on the idea that a HMD unit creates a breach between actual and virtual realities. On April 15th, 2012, he announced to the MTBS3D forum that he had completed the optics, display panels and interface hardware for the project, with the hopes of launching a Kickstarter campaign to fund the first batch of systems on June 1st. As of July 2013, this thread has generated more than 4,200 posts.


Author Message PalmerTech Oculus "Rift" : An open-source HMD for Kickstarter 3D Angel Eyes (Moderator)Hey guys, Joined: Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:06 pm Posts: 1622 I am making great progress on my HMD kit! All of the hardest stuff (Optics, display panels, and interface hardware) is done, right now I am working on how it actually fits together, and figuring out the best way to make a head mount. It is going to be be out of laser cut sheets of plastic that slide together and fasten with nuts and bolts. The display module is going to be detachable from the optics module, so you will be able to modify, replace, or upgrade your lenses in the future! The goal is to start a Kickstarter project on June 1st that will end on July 1st, shipping afterwards as soon as possible. I won't make a penny of profit off this project, the goal is to pay for the costs of parts, manufacturing, shipping, and credit card/Kickstarter fees with about $10 left over for a celebratory pizza and beer. I need help, though! 1) I need something that illustrates the difference between low field of view HMDs and high FOV HMDs, probably some kind of graphic illustrating the difference in apparent screen size. Would probably want to compare the rap 1200VR, the HMZ-T1, and the ST1080 Maybe throw in a few professional HMDs like the SX111 for good measure

E3 Debut

By June 2013, Id Software founder John Carmack (shown below) had signed on to support the project and brought a prototype demo to that year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). This demo showed a Rift with a 90 degree horizonal view and a 110 degree vertical view, offering a wider field of view than anything on the market. The system was playable with a version of Doom 3. Carmack asserted that they could have consumer-friendly versions of the system within a year. The journalists that tested the system had rave reviews[4], calling it "a level of immersion genuinely unlike anything else [they] have ever encountered."



Kickstarter Campaign

On August 1st, 2012, the Kickstarter[5] fundraiser for Oculus Rift launched, looking to raise $250,000 within 30 days. With support from big-name developers including Valve's Gabe Newell, the project was completely funded within 24 hours.[6] Just over two weeks in to the campaign, more than 5,000 development kits had been sold[7], causing Luckey to remind consumers that this version of the Rift was directed at developers and would not be a consumer-ready product. Despite that, the Kickstarter campaign closed on September 1st, 2012 with 9,522 backers pledging a total of $2,437,429, making it the most funded Technology Kickstarter project at the time. As of July 2013, it is now the second-most funded, beaten by the Form 1 3D printer, which raised more than $2.9 million in October 2012.



Developer Kits Released

Though they were originally set to be released in December 2012, the sets were delayed until March 2013.[8] That month, tech and gaming blogs including Engadget[10], IGN[11] and Polygon[12] all reported testing out the system with rave reviews. On March 29th, 2013, Oculus VR announced[9] that the headset kits had begun shipping to backers. The Oculus SDK software source code, along with the source codes for the sample games, were made available online for developers to tool around with. The Rift also came with access to the Unreal Engine and a virtual reality edition of Team Fortress 2. As early as March 29th, backers began to receive their headsets and started posting video reviews of the systems and its games online.



Acquisition by Facebook

On March 25th, 2014, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted a status update on his Facebook page announcing that his company has acquired Oculus VR, adding that the virtual reality technology will be integrated into the platform as a tool for gaming and other social interactions among its users. That same day, the Facebook Newsroom[26] blog confirmed that the company has reached a merger and acquisition agreement with Oculus VR for approximately $2 billion USD.




Also on March 25th, the tech news blog Engadget[22] published an article about the acquisition, noting that Zuckerberg planned to use the Oculus Rift for advertising in the future. Meanwhile, the header of the /v/ (video games) board on 4chan was changed to read “Where were you when gaming died?” and multiple sticky threads were created to discuss the acquisition. In addition, the song “Komm, Susser Tod” (German for “Come, Sweet Death”) from the anime movie End of Evangelion was looped in the board’s background audio.


File: 1395837869667.png-(660 KB, 790x1098, 1395827067303.png) Anonymous 03/26/14(Wed)05:44 UTC-7 No.237137384 Replies: >get horny decide to f--- my waifu with my heebulus rift. log into Facebook, it auto updates my status with "(real name confirmed by retinal scan) is playing mikus tight little body" 30 second ad plays. >close my eyes to try to fight it sensors detect my eyes are closed, the ad is paused until I open them again. There is no skip button start with foreplay , give her the old lickeroo she c--- and says in a sexy voice that she could really use a break, in particular a kit kat bar take off zoggulus >drive to gas station buy kit kat bar >go home Introducing the Oculus Rift >scan kit kat bar with built in qr scanner >miku munches on her kit kat bar, my Facebook page is updated detailing this f--- mikulski using Facebook connected sex hole. Facebook times how long I last and sends it to the NSA stand up getting ready to c-- on mikus face game pauses and plays a YouTube PSA about how objectifying women is terrible Facebook notifies my employer fired

The Oculus Rift Kickstarter page was subsequently flooded with criticisms about the acquisition, with many backers of the campaign expressing feelings of betrayal by Oculus VR.


Erhan Turan 38 minutes ago feel used. So frustrated right now. That is uncalled for Adam Fraprie 39 minutes ago I just wanted to express my deep disgust with the sale of Oculus to Facebook. There were so many great companies that could have acquired this product, why FACEBOOK?? I guess when someone is throwing an unimaginably large sum of money at you its hard to say no. I get the feeling that Oculus just committed suicide. I REALLY believed in Oculus and wanted to support them in every way I could. As a developer was gitty with excitement, now I am kinda sad. Oliver Housknecht about 1 hour ago That means I should get a little bit more than that even. I hope a class action happens that gives us pledgers a certain percentage of that $2b based on the percentage we gave to the Kickstarter!

On March 26th, Redditor ohgodimsodumb submitted an image macro juxtaposing Oculus VR CTO John Carmack's description of the Rift as a hacking-friendly device with Oculus VR CEO Brendan Iribe's more recent description of the headset as a social communication tool (shown below) in an /r/gaming post[25] titled “Why Oculus pissed us off.” Within three hours, the post reached the front page of Reddit with upwards of 13,300 up votes and 2,600 comments.


"FORA CERTAIN SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION, THE HACKERMAKER CROWD, THIS IS GOING TO BE AWESOMELY COOL TO WORK WITH" JOHN CARMACK @ E3 2012 VS "This is really a new communication platform... Imagine sharing not just moments with your friends online, but entire experiences and adventures." Mark Zuckerberg "We believe virtual reality will be heavily defined by social experiences that connect people in magical, new ways." - Brendan Iribe, CEO of Oculus VR Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-to-buy-oculus-rift-for-2-billion-2014-3

Reception

Following the release of the initial developer kits, Oculus VR successfully closed a $16 million round of funding on June 17th, 2013.[20] As of July 2013, there are more than 203,000 search results for "oculus rift" on YouTube.[21]

Highlights

Oculus Rift-Supported Video Games



Probably Archery (First Person Shooter)
Alone (Survival Horror)
Red Frame (First Person Adventure)
Qbeh (Platformer)
Racer (Simulation Racing)
Retrovirus (First Person Shooter)
Skycall – Rook Island (Flight Simulation)
Slender: The Arrival (Survival Horror)
Star Citizen (Massively Multiplayer)
Strike Suit Zero (Space Combat Simulation)
Surgeon Simulator 2013 (Simulation)
Team Fortress 2 (First Person Shooter)
War Thunder (Massively Multiplayer)
Daylight (Survival Horror)
EVE Valkyrie (Space Combat Simulation)
DARK (Stealth / Action RPG)
Dream (First Person Adventure)
Euro Truck Simulator 2 (Vehicle Simulation)
Half-Life: Source (First Person Shooter)
Half-Life 2 (First Person Shooter)
Hawken (First Person Shooter)
Minecraft (Sandbox Survival)
Among the Sleep (Survival Horror)
Second Life (Massively Multiplayer)

Architecture

In the world of architecture, virtual reality technology has allowed consumers to view things that would be difficult to transport before they buy them, through projects like the virtual warehouse (shown below) created by Jon Brouchoud, creator of 3D design group Arch Virtual. He explained the ultimate goal of utilizing Oculus Rift within his field saying:

"The holy grail is that architectures and designers will be able to create in an iterative way, within the building. Making decisions, reaching out and moving walls in real time."



System y Surge Arrestor Tank mps Motors 玄ㄨ頁 Control Panel Header kid

Space Exploration

NASA[28] is able to simulate the experience of walking on the surface of Mars by using their satellite images of the planet and the Oculus Rift headset.



Outdoor Exploration

Palmer Luckey,[34] the founder of Oculus, has suggested that the technology could be used to take students on virtual field trips that would allow them to explore distant locations without much cost. Luckey went on to explain the technology could be used by students to experience things they couldn’t possibly with any amount of money, like seeing planets to scale. In the fall of 2013, Roberta Firstenberg[29], an elderly woman suffering from terminal cancer and too weak to go outside, was able to experience the outdoors once more after her granddaughter Priscilla explained her grandmother’s wish to the team behind Oculus Rift.



Autism Education

Many educators teaching autistic children believe that Oculus Rift could be used as a way for autistic children to experience new situations and environments, which can be very stressful for them[30], in a way that seems more manageable for them. Mathieu Marunczyn[31], a teacher in Australia, believes her autistic students respond well to games on Oculus Rift because they're predictable and don't overload the students with too much stimulation.

Anxiety and Phobia Treatment

Some therapists suggest Oculus Rift can be used to create virtual exposure therapy[32] for patients suffering from phobias. For example, Cristian Sirbu of the University of West Virginia has a program that presents the Oculus Rift user with a fear of public speaking with a virtual unresponsive or hostile crowd. Another Oculus Rift program (shown below) allows those afraid of heights to experience a virtual journey across a suspended beam, with the virtual reality heightened with the use of a fan to simulate wind.



PTSD Therapy

Many mental health care professionals believe Oculus Rift can similarly be used by patients suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Patients are able to relive combat situations[33] and be confronted by any triggers they may have in a controlled environment. The lower cost of the technology and the increased immersiveness makes Oculus Rift a more viable option for mental health professionals to use than previous virtual reality systems.



Virtual Field Trips

Palmer Luckey[34], creator of Oculus Rift, has suggested that the technology could be used to take students on virtual field trips that would allow them to explore distant locations without much cost. Luckey went on to explain the technology could be used by students to experience things they couldn't possibly with any amount of money, like seeing planets to scale.

Online Presence

Oculus VR[13] maintains a number of active social media profiles on Google+[14], Twitter[15] and Facebook[16], where they have more than 27,000 likes as of July 2013. Fans of the system congregate on Reddit in /r/Oculus[17], which has more than 9,700 subscribers as of July 2013, the Meant to Be Seen 3D forums[18] and the official developer community.[19]

Search Interest

External References

[1] Twitter – @PalmerLuckey

[2] Road to VR – Q&A With Palmer Luckey, Creator of the Oculus Rift

[3] Virtual Research Systems – V8 Head Mount Display

[4] Road to VR – Virtual Reality and Oculus Rift E3 2012 Interview with John Carmack [video]

[5] Kickstarter – Oculus Rift: Step Into the Game

[6] Wired UK – Oculus Rift VR headset gets Kickstarter funding in a day

[7] Wired – VR Headset Maker Oculus: Please, Don’t Back Our Kickstarter

[8] Eurogamer – Oculus Rift Kickstarter dev kits delayed from December to March

[9] Oculus VR – Development Kits are Shipping!

[10] Engadget – Virtual Reality now: hands-on with the Oculus Rift final development kit

[11] IGN – Oculus Rift Hawken Demo Impressions

[12] Polygon – Oculus Rift developer kit hands-on: As advertised

[13] Oculus VR – Home

[14] Google+ – Oculus VR

[15] Twitter – @oculus

[16] Facebook – Oculus VR

[17] Reddit – /r/Oculus

[18] Meant to Be Seen 3D – MTBS' Official Oculus Rift Forum

[19] Oculus VR – Developer Forums

[20] Forbes – Oculus VR Closes $16M Funding Round – Oculus Rift Team To Double

[21] YouTube – Search Results for "oculus rift"

[22] Engadget – Facebook is buying Oculus VR for $2 billion, plans to 'unlock new worlds for all of us'

[23] Facebook – Mark Zuckerberg

[24] YouTube – Komm, Susser Tod

[25] Reddit – Why Oculus pissed us off

[26] Facebook Newsroom – Facebook to Acquire Oculus

[27] Engadget – Facebook Oculus 2 billion

[28] Kotaku – NASA Creates A Virtual Mars You Can Explore With The Oculus Rift

[29] The Daily Dot – Granddaughter uses Oculus Rift to grant her grandmother's dying wish

[30] Master Classroom – Oculus Rift Virtual Reality – A Coping and Role-play Tool for Autism

[31] Tech Radar – Five incredible ways Oculus Rift will go beyond gaming

[32] New Scientist – Virtual reality therapy cures fears and phobias

[33] The Verge – Virtual Rx: how Oculus Rift could revolutionize mental health

[34] The Verge – Virtual reality has huge implications for education, Oculus Rift creator says

[35] Road to VR – MakeVR Kickstarter Canceled, Sixense Promises Reboot Soon

Recent Videos 43 total

Recent Images 69 total



+ Add a Comment

Comments (294)


Display Comments

Add a Comment


Hi! You must login or signup first!