Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/639267
18 cgw j a n u a r y . f e b r u a r y 2 0 1 6 Heads Up! Heads Up! n your kayak trip down the Grand Canyon, it's a good idea to have a water- proof pack. For hang gliding in Rio de Janeiro, a helmet sure can stave off an injury. For strolling along sandy Hawaiian beaches, sunblock can stop a burn. No matter where your next adventure takes you, it's a good idea to be prepared. But if you are exploring fascinating destinations in virtual reality, the proper equipment isn't just a good idea, it's a necessity. While there are all kinds of peripherals to make the virtual experience more immersive (gloves, headphones, and so on), there is one that is a must-have: a head-mounted display (HMD). VR headsets block out external light while projecting an HD stereo image on the screen right in front of a person's eyes. Humans have a field of view (FOV) of about 180 degrees, and most head-mounted displays in development have lesser amounts – some more so than others. However, the higher the FOV, the greater the sense of im- mersion and situational aware- ness in the virtual world. Other important factors to consider are resolution, for a crisp, clear view, tracking accuracy, motion synchronization, and refresh rate, to keep that nausea at bay. Head-mounted displays have been used for quite some time in science, military, medical, engineering, and other high-end market segments where VR applications are prevalent. In the past year or so, however, we have witnessed a growing interest in VR, particularly at the consumer level, spurred by the develop- ment of affordable equipment, including headsets, that cost a fraction of the price today versus the early 1990s, when VR experi- enced its last surge. This new affordable cost opened the door to mainstream VR, which began when Oculus started whetting the appetites of gamers with beta versions of the Oculus Ri a few years ago. When Facebook purchased Oculus in 2014, the feeding fren- zy began. Today there are a number of headsets either on the market or poised for availability in the very near future, with the promise of many others to come. Some are expensive, high-end devices that are clearly meant for profession- al use, while others – highlighted here (using the most currently available information available at deadline), in order of expected availability – are geared for con- sumers and gamers. CARDBOARD FROM: Google Developers SHIPPING: Now PRICE: Free Google Cardboard has brought mobile virtual reality to the masses like no other device, and began doing so well over a year ago. Let's be clear, this is not a head-mounted display akin to the Oculus Ri or HTC/Valve Vive. It's more like a light, very light, version of an HMD. Cardboard is made of, well, card- board. It looks like an early prototype version of some type of display, but it works. And it's very inexpensive – there are many versions offered on Amazon (there is no official manufactur- er) ranging from $10 to $20, or for the more ambitious, there are DIY kits. In fact, the headset was designed by Google, and the company offers the list of parts, schematics, and assembly instructions free on its website. The parts include cardboard cut to a specific shape, 45mm focal-length lenses, magnets or capacitive tape, a hook and loop fastener, a rubber band, and an optional near-field com- munications (NFC) tag. A smartphone is then inserted into the back of the device and held in HEAD-MOUNTED DISPLAYS ARE A MUST-HAVE FOR EXPLORING IN VR SPACE BY KAREN MOLTENBREY O