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In this edition of the VR Files, we’ll be exploring the Meta Oculus Quest 2, and everything that it means for the mass adoption of 6DOF headsets. If you aren’t familiar with the terminology, head mounted displays (HMDs) refer to virtual reality headsets and Six Degrees of Freedom (6DOF).
6DOF refers to the ability of a person to “move” and interact in a space—forward/backward, left/right, and up/down. The Meta Oculus Quest 2 is a major player in the world of 6DOF VR headsets, so we’ll dive into that today. Plus, I’ll share more about the application vSpatial, and Daniel Platt, who leads programs and projects for vSpatial.
VR Education Programs
Let’s talk about the Meta Oculus Quest 2 VR wireless headset. We’ve written about this headset on several occasions in previous blog posts and subscriber articles.
If you’re a JimIntriglia.com subscriber, check out one of the blog posts featuring the Quest 2. Getting Started with the Meta Quest 2 will prepare you for your Quest 2 VR journey.
At the time of the first blog, co-author Dakotah Intriglia and the editorial team were speculating about the potential merits of this new technology. Now that Jim has had a Meta Quest 2 for over a year, the promised improvements over the legacy Quest have mostly been realized. In a previous blog post, Jim shared:
“[After receiving my Quest 2 I] began to explore the freedom associated with an untethered VR experience. My Quest 2 headset quickly became my go-to headset, due to its ease of use and capability to use it anywhere I have a broadband WiFi internet connection.”
The Oculus 2 has certainly marked an important tipping point in the adoption of VR in the business professional and consumer market space. And while we’ve seen firsthand the benefits of VR in business for training and education, more and more people are beginning to share our experiences.
In a recent Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) article, training professionals at H&R Block experienced a VR training program during the pandemic.
The SHRM article shared that managers “had discovered that while most new agents acquired relevant tax knowledge quickly, many lacked the human touch critical to calming nerves and building repeat business among H&R Block customers.”
H&R Block management and employees realized significant benefits from VR training programs that placed tax preparation agents in highly realistic situations, helping them develop soft skills aspects that were vitally important to agents, customers, and H&R Block leadership.
Another example of the value of VR for training was demonstrated when Oculus for Business, PwC, and the Harvard Business Review teamed up to present: Using Virtual Reality Training to Boost Employees' Soft Skills. It’s clear that virtual reality is a learning medium that can provide benefits that are difficult or impossible to realize through real-world or 2D webinar training.
vSpatial
The vSpatial application provides a futuristic virtual reality collaboration and productivity workspace for Meta Quest 2 and other VR headset owners.
Check out the past blog A Day in the Life of a VR Professional to learn how the vSpatial application can be used as a daily productivity and collaborative tool. In the article, Jim shared,
“In my real-world workspace, I have several hi-definition monitor screens positioned on a large, wraparound desk. I have keyboards, trackballs, tablets, a webcam, a studio microphone, and my photo/document scanner.”
In a vSpatial virtual workspace, the typical desktop computer hardware is rendered virtually. Users can configure several stacked virtual display monitors in their workspace.
In the real-world, the cost of a quality hi-resolution monitor starts at about $350. Choosing to have multiple monitors in a physical workspace can get expensive, when you factor in desk space and/or mounting equipment, cabling, display ports/docks, etc.
In a vSpatial virtual workspace, professionals can configure additional display monitors as needed, based on their needs, making sophisticated workspaces more affordable to all.
Daniel Platt, Director of Products and Programs, vSpatial
Daniel Platt is driving the development of the vSpatial platform that enables business professionals to work remotely, using nothing more than a wireless VR headset like the Quest 2.
Daniel has worked in XR the last few years building products that help people work from anywhere. He has a passion for helping tech start-ups get great products into the hands of many.
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