360 and Virtual Reality: 

Virtual reality (VR) is a created simulated experience which is altered to actuality. This is made possible with 360 cameras. 360 cameras record a view in every sense of angle and direction to create a 360 field of vision. The combination of 360 recordings and use of VR output allows people to create their own virtual reality. This has been used recently mainly in the gaming sector of media.

Virtual Reality:

The first concept of VR was back in the 1950s. A man named Morton Heilig had an idea to create a device that could enhance all senses coherently. He later then in 1962 created a machine called the Sensorama. The Sensorama used the senses; sight, sound, smell and touch to create a pre-digital VR experience. This was the first contraption that created a alternate reality as senses were enhanced to believe they were in a different atmosphere to the one they were in.

As time moved on and technology improved, the development of VR also improved too. With the digital era just beginning, in the 1970s VR was being developed for military training purposes. The US military were using it for flight simulation. They created scenarios as if you were flying the plane yourself to help train pilots in different circumstances. This was very costly as it was a new technology.

By the 1990s video game companies were looking to use the now digital technology to enhance gaming experience for commercial users. SEGA in 1991 announced their SEGA VR headset to be used for arcade games and their console. It came with the headset and headphones to help create a virtual reality. the device allowed the player's own head movement to interact with the game. SEGA's competitors started to copy them with Virtuality bringing their own VR headset out later that year, which could cost up to $73,000, and Nintendo brought out their 'virtual boy' in 1995.

In the 2007 the introduction of google maps street view feature was a VR. This allowed people to drop virtually anywhere in the world and see their surroundings. This technology was then further developed into a game called Geo Guesser. This game would drop you anywhere in the world and you would have to guess whereabouts you were in the world. The closer you are the more points you gain.

Facebook bought out Oculus Rift for $3 billion in 2014. This was done as Oculus Rift created a 90 degree field of visons as well as being able to look around and interreact completely in 360. Many games have been designed off of the Oculus Rift as well as updated models and modes to new oculus Rifts. 

As the Oculus rift became more commercial and affordable ($399 rather than $73,000 decades before) other technology companies became aware of its potential and created their own products or software. This included Playstation, Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft and Samsung. 

With Facebook acquiring it VR impacted social media with the introduction of 360 videos being made available to Facebook for users to upload and consume. Competitors YouTube swiftly followed allowing their users the opportunity to use 360 videos too. 

360-degree cameras:

This is a new technology as it has been developed within recent years as of the rise of VR. Before the development of 360-degree cameras several GO pros were used. They were placed on a stand and pointed outwards in a circle. Each individual footage captured on the camera was pieced together in post edit to create a 360 video. This what was done for Google Map's street view feature.  

VR has helped improve this technology massively with 360 cameras being created to stop the hassle of piecing together clips to do so. This is possible by using lenses to help manipulate and improve the range and angle of the shot. This allowed to create a great field of vision to be recorded. Some examples of 360 cameras are GoPro, z-cam and Insta360.

Task:

We were self-assigned into groups to create a 2 minute 360 movie. The point of the task was to become familiar with the 360 camera and see what it was capable of.

Idea:

We felt it was best to go to a landmark and just record our walk there and see what the outcome was. We headed to Liverpool Roman Catholic Cathedral to achieve this.

Final Product:

Reflection:

I have learnt a lot about the development of the two technologies from its roots to now. I understand how they are reliant on each other to create products in today's era. I also feel positive in using a 360 camera. However, in terms of my final project for this module I feel very limited in creating something. I want to make something original and feel like the ideas I have would be similar to products already made.