While the benefits of VR for the medical and therapeutic industries is being hotly touted, less attention has been given to the effects that immersive experiences could have on the development of children.

Researchers at the University of Leeds have conducted research that points to some potentially troubling conclusions. The team have issued a warning that they believe that continued use of VR headsets could trigger eyesight and balance problems in young children.

The study was performed on a group of...

The concept of hyperreality is rapidly gaining momentum across the film and entertainment world as viewers demand increasingly immersive experiences.

Hyperreality is the inability of consciousness to distinguish reality from a simulation of reality, especially in technologically advanced postmodern societies. A state in which what is real and what is fiction are seamlessly blended together so that there’s no clear distinction between where one ends and the other begins.

More than just an idea

Looking...

VR has opened up a range of new possibilities for services and treatments in the healthcare industry, and the industry is expected to experience significant growth in the next five years.

The immersive experience created by VR is already being used in a variety of ways by healthcare professionals, from pain and stress management therapy to training and simulation.

ABI Research forecasts that VR services in the medical and healthcare segment is about to explode in value from $8.9 million in 2017 to around $285...

HP has unveiled its HP Z Backpack VR solution at SIGGRAPH 2017. The Backpack looks to provide the user with freedom of movement while in virtual experiences.

The company describes the backpack as a ‘catalyst for more powerful VR experiences across many enterprises and businesses’.

The company specifically pointed out four potential use cases for the technology:

- the deliverance of safe and effective virtual training for dangerous professions or operating...

Global shipments of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets ‘continue to soar’ year over year with 2.3 million units shipped in the most recent quarter, according to new figures from IDC.

The analyst firm, through its Worldwide Quarterly Augmented and Virtual Reality Headset Tracker, found Samsung shipped the most devices in Q117 at just under half a million (489,500) at a market share of 21.5%. Sony, with 429,000 and a market share of 18.8%, came in second, with HTC (190,900,...

The emerging VR market will grow by $4.9 billion this year, according to SuperData.

The growth will be driven primarily by hardware, with software beginning to bring in more revenue. SuperData estimates that the market will be worth 437.7 billion by 2020.

The company says that ‘like most new technologies and platforms, VR has had a rocky, but predicable, start’.

The report states:

“Supply constraints limited access to...

Developers will now be able to access project files and tutorials for the Vive Tracker

The company states that it wants to ‘make it even easier to get started working with your Tracker project’.

By releasing the new project code, it is hoped that developers will be able to use the tracker in new ways and get projects up and running quicker.

The Vive Tracker is a plug and play motion tracker that can be...

VR was everywhere at this year’s MWC, but the industry still has some work to do when it comes to increasing consumer appetite.

According to IBB Consumer Research, just 16 percent of surveyed consumers are interested in VR and 13 percent do not know what it even is. Of those who are interested in VR and own equipment, 44 percent received their headset as a gift or part of a bundle, 30 percent spent up to $99, 20 percent between $99 and $500, and just 6 percent spent more than $1000.

Reaching mass...

(Image Credit: iStockPhoto/monkeybusinessimages)

With its handset business continuing to falter, HTC is banking on making a success of mobile VR to improve the company’s outlook.

HTC is best known for its smartphones, but their recent flagships have failed to stand out amid tough competition from the likes of Apple, Samsung, and LG. Last year, HTC’s profits dropped almost 80 percent ahead of their next flagship release.

Where HTC has managed to carve itself a place is within the emerging VR market...

(Image Credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft launched the developer version of HoloLens last year for a cool $3000, but until now the company has not indicated how many units have been sold. Roger Walkden, Microsoft's Commercial Lead for HoloLens, has now given us some idea after saying “thousands” have been shipped.

Bearing in mind HoloLens is still expensive and designed for developers at this stage, even a thousand units would be impressive. Microsoft is happy with the number...