Editorial Staff
This might seem like a very peculiar acquisition that has been made by facebook in its history of 10 yrs. Facebook has entered the matrix by acquiring Oculus VR for a cost of $2 Billion. Oculus VR is a leading virtual reality headset maker. The deal was sealed in cash and stock. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that there are very few companies that build the next major platform computer technologies. According to him, this is a long term bet as in future the virtual reality will be a part of our lives.
Oculus is in rivalry with Sony in a race to build the “Rift virtual reality system”. On the other side, Sony has its Project Morpheus which is its own VR technology. Rift appears to be a pair of darkened and thick goggles which lets the people immerse themselves in a rich 3D world generated by the computer. It hasn’t come out for the sale yet but a developer’s kit has been unveiled by the company at a price of $350. The man behind this Irvine based startup is Palmer Lucky under whom we can see the world famous game developers working – John Carmack (shoot –‘em ups, Doom and Quake) as chief technology officer. Imagine what it would be like to chat with your friends sitting in a virtual restaurant and having lunch together. This electronic headwear gives you a virtual second life.
Though the development is aimed only at the gamers, Mark seems to have noticed other potential uses of it such as learning in a virtual classroom, consulting a doctor in an examination room, enjoying a game sitting at a side seat in a court. Oculus promises to be the new platform for communication.
Mohith Agadi
Editor
