Detectors & Imaging

VirtuSphere launches Kickstarter fundraising for '360specs'—a virtual-reality headset with smartphone as display

Sept. 4, 2013

Redmond, WA--VirtuSphere, the company that makes a human-sized spherical 3Dimmersive virtual-reality device of the same name, is now developing a much smaller device called 360specs—and is funding it via Kickstarter.

John Wallace

Redmond, WA--VirtuSphere, the company that makes a human-sized spherical 3D immersive virtual-reality device of the same name, is now developing a much smaller device called 360specs—and is funding it via Kickstarter.

VirtuSphere

The VirtuSphere is a semitransparent spherical cage that rotates on rollers. The user, who wears virtual-reality goggles (and may carry a gaming gun or other device) steps inside the sphere and walks in any direction; the rollers capture the speed and direction of the walk while software immerses the user in a virtual world. When the user turns, the view in the goggles turns to match the change in head position.

360specs

The 360specs turn a smartphone into a wearable virtual-reality headset that in many ways is a miniature version of the VirtuSphere. In a "Why didn't I think of that?" arrangement, the smartphone (or small tablet) is held in a head mount to become the image source.

Just as important is the smartphone app, which can use data from the gyroscope sensor within the smartphone to make sure that the view turns as the viewer's head turns. And because the viewer is looking at two different portions of the phone's screen, the two individual perspectives can be made different to produce 3D imaging. More-conventional uses of the 360specs include watching movies (2D and 3D) and videos.

VirtuSphere plans to offer software development kits (SDKs) to allow developers to create their own games (or potentially, training or military apps too).

To find out more, see the Kickstarter page at: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1758652652/360specs-turn-your-smart-phone-into-virtual-realit?ref=home_location

About the Author

John Wallace | Senior Technical Editor (1998-2022)

John Wallace was with Laser Focus World for nearly 25 years, retiring in late June 2022. He obtained a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and physics at Rutgers University and a master's in optical engineering at the University of Rochester. Before becoming an editor, John worked as an engineer at RCA, Exxon, Eastman Kodak, and GCA Corporation.