2

for the DeVry Addison Tech Playground

Prepared for:

Mr. Philip Barton,

Manager, DeVry Addison Tech Playground

Prepared by:

John Student and David Student

ENGL 216 Technical Writing

August 3, 2017

Recommended Purchases for Virtual Reality for the Tech Playground

We chose to research virtual reality (VR) because of its many applications and benefits to the people who use VR. We wanted to answer the questions that Mr. Barton had on VR and provide our recommendations for improving the VR experience in the Tech Playground.

In this report, we explain the answers that we give to the questions provided by using a varied set of resources. We believe that you should acquire more VR hardware so that more people can experience it and that many new software programs should be procured to be more appealing to a wider range of people.

Thank you for giving us permission to complete this research and provide recommendations on your next course of action.

Contents

Illustrations

Executive Summary

Mr. Barton, Manager of the DeVry Addison Tech Playground, requested that we research virtual reality (VR), the extensive applications for it and new software programs that would be beneficial to obtain for the Tech Playground. We went further to recommend VR hardware that we thought would be good to buy. We have spent the last seven weeks researching virtual reality to provide a set of in-depth recommendations.

We have spent time researching answers to these four questions: what is VR, what are the real-world applications of VR, what are some software programs that would be beneficial to obtain and what would those programs cost. We also looked into VR hardware and the cost for that. We found a number of different hardware options that varied in price and quality. We also discovered that there is a vast number of software programs for virtual reality that cost very little, sometimes nothing.

We recommend that you purchase the Oculus Rift variety of virtual reality equipment as they provide a higher possible quality. The bundle is the best option because it comes with the headset and the handset which provides a more realistic experience. You will also need to purchase a new computer which is able to support virtual reality. The new computer can be purchased pre-built with all the recommended specs for the Oculus Rift.

Introduction

Project Description

The Tech Playground, which is in Room 118 on the DeVry Addison campus, opened in January 2017 to allow anyone on campus to experiment with modern technology. It is a technology- filled room that must stay up to date with new advancements that keep coming. Virtual reality (VR) is a growing technology that is becoming increasingly realistic. We are researching VR to help update the Tech Playground.

Scope of Research

We have researched different applications for VR technology and will propose new software and hardware purchases that would be beneficial for the Tech Playground. We answered the following questions:

· What is virtual reality?

· What are use cases for it?

· How is it being used in industry, in schools, in training situations?

· If the Tech Playground were to purchase additional VR applications, what should they be?

· What are good entertainment and learning apps that would appeal to and benefit the Tech Playground’s diverse clientele?

· How much do these applications cost?

Background Information on Virtual Reality

In this section, we will give an overview of what Virtual Reality is along with its current uses.

Definition of Virtual Reality

According to the Virtual Reality Society (2017), virtual reality describes a “three-dimensional, computer generated environment which can be explored and interacted with by a person.” This person “is immersed within this environment” and “is able to manipulate objects or perform a series of actions (para. 5).

Uses for Virtual Reality

Some of the leading fields that are using VR technology include medicine, entertainment, military (see figure 1 below) and police uses, business, and “hands on” job training (“Virtual Reality in Health Care, 2017). According to Winn (1993), “the psychological processes that become active in immersive VR are very like the psychological processes that operate when people construct knowledge through interaction with objects and events in the real world. Thus, giving real world training experience to those that may not be out in the technical field but still have a way of gaining experience for a given job” (para. 2).

Figure 2. Untitled photo of soldiers using VR for training (Source: Google Images).

Virtual Reality in Education

Virtual reality can be used in various educational settings. One of the leading uses is in medical training. According to the Virtual Reality Society (2017), three-dimensional graphics of the human body have been developed in VR software; students can use this technology to study anatomy and physiology or practice surgery techniques. With this sort of technology, it would be possible to train surgeons and nurses without having them do any dangerous procedures. They would be able to practice proper techniques before getting in the operating room with a real patient. Such technologies are mainly used in the UK and other countries abroad (Virtual Reality Society, 2017).

Another practical use for VR technology would be for those students interested in learning more about the solar system. One example of the many VR programs offering educational training is the immersive experience of being in space that could otherwise be felt only in traditional video games or in the unlikely event the person is an astronaut. The Virtual Reality Society (2017) says students gain insight “by physical engagement with the objects within. Students can move planets, see around stars and track the progress of a comet. This also enables them to see how abstract concepts work in a three-dimensional environment which makes them easier to understand and retain” (para. 3). This offers students with certain learning styles a helpful way of retaining information that is richer than a traditional textbook.

Virtual Reality in Business

There is a possibility for virtual reality to be used in business to make meetings easier. We already have conference calls so everyone can join in on a meeting even when the people involved live in different countries. The same can be said about using Skype or a similar software, which allows people to see each other and interact with each other on screen. Similarly, VR can be used to bring “people located in widely dispersed parts of the world” so they “can interact in a shared environment and carry out tasks together” (“Enhance Virtual Reality,” 2017, para. 8). This is not exactly feasible right now because the realism of the virtual meetings is not yet good enough to be widely used. However, as the technology becomes better, virtual meetings will become as widespread as conference calls were and Skype-like technology is.

Recommended VR Applications and Costs

Field, M. (2017, July 25). The 10 best virtual reality apps. The Telegraph Technology. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/0/10-best-virtual-reality-apps/

Oculus Rift. (2017). Oculus Support Center. Retrieved from https://support.oculus.com/1633938460220125/

[Untitled photograph of soldiers using VR for training]. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?biw=1536&bih=759&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=g6EUWt_ECMHAjwTfuLzoAw&q=virtual+reality+and+military&oq=virtual+reality+and+mi&gs_l=psy-ab.1.1.0i24k1l3.7753.10713.0.13891.7.7.0.0.0.0.114.513.6j1.7.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.7.512...0j0i67k1.0.jTD4BPj-qSY#imgrc=Mtef6kiA9KkQFM:

Virtual reality in healthcare. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-realityhealthcare/

Virtual reality in education. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality-education/

Virtual Reality Society. (2017). What is virtual reality? Retrieved from https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality/what-is-virtual-reality.html

Winn, W. (1993, August). A conceptual basis for educational applications of virtual reality. Retrieved from http://www.hitl.washington.edu/research/education/winn/winn-paper.html~

Appendix

Recommended Specifications for an Oculus Rift-Enabled Computer

According to the Oculus Rift Support Center (2017), these are the recommended and minimum specifications when purchasing a computer to run VR software.

Recommended Specs:

Minimum Specs

Note: Some Rift content may require a computer that exceeds Oculus’s minimum or recommended specs. Please refer to the recommended specs when browsing content in the Oculus Store. Information found at https://support.oculus.com/1633938460220125/