For the better part of a century, science fiction writers, technologists, and philosophers have contemplated the arrival of a digital realm so immersive that it is neurologically indistinguishable from the outside world. Now it’s here.

Top 3 takeaways from this article:

1) Expectations surrounding the Oculus Rift have always been huge, ever since an 18-year-old named Palmer Luckey hacked together a rough prototype in his parents’ garage in 2011. Facebook purchased the company for $2 billion because “it is nothing less than the dawn of an entirely new era of communication” and offers the pathway to “go beyond the idea of immersion and [achieve] true presence – the feeling of actually existing in a virtual space.”

2) Oculus has found a way to make a headset that does more than just hang a big screen in front of your face. It hacks your visual cortex. As far as your brain is concerned, there’s no difference between experiencing something on the Oculus Rift and experiencing it in the real world. Chris Dixon of Andreessen Horowitz described his experience with the device as “I think I’ve seen five or six computer demos in my life that made me think the world was about to change. Apple II, Netscape, Google, iPhone … then Oculus. It was that amazing.”

3) Games are just the beginning for Virtual Reality; It will also change the way we consume media. Early on, Oculus showcased a VR Cinema application that lets users sit in a virtual movie theater. Teleconferencing is another idea in the world, as is education: bring a classroom full of kids inside any museum in the world – no lines, no price of admission. And, what about vacations! The list of potential uses goes on. The hardware problems have been solved, and now it is up to developers to design applicable experiences.

M O R E O N W I R E D . C O M .

PERSPECTIVE MEC’S

EXPLORING MEC’S TRENDS FOR 2014 AND BEYOND June

INSIDE THE OCULUS RIFTWIRED June Issue

As modern culture quickly moves to an environment of ubiquitous connection, the rapid ascent and adoption of wearable technology will be at the forefront of this trend. From basic wearables to advanced health monitoring solutions, wearable technology’s evolution is leading to increased opportunities to change the way we live our everyday lives, and the devices we rely on to get through the day.

In order to mainstream, wearable technology must evolve to minimize frustrations while maximizing experience, as well as demonstrate value as conversation currency. As wearables increase in popularity and usage, we will see new data sets, resulting in more detailed understanding of consumer behavior.

It’s imperative to watch this space to understand how brands break through and succeed in this hyper-connected reality. Oculus Rift is a prime example of the evolution of wearables, providing value beyond the gaming space. With the potential to change the way we consume media, let alone interact with the world around us (and people in it), Oculus Rift represents the future of wearables, and the personalized, data-driven opportunities these devices may hold.

By Peter Rubin, Sr. Editor

Anatomy of the RiftUntil now, Virtual Reality (VR) was blurry, buggy, and nauseating. Here’s how Oculus built the first headset good enough to trick your brain. —P.R.

The BrainThe Rift fuses readings from a gyroscope, accelerom­eter, and mag­netometer to evaluate head motion.

The DisplayOculus fig­ured out how to deactivate pixels rap­idly so the image doesn’t smear or shake when you whip your head around.

The OpticsThe Rift uses a pair of mag­nifying lenses, and Oculus developers distort their games so they look right when viewed.

Positional TrackingThe Rift’s small exter­nal camera monitors 40 infrared LEDs on the head­set, tracking motion.

FROM CONNECTED DEVICES TO CONNECTED LIVING: THE EVOLUTION CONTINUES