Virtual Reality: Terminology and Hardware Suggestions
In my first BLOG, I talked about the history and how Virtual Reality (VR) came into Architecture. I showcased the different advantages and the possibilities that can be achieved if architectures use VR as their new medium.
As for this BLOG, I want to talk about the terminologies and the required hardware to start up your own VR Environment in your own home.
As mentioned before, Using VR comes with its own benefits such as an improvement in communication and collaboration, shorten design review cycles, speed up decision making, minimize design revisions, reduce and eliminate in-person meetings and lastly, it can replace static presentations.
VR Terminology
Inside-out and Outside-in tracking
Virtual reality comes with two different types of tracking, the inside-out and outside-in. Both tracking has their own strengths and can be implemented in different ways.
With the outside-in tracking, an external device sometimes called a base station or a lighthouse tracks the movement from the VR headset and its controllers. This type of tracking gives a more accurate room-scaling with millimetre accuracy.
Inside-out tracking has sensors and cameras built in the headset to track the user’s movement. So, in other words, wireless VR. This gives the VR more portability, less tripping on cords and less hardware to set up. This however gives the VR less accuracy in its tracking which can be a turn-off with some users.
Field of View
Field of View (FOV) defines how much of the user’s view is covered by a given headset's display and optics. FOV in VR is the extent of the observable environment you can see at any given moment. The wider the FOV angle, the more you can see of the footage, and the smaller objects will appear.
Resolution
Resolution is normally in charge of the quality of the image that is displayed on the screen or the headset. The higher the resolution on a VR headset, the higher the quality the image will be.
Screen-door effect
The screen-door effect is a mesh-like appearance that occurs where visible gaps between pixels. It looks like you’re viewing the world through a mesh screen, and is a result of the black, empty spaces between pixels when seen up close.
Tethered and Standalone
Tethered VR requires it to be connected with wire to a Desktop. This type of headset is ideal for architects who use Revit and has a powerful Windows Desktop. Since tethered headsets offload all the heavy processing to the Desktop, they can handle bigger models and output a much better performance.
For people who are looking for wireless setup, Standalone headsets are the way to go. They don’t need to be hooked up to a high-end Desktop to work. They are very portable and are normally more affordable than the tethered headset. This, however, comes with its own drawback as tethered headsets run on mobile chipsets, they are more suited for smaller, optimized models and presentations. Standalone headsets are new, and still need time to mature and gain the same capabilities as their tethered predecessors.
VR headset Comparison
There are many types of VR headsets and each one is created differently. Choosing the appropriate headset that fits one’s needs depends on how much space they have and how powerful their PCs are. The good news is that no matter what you need there will be a VR headset available for you.
For people who plan to have a permanent VR room or conference setups, high-end, outside-in tracking headsets like the Valve Index or the HTC VIVE Pro are recommended. These headsets provide the highest performance and the most accurate tracking for reliable design reviews. An alternative would be the tethered HP Reverb G2 and Oculus Rift S, these two provide powerful editing and reviewing heavy models. However, they are slightly less accurate inside-out tracking.
If you have a high-end PC, Oculus Quest 2 gives the best of both worlds. This VR headset combines a portable, lightweight headset that you can use anywhere, you can also purchase the optional link cable that will give this headset the power of a tethered headset. This is a highly recommended headset for people or teams that are opting for convenience, affordability and collaboration.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Virtual Reality comes with terminologies that are useful when researching the hardware you are looking for. Setting up your VR environment has never been this easy. The market has more variety and they come in different price points. Depending on how much you want to splurge, you can get a high-end set-up that is very accurate room scaling to the millimetre. Overall, no matter the type of space or how much your budget is, a VR headset will be available to you.
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