I'm that guy. I'm the guy who speaks in more acronyms than words. I'm the guy who can tell you about all the video games he's played and how they were better back in the day. I'm the guy who everyone goes to with technology troubles. As a result, that guy is usually associated with being a techno-geek or a techno-snob. You know what? It's true, I have become such a snob with new technology, having been able to try so much of it in Newhouse, especially with Professor Pacheco. So for this first week's experiment, I played spirit guide, helping everybody else use all of the technologies I've used before (and used before they were cool to he hipster about it).

This was a photo I took dated March 4, 2013. My radio reporting class went into Professor Pacheco's office to see a new virtual reality story, the one that we saw the video of in class of the person who collapsed in line. It looked ridiculous, and there were cameras and wires and sensors everywhere. Yet, it was the coolest thing using the most advanced technology. That was a little less than 2 years ago, and in that new Innovation Lab were all of the different variants of that bulky, clunky backpack that I saw back in 2013.

I'll start with the Oculus DK1, since that would be the next step after the contraption seen above. The first virtual reality helmet I'd ever used (besides the ones in some arcades years ago) was the DK1. It was amazing the first time I saw it. I remember looking at a building in Tuscany I believe it was. The graphics were even somewhat mediocre then, but the engagement was insane, finally being put into a real world and being able to look around it. Now that I've tried it again a year later...it looks like garbage. The headset is much heavier and bulkier, and the graphics look no better than a PlayStation 2 or original Xbox. It still had some realism, but i wasn't as completely immersed as the first time I tried it.

Next is the Oculus DK2. I can guarantee you a year from now I'll be mocking those graphics at how they barely looked like HD quality, let alone 4K (which I'm predicting will be more popular in a year). Still, it's gorgeous. It feels like you're in the Hobbit. I still remember the first time I used the DK2, it was the farm simulation. I couldn't believe how much more immersive that one felt, and even more realistic. I remember looking over the pen at the cows and having to take the headset off since it felt like I was falling over the fence. The sprites still need some work, especially human characters, but it's an amazing start.

Now onto the technology that blew me away the most...the power of cell phones. It's amazing how you can take a smart phone and turn it into a virtual reality device. Google Cardboard is just freaky as someone who has an Android phone. For literally using a piece of cardboard, it is impressive and still pretty immersive. The graphics are much better than the DK1, and close to the DK2 in many aspects.

The Samsung VR helmet is what blew me away the most. When I first used it, I had no idea it was cell phone powered. True, all I saw was a video, and I don't know how an interactive experience would work in that type of environment, but it was stunning. The ability to freely rotate 360 degrees with your actual body, not just a mouse or keyboard, is amazing, and it was very responsive. There was no lag and it went wherever I wanted whenever I wanted. If this was just powered by a cell phone, then why is the Oculus still at such "meh" quality in comparison? I'm not saying the Oculus is bad. Heck, it's amazing, but to be almost outdone by a cell phone should say something about how fast technology is evolving.

My original idea was to do an informational interactive of the International Space Station, being a space geek. Apparently there was one done for the DK1 and being upgraded for the DK2 that has a similar idea, but I could easily evolve upon for my final project. It's called Spacewalk, and I would love to try that to get an idea of what I could do that would be similar, but even better.