[OPLIN 4cast] OPLIN 4Cast #677: Reality is turning digital as the pandemic wears on

[OPLIN OPLIN]

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.
<http://www.oplin.org/4cast/>
[image: OPLIN 4Cast]

OPLIN 4Cast #677: Reality is turning digital as the pandemic wears on
July 15th, 2020

[image: Woman looking through VR goggles] A couple of years ago, I bought
myself an Oculus Rift VR rig for a milestone birthday. I was a fairly early
adopter of virtual reality for home use, but I've never regretted the
purchase. Yes, it's still got a cord (the newer Oculus Quest does not) and
needs a graphics card with near-superpowers to run well, but it still gets
regular use as I keep up my Beat Saber <https://beatsaber.com/> addiction.
Everyone who's tried it has been amazed, but has adapted quickly to the
virtual environments.

However, even until recently, VR has widely been considered a niche purely
for a specific type of gamer. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the
technology is seeing more advancements and further adoption in other areas,
outside of gaming. Oh, and AR (augmented reality, like Pokemon Go), has
been getting a big boost, also.

   -
   - Virtual reality is booming in the workplace amid the pandemic. Here’s
   why
   <https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/04/virtual-reality-usage-booms-in-the-workplace-amid-the-pandemic.html>[NBC]
   "Companies like Spacial, which creates something like a virtual reality
   version of Zoom, has seen a 1,000% increase in usage since March, according
   to head of business Jacob Loewenstein. IrisVR, which specializes in
   immersive software for architecture and planning, can hardly keep up with
   demand for new subscribers, said CEO Shane Scranton. Meanwhile Accenture, a
   multinational professional services company, is using VR exercises for new
   recruitment techniques."
   - Virtual try-ons are replacing fitting rooms during the coronavirus
   pandemic
   <https://www.seattletimes.com/business/virtual-try-ons-are-replacing-fitting-rooms-during-the-pandemic/>
   [Seattle Times] "Etsy, the online marketplace, has a new augmented reality
   feature on its app that shows customers how paintings, photographs and
   other decor would look on their walls. And Zeekit, which supplies augmented
   reality technology to brands such as Adidas and Tommy Hilfiger, is
   preparing to launch the world’s largest virtual fitting room, with hundreds
   of thousands of pants, tops and coats that shoppers can drag onto photos of
   themselves."
   - Using virtual reality to keep students engaged amid a pandemic
   <https://www.turnto23.com/news/coronavirus/using-virtual-reality-to-keep-students-engaged-amid-a-pandemic>[ABC
   News] "'Virtual reality really helps out not only students with learning
   disabilities but students with social-emotional problems or language
   barriers, who have never been outside the bubble,' he said."
   - Could the VR headset be the next Pelaton?
   <https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/09/fitxr-wants-to-turn-the-vr-headset-into-the-next-peloton/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29>[TechCrunch]
   "FitXR’s  <https://crunchbase.com/organization/fitar> game BoxVR, has
   become one of the better-known purpose-built exercise apps available for VR
   devices. The boxing title adopts a Guitar Hero-esque interface influenced
   by Beat Saber but focuses on more physically demanding movements like quick
   uppercuts and jabs. "

*From the Ohio Web Library <http://ohioweblibrary.org>:*

   - How Virtual Reality Might Help Fight Recurring NIGHTMARES
   <https://proxy.oplin.org:2111/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pwh&AN=140385219&site=ehost-live>
   (MCALPINE, K. J. (2019). How Virtual Reality Might Help Fight Recurring
   NIGHTMARES. *USA Today Magazine*, *148*(2894), 50.)
   - Augmented and Virtual Reality HMD Markets, 2018-2026: Impact of the
   Coronavirus Pandemic - ResearchAndMarkets.com
   <https://proxy.oplin.org:2111/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bwh&AN=bizwire.bw76096267&site=ehost-live>
   (Research and Markets. (5 C.E., August 2020). Augmented and Virtual Reality
   HMD Markets, 2018-2026: Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic -
   ResearchAndMarkets.com. *Business Wire (English)*.)
   - Viewing virtual reality of icy landscapes may relieve pain
   <https://proxy.oplin.org:2111/login.aspx?direct=true&db=prh&AN=141198654&site=ehost-live>
   (Schmidt, S. (2020). Viewing virtual reality of icy landscapes may relieve
   pain. *Science News for Students*, N.PAG.)

------------------------------
The *OPLIN 4cast* is a weekly compilation of recent headlines, topics, and
trends that could impact public libraries. You can subscribe to it in a
variety of ways, such as:

   - *RSS feed.* You can receive the OPLIN 4cast via RSS feed by
   subscribing to the following URL:
   http://www.oplin.org/4cast/index.php/?feed=rss2.
   - *E-mail.* You can have the OPLIN 4cast delivered via e-mail (a'la
   OPLINlist and OPLINtech) by subscribing to the 4cast mailing list at
   http://lists.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/OPLIN4cast.

© 2020 Ohio Public Library Information Network
[image: Find us on Slideshare] <http://www.slideshare.net/oplin>  [image:
Find us on Facebook] <http://www.facebook.com/oplin.org>  [image: Find us
on Google+] <https://plus.google.com/107751358238995507967>  [image: Find
us on Twitter] <http://www.twitter.com/oplin>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.oplin.org/pipermail/oplin4cast/attachments/20200715/8e6b4b60/attachment.htm>