Virtual reality and augmented reality, as standalone technologies, hold endless opportunities for future. Imagine the infinite possibilities that can happen when we combine both these technologies. Holodeck is a project initiated by New York University to explore how a dynamic combination of VR and AR can change our future communication. The Holodeck project has the goal to create an instrument that will let us peek further into the future and see how people can collaborate better with each other by using advancing technologies.
The idea is to build a software that combines the capabilities of virtual and augmented reality. It’s called Chalk Talk where you can draw anything and it turns into a simulation, or a character animation or even science explanatory phenomenon, depending upon the nature of the object.
As the wearables are making AR more accessible to people, it is expected to be integrated into our day to day routine.
On the other hand, The Cave is the new virtual reality prototype being tested in the project that aims to deliver a new kind of audience experience. It transports you and your friends to a completely different world, without needing any one of you to leave home. Not only does it offer infinite possibilities of cinema to you, but also creates a sense of immediacy in terms of the presence and physicality of theater.
What makes Holodeck project different from other immersive technology projects is that it brings virtual and augmented reality together to create an experience that will be shared by people in a shared physical space.
It’s not so much about the technology but the way it is used that lays the foundation for the groundbreaking revolution. Combining the virtual and augmented realities is expected to be that foundation in the coming years that could change how people interact with things and even with each other.