How the Oculus Rift will revolutionize gaming and possibly the world

Gaming has been around for about 40 years. From bulky 4kb cartridges to 50+ GB Blu-ray discs, and from joysticks to motion controls, it remains clear that the way the world plays video games has significantly evolved. It started with the Magnavox Odyssey in 1972 and throughout the years the design of gaming systems, how they're played, and what they're used for has progressed a great deal.

It's no secret the gaming industry is competitive. Companies strive to outdo their predecessors and competitors while hoping to revolutionize the industry every time they release a new system. There's no telling what the technological limits for the modern-day gaming system are, but the Oculus Rift hopes to test those limits and change the gaming industry and eventually human's existence (yes, seriously) forever.

HOW THE OCULUS RIFT WORKS

Before detailing what this exactly is in regards to gaming, one should know that a gyroscope is a device used for measuring or maintaining orientation based on the principles of angular momentum.

How does any of this fit in with gaming?

While the idea of this technology comes from a bulky instrument, this method of measurement has been scaled down since its inception. It wasn't enough to measure the pitch, yaw, and roll with three relatively small sensors; now it's been shaped and molded to fit into one digital sensor.

Who benefits?

Let's put things in perspective. The Nintendo Wii gaming system only features the triple-axis accelerometer in its wand, which measures static tilt angles for pitch and roll. Combine that technology with a triple-axis gyro, which can capture movements as quick as 2000 degrees per second, along with a triples-axis magnetometer, and you've reached a new level of possibilities.
The Oculus Rift incorporates this technology in a head-mounted display (HMD) that's worn on the head or as part of a helmet, allowing gamers to feel even more in control and in the depths of their virtual reality. This Oculus Rift technology has also been used in the military and aviation.

A VISUAL RENAISSANCE

The first prototype of the Oculus Rift used a 5.6-inch screen, which has now been upgraded to a 7-inch screen. Although a bit bulkier, the new panel's pixel switching time is much faster and reduces latency and motion blur when users turn their head quickly. The LCD is also brighter; the color depth is 24 bits per pixel.

The panel's resolution is expected to be 1920 x 1080 (effectively 960 x 1080 for each eye) when the consumer version launches. Each eye will have its own screen, which simulates normal human vision to give the user a true 3D stereoscopic experience. This along with a 90-degree field of vision that essentially fills the wearer's full sight and blocks out any actual reality, which gives the user an entirely immersive experience.

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