Oculus Rift

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  • 2016

  • Product
    Consumer Electronics

Designed By:

Commissioned By:

Oculus

Designed In:

United States

Oculus Rift is a first-of-its-kind consumer virtual reality system, delivering high-quality, positionally tracked VR. Together, the hardware and software make Rift comfortable and easy to use. Whether you’re stepping into your favorite game, jumping to an exotic destination, or hanging with friends in VR, you’ll feel like you’re really there.


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  • Virtual reality often conjures images of cumbersome hardware that could only exist in academia or military labs. A consumer VR system must dispel these old ideas and reduce the barriers to entry for average consumers. Oculus Rift is a virtual reality system, delivering high-quality, positionally tracked VR to consumers for the first time. Simply put, Rift is exactly what you imagine: a portal that allows you go places you have never been, do things you never thought possible. With two dev kits released and the eyes of the world on a product release that will likely be the first true consumer virtual reality system, the Rift ecosystem is one of the most highly anticipated product launches in recent times.

  • Everyone is different, and the Rift Headset is designed with enough adjustability to fit most people comfortably. The main strap system combines a compliant material in the rear section with structural support up front to distribute weight and take pressure off your face. Intuitive tabs on the top and sides allow for easy size adjustment and infinite customization. Once the headset is setup for you, it slips on and off in a single motion, allowing immediate access to the virtual world. The elegant and unique outcome is highlighted in a silhouette that is inherently iconic.

  • The Rift Headset is designed from the ground up to provide a balanced fit and long-term comfort. To achieve this, Rift features high-precision optical assemblies and functional mechanical systems that are wrapped in soft materials to t provide comfort, distribute weight, and conceal complexity. A canopy of tensioned fabric stretches, enabling precise lens spacing adjustment without exposing telescoping or other visually obtrusive features allowed us to maintain a seamless appearance. Microfiber-lined, TPU straps integrate electronics, reducing visible cable connections. External fabric conceals the functional components of the motion tracking system, resulting in a simple, approachable overall appearance.

  • While the overall design of Rift is a system comprised of intricate hardware and software, and at its core, it acts as portal to new worlds. To allow people to lose themselves in the virtual world, we had to develop a design that is intuitive on first use and comfortable. The design and engineering teams have fought endlessly to reduce both the real and perceived weight of the headset. Done right, people will simply forget the headset exists as they become immersed in a new reality.

    The Rift's external sensor captures your movements and translates them in the VR space. This allows you to look around, examine virtual objects up-close, and move around “inside” virtual spaces, as if you are really there. The Oculus Sensor is an infrared (IR) camera that tracks a unique arrangement of IR LEDs hidden under the plastic and fabric of the headset.. Like a light fixture or a mirror, it is a honest, geometric design form that allows the sensor to blend comfortably into the home. For overall flexibility and custom setups, the body of the sensor can be removed from its stand and attached to any standard ¼-20 camera mount.

    An arrangement of IR LEDs embedded in the rear triangle allows a single sensor to see and track you no matter where you look. A small, comfortable form that fitis into the palm of your hand and allows you to intuitively navigate virtual worlds. Rift's remote functions as a talisman that melts away as you focus on more important things. Rift's strap system provides integrated connection points for adjustable, on-ear headphones without the need for extra cabling. 3D, spatialized audio technology enables virtual sounds to originate from any point above, below or behind you. The open nature of the drivers allows for minute amounts of crosstalk, mimicking the way your ears naturally detect direction and provi

    Rift brings a long transformative technology to life. The combination of technologies, ergonomic decisions, and software work together in concert. It is a true leap in the approach to consumer electronics and is poised to fundamentally change how humans consume and interact with information. With Rift, the future isn't as far away as people once thought. The experiences and opportunities are limitless.