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Headsets

Overview of VR Headsets

VR headsets, also know as head-mounted displays (HMDs) are available in three types:

Tethered Headsets

Standalone Headsets (including smart glasses)

Smartphone Headsets

See also More info on VR Headsets below.

Warning

PLEASE READ BEFORE USING ANY HEADSET

  • Virtual Reality headsets are not suitable for people who are under 12 years of age, pregnant, experience motion sickness, high blood pressure, heart conditions, epileptic symptoms, binocular vision abnormalities, and suffer from claustrophobia and/or dizziness.
  • Don’t use the headset for more than 15 minutes at one time. Take a break.
  • Ensure you are in a safe environment and free of obstructions.
  • Stop immediately if you experience loss of awareness, dizziness, headache, impaired balance, nausea, and/or lightheadedness. 

Tethered Headsets

  • Tethered headsets are attached to a computer or gaming console, either physically with a cord or wirelessly
  • They have more processing power, meaning clearer graphics and better response to user's movements
  • Work in tandem with handheld controllers that allow users to interact with the VR environment

 

 

For more information about access to headsets, or VR applications via Steam or Oculus, contact xr-support-enquiries@qut.edu.au or call 3138 3131.

Best for: virtual reality content and apps. Can also be used for: 360 videocreated by Morgan McIlwain from Noun ProjectCreated by Bharat from Noun Project

Standalone Headsets

  • These are all-in-one devices that don't need a computer or console to run
  • Without the processing power of a gaming console or computer, their graphics might not be as crisp or quick as in tethered headsets, but the technology is rapidly improving
  • These headsets also tend to come with handheld controllers for interaction

Image: VR Game The Climb: Oculus Rift mit Touch by Marco Verch is licensed under CC BY 2.0

 

For more information about access to headsets, or VR applications via Steam or Oculus, contact xr-support-enquiries@qut.edu.au or call 3138 3131.

Best for: virtual reality content and apps. Can also be used for: 360 videocreated by Morgan McIlwain from Noun ProjectCreated by Bharat from Noun Project

 

Smart glasses for Augmented or Mixed Reality
  • Smart glasses are another type of standalone device, that allow users to see their physical environment with digital information and augmentations overlaid on top
  • Some smart glasses use external controllers (eg a remote control, or smart watch) and others are controlled with voice commands and user gestures

Image: Using a VR headset, by Jisc and Matt Lincoln, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

If you are interested in using Augmented or Mixed Reality for research or teaching, contact xr-support-enquiries@qut.edu.au or call 3138 3131.

Best for: AR and MR content and apps.Created by Evangeline La from Noun Project

Smartphone Headsets aka VR Goggles

  • These headsets are essentially a head-mounted container for a smartphone, often with lenses to improve the viewing experience. Content is delivered via apps on the smartphone and the smartphone's screen
  • Goggles generally don't use controllers. The user is moved through a pre-recorded experience and can look around in all directions, but not interact

Student using red Merge VR headset in lecture

Image: Excerpt from video Students using Merge VR Goggles by Ellen Thompson, is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

Available at QUT Library: 

Best for: 360 video. Can be used for some AR content.created by Morgan McIlwain from Noun Project

More info on VR headsets

To discover more headsets and VR accessories, visit GadgetFlow

Subjects: Creative industries / Animation, Creative industries / Interaction design and visual communication