Learn basics of Mobile VR
Mobile VR is a virtual reality for smartphones or portable devices. Virtual Reality is a set of technology that uses VR headsets to provide realistic sounds, images and other sensations replicating the real environment. With LiveEdu.tv, you can learn mobile VR and make the most out of premium tutorials and video library. Become part of a community where you can improve your career by learning Mobile VR.
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Introduction to Mobile VR
Mobile VR is a virtual reality for smartphones or portable devices. Virtual Reality is a set of technology that uses VR headsets to provide realistic sounds, images and other sensations replicating the real environment. The simulation is done according to the user so that they feel like a part of the virtual environment.
According to Wikipedia, “VR has been defined as "a realistic and immersive simulation of a three-dimensional 360-degree environment, created using interactive software and hardware, and experienced or controlled by movement of the body" or as an "immersive, interactive experience generated by a computer.”
Mobile VR is crowded with multiple hardware and applications. The app market is highly rewarding. Anyone can start with Mobile VR by using Google Cardboard, the cheapest Mobile VR hardware available in the market. VR is still in its infant stage and offers excellent opportunities for end users and as well as developers who are interested in the technology.
History of Mobile VR
It is hard to state exactly when Mobile VR started. However, the history of VR relates way back to the 1950s. We can conclude that Mobile VR started when capable smartphones were introduced to the market. The last two decades were for experiments when it comes to VR, and the same is true for Mobile VR. Big companies like Google are investing heavily in VR and their simple product Google Cardboard speaks volume on what they want to achieve.
You can check more about the Virtual Reality history here.
Mobile VR Tools
Mobile VR tools will help you to get started with Mobile VR. Each of the Mobile VR hardware comes with its SDK and tools. Although, there are other tools that you can use to create great mobile VR apps. Let’s go through them one by one.
- Viro Media tools Viro Media offers tools for developers to create unique VR experiences. The good thing about Viro Media is that they can be used to create cross-platform apps. The apps will once can be used with Android Cardboard, Gear VR, Daydream, and iOS Cardboard. Viro Media utilizes the react framework under the hood. It also uses a powerful rendered to create the amazing VR visuals and experiences. The tool comes with plenty of documentation and samples.
- Google Cardboard If you are learning VR, Google Cardboard is a good way to get started. First, it is a cheap hardware and is excellent for smaller projects. However, the Google cardboard does have limitations. You can get started with Google Cardboard by visiting the developer page on Google VR website. There you can find tutorials for Android, Unity - Android/iOS, and other platforms.
- InstaVR InstaVR can be used to create VR apps for different platforms. It can be a great tool for companies who are looking to market their services using the tool. The free version of this tool, lets you handle the basic projects of your own; but if you are serious about making VR apps for mobile, you need to get the PRO or Enterprise version.
- Unity Game Engine Unity game engine is one of the best ways to learn VR or start your companies’ VR app development. It can be mobile, desktop or console. Unity has grown substantially in the last few years. It has excellent documentation and sample projects to follow and cover.
Mobile VR headsets
Google Daydream View: Google Daydream View is one of the best Mobile VR headsets out there. The VR headset is attractive, lightweight and is well-designed. It also comes with tons of apps to try. It is also cheap and can be yours for only $79.
- Google Daydream View: Google Daydream View is one of the best Mobile VR headsets out there. The VR headset is attractive, lightweight and is well-designed. It also comes with tons of apps to try. It is also cheap and can be yours for only $79.
- Google Cardboard: A simple cardboard headset that is readily available for anyone to try out mobile VR without spending a fortune. It supports big phones and falls under the category of low-cost, DIY VR headset. You can purchase it for around $5.
- Samsung Gear VR: Samsung VR headset is also a good mobile VR headset. It is extremely comfortable and can be a good choice for anyone who wears glasses. The VR headset can easily be used for watching TV shows and short films.
- Want to know about more Mobile VR headsets? Check this post by Wareable to know more.
Education Ecosystem VR Project Creators
If you are wondering where to get started to learn VR, the best way is to watch VR streams on Education Ecosystem. Let’s list the top 5 VR Project Creators on Education Ecosystem.
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Streamer Name: Peroht
Project Name: VR Game Post Apocalyptic - C# Unity3d Blender
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Streamer Name: jcanadilla
Project Name: Gamedev: Neon Tanks Unity 3D - MIGRVJ - URJC
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Streamer Name: BonozoApps
Project Name: Bonozo Apps does Live #GameDev!
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Streamer Name: RedIronLabs
Project Name: Game Level Design - C# VR Horror - ABDUCTION
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Streamer Name: jquave
Project Name: Unity VR App
Mobile VR Best Books
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Cardboard VR Projects for Android
by Jonathan Linowes, Matt Schoen
The book is for established Android developers with a good knowledge of Java. No prior OpenGL or graphics knowledge is required. No prior experience with Google Cardboard is expected, but those who are familiar with Cardboard and are looking for projects to expand their knowledge can also benefit from this book.
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2D to VR with Unity5 and Google Cardboard
The book provides an up-to-date introduction to the latest version of Unity and its workflow by guiding readers through various prototypes. These range from 2D to 3D game concepts for PC and mobile, will allow readers to get acquainted with several important concepts and allow them to become competent Unity developers able to learn at their own pace.
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Virtual Reality Beginner’s Guide + Google Cardboard Inspired VR Viewer
Turn your smartphone into an interactive 3D viewer under 5 minutes!
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Learning Virtual Reality: Developing Immersive Experiences and Applications for Desktop, Web, and Mobile
by Tony Parisi
As virtual reality approaches mainstream consumer use, a vibrant developer ecosystem has emerged in the past few years. This hands-on guide takes you through VR development essentials for desktop, mobile, and browser-based applications. You’ll explore the three go-to platforms—OculusVR, Gear VR, and Cardboard VR—as well as several VR development environments, programming tools, and techniques.
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The Fourth Transformation: How Augmented Reality & Artificial Intelligence Will Change Everything
Ten years from today, the center of our digital lives will no longer be the smart phone, but device that looks like ordinary eyeglasses: except those glasses will have settings for Virtual and Augmented Reality. What you really seeing and what is computer generated will be mixed so tightly together, that we won’t really be able to tell what is real and what is illusion.
Instead of touching and sliding on a mobile phone, we will make things happen by moving our eyes or by brainwaves. When we talk with someone or play an online game, we will see that person in the same room with us. We will be able to touch and feel her or him through haptic technology.
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Working Virtually: Transforming the Mobile Workplace
by Trina Hoefling, Didier Elzinga
This book, the fruit of the author’s three decades of experience planning and implementing remote working environments, provides expert guidance for anyone planning a shift to remote working, managing teams of teleworkers, or themselves working in a virtual team.
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The VR Book: Human-Centered Design for Virtual Reality (Acm Books)
by Jason Jerald
Without a clear understanding of the human side of virtual reality (VR), the experience will always fail. The VR Book bridges this gap by focusing on human-centered design. Creating compelling VR applications is an incredibly complex challenge. When done well, these experiences can be brilliant and pleasurable, but when done badly, they can result in frustration and sickness. Whereas limitations of technology can cause bad VR execution, problems are oftentimes caused by a lack of understanding human perception, interaction, design principles, and real users.
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Virtual Reality: Heart of Ice (Virtual reality game books)
by Dave Morris, Russ Nicholson
The book presents a strategy for capitalizing on the opportunities presented in our driverless future through the combination of startup innovations with corporate innovation efforts.
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Virtual Reality Technology, Second Edition with CD-ROM
by Grigore C. Burdea,Philippe Coiffet
Virtual reality is a very powerful and compelling computer application by which humans can interface and interact with computer-generated environments in a way that mimics real life and engages all the senses. Although its most widely known application is in the entertainment industry, the real promise of virtual reality lies in such fields as medicine, engineering, oil exploration and the military, to name just a few.
Mobile VR Projects
Learning from projects is the best way to learn anything. The same is true for the MobileVR. The more projects you do, the better you become. Let’s go through some of the mobile VR projects that you can use for inspiration or learning purposes.
Discovery VR A simple VR app that enables you to view different stories vividly. It shows content from various mediums such as DNews Labs, Discovery, etc.
Explore this project!VR Cave tries to give you a glimpse of the beautiful caves. This app lets you do a detailed exploration of the caves.
Explore this project!FullDive VR enables the use your smartphone in a VR generated navigation. With it, you can do tons of things, such as follow friends or watch movies. You can also watch photos and videos or browse the internet! A complete VR experience.
Explore this project!This app lets you create a glimpse of what Google has produced in the world of VR.
Explore this project!InMind: is one of the finest mobile VR apps. It lets you travel in the mind of a patient and cure diseases and disorders.
Explore this project!Mobile VR Community
Virtual Reality is the future of technology. That’s why there are plenty of communities online that you can use for the purpose of the enriching your learning or networking. Google VR community is the best community to hang out. You can follow Google VR blog to learn a lot about VR in general.
Education Ecosystem also offers the opportunity for VR developers and learners to network and find useful VR content. You can follow them and learn a lot.
VR Gurus
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Daniel Corey
Daniel Corey is the author of the RedCity and Moriarty for ImageComics. His company focuses on creating graphic novels that can fully utilize the power of Virtual reality.
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Eva Hoerth
Eva Hoerth is a virtual reality design researcher and community builder at Ratlab. She strongly believes that VR has a lot of potentials and there is a long way to go.
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Jaron Zepel
Jaron Zepel Lanier is an American computer philosophy writer, computer scientist, visual artist, and composer of classical music. A pioneer in the field of virtual reality (a term he is credited with popularizing, Lanier and Thomas G. Zimmerman left Atari in 1985 to found VPL Research, Inc., the first company to sell VR goggles and gloves.
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John D. Carmack
John D. Carmack (born August 20, 1970) is an American game programmer, aerospace, and virtual reality engineer. He co-founded id Software. Carmack was the lead programmer of the id video games Commander Keen, Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Quake, Rage and their sequels.
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Char Davies
Char Davies (born 1954) is a Canadian contemporary artist known for creating immersive virtual reality (VR) artworks. A founding director of Softimage, Co, she is considered a world leader in the field of virtual reality and a pioneer of bio-feedback VR
Mobile VR Conferences
As there are a lot of mobile VR content developed every year, Conferences are held every year. One of the most popular mobile conferences are the Mobile VR: Enhancing the Entertainment Experience. Vision Summit also offers a good glimpse of VR world. It also covers AR as both fields are mutual in many ways. Another big conference where VR is a part is the GDC conference.