Ocean Rift

The Oculus Rift Virtual Reality headset

The Oculus Rift virtual reality headset is one of the most talked about technologies of 2013, with many proclaiming it and similar devices could revolutionise the way people experience interactive content in the coming years.

Dr. Llyr ap Cenydd from the School of Computer Science has sought to explore what could be possible with this new immersive technology by developing prototype experiences in his spare time over the Summer, using an Oculus Rift development kit he funded through Kickstarter.

Ocean Rift is a virtual deep sea diving experience specifically designed for the Oculus Rift. In the tech demo users can explore the sea bed and meet a number of different shark species, schooling fish and humpback whales.

The most infamous inhabitant of Ocean Rift is the hungry prehistoric Megalodon shark that lives in the deeper parts of the simulation. While Ocean Rift is mostly a benign experience, players are warned not to venture too far into the deep, and numerous anecdotal blog posts and YouTube reaction videos are testament to how realistic virtual reality can be when this advice is ignored!

For more info contact Dr Llŷr ap Cenydd.

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