[Envelop VR has an intriguing new approach to working in VR, and the founder talks about it and related issues in the 14:37 podcast episode in this story from Road to VR; among other things, he talks (starting at 10:37) about the distinctions among VR, AR, MR, etc.: “I call them immersive technologies – anything that helps you achieve presence.” –Matthew]
Work All Day in Virtual Reality with Envelop VR
Voices of VR Podcast – Episode #236
By Kent Bye – Nov 3, 2015
Envelop VR is a productivity tool that provides a virtual shell to allow users to use all of their existing 2D applications within the context of virtual reality. I had a chance to talk to the founder Bob Berry at the SEA-VR Expo, which he also founded last year. Envelop VR announced last week that they raised a $4 million round of funding from Madrona Venture Group. Bob talks about their strategy to create a generalized solution to be able to work all day within VR, and some of the challenges that they had to solve along the way.
One big issue with a virtual desktop solution is being able to see your hands on the keyboard, especially for people who are not touch typists. They point a web cam down at your hands, and then they render a virtual representation of your hands in VR laid over the keyboard.
Some of the other issues that we discuss include how the screendoor effect is negligible on the CV1 and Vive, the possibility for immersive visualizations, being able to increase productivity by having as many monitors and screen real estate as you want in VR, and the exciting potential of being able to code VR experiences while being within VR.
Bob believes that immersive computing is going to provide a complete paradigm shift in how we interact with computers and he hopes that Envelop VR can provide the tools to be able to help make that happen.