Underwater VR Helmet: A Dive into Virtual Reality
In a surprising and bold venture, two ingenious scientists, Stephen Greenwood and Allan Evans, have embarked on the creation of an underwater VR helmet. You may wonder, “Can a VR helmet really work underwater?”
Stephen Greenwood, the CTO and co-founder of a company specializing in VR retinal spectacles and interactive technologies, alongside Allan Evans, have ventured into this exciting project to create a VR helmet capable of functioning underwater, and it’s not just a mere concept anymore.
Underwater VR Helmet: Space Walk Experience with Music
A UploadVR reporter had the opportunity to experience this innovative creation. Wearing the underwater VR helmet, they encountered two unique scenarios. The first offered a spacewalk experience, accompanied by soothing music. The second scenario immersed them in a coral reef, surrounded by a multitude of fish swimming gracefully.
Greenwood explained the design of the helmet:
“In essence, the helmet is built using a Google Cardboard foundation. We incorporated a waterproof phone and integrated the lenses into the diving mask, using a Samsung Galaxy Edge as the display screen.”
Underwater VR Helmet: Water as the Focal Length
The “focal length” he referred to is the unique lens in the helmet that uses water refraction to align the VR image with the binocular calibration. To maintain cost-efficiency, they employed a standard display to provide a wider field of view angle. The lens inside the helmet slightly distorts the image, and it’s the flow of water into the helmet that corrects the image’s calibration.
The helmet is constructed using a combination of waterproof rubber, adhesive tape, and a display screen. The display can render appropriate VR content only when immersed in water. The weightlessness experienced underwater significantly enhances the sense of immersion, making it an exhilarating experience.
This project provides an opportunity to explore various underwater VR concepts: Does underwater VR induce motion sickness? How does it simulate zero gravity? Can it deliver a convincing space experience? These are just some of the intriguing questions this project aims to answer, and it’s definitely worth a try.
The helmet lacks built-in position tracking, and audio is provided through external headphones, which offer clear sound quality even underwater.
Greenwood is considering future enhancements, including deploying the device in pools or on beaches to offer a more “floating” experience.