Why now is a great time for VR and digital planetariums

We are at the beginning of a fantastic period for Virtual Reality, the latest of many waves going back as far as I can remember. With a whole field of VR headsets (Oculus Rift, Microsoft Hololens & Google Cardboard to name but 3) all vying to be the next big thing, focus is switching from the devices themselves to what they are going to be used for. After all without content they are nothing more than items that collect dust on a shelf.

Up to now a lot of developers have been focusing on virtual worlds to explore and play in, but now with advances in technology and falling costs the opportunity to shoot 360° video is now within the reach of more people. Everything from multi-camera solutions (360Heros & Google Jump), through single camera / multi lens devices (Giroptic 360Cam & SpheriCam) to single camera / single lens devices (Kodak SP360 & Eye Mirror 360º). None of these devices are perfect, each having their own pro and cons, but all having the ability to shoot 360° video.

Now some of these devices, in my option, have reached a quality / cost / complexity tipping point. Before this if you wanted reasonable quality it came at a cost and required a certain amount of technological know how. But now there are devices that are  affordable, produce reasonable quality content and don't require an in-depth knowledge on the subject. This in turn is resulting in a whole swath of film makers getting access to the format for the first time.

This is where things are getting great for digital planetariums too. You see in most cases the 360° content that is being produced for VR headsets just needs a bit of tweaking to be able to be projected into a dome (something most content creators hadn't even considered as an option). Unfortunately not all content is suitable, especially where the viewer is required to look down! Most domes only covers a 360° x 90° view (the top half of a sphere) so you can look from straight up to the horizon in all directions, but with a bit of adjustment it is possible to extend what is projected to an amount below the horizon as well.

Over the past couple of years I have been experimenting with re-projecting 360° content from a wide list of genre's (artistic, music, action, scenic) with great success. It has provided a fantastic learning experience as to what works / doesn't work in a dome and how people experience the format. It has shown me that digital planetariums aren't just one trick ponies that only show journeys into space. They can just as easily show an immersive environments as VR headsets, placing the viewer in the middle of an all round view.

Some people may question if its worth bothering with digital planetariums as the number of people who have access to one is lower than VR headset ownership and the domes that are out there are already fully booked showing their own content. Well things have changed, there is now a whole new breed of portable digital planetariums that can sit up to 40 adults (or even more children) where ever there is enough space. You don't even have to own one yourself as there are companies that will bring a dome and show your content for you (here in the UK there is a company called Immersive Theatres).

Finally one of the biggest advantages of domes over VR headsets in my eyes is a social one. If what you are looking for is the ability to be immersed in a virtual environment by yourself then maybe a VR headset is for you, but the experience doesn't always have to be like this. The experience could be one that you share with others.