Originally posted by Derrick Cheung on September 21, 2019
With the rise in VR technology in the past half-decade, people are itching to be transported away from their current realities. Regardless of whether the destinations are fictional, fantastical, or real, VR can allow us to immerse ourselves in experiences we never thought possible before. One such application of VR technology lies in VR tourism, as the allure of touring the world without the hassle of flights or expenses is hard to resist. While Google Maps Streetview on wired and mobile devices has transformed our access to the world, it is a completely different experience in VR.
There are a few different implementations of Google Maps streetview in VR, but Wander, available on the Oculus family of headsets, is one of the better visions of what Streetview can ultimately be, especially when viewed on the budget-friendly, all-in-one, wireless Oculus Go. Unlike VR implementations that uses the user’s mobile phone, Wander only requires one install, and comes with functionality that Google Cardboard doesn’t.
Once in, users can search for a location by name, or visually on a map, and then are immediately placed into Streetview, like in the image shown. The feeling is quite immersive, as the user can move their head to look around and explore. With an included controller with Oculus headsets, unlike Google Cardboard VR, moving around the map, the menus, and the searches are all intuitive and easy; just one click anywhere on the screen will move the camera in that direction, loading up the next Streetview image. The app also can suggest nearby locations and attractions, and has integrated Wikipedia support to give users information about the area. Because the images from Streetview are stationary, the nausea that new VR users typically experience is non-existent. There is also a Collections feature, which lists a few interesting locations to visit. These choices put the user right inside the destination, taking away any frustration of wandering the streets that random map searching may lead to. While trying it out myself, one of the entries lists a collection of tourist destinations on Jeju Island in South Korea, making virtual tourism a snap.
For more information, please refer to this user experience posted by Dre Orozco on Youtube.
Being an avid traveller myself, I was drawn to this post. The app sounds very intriguing and allows you (and even your friends) to travel to a destination and explore around. Through further investigation, I think this could be a very powerful tool to expose students to different cultures, architecture, landscapes, etc. One thing that is rather cool is that the app uses pictures that have been taken and they are put together. Some pictures were taken at different times, which helps show the user how time has changed an area. This app experience could provide students with deeper learning beyond just text or lecture as students could be more immersed into the experience.
When looking on the website, I found the app to cost CA$5.70 but when I searched on my mobile the price jumped to CA$11.99. The Oculus headsets of course are quite pricey and can range from CA$200 -$700, which will make this an ineffective choice for use in schools.
Here are a couple of links to check out, if you are interested in learning more about Wander.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs2EZpHhkjc
https://www.oculus.com/experiences/go/1887977017892765/?locale=en_US