Is the idea of the metaverse dead? Even without a much hotter technology in the form of artificial intelligence (AI) capturing the public conversation, most ordinary people have stopped talking about it, beyond reminiscing about the COVID-19-era hype and catty quips at the technology's expense.

The hype was once so loud that one of the biggest names in the technology industry capitalized on it by changing its own name — we're looking at you, Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook. Several years on, however, Meta has quietly divested itself of its interests in the area. After losing more than $70 billion since 2021 as of December 2025, the firm was preparing to cut metaverse development outfit Reality Labs' funding by 30%.

Recently, Meta announced it was shutting down its virtual reality environment Horizon Worlds in June 2026 — meaning the new paradigm we were all promised would have become one of technology's infamous short-lived flameouts. Then, days later, it reversed course — with company representatives saying the platform would remain available on Quest, Meta's VR headset.

The original iteration of virtual reality (VR) emerged in the 1990s, primarily for gaming, but the theory goes back further, with immersive digital worlds featured in science fiction as far back as the work of author Ray Bradbury in the 1960s. A real-world attempt at digital worlds, Second Life, made an early splash when released in 2003, but technical and copyright issues hobbled adoption.

The idea was resurrected by Facebook in the early 2020s. CEO Mark Zuckerberg believed we’d increasingly use shared, immersive experiences that go beyond flat screens as digital social interaction became central to life and work, and scientific studies confirmed users were ready, particularly after COVID lockdowns had made remote work the new normal.

But, several years later, things have changed. While Meta wasn't the only company touting a new generation of VR, it’s a fairly damning indictment of the faith the technology industry has in this concept. But does that mean it's dead and buried for good? Although it was a non-starter for many, for others, it's not dead but simply still finding its place in the modern world.

The failed promise of the metaverse

"The branding is wounded, or under correction from its initial expectation," said Lik-Hang Lee, assistant professor of augmented reality (AR) and VR at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He authored a study on the metaverse, which was published Oct. 21 in the journal Computers and Society. "The grand vision of a single, shared virtual universe where we all work, play, and socialize in headsets all day was always a bit of a sci-fi oversell."

Futurist Mark van Rijmenam, who writes and speaks publicly about future technologies, agrees. He added that the vision of cartoon avatars in virtual reality (VR) lobbies was never going to happen. But he thinks the metaverse is very much alive nonetheless. "It's maturing into something more meaningful than the hype once promised," he told Live Science. "What felt like abandonment was actually a pivot beneath the surface. It's being rebuilt with purpose, not PR, and with technology that's actually ready for the spatial internet."

There's no denying that something went seriously wrong with this idea after Meta popularized it during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Spending our time in virtual utopias, at least in the short term, did not enjoy wide appeal, and what little interest there was evaporated. When asked why metaverse proponents failed to convince the masses, Lee said there was no "killer app" for non-early adopters.

"VR meetups and virtual offices were marketed as the future, but for most of us, they were just clunkier versions of Zoom, Slack, or games we already had," he said. "The friction of putting on a headset is high and the reward wasn't clearly higher."

For van Rijmenam, the metaverse that received all the hype also missed one crucial unique selling point — it was disconnected from real use cases. "It focused on virtual hangouts and flashy graphics instead of solving real-world problems or merging with everyday workflows. Early metaverse projects promised novelty before utility," he said.

A common theme that experts brought up was that the hardware wasn't seamless or mature enough to deliver the promised experience. "The current hardware suffers from limitations like a small field of view, heavy designs, motion sickness and poor graphics," Bob Gourley, CTO at intelligence and analysis firm OODA, told Live Science. "The future of the metaverse lies in the hands of technologies in AI, 5G, edge computing, and display like microLEDs and better optics that are still to come before it can be fully realized. The debate now isn't about the metaverse being dead or alive but how the technological support will catch up."

Presenting a particular stumbling block were the VR headsets touted by Oculus (later Meta) and Sony (for use with PlayStation). Not only are they bulky, and much harder to set up and use compared to a laptop or phone, but reports of headaches and nausea were widespread, thanks to something known as a "vergence-accommodation conflict."

We focus on an object when the brain uses muscles to pull the eyes in different directions so that their combined focal point converges on an object, no matter how far away. But when you wear a VR headset, your eyes constantly focus on a small flat screen just fractions of an inch from your eyes, an illusion that works — but only up to a point. Prolonged exposure causes a contradiction between the visual field and how your brain directs muscles in your eyes to focus in response, a phenomenon that was central to a 2024 study in the Journal of Optometry.

"Interestingly, humans aren't purely visual-first organisms," said Jennalyn Ponraj, founder of Delaire, a research lab focused on voice and human nervous system regulation in AI systems. "Presence is actually regulated through interconnected systems that include vestibular balance, proprioception, breath, and timing. When you flood vision with high-resolution but low-latency input, the rest of the sensory system receives conflicting or absent signals, and it often results in fatigue, nausea, dissociation, and cognitive strain. The technology functions, but the models of human perception are incomplete. Meta's divestment looks like an admission that immersion ultimately depends on attunement to biophysical regulation."

This lack of comfort is something of an insurmountable barrier, experts suggest, with virtual worlds likely going nowhere until accessing them is as easy as putting on a pair of glasses and forgetting they're there. We also can't forget one of the most common barriers to uptake of any new technology paradigm: tech fatigue.

"A lot of people already feel overwhelmed by digital life," said Lee. "Asking them to strap a gadget to their face for casual interaction is a big ask. There wasn't a clear "why" — why do this in VR instead of just using a phone or laptop? Outside of gaming and some enterprise use cases, developers struggled to find sustainable business models and reasons for people to come back."

The case against the metaverse's revival

But not everyone’s so certain of such manifest destiny for the metaverse. As long ago as 2023, a market research firm told the media: "The metaverse was briefly attractive to enterprises, but few invested seriously in moving the concept further within their organization."

Even before that, when metaverse hype was still at fever pitch, a Pew Research study reported that 46% of respondents said the metaverse won’t be a refined, truly immersive and functioning aspect of daily life by 2040.

Former software engineer at Facebook, Unity and Adobe, Mircea Dima, now currently founder, CEO, CFO and software engineer at AlgoCademy, thinks there’s little future in mass-market metaverse use. The limiting factor, he told Live Science, is human behavior — not graphics or computing power.

"Wearing a headset isolates you from other people, puts a physical strain on your body, and demands prolonged focus," he said. "No one will wear a device on their face for an extended period of time for tasks that can be done just as quickly with a laptop or smartphone. Hardware getting to a point where it’s comfortable to wear on your head isn’t going to remove that friction."

He added that the metaverse still has proponents because the concept is "emotionally appealing."

"Engineers love working within a closed system where almost anything is programmable. Investors hate to admit they’ve thrown good money after bad and founders are often emotionally attached to a publicly promoted vision of what they wanted to create, and won’t easily abandon it."

In one example, Mark Friend, Company Director at education IT provider Classroom365, delivered and ran VR classroom pilots. While such programs captured students’ attention, he said, the metaverse will never be mainstream in the field. He told Live Science the pilot data showed increases in the level of focus in students of up to 150%, but the model collapsed in the real world. The primary barriers to scale, he added, was hardware cost and the time to meet compliance requirements.

Saswata Baksi, co-founder of Local Glyph, tells a similar story, saying the metaverse is a non-starter because it solves a problem users don’t have. "A retail brand spent six months creating a virtual showroom for their customers to browse products as avatars," he told Live Science. "Peak usage was 200 people in the first week — but by the end of the first month, usage had plummeted to single digits. It simply took too long for customers to navigate the virtual space. They preferred scrolling through Instagram on their phones, which offered no setup friction."

As for why so many organizations continue to assert the metaverse will have its day, almost everybody Live Science spoke with highlighted the "sunk cost fallacy" phenomenon.

The metaverse is down, but is it out?

Many think the general philosophy of meeting, working and playing in virtual worlds in digital form is still coming. Lee said that if you strip away the hype, more and more of our lives are moving into persistent digital spaces: "Games, virtual collaboration tools, industrial simulations and augmented reality on phones and headsets are all growing."

But perhaps the ultimate irony is that AI, which left the metaverse in the dust on the hype scales, will be one of the cornerstones that enable it. "The original metaverse failed because content creation and responsiveness were manual and static. AI changes that," said van Rijmenam.

Joachim van der Meulen is the secretary and facilitator of DROPS Asia, an industry association to prevent harm from dropped objects in the workplace. He began building VR training content in 2017 and quickly learned "how difficult and expensive it is to deliver a genuinely good immersive experience," but now he can see a way to rekindle the effort by using AI.

"Much of our effort went into maintaining core systems and keeping the software up to date, leaving little budget or capacity for new features or content," he said. "AI-assisted development proved effective for routine, labour-intensive tasks, in some cases solving long-standing technical problems, and we’re now seeing experimentation with generative AI for 3D environments."

Lee agreed, adding: "If anything like the metaverse is ever going to work at scale, AI will probably be a huge part of what makes it viable when it comes to content creation, intelligent characters and agents, personalization and usability and real-time understanding of the 'world model' and translation."

We also can't forget the roll call of technologies, from the Apple Newton to Google Glass, that only failed because they were too early — a position the metaverse finds itself squarely in today, with almost everybody we spoke to for this article agreeing it still shows potential despite a subpar early hardware experience. We can also see echoes of the Google Glass in the Ray-Ban Meta devices and similar AR-powered smart glasses today, which face regulatory and privacy hurdles.

"The metaverse feels like it's in its middle phase," said Lee. "The initial "this will change everything tomorrow" phase is over. What we have now is slower, more incremental progress. It's a classic technology trough — less visible, less glamorous, but often where the most important engineering and design work actually happens."

Even though Meta has cut funding and effectively neutered the idea, for many others, the underlying technologies and architectural foundations are now emerging, says van Rijmenam. AI, spatial computing, AR and VR hardware, as well as real-world physics models driven by spatial intelligence and real-time rendering, are all converging to provide a foundation for a future attempt to resurrect the metaverse. "What once felt abandoned was actually incubation," he says.

It has been over a decade since Google Glass smart glasses were announced in 2013, followed by their swift withdrawal — in part because of low adoption. Their subsequent (and lesser known) second iteration was released in 2017 and aimed at the workplace. They were withdrawn in 2023.

In December 2025, Google made a new promise for smart glasses — with two new products to be released in 2026. But why have Google smart glasses struggled where others are succeeding? And will Google see success the third time around?

What is clear from developments in wearable tech over the last decade, is that successful products are being built into things that people already like to wear: watches, rings, bracelets and glasses.

These are the types of accessories that have emerged over centuries and currently adopted as normal in society.

Some of the most recent academic research is taking this approach, building sensors into jewellery that people would actually want to wear. Research has developed a scale to measure the social acceptability of wearable technology (the WEAR scale, or Wearable Acceptability Range), which includes questions like: "I think my peers would find this device acceptable to wear."

Noreen Kelly, from Iowa State University, and colleagues showed that at its core, this scale measured two things: that the device helped people reach a goal (that made it worth wearing), and that it did not create social anxiety about privacy and being seen as rude.

This latter issue was highlighted most prominently by the term that emerged for Google Glass users: Glassholes. Although many studies have considered the potential benefits of smart glasses, from mental health to use in surgery, privacy concerns and other issues are ongoing for newer smart glasses.

All that said, "look-and-feel" keeps coming up the most common concern for potential buyers. The most successful products have been designed to be desirable as accessories first, and with smart technologies second. Typically, in fact, by designer brands.

A fine spectacle

After Google Glass, Snapchat released smart glasses called "spectacles", which had cameras built in, focused on fashion and were more easily accepted into society. The now most prominent smart glasses were released by Meta (Facebook's parent company), in collaboration with designer brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley. Most of these products include front facing cameras and conversational voice agent support from Meta AI.

So what do we expect to see from Google Smart Glasses in 2026? Google has promised two products: one that is audio only, and one that has "screens" shown on the lenses (like Google Glass).

The biggest assumption (based on the promo videos) is that these will see a significant change in form factor, from the futuristic if not scary and unfamiliar design of Google Glass, to something that is more normally seen as glasses.

Google's announcement also focused on the addition of AI (in fact, they announced them as "AI Glasses" rather than smart glasses). The two types of product (audio only AI Glasses, and AI Glasses with projections in the field of view), however, are not especially novel, even when combined with AI.

Meta's Ray-Ban products are available in both modes, and include voice interaction with their own AI. These have been more successful than the recent Humane AI Pin, for example, which included front-facing cameras, other sensors, and voice support from an AI agent. This was the closest thing we've had so far to the Star Trek lapel communicators.

Direction of travel

Chances are, the main directions of innovation in this are, first, reducing the chonkyness of smart glasses, which have necessarily been bulky to include electronics and still look like that are normally proportioned.

"Building glasses you'll want to wear" is how Google phrases it, and so we may see innovation from the company that just improves the aesthetic of smart glasses. They are also working with popular brand partners. Google also advertised the release of wired XR (Mixed Reality) glasses, which are significantly reduced in form factor compared to Virtual Reality headsets on the market.

Second, we could expect more integration with other Google products and services, where Google has many more commonly used products than Meta including Google Search, Google Maps, and GMail. Their promotional material shows examples of seeing Google Maps information in view in the AI Glasses, while walking through the streets.

Finally, and perhaps the biggest area of opportunity, is to innovate on the inclusion of additional sensors, perhaps integrating with other Google wearable health products, where we are seeing many of their current ventures, including introducing their own smart rings.

Much research has focused on things that can be sensed from common touchpoints on the head, which has included heart rate, body temperature and galvanic skin response (skin moistness, which changes with, for example, stress), and even brain activation through EEG for example. With the current advances in consumer neurotechnology, we could easily see Smart Glasses that use EEG to track brain data in the next few years.

This edited article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Holograms that can be physically manipulated have made their way out of science fiction and into real life thanks to a breakthrough in mixed reality technology.

In a new study uploaded March 6 to the HAL open archive, scientists explored how three-dimensional holograms could be grabbed and poked using elastic materials as a key component of volumetric displays.

This innovation means 3D graphics can be interacted with — for example, grasping and moving a virtual cube with your hand — without damaging a holographic system. The research has not yet been peer-reviewed, although the scientists demonstrated their findings in a video showcasing the technology.

"We are used to direct interaction with our phones, where we tap a button or drag a document directly with our finger on the screen — it is natural and intuitive for humans. This project enables us to use this natural interaction with 3D graphics to leverage our innate abilities of 3D vision and manipulation,” study lead author Asier Marzo, a professor of computer science at the Public University of Navarra, said in a statement.

Related: Weird lickable lollipop invention lets you taste in virtual reality

The researchers will present their findings at the CHI conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Japan, which runs between April 26 and May 1.

Holographic hype

While holograms are nothing new in the present day — augmenting public exhibitions or sitting at the heart of smart glasses, for example — the ability to physically interact with them has been consigned to the realm of science fiction, in movies like Marvel's "Iron Man."

The new research is the first time 3D graphics can be manipulated in mid-air with human hands. But to achieve this, the researchers needed to dig deep into how holography works in the first place.

At the heart of the volumetric displays that support holograms is a diffuser. This is a fast-oscillating, usually rigid, sheet onto which thousands of images are synchronously projected at different heights to form 3D graphics. This is known as the hologram.

However, the rigid nature of the oscillator means that if it comes into contact with a human hand while oscillating, it could break or cause an injury. The solution was to use a flexible material — which the researchers haven’t shared the details of yet — that can be touched without damaging the oscillator or causing the image to deteriorate.

From there, this enabled people to manipulate the holographic image, although the researchers also needed to overcome the challenge of the elastic material deforming when being touched. To get around that problem, the researchers implemented image correction to ensure the hologram was projected correctly.

While this breakthrough is still in the experimental stage, there are plenty of potential ways it could be used if commercialized.

"Displays such as screens and mobile devices are present in our lives for working, learning, or entertainment. Having three-dimensional graphics that can be directly manipulated has applications in education — for instance, visualising and assembling the parts of an engine," the researchers said in the statement.

"Moreover, multiple users can interact collaboratively without the need for virtual reality headsets. These displays could be particularly useful in museums, for example, where visitors can simply approach and interact with the content."

An ancient Egyptian woman thought to have been pregnant and dying of cancer was actually just embalmed with a technique that mimicked these diagnoses, researchers have concluded, settling a four-year scientific debate.

Nicknamed the "Mysterious Lady," the first-century-B.C. mummy was found in the Egyptian city of Luxor (ancient Thebes) but was brought to the University of Warsaw in Poland in 1826. The mummy was not scientifically studied for over a century.

In 2021, experts with the Warsaw Mummy Project concluded that, contrary to their assumption that the mummy was a male priest based on the sarcophagus, it was actually the remains of a woman in her 20s who was 6.5 to 7.5 months pregnant.

In the first published study of the mummy, researchers used X-ray imaging and CT scans to identify several bundles of mummified organs in her abdomen. They also suggested that a poorly preserved fetus, around 28 weeks in gestational age, could be seen on the scans.

In a second study, the research team proposed that the reason no fetal bones could be clearly identified was that the mother's uterus lacked oxygen and had become acidic over time, essentially "pickling" the fetus. And finally, the team suggested that they had found evidence of potentially fatal nasopharyngeal cancer in the mummy's skull.

These interpretations were controversial, however. Radiologist and mummy expert Sahar Saleem told Live Science in 2022 that the Warsaw team failed to "identify any evidence of anatomical structures to justify their claim of a fetus." Instead, Saleem was convinced the mysterious structures in the mummy's abdomen were embalming packs.

To settle the debate, a team of 14 researchers with varied expertise led by archaeologist Kamila Braulińska of the University of Warsaw studied the Mysterious Lady and published their findings in the journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences last month.

Related: Ancient Egyptian teenager died while giving birth to twins, mummy reveals

Members of the research team each examined more than 1,300 raw CT image slices of the mummy produced in 2015 to determine whether there was any radiological evidence of a pregnancy or of cancer.

Every expert who reanalyzed the CT scans concluded that there was no fetus and that the material assumed to be a fetus was actually part of the embalming process. Further, the suggestion that the fetus' skeleton and soft tissue did not show up on the scans because the body was "pickled" is impossible, the researchers noted in the study, because acids within the human body are insufficient to dissolve bone, especially after a body is embalmed.

Similarly, none of the experts on the new study could identify clear evidence of cancer in the mummy. Some suggested instead that the damage to the woman's skull most likely occurred when her brain was removed during the embalming process.

Given the diagnostic consensus of the international panel of experts, the researchers concluded in the study that "this should resolve once and for all the discussion of the first alleged case of pregnancy identified inside an ancient Egyptian mummy, as well as the dispute about the presence of nasopharyngeal cancer."

But given the public's intense interest in the "case of the pregnant mummy" over the past four years, the researchers suggested that, going forward, additional focus should be given to questions of maternal and pediatric health in ancient Egypt.

Mummy quiz: Can you unwrap these ancient Egyptian mysteries?

Virtual reality (VR) experiences could soon get a lot more realistic thanks to a lickable device that lets you "taste" in virtual environments.

The small, lollipop-like interface simulates up to nine flavors and can even be combined with smells to make the sensation of taste feel lifelike, scientists said in a new study published Nov. 25 in the journal PNAS.

"In reality, there are five human typical sensations, including vision, audio, haptics [touch], olfaction [smell], and taste," first author Yiming Liu, a researcher in biomedical engineering at City University of Hong Kong and the University of Tokyo, told Live Science in an email. "To develop an immersive VR experience for users, we hope to display all the five sensations to users, where we will establish a flawless 3D virtual world (similar to OASIS in the movie "Ready Player One")."

The lickable device contains small pouches filled with gels. These gels contain chemicals that, when mixed with saliva, simulate different flavors. So far, these flavors include salt, sugar, cherry, citric acid, green tea, passion fruit, grapefruit, durian and milk.

Each flavor is released only when a small electric current passes through each respective gel, and the quantity delivered depends on the voltage applied. This means several flavors can be mixed to create new taste sensations.

Related: Future VR headsets could use a new type of lens inspired by holographic tech

Aside from making VR gaming more immersive, the device could have practical applications, including taste tests by doctors, online grocery shopping and education, the team suggested.

This is not the first time researchers have tried to bring taste to virtual reality. Others have explored directly applying flavor chemicals to the tongue and stimulation using heat and electricity.

This latest development offers a precise, low-energy option with a compact, handheld design. However, Liu noted that the technology is still in its infancy and has limitations. For example, the gels currently last for only about an hour's worth of licking. The team plans to extend this life span and expand the number of flavors available.

Players of "Pokémon Go" — an augmented reality (AR) mobile game that took the world by storm upon its release in 2016 — have been unknowingly training an artificial intelligence (AI) model to map the planet at street level.

Niantic, the company behind the popular game, has revealed that it will use data scraped from its AR apps to construct a "large geospatial model" (LGM) that would enable robots and other devices to better navigate the physical world — even if they only have limited information.

The announcement, made Nov. 12 in a blog post on Niantic’s website, reveals that the company has drawn data from more than 10 million scanned locations worldwide, with users adding around 1 million more new scans each week.

This data has already been used to train 50 million local neural networks (collections of machine learning algorithms structured like the human brain) to operate in more than a million locations worldwide, the company said.

"In our vision for a Large Geospatial Model (LGM), each of these local networks would contribute to a global large model, implementing a shared understanding of geographic locations, and comprehending places yet to be fully scanned," Niantic staff scientist Eric Brachmann and chief scientist Victor Adrian Prisacariu wrote in the post. "The LGM will enable computers not only to perceive and understand physical spaces, but also to interact with them in new ways, forming a critical component of AR glasses and fields beyond, including robotics, content creation and autonomous systems."

Just as Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT consume vast quantities of text to accurately guess the most probable words to complete a sentence, LGMs gorge on geodata to infer what buildings in physical space should look like.

Related: 'I'd never seen such an audacious attack on anonymity before': Clearview AI and the creepy tech that can identify you with a single picture

This might seem like a strange task. For humans, our existence in the physical world has already exposed us to innumerable examples that helped us to build a robust spatial understanding.

"But for machines, this task is extraordinarily difficult. Even the most advanced AI models today struggle to visualize and infer missing parts of a scene, or to imagine a place from a new angle," Niantic representatives wrote in the post.

Niantic’s LGM is built on its Visual Positioning System, which uses a single smartphone camera image to pinpoint an object’s position and orientation down to the centimeter (0.4 inches).

As for "Pokémon Go" fans, many seem largely unfazed and unsurprised that their data has been scraped for use by an AI system. Yet critics fear that some of the potential applications of Niantic’s technology could be far from benign.

"It's so incredibly 2020s coded that Pokémon Go is being used to build an AI system which will almost inevitably end up being used by automated weapons systems to kill people,” Elise Thomas, a senior intelligence analyst at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a political advocacy organization, wrote on X.

Future virtual reality (VR) headsets could use a new type of lens inspired by holographic devices, researchers in China say. This proposed new type of bifocal lens can switch between one focus and another at the flick of a switch, letting wearers witness intensities in the lenses change akin to a hologram.

These lenses would be made from two layers of liquid crystal structures that can switch between two foci with external voltage. The researchers described their findings in a new study published Oct. 1 in the journal Optics Letters.

The technology could be applied in imaging devices, optical computing and optical interconnectivity — in addition to future mixed-reality and VR headsets, the team said.

Specifically, they can be used for polarization imaging — often used to enhance image contrast or for edge imagining, which highlights the outline of objects or see finer details. Polarization can be referred to as the light's third dimension, with polarization cameras often detecting physical properties unseen by conventional imaging.

Related: Playing with fire: How VR is being used to train the next generation of firefighters

"We believe that the light control mechanism we created using the multilayer structure could also be used to design other optical devices, including holographic devices and beam generators, or for optical image processing," study lead author Fan Fan, professor of physics and electronics at Hunan University, said in a statement.

The team focused on creating bilayer structures, rather than single-layer structures, which most liquid-crystal devices are made from. The structures were made from a liquid crystal cell as well as a liquid crystal polymer — both of which are standard materials in the development of lenses intended for holographic imaging uses. This let researchers alter the intensity of the two foci. The development of multi-functional holographic devices was an inspiration but the technology could be used "beyond the field of holographic displays," Fan said.

Some bifocal lenses can create different focal points based on the incident light's polarization — but this new design enables the focus to switch on command, manipulating the polarization states of the output beams. The liquid crystal layer also allows the lenses to switch rapidly between focus points when voltage is applied.

The scientists are planning to use the new lenses in several kinds of multifunctional devices. For the optical components found in this technology to be more practical, however, they stressed the cost of the mass production of components would have to be lowered. If this happens, the team could design and incorporate fast and accurate layer-to-layer alignment technology, the researchers said in the statement.

New research suggests a smartphone app can replace all the different systems and technologies currently needed to perform motion capture, a process that translates body movements into computer-generated images.

The app, dubbed "MobilePoser," uses the data obtained from sensors already embedded in various consumer devices — including smartphones, earbuds and smartwatches — and combines this information with artificial intelligence (AI) to track a person's full body pose and position in space.

Motion capture is often used in the film and video gaming industries to capture actors' movements and translate them into computer-generated characters that appear on-screen. Arguably the most famous example of this process is Andy Serkis' performance as Gollum in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. But motion capture normally requires specialized rooms, expensive equipment, bulky cameras and an array of sensors, including "mocap suits."

Setups of this kind can cost upward of $100,000 to run, the scientists said. Alternatives like the discontinued Microsoft Kinect, which relied on stationary cameras to view body movements, are cheaper but not practical on the go because the action must occur within the camera's field of view.

Instead, we can replace these technologies with a single smartphone app, the scientists said in a new study presented Oct. 15 at the 2024 ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology.

Related: Playing with fire: How VR is being used to train the next generation of firefighters

MobilePower achieves high accuracy using machine learning and advanced physics-based optimization, said study author Karan Ahuja, a professor of computer science at Northwestern University, said in a statement. This will open the door to new immersive experiences in gaming, fitness and indoor navigation without specialized equipment.

The team relied on inertial measurement units (IMUs). This system, which is already embedded in smartphones, uses a combination of sensors — including accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers — to measure the body's position, orientation and motion.

However, the fidelity of the sensors is ordinarily too low for accurate motion capture, so the researchers augmented them with a multistage machine learning algorithm. They trained the AI with a publicly available dataset of synthesized IMU measurements that were generated from high-quality motion-capture data. The result was a tracking error of just 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 centimeters). The physics-based optimizer refines the predicted movements to make sure they match real-life body movements and the body doesn't perform impossible feats — like joints bending backward or the user's head rotating 360 degrees.

"The accuracy is better when a person is wearing more than one device, such as a smartwatch on their wrist plus a smartphone in their pocket," Ahuja said. "But a key part of the system is that it's adaptive. Even if you don't have your watch one day and only have your phone, it can adapt to figure out your full-body pose."

This technology could have applications in entertainment — for example, more immersive gaming — as well as in health and fitness, the scientists said. The team has released the AI models and associated data at the heart of the app so that other researchers can build on the work.

It might look like I've just entered a Ghostbusters costume contest, but what you see is actually the cutting edge of virtual reality (VR) firefighter training.

VR technology has been with us for years, but is still a relatively niche pursuit, primarily occupied by gamers using the best VR headsets for immersive gaming.

But there are tons of exciting applications for the technology emerging in professional environments. HTC, one of the big names in VR, invited Live Science to the idyllic English town of Moreton-in-Marsh — home of the Fire Service College — to learn how VR is training our next generation of firefighters.

Before we actually saw any training programs, we were shown around the world-class incident training ground by Paul Speight, incident command instructor at the college. We toured the various buildings they use to practice fire rescue scenarios, including the UK’s shortest motorway and a mock section of an offshore oil rig, which Speight was more than happy to ignite for our amazement.

I’ve stood beside large, roaring fires before — in the U.K. we have annual bonfires on Guy Fawkes night (Nov. 5) — but I was not prepared for the heat coming from this blaze. The faux rig fire used gas, rather than oil, to reduce pollution and Speight said it was easily several thousand degrees celsius (for reference, natural gas burns at 3,560 degrees Fahrenheit, or 1,960 degrees Celsius), which was toasty even at the 40-foot (12 meters) distance we started from, and about as hot as I could bear when we moved up onto the rig itself.

Related: Please don't wear the Apple Vision Pro while driving, study urges, but buying coffee with VR is an 'exciting novelty'

That raised an interesting issue with "virtual firefighting" — you can animate the fire in a virtual environment and slap a fake hose in someone’s hand, but how do you replicate the physical sensations? The heat? The smoke? The stress? I'd get my answer soon enough, but only after some virtual sleuthing.

RiVR investigate

The first of the two training programs we sampled was RiVR Investigate. I donned the VR headset — a HTC Vive Pro 2 — and was transported into the burnt out remains of a small suburban kitchen.

The first thing that struck me was how realistic the environment was. VR games typically avoid photorealistic graphics because it’s taxing on the hardware, and VR experiences need to run at smooth, high frame rates to stave off VR motion sickness. But thanks to the limited size of the map, and no need for moving characters or particle effects, RiVR Investigate generated realistic environments with incredible accuracy.

Looking up, I could see a set of tools hovering above me: a torch, camera, dictaphone, and even a scene light that could be orientated and left to hover in mid-air to illuminate the scene. I simply had to reach up and "grab" these gadgets using the VIVE controllers in my hands — it’s all very intuitive.

Poking around the aftermath of a kitchen fire, I was eventually drawn to a conspicuous black stain on the wall behind the stovetop, and a frying pan containing the world’s most well-done sausages — a likely cause of the blaze. With my hypothesis in hand, I watched a video recording of the actual fire, confirming that the blaze indeed started at the cooker. Skipping through timestamps on the clip, it was fascinating to see how the flames spread across the room. Beyond that, being able to just immediately check your homework and see the fire's progression at the click of a button provided instant training feedback.

Traditionally, the fire service sets up these fake burns in cargo containers — we even saw one on our tour. Alex Harvey, one of the co-founders of RiVR, explained that each of these burns costs about £5,000 (roughly $6400) and they’re basically one-use only — once someone starts rummaging around and disturbs the scene, it can’t really be used again. That’s the main advantage of a digital training program. You can run it again and again and again.

There are also the obvious health concerns of real fires, like smoke inhalation and the risk of injury in fire-damaged rooms from falling debris. Firefighters accept that their career path will lead them into dangerous environments, but reducing unnecessary exposure is a no-brainer, and these digital training tools do just that.

FLAIM Trainer

With the mystery solved and my ego swelling, it was time to turn up the heat with the second training program, FLAIM Trainer. While the investigation demo only required a headset, this time I was loaded up with some hefty gear including a heat vest, faux oxygen tank, and a hose VR controller.

Finally, it was time to fight fire. The screen faded in to reveal an airfield, with a 747-sized airplane ahead of me, engine ablaze. I pointed the hose at my target, pulled the admittedly very satisfying valve handle, and got to work. After dispatching that blaze, I tackled a garage fire in a suburban home which was a little trickier to manage, as the fire had spread throughout the room. According to FLAIM, fires spread and react to your efforts to extinguish them realistically thanks to their "proprietary algorithmic model."

For the most part, the controls felt very similar to VR games I had played before, only instead of blasting aliens or zombies, I was "shooting" a fire with water. I could move small distances physically, and I used a teleport to jump over large gaps (a clever solution to the limited play area). I found I never noticed the heat vest during the session — which was a bit of a letdown.

But the party piece of this training experience was the hose controller itself. The handle is actually attached to a length of hose on a motorized spool, which starts to winch back in to simulate the experience of wrangling a real fire hose. Not being a firefighter, I can’t attest to how realistically it replicated the real thing, but it was a significant effort to fight off the winch’s pull. I suspect the point is to replicate the general feeling of physical exertion — and on that front, it succeeded.

I came away from FLAIM Trainer initially disappointed, but that’s on me. As a VR gamer, I had expected a next-generation immersive gaming experience, but this isn’t a game designed to give me the power fantasy of being a firefighter; it’s a training tool to safely educate the next generation of life-savers and, on this front, VR seems to be in the ascendency.

Nobody is under the illusion that VR training will replace the real thing. It can't yet replicate the heat, the smoke, or the stress of a real fire. But what it can do is help prospective firefighters learn the procedures they will need to follow in a real incident. Both programs I experienced have racked up impressive client lists already; alongside numerous fire services around the globe, FLAIM also works with NASA and the U.S. Air Force, while RiVR works with the Department of Defense (DoD). Chatting with Speight whilst on our tour, he said that he considers introducing VR training tools to be his "legacy" in the fire service, and from what I saw, it’s one that he can be proud of.

Researchers have invented a device that’s small enough to fit in a regular pair of glasses and could solve an age-old trade-off in holographic displays — leading to the most realistic holograms ever. 

Holograms are conventionally created using projecting devices called spatial light modulators (SLMs). Light is emitted through the device so that it changes the shape of the light wave at a specific distance, creating a visible surface.

But because SLMs are made from liquid crystal/silicon (LCoS) display technology, current hologram technology is suited to narrow fields of view like a flat screen or small viewing area (ie a small object). The viewer must be positioned inside a narrow viewing angle – anywhere outside it and the light diffracts too much, making the light invisible.

It's possible to widen the angle within which the image is clear, but fidelity is lost because current LCoS technology doesn't have the number of pixels available to maintain the image across a wider field. That means holograms tend to be either small and clear or large and diffuse, sometimes disappearing altogether if the viewer looks in another direction that's far enough away from the angle within which it’s visible.

Related: New invention transforms any smartphone or TV display into a holographic projector

Felix Heide, assistant professor of computer science at Princeton and the paper's senior author, explained how important the viewing angle is. “To get a similar experience using a monitor, you would need to sit right in front of a cinema screen," he said.

The new technology, detailed in a study published April 24 in Nature Communications, could lead to the creation of more detailed holograms no matter which direction the viewer is looking in or how fast they change direction. The apparatus required to project them too is so small and light that wearers don't need tools like bulky VR headsets.

The finding would also make applications where holograms are used — such as in VR and AR displays — more widespread because the display technology can be easier to use, lighter and ultrathin. Heide mentioned examples from getting directions while driving to assisting in surgery, and even seeing instructions about how to fix a leaky pipe.

The Princeton team's key innovation was to create a second optical element that works with the SLM, filtering its output to expand the field of view while preserving the detail and stability in the hologram with a much lower decline in image quality.

Described in the paper as a small piece of frosted glass, the device is etched with a pattern that scatters the SLM's light into frequency bands not easily perceived by humans. This improves the image quality and expands the field of view.

The trade-off between image quality and field of view has been the biggest obstacle to realistic holograms, but as co-author Nathan Matsuda said: "The research brings us one step closer to resolving this challenge." 

Smart glasses have arguably failed to take off, but the addition of artificial intelligence (AI) could be the key to developing a truly transformational wearable technology. 

In the US and Canada, Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses have received a rollout of multimodal AI technology with software called the "Meta AI virtual assistant." With multimodal AI — which means generative AI that can process queries that involve more than one medium (for example, both audio and imagery) — the device can better respond to queries based on what a wearer is looking at. 

"Say you’re traveling and trying to read a menu in French. Your smart glasses can use their built-in camera and Meta AI to translate the text for you, giving you the info you need without having to pull out your phone or stare at a screen," Meta representatives explained April 23 in a statement.

Related: Smart glasses could boost privacy by swapping cameras for this 100-year-old technology

The device first takes a photo of what a wearer is looking at, then the AI taps into cloud-based processing to serve up an answer to a query, delivered by speech, such as "what type of plant am I looking at?"

Meta first explored integrating multimodal AI into the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in a limited release in December 2023.

Testing the AI functionality in this device, a reporter from The Verge found that it mostly responded correctly when asked to identify the model of a car. It could also describe a type of cat, for example, and its features in an image snapped via the camera. But the AI ran into trouble in accurately identifying the species of plants belonging to one reporter and struggled to correctly identify a groundhog in their neighbor's backyard.

Multimodal machinations 

AI-powered virtual assistants are nothing new, with the likes of the Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Apple’s Siri all providing smart answers to queries in natural language. But the crux of the Meta AI in the Ray-Ban smart glasses is its multimodal functionality. 

The ability to fuse and process data from multiple sensor modules — for example, cameras and microphones — means a multimodal AI can generate more accurate and sophisticated outcomes versus unimodal AI systems. Google’s Gemini multimodal AI model , for example,can process a photo of some cookies and respond with the recipe. 

Trained on identifying patterns in different types of data inputs through multiple neutral networks — collections of machine learning algorithms arranged to mimic the human brain — multimodal AIs can process input data from text, images, audio and more.

In smart glasses, it means an AI can make sense of the world the wearer is viewing by combining sensors on the glasses with these neural networks. As a result, the system can answer more sophisticated queries and offer smarter contextual information. 

But in the case of the Ray-Ban Meta device, the AI has some distance to go before it meets the AI-processing capabilities found in the latest smartphones;  these benefit from more powerful chipsets and onboard sensor fusion – where data is taken from multiple sensors and processed together, for example to offer scene recognition in camera apps allowing for lighting and color balance to be intelligently adjusted, or combining data from thermometers and optical sensors in smartwatches to offer better feedback on one’s workout. 

Researchers have created holograms using the light emitted from an ordinary smartphone screen — effectively turning an iPhone into a holographic projector.

Using a device called a spatial light modulator (SLM), scientists transformed a 2D image displayed on an iPhone 14 Pro into a 3D hologram. They detailed their findings in a study published April 2 in the journal Optics Letters.

The researchers employed a technique they called a "cascade of holograms," whereby the light from a static image is repeatedly modified to create a multi-layered, 3D image.

In the study, the cascade began with a static color image shown on an iPhone. Light waves emitted from it were refined through the SLM — a device used to control and adjust the phase (timing), amplitude (strength or brightness) and polarization (direction) of light waves. Using the SLM, scientists progressively refined and layered the light waves to build up the 3D image step-by-step.

To achieve the holographic effect, the scientists had to determine the specific adjustments of light needed to create the 3D hologram from the image displayed on the iPhone's screen.

This involved working backwards from the desired output to determine the specific adjustments needed in the light's phase and amplitude at each step of the journey, from the iPhone display through the SLM, to recreate the hologram accurately.

They captured images at two key points using a color image sensor. The first point was at the focal point of a Fourier transform lens (FTL) — a special type of optical lens designed to precisely focus light into clear images. 

Related: Charging EVs could take seconds with new sodium-ion battery tech

The second recording point was set 0.6 inches (1.5 centimeters) away from the focal point. This enabled the sensor to record variations in depth, demonstrating the holographic display's ability to project images in 3D.

This research is unique because it demonstrates how "incoherent" light from everyday devices like smartphones and laptops could be used to create holographic displays, the scientists said in the paper. Incoherent light refers to light sources without a consistent phase or wavelength.

Traditionally, computer-generated holography (CGH) requires "coherent" light sources such as lasers, which have a uniform phase and wavelength that are easier to precisely control. This makes them ideal for generating clear, high-resolution holograms.

However, lasers are expensive and potentially harmful to the eye, the researchers said, making them impractical in everyday scenarios. They can also introduce visual artifacts like "speckle noise" — random, grainy interference in images that can reduce visual quality and clarity. 

"Our method does not use lasers, thereby eliminating speckle noise," lead study author Ryoichi Horisaki, associate professor at the University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, told Live Science.

Incoherent light is less suitable for holography because its waves are not synchronized, making it difficult to control. However, using a cascade of holograms, the team structured the otherwise chaotic light waves from the iPhone to form a precise 3D image.

They said this approach could present "a more cost-effective and less complex method" for developing holographic displays using widely available devices. It could also be used to create interfaces for augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) devices in the future. 

"Our method has advantages for applications in compact, cost-effective, and safe near-eye displays, including smart glasses," Horisaki said.

Scientists have identified a vulnerability in virtual reality (VR) headsets that could let hackers access private information without the wearers' knowledge. 

A hacker can insert a new "layer" between the user and the device's normal image source. Hackers can then deploy a fake app in the VR headset that might trick the wearer into behaving in specific ways or giving up their data. This is known as an "Inception layer," referring to Chris Nolan's 2010 sci-fi thriller in which espionage agents infiltrate a target's mind and implant an idea the target assumes is their own. 

The VR "Inception attack" was detailed in a paper uploaded March 8 to the preprint server arXiv, and the team successfully tested it on all versions of the Meta Quest headset.

Researchers found several possible routes of entry into the VR headset, ranging from tapping into a victim's Wi-Fi network to "side-loading" — which is when a user installs an app (possibly loaded with malware) from an unofficial app store. These apps then either pretend to be the baseline VR environment or a legitimate app.

All of this is possible because VR headsets don't have security protocols anywhere near as robust as in more common devices like smartphones or laptops, the scientists said in their paper.

Using this new fake layer, hackers can then control and manipulate interactions in the VR environment. The user won't even be aware they're looking at and using a malicious copy of, say, an app they use to catch up with friends.

Related: 'White hat hackers' carjacked a Tesla using cheap, legal hardware — exposing major security flaws in the vehicle

Some examples of what an attacker could do include altering the amount of money being transferred — and its destination — in any online transaction and logging somebody's credentials when logging into a service. Hackers can even add a fake VRChat app and use it to eavesdrop on a conversation or modify live audio using artificial intelligence (AI) to impersonate a participant.

"VR headsets have the potential to deliver users a deeply immersive experience comparable to reality itself," the scientists said in the paper. "The flip side of these immersive capabilities is that when misused, VR systems can facilitate security attacks with far more severe consequences than traditional attacks." 

The immersive sensory input can give users a false sense of comfort, they claimed,  making them more likely to give up private information and trust what they see to than they do in other computing environments.

VR attacks can also be hard to detect because the environment is designed to resemble interactions in the real world — rather than the prompts you see in conventional computing. When they tested the exploit on 28 participants, only 10 detected the giveaway that an attack was underway — which was a fleeting "glitch" in the visual field like a slight flicker in the image.

The researchers listed several possible defense mechanisms against such attacks in their paper, but they said that the manufacturers should educate users on any signs that their headset is under attack. These include minor visual anomalies and glitches. 

Such attacks could become more common over time, they added. But there is still time for companies like Meta to build and deploy countermeasures before VR headsets become more popular and cybercriminals consider them a viable vector to launch an attack. 

Scientists have developed an app for the Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset that lets users control a robot using head and hand gestures alone. It could be used to control machines remotely in different scenarios — from playing pranks to navigating a disaster zone.

The app, called "Tracking Streamer," tracks human movements — in particular how the head, wrist and fingers move — and streams this data over a Wi-Fi connection to a robot on the same network. The connected robot then translates the data into corresponding movements. 

The researchers published their work in a short paper published March 9 on Github — an open-source code repository. Their system tracks 26 points in the hands and wrists, as well as separate points in the head. It also records spatial data — such as how high up from the ground you are.

Related: Please don't wear the Apple Vision Pro while driving, study urges, but buying coffee with VR is an 'exciting novelty'

Developer of the app Younghyo Park, a doctoral student at MIT published a video to the website X, formerly known as Twitter, showing the system in action.

In a short video clip, study co-author Gabe Margolis, a grad student at MIT, controls a four-legged robot using his hands and body movements. 

Margolis performs gestures to command a robot to approach a closed door, turn the handle with its gripper and enter. In another sequence, he gestures for the robot to pick up a plastic trash can lid and throw it into the garbage. At one point, he also bends down — which triggers the robot to mimic him.

Apple launched its Vision Pro virtual reality (VR) headset in Feb. 2024, with footage since emerging of people wearing the device in their day-to-day lives. Shortly before its launch, scientists published research that investigated how well VR headsets performed if you were to use them in daily life. 

They found the devices had a lag time, cut off peripheral vision and caused fun-house-mirror-like distortions. They warned against wearing VR headsets while driving or walking downstairs.

Park and Margolis speculated in their paper that some users may wear the Apple Vision Pro all the time, like glasses, and that continued use will provide more data that can be fed into teaching robots how people move. 

Scientists have tested what life is like when using mixed reality goggles, and the technology's effects on a wearer. Turns out, even state-of-the-art headsets can cause some considerable issues. 

Mixed reality could soon become mainstream following the release of Apple's Vision Pro this year, alongside existing tech such as Meta's Quest 3. These devices have a "passthrough" mode that shows wearers real-time video footage captured by front-facing cameras and augmented with a digital interface. It incorporates both virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) — essentially mixing the digital and physical worlds.

Since Apple's Vision Pro launched, footage has emerged showing people walking around town or even driving while wearing the VR headset. It has led Apple to officially warn people against using it while operating vehicles, according to the company's user guide.

Related: Ultrasonic headband induces lucid dreams using AI, its creators claim — but an expert remains skeptical

But with the technology becoming better and more available, scientists tested whether people could live their lives using VR in passthrough mode. They published their findings on Feb. 1 in the journal Technology Mind and Behavior.

Lead author Jeremy Bailenson, professor of communications at Stanford, said it was the right time to conduct this research because of how much the technology has advanced in recent years.

"We first tried a VR experience on the Meta Quest 3 In October 2023 and found it used passthrough video much more effectively than previous commercial headsets," Bailenson told Live Science. "We then tried a number of others including the Apple Vision Pro, and, given how far passthrough video has come, it was time to dedicate serious academic thought to the psychological and behavioral effects."

In the study, the 11 co-authors spent several hours wearing VR headsets in passthrough mode while interacting with peers, reading, eating and other activities. Their goal was to document their experiences and add this to the growing body of research so they could help future studies understand the psychological and physiological effects.

The researchers found that the effects were both positive and negative, with participants describing interactions with people and buying coffee while wearing VR headsets as an exciting novelty. The biggest and most obvious negative, however, was the loss of peripheral vision — the headsets cut the users' field of vision down to about half.

Despite how far the technology has come in recent years, recorded video footage still isn't as sharp as the human eye, the study found. Changes in light also caused "funhouse mirror-style distortions," the scientists said in their paper. Head movements, meanwhile, had a noticeable lag, and the wearers couldn't accurately judge distances at close range This complicated otherwise-simple tasks like eating or touching a nearby object.

Participants learned to compensate for the distortions and lag, but the study noted that prolonged use might cause residual overcompensation — meaning people would tend to compensate for the headset's effects even when they're not wearing the device. There's also the risk of experiencing simulator sickness, which can often occur during VR use, according to a 2018 paper published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.

For tasks that weren't time- or spatially-sensitive, or where the consequences of failure were minor — such as missing your mouth with a spoonful of food — the technology was fun, albeit with performance gaps, Bailenson said. But where spatial awareness was critical, such as when walking down stairs or driving, the study found the tech's imperfections posed problems during frequent use.

"To anyone who works at Apple and Meta; do the right thing. You can save lives. Headsets should not work in moving cars," he told Live Science — referencing an article he wrote for TechCrunch, in which he said BMW is "actively promoting VR for drivers."

The scientists concluded that further research was needed, especially because this study only assessed short-term use, with prolonged use over time needing an appropriate study design. The scientists also urged users to take "baby steps" and adjust to the medium gradually rather than wearing them for extended periods from the start.

Bailenson said users and headset manufacturers should build controls and methods into the devices to ensure users take adequate breaks and reduce the amount of time they spend wearing VR headsets.

A tech startup is building a headband that it claims can induce stabilized lucid dreaming in a wearer — letting them take control of their own dreamscapes. Prophetic described how its device, called "the Halo," works in a post on X on Jan. 25. 

The headband will use an artificial intelligence (AI) platform dubbed "Morpheus-1" to induce lucid dreams when it is fitted onto somebody's head, company representatives said. 

Prophetic wants to give wearers the ability to explore their sense of consciousness and will follow up this announcement with multiple studies focusing on lucid dreaming. However, an expert told Live Science that, with Morpheus-1, it's not clear they've achieved this goal.

Lucid dreaming is a type of dream state in which the person is aware they are dreaming and can at least partly control its direction. It has been previously used by writers and artists for creative inspiration or to treat recurring nightmares. Although lucid dreaming is a trainable skill and has been studied for years, we still do not fully understand its causes or purpose.

Scientists at Prophetic, however, have said they have identified that the defining characteristic of the lucid dreaming state is higher activity in the frontal regions of the brain during sleep. These regions are typically less active during other dream states.

Related: Lucid dreamers can hear and answer questions while still asleep, scientists find

Several studies have attempted to forge similar links, including one published in December 2018 in the journal Nature and another published in May 2019 in the journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.

Morpheus-1 will use "transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation," — a non-invasive way to modulate brain activity using high-frequency sound waves beyond the normal human hearing range.

The headband monitors the wearer's EEG activity and then uses the generative AI Morpheus-1 platform, which will be trained using a large data set of EEG scans from people who were lucid dreaming.

By learning what the characteristic EEG signature of lucid dreaming looks like, the device can stimulate key brain regions to recreate that pattern, thereby inducing lucid dreaming, Prophetic representative said. But one expert told Live Science it's hard to say whether Morpheus-1 can achieve what company representatives have claimed it can.

"The study that they've got on their technology roadmap demonstrates different patterns of activation in the prefrontal cortex associated with lucid dreaming and they're trying to modulate those circuits," Guy Leschziner, a professor of neurology and sleep medicine at Guy's Hospital and author of "The Secret World of Sleep" (Simon & Schuster, 2020), told Live Science. "A lot of the time, we don't fully understand what we're doing by using either deep brain stimulation or transcranial stimulation, and sometimes the effects of these technological interventions are not necessarily doing what we think they're doing."

Any device capable of modifying brain waves would ordinarily be subject to significant ethical oversight, however. There's also been little research into the long-term effects of regular lucid dreaming, let alone the impacts of regularly inducing the dream state using brain modulation.

"The stuff that they've put out there suggests that dreaming can be modulated by this, but the research that I've seen suggests that they need to do more detailed assessments and to systematically demonstrate the efficacy of this device on a larger scale," said Leschziner.

Looking to jump into virtual reality? Then the Meta Quest 2 is a great starter option - and a new price cut makes it easier to afford, too.

If you're looking for one of the best VR headsets to get started, the Meta Quest 2 is a great option. While the company has revealed the Quest 3 is on the way, the Quest 2 is packed with tech, and offers an all-encompassing out-of-the-box experience that includes two controllers as well.

In anticipation of the upcoming model, Meta has dropped the price of the 128 GB version to $299, and the 256 GB version to $349.

Key features: Includes two controllers, 128 GB or 256 GB storage, can be connected to your PC.

Product launched: October 2020.

Price history: This new price cut matches Amazon's previous best price for the Quest 2, making this a great time to jump into VR.

Price comparison: Amazon: $299 | Walmart: $299 | Best Buy: $299.99

Reviews consensus: While it doesn't offer the same visual fidelity of pricier headsets like the Valve Index or the HTC Vive Pro, the Meta Quest 2 makes up for it in usability - power it on, place the headset on, and you're away. While everything is packed into the Quest 2 headset, it's also possible to connect it to your PC for more demanding games like Half-Life: Alyx.

Livescience: ★★★★½ | T3: ★★★★ | TechRadar: ★★★★½ | Toms Guide: ★★★★ |

Featured in guides: Best VR Headsets

Buy it if: You want an easy way to get into virtual reality that won't break the bank, and don't want to buy extra controllers. You want the option to use PC VR in the future, too.

Don't buy it if: You can wait for the Meta Quest 3. The next Meta headset will offer color passthrough, a slimmer build, and a faster processor.

Mindfulness can mean different things to different people. For some, settling down with a puzzle can bring inner calm, whereas a more guided approach does the trick for others. Whichever way you choose to relax, our list of the best VR mindfulness games will have you feeling Zen in no time.

When the outside world gets too much, slipping into virtual reality can create an amazing barrier, wherein meditation and relaxation become easier to access. The immersive nature of donning one of the best VR headsets allows you to free yourself from notifications and distractions, and haptic controller feedback can draw you into experiences and provide a strong sense of focus.

While many of the best VR experiences focus on adrenaline-pumping action, finding a new fitness regime, or streamlining your workflow, there are plenty of apps and games to try if you’re looking for something completely different. The best VR mindfulness games cover a wide range of genres, and we’re sure no matter what kind of relaxation you’re looking for, we’ve got you covered.

Best VR mindfulness games

Sitting down to complete a puzzle is, at its core, a pretty mindful process, and Puzzling Places adapts this gentle pastime for virtual reality. This 3D miniature builder takes scans of real locations and items and breaks them into parts to be reassembled thoughtfully. This modern twist not only adds an interesting dimension to the traditional format of putting together a puzzle but makes its VR home more immersive.

Everything in the game’s world feels exceptionally tactile and inviting, with each block begging you to inspect it and seek out its adjoining pieces. Across the range of puzzles available in the main game, there is a good range of difficulty. So, as you become more adept, you can shift into more complicated puzzles. Additional downloadable puzzle packs are also available and can be purchased for those looking for more environments to rebuild.

• Find Puzzling Places on the Meta Quest or PlayStation Store

Creating a relaxing, mindful space is easy with this free VR extension to the meditation app Playne (please note that you will need to purchase Playne: The Meditation Game first before downloading this DLC). This DLC add-on lets you step into a calming island space and nurture it, growing flora as you meditate.

Those who may not be as familiar with the practice of meditation may also find the guided and almost quest-based nature of Playne VR easy to partake in. Many of the mindful lessons you learn in the app itself can be transferred into the real world, with Playne VR encouraging an overall connection with the self inside and beyond its UI.

Playne offers a generous range of mindful activities, such as journaling and sandbox mode, allowing players to plant and grow trees at leisure. This makes it easy to find an avenue that suits you each day instead of being locked into just one mindful practice.

• Find Playne: The Meditation Game and Playne VR on Steam

Tetris Effect Connected is a classic 80s game couched in layers upon layers of thoughtful worldbuilding and mindful moments. Every interaction with the grid and its tetrominoes affects the sounds and sights shown to the player. Each and every bundle of levels grows with intensity and interactivity as you move through them.

While the premise is familiar and simple, and the process of stacking blocks is mindful in its own right, the worlds you build in can garner profound emotions. They allow your mind to wander while keeping your body engaged at the same time.

There are a variety of difficulties to choose from, making it easy to slow down gameplay if you need to take a beat or just want to engage with the puzzle gameplay without the fear of a frustrating restart.

• Find Tetris Effect Connected on the Meta Quest, Steam, or the PlayStation Store

Embracing your inner artist can be a peaceful way to explore your creativity and wind down after a busy day. While the prospect of painting and tidying up may be off putting for some, Vermillion - VR Painting removes all of the hassle and simply asks you to pop on your headset, sit down in a comfy chair, and start creating your masterpiece.

The intuitive UI makes picking up a brush easy and mixing colors a delight. Plus, the rooms you can choose from have a clean and serene feel that helps draw you into your own imagination. Vermillion also features an integrated YouTube portal at the side of the easel, meaning you can add custom playlists, guided meditations, or, if you’re feeling it, some Bob Ross magic to your painting sessions.

If painting alone feels daunting, Vermillion also supports up to four artists in a room, meaning you can decompress with those who matter most alongside.

• Find Vermillion - VR Painting on the Meta Quest or Steam

No matter how familiar you are with mindfulness, Guided Meditation VR offers a great onramp into a world of calming curated activities designed to help you relax. The app transports you to 27 unique locations where you can tune into 16 hours of meditative audio cut up into bite-size pieces. Whether you’re after a quick two-minute winddown or looking for a more sizable chunk of rest and relaxation, there is an option for you.

While some meditation apps lock you into specifically ordered tracks or programs, Guided Meditation VR focuses more on finding and nurturing a meditation style that suits you. Less rigid options like the music visualizer or Motion Mode break up traditional listening tracks, which is great if you aren’t in the mood for a directed meditation.

• Find Guided Meditation VR on Meta Quest or Steam

Which VR headset is best for mindfulness apps?

There are loads of different VR headsets out there to choose from, and they all do different things well. Some offer incredible graphics and processing power, while other focus on comfort and portability.

As a general rule, we'd recommend the latter if you're looking to relax in VR. Trying to melt away into a virtual experience can be difficult when you're feeling the wires connecting your headset banging against you as you move.

For that reason, a wireless headset like the Meta Quest 2 or HTC Vive XR Elite would be our first recommendation. Both can be used completely wireless, both are very comfortable to wear, and both have access to a great library of mindfulness apps and experiences.

The Meta Quest is far cheaper than the XR Elite and has a library of exclusive games, so it's going to be the obvious choice for most users, but the XR Elite does have it's niche too. It features full-color passthrough camera so it can achieve augmented reality - where game elements are transposed onto the real world.

If you want a regular, wired VR headset and don't want to break the bank we'd also recommend checking out the HP Reverb G2. It's a bit of a jack of all trades, but it's a solid headset that is regularly on offer.

I gazed around the sunlit basketball court while Paul Katsen, the Gym Class: Basketball VR chief product officer and co-founder of IRL Studios Inc., welcomed me to the game. The sun was rising, or it might have been setting. The orange glow painted the court with a relaxing ambience. I heard Paul’s voice get louder as he approached, so I faced him, realizing in a flash that the focus of my eyes wasn’t private. 

My avatar was gawping just as I was. In front of me Paul’s avatar gesticulated as it spoke, moving as the real man did all the way in Texas. He then manifested a ball, bounced it a few times, and threw it to me. I caught it, feeling the vibration of the impact. 

Having only played single player party VR titles like Beat Saber and Pistol Whip, multiplayer VR, in my naïve mind, was the stuff of Ready Player One. Yet after ten minutes of playing Gym Class: Basketball VR I thought those clichéd words — "The future is now." 

I’ve previously written about whether VR fitness can replace the gym for Live Science. In that article, I said that while VR fitness games are fun, you’ll still need to exercise in the real world if you want the social side of fitness. Not anymore. After strapping on my Meta Quest 2 and spending an hour shooting hoops and dunking — an act that requires squatting — I was pretty tired, and the whole time I’d been chatting to other people. 

Most surprising of all was how much of a genuine human experience it felt. The best VR headsets are efficient communication tools. We often misread each other when instant messaging, and sometimes over voice chat. VR introduces the dimension of body language, providing the social cues often missing from other gaming chats. 

While it isn’t exact, and we don’t have facial cues just yet — I don’t think they’re too far in the future — playing basketball with Paul and company felt like I was with them. I didn’t leave wondering what these people were like in real life, because the time we’d spent in the virtual court felt as real as meeting in a caged basketball court in New York. 

Paul got the urge to move into VR after a meeting with an old high school friend over lockdown. He and his friend usually talked on the phone, reminiscing about old times, but this time they met up in a VR world to play table tennis. Paul was amazed by this. They were thousands of miles apart, and yet there they were playing table tennis together. Rather than reminiscing about past memories like a typical phone or video call catchup, they created new ones. 

This lightbulb moment led Paul to basketball. Basketball courts are social spheres, not just competitive sports grounds. Shooting hoops is synonymous with hanging out — one doesn’t have to play a strict game, but converse and occasionally throw or bounce. And that’s what we did in the virtual court. Dribbling, aiming, and dunking were things to do with our hands as we talked. Basketball is a great game for VR, too, because of its physical nature. Your avatar renders your body language as you dribble, pivot, and jump shot or dunk. If you want to add a little flourish, everyone will see. 

While the VR basketball experience was new to me, there was something warmly familiar, too. And it’s something I’ve been missing for over a decade. Unless you’re into online gaming, chances are that the only virtual space you inhabit is social media. These carefully curated profiles and meticulously edited posts aren't the same as real human connections, and it’s very easy to forget this. Playing Gym Class: Basketball VR, I remembered the time I used to spend online in the mid-2000s, strolling the wilderness in RuneScape while having spontaneous talks on MSN Messenger — it felt like hanging out with friends. 

We used to log into these sites, socialize for a while, then log out. We never checked RuneScape in the middle of a meal with loved ones because there was a time and a place for it. Building real connections on social media can be hard, and yet we remain logged in for eternity. The scroll is eternal and there’s no definitive end, like there is, say, with a game of basketball — real or virtual. 

Gym Class: Basketball VR reminded me that the online sphere can be a place for making memories — memories that aren’t dopamine fishing in a sea of loneliness and narcissism. In the game, you can personalize your own court with shops and designs. You can invite people over, go to hang out in their courts, then play a serious game or just talk and pass and shoot. It’s exercise, it’s catching up with friends, and it’s meeting new people in an organic environment. It’s malleable. You might be familiar with other great social VR apps such as Wreck Room or Gorilla Tag, but I recommend giving this one a try. Even if you’re not into basketball, it has an irresistible charm. 

Taking off the headset and returning to my apartment was like waking from a dream, but the memories didn’t start to vanish. I felt good, energized. If you’re feeling fatigued by what you see online at the moment, fear not. There is still genuine online connection to be had outside of social media and core online gaming. If you have a VR set, then give this a go next time you want to catch up with a friend.

Gym Class VR is available now on Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, and the original Meta Quest via the Oculus Store. The game is free, but there are in-app purchases.

Meta has been on a mission to deliver VR experiences to as many people as possible, and its Quest lineup has long been the go-to for newcomers to virtual reality who want to explore space, dive underwater, or attend a concert from the comfort of their living room.

While the Meta Quest 2 is one of the best VR headsets you can buy right now, Meta also released the Meta Quest Pro in October of 2022, and it’s certainly a big jump – both in specs and in price. That’s because the Meta Quest Pro retails for no less than $1500, while the Quest 2 can be found for $399 – often with a game bundled with it.

Still, Best Buy has begun dropping huge deals in January, and the Meta Quest Pro is now down to $1099.99 – just over $400 off of the MSRP.

What does the Quest Pro do that the Quest 2 can’t, then? Meta’s more expensive headset can do everything that its cheaper sibling can do, but it’s just as capable of accommodating mixed reality experiences as it is virtual reality ones thanks to its pass-through camera. 

That means it can be a true pathway to working in the (still very vague) Metaverse, but it can also play Beat Saber and Resident Evil 4 with the best of them. It’s also more comfortable than the Quest 2, and has more powerful hardware and a much higher screen resolution, so details will appear sharper when you’re wearing the headset.

The controllers are different, too, and the Quest Pro includes a charging stand that charges the controllers and the headset wirelessly - a step up from the Quest 2’s reliance on AA batteries for the pads.

User reviews are positive, with an average rating of around 4 stars out of 5. Buyers have noted that the headset is expensive, but praised the comfort and clarity of the tech on offer. 

With virtual reality well and truly in the mainstream, there’s no time like the present to dive into the best VR experiences on offer. And we do mean experiences, not games. Yes, there’s fun to be had soaring through space in an X-Wing or gunning down bad-guys from behind a dumpster but VR has so much more to offer besides.

There are a whole range of VR applications that, from the comfort of your own home, let you visit places, times and even whole worlds that would otherwise be out of your reach. Sometimes you’re just you, while some titles put you in someone else’s shoes, offering a perspective you might never have considered. VR fitness apps are becoming more popular, and you can even work in VR.

Without the need to fend off murderous bandits or face-eating xenomorphs, you can take your time to immerse yourself in the experience of your choosing. And if you haven’t already picked up a VR headset (they’re surprisingly affordable) check out our list of the best VR headsets here.  

The only snag is there are so many VR experiences out there that it can be hard to know where to start, even if you’ve a specific area of interest in mind. For example, put “dinosaurs” and “VR” into the Steam Store and you’re greeted by 80+ results.

That’s why we’ve rounded up the ten of the best VR experiences available. Some are free, others sport a reasonable price tag but all offer the chance to expand your horizons without even leaving your living room. And if you want to pick up a VR headset to check out these experiences, head to our VR headset deals page to get the best price. 

Space Explorers: The ISS Experience

• Platforms: Oculus
• Price: $2.99 for each of the 4 episodes (via Oculus Store) 

If anyone is looking to experience the wonders of space, this VR experience may be close to what you’ll get to seeing what its like aboard a space station. Shot over two years, the VR experience was filmed at the International Space Station. It’s a gorgeous look at life aboard the station, told through four parts as you follow eight astronauts on a journey through some missions. It’ll give viewers an intimate look at living the life on orbit. 

There won’t be much interaction, but the experience does dive deep into space exploration through the eyes of these astronauts. With these extreme close-ups of these workers in space together, you’ll feel like you are with them during the joys and dangers of their profession.

• Check out Space Explorers on the Oculus Store.

BRINK Traveller

• Platforms: Steam VR, Meta (including Meta Quest)
• Price: $9.99 / £7.99 (via Steam Store, Meta Quest Store)

BRINK Traveller takes you on a tour of twenty stunning natural spots, across thirteen locations. That may not sound like a lot when you can run Google Earth on most headsets, but BRINK Traveller’s locales are more than just 360° videos or shots.

Instead, you get to roam around each lookout spot, gazing down into the Grand Canyon, for example, watching the odd bird soar overhead. Should you be so inclined you can pick up a rock and pitch it into the water or take photographs. Or why not pull up a chair and just relax? It’s not 100% photorealistic but it’s convincing enough that it’s almost as good as being there. 

The locations are, mostly, American but the developers are slowly adding more international locations. Besides which, (virtually) taking in California’s Death Valley, Arizona’s The Wave rock formation and more, you’re bound to come away impressed.

• Buy BRINK Traveller on Steam.
• Buy BRINK Traveller on Meta Quest Store.

Star Chart VR

• Platforms: Oculus, Steam, Google Play
• Price: $9.99 

Speaking of space, this VR experience is also out of this world as it allows you to explore the solar system in a beautiful rendering of a real-time space simulation. You can take a closer look at all the planets in our galaxy whether its Saturn’s rings or the moons that orbit it. This is a great way to educate yourself in what the solar system has to offer and see how these constellations are formed in the night sky. Choose from different Star Chart modes to give you some choices in your star gazing activity. 

There’s also tons of experiences like Moments in Time that take you throughout history in space expedition like the moon landing and the rover’s exploration in Mars. No matter what you choose, you’ll enjoy what our solar system has to offer thanks to this one-of-kind VR experience.

• Buy Star Chart VR on Steam.
• Buy Star Chart VR on Oculus.
• Buy Star Chart VR on Google Play Store.

National Geographic Explore VR

• Platforms: Oculus
• Price: $9.99

There are plenty of discoveries to be made in this world, and National Geographic help make this possible with their app called Explore VR. There are countless experiences to uncover and it’s a nice educational tool to see what this world has to offer regarding culture and exploration. 

Users can explore the old ruins of Machu Picchu or even scale the icebergs in the far-off region of Antarctica. It’s perfect for the whole family to travel the world without ever leaving the house. The main goal is to capture photos on these exhibitions, so the National Geographic Explore VR experience is a nice way to discover these vast locations to get to know the landscape and learn its history.

• Buy National Geographic Explore VR for $9.99 at Oculus store.

Ocean Rift

• Platforms: Steam VR, Meta (including Meta Quest 2)
• Price: $9.99 / £7.99 (via Steam Store, Meta Quest Store)

It’s estimated that 80% of the ocean’s depths remain unexplored and while Ocean Rift is based on what we do know, it still offers some amazing encounters. Swimming around one of several sub-aquatic areas, you’ll get to gawp at humpback whales, play with dolphins and, should you so choose, swim with a handful of prehistoric animals. 

Ocean Rift isn’t the only application to offer a similarly watery experience, but what’s impressive is the freedom it grants you. You can roam to your heart’s content, assuming you’ve not chosen the shark cage area, and, occasionally, stumble on some unsettling aquatic items. Ocean Rift doesn’t set out to kill you, but we still got the chills when we stumbled across an abandoned submersible.

• Buy Ocean Rift on Steam.
• Buy Ocean Rift on Meta Quest Store.

All Kinds of Limbo XR

• Platforms: All
• Price: £6/$8

Live theater still draws in a big crowd with the likes of Broadway shows, concerts, and other types of entertainment. If you would rather see live entertainment from your own home, look no further than the performers behind All Kinds of Limbo. The musical performance is developed by artists Raffy Bushman and Nubiya Brandon alongside the NuShape Orchestra in the U.K. 

Using just a VR headset on a mobile device or PC, audiences can take part in this immersive experience that brings the Caribbean culture to life in a story of a life in limbo across different genres of music. Called All Kinds of Limbo XR, this special production from the National Theater utilizes VR technology to create a place for audiences to watch these musicians perform with the tunes of the Caribbean.

• See upcoming All Kinds of Limbo events here.

Universe Sandbox

• Platforms: Steam VR
• Price: $29.99 (via Steam Store, also includes non-VR version)

Universe Sandbox happily caters to those who just want to watch the planets leisurely orbit the sun or, with the click of a button or two, watch days pass in seconds. Even without touching the extensive and sometimes silly Steam Workshop items (space whale included), just poring over solar systems (ours and a handful of others) will keep stargazers happy. 

However, it’s the option to experiment that really elevates Universe Sandbox. You can move planets, alter their size, their composition, blow them up – the Solar System is your oyster. Yes, there’s nothing to stop you swapping the Sun out for a black hole and the resultant planetary chaos is really something. But you can have just as much fun making little tweaks and observing the knock-on effects.

• Buy Universe Sandbox VR on Steam (Early Access) 

Perspectives: Paradise

• Platforms: Steam VR
• Price: Free (via Steam Store)

Perspectives: Paradise starts with a bang and ends with a whimper which, given the subject matter is entirely appropriate. It’s a virtual reality dive into the 1952 test detonation of the first hydrogen bomb and the effect it had at Enewetak/Bikini Atoll, both upon the environment and the original inhabitants. 

Aside from a spectacular VR recreation of the detonation of the bomb, you get to delve into the unsettling aftermath, standing atop the sealed mound where radioactive materials were buried. On top of that, there are 360° views of the island, interviews (including with the people who live there now) and more. 

The subject is treated with an appropriate level of dignity – it’s not a fist-pumping celebration of America’s might, thanks in part to the involvement of some Finnish journalists. And it’s absolutely going to leave you with food for thought. 

• Get Perspectives: Paradise on Steam.

The Book of Distance

• Platforms: Steam VR, Meta
• Price: Free (via Steam Store, Meta Quest Store)

Aside from visiting remote locations, VR allows you to experience other people’s stories. The Book of Distance tells just one such story, about a Japanese man who emigrated to America. That might be an interesting tale in its own right, but what makes his story so significant is that he was one of the many, many Japanese American citizens who spent some or all of WWII in American internment camps. 

What makes this such an impactful experience is that it has such a narrow, personal focus. It was produced with the involvement of Randall Okita, the man’s grandson, and it lets you delve into various aspects of his life. It’s presented as sort of a play, one that will absolutely hold your attention, and it’s the perfect way to illuminate an important but often glossed over chapter of America’s history. 

• Get The Book of Distance on Steam.
• Get The Book of Distance on Meta Quest Store.

Within - Cinematic VR

• Platforms: Oculus, Steam, Google Play, Apple
• Price: Free

For those in need of a cinematic experience at home, Within VR can make that happen. Get immersed in some amazing stories in different genres like documentaries, horror, music videos, animation, and so much more. What’s great is that these are viewed at no charge at all. 

You can catch the best from indie filmmakers and studios from around the world. These videos are also available to download in high-resolution, so you can take it anywhere you go if you don’t have an internet connection to stream it. If you’re up for some video content, then you’ll find plenty of that through Within.

Best of all, there are no platform limitations, as the Within website proudly states that it's "available everywhere fine VR is served".

• Check out Within VR on Steam,  Oculus, Google Play, or Apple.

While virtual reality headsets are perhaps most commonly used for gaming, there’s a lot more that can be done in VR and we ask the important question of is it possible to work in VR?

Thanks to the best VR headsets, VR has so much to offer. There are interactive VR experiences, live events, mindfulness exercises, as well as VR fitness apps, but what about doing actual work in VR?

While VR can give your office new dimensions, it also adds a sense of normality to those that still can’t travel back to their place of work – making users feel as though their colleagues are at the desk next to them.

It can also give your workflows new potential, be that through a creative process like drawing with your hands, video conferencing with an avatar, or just putting the content you’re working on front and center.

Whatever your reason for working in virtual reality, the good news is that it’s very possible, even at this nascent stage in the technology’s life cycle. Sure, you’ll find odd quirks, but you may be surprised at just how well everything works for the most part.

Why work in VR?

As we mentioned above, working in Virtual Reality has its own set of advantages. For one, it ironically might make you feel a little less isolated, particularly when working with a team that also has headsets – it’s a strange feeling to turn and see colleagues in a virtual office, especially if, like this writer, you’ve not set foot in one for over two years.

Then there are the more obvious boons – added focus on your current project, for example, or adding a whole new perspective to a project. It’s likely to be transformative for architects and CAD engineers, who will be able to manipulate objects with ease, or even step inside virtual buildings before they’re built.

However, it is an experience that takes some time to get used to. Having a screen with your employer’s Slack channel floating in front of your face is jarring at first, as is moving around without being able to see your surroundings. It won’t be for everyone, but there’s potential here.

Working in VR

In our time working in VR using the Meta Quest 2 (formerly Oculus Quest 2), we wanted to experience as much as possible within the headset – including the apps we use every day. 

The Quest 2 offers connectivity with a PC (wired or wireless), and this meant it was able to replicate our PC desktop. In fact, it was able to replicate almost everything – our application shortcuts, our menus, and even our wallpaper.

Everything is just… there, divorced from a screen and hanging a foot from your face. There are other options, of course, that mean you can work from a spaceship or a cozy coffee shop, but doing so maps out the extremities of the room in a way that felt like a waste of processing power given that the Quest 2 is by no means a performance powerhouse.

We kept the connection wired, too, to avoid any battery or Wi-Fi-related-related dropouts in connection, and the headtracking worked smoothly enough without ever bringing on any sickness – at least once we’d acclimatized within an hour or two.

The biggest obstacle, as you can imagine, is using a keyboard and mouse. The Quest 2’s touch controllers are great for gaming, but using pointers for typing away on a PC was never going to fly in a text-based workflow. Thankfully, we were still able to write emails, articles, and Slack messages using the keyboard and mouse on the desk.

Were we less distracted? Honestly, yes. By taking the rest of the room out of the equation (and with audio playing through the headset’s speakers), we were able to get plenty of work done – at least until the meetings started piling up.

While all of your “flat” meeting apps will work in VR when mirroring a desktop, we wanted to put some alternatives through their paces and two stood out above the others.

There are a few options, each with different ways to show off your virtual avatar. Immersed, for example, lets users work within the same “room” and communicate with each other while collaborating on tasks. It lets each user create their own monitors out of thin air, and offers some fancy features like a remote whiteboard and screen-sharing for tasks that require teams. It supports plenty of applications, too, including Adobe suite for creative projects.

Meta also offers its own app, Horizon Workrooms. It’s still in beta, but will eventually give users the chance to connect within a virtual room, scribble on whiteboards, and type on virtual keyboards. It’s a bit strange seeing avatars without legs under the boardroom table, and the animations never feel particularly lifelike, but it’s a solid start that’s likely to improve over time.

And yet, we still found ourselves getting a little distracted in meetings. Perhaps it’s the novelty of head-tracking and looking at avatars, but we found ourselves preferring a Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams call – at least for now.

Should you work in VR?

Surprisingly, we did find several situations where we worked better in VR than we do in our normal office set-up. Enclosing yourself in a virtual cocoon does wonders for your productivity by removing all the distractions of your home or office. Being able to touch-type is key though, as you're going to struggle to type at anything close to a reasonable rate with VR controllers and a virtual keyboard.

You should probably keep your VR working escapades for your working from home days though, as we imagine you'll draw quite a bit of mockery in the office if you turn up, say good morning and then jack into the Matrix for the day.

Virtual meetings seem to be a big part of the metaverse push from companies like Meta, but we found them to be a little gimmicky and distracting - Zoom or Google Meetings are far more efficient for now.

Take your fitness regime to the next level with our guide to the best VR fitness accessories. 

It’s a familiar challenge — finding a way to get a good cardio workout at home. There are plenty of machines designed to achieve just this, but treadmills, bikes, and ellipticals are expensive, bulky, and, let’s be honest, boring.

Enter virtual reality on the Oculus Quest 2 (now the Meta Quest 2) wireless headset, which can transform a small patch of living room into a customized fitness center. VR provides personalized fitness training on demand, in locations as diverse as a gorgeous beach or the surface of Mars. Boring, it is not. 

The fitness options on Quest 2 are diverse and effective, but they all come with the same problem: exercising in VR goggles can be uncomfortable. The good news is it doesn’t have to be that way. Pick up these accessories and you’ll create a welcoming environment for your sweaty exertions. The better news is that none of these extras will break your bank; big increase in quality of life, small investment of cash. And isn’t a healthier you worth it?

If you’re just getting into VR because of the fitness options, you’ll want to bone up on some crucial basics. First, here’s how to avoid motion sickness in VR. That probably won’t be much of a problem when you’re working out, as workout routines have you moving in real space, but not virtual locations. It’s good info for when you start to branch out into other VR activities, though. More immediately practical is how to clean your VR headset and lenses — they’re going to get very sweaty, very quickly, and proper hygiene will not only keep your headset smelling springtime fresh, it’ll also ensure you’re always seeing crisp, clearly-defined images.

It’s also worth mentioning that you don’t have to use a Quest 2 to work out in VR; technically, the apps work on any headset. Quest 2 is the best option in our opinion, because it’s both wireless and affordable, but check out our review of the best VR headsets to help choose the tech that’s right for you. Then, when you’re ready to get your sweat on, tick off the items on this shopping list.

1. Vented insert

Work out in VR a few times and you’ll immediately discover the biggest problem: sweat. Having half your face sealed into the headset isn’t a problem for watching movies or playing games, but the heat and sweat from your workout will fog up the lenses in no time. 

Look on forums and you’ll find plenty of homebrew solutions, everything from wiping the lenses with spit to taping maxi pads to your forehead. However, we think that the easiest solution is a vented insert, which allows air to escape the mask without letting light in. There are plenty of options out there, but we like this one from Kiwi, for its effectiveness and easy installation.

2. Prescription lenses

For any VR headset to work properly, its lenses have to be the correct distance from your eyes. The Quest 2 comes with an insert to add a little extra space to help anyone who wears glasses compensate, and it works just fine for most VR usage. But why not just skip the glasses altogether? 

Many companies offer prescription lenses for Quest 2, and for far less than you might expect. Installation takes just a few seconds; simply pop off the default lenses and add the prescriptions. The process is easily reversible if several people share a headset. We had great results using VR Lens Lab, even with a strong prescription.

3. 6-ft round yoga mat

It’s surprisingly easy to get turned around when you’re in VR. You might be certain you’re dead center only to realize you’ve traveled several feet to the side. The Quest 2 has visual cues to let you know you’re close to the edge of your playfield, but, in our experience, having a physical boundary does a better job of keeping you safely where you’re meant to be. 

Work out on a yoga mat and you’ll feel when you’re too close to the no-fly zone. Quest recommends a 6-foot space circle for working out, so we’re recommending that size mat from Schriner, but you can use whatever size and shape makes sense for your situation.

4. Headphones

The whole point of using VR as opposed to your phone or laptop is the immersion, so do it right. Headphones shut out the real world and let you focus on your workout, but Quest 2 doesn’t support Bluetooth (officially), so your wireless earbuds are a no go. 

Wired earbuds will work, but we found the dangling cord to be a real annoyance while working out. Custom headphones, like these from Amavision, split the buds apart so each can plug into either side of the headset with an extra short cord. And at less than $20, it’s a no-brainer.

5. Rechargeable AA batteries

The Quest’s controllers tear through batteries like they’re Godzilla in downtown Tokyo. The batteries don’t even have to be all the way dead before the controllers start to lose accuracy, which is frustrating at best and a workout killer at worst. Don’t put yourself through the hassle of trying to wring every last drop of energy out of your AAs, just get a bunch of rechargeable ones and swap them out at the first sign of weakness. 

You’ll keep the workout interruptions to a minimum without having to constantly top off your copper-top supply. We like this set from Energizer, which comes with 4 AA batteries and a charger.

If the monotony of treadmills and hefty gym fees are cause for concern, and you can't stomach wiping down another shared weights bench, this list of the best VR fitness apps and games is for you.

With exercise, there is no one size fits all, and the dynamic worlds and activities available in Virtual Reality can twist classic repetitive workouts into interesting adventures, where you’re one button press away from exploring intriguing worlds and rocking out to music, all while working up an impressive sweat.

When discussing the best VR fitness apps and games, it’s important to mention that cleaning your VR headset is a must. Just like any other kind of gym equipment, wiping down and keeping the headset bacteria-free will ensure its long life. Additionally, being aware of your surroundings is always worth a thought. While some of the best VR headsets offer cable-free VR experiences, like that found in the Meta Quest 2, creating a clear workout space for maximum safety is always important.

The world of VR is growing fast, and the VR experiences on offer now branch into all aspects of life, from working in VR to play and beyond. No matter how you like to exercise, our comprehensive list of the best VR fitness apps and games will have you covered.

Best VR fitness apps and games

Beat Saber is one of VR’s most acclaimed games, and for good reason. Created by Beat Games, this iconic rhythm game is a great example of a simple premise executed perfectly, swapping the plastic accessories of older music games for a VR headset and motion controllers. Giving you two colored light sabers in each hand, all you need to do is slice the corresponding blocks, avoiding any obstacles like bombs or walls along the way.

It's a brilliant workout and the game has always warned players this requires high physical activity levels, so get those warm ups in first. However, Beat Games took this a step further post-launch with FitBeat, a free fitness focused song that’s an intense ride on higher difficulties. Beyond this, Beat Saber’s largely been fueled by an active modding community on PC and Quest, who’ve continued making new maps and songs at pace, alongside official DLC packs.

• Check out Beat Saber on Steam, Meta Quest, Oculus Rift, or PlayStation Store.

Kayak VR: Mirage offers an intense upper body workout set in some of the world's most stunning aquatic vistas. Using controllers in unison as a paddle, players row their way through a series of incredibly detailed real-world locations, spying local wildlife along the way. From the vibrant beaches of Papagayo in Costa Rica to the glaciers of Ciera Cove in Antarctica, each location can be explored at your own pace and intensity.

If self-led workouts aren’t your thing, there’s a Time Attack mode that plots a specific course, leading to some high-octane racing. This works great when paired with the game’s asynchronous multiplayer and leaderboard systems, which add a highly competitive angle to your kayaking. Each setting in Kayak VR: Mirage also features a meditative mode that works well as a cool-down after your workout. Here the kayak leads itself down a track with peaceful music and wildlife all around.

• Check out Kayak VR: Mirage on Steam or the PlayStation Store.

Those panicking about gym class trauma from school years can lay those concerns to rest despite Gym Class VR’s title, because this particular title is all about playing basketball to improve and maintain your fitness.

While some games take a more “functional” look in VR, Gym Class VR looks great, with customizable courts and characters available in the premium version, and matches against both AI and friends or players online.

Pass, shoot, dribble and even dunk, with your shot charts and stat records held to help you improve over time. You may have so much fun, you won’t even realize you’re building up a sweat. Quest 1 owners should note that there are fewer modes for the older headset.

• Check out Gym Class VR on the Meta Quest store.

Following its success on Guitar Hero and Rock Band, Harmonix established itself as the king of rhythm games, and many of us remember Dance Central from the Xbox 360 days. Starting life as a Kinect launch game, Harmonix took a small hiatus before making a surprise return with Dance Central (2019). Bringing us a new 32-song soundtrack, this latest entry ditched those camera peripherals for VR.

It adapted to this new format well and Dance Central leaned into the fitness aspect of VR gracefully.  However, this isn’t just another incidental workout. Harmonix went further by releasing an integrated fitness tracker. Appearing in-game as a virtual smartphone, Dance Central estimates how many calories you’ve burned during a dance off once you’ve input your weight and height. Even if you’re not playing to lose weight, it’s a great time that comes highly recommended.

• Check out Dance Central on Meta Quest or Oculus Rift.

A good soundtrack can make a workout, and Synth Riders understands that concept and runs with it. Where Beat Saber has players slice blocks and dodge to the music, Synth Riders asks you to move and flow along with tracks, riding a fun variety of neon rails to a curated list of bangers. A Gorillaz song pack recently launched for Synth Riders, bringing classic upbeat tracks like Feel Good Inc into the fold.

Glorious cyberpunk stages set the scene for players to really engage with each note, while a range of fitness updates have provided new features to boost workout potential. An in-game watch has been added that tracks your heart rate alongside how many calories you’ve burned, and the introduction of a non-stop mode means no interruptions as you get into a fitness flow.

• Check out Synth Riders on Meta Quest, Steam, or the PlayStation Store.

Holofit is best described as a companion app to existing fitness equipment, compatible with any Bluetooth enabled exercise bike, rowing machine, or cross trainer. Featuring over 100 different workout settings, Holofit aims to liven up your home exercise experience when using these machines. This provides 10 different environments, taking us to space stations or tropical environments, instead of spending your time staring at walls.

Boosted by a virtual coach and five workout modes, there’s plenty to keep you occupied here. Because of its reliance on physical exercise machines, Holofit is best suited for those who already own one, so it won’t universally appeal. Still, you can trial it for seven days free first to decide if it’s for you. While it’s available on PC, the Meta Quest’s wireless design makes it a much more preferable platform to test this out on.

• Check out Holofit on Meta Quest or Viveport.

Fit Reality's Viro Move is a strong choice for PC players, aiming to replicate your gym results. Career Mode offers four sports with 30 levels each. Boxing turns your motion controllers into punching gloves, hitting blue and orange orbs while dodging incoming walls. Swords has you swiping through these orbs without the color coordination. Shooting sees you taking down enemies once a hitbox aligns with them. Finally, Weapon Master combines all three into one mode.

If Career Mode starts getting too easy, Viro Move houses some tougher ‘Challenges’ that’ll keep you on your toes, awarding new cosmetics once completed. Alternatively, should you seek variety without necessarily making it harder, ‘Playlists’ mix up the levels to keep it interesting. It's a good workout, there’s a fun EDM soundtrack backing it up, and if you’re playing alongside friends, you’ll also find some online leaderboards.

• Check out Viro Move on Steam.

YUR.Fit is an app that provides a real-time overlay, monitoring your heart rate when playing VR games to track your weight loss. Ranking progress through a level system, YUR breaks down your workout for each game. So, when you’ve finished your latest round on Pistol Whip, expect an email detailing how long you played, calories burned, and more. It’s a good fitness companion and for greater accuracy, one that’s also compatible with Bluetooth heart rate monitors.

If you’re not fond of the set overlay, some games directly integrate YUR support. Often, that’s achieved via unofficial mods, though official adoption of the YUR Watch has increased. Allowing you to track progress through an in-game virtual watch, it’s supported by games like Gym Masters, OhShape, Synth Riders, and more. Quest users can access it through SideQuest, though there’s a similar built-in app called Oculus Move.

• Check out YUR.Fit on Steam or SideQuest.

Sparring in the ring can be a scary, adrenaline-heavy approach to working out. The Thrill of the Fight doesn’t pull any punches with its VR adaptation of that process, even if your adversaries are AI. This lifelike boxing simulator prepares fighters with a Rocky-esque training regime before making them step up against a series of challenging opponents as they grow their virtual fighting careers.

The Thrill of the Fight deftly teaches you boxing skills and techniques that will buff players with confidence and push them to become the next world champion. The simulated weight of your controllers adds to the hyperrealism, making it feel as if the gloves are well and truly on. Sizing up your opponent between rounds and throwing your body weight around to slip away from their reach makes for a consistently exhilarating experience.

• Check out Thrill of the Fight on Meta Quest or Steam.

If you’re looking for a high-intensity VR fitness experience, there are few more thrilling than Stride. In this parkour-focused platformer, the exciting nature of navigating a metropolis and evading enemies makes exercising feel secondary to the fun. Losing yourself to the imagined city skyline can be thrilling, if not a little scary at times, and adds to the heart-pounding excitement of the workout.

A suite of game modes provides players with options to finetune the game’s intensity, opening it up to all kinds of fitness styles. Time Run focuses on speed and careful route choices, whereas Endless Mode rewards long-term commitment, calculated decisions, and high scores, offering a slower but more intense workout. In addition to solo modes, Stride also boasts a decent selection of multiplayer game types that can make working out with a crew an exhilarating experience.

• Check out Stride on Meta Quest or Steam.

Which VR headset is best for fitness?

There are more than a handful of excellent VR headset models, but they’re not all created equally. While some offer incredibly high resolution in each eye, they often require a powerful PC to get the most out of – or to use at all.

Trying to move your body, throw punches, or slam dunk a basketball with a cable tied to the back of your head is more than a little uncomfortable, but there are some impressively long cables available for headsets that allow it to be swapped out.

Better yet, though, we’d advise something wireless like the Meta Quest 2. Everything is built into the headset itself, so you don’t need to connect to anything else to install apps. The battery life is solid enough to work out for a while (although we’d advise picking up rechargeable ones for the included controllers) and the Meta store has a huge number of the best VR fitness apps and games available. 

Meta’s library includes plenty of the games on this list, and while its not the cheapest storefront (PC fans will know all too well how affordable Steam can make PC VR titles), regular discounts and gift vouchers certainly help users build up their own fitness game and app libraries. You can even plug it into a gaming PC and use it as a more powerful Oculus Rift, too.

Aside from the advantages we’ve already mentioned, the Meta Quest 2 is still one of the most affordable entry points for VR, even after a price hike to $399 in 2022. It’s not got the power or pixel count of the HTC Vive Pro 2 or Valve Index, but at a considerably lower price it’s much easier to recommend for a foray into VR fitness and exercise.

We love VR, whether that’s for playing immersive games or getting a stunning new perspective on the world. The trouble, though, is that VR headsets can be expensive, and are traditionally marketed toward adults.

Thankfully, this VR headset from Let’s Explore, focused on exploring Earth’s Oceans, is ideal for would-be deep-sea divers and marine biologists alike. It offers the chance to experience an incredible nature trail through the ocean in an immersive VR experience.

Right now, you can get 50% off the Let's Explore Oceans VR Headset set at Amazon, bringing the price down to just $57.49. That's a fantastic price for this fun and educational interactive experience.

The headset works through a smartphone, meaning you’ll need to lend your explorer yours if they don’t have one of their own. Simply install the app, and then put the phone into the headset.

The set includes both virtual reality and augmented reality experiences, meaning some of the included activities will appear to take place within your home. There are six VR movies included, including swimming with sharks and humpback whales, while the AR experiences include examining the anatomy of creatures that live in our oceans.

There’s a handy carry case included, too, so you can take the set to wherever your adventures carry you. The headset itself offers a comfort mask and adjustable focus. It should work with users wearing glasses, too.

There’s also an accompanying 36-page illustrated book to accompany the experiences included, and it adds additional information for your little learners to enjoy.

User reviews are mainly positive, with buyers noting how adjustable the headset’s strap is, and noting their kids’ sense of wonder when reaching out to touch the sea creatures. Some noted how easy it is to set up as well. It’s worth noting that some users had issues with getting sound to play correctly, but that may be linked to having your phone on silent.

if you want to explore the VR world further, check out out roundup of the best VR headsets out there. We've also got a guide with the latest VR headset deals in too.

Virtual reality may not be as commonplace as Metaverse enthusiasts are hoping just yet, but the platform offers a stunning array of VR games and experiences that can educate, entertain, and leave your jaw on the floor.

It’s never been a better time to get into VR, and that’s partially down to the best VR deals available on a range of headsets, like the high-end Valve Index, or more affordable (but no less impressive) tech like the Meta Quest 2 (formerly known as the Oculus Quest 2). 

Offering the chance to visit far off worlds, step into scenes from your favorite movies, or play a huge variety of hit games like Beat Saber, there are plenty of compelling reasons to pick up your first VR headset. 

VR isn’t just for entertainment either - it can also be used to help keep your mind and body in shape with VR exercise programs and guided meditation apps to help you relax.  Check out our guide to the best VR experiences to see some of our favorite unexpected things you can do in VR.

While some of the best VR headsets like the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite need to be hooked up to a powerful PC, others like the Meta Quest 2 work on their own. This makes the Quest the perfect entry into the world on VR, and the wireless connection makes it even more suited to fitness and wellness apps, where you need free movement and don't want a bunch of wires to trip over.

• Related: How to clean your VR headset & lenses

Best VR headset deals

Oculus Quest 2 / Meta Quest 2 deals

Meta, formerly Oculus, offers the easiest route into VR thanks to its Meta Quest 2 being a self-sufficient platform with its own app store and wireless setup.

That makes it easy to jump into the latest games, including Beat Saber, Pistol Whip, and plenty more, and it’s much more affordable than some of its more advanced contemporaries, too.

Valve Index deals

Valve’s Index headset is pretty expensive, but it uses its impressive Index Controllers to make it feel as though your hands are in games like Half-Life: Alyx. This clever tech can even track your individual finger movements. The room-scale VR set-up for the Index is also great for more active VR pursuits like VR workout sessions too.

You’ll need a PC with a decent spec, too, as the Index runs off of your computer with no standalone version. We've listed some offers from third part retailers below, but you're almost always going to get a better price buying the Index direct from Valve on the Steam store.  Index's on other sites like Amazon are usually priced way above the MSRP of $999.

Why is it that people suffer from motion sickness in VR? Plenty of users have reported that while testing out the revolutionary technology for the first time, even if they’re someone that doesn’t traditionally get motion sick, they can find themselves feeling overwhelmingly nauseous after only a short session.

This has led many to wonder if there’s a way to stop themselves from getting motion sick, or why it happens in the first place. What is it about VR that makes this such a common occurrence, even among the best VR headsets, and is there anything that games can do on an individual basis in order to make it easier for players? 

With more and more VR games coming out, and headsets like the Valve Index and Oculus Quest 2 (now renamed the Meta Quest 2) continuing to grow in popularity, it’s a factor that many people keen to enter the space are thinking about.

Why does VR make you feel sick?

Exactly why VR makes you feel sick is something that will be illuminated more as the technology continues to grow and the research into how to make it more comfortable for the widest possible audience gains momentum. Research into traditional motion sicknesses, such as car sickness or seasickness, is much further along, and according to those who’ve looked into it, it’s all to do with how your brain is reacting to what it believes is reality, and what signals it is receiving.

According to Dr. Hilary Hawkins: “You don’t get sick when you’re walking; you get sick when the body is in a still position but something else is generating motion,” Hawkins told Live Science. “The balance centers in your inner ear perceive something different than reality.”

This pretty much perfectly sums up why gaming is so notorious for causing feelings of motion sickness. In large RPG games or first-person shooters, you’re often not only moving forward, but moving at a walking pace, making your brain immediately cross its wires in terms of how to respond, thus the motion sickness.

In order to combat motion sickness, Hawkins recommended that you “Keep the mixed signals to a minimum,” but doing that in VR is difficult, especially when the experience typically revolves around wearing not only a headset but large headphones and controllers, making it an experience that is hard to escape from unless you’re willing to quickly take some of the equipment off.

This is something a lot of developers are thinking about. Legendary developer John Carmack has long been an advocate and pioneer of VR and he’s had strong thoughts on what does and doesn’t make a player sick.

During his time at Oculus, he tweeted “Stick yaw control is such VR poison that removing it may be the right move – swivel chair/stand or don't play.” This is important to consider, especially with the number of flight-based games that appeared on VR platforms. Games often combat this by including a static reference to the playing space, like a cockpit or something similar.

How to avoid motion sickness in VR

Ultimately, exactly what works for each player is going to differ based on your circumstances, and the kinds of experiences that you’re having in VR. Faster paced games, such as first-person shooters and certain music games might prove slightly too intense, and the high amount of motion has been known to cause some issues in VR. 

However, through moderation, slowly training your eyes to the platform, and making sure that you’re taking regular breaks from play, you may be able to limit or entirely eliminate some of your issues. This isn’t going to work for everyone and, unfortunately, at this stage in the technology there’s still going to be some people that simply can’t use VR, but we’re hopeful that as the technology expands and comes more integrated into other forms of tech, that these issues will be resolved. 

It’s also worth doing plenty of research into the games you’re interested in playing in VR to see if they’ve got any setting or ways to make you feel better when playing. Many games that require a lot of acceleration or fast motion have toggles that will slow these motions down, or add darkened frames to the sides of the screen in order to lessen the impact of swinging the camera and your head around quickly.

Games like Skyrim VR have started implementing different styles of movement that allow you to warp, rather than walk, to whichever point your character needs to be, which is said to help reduce some of the mental stress that large games with traditional human-like motion can cause. 

There are plenty of modern VR experiences that have these options, so it’s certainly worth checking before you decide to invest in a headset. 

If you happen to have friends or family that have the headsets, we would definitely recommend trying them on if you have the chance. While the headsets are all fairly similar in form factor, some like the Oculus Quest 2, are much lighter than something that requires cables.

This can factor into a person’s experience of motion sickness as being grounded by a cable can reduce the physical motion from the player, lessening the strain on the player’s perception. Light, wireless headsets like the Oculus Quest 2 may make the player move around more freely, and thus induce the symptoms of motion sickness more easily. Trying out different headsets and finding the one that is right for you is a crucial part of this process, so we really recommend finding somewhere, such as a shop or a VR café that will allow you to take them for a spin.

VR is one of, if not the most immersive forms of technology out there. While it’s mainly been used by gamers to take the medium into a new dimension, and by several industries in order to revolutionize the way they do things, it’s sure to be a big part of our or lives for years to come.

HTC led the charge with the modern wave of interest in virtual reality hardware. Its top-tier HTC Vive Pro 2 VR headset carries on the impressive lineage of PC-powered virtual reality devices first introduced by the original HTC Vive.

With an incredible display and well-balanced ergonomics, the HTC Vive Pro 2 is an immersive and comfortable virtual reality device. It really goes the extra mile to make digital worlds look as realistic and clearly presented as possible.

However, in pursuit of visual perfection, HTC has missed a beat with its overall VR experience, with its own-brand controllers particularly showing their age.

Some aspects of the spec sheet here are unbeaten by the competition, which is why its one of the best VR headsets, and there’s a lot to love here. Yet, to get the most out of the HTC Vive Pro 2, you’ll have to mix-and-match it with some rival manufacturer hardware, too.

HTC Vive Pro 2: Set up & usability

We have conflicting feelings when it comes to the setup process for the HTC Vive Pro 2.

On one hand, once you’ve got everything in place, ideally in a space where it can be left to live without disruption, its systems work in tandem incredibly well to ensure your movements in VR are always well tracked (even if you’re waving your arms behind you), and that you’re safely aware of the limits of your real-world surroundings.

On the other hand, it can be a real pain to initially set up. It requires multiple cables, a large play space, and some finicky positioning of external accessories.

Though both seated and standing set-ups are supported, the free-roaming ‘room scale’ experience is likely what most people think of when imagining playing in virtual reality. The HTC Vive Pro 2 requires a minimum of 2 x 1.5 m of unobstructed space, which may be difficult to pull off in some smaller rooms. Once that space has been found, you’ll then need to place the two Base Station units in opposite corners of the designated area – ideally slightly above head height, pointing down towards the middle of the area. 

Keep in mind that each of these units requires its own wall socket power supply, so that limits where you can put them (thankfully they come with long enough cables to allow for some flexibility). For ease of use, you’ll ideally want all this within the same room that your PC is in.

The headset comes with a 5 m cable connected to it, which plugs into a separate breakaway “Vive Link” box (this also requires its own additional power supply). This box then hooks up to your PC over USB 3.0 and DisplayPort connections. If you then want to charge the two controllers simultaneously, you’re looking at five wall sockets in use at once, and that’s before taking into consideration your PC and your monitor, too.

Setup then moves to Valve’s Steam VR software platform – the bridge between your VR hardware and your PC. It will run you through a series of steps to pair the Base Stations with your headset, ‘paint’ the obstacle free play space, measure your real-world height, and set up a grid-like ‘Chaperone’ boundary that magically appears if you’re about to step beyond the realms of your safe play area and, say, into that rather pointy coffee table.

All this takes a while to do – if you’re lucky and everything is recognized without issue and the tracking goes off without a hitch, you can do it in about 30 minutes. If you’ve got to start moving furniture, or the Base Stations (sometimes inexplicably) fail to recognize your space, it could take much longer. So, once you’re set up, you’re going to feel inclined to leave the HTC Vive Pro 2 set up for good.

While the HTC Vive Pro 2 is more accurate, its setup is also far more demanding than the portable fun of the Meta Quest 2 (once known as the Oculus Quest 2), which includes all its tracking systems in the headset itself and can be set up in an all-new play space, without the need for a computer, in a matter of minutes. 

The HTC Vive Pro 2 is not alone with these limitations – the otherwise excellent Valve Index suffers from the same rigid requirements – and it’s an as-yet unavoidable by-product of the sheer power needed to run VR applications at such high levels of quality.

HTC Vive Pro 2 review: Design & display

The HTC Vive Pro 2 combines screens, cameras, motion tracking sensors, and speakers into a design that’s constructed to sit in front of your eyes. A ski-goggle-like element is placed on the front of your head, over your eyes, and then secured to your head with a series of straps and tightening dials. It’s a little weighty, but this has been well distributed and balanced over your head. Padding and ventilation has been smartly placed to make wearing the Vive Pro 2 comfortable enough for hours-long play sessions without too much issue.

The front facial gasket is large enough to just about accommodate glasses wearers, while there’s also a physical Interpupillary Distance (IPD) slider onboard which makes sure the inner displays are perfectly aligned with the center point of your pupils, ensuring depth and detail is perceived properly. This is a welcome and increasingly rare feature of virtual reality headsets.

Inside that front casing element sits the HTC Vive Pro 2’s secret weapon and best feature – its super high-resolution displays. Targeting a 5K resolution (4896 x 2448, which works out to roughly 2.5K pixels per eye), they’re capable of displaying virtual reality scenes with supreme clarity and with exceptionally smooth motion thanks to their 120 Hz refresh rate (meaning they update with a fresh frame of imagery 120 times per second). High quality panels combined with a wide 120-degree field of view result in some of the most natural feeling optics you’ll currently find in the realm of VR hardware. It’s genuinely incredible.

Despite its forward-thinking design in many places, the HTC Vive Pro 2 can’t escape the realities of needing a high-powered PC to run it, as well as the need for external motion tracking support systems. You’ll have to factor in the need for cables to power the experience, tethering you physically to your PC, unless you invest in one of HTC’s sold-separately wireless adapters. And, even if you invest in a wireless add-on, that then means you sacrifice the highest resolution and refresh rates the HTC Vive Pro 2 is capable of, essentially negating the point of buying the Vive Pro 2 in the first place.

The complete Vive Pro 2 package is finished off with a pair of cube-like motion-tracking Base Stations (each requiring a power socket of their own) and a pair of Vive motion controllers.

The controllers themselves are large, wand-like instruments complete with a laptop-like trackpad. These feel very bulky when compared to the svelte, lightweight finger-tracking alternatives offered up by Valve and other rivals. Thankfully, if you can track down the highly sought-after Valve ‘Knuckle’ controllers, the HTC Vive Pro 2 will support them.

As well as the wireless add-on previously mentioned, the HTC Vive Pro 2 is also compatible with all other existing HTC Vive accessories, including facial movement and limb trackers. They can enhance the experience, but are sold separately and not vital to proceedings.

HTC Vive Pro 2 review: Features, games, & apps

It’s worth persevering with the setup process though in order to enjoy the wide array of VR experiences that the Vive Pro 2 is compatible with. As the HTC Vive Pro 2 taps into Steam VR’s setup process, so too is it open to the Steam gaming platform’s ever-growing VR library. From flying an X-Wing in Star Wars: Squadrons to exploring the sci-fi dystopian of jaw-dropping Half-Life: Alyx, the Vive Pro 2 can access pretty much every VR title available to PC players.

If you download and run the third-party Revive software, with a bit of tinkering you can also open up the headset to the otherwise-exclusive games that are designed to run on the Meta headsets through the Oculus game store. Try out creative tools like Tilt Brush to social apps like Rec Room, to fitness applications, meditation experiences, and travel-oriented VR adventures. Whatever you go for, the HTC Vive Pro 2 lets you step into digital worlds with an unparalleled level of clarity.

If you want to dip in and out of many VR experiences without hitting your wallet too hard, it’s worth signing up for HTC’s Viveport platform. It’s a bit like an all-you-can eat, Netflix-style service for VR gaming, with a catalog of a few hundred titles. There are different tiers to the subscription service, with different perks based on how much you’re willing to pay each month for access, and it’s a great way to find your VR legs, so to speak.

HTC Vive Pro 2 review: Performance

Once the somewhat tedious set up process is completed, it’s hard not to love what the HTC Vive Pro 2 delivers in terms of performance. And yes, although the setup is frustrating, once properly calibrated it’s a reliable and accurate tracking system that does a good job of anchoring you and the movement of your limbs to the virtual world.

The field of view of the headset’s lenses, combined with their resolution and refresh rate, genuinely make it feel like you’re peering into another world. Even if you’re a veteran VR user, you’ll find yourself gawping at the undeniable clarity presented by this headset. Again, however, it’s worth stressing that you’ll need a high-end PC to push the headset to its pixel-rich limits.

However, the quality of those displays is a double-edged sword – it takes such effort to drive them that they can feel palpably hot at times. It’s nothing dangerous, but you will feel the heat rising over an extended play session, which can leave you with a sweaty brow and foggy screens – a good reminder why it's important to clean your VR headset and lenses often. And as for the controllers, though still capable, they just can’t match the intuitive action smaller controllers like those the Meta Quest 2 provide, let alone the impressive, naturalistic finger tracking of the class-leading Valve ‘Knuckles.’

Often, built-in headphones tend to be a little weak, but the HTC Vive Pro 2 also includes a built-in speaker system worthy of praise. HTC’s solution here is great, as rather than having in or over ear headphones, it has a pair of small adjustable speakers that sit just in front of your ears. 

They offer warm and detailed sound, while also allowing for some situational awareness of exterior sounds from the real world. It not only helps you stay safe from bumping into people and free to hear a call from elsewhere in the house, but also helps alleviate any sense of claustrophobia that wearing a headset like this can sometimes result in. It manages all this while still retaining sonic clarity and a good sense of bass too – great for when you’re in the middle of a booming VR action scene. For those that really can’t live without their go-to buds or cans, there’s a headphone jack for plugging them in, too.

HTC Vive Pro 2: Recommended PC specs

Recommended PC specs to run the HTC Vive Pro 2

Minimum:
Processor: Intel Core i5-4590 or AMD FX 8350 (equivalent or better)
Memory: 8GB RAM (or more)
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX1060 or AMD Radeon RX480 (equivalent or better)
OS: Microsoft Windows 8.1 or Windows 10
Video out: DisplayPort 1.2 (or newer)
USB ports: 1x USB 3.0 (or newer)

Recommended:
Processor: Intel Core i5-4590 or AMD FX 8350 (equivalent or better)
Memory: 8GB RAM (or more)
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 or AMD Radeon RX 5700 (equivalent or better)
OS: Microsoft Windows 10
Video out: DisplayPort 1.4 (or newer)
USB ports: 1x USB 3.0 (or newer)

HTC Vive Pro 2 review: Price

The HTC Vive Pro 2 is available now, in two package options. The first, more expensive option, bundles together everything you need to get started with PC VR – aside from the PC itself. For $1,399/£1,299, you get the Vive Pro 2 headset, two Base Station 2.0 tracking stations, a pair of Vive controllers, and all necessary leads and chargers.

HTC also offers a money-saving alternative. As the Vive Pro 2 works with legacy accessories, you can save cash by using the Base Stations and controllers from an earlier Vive product and just purchase the new headset for $799/£719.

Whichever way you cut it, it’s a premium-costing VR package, similar in price to the PC VR Valve Index kit. Note, however, that the bundled Vive controllers are showing their age. Seeing as the far more capable Valve Index ‘Knuckle’ controllers are compatible with the Vive kit, consider picking them up with the solo headset option.

Keep in mind too that if you haven’t already got a decent-spec PC to power the headset, you’re going to need one. This could quite easily double the overall investment needed.

Should you get the HTC Vive Pro 2?

Beyond impossibly expensive commercial VR headsets or research devices, the HTC Vive Pro 2 is currently the last word in virtual reality quality. Its high-resolution screens and fast refresh rates make for one of, if not the most natural-feeling and impressive-looking virtual reality experience that can be had in your home. Though the device can get hot, it’s still comfortable thanks to its ergonomic design, with multiple fitting options and immersive audio.

But just as HTC is ahead of the competition in its headset’s display elements, it’s falling behind the pack with its accessories. Separate Base Stations and the set-up process involved is feeling increasingly outmoded versus inside-out camera tracking systems found in standalone headsets. Plus, the HTC Vive controllers are in serious need of an upgrade.

As it stands, the HTC Vive Pro 2 remains a seriously impressive piece of VR kit. We’d just recommend investing in the supported Valve' Knuckle' controllers to go with it and cordoning off some dedicated play space to leave it ready and waiting – and hope that future Vive hardware finds a way to alleviate the strain its current setup process can cause.

If this isn’t for you

The Meta Quest 2 is not only an affordable alternative, but a standalone one, too – it delivers impressive VR experiences and games from its onboard processor and internal battery power supply. It won’t reach the heights of visual fidelity that the Vive Pro 2 manages, but is far more streamlined in terms of setup and very portable as well.

If the in-the-box Vive controllers sound a little clunky to you, you should also consider the Valve Index VR package. In many respects it’s the best (premium) VR headset out there – and that’s mostly down to its so-called ‘Knuckle’ controllers. While its screen is a step behind what’s on offer from HTC here, the PC-only headset is our tethered option of choice thanks to the way its controllers track your individual fingers, allowing for intuitive, natural interaction in virtual worlds.

Finally, if you’re looking for the most cost-effective entry into VR, and are already a PS4 or PS5 games console owner, then check out PlayStation VR. Its screen is low resolution by today’s standards, and its wand-like Move controllers have similar limitations to what we see with the HTC Vive Pro 2’s alternatives. However, it can take advantage of the Sony hardware you may well already have under your TV, and has a superb library of exclusive VR games made by Sony’s top game developers.

Ever wanted to walk aboard an intergalactic starship? Explore the rubbled ruins of a futuristic city after an alien invasion? Step onto the surface of a distant planet? Through a VR headset you can experience all these things – and the Valve Index is the best device to do it with.

Thanks to its advanced screen technology, finger-tracking controllers, and accurate motion tracking stations, the Valve Index is the most comprehensive VR package you can currently have in your home. It’s expensive, requires some patience during set up, and needs a high-end PC to take full advantage of the most advanced applications it can access, but with those hurdles jumped invites you into an immersive VR experience like no other.

If you’ve got the money and the space to take full advantage of the Valve Index, it’s the best VR headset that money can (currently, at least) buy. Read on to find out why.

Valve Index review: Price and release date

Released on June 28, 2019, the Valve Index costs $999/£919. It’s an expensive package, but it’s an extensive one too, with the set containing not only a headset, but advanced controllers and motion tracking ‘Base Stations.’ Some elements can be bought separately, but at the time of writing (and for many months prior), all except the bundle options have been out of stock.

Despite being a few years old, the Valve Index has more or less retained its value (initially thanks to the relative scarcity of stock). So, those waiting for a sale on the device may be waiting some time. Having said that, rumors of a follow up device may eventually change this, while fresh competition from the upcoming PlayStation VR2 and in development hardware from Meta (aka Facebook) could drive the price down.

The Valve Index requires a PC to run. To get the most out of the headset, this must be relatively high-spec’d. The ‘Are you ready for Valve Index?’ tool can help you to figure out if your existing computer is capable of running the Valve Index, or what upgrades will be required. If you’re starting from scratch, expect to pay several hundred dollars or pounds, perhaps even entering into the thousands, to really see the Valve Index running in its optimum state.

If you’re interested in something cheaper, the standalone Meta Quest 2 (née Oculus Quest 2) usually sells for around $299/£299 and is an excellent wireless entry point into the realm of virtual reality – even if its screen and controllers pale in comparison to the Valve Index. For now, the Valve Index remains worth its higher asking price, but for how long remains to be seen.

Valve Index review: Set up

The Valve Index is a wired headset, meaning you’re going to need to plug it into the back of your PC in order for it to work, as well as having a few external accessories running in order to track play. Two cameras sit on the front of the Valve Index, which are used in tandem with a small pair of (included) cube-shaped Base Stations. These will help track and orient you in the real world and then process that information into movement through the virtual world on your computer.

As such, set up can be a mess of wires – you have three cables running from the headset itself (power, USB 3.0, and a DisplayPort cord) into your computer, while the two Base Stations (which need to be placed in opposite corners of your play space, slightly angled towards the ground) each need power supplies too.

While standing and seated play options are available, it’s the free-roaming ‘Room Scale’ style that is most appealing, letting you freely wander around VR worlds within the confines of your home. Valve Index’s Room Scale space requirements are quite demanding, needing at least 2m x 1.5m (6.5ft x 5ft) in order to work properly. Any less than that and tracking may become flaky.

The set-up process, once all cables are connected and Base Stations placed down, is quite intuitive. You’ll need to download the SteamVR application on your PC, but once installed it does a great job of walking you through setting up the boundaries of your play space, setting your height, and orienting you through how VR works with a tutorial themed around Valve’s popular Portal game series. Your play space is also identified through a ‘Chaperone’ system, which throws up a grid of virtual walls as you approach the boundaries of your space – handy for preventing you from walking into real-world walls or putting your hand through your TV screen.

But the set-up process is time consuming, even if things work correctly the first time. The more space you have, the better, and we’d encourage anyone setting up the Valve Index to consider a dedicated play space for the VR headset – you won’t want to go through that rigmarole all over again.

Valve Index review: Design & display

The general look of the Valve Index will be familiar to you if you’ve seen a VR headset before. With a screen module that’s placed in front of your eyes, it’s held in place with an overhead strap that connects to a rear band that tightens the unit into position with a dial at the back of your head.

Despite the relative bulk of the headset, Valve has done a good job distributing the weight of the device so that it sits comfortably for long play sessions. Also, while glasses remain a squeeze into that front gasket, they can be accommodated without too much discomfort.

What’s packed into the headset is what makes it special though. Behind the glossy front screen plate you’ll find dual LCD displays at a 1440 x 1600 resolution per eye. While it’s no longer the sharpest display out there, that’s still crisp enough to appreciate fine detail in VR worlds.

More impressive is its refresh rate – at 120Hz (and capable of boosting up to 144Hz) it allows for smooth movement in games and experiences, which help to avoid the dreaded motion sickness VR can sometimes cause. Even better is the field of view which, at 130 degrees, gives a great impression of the virtual world’s presence around you. With two additional sliders, one to set the distance between each individual eye to match your pupils, and another to move the screens closer or further away from your eyes, the Valve Index lets you find a sweet spot that makes its viewport feel very natural.

Audio is provided by two puck-like speakers that hover from the bands of the headset in front of your ears. They are fantastic – with more boom and bass than in-ears can offer, and without the claustrophobic feeling of being completely encased by over-ears, you get the benefit of rich, directional audio while not completely losing situational awareness in the real world. It’s a great compromise.

Perhaps the Valve Index’s finest innovation though is in its controllers, colloquially known as the ‘Knuckles.’ Stepping away from the wand-like controllers of the PSVR, or the trigger grips of the Oculus, the Valve Index controllers are tightened around your hands with a strap, leaving your individual fingers free to be tracked by sensors in the controllers. Combined with a traditional pair of thumbsticks, trackpads, and face buttons which rest where your thumbs naturally sit, the Knuckles allow you the most naturalistic finger tracking experience in VR so far. They let you interact with virtual worlds using grips, points, prods, pushes – and practically any other form of interaction your hands can achieve. It’s a million times more advanced than what the competition’s controllers offer, and while Oculus is making great strides in controller-free, hands-only gesture tracking, the Knuckles remain the most accurate input method in VR to date.

Valve Index review: Features, games, & apps

As mentioned, the SteamVR application guides you through the set-up process, but also acts as your portal to the experiences and games that the Valve Index headset has to offer. Valve’s Steam platform is already the premier destination for PC gamers, and SteamVR is an excellent virtual reality-focused accompaniment to that.

There’s a giant catalogue of games available to Valve Index players through the store. You can fly an X-Wing in Star Wars: Squadrons, man the command deck of the Starship Enterprise in Star Trek: Bridge Crew, explore and colonize a near-infinite universe in No Man’s Sky, or slice and dance your way through the arcade action of Beat Saber. Popular franchises like The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Doom have been converted into VR, while there are literally thousands of games built from the ground up for VR too.

By being a PC-based headset, the Valve Index is also open to all sorts of third-party applications and games. Whether you’re tweaking the visual output of the display or adding mods to games you’ve bought, by working in tandem with a PC, you can eke additional functionality out of the Valve Index in a way that standalone headsets like the Oculus Quest 2 cannot. And though you’ll have to do a little research on how to get it working, the Valve Index can also tap into the rival Oculus/Meta VR games storefront using the Revive application, opening up the otherwise exclusive games there, too.

It’s worth noting that every purchase of the Valve Index also comes with a free copy of what’s undeniably the best VR game so far – Half-Life: Alyx, a continuation of the mega-popular first-person shooter series on PC, also developed by Valve. Built from the ground-up with the Valve Index in mind, it takes full advantage of the Knuckles, and delivers a gripping, immersive sci-fi world to explore. It’s quite unlike anything else you’ll have ever experienced in gaming and should not be missed whether you’re a fan of the series or not.

If gaming isn't your bag, then there are still plenty of other cool experiences you can check out on the Valve Index, including fitness and meditation apps, along with educational experiences that explore science, nature, and more. If you're not going to be gaming with the Index though, it might be overkill in terms of power and cost.

Valve Index review: Performance

The Valve Index in action is a remarkable sight, and one that is difficult to convey in words. Popping the headset over your eyes is a transformative feeling, letting you truly inhabit the virtual worlds game developers and experience makers have created for the platform.

One of the things that stands out most about the Valve Index compared to the majority of its competition is just how wide its field of view is. Where some headsets give you tunnel vision, forcing your view into narrow cones, the Valve Index’s lenses are both tall and wide. While focusing still relies upon you turning your gaze rather than moving your eyes, this additional wraparound feeling is incredibly immersive.

This natural interaction with the digital world is furthered by just how intuitive the Knuckle controllers are. It’s best realized in Half-Life: Alyx, where you almost forget you aren’t using your real hands. Even fine movements, like using an in-game Sharpie pen on a window to leave a note, feels delicately accurate. It’s hard to go back to other VR input methods after having used the Knuckles.

Our high-end computer used in testing, which includes an Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU and Intel i7 GPU, meant that the Valve Index could run at high frame rates with applications and games running at their most demanding visual settings. You don't necessarily need a machine quite as powerful to get the most out of the Valve Index, but be aware that performance will, to a degree, scale with your PC’s components and that a low-end machine may struggle to deliver smooth VR performance.

Note that the Valve Index can get a little hot while in use, particularly around where its screens run. It’s not uncomfortable though, and there’s enough ventilation to prevent you – and the device – from overheating in play.

Should you buy a Valve Index?

If you’re willing to spare no expense for your virtual reality adventures, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better VR setup than that which is offered by the Valve Index. From the ergonomics of the headset to the intuitiveness of the controllers, the Valve Index is the most immersive VR experience you can put into your home right now.

There are a few drawbacks to note – it’s expensive, the set-up process can be potentially laborious, and it’s very much a wired device. Given the advancing age of the Valve Index and the rumors of a successor waiting in the wings, there may be some hesitation in picking up the Index in case an Index 2 rears its head. But that could well be hoping for a dream as Valve’s hardware concerns have now turned away from VR and to its Steam Deck handheld games console.

And so, for now, the Valve Index remains the most premium VR package that you can put in your home. If you’re ready to fully invest in the promise of virtual reality, the Valve Index is that promise realized.

If the Valve Index isn’t for you

There’s a lot of fussing involved with the Valve Index, which may turn you off. For starters, you may not have a high-powered PC to begin with, pushing that cost of entry even higher. If that’s the case, we recommend you take a look at the standalone headset the Meta/Oculus Quest 2. It’s totally wire-free and self-contained, letting you access a great library of games and VR experiences at a fraction of the cost of the Valve Index. And while its controllers and display aren’t as advanced as the Index, it too can be optionally cabled up to a PC to take advantage of all the PC VR games out there – including Half-Life: Alyx, with a bit of tinkering.

If you’ve got a PlayStation 4 or PS5 sitting under your TV, you’ve also got the PlayStation VR kit as an alternative. It’s about to be superseded by the PlayStation VR 2, and while the original kit is showing its age with a low-resolution screen and clunky wand-like controllers, it still has an enviable catalogue of VR games that are exclusive to PlayStation owners.

Finally, if screen resolution is your highest priority, you’ve got the cash to spare, and a high-end PC to go with it, it’s worth considering HTC’s Vive Pro 2. It has the best screen of any commercial VR headset we’ve tried thus far – though it’s packed-in controllers aren’t as good as Valve’s Knuckles (which can be configured to work with the Pro 2, if you can find them for sale separately), nor is the headset as comfortable overall.

VR headsets allow us to insert ourselves into incredible experiences and games, but that does come at the cost. Aside from the occasional nausea, there’s also sweat, hair, and dust that can get trapped in the headset during usage… and that’s without even factoring in the current pandemic, so you’ll definitely want to know how to clean your VR headset thoroughly.

Since it's something you'll be in close contact with your extended periods of time, it's incredibly important to keep the VR headset, and any controllers you’re using, clean and sanitary. The best VR headsets are expensive, so it's worth looking after them to increase their longevity too. Still, with so many expensive components, some high-quality lenses, and plenty of buttons, it can be tricky to work out how to give your VR setup a clean safely.

Here’s a breakdown of how to clean a VR headset properly, including tips on what equipment you'll need, what techniques you should use, and how to clean your lenses safely too. 

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only, and is not meant to offer medical advice. If you're concerned that you are ill or contagious, do not invite your friends over to use your VR headset. No, not even to show them Half Life: Alyx.

Why is cleaning your VR headset important?

As with anything that comes into close contact with you, or more specifically your face, VR headsets can build up a variety of germs and bacteria. While you’re unlikely to hand your shiny Oculus or HTC headset to a random passer-by on the street, it’s worth taking precautions to prevent transmitting such unpleasantness between members of your household, or just friends that want to have a go at taking on your Beat Saber high score.

With the SARS-CoV-2 virus (the one that leads to COVID-19) being detectable “in aerosols for up to three hours”, according to the National Institutes of Health, you really can never be too careful about what you’re passing on to other users of your VR headset, which is why knowing how to clean a VR headset is crucial.

Most importantly, if you think you might be infected with coronavirus, don't invite friends over to use your VR headset.

What you’ll need to clean your VR headset and controllers

• Disinfectant wipes
• Microfiber cloth
• Can of compressed air

There are a huge number of cleaning products out there, but you’ll want to be picky and keep an eye out for certain ingredients – or lack thereof – when tackling how to clean a VR headset.

Normally, we’d advise using alcohol-free products that have antibacterial qualities, particularly wipes. This is because with cleaning gels, the cleaning product can actually get into the cracks of your device’s outer shell, potentially seeping through to the components inside. The downside is that antibacterial wipes won't destroy coronaviruses like COVID-19, since it's a virus, not a bacteria. if you're worried about COVID (and who isn't), then you can also consider alcohol-based wipes, but we'd avoid sprays and gels altogether.

Your lenses will require a more delicate touch, so we’d suggest a microfiber cloth with a spot of water on. This is because even alcohol-free products can cause some issues with the glass.

Finally, a can of compressed air is your best friend when used correctly, and a nightmare when used too much. Keeping the can a few inches away, fire the air in short bursts to help push dust and dirt out of those hard-to-reach spots, being careful not to push it further into inside the device if you can avoid it.

As you can probably tell, you don’t want to blast compressed air anywhere near the lenses, either, lest you end up powering sharp pieces of goodness-knows-what into them at speed.

What to do before cleaning your VR headset

All headsets should be powered down before you start cleaning. If your headset is wired, be sure to unplug it first. If your headset comes with a glasses “spacer,” such as the Oculus Quest 2, be sure to remove that and clean it, too.

You’ll also want to check the manufacturer’s guidance for cleaning. Some will recommend using more specific methods on certain parts, whereas this guide is more of a general overview. Use the two in conjunction, just to be safe.

Finally, we’d also recommend washing your hands before you start cleaning and do the same once you’re done. In fact, this is a good practice to get into when using your headset in any case. Nitrile gloves are also handy when cleaning, but they’re not a must.

How to clean your VR headset exterior

Use your alcohol-free wipes to wipe around the headset, paying close attention to the parts that come into contact with your face during use. That includes all around the “eye” portion, with a focus on the nose part, too.

With external cameras on VR headsets, use the microfiber cloth approach to ensure no smearing of the sensors.

We’d also recommend focusing on the front of the headset, particularly the top and the bottom of the outer shell. This is because it’s here that you’ll likely put your hands on the headset to put it on or remove it.

If your headset has a fabric head strap, you can still use your alcohol-free antibacterial wipes on those, but you’ll need to leave the fabric to dry out completely before using again. We’d advise against leaving the VR headset to dry outside, since direct sunlight can wreak havoc on the lenses.

How to clean VR lenses

• Use Microfiber cloth with circular motions
• Only use cleaning fluids made specifically for optical lenses

Speaking of the lenses, don’t forget to use the microfiber cloth we recommended earlier. Using this will help minimize friction on the lens, while still picking up anything that may be there. It doesn't matter what brand of headset you're using, the cleaning process is the same whether you're looking to clean Oculus lenses or your Valve Index's lenses.

Use circular motions rather than up and down strokes, starting at the center of the lens and gently working your way outwards. If your lens has dirt or marks that requires a bit of assistance to remove, you can also look at camera lens cleaning fluids, though these can be a little pricey.

It’s also worth remembering that whether you have a fancy stand for your VR gear, or you’re just setting it on a table, it’ll collect germs from those surfaces, too. With that in mind, be sure to give those areas a clean regularly.

If you don’t use your VR headset all that often, consider a carry case, or even the original box as a place to store it away from bacteria. In fact, this will also help keep it out of direct sunlight, helping ensure the sensors and lenses last longer.

VR headsets have come a long way from the clunky, blurry and oversized technology we saw in the 2010s. With new high-spec headsets launching on a regular basis, each with their unique features, finding the best VR headset for you has never been easier. 

While the current wave of virtual reality has created a bold new avenue for gaming, that is not the only reason to explore this technological phenomenon. There’s a whole world of immersive VR experiences available that can revolutionize everything from your workflow to how you relax or even the way you break a sweat when working out. 

To help you make the right choice, we've put these headsets through their paces to test how good they are for gaming, fitness, work, mindfulness & relaxation, and more. We looked at the hardware and the software on offer so whatever you're looking at VR for, you can make the right choice.

With more headsets in the works, we’ll keep updating this list, so be sure to check in for all the updates on what’s new in the VR space. And, if you’re looking to grab a bargain on the way, check out our best VR headset deals. 

Best overall

The Meta Quest 2 has been around in some way, shape, or form since 2020 – and it’s barely changed at all. Sure, it went from being called the Oculus Quest 2 to its new moniker when Facebook changed its branding, and it got new storage options (it now starts at 128GB instead of 64GB), but that’s about it.

And yet, it remains the easiest headset to recommend. That’s partially down to price – Meta raised the headset cost by $100, but it’s still cheaper than many of the best VR headsets out there, and includes everything you need in the box.

The other big plus, and one that we’re surprised Meta doesn’t talk about more often, is the ability to plug the Quest 2 into your snazzy gaming PC and have it essentially pass the complex VR stuff onto your rig. The outcome? Playing highly-rated PC VR titles through your Meta Quest 2 without shelling out for a headset twice the price.

If you’re curious about VR, the Meta Quest 2 is the place to start, with a wealth of excellent games and apps within the headset’s own storefront and no need to plug it into a PC – but a lot more flexibility if you do further down the line.

Best premium

The Valve Index hasn’t got the highest resolution screen on this list, but in almost every other aspect (price allowing), it’s the premium PC-connected VR headset experience to beat.

With a supersmooth 144Hz refresh rate and wide 130 degree field of view, the Valve Index offers truly immersive virtual reality. Though bulky, its headset is comfortable for long play sessions, its tracking capabilities are spot on (even if its set up process is a bit more involved than we’d like it to be) and its controllers are simply sublime. The so-called ‘Knuckles’ not only feature buttons and motion tracking, but are designed in such a way as to leave your fingers free, with finger-tracking elements allowing you to use your hands as you would naturally interact within a digital world. It’s marvellous.

It has a couple of issues we’d like to see ironed out for a successor. Firstly, we’d be happy to lose a little motion tracking accuracy in favour of an inside-out tracking system that would let us do away with the finicky external base stations. We’d also be keen to see Valve offer some form of wireless play, too, as the Index requires many cables to run.

But once you’ve got those Knuckles on and have your free, bundled-in copy of Half Life: Alyx (the very best VR game) running, all those grumbles fade away. If you can afford it, and have the PC to pair it with, the Valve Index is the most impressive VR hardware you can enjoy today.

Best for high-resolution

If you’re after the last word in virtual reality screen quality – without resorting to spending literal thousands on niche research or commercial devices – the HTC Vive Pro 2 is the VR headset for you. Offering a gigantic 5K combined resolution for its screens, and throwing in a fast refresh rate and wide viewing angle to boot, if this list was based solely on headset quality, it’d be the winner. We’re talking about a screen so good sometimes to be close to just looking through a window to the real world outside – and all within a comfortable, if bulky, headset too, one that can accommodate glasses wearers and includes a physical IPD slider.

But it’s not the complete package. The HTC-branded controllers it works with are terribly aged at this point, being large, heavy, wand-like things (if you can find the Valve Knuckles sold separately anywhere they will be compatible as well, however), and it suffers from the same tethered limitations that the Valve Index shares with its cables and base stations. It can also get quite hot near the screen which, considering the resolution it's running at and the power required to get it ticking along smoothly, is somewhat inevitable.

Factor in a truly eye-watering price for the complete bundle package, and the overall components don’t quite match what Valve is offering. If, however, you can get the headset by itself at a more bargainous price, mixing and matching with Valve’s controllers would make this very close to the ultimate PC VR experience. Shop around…

Best value

Pop the HP Reverb G2 over your head and you’ll be immediately dazzled by its super-sharp display. While not a cheap headset, it’s relatively affordable, given just how clear its display is, even if its refresh rate isn’t quite as smooth as some of the competition.

That affordability however does ignore the fact that controllers for the HP Reverb G2 are sold separately, and that you’ll need a capable PC in order to power that screen to its highest capabilities. 

It’s a mixed bag then. On one hand you’ve got a physical IPD slider to ensure the most comfortable position for the lenses in front of your eyes, but it’s also another restrictively tethered headset, connecting to a computer over cabling. It’s open nature to PC VR platforms means there’s a great array of applications open to it, but its tracking isn’t quite as reliable as some of the other options on the list.

The HP Reverb G2 then stands as a great option if you can’t quite afford the HTC Vive Pro 2, but it’s a little behind the pack in a few too many areas to top this list.

Best for customization

The next step down the list of HTC VR gear, the Cosmos Elite is a capable – if uninspiring – virtual reality headset.

It’s very similar to the original HTC Cosmos, but the Elite favors the more accurate base station tracking solution than the Quest-like inside-out camera tracking of the original Cosmos. It’s quite a heavy headset at about 2lbs in weight, but HTC does well to make it feel comfortable with plenty of ergonomic fit adjustment points and a flip-up front display for quickly getting a view again into the real world.

However, similar problems found with the HTC Vive Pro 2 rear their heads here, but without the benefit of the super screen of the Vive Pro 2 to soften the blow. It’s still quite an expensive headset, its controllers are showing their age, and the many-cabled set up is both finicky and restrictive. The Cosmos Elite can still wow, but it’s best only approached if you find it at a bargain price.

Best console VR

The PSVR2 is a hefty update to Sony’s original foray into virtual reality. The addition of stunning hardware updates paired with an easy-to-use interface makes the PSVR2 an excellent option for VR Veterans or first-time virtual reality users. 

The headset is packed with plenty of comfort features like soft pads to help with weight distribution and multiple dials and buttons that can be tweaked to find your perfect fit. A small fan in the headset also keeps things cool, which is great for workouts and high-intensity gaming. And, getting lost in the action is easier than ever, thanks to haptic feedback in the controllers and PSVR2’s headset rumble system. 

If you’re looking for professional apps, it’s important to note that the PSVR2’s library is smaller than others on the market and is currently geared more towards games than productivity apps. If you're looking for something with access to productivity right away, other PC VR headsets may be a better choice.

• Read our full PlayStation VR 2 review.

Best for professionals

While Meta Quest 2 is easy to recommend for just about anyone, we have to admit it’s harder to find a use case for the Meta Quest Pro.

That’s not to say it’s a bad headset, but the starting price of $1500 is a tough pill to swallow for such a relatively new ecosystem (you could buy a few Meta Quest 2 headsets for that).

It’s a little more focused on the professional VR user, and if you need to ask what one of those is then there’s a good chance it’s not for you.

The Meta Quest Pro offers resizable displays and is vastly more comfortable than its cheaper brother. It also looks very sleek in black, with a charging dock included in the box so it’s always ready to go. 

As Meta (the company) continues to work towards the goal of making the Metaverse more accessible, it feels like the Meta Quest Pro will be the place where we see plenty of experimentation. If that sounds good, jump in to be on the cutting edge of VR tech. If not, it’s hard to look past the Meta Quest 2.

Best for comfort

They say good things come in small packages, and that’s certainly true of the HTC Vive XR Elite. This powerhouse fits a lot into its small and nimble frame, meaning you can take it anywhere and not feel like you’re compromising on specs.

Built with freedom in mind, the headset is completely standalone with no cables or plugs to worry about, something that’s complemented by its pass-through camera, which is perfect for when you need to interact with the real world in the middle of a VR experience. Although it succeeds as a portable headset, its compact design and middling range of comfort options may cause issues for some users. Hence, it’s worth checking the technical measurements against yourself before jumping in. 

The Vive XR Elite includes an audio solution in the form of two speakers built into the band  which delivers a clean, clear sound when used across its sizable library of PCVR games and apps. If you’re after a VR headset that’s grab and go, the Vive XR Elite is a great option; however, if you’re looking for a more static, holistic setup for home, other premium headsets on the market may offer more for the price. 

Best travel VR headset

An attempt to take a bite out of the Meta / Oculus Quest pie, the Vive Flow is an intriguing, if flawed VR device.

It’s supremely portable, weighing just 6.7 ounces, but it manages that by making some considerable compromises – to get more than five minutes battery life out of the headset you’re going to need to hook it up to an external battery pack, for instance. There aren’t even controllers or hand tracking available to the device either – you’ll need to use a paired (Android-only) smartphone with the Vive Flow to browse its store and control its experiences.

Despite a high-resolution screen (at a low refresh rate, however), HTC isn’t billing this as an Oculus or Index killer though – rather, it’s hoping its portability will let owners take advantage of it on trips away to watch videos and take part in mindfulness and wellness activities, rather than high end gaming sessions.

That’d be a reasonable idea were it not for the price. What the Vive Flow offers in portability, it can’t justify its limited use cases against its comparatively high asking price. Thumbs up for its forward-thinking lightweight design, but look elsewhere for pretty much everything else.

Oculus essentially kickstarted a consumer-level push for VR, causing Meta to snap the company up a few years back. The Meta Quest 2 remains the most popular headset available right now, but is it worth buying in 2023? After all, aside from a name change and a price bump, it’s not really changed since it debuted in 2020. 

We've decided to revisit our Meta Quest 2 review to help answer that question, and thankfully the result is still a resounding “yes”. That’s thanks to a price point and series of features that make the Meta Quest 2 easily one of the best VR headsets available today. 

A big part of the strength of the Meta Quest 2 is that it can be all things to all people – as a wireless, all-in-one VR setup it’s easy to use and operate for relative novices, offering everything you need right in the box. Plug it into a PC, and it essentially becomes a Rift S, meaning if you’ve got the requisite power you can play PC VR titles like Half-Life Alyx, too.

We’re also very pleased to say that Meta has rolled out an update that means you’ll no longer need a Facebook account to enjoy everything the Quest 2 has to offer. For those that disagree with Facebook’s privacy settings, or that don’t care to be found there, that means you can sign up with a Meta account instead.

Meta Quest 2 review: Setup and usability

Opening the Meta Quest 2 box, you’ll be presented with the headset, two controllers, the charger, and an eyeglasses spacer to fit the headset over your existing eyewear.

Each controller requires an AA battery which slides into a compartment in each handle, while the headset itself charges via a USB-C charger in the box. It is possible to play while the headset charges, as long as you’re not expecting to throw your head around.

The first thing you’ll need to do is download the Meta app on your smartphone, and either log in with your Facebook account or create one to get started.

Once you’re ready, strap the headset on (the fabric strap is adjustable, but can be a little fiddly to get just right) and tap the power button on the right side to get started. Volume buttons can be found on the underside of the headset.

The rest of the setup process is completed through a combination of the headset and your app, and you’ll also be able to set your “safe area” using Meta’ “Guardian.” This will ensure you’re not going to smack into a wall or trip over the coffee table, and you’ll need to set it whenever you turn the headset on.

Meta Quest 2 review: Design and display

The Meta Quest 2 is a pretty compact package, and it’s also impressively sturdy. The area that touches your face is lined with a soft-touch material – but, as you can imagine with any VE headset, your comfort will suffer after long play sessions.

The onboard speakers work well enough, but there’s the option for headphones via a 3.5mm headphone jack next to the charger port which can be ideal for the likes of rhythm games like Beat Saber.

The front of the device is fairly nondescript outside of a series of infrared circles that help with the aforementioned Guardian system (see image below), as well as tracking controllers in all directions.

The controllers offer two face buttons each, as well as a menu button on the left and the Meta button on right. There are triggers on the back of each controller, as well as a button in the grip of each. They’re lightweight and thankfully come with wrist straps to keep them from being thrown across the room early Wii style.

When it comes to the display, each lens has an 1832 x 1920 resolution. That’s a sizeable jump if you’re coming from the PSVR (960 x 1080) and is higher than the 1600 x 1440 of the Valve Index. Sadly, there’s only a 90-degree field of view, just shy of the PSVR, but the Meta Quest 2 can hit a 120 Hz refresh rate.

The Meta Quest 2’s display is LCD, but thanks to a vibrant series of menus, it never feels flat or lacking in contrast.

Meta Quest 2 review: Features, games, & apps

The Meta Quest 2 starts strong, with a free-floating menu hovering in your view with smart cursor controls, a look at what your friends are doing on the platform, and access to the store.

Purchases are easy to make, but we do have some hang-ups. Many games cost more on Meta Quest 2 than they do on more open storefronts, like SteamVR, and cross-buy functionality is restricted to some games but not implemented store-wide. As a result, your old Oculus Rift purchases may not show up in your Meta Quest 2’s library, meaning you’ll have to splash out again.

Still, the Meta Quest 2 will play original Oculus Quest titles, and works just as well seated and standing – this may help alleviate some nausea and help some earn their “VR legs.” If you’re looking to find a way to play the likes of Beat Saber and Superhot VR, you’ll find it here.

If gaming isn't your thing, there are also a host of interactive experiences, virtual tours, and scientific recreations to check out on the Meta store. Likewise, there are mindfulness and VR fitness apps to help you look after yourself, body and soul, so to speak.

The real power of the Meta Quest 2, though, is that it’s two headsets in one. If you’ve got a capable gaming PC (we tested it with a GTX 2070 Super), you’re able to connect to the headset through the Windows Meta app (you’ll need a long USB-C cable or you can connect wirelessly) and play Oculus Rift and Rift S games through the Meta Quest 2.

The lack of universal cross-buy we mentioned earlier can make it confusing to remember which platform you’ve purchased things on, but it means you’ll have access to more demanding VR games like Asgard’s Wrath, a mythical Norse adventure.

And that’s not all, because the Meta Quest 2 will also play nicely with SteamVR. That means if you’ve got a few games with VR modes, either in your Steam library or externally, you’ll be able to enjoy those in VR. We tested the headset with the VR version of Elite Dangerous and the Xbox Game Pass version of Star Wars: Squadrons and had a blast – at least before the VR motion sickness kicked in. So, yes, that means Half-Life: Alyx is very much an option.

Meta Quest 2 review: Performance

While the original Oculus Quest was no slouch, the Meta Quest 2’s increased RAM (6 GB) and new processor (Snapdragon XR2) makes everything buttery smooth. Playing games, bringing up the Meta menu, and jumping straight into something else is a simple process, and even though there are understandable load times, they’re usually brief.

A firmware update has unlocked the 120 Hz refresh rate on the Meta Quest 2 as well, making the likes of Superhot VR more fluid. However, developers also need to update to the new refresh rate, but expect to see more of them do that as time goes on.

We’re also quite impressed by the headset’s audio. While you’ll get much more bass from adding your own earbuds, the internal speakers aren’t a hindrance in games that rely on clear audio. You can also stream your viewpoint via a Chromecast.

Finally, a word on storage. Meta has phased out the 64 GB version, so your options now are 128 GB or 256 GB, with a $100 difference between the two. While more storage is never a bad thing, if you’re looking to play the majority of your games from your PC, you may find that the 128 GB version will be perfectly fine.

Should you buy the Meta Quest 2?

Whether you’re a VR novice or a seasoned pro, there’s a lot to like about the Meta Quest 2 – particularly at such a low price point compared to many competitors.

From classic games and VR experiences like Beat Saber, to being able to plug into a gaming PC for PC VR titles, it’s a sensational all-rounder that has everything you need right within the box. There is a lot more competition out there these days, but for now the Meta Quest 2 still reigns supreme.

A new virtual-reality experience brings to life the wreck of a WWII Japanese submarine that almost met its demise twice; after the Allies sank it in 1942, the sub was then bombed with explosives 30 years later by an angry salvager who wanted its scrap metal. The VR video is based on a recent survey of the site. 

The wreck of the I-124 submarine, on the seafloor about 50 nautical miles (90 kilometers) northwest of the Australian city of Darwin, is protected as a war grave — roughly 80 crewmen were on board when it was sunk by Allied forces in 1942.

That designation means that most divers are forbidden from visiting the wreck, with such access being strictly controlled; so the new VR experience is a rare chance for people to see what the wreck now looks like, maritime archaeologist John McCarthy of Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, said in a statement. 

Related: Photos: WWI-era German submarine wreck discovered off Scotland coast

Versions of the new video are available on YouTube in English and Japanese, as historical interest in the wreck is especially strong in Australia and Japan, according to the statement. Both recordings can be viewed with VR headsets, or as "immersive video" on flatscreen devices, such as computer monitors and smartphones.

"Drawing on our data, and historic ship plans and photographs, we've created a virtual dive experience in which the video takes the viewer through the data gathering process, and then takes you down into the deep, to experience the wreck firsthand," McCarthy said.

Battle at sea

I-124 was built in the late 1920s for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It was one of a new class of submarines based on a German Type UB III U-boat that had been given to Japan as part of reparations after WWI. 

During WWII, I-124 was active off the coast of Darwin, laying mines and raiding enemy ships. But Allied code breakers intercepted its radio signals back to Japan, leading Australian warships to track it down on Jan. 20, 1942 — almost exactly 80 years ago.

Related: What is the oldest-known archaeological site in the world?

A fierce battle ensued, including a near-miss of an Australian minesweeper, His Majesty's Australian Ship (HMAS) Deloraine, by one of the sub's torpedoes. But I-124 was badly damaged by depth-charges from the warships and an aerial bomb from an Australian warplane. The submarine then sank to the bottom with all its crew on board.

But the story doesn't end there. According to a 1990 historical report at the Western Australian Maritime Museum, salvagers from the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) discovered the wreck of I-124 in 1972 after a six-week search. 

Although the Japanese government considered the wreck a war grave, the salvagers hoped to sell anything they recovered from the wreck, reportedly for up to 2.5 million Australian dollars — about $10 million in today's money. 

In 1977, after it had become clear that Japan didn't want the wreck disturbed, one of the salvagers bombed it with explosives in an attempt to force a negotiation, severely damaging its conning tower, according to the report. 

Protected wreck

Later that year, the wreck of I-124 was secured by the Australian Navy and the site was protected as a war grave under Australian law — the first wreck so designated.

Maritime archaeologists have monitored the wreck since then, and the new VR is based on a remote sonar survey conducted at the site in October 2021 by a team including McCarthy, other scientists and the crew of the Australian Institute of Marine Science research ship Solander, according to the statement. 

"The archaeological survey shows that the wreck is in good condition, but with some signs of degradation of the outer hull that require further investigation," McCarthy said. 

Diving to the wreck is difficult at the best of times. According to the VR, it lies on the seafloor in an area with poor visibility and strong tides. It sits at a depth of about 150 feet (45 meters), so divers using regular breathing gases can stay there only for a few minutes at a time.

As a result, the Heritage branch of Australia's Northern Territory regional government is planning a technical dive to the wreck, using advanced breathing gases to let divers stay there much longer, in order to conduct an in-depth visual and photographic survey, the narration of the VR reported. 

Originally published on Live Science.

The tomb of an ancient Egyptian called "the Doctor," hidden beneath a pyramid and inscribed with mystical spells invoking gods and demonic guardians, comes to life in a new immersive virtual reality experience. 

By just popping on some VR goggles, you could be the Egyptologist who enters the tomb to explore its depths. 

Egyptology experts at the University of California Berkeley have created "The Book of the Dead in 3D," which uses VR to offer a rare first-person glimpse of an Egyptian burial site. Its 3D environments and reconstructions of artifacts present an up-close perspective on traditions surrounding the deities, demons, and magic spells of death and the afterlife in ancient Egypt, University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) representatives said in a statement.

Related: In photos: A look inside an Egyptian mummy 

"You can have the experience of entering a tomb, walking around a coffin and interacting with these beautiful funerary texts and images," said project lead Rita Lucarelli, an associate professor of Near Eastern Studies and faculty curator of Egyptology at the Hearst Museum at UC Berkeley. 

"In Egyptology, printed books are still more valued than digital projects," Lucarelli said. "But I think this trend is slowly changing, as we use new tools to document these ancient treasures."

When a user of the interactive dons the VR headset, they are transported to Saqqara, site of a vast necropolis and pyramid field in Memphis, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Cairo. There, they enter the tomb of a court physician called Psamtik — nicknamed "the Doctor" — whose sarcophagus dates to Egypt's 26th Dynasty, around 664 B.C. to 525 B.C. Carvings on the stone include numerous spells invoking the protection of more than a dozen gods, against attacks from foes in the afterlife.

William Randolph Hearst purchased the heavy stone lid of Psamtik's sarcophagus, which weighs about 7,600 lbs. (3,447 kilograms), during a trip to Egypt in 1900. Three years later, Hearst donated the lid to the collection of what is now called UC Berkeley's Phoebe Apperson Hearst Museum of Anthropology, according to the website for The Book of the Dead in 3D. Psamtik served as the pharaoh's head physician as well as "chief of the Libyans" — a type of overseer of foreign mercenaries, according to the Hearst Museum. 

But the Doctor was never laid to rest in his sarcophagus, which was empty when the tomb was discovered (though a coffin in a nearby chamber held a woman thought to be Psamtik's wife). To this day, why Psamtik's mummy wasn't found there remains a mystery, the Hearst Museum says.

In addition to Psamtik's sarcophagus lid, Lucarelli and her colleagues have scanned, digitized and 3D-modeled Egyptian artifacts from the Hearst Museum and other collections in California since 2015. Their goal is to preserve ephemeral objects in a digital format, and to ensure that objects will remain available for academic study and research even after repatriation to their countries of origin, according to the statement.

Using VR video-game technology adds fun and excitement to the tours, "but my main aim is for this project to be strong academically and useful for scholars," Lucarelli said in the statement.

"The Book of the Dead in 3D" immersive interactive will launch in 2021 at the Hearst Museum, according to the statement. 

Originally published on Live Science.

Two pieces of ornate 16th-century armor have returned to the Louvre after a nearly four-decade absence. The elaborate breastplate and helmet were stolen from the renowned Paris museum on May 31, 1983, and then vanished for the next 38 years. 

Forged in Milan during the Italian Renaissance between 1560 and 1580, the metal armor was inlaid with gold and silver and is estimated to be worth about $603,000 (500,000 euros), the Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported on March 3. 

In January, a military antiquities expert spotted the armor after he was hired by an auctioneer for an estate auction appraisal in Bordeaux, France. He was suspicious about the armor's origins, so he notified officials with the French Central Office for the Fight against Trafficking in Cultural Goods (OCBC), a special police unit for tracking stolen property of historical and cultural importance. Authorities then identified the missing armor from a list maintained by Treima — an electronic database of stolen objects, Today24 News reported.

Related: Who is the most stolen artist of all time?

France's Treima database contains approximately 110,000 photos linked to 32,000 open cases of stolen artworks and artifacts.

Intricate designs on the helmet and breastplate identify them as "prestige weapons made with virtuosity, sort of the equivalent of a luxury car today," Philippe Malgouyres, the Louvre's head of heritage artworks, told the AFP. The two pieces, which Malgouyres hailed as "exceptional," were donated to the Louvre in 1922 by the Rothschild family, one of the world's wealthiest banking dynasties during the 19th and early 20th centuries, according to Today24 News. 

"I was certain we would see them reappear one day because they are such singular objects," Malgouyres told the AFP. "But I could never have imagined that it would work out so well — that they would be in France and still together."

"I was certain we would see them reappear one day because they are such singular objects," Malgouyres told the AFP. "But I could never have imagined that it would work out so well — that they would be in France and still together."

The theft of the armor wasn't the Louvre's greatest art heist; in 1911, Vincenzo Peruggia stole the museum's famous Mona Lisa painting and managed to evade capture for two years, according to PBS.

As for how the Italian armor was stolen in the first place, that puzzle is yet to be solved, as the events of that long-ago caper are still shrouded in mystery, the AFP reported.

Originally published on Live Science.

This year, you can give your kids the gift of science with fully immersive VR experiments from the scientist generations have grown up with — Bill Nye. 

Bill Nye's Virtual Reality Science Kit ($59.99) includes VR goggles and a free mobile app that can be used on any smartphone to make kids feel like they're hanging out with Bill in his lab or are exploring rocky caves, volcanoes, or waterfalls. 

Bill Nye (the Science Guy)'s kit includes an 80-page book that can be brought to life through the VR goggles, which teaches 30 step-by-step science projects.

Kids will learn chemistry, biology, and physics through experiments that help them "tattoo" an egg, create a lemon battery, or make their own speakers. They'll learn about scientific principles like density, oxidation, and chemical reactions and be able to follow along with Bill Nye as he walks them through all 30 experiments (with all the materials they'll need included in the 50 piece set). 

In addition to the hands-on experiments, kids will get to watch 185 VR and AR experiences, not only in Bill Nye's lab but also in volcanoes, waterfalls, icy rocks, and caves. 

If you’re looking for a VR gift specific for space lovers, we also recommend Professor Maxwell's VR Universe ($49.99). Like the Bill Nye kit, this VR science kit also includes hands-on experiments and play. The 21 piece set includes materials kids will need for 31 projects, including space-related games, experiments, and crafts like creating moon dough and building a compass to explore magnetic fields and a sun dial to learn about the sun's rotation. 

The VR goggles in Professor Maxwell's kit bring pictures from the 80-page activity book to life, letting kids get a 360-degree view of the sun, for example. The goggles also allow kids to feel as if they're astronauts in space, exploring Earth, our solar system, our galaxy, and other parts of the universe. They'll get to drive a rover on Mars, see eclipses, and hold the Earth in their hands. 

The Oculus Go is a fantastic first step into the world of virtual reality and now you can get it for just $149, saving you 25%. It normally retails at $199, so this is a great deal for a fully-fledged virtual reality headset. With apps and games that explore space, the human body and the natural world, the Go can take you places you've never been before.

If you haven't tried virtual reality before, or you have only tried it on your phone, then this is the place to start. The Oculus Go is totally wireless — everything you need is in the headset and hand-held controller. You don't even need your own headphones, as it comes packing positional speakers so you know where a sound is coming from in virtual space. 

There are hundreds of apps to choose from, many of which are free. Whether you're a budding biologist and want to explore what goes on in our insides with the free app The Body VR or want a 360-degree tour of the INL Nuclear Science and Technology Facilities, there's something for everyone here. Why not see what it's like to be an astronaut with Spacewalk VR? Learning has never been so much fun or so immersive.

There are plenty of games to play too, like Anshar Online, where you battle others online in spaceships, or puzzle games like ESPER 2, which gives you telekinetic powers in a virtual world for hours of experimentation and fun.

If you want some downtime, you can even watch Netflix in cinema-style quality (and total peace) with the Netflix VR app, and you can even control your PC using the Virtual Desktop app. 

The Oculus Go has a sharp 5.5-inch screen and 32GB or 64GB of storage that lets you install plenty of apps and games. The 64GB Oculus Go is also discounted by $50 and now costs $199 at Best Buy. 

The battery lasts around 2 hours when playing games and two and a half hours when watching video, before needing a recharge. It takes around 3 hours to charge, which is the only downside when you want to keep exploring virtual worlds. 

Oculus Go reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with TechRadar giving it a score of 4.5/5 stars and Cnet and Amazon users 4/5 stars.

The Oculus Go would make an extra special gift for a loved one this holiday season, but it's also the perfect treat for yourself. 

Alternative facts are spreading like a virus across society. Now, it seems they have even infected science — at least the quantum realm. This may seem counter intuitive. The scientific method is after all founded on the reliable notions of observation, measurement and repeatability. A fact, as established by a measurement, should be objective, such that all observers can agree with it.

But in a paper recently published in Science Advances, we show that, in the micro-world of atoms and particles that is governed by the strange rules of quantum mechanics, two different observers are entitled to their own facts. In other words, according to our best theory of the building blocks of nature itself, facts can actually be subjective.

Observers are powerful players in the quantum world. According to the theory, particles can be in several places or states at once — this is called a superposition. But oddly, this is only the case when they aren't observed. The second you observe a quantum system, it picks a specific location or state — breaking the superposition. The fact that nature behaves this way has been proven multiple times in the lab — for example, in the famous double slit experiment.

Related: The 18 Biggest Unsolved Mysteries in Physics

In 1961, physicist Eugene Wigner proposed a provocative thought experiment. He questioned what would happen when applying quantum mechanics to an observer that is themselves being observed. Imagine that a friend of Wigner tosses a quantum coin — which is in a superposition of both heads and tails — inside a closed laboratory. Every time the friend tosses the coin, they observe a definite outcome. We can say that Wigner's friend establishes a fact: the result of the coin toss is definitely head or tail.

Wigner doesn't have access to this fact from the outside, and according to quantum mechanics, must describe the friend and the coin to be in a superposition of all possible outcomes of the experiment. That's because they are "entangled" — spookily connected so that if you manipulate one you also manipulate the other. Wigner can now in principle verify this superposition using a so-called "interference experiment" — a type of quantum measurement that allows you to unravel the superposition of an entire system, confirming that two objects are entangled.

When Wigner and the friend compare notes later on, the friend will insist they saw definite outcomes for each coin toss. Wigner, however, will disagree whenever he observed friend and coin in a superposition.

This presents a conundrum. The reality perceived by the friend cannot be reconciled with the reality on the outside. Wigner originally didn't consider this much of a paradox, he argued it would be absurd to describe a conscious observer as a quantum object. However, he later departed from this view, and according to formal textbooks on quantum mechanics, the description is perfectly valid.

The experiment

The scenario has long remained an interesting thought experiment. But does it reflect reality? Scientifically, there has been little progress on this until very recently, when Časlav Brukner at the University of Vienna showed that, under certain assumptions, Wigner's idea can be used to formally prove that measurements in quantum mechanics are subjective to observers.

Brukner proposed a way of testing this notion by translating the Wigner's friend scenario into a framework first established by the physicist John Bell in 1964. Brukner considered two pairs of Wigners and friends, in two separate boxes, conducting measurements on a shared state — inside and outside their respective box. The results can be summed up to ultimately be used to evaluate a so called "Bell inequality". If this inequality is violated, observers could have alternative facts.

We have now for the first time performed this test experimentally at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh on a small-scale quantum computer made up of three pairs of entangled photons. The first photon pair represents the coins, and the other two are used to perform the coin toss — measuring the polarization of the photons — inside their respective box. Outside the two boxes, two photons remain on each side that can also be measured.

Despite using state-of-the-art quantum technology, it took weeks to collect sufficient data from just six photons to generate enough statistics. But eventually, we succeeded in showing that quantum mechanics might indeed be incompatible with the assumption of objective facts — we violated the inequality.

The theory, however, is based on a few assumptions. These include that the measurement outcomes are not influenced by signals traveling above light speed and that observers are free to choose what measurements to make. That may or may not be the case.

Another important question is whether single photons can be considered to be observers. In Brukner's theory proposal, observers do not need to be conscious, they must merely be able to establish facts in the form of a measurement outcome. An inanimate detector would therefore be a valid observer. And textbook quantum mechanics gives us no reason to believe that a detector, which can be made as small as a few atoms, should not be described as a quantum object just like a photon. It may also be possible that standard quantum mechanics does not apply at large length scales, but testing that is a separate problem.

This experiment therefore shows that, at least for local models of quantum mechanics, we need to rethink our notion of objectivity. The facts we experience in our macroscopic world appear to remain safe, but a major question arises over how existing interpretations of quantum mechanics can accommodate subjective facts.

Some physicists see these new developments as bolstering interpretations that allow more than one outcome to occur for an observation, for example the existence of parallel universes in which each outcome happens. Others see it as compelling evidence for intrinsically observer-dependent theories such as Quantum Bayesianism, in which an agent's actions and experiences are central concerns of the theory. But yet others take this as a strong pointer that perhaps quantum mechanics will break down above certain complexity scales.

Clearly these are all deeply philosophical questions about the fundamental nature of reality. Whatever the answer, an interesting future awaits.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

The world's most expensive painting, which may or may not have been painted by Leondardo da Vinci, may or may not make an appearance at a new exhibition at Paris' Louvre this Thursday, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP), a French news agency. 

The painting, titled "Salvator Mundi," depicts Jesus holding a transparent globe in one hand and gesturing a blessing with the other. In 2017, the work of art sold for $450 million at a Christie's auction to an undisclosed buyer.

The painting's whereabouts since the auction is unknown. At first, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Saudi prince Badr bin Abdullah bought the painting for the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, but then the United Arab Emirates culture ministry announced that their country owned "Salvator Mundi" and that it was to go on display at the Louvre Abu Dhabi in September 2018, according to the AFP. It never did. 

Related: 25 Secrets of 'Mona Lisa' Revealed

Prominent art dealer Kenny Schachter, citing two sources involved in the sale, told the AFP that the painting is making its rounds on bin Salman's yacht, the Serene.

The mystery around the painting's provenance is as big as the mystery of its location. There is a debate in the art world about whether da Vinci actually painted "Salvator Mundi" or it was  created by one of his apprentices. Those who claim it is not a da Vinci painting note that one of Jesus' fingers is badly painted and that the painting isn't mentioned in any of da Vinci's correspondence, according to the AFP.

Paris' Louvre has asked Abu Dhabi to loan the museum the painting for an upcoming da Vinci exhibition, but that request is still pending. Considering the mystery of the painting's whereabouts, it's unlikely, but not impossible, that "Salvator Mundi" will be at the Louvre's upcoming da Vinci exhibition, according to the AFP.

• Leonardo Da Vinci's 10 Best Ideas
• Flying Machines? 5 Da Vinci Designs That Were Ahead of Their Time
• In Photos: Leonardo Da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa'

Originally published on Live Science.

A new virtual reality experience may help save an ancient Egyptian tomb built for Queen Nefertari whose paintings are so beautiful that it has been compared to Italy's Sistine Chapel.

Built around 3,250 years ago for the favorite wife of pharaoh Ramesses II (who reigned from 1279 B.C. to 1213 B.C.), the Tomb of Nefertari is located in the Valley of the Queens, near Luxor. The tomb is open to just small groups of visitors, because the increase in humidity that comes when people enter can damage its paintings.

At present small groups of tourists are allowed into the tomb, each tourist paying an entrance fee of 1000 Egyptian pounds (about $56) said Zahi Hawass, an archaeologist and former Minister of State for Antiquities. [In Photos: The Mummy of Queen Nefertari of Egypt]

Between 1986 and 1992 the Getty Institute, working with Egypt's Supreme Council for Antiquities, restored the tomb, which has suffered damage from salt incrustations, bacteria and fungi. Rising humidity can lead to increases in bacteria and fungi, researchers have found. "When I started the project with the Getty, we all agreed that we cannot open the tomb to the public. But we can open it to groups who would pay a high fee," Hawass told Live Science, adding that each person pays 1,000 Egyptian pounds (about $56) to enter.

"A virtual tour will save the tomb," Hawass said.

Capturing the tomb

To create the virtual reality experience, Experius VR teamed up with Curiosity Stream, a streaming service for documentaries.  

Three people from Experius VR spent two days in the Nefertari tomb, 3D-scanning it and taking thousands of overlapping high-resolution images, said Elliott Mizroch, the CEO and co-founder of ExperiusVR. The team then spent two months in post-production, turning the 3D scan and photographs into a virtual reality experience.

The finished tour can now be downloaded for free on Steam and on Viveport and Curiosity Stream VR although currently you need the Vive headset to view it, said Emma Tiernon, a spokesperson for Curiosity Stream, adding that the team hopes to configure the tour so that it can be viewed on other headsets.

In this VR tour, the viewer moves around the tomb by wearing the 3D headset and using controls. If the viewer wants more information on a work of art, for instance, they can virtually touch the painting and a narrator will provide information. 

Growing trend

Nefertari's tomb is one of a growing number of historical sites that are being saved in the virtual world. In April, Google announced it was partnering with a company called Cyark to scan historical monuments.

While the virtual reality tour of Nefertari's tomb shows the tomb as it appears today, some try to recreate a site as it looked thousands of years ago, such as a virtual tour of ancient Jerusalem released in 2017 by a company called Lithodomos VR.

While it still takes a lot of time to create a vivid virtual reality tour of an historical site — the tour of Nefertari's tomb took two months — the process is expected to become faster as virtual reality and holography technologies improve, Tiernon said, adding that Curiosity Stream plans to help create more virtual tours of historical sites. 

"As virtual reality continues to improve and become more readily available, these tools will have the power to transcend today's production capabilities and transport audiences to places that we once thought unimaginable," said Jorge Franzini, executive producer of Curiosity Stream.

Originally published on Live Science.

Augmented reality is the result of using technology to superimpose information — sounds, images and text — on the world we see. Picture the "Minority Report" or "Iron Man" style of interactivity. 

Augmented reality vs. virtual reality

This is rather different from virtual reality. Virtual reality means computer-generated environments for you to interact with, and be immersed in. Augmented reality (also known as AR), adds to the reality you would ordinarily see rather than replacing it. 

Augmented reality in today's world

Augmented reality is often presented as a kind of futuristic technology, but a form of it has been around for years. For example, the heads-up displays in many fighter aircraft as far back as the 1990s would show information about the attitude, direction and speed of the plane, and only a few years later they could show which objects in the field of view were targets. 

In the past decade, various labs and companies have built devices that give us augmented reality. In 2009, the MIT Media Lab's Fluid Interfaces Group presented SixthSense, a device that combined the use of a camera, small projector, smartphone and mirror. The device hangs from the user's chest in a lanyard fashion from the neck. Four sensor devices on the user's fingers can be used to manipulate the images projected by SixthSense. 

Google rolled out Google Glass in 2013, moving augmented reality to a more wearable interface; in this case, glasses. It displays on the user's lens screen via a small projector and responds to voice commands, overlaying images, videos and sounds onto the screen. Google pulled Google Glass at the end of December 2015. 

As it happens, phones and tablets are the way augmented reality gets into most people's lives. Vito Technology's Star Walk app, for instance, allows a user to point the camera in their tablet or phone at the sky and see the names of stars and planets superimposed on the image. Another app called Layar uses the smartphone's GPS and its camera to collect information about the user's surroundings. It then displays information about nearby restaurants, stores and points of interest. 

Some apps for tablets and phones work with other objects as well. Disney Research developed an AR coloring book, in which you color in a character in a conventional (though app-compatible) book and launch the app on the device. The app accesses the camera and uses it to detect which character you are coloring, and uses software to re-create the character in 3D character on the screen. 

One of the most popular ways AR has infiltrated everyday life is through mobile games. In 2016, the AR game "Pokémon Go" became a sensation worldwide, with over 100 million estimated users at its peak, according to CNET. It ended up making more than $2 billion and counting, according to Forbes. The game allowed users to see Pokémon characters bouncing around in their own town. The goal was to capture these pocket monsters, then use them to battle others, locally, in AR gyms.

In 2018, "Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery" became the mobile AR gaming sensation. The game lets users see the Hogwarts world around them while having the ability to cast spells, use potions and to learn from Hogwarts teachers. As of this writing, the game had around 10 million downloads in the Google Play store.

Researchers are also developing holograms, which can take VR a step further, since holograms can be seen and heard by a crowd of people all at once. 

"While research in holography plays an important role in the development of futuristic displays and augmented reality devices, today we are working on many other applications, such as ultrathin and lightweight optical devices for cameras and satellites," researcher Lei Wang, a doctoral student at the ANU Research School of Physics and Engineering, said in a statement.

The future of augmented reality

This doesn't mean that phones and tablets will be the only venue for AR. Research continues apace on including AR functionality in contact lenses, and other wearable devices. The ultimate goal of augmented reality is to create a convenient and natural immersion, so there's a sense that phones and tablets will get replaced, though it isn't clear what those replacements will be. Even glasses might take on a new form, as "smart glasses" are developed for blind people. 

Like any new technology, AR has a lot of political and ethical issues. Google Glass, for example, raised privacy concerns. Some worried that conversations might be surreptitiously recorded or pictures snapped, or thought that they might be identified by face recognition software. AR glasses, contacts and more, like the Glass - X and Google Lens, though, are moving ahead in production and sales. 

Additional reporting by Alina Bradford, Live Science contributor.

Additional resources

• Google: Just a Line — The first cross-platform collaborative AR app (for doodling)
• TechCrunch: The reality of VR/AR growth
• The Verge: Vuzix Blade AR glasses are the next-gen Google Glass we’ve all been waiting for
• Forbes: How AR Now Makes Billions

The Louvre is the world's largest museum and houses one of the most impressive art collections in history. The magnificent, baroque-style palace and museum — LeMusée du Louvre in French — sits along the banks of the Seine River in Paris. It is one of the city's biggest tourist attractions.

History of the Louvre

The Louvre was originally built as a fortress in 1190, but was reconstructed in the 16th century to serve as a royal palace. "Like many buildings, it was built and rebuilt over the years," said Tea Gudek Snajdar, an Amsterdam-based art historian, museum docent and a blogger at Culture Tourist. 

During its time as a royal residence, the Louvre saw tremendous growth. Nearly every monarch expanded it, according to History.com. Today, it covers a total area of 652,300 square feet (60,600 square meters). In 1682, Louis XIV moved the royal residence to Versailles, and the Louvre became home to various art academies, offering regular exhibitions of its members' works. 

During the French Revolution, Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, were forcibly removed from Versailles and imprisoned in Tuilleries Palace, which was then adjacent to the Louvre, according to the Louvre’s official website. They were beheaded there in 1793. 

The National Assembly opened the Louvre as a museum in August 1793 with a collection of 537 paintings. The museum closed in 1796 because of structural problems with the building. Napoleon reopened the museum and expanded the collection in 1801, and the museum was renamed Musée Napoléon.

"It was Napoleon Bonaparte who created the foundation for the world famous museum the Louvre is today," said Gudek Snajdar. "He wanted to be in charge of creating a collection of art in Louvre. That's why he renamed it in 1802 to the 'Napoleon Museum.' He wanted to create a museum of France with a wonderful collection of art from all around the world. He enlarged its collection by bringing art from his military campaigns, private donations and commissions he made."

Napoleon's contributions included spoils from Belgium, Italy, Prussia and Austria, according to Napoleon.org. In 1815, when Napoleon abdicated with the Treaty of Fontainebleau, almost 5,000 artworks were returned to their countries of origin. France was allowed to keep only a few hundred works, and the Louvre reverted to its original name. Many artifacts from Napoleon's conquests in Egypt remained, according to History.com. 

After Napoleon, the Louvre continued to expand. The multi-building Louvre Complex was completed under the reign of Napoleon III in the mid-19^th century, according to napoleon.org.

Louvre paintings & other works

The Louvre's collection includes Egyptian antiques, ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, paintings by the Old Masters (notable European artists from before 1800), and crown jewels and other artifacts from French nobles. Its works span the sixth century B.C. to the 19th century A.D. More than 35,000 works are on display at any given time. The displays are divided into eight departments: Near Eastern Antiquities; Egyptian Antiquities; Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities; Islamic Art; Sculptures; Decorative Arts; Paintings; and Prints and Drawings, according to the Louvre website.

Without question, the Louvre's most famous work is Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa," who enchants hordes of visitors with her enigmatic smile. This small, iconic painting — it is only 21 by 30 inches (53 by 77 centimeters) is covered with bullet-proof glass and flanked by guards, according to the Louvre website. This protection is the result of it being stolen in 1911. (It was recovered in 1913.)

Crowds also flock to see the armless beauty of the "Venus de Milo," and "Winged Victory," the ancient Greek sculpture also known as "Nike of Samothrace." Other popular works include a stele inscribed with the Code of Hammurabi, da Vinci's tragic sculpture "The Dying Slave" and Antonio Canova's 18th-century sculpture "Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss." Eugene Delacroix's "Liberty Leading the People," which depicts the bare-breasted Liberty goddess leading a charge in the French Revolution, and is thought to have inspired Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables," and Jacques-Louis David's "The Coronation of Napoleon" was commissioned by Napoleon himself and is a good reminder of the Louvre's history.

Gudek Snajdar gave Live Science some unique Culture Tourist recommendations. Some of her favorites come from the collection of Near Eastern Art. She recommends the "Frieze of Archers" from the sixth century B.C. and "Winged Bull with a Human Head" from the eighth century B.C. 

She also suggests viewing another masterpiece by da Vinci, "The Virgin and Child With Saint Anne," which is very close to the "Mona Lisa."

"Instead of getting lost in a crowd in front of the 'Mona Lisa,' I would definitely take a look on that painting and enjoy the work of this Italian painter in a peace and quiet," she said. Also, "a few of Johannes Vermeer's paintings are definitely not to be missed (especially when you know there are only 34 of them in the world). It's a great opportunity to see some of them."

Architecture of the Louvre

"Although today its collection is the most interesting part of the museum, the building itself is an important exhibit, too," said Gudek Snajdar. The building is primarily of Renaissance and French Classical style, she said. The first medieval elements from the old fortress can still be seen underground, beneath the pyramid, around the lobby area. 

"Probably its most famous part is Claude Perrault's 'Colonnade' on the eastern façade of Louvre," said Gudek Snajdar. "It was built in the 17^th century and it's a wonderful example of a French Classicism. It's composed of paired Corinthian columns with pavilions at the corners of the facade." She said had influenced many buildings — the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., and the Metropolitan Museum in New York being just some of them.

The Louvre pyramid

In 1983, the Louvre underwent a renovation plan known as the Grand Louvre, according to History.com Part of the plan called for a new design for the main entrance. Architect I.M. Pei was awarded the project, and he designed an underground lobby and modern glass pyramid structure in the courtyard. Inaugurated in 1988, the pyramid would become a celebrated element of the landmark museum's design. "It is my personal favorite," said Gudek Snajdar. "Combining traditional style with modern architecture, it shows the Louvre's timeless beauty."

In 1993, the Inverted Pyramid, a skylight dipping into the underground lobby, was unveiled, according to the Louvre website.

Louvre tickets & hours

Because of its size and the scale of its collection, it is impossible to see the entirety of the Louvre in one visit. The museum reported about 8.1 million visitors in 2017 — so prepare for crowds, especially around the most popular works.

The museum offers a variety of tools to help visitors plan their days, including the "Masterpieces Visitor Trail,” timed at about 90 minutes and covering the 10 most famous works, maps of floor plans and advanced ticket options.

The Louvre is open every day but Tuesday and the following holidays: Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and International Workers' Day (May 1). The hours are: Monday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 9:45 p.m.

As of 2018, admission to the entire museum costs 15 euros (17 euros if ordered online). Admission is free for those under 18, as well as other individuals with proper documentation, such as art teachers, pass holders and people with disabilities. Admission is also free on certain special days, such as Bastille Day (July 14).

LAS VEGAS, NV --Merge wants to introduce your kids to VR. The company announced the Merge Mini, a smaller version of its lightweight smartphone-based VR headset designed to fit the heads of kids better than previous models.

Virtual reality is exciting technology and every day, more and more people are experiencing its magic for the first time. When people have a great experience in a headset, it's only natural for their kids to want to experience the fun, too. However, today's VR devices aren't well suited for children because the lenses are spaced too far apart. Most headset makers warn that kids younger than 13 shouldn't use the devices because the headsets can't accommodate their narrow interpupillary distance (IPD).

Merge isn't trying to expose young children to VR prematurely, but it also doesn't think you have to wait until you're 13, either. The company created the Merge Mini to give kids age 10 and older a chance to try VR (and AR—the device has a camera passthrough). The Merge Mini shares the same features as the Merge Goggles, but in a scaled down package that's better suited for small hands and small heads.

Like the Merge Goggles, the Merge Mini features a "marshmallow-soft" foam rubber construction, which allows it stretch to fit adults, too. The foam rubber construction is also moisture resistant, which makes it easy to clean. The soft construction also absorbs impact forces and protects your phone if you drop the headset.

Merge said that the lenses in the Merge Mini are adjustable like the larger model, but the new device has a narrower IPD adjustment. It's unclear whether the maximum IPD width is narrower in the Merge Mini compared to the Merge Googles.

As with the Merge Googles, the Merge Mini supports most recent iOS and Android phones. Merge didn't release a list of compatible phones, but we suspect the largest mobile devices won't fit inside the Merge Mini headset.

Merge said that the Merge Mini would be available in Summer 2018. The company plans to sell the kid-friendly VR device for $30.

Originally published on Tom's Hardware.

When "Pokémon Go" launched back in July 2016, people took to the streets in swarms to catch Pikachus and train Bulbasaurs. But catching 'em all was harder for people in rural areas, where the augmented-reality game's hotspots were more spread out, and sometimes accessible only by car.  

So, many players in rural areas got behind the wheel to seek out their favorite Pokémon in the wild — a decision that appears to have led to a spike in car accidents near popular in-game hotspots, a new study finds.  

In the study, which was shared online Nov. 21 but has yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, researchers from the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University in Indiana looked at a sudden increase in car accidents in the state's Tippecanoe County in the months following the game's launch. [9 Odd Ways Your Tech Devices May Injure You ]

The researchers focused accidents that were near "PokéStops" — places where users can snag in-game items such as Poké Balls — and calculated that, because people were trying to cash in on the PokéStops while driving, the amount of car crashes in the county increased by 134 over the 148 days after the game was released.

To figure out how many car crashes were caused by "Pokémon Go," the researchers used data from insurance claims and police reports. Between March 1, 2015, and Nov. 30, 2015, there were more than 11,300 car accidents that also had geographic data available. By comparing the geographic data to the locations of PokéStops or Pokémon gyms, the researchers found that 20 percent of all crashes happened within 330 feet [100 meters] of a PokéStop, while only 7 percent happened near a Pokémon gym. Gyms are where players train and battle Pokémon, so generally more time is spent at a gym than a PokéStop.

The researchers said that because they compared the number of crashes in specific areas before and after the launch of the game, they can be sure that the accidents were caused by people deliberately driving past a PokéStop to play the game. Most studies on distracted driving simply calculate the number of accidents in an area or caused by an app, according to the paper.

To calculate the exact number of extra accidents, the researchers multiplied the daily rate of accidents by the number of PokéStop-adjacent crashes in the county by the number of days they were measuring. Ultimately, they found that "Pokémon Go" was responsible for 47 percent of the increase in car accidents over the expected baseline.

But this spike in car accidents was limited to areas around PokéStops, not gyms. The number of accidents that occurred near gyms was about the same as what would have been expected had the game never been launched, lending further credence to the idea that the spike in accidents near PokéStops was caused by "Pokémon Go" players. Because more time is spent at a gym compared to a PokéStop, it's unlikely that a player could simply drive past the gym to fully engage with it.

Moreover, when the researchers narrowed the time frame to just the week after launch, they found an even stronger association between car accidents and PokéStop locations, compared with the same window in the previous year.

The researchers noted that most of the accidents caused by "Pokémon Go" players tended to be less severe than others, though there were two deaths linked to game-related crashes.

The accidents could be less severe for a number of reasons, according to the study. For example, players might have deliberately slowed down to make sure they had enough time to collect items from the PokéStop before passing it. In addition, many of the PokéStops in Tippecanoe County are found near parks, cemeteries, memorials and other places with reduced speed limits, the researchers wrote. The game enforces a speed limit — meant to dissuade people from playing while driving — that makes it impossible to interact with the virtual world while moving too quickly.

Original article on Live Science .

A new online, virtual-reality experience will bring you face to face with one of the most famous shipwreck-diving sites in the world: the British freighter SS Thistlegorm. German bombers sunk the ship in 1941 near the mouth of the Gulf of Suez at the northern end of the Red Sea.

At the time, the WWII merchant ship was carrying hundreds of tons of Allied war supplies — including tanks, train engines, trucks and motorcycles — to the Egyptian city of Alexandria.  

Since the 1990s, the Thistlegorm, with its spectacular sunken cargo, has become one of the most famous wreck-diving sites in the world, said Jon Henderson, a marine archaeologist at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom. Hundreds of people dive on the site each day, he said. [Dive Through the WWII-Era Shipwreck with 3D Virtual Reality Images]

Henderson is the coordinator of the Thistlegorm Project, a virtual reality tour of the wreck that was released online Oct. 6, exactly 76 years to the day after German bombers sunk the ship.

The online experience combines a highly detailed 3D model of the sunken ship, based on thousands of photographs, with 360-degree underwater video of divers exploring key sections of the wreck.

Henderson told Live Science that only divers would be able to directly see most of the world's underwater heritage sites. But with virtual reality technology, the wider public can now experience the shipwreck.

"There are something like 6 million divers in the world, so less than 0.1 percent of the world's population ever gets access to these sites," he said. "But we're now at the point where we've got technology where we can reconstruct them in photo-realistic detail, and we can now create models that people can explore and interact with on their mobile phones or in their homes."

Sunken treasures

A team of divers and archaeologists from the University of Nottingham and Egypt's Alexandria University spent five days moored above the Thistlegorm wreck, west of the tip of the Sinai Peninsula and about 18 miles (30 kilometers) by sea from the Egyptian dive resort of Sharm El Sheikh.

The team's photogrammetry specialist, Simon Brown, made 12 dives to the Thistlegorm wreck in that time, totaling more than 13 hours underwater, Henderson said. In those dives, Brown gathered thousands of photographs using a conventional Nikon camera fitted with a 6mm fish-eye lens. The camera and two strobe lights were mounted on an underwater scooter, so Brown could cover more ground during his dives.

Brown later processed and combined images of the shipwreck with photogrammetric software, which can extract 3D data from sets of 2D photographs.

The result was the highly detailed 3D model of the giant wreck, based on 24,307 photographic images — the largest photogrammetric survey yet made of a shipwreck, covering an area of about 7 acres (28,300 square meters), Henderson said.

While Brown shot the photographs for the 3D model, Henderson focused on recording 360-degree video of key points on the wreck.  

Henderson said he had been inspired to apply the technology to a wreck after seeing 360-degree underwater video of a coral reef at a conference earlier this year. "I just thought, 'This would be amazing on a shipwreck,' because the 360-degree video, for me, is the closest you can come to actually diving," he said.

The researchers secured a grant from the Newton Fund in the United Kingdom for a knowledge-sharing program involving the University of Nottingham, Alexandria University and Ain Shams University in Cairo, which houses a virtual-reality laboratory. Next, the researchers chose the Thistlegorm wreck for a public-outreach project because of its well-deserved fame as a dive site, Henderson said.

"It's an absolutely amazing wreck to dive," he said. "There's the cargo — Bedford trucks, armored vehicles, motorcycles, Bren guns, ammunition, aircraft parts … and the massive steam locomotives on the decks themselves. Every time you dive on it, you find something else."

Popular wonder

The popularity of the wreck has come at a cost. Since the development of nearby Sharm El Sheikh as a diving center in the 1990s, the Thistlegorm has suffered damage from dive boats mooring directly onto the wreck and from souveniring done by some insensitive divers, Henderson said. [In Photos: WWII-Era Shipwrecks Illegally Plundered in Java Sea]

Although Egypt joined the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Heritage in September, that convention protects only shipwrecks that are more than 100 years old. So, many World War I and all World War II wrecks in the Red Sea are not covered, Henderson said.

"What we hope this website will do is help to monitor what is going on," he said. "One of the basic things for finding out how sites have been damaged is to carry out a baseline survey such as this, and then we can start to chart changes over time."

Showing the wonders of the Thistlegorm to a wider audience would also benefit other wrecks and submerged archaeological sites in the region, he said.

"The Red Sea is an amazing resource, but we don't know what's actually in there — there has never been an official survey carried out," Henderson said. "I think once people know about this heritage, then hopefully they will start to care about it, and that will increase the level of protection, particularly for wrecks like the Thistlegorm.”

Original article on Live Science.

SS Thistlegorm

A famous shipwreck and diving site in the Red Sea has been recreated on the web in virtual reality by a team of marine archaeologists and imaging specialists.

The Thistlegorm Project, which went online this month, includes a highly-detailed three-dimensional model of the British freighter SS Thistlegorm, which was carrying a cargo of Allied war supplies to the Egyptian city of Alexandria when it was sunk by German bombers in 1941.

The project website also features 360-degree video clips of several key locations around the wreck. [Read more about the SS Thistlegorm project]

Filming the wreck

Simon Brown, a photogrammetric consultant with the Thistlegorm Project, made 12 dives totaling more than 13 hours underwater to shoot photographs of the giant shipwreck.

 Tens of thousands of photographs were needed to image the entire wreck, which covers an area of more than 28,000 square meters (301,000 square feet).

3D data

Brown then analyzed his photographs of the wreck using photogrammetric software, which can extract 3D data from sets of calibrated photographs.

 The vast amounts of 3D data from the photographs was then used to create an accurate 3D model of the wreck of the Thistlegorm where it now lies on the seafloor near the tip of the Sinai Peninsula, at a depth of around 30 meters (90 feet).

3D model

The finished 3D model of the Thistlegorm wreck, presented on the project website, is based on data from more than 24,000 underwater photographs.

 It is the largest photogrammetric survey of an underwater wreck yet undertaken. [Read more about the SS Thistlegorm project]

Shipping freighter

The SS Thistlegorm was built in Sunderland in north-east England for the Albyn Line shipping company, and launched in 1940.

 As an armed freighter partly financed by the British government for wartime service, the Thistlegorm was equipped with an anti-aircraft gun and a heavy machine gun.

War supplies

When the SS Thistlegorm was spotted by German bombers near the entrance to the Gulf of Suez on the night of October 6, 1941, it was carrying a full hold of Allied war supplies to the Egyptian city of Alexandria.

 The entire ship and its cargo – including trucks, tanks, aircraft parts, ammunition and steam locomotives – was sent to the bottom when the Thistlegorm was hit by two bombs dropped by a Heinkel bomber.

Sunken cargo

The wreck of the SS Thistlegorm was rediscovered in the 1950s by the pioneering French diver Jacques Cousteau.

 Since the development of the nearby Egyptian town of Sharm El Sheikh as a dive resort in the 1990s, the Thistlegorm with its spectacular sunken cargo has become one of the world's most popular wreck diving sites.

Joint effort

The Thistlegorm Project is a joint effort by archaeologists and imaging specialists from the University of Nottingham in the UK, Egypt's Alexandria University, and Ain Shams University in Cairo.

Video clips

As well as the detailed 3D model based on the photogrammetric survey of the wreck, visitors to the Thistlegorm Project website can experience some of the sensations of diving at key locations on the wreck through several 360-degree video clips.

Raising awareness

The project members hope that making the wonders of the Thistlegorm wreck accessible to an online audience will help to protect such sites by raising awareness of the underwater heritage of the region. [Read more about the SS Thistlegorm project]

Devotees of the late, great sci-fi series Star Trek: The Next Generation will remember the holodeck, a space-age virtual reality arena that could replicate any kind of environment. While it could be used as a training platform, Enterprise officers most often used the holodeck as a recreational space, immersing themselves in nature.

In an inspired twist on the concept, researchers in Europe have developed a virtual reality environment for freely moving animals that appears to be effective at generating convincing illusions of the natural world for mice, fish, and fruit flies.

Alas for the animals, the VR system isn't designed for the animals' recreational benefit. Instead, researchers hope to use the VR rig as a controlled setting for examining animal perceptions and behavior.

Dubbed FreemoVR, the system is actually pretty basic as far as virtual reality environments go. The setup is essentially a cylindrical space in which the floor and wraparound wall are made from flexible computer displays. Animals placed into the environment are monitored by overhead cameras and sensors that track their movement and behavior around the 3D space.

The principal benefit of the FreemoVR system is that, as the name implies, the device allows animals to move about freely within the environment. Using specially developed software, the researchers can adjust the visual imagery on the fly, as it were, and project elements based on the animals' behavior and movements in real time.

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"The most important thing is that the animal is actually moving and gets all the appropriate mechanosensory feedback," study co-author Andrew Straw, of the University of Freiburg in Germany, told Seeker in an email. "This is really important for studies of navigation and spatial cognition, because if the animal doesn't believe it is moving, it will be difficult to study how the animal updates its 'mental map' as it moves."

The new study, published this week in the journal Nature Methods, details a series of experiments that suggest that the lab animals find the virtual reality experience pretty convincing. The animals reacted to virtual images the same as they would to real-world objects and obstacles. The research team chose three animal species often employed in lab studies — mice, fruit flies, and zebrafish — to make the technique more useful to other scientists.

In one experiment, mice were placed atop an elevated platform with a projection screen lying beneath. The display created an illusion of depth, giving the impression that one end of the platform was higher than the other. The mice reacted to the illusory change of height by staying on the lower and "safer" end of the platform.

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In another experiment, a tank filled with zebrafish was placed in the FreemoVR system while researchers projected a swarm of descending aliens from the old Space Invaders arcade game. The fish reacted to the incoming swarm as if it were real, and even engaged in mimicking behavior to "join" the swarm.

Tricking fish with old video games may seem like a strange use of the scientific method, but Straw says the experiments can tell us a lot about how animals see the world, which in turn can tell us about human perception — especially in large groups.

"Humans and mammals have a highly conserved overall brain architecture and many close parallels in the systems related to spatial cognition," Straw said. "That's the reason why many labs use these [animal] systems for models. This way, we can do things such as recording from hundreds or thousands simultaneously, which would not be possible in human experiments."

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Incidentally, the holodeck thing is no random pop culture reference. Straw, who has plainly stated that his team's aim was to create a holodeck for animals, grew up watching Star Trek.

"Star Trek: The Next Generation played in almost infinite reruns where I grew up," he said. "Captain Jean-Luc Picard is basically my hero."

A new "Magic Bench" designed by Disney Research lets you interact with endearing animated characters — and no special glasses or headsets are required.

Instead, the complete environment — the seat, the sitter and the cartoon humanoid animals — is mirrored on a screen opposite the bench, making it possible for others to watch the scene unfold. 

How does the illusion work? A camera and sensor capture images and gather depth information about physical objects — the bench and the person — that algorithms integrate with the 3D animations, the researchers wrote in a study. Meanwhile, haptic sensors built into the bench deliver vibrations that are synchronized to animated actions on the screen, creating the illusion that the animated figures are occupying real-world space next to the user. [10 Technologies That Will Transform Your Life]

"Our mantra for this project was: hear a character coming, see them enter the space, and feel them sit next to you," Moshe Mahler, principal digital artist at Disney Research, said in a statement.

Augmented-reality overlays animated elements into views of the real world, typically by using special optical devices or mobile technology. However, one of its limitations is that its illusion can be glimpsed by only a single user. The Magic Bench allows groups of people to gather in a single environment and collectively participate in an augmented- reality experience, all at the same time, according to the study authors.

Sitting on the bench triggers the augmented-reality experience, introducing a character into the scene. In a video demonstration, a small cartoon donkey trots into view and kicks the bench, generating a sharp sound and making the seated person jump in surprise. Another test shows two people on the bench, reacting as they "feel" an animated rabbit leap up beside them and jump up and down. When a user passes his hand over the rabbit, a shadow moves across its head — as though it were occupying the same physical space as the person next to it.

Researchers used the real-color camera and the depth and color sensors in a Microsoft Kinect to capture the real-world scene of the Magic Bench and the person (or people) on it. Rebuilding them in 3D places the bench between a foreground and background, which can then be populated with whimsical characters. But the Disney engineers discovered that if the reconstructed 3D scene were viewed at an angle, missing data and a small difference in alignment between the camera and sensor created gaps in the image known as "depth shadows."

To eliminate these depth shadows, designers layered another element into the scene — a 2D background captured by the Kinect's RGB camera, which seamlessly aligned with the scene when viewed head-on, the study authors wrote. Once the "stage" is set, it's ready to be shared with animated co-stars — from elephants offering up a glowing orb to a giraffe lending an umbrella during a sudden drizzle.

Disney Research technicians presented the Magic Bench at SIGGRAPH 2017, an annual conference and exhibition on computer graphics and interactive techniques, that was held in Los Angeles from July 30 to Aug. 3.

Original article on Live Science.

As a science fiction fan, I've always shuddered at the thought of an alien bursting out of my chest. But I've never thought about what it might be like to be the one doing the chest-bursting. That is, until now.

The team behind the upcoming "Alien: Covenant" — the latest entry in Ridley Scott's "Alien" science fiction franchise — has released a virtual reality experience that shows exactly what it's like to be one of the horror film's neomorph aliens. Called "Alien: Covenant In Utero," the short video portrays the birth of the neomorph from the inside out — literally — as the alien is born and identifies its first victim. Spoiler alert: It gets bloody.

"'Alien: Covenant In Utero' is a 360-degree virtual reality journey into a living nightmare and offers a terrifyingly close and personal encounter as an alien neomorph at the time of its birth," a YouTube video description states. "Fans will be able to experience the world around them, reliving the very first memories of the neomorph in an immersive environment." [Private Audi Quattro Moon Rover Has Cameo in 'Alien: Covenant']

The "In Utero" feature was released Wednesday (May 10) by FoxNext VR Studio and is available for brave science fiction fans on Oculus, Samsung Gear VR, HTC Vive, Playstation VR, Google Daydream and as well as other mobile VR systems. 

"Alien: Covenant" hits theaters May 19 and follows the crew of the Covenant, the titular colony ship, hoping to start a new life on a distant planet on the other side of the galaxy. What they find, of course, is the neomorph and science fiction horror ensues. 

So, do you have what it takes to become a neomorph? Check out the VR experience on your own system and let us know in the comments below!

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that "Alien: Covenant In Utero" was released by 20th Century Fox. The virtual reality experience was released by FoxNext VR Studio.

Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him @tariqjmalik and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.

What happens when you walk into a wall in virtual reality? Nothing yet, but soon, your muscles could get shocked when you smack into a barrier, thanks to a new research project that aims to simulate walls and other objects in virtual reality.

This expansion on the virtual reality (VR) experience uses electrical muscle stimulation to give users the sensation of hitting a wall or lifting a heavy object. The effect is created via haptic feedback, a type of tactile communication that uses forces or vibrations to re-create the sense of touch. A team of researchers from the Hasso Plattner Institute at the University of Potsdam in Germany created a wearable system that can shock different muscle groups throughout a person's body.

In addition to a VR headset and tracking gloves, the researchers outfitted users with backpacks containing electrical muscle stimulators and a series of electrode patches that attach to the wearers' skin and produce the shocks. [Beyond Gaming: 10 Other Fascinating Uses for Virtual-Reality Tech]

The researchers explained that the system can simulate interactions with different types of objects, including walls, shelves and projectiles.

"Our system stimulates up to four different muscle groups," the research team wrote about the project on the Hasso Plattner Institute website. "Through combinations of these muscle groups, our system simulates a range of effects. When pushing a button mounted to a vertical surface, for example, the system actuates biceps and wrist."

Their design uses brief pulses, about 200-300 miliseconds long, calibrated to the specific user's maximum intensity.

Haptics can also be used to simulate the feeling of lifting a virtual object, the researchers said. In one test, the user reaches out to lift a virtual cube. To give the user the feeling of resistance (in this case, a solid shape that has weight), the opposition muscle groups are shocked.

"When the user grabs the virtual cube, the user expects the cube's weight to create tension in the user's biceps and the cube's stiffness to create a tension in the user's pectoralis," the researchers wrote in a study published in the Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, May 6-11, 2017. "In order to create this sensation, the system actuates the respective opposition muscles. In order to put a load onto the user's biceps, it actuates the triceps, and in order to put a load onto the user's pectoralis, it actuates the user's shoulder muscle."

If the cube is heavier, then the system can apply more electrical stimulation, the researchers said.

So far, the system is limited to the upper body, but the researchers said that with additional research, it could be applied to a range of other muscles.

Original article on Live Science.