Altair Digital has developed planetarium software and a double layer five metre dome using a wireless projection system and a spherical mirror and that costs a cool $7,900. It has also developed a version of its software that runs on the Samsung Gear VR and is said to be the equivalent of a 20 metre dome with 200 virtual seats. The resolution is 2048 x 2048, but the company says that it can develop a 3072 x 3072 version that will run on a PC.
Analyst Comment
Display Monitor’s friend, Dr Jon Peddie, has tried the app and said that ‘it was stunning’. “The graphics are excellent”, he said. “You sit in a steeply sloping theater (reminded me of an iMax) and watch the show. There are 10 or more presentations with narrative and beautiful images, and narative from UK, Australian, and Russian planetariums, as well as some sampler trailers of other shows.This is a great idea, and should be very popular with consumers and schools. Imagine a BYO Samsung Gear to class, and get a tour of the heavens by your teacher. A side effect of a VR classroom is since the kids can’t see each other they won’t be goofing around, passing notes, or threatening each other.
If you have Gear (and appropriate phone) this is a highly recommended experience, and we experienced no VR sickness”.
