{"id":14071,"date":"2023-11-15T02:22:35","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T02:22:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cryptoheretostay.com\/?p=14071"},"modified":"2023-11-15T02:22:38","modified_gmt":"2023-11-15T02:22:38","slug":"i-spent-a-week-working-in-vr-it-was-mostly-terrible-however-cointelegraph-magazine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cryptoheretostay.com\/?p=14071","title":{"rendered":"I spent a week working in VR. It was mostly terrible, however\u2026 \u2013 Cointelegraph Magazine"},"content":{"rendered":"<script type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\namzn_assoc_placement = \"adunit0\";\r\namzn_assoc_tracking_id = \"totafreearti-20\";\r\namzn_assoc_ad_mode = \"search\";\r\namzn_assoc_ad_type = \"smart\";\r\namzn_assoc_marketplace = \"amazon\";\r\namzn_assoc_region = \"US\";\r\namzn_assoc_default_search_phrase = \"crypto\";\r\namzn_assoc_default_category = \"All\";\r\namzn_assoc_search_bar = \"false\";\r\namzn_assoc_title = \"\";\r\namzn_assoc_rows =\"1\";\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"\/\/z-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/onejs?MarketPlace=US\"><\/script>\n<p><strong>I just spent an entire week working in virtual reality using the new Meta Quest 3. While the experience still mostly sucked, I came away with some renewed optimism for VR in the workplace.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As I took Ron\u2019s outstretched, virtual hand for a handshake, my actual hand \u2014 in the real world \u2014 clumsily whacked into the side of my desk.<\/p>\n<p><em>Ron from Microsoft showing how to use hand gestures to interact with the menu and other useful shortcuts in the Immersed app.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Ron started laughing, his avatar\u2019s animated facial expressions mimicking his real face thanks to his device\u2019s eye and facial tracking technology.<\/p>\n<p>A project manager at Microsoft, Ron tells me it\u2019s something I\u2019ll get used to. He\u2019s been working in the metaverse for over a year.<\/p>\n<p>Days later, I meet Heather, a mother who\u2019s been working in virtual reality for a couple of months. She likes to jump into the metaverse to work when her kids are at school and the house is quiet.<\/p>\n<p>Then there was Miguel, a recruiter at Netflix, an \u201cOG\u201d user of the virtual reality app Immersed, who\u2019s been using it to work for the last two years.<\/p>\n<p>The big question is: <em>Why would you want to?<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-only-two-hours-in-my-eyes-are-burning\"><strong>Only two hours in, my eyes are burning<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>As impressive as it all sounds, after working in the metaverse for a week myself, I\u2019m not sure how anyone could do it for longer.<\/p>\n<p>I spent most of the seven days clocking in and out through the virtual coworking app Immersed, which can be found on the Meta Quest store but can be downloaded from other platforms, too.<\/p>\n<p>Most days, I would be joined by as many as a dozen other VR users, depending on the time of day and which public workspace I chose. (The \u201cCafe\u201d setting seemed to be the most popular.)\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em>You can even set up a virtual web camera so you can do Zoom-style meetings with your non-VR colleagues.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Initially, I was going to spend the week using Meta\u2019s home-grown Horizon Workrooms, but I quickly switched to Immersed after realizing Horizon Workrooms didn\u2019t support public workspaces and also lacked important quality-of-life features, such as the ability to move and adjust screen size and distance.<\/p>\n<p>The setup wasn\u2019t too difficult in either case. When you first strap on the Meta Quest 3 headset, the device will scan your surroundings to understand where you are within your room (in my case, the office) and where certain obstacles are, such as bookshelves, desks and chairs. This is so it can warn you if you\u2019re getting too close to a wall or obstacle when you\u2019re immersed in VR.<\/p>\n<p><em>Virtual screens can be positioned in your real working space, allowing one to be more present in the real world.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>To be able to interact with your computer in virtual reality, there\u2019s a companion app that needs to be installed on your PC, which will then allow the app to retrieve the necessary information from your computer and beam it into your headset via cable or WiFi in the same way most remote desktop apps work.<\/p>\n<p>In Immersed, your virtual screens can be rotated, resized and moved anywhere you want. You can even choose to work in mixed reality, allowing you to superimpose virtual screens among your real-life surroundings.<\/p>\n<p>But it wasn\u2019t much help. At the end of each day, I was left nursing a splitting headache and trying to rub the immense strain from my eyes. My neck always felt stiff, a side effect of being weighed down by the bulky headset.<\/p>\n<p>And for what? Most days, I struggled to achieve the same level of output compared to a regular day in front of the PC.<\/p>\n<p>My experience is far from unique. In 2022, researcher Dr. Jens Grubert at the Coburg University of Applied Sciences in Germany gathered 18 people to participate in a study of the effects of working in VR for a week.<\/p>\n<p>Read also<\/p>\n<p>                            Features<\/p>\n<p>From Director of the United States Mint to the Very First Bitcoin IRA Customer<\/p>\n<p>                            Features<\/p>\n<p>How to control the AIs and incentivize the humans with crypto<\/p>\n<p>Two dropped out within the first few hours due to nausea, anxiety and migraines, while the others who managed to finish the week reported increased levels of frustration and anxiety.<\/p>\n<p>They also reported a significant decrease in their own perceived productivity compared to working in the real world. All suffered eye strain, though this seemed to diminish as time went on.<\/p>\n<p><em>How it looks to you while you are learning to cook in the mixed-reality metaverse.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In April, research firm Forrester found that, while there\u2019s a lot of hype around the possibilities of working in VR, there\u2019s not a lot of it happening in reality\u2026 virtual or otherwise.<\/p>\n<p>Forrester\u2019s research found that only 2% of respondents said they preferred to use a mixed-reality device for work. The hardware is still too cumbersome to use for a long stretch of time, according to J.P. Gownder, principal analyst of Forrester\u2019s Future of Work team.<\/p>\n<p><em>How you look when preparing dinner in mixed reality.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ok-some-bits-are-impressive\">OK, some bits are impressive<\/h2>\n<p>But despite all the annoyances, eye strain and headaches, there were also a few times I was genuinely impressed with the experience.<\/p>\n<p>Working in a virtual environment next to other like-minded people turned my regular remote, isolated working existence into something that was far less lonely.<\/p>\n<p>In the week I spent in VR, I sat and worked alongside a digital marketer from Canada, a software developer from the United States and a salesman for a firm offering e-commerce solutions. We chatted about sports, what we each did for work. It felt like real networking.<\/p>\n<p><em>Hanging out with additional screens.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe biggest benefit is the ability to interact with people all over the world very effortlessly. I work from home with no one around,\u201d explains Pat, the digital marketer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith VR, you can choose whether you want to be chatting with others, or you can either mark yourself as \u2018Do Not Disturb\u2019 or grab a private room.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ron from Microsoft also tells me he often prefers working out of VR and takes his headset everywhere, including his home office, a client\u2019s office, or on occasions he needs to report to the tech firm\u2019s headquarters in Seattle, Washington.<\/p>\n<p>And he points out that virtual reality is not constrained by carry-on weight or size limits, and the headset essentially allows him to take five monitors with him anywhere he goes.<\/p>\n<p>Conducting meetings can also be a game-changer in virtual reality.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s something very oddly natural about being able to shake hands with someone more than 10,000 miles away, even if they lack a physical form. It\u2019s something that a Zoom meeting could never replicate.<\/p>\n<p><em>Having a chat with a co-worker is a benefit.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Other times, I simply admired how focused my virtual reality co-workers were, prompting me to do the same.<\/p>\n<p>There was also the freedom of being able to switch my \u201coffice\u201d environment \u2014 from a space station orbiting Earth to a cozy chalet on a snow-capped mountain, a fireplace quietly crackling in the corner.<\/p>\n<p>Read also<\/p>\n<p>                            Features<\/p>\n<p>Despite the bad rap, NFTs can be a force for good<\/p>\n<p>                            Features<\/p>\n<p>Crypto leaders are obsessed with life extension. Here\u2019s why<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-maybe-zuckerberg-was-right\"><strong>Maybe Zuckerberg was right?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Metaverse skeptics raised their eyebrows when Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg touted his lofty vision for the metaverse at the 2021 Connect event.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ll be able to feel present like we\u2019re right there with people no matter how far apart we actually are,\u201d said Zuckerberg.<br \/>Many then laughed as the tech magnate sunk tens of billions into research and development for his loss-making Reality Labs division \u2014 seemingly only to produce legless, blank-eyed monstrosities via Meta\u2019s Horizon Worlds.<\/p>\n<p><em>Mark Zuckerberg launches Horizon Worlds with an \u201ceye-gougingly ugly VR selfie.\u201d (Facebook)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>But that laughter is quietening. In September, Zuckerberg showed that the technology is far further forward than we thought.<\/p>\n<p>During a face-to-face conversation with computer scientist and podcaster Lex Fridman, Zuckerberg showed off the latest version of Codec Avatars, one of Meta\u2019s longest-running research projects aimed at generating photorealistic metaverse avatars.<\/p>\n<p>The tech was met with awe from onlookers, including Fridman himself.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m already forgetting that you\u2019re not real.\u201d<br \/>However, the tech requires specialized equipment and is at least three years away from being available to everyday consumers. Zuckerberg said he hopes the scanning process could eventually be done with smartphones.<\/p>\n<p>Meta\u2019s latest version of VR uses a self-contained, standalone headset that displays a stereoscopic image via LCD screens through \u201cpancake\u201d lenses, offering a wider field of view than its predecessors while being lighter and thinner. Motion and hand tracking are achieved through a mix of accelerometers, gyroscopes and four outward-facing cameras, while another two cameras are used to display colored \u201cpassthrough\u201d \u2013 useful when engaging in mixed reality experiences.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, there\u2019s considerable anticipation over Apple\u2019s Vision Pro, which is set to launch in the first quarter of 2024. While it comes with eye-tracking, 4K resolution and Apple EyeSight, which may also impact the future of work, it also comes with an eye-watering $3,499 price tag.<\/p>\n<p>Apple says the \u201cspatial computing\u201d device will allow users to \u201cset up the perfect workspace.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Apple Vision Pro has an eye-wateringly high price. (Apple)<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-so-is-vr-work-ready-for-primetime\"><strong>So, is VR work ready for primetime?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>As I reflect on my week in virtual reality, I\u2019m enjoying a coffee in a very real, definitely not virtual coffee shop in Sydney\u2019s Western suburbs.<\/p>\n<p>Occasionally, I miss my VR work friends and the serenity of my cozy virtual chalet.<\/p>\n<p>But until the tech gets smaller, lighter and less clunky, I\u2019ll probably stick to Slack huddles and my trusty PC on its wooden desk.<\/p>\n<p>Subscribe<\/p>\n<p>The most engaging reads in blockchain. Delivered once a<br \/>\n        week.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"author__name\">Felix Ng<\/h2>\n<p>Felix Ng first began writing about the blockchain industry through the lens of a gambling industry journalist and editor in 2015. He has since moved into covering the blockchain space full-time. He is most interested in innovative blockchain technology aimed at solving real-world challenges.<\/p>\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\namzn_assoc_placement = \"adunit0\";\r\namzn_assoc_tracking_id = \"totafreearti-20\";\r\namzn_assoc_ad_mode = \"search\";\r\namzn_assoc_ad_type = \"smart\";\r\namzn_assoc_marketplace = \"amazon\";\r\namzn_assoc_region = \"US\";\r\namzn_assoc_default_search_phrase = \"bitcoin\";\r\namzn_assoc_default_category = \"All\";\r\namzn_assoc_search_bar = \"false\";\r\namzn_assoc_title = \"\";\r\namzn_assoc_rows =\"1\";\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"\/\/z-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/onejs?MarketPlace=US\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/i-spent-a-week-working-in-vr-it-was-mostly-terrible-however\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I just spent an entire week working in virtual reality using the new Meta Quest 3. While the experience still mostly sucked, I came away with some renewed optimism for VR in the workplace. As I took Ron\u2019s outstretched, virtual hand for a handshake, my actual hand \u2014 in the real world \u2014 clumsily whacked [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14072,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14071","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bitcoin-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cryptoheretostay.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14071","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cryptoheretostay.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cryptoheretostay.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cryptoheretostay.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cryptoheretostay.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14071"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cryptoheretostay.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14071\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14073,"href":"https:\/\/cryptoheretostay.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14071\/revisions\/14073"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cryptoheretostay.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14072"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cryptoheretostay.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14071"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cryptoheretostay.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14071"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cryptoheretostay.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}