HackNight: Augmented and Virtual Reality
Details
Augmented and virtual reality have been touted as the next big thing in technology for quite a while, but it took Pokemon Go to bring AR to the masses.
I recently attended some conferences that showed off new technology around augmented and virtual reality. While I've never had much interest in it, after viewing some demos, I've finally realized the power these technologies could have over our lives. It's not just for gaming!
Examples of some cool AR/VR projects:
• Project Tango (http://www.computerworld.com/article/3075542/e-commerce/wayfair-takes-augmented-reality-project-tango-to-the-enterprise.html) allows you to "try out" furniture from Wayfair virtually in your own living room.
• Google Expeditions (https://www.google.com/edu/expeditions/#about) allows anyone with a phone and a low-cost Cardboard device to take a virtual field trip from the comfort of your home or classroom.
• And recently in the news (http://gizmodo.com/paralyzed-patients-learn-to-walk-again-using-virtual-re-1785162361): "A groundbreaking new experiment shows that brain-machine interfaces, when used in conjunction with exoskeletons and virtual reality, can trigger partial recovery in patients recovering from spinal cord injuries."
For our event this month, we're going to showcase some of the technology currently available or forthcoming in this field. You'll be able to demo these technologies for yourself and learn more about how you can help develop applications on these platforms as well. We'll have tutorials available for those who want to get hacking right away!
Technologies Available to Demo
• Google Cardboard (and similar devices)
• Playstation 4 (due to be released in October)
• Oculus Rift
• Project Tango (Mike Festa of Wayfair has generously donated a Project Tango device with their app!)
• Samsung Gear VR
If you own any of these technologies or know people that do, please bring them along!
The Schedule
6:00 - 6:30 PM - Mingle, Network and Eat
6:30 - 6:35 PM - Welcome to WWCode
6:35 - 8:30 PM - Choose Your VR/AR Adventure
Additional Notes
Women Who Code events are inclusive to all people who identify as women -- we are transgender friendly.
To ensure a safe and comfortable space for our members to network and collaborate, we ask recruiters to refrain from attending our event. If you would like to support our group, please contact me to discuss the best ways to get involved. Thank you!