Can a VR headset provide peace and tranquillity?
BBC Science Focus|June 2022
Alex Hughes tries to relax with a screen inches from his face...
- Alex Hughes
Can a VR headset provide peace and tranquillity?

Mindfulness is big business these days, particularly when it comes to the world of tech. The Calm app exceeded a $1bn valuation in the middle of the pandemic, and its mortal enemy, Headspace, boasts over 30 million users across 190 countries.

While meditation apps are popular, they aren't the only form of tech working their way into your mindfulness routine. HTC is looking to inject new life into virtual reality headsets by reframing its £499 VIVE Flow device as an on-the-go 'wellness' system. So, can a VR headset take me to an oasis of tranquillity?

THE PRACTICAL STUFF

Setting up the device is simple. All that's needed to get started is a smartphone that's compatible with HTC's headset, a power source and a USB-C. There's an app to download that connects your phone to the headset via Bluetooth. This turns your device into a remote control, with different parts of the phone's display acting as input buttons. Once set up, I put on the headset and used my new controller to peruse the VIVE Flow marketplace. This wasn't the most intuitive experience, requiring you to remember very precise points on your phone that t you can't see. Many of the experiences the headset offers come at a cost, ranging from 50p to £20 or more. There are a few free experiences available in there, especially for those looking to find their inner Zen with a few short meditation exercises. For games or immersive experiences, prepare to hand over some cash.

TRANSCENDING TO ANOTHER WORLD

この蚘事は BBC Science Focus の June 2022 版に掲茉されおいたす。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トラむアルを開始しお、䜕千もの厳遞されたプレミアム ストヌリヌ、9,000 以䞊の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしおください。

この蚘事は BBC Science Focus の June 2022 版に掲茉されおいたす。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トラむアルを開始しお、䜕千もの厳遞されたプレミアム ストヌリヌ、9,000 以䞊の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしおください。

BBC SCIENCE FOCUSのその他の蚘事すべお衚瀺
WHEN'S THE BEST TIME FOR A CAFFEINE HIT?
BBC Science Focus

WHEN'S THE BEST TIME FOR A CAFFEINE HIT?

Wakey-wakey! Find the sweet spot for a coffee shot and science says the benefits are grande

time-read
3 分  |
October 2024
DEAD MAN’S FINGERS
BBC Science Focus

DEAD MAN’S FINGERS

Picture the scene. It's Halloween and you've gone for an ill-advised stroll through the graveyard on the edge of town.

time-read
2 分  |
October 2024
What tipping point are climate scientists most worried about?
BBC Science Focus

What tipping point are climate scientists most worried about?

Collapsing ice sheets, loss of the Amazon rainforest, melting permafrost.

. Key parts of Earth's climate system are in trouble. Which could trigger disaster first?

time-read
5 分  |
October 2024
PROFESSOR BRIAN COX
BBC Science Focus

PROFESSOR BRIAN COX

The biggest space missions yet are making their way to new parts of the Universe. In his new BBC Two series Solar System, Prof Brian Cox reveals what these explorations are discovering about life in our galactic neighbourhood. Noa Leach sat down with him to talk about the most exciting new missions, life in the Universe and his top behind-the-scenes moments of filming

time-read
10+ 分  |
October 2024
KEEP YOUR HAIR ON
BBC Science Focus

KEEP YOUR HAIR ON

MORE THAN HALF OF MEN AND MILLIONS OF WOMEN ARE AFFECTED BY HAIR LOSS. IT CAUSES LOW SELF-ESTEEM IN SOME AND ANXIETY IN OTHERS. THANKFULLY, SCIENTISTS AROUND THE WORLD ARE GETTING TO THE ROOTS OF THE PROBLEM WITH PIONEERING NEW TREATMENTS

time-read
10 分  |
October 2024
DAMAGE ASSESSMENT
BBC Science Focus

DAMAGE ASSESSMENT

Could we deflect an asteroid to stop it from hitting Earth? The success of NASA's DART mission suggests so, but only after ESA's soon-to-launch Hera mission has checked the results will we know if this approach to planetary defence is a viable possibility

time-read
9 分  |
October 2024
SAVE THE SHARKS...SAVE THE OCEANS
BBC Science Focus

SAVE THE SHARKS...SAVE THE OCEANS

RUTHLESS PREDATORS, MINDLESS KILLERS, MAN-EATERS... SHARKS HAVE A FEARSOME REPUTATION THAT BEARS LITTLE RELATION TO REALITY. THE TRUTH IS, THESE REMARKABLE CREATURES ARE STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE. BUT OUR WATERS WON'T BE ANY SAFER WITHOUT THEM. IN FACT, THE PLANET'S SEAS WILL BE IN EVEN GREATER JEOPARDY THAN THEY ALREADY ARE

time-read
7 分  |
October 2024
COULD ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BE THE CURE FOR LONELINESS?
BBC Science Focus

COULD ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BE THE CURE FOR LONELINESS?

Rates of loneliness are increasing worldwide. But big-tech companies think they have the solution...

time-read
4 分  |
October 2024
Olive mill wastewater: a health-boosting tonic hiding in the leftovers
BBC Science Focus

Olive mill wastewater: a health-boosting tonic hiding in the leftovers

A by-product of the olive oil production process is packed with compounds that lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk of developing cancer.

time-read
5 分  |
October 2024
Lab-grown meat may be better for livestock, but not necessarily for the environment
BBC Science Focus

Lab-grown meat may be better for livestock, but not necessarily for the environment

The move to put alternative protein on our plates is gathering pace but there are still questions to answer

time-read
3 分  |
October 2024