21st Century View-Master Uses Your Phone to Enter Virtual Reality

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By Alex Magdaleno2014-04-11 06:24:25 UTC

When Facebook spent $2 billion to acquire of Oculus Rift, virtual reality technology took center stage in the tech world — but many felt the headset was too bulky to be appealing.

Now Altergaze, a pair of 3D-printed goggles, promises a virtual reality experience through your iPhone or Android device.

See also: A Virtual Reality Headset Takes You to the Movies, But Tickets Are $499

Liviu Berechet Antoni, the creator of Altergaze, envisions a future where virtual reality technology could be used as a way to share and collaborate in the real world — architects showcasing designs to clients, for example.

"I am a firm believer that virtual reality should be used as a way of connecting people rather than isolating them into their own virtual worlds," Antoni told Mashable. "A lot of people, when talking about virtual reality, expect to see a simulation of reality. I think the beauty of it actually lies in the worlds that are as far from reality as possible — ‘Alice in Wonderland’ kind of experiences."

The mobile phone accessory — constructed using a series of 3D-printed rubber layers, some screws and a pair of optical lens — has a 110-degree field of view and uses the phone’s gyroscope to track motion in as many as 9 different axes.

Altergaze is currently running a campaign on Kickstarter and has amassed almost half of their $42,000 goal with 29 days left at the time of writing.

The company plans on making the 3D printing design open-source for non-commercial use. Designers will be able to tinker with the design. Anyone with a 3D printer can become an admin user and embed the Altergaze Online Customization Tool onto their website, allowing their users to customize and create their own Altergaze goggles.

Altergaze will supply the lenses to any admin user and charge a small royalty fee for any devices sold at the end of the year.

If a Kickstarter backer donates $125, they will receive Altergaze when the campaign ends, though Antoni explicitly states on Altergaze's website that the donation amount doesn’t reflect the actual cost of the product.

Antoni explains that the final price will be relative to the cost of 3D printing — and that as the technology becomes more affordable, so too will the Altergaze.

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Topics: Android, Gadgets, iPhone, Mobile, smartphone, Tech, virtual reality