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What Families Need to Know About Virtual Reality (VR)

Posted by Caryn Bailey Leave a Comment

The very first time I experienced Virtual Reality was at a conference. Embassy Suites was leveraging their 360-degree video to give attendees a virtual visit to one of their properties. It was as close to being inside that resort as I could possibly get without getting on a plane.

MS Holo Lens

Virtual Reality is being used by medical students to practice surgeries and procedures in a safe, controlled environment, by automotive engineers as part of their vehicle safety testing, and by employers to train employees. But is there a place for virtual reality in the home? Patricia Vance, President of Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), shares her Virtual Reality Tips for Families.

Oculus Rift

What is Virtual Reality? 

Virtual Reality is an immersive interactive experience that uses a powerful PC, home console and/or smartphone to generate a simulated, three-dimensional environment that makes you feel like you are inside an artificial world. To experience VR, you wear a head-mounted device or headset that is connected to a smartphone, computer or game console. Popular VR devices include the PlayStation VR, Google Daydream, Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, HTC Vive, among others. Today, most people are enjoying games in Virtual Reality, but there are so many other types of VR experiences available, from entertainment to education, including short films, tourism, house-hunting tours, museums tours, flight simulation, swimming with ocean creatures, walking with elephants and so much more! VR is great fun and is continually being improved. But when it comes to our kids, there are precautions you may want to consider. Here are 5 Virtual Reality Tips For Families.

Daydream

  • Only Use in a Safe Environment. Virtual Reality headsets completely cover your eyes, so you cannot see the real surroundings in your living room or wherever you are playing. Prior to strapping the headset on your headset, it is important to ensure that the area around you is free of people, objects, stairs, windows, furniture, tripping hazards, or other items that you might bump into (or worse).
  • Take Breaks. Using Virtual Reality headsets for too long can make some people dizzy and impact hand-eye coordination, balance, and multi-tasking ability. Everyone reacts to the VR experience differently. Players who get dizzy, should stop right away. For others who don’t have any noticeable impact, a good rule of thumb is to take a 10-minute break every half-hour (at minimum). Many headset manufacturers also recommend that children under 12 or 13 refrain from using VR headsets (check the manual for your VR device).
  • Keep it Clean. It is fun to share the VR experience with friends, however, be sure to clean the headset in between turns. No one wants a case of pink eye! Each manufacturer has a guide on how to best clean the device, so be sure to read through the cleaning section for the best method for your hardware. That said, the easiest thing to do is to keep non-alcoholic antibacterial wipes and a microfiber cloth for the lenses / screen handy. Get in the habit of a quick clean before the next person’s turn to avoid spreading germs.

ESRB Ratings

  • Check the Rating Before You Play. The ESRB rating system is designed to be responsive to industry innovations, including Virtual Reality. As a result, ESRB assigns rating information to VR games much in the same way as it rates boxed or digital games; based on the content of the game and the context in which it is presented to the player. For VR specifically, the user’s perspective is a key differentiator that is considered throughout the rating process. You can find ESRB ratings for PlayStation VR, Oculus VR Experiences and Google Daydream games and apps prior to purchase or download.
  • Stay Involved. Do not be afraid to don the headset and get immersed! Many VR games, apps and experiences are built for single player, but there are also multiplayer experiences on VR that can be enjoyed by two or more members of your family. Experiencing VR with your children will not only give you a better understanding of the games and apps your children are interested in, but it’s also a great opportunity to spend some fun quality time as a family!

PlayStation VR

Do you use Virtual Reality in your home? If so, I’d love to hear how you are using this new technology.

 

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Caryn Bailey
Caryn Bailey
Caryn is a NICU nurse by day, blogger by night and mom 24/7. She savors the warm Southern California sun and loves to travel, shopping, baking, reading and frequenting her local tea room. Caryn created the column Lavishly Green for Peekaboo Picks Magazine to share her best tips for going green in style, she is the Former editor for Family Review Network, former OC Family Magazine online contributor, former Orange County Moms Blog contributor, former Evenflo Savvy Parent contributor, former member of the Totsy Advisory Board and former freelance writer for CBS Los Angeles.
Caryn Bailey
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What started out as a way to chronicle my son’s first year of life has evolved into Rockin’ Mama. I am a babywearing, breastfeeding mama, a NICU nurse by day, blogger by night.

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