It seems as if everyone wants to jump on to the virtual reality (VR) bandwagon. More companies are building VR head-mounted displays (HMDs) or releasing tech to compliment them. The latest comes from Queen guitarist Brian May who recently launched his OWL VR kit.
In fact its not that much of a stretch for May as he’s been a lifelong aficionado of stereoscopic images, running The London Stereoscopic Company Ltd. The OWL VR Kit is an adaptation of the company’s stereo viewer that’s been available to 3-D enthusiasts since 2009. This enabled anyone to view the company’s reproductions of classic Victorian stereo cards, as well as the originals, plus recently released astronomy and Queen-focused 3-D images.
The OWL VR Kit uses an adaptor to house pretty much any smartphone, and the open design allows full access to the device’s controls. Just like other simple VR headsets, like Google Cardboard or Merge VR, the OWL allows users to enjoy a range of content.
Commenting on the launch, May said, “Virtual Reality has taken the consumer electronics world by storm over recent months and masses of content is now rapidly becoming available. However, until now, users have had the choice of an expensive VR viewer that puts it out of reach of many people or a very low cost alternative that just doesn’t do the format justice.” He continues, “The OWL Smartphone Kit changes all that; for a very modest outlay, anyone can now enjoy the VR experience, and also gain access to the fascinating world of Stereoscopy. Plus, with the apps that are available for smartphones, it’s now possible to take your own 3-D images and enjoy them instantly using this simple OWL Kit.”
Available from mid-June 2016, the OWL VR Kit will retail for £25 GBP on The London Stereoscopic Company Ltd website. Keep reading VRFocus for all the latest VR tech news and announcements.
