Google will let teachers take school kids on virtual field trips as the company released Google Cardboard VR Headset version two at the company's I/O Developer Conference in San Francisco last week.
"Field trips are a great way for teachers to engage students and give them a first-hand understanding of a subject - but they're not always practical or even possible," Google Cardboard product manager Clay Bavor said.
A tour on any part of the world, a dive to the sea, a visit to Mars, or even a trip back in time are all possible with the device.
The feedback from the initial classs that tried the trips has been positive.
In preparation for the educational trips, Google established partnerships with the Planetary Society, the Chateau de Versailles, the Smithsonian and the American Museum of Natural History.
"Here's how it works: a box arrives with everything you need to travel. Cardboard and phones for every student, a teacher tablet, and all of these devices are synchronized. When the teacher chooses a place, the entire classroom jumps there together," Bavor said.
Google Cardboard is a normal cardboard box folded to become a VR head device. It has a pair of plastic lenses that help render the 3D images from a regular smartphone's screen. The actual 3D app from Google is downloadable via Google Play.
Google put the Cardboard's specifications online so anyone could build them.
"We wanted the viewer to be as dumb as possible and as cheap as possible because we basically wanted to open VR for everyone," said Google Paris engineer David Coz, who also worked on the Cardboard.
The Cardboard version 2 was made simpler. It can now accommodate phones with 6-inch displays and smaller. The magnetic ring controlling the device was replaced by a single button for easier control during use.
To further develop the device, A couple of other plans are in progress in an attempt to get more following for the Google Cardboard. The company is coordinating with GoPro to create the Jump to allow people capture VR videos using a 16 camera rig to capture video.
Also, the Google Cardboard and its app were made compatible with iOS 8 and above ensuring it will be accessible even to non-Android users.
Join the Conversation