How to make virtual reality glasses. Do-it-yourself virtual reality glasses from a tablet and old glasses 3d do-it-yourself virtual reality glasses

So, you have downloaded and tried the methods described above, and have chosen the most suitable one for you personally for quick work. Let's agree that you have a smartphone or tablet with a 6-7 "diagonal, two pairs of lenses (you can try with one pair, but my scheme is still of two, there may be discrepancies, use it at your discretion), installed programs and purchased materials with tools.The first step will be the manufacture of the first frame for the first pair of lenses.I made it out of foam, and in theory, it would be nice to have a centrifuge on hand, even for concrete, which sockets are cut into, but in general, any type of sliding cutter for wood will do or even compasses. I didn’t have any of this at hand, so I had to cut round holes with Walter White’s clerical knife, which, with a lens diameter smaller than mine, would be completely untidy. So, the first blank is a frame for two lenses, as on picture below.

In order to make it, you will need to put the smartphone on the table with the screen up, bend over it, and pick up the lenses, bring them to your eyes, trying to find the focal length. You need to strive for the minimum distance between the face and the screen, so that it fits into the "lens" and the 3D effect is observed. If this effect is not observed, shifted or distorted, do not despair, for a start it will be enough to understand the focal length, or rather, the amount by which you need to remove the lenses from the smartphone. And what about the distance between the lenses in this pair? It's simple - find the value that is in the middle between the distance between the pupils and the distance between the centers of the halves of the frame (half the long side of the screen). Let's say we have 65 mm between the eyes, and the screen is 135 mm, half of it is 67.5 mm, so you need to place the centers of the lenses by about 66 mm, this is enough for a first approximation.

Now, after we have marked the required distances, we cut out the holes for the lenses. Roughly evaluating the density of the foam, I considered that it was enough to firmly install the lens, if you make a hole for it with a diameter slightly smaller than the lens itself, I reduced the cut circle by 2mm in diameter, which perfectly coincided with the assumption. Your parameters may be different, but the essence is the same - make the holes a little smaller. You need to drown the lens shallowly, I drowned it by 2 mm, below it will be clear why, and probably there is no need to mention that it would be nice to place the lenses in the same plane, that is, they should both be drowned evenly.

The first stage is over, now we have the screen-to-lens distance mock-up, and we can move on. Remember what I said about two pairs of lenses? They may not be that important in an optical sense (in fact, they are important), but they are invaluable for further tuning. Let's say you set up the first pair of lenses as described above, turned on a 3D image (game, movie, your choice) on your smartphone, and are trying to find three-dimensionality. One pair of lenses didn’t let me do it like that with a swoop. But when I brought the second pair to my eyes, and after playing with the distances I found the right position, a three-dimensional image immediately appeared on the screen. To achieve this, you need to simultaneously move the lenses relative to the screen, in a plane parallel to this screen and the first pair of lenses, up and down and to the sides. Find a detail in the image that you can trace the parallax effect, focus on it and try to connect the images in each eye so that they match. With some skill, this is done very quickly, but, unfortunately, I cannot suggest a way to speed up this process. I was helped by such a test stand, here the lower pair of lenses is already in foam and set to the screen, and the upper pair, framed in polyethylene, moreover, each lens is separate, I moved before my eyes, in search of "stereo", and under the whole structure - screen at the right height:

Sooner or later you will get fresh, juicy, fashionable youth 3D, but due to the introduction of the second optical pair into the circuit, the first focus setting will go a little wrong. There is no need to be scared, all that is required is to reconfigure the focus again. To do this, you first need to make a frame for the second pair of lenses that you just set up. My advice is to first copy your first frame, adjusting for the changed distance between the lenses, and then visually estimate the distance between the first and second pair of lenses after you have set up the 3D. It will be enough by eye, and this distance should be compared with the thickness of the material - well, literally, whether the distance between the pairs is greater, or less than the thickness of the foam. If it is less - everything is simple, you will need to install the lenses in the second frame a little deeper, by the required amount, but if this distance is greater than the thickness of the foam - you can simply turn the first frame with the more recessed side towards you, so you do not have to fence a garden of spacers between two frames. In my case, this is what happened, I turned the first frame upside down, folded these frames with the more recessed sides to each other, and slightly recessed the lenses inward on each side.

So, we got an optical device that allows us to view 3D on a smartphone screen. But, of course, we remember the focus, which was changed first by introducing the second pair of lenses, and then also by flipping the first pair with the other side, so the focus needs to be adjusted again. When you get the focus through some simple movements, you will need to notice this distance, and make foam supports of such a height that when you set your first frame above the screen, the image in the lenses will be in focus.

Here it is necessary to say the following, in my opinion an important property, I'm not exactly sure of its nature, but I observed it repeatedly in experimental subjects. Many actions in life require repeated approach, the use of approximation and iteration. This, apparently, is not clear to everyone, but almost always this method works, and gives a better result, if you follow a simple algorithm - try and improve. So in the case of this helmet - the same story, perhaps the first time you will not be able to make two correct pairs of frames, for example, I redid one pair three times, and the second - twice, and I already know that I will redo more, because there are ideas for improvements. But with each rework, the quality increased and the picture got better, so if you did a couple of approaches, but you “didn’t succeed” - don’t despair, take a break and start again, keep going. The result is worth it.

A small hint - if the resulting eyepiece (as I will call a block of two pairs of lenses and their frames assembled together) has a good stereo image, but the focal length has grown significantly relative to the first approximations, disassemble the eyepiece in half into two frames and play with the distances, perhaps there is a more optimal one - it may be necessary to turn one of the eyepieces upside down, or maybe space them apart. Remember that you need to achieve the maximum number of useful pixels (otherwise it will be uninformative) and the minimum distance from the screen (otherwise it will be cumbersome). If you have a wonderful, wonderful focal length, and for some reason the stereo base did not work out - carefully cut the foam plastic in the middle between the lenses with a knife and look - you need to move them apart, or bring them together, and there already act according to the situation. Roughly speaking, you will have two eyepieces, one for each eye, adjust them, and when it works, glue them together with double-sided tape.

At this stage, the story with lenses ends, and now it doesn’t matter if you made an optical design according to my version, or based on your own considerations, then it will not be so important, the rest of the story is suitable for any option.

Breadboard helmet assembly

Having found the total focal length from the eyepiece to the screen, we have to make a box on its base, and here there are even more options than at the lens stage. But, now you have in your hands the “heart”, or rather the “eyes” of the device, and its most complex detail, which means that it will be easier further. Let's say you managed to do all of the above correctly, and you can confidently observe a 3D image by placing eyepieces on your eyes and leaning over your smartphone. After playing around with this demo layout, you will surely notice some features of the lens placement and eyepiece comfort that you personally will find the most in need of optimization. Do not limit yourself too much, optimize and improve something for yourself, for your eyesight, the shape of the nose and skull, and so on.

For example, after making the eyepiece, I put it on my face and realized that I was kissing a foam brick. Convenience is exactly zero, and this helmet is still worn on the head for some time! Therefore, in the manufacture of the box, I tried to increase the comfort of wearing at the same time as a reliable and convenient location of the smartphone inside. I had to get rid of the inner side of the foam, and replace it with polyethylene foam, it is yellow in the picture. It is more flexible and allows you to twist the shape over a wide range, so the inner surface of the helmet is made of it. It should fit snugly to the face in the area of ​​​​the eyes and around the nose, otherwise you will constantly observe fogging of the lenses from breathing, immediately consider this point. There was an idea to make this part from a construction or swimming mask, but they were not at hand, so I did it myself, however, the option with a ready-made mask may seem preferable to you, and I advise it with pleasure. I myself also decided to make the sides for the helmet adjacent to the head.

Another point to keep in mind is the weight of the smartphone and the lever on which it will work, exercising pressure on the support. My xperia ultra weighs 212 grams, and the required distance from the face is 85 mm, plus the own weight of the box - all this together, I would say, makes the helmet comfortable with reservations. He has one strap behind him, this will be seen in the picture at the end of the section, this strap is made of a rubber band, 40mm wide, which pulls him quite tightly to the back of the head, but whether the screen is heavier or the lever is larger (read the focal length is longer) - it was to wear a helmet would be much more difficult. So for owners of devices with a larger diagonal or weight, I advise you to immediately think over the attachment scheme on the head with a second, transverse strap from the bridge of the nose to the back of the head, and it’s more convenient and safer.

Also, at this stage, you will need to think about another nuance - sound output. I have several pairs of headphones, both closed and open types, there are earplugs and so on, but on reflection, I did not build a helmet around large and comfortable Sony MDR with large ear cushions, but chose simple earplugs. It may be critical for you to make a helmet with a cool sound, in which case you need to immediately imagine exactly how you will articulate the headphones, their arc and the helmet with its mount. I had such a temptation, which quickly evaporated at the stage of prototyping, but I will definitely return to it in the next, improved version of the helmet, if I decide to do it. In any case, you will need a hole in the helmet shell that matches the position of the audio output of your smartphone.

So, I have such a device on my table - an eyepiece with an inner surface slightly adjusted to the shape of the head. It already sits comfortably on the face, it fits in width, and for its manufacture I only needed such a template, cut from a piece of foam, curved in the shape of the head, it will fit with some edits to both the top and bottom of the helmet:

Earlier, we found out the focal length of the eyepiece in several approaches. Now you need to position the smartphone screen at the right distance. Remember that the screen must be positioned so that its horizontal axis of symmetry coincides in height with an imaginary line between the pupils, but the fact that it must be positioned symmetrically relative to the face is clear to you. In my case, the distance between the screen and the side of the eyepiece closest to it was 43 mm, so I made the top and bottom surfaces of foam, as well as two side inserts. The result was a foam box, which, having put it on the screen, could already be used for its intended purpose, and this is where the template shown above was needed.

At this stage, there were several minor adjustments to the focus and location of the smartphone, after that - an accurate measurement of the results obtained and cutting out the outer, cardboard case. It serves two purposes - it protects the rather delicate foam from mechanical damage, I quite easily pressed it with my fingers at the stage of initial experiments, I had to follow this, and the second and main goal is that the cardboard will hold the screen in the right position, pressing it to the foam.

As a result, we got such a box, with a lid on the upper front part, under which the smartphone is hidden.

Having tried on the helmet to the head, and having seen enough of all kinds of 3D, I corrected minor inconveniences inside the helmet, and made a mount - an elastic band to the head. It is simply sewn together with a ring, and glued with double-sided tape to the cardboard, plus it is seized on top with a silver oracal, which was used to replace the tape. The result was something like this:

By the way, this image shows another technical hole, which is used to connect the USB cable, which we will need a little later. And this is what the helmet looks like on the head of the experimental person who donated lenses for this helmet:

So what happened in the end.
Dimensions: 184x190x124 mm
Curb weight: 380 grams
USB input/output
3.5mm headphone jack
Useful screen area 142x75 mm
Resolution 1920x1020 pixels

It's time to move on to the program part of our journey.

Available features of the VR helmet

Viewing 3D video

The very first thing that comes to mind is watching movies in 3D. This is a very simple and understandable entry point into virtual reality, although, more strictly speaking, it is rather a threshold not far from it, the previous step. But, in order not to belittle the merits of this type of entertainment, I inform you that watching 3D movies in the resulting helmet is a very interesting and fun activity. I've only seen two films, so I'm not tired yet, but the feeling is very good: imagine that you are a meter and a half from the wall that you are looking straight at. Without turning your head, try to look around the area with your eyes - this will be the screen available to you. Yes, there is a small resolution - each eye gets only 960x540 pixels from a fullHD movie, but nevertheless, this leaves a quite tangible impression.

To watch movies in this form, you will need a free MX Player with a codec installed for your processor, I have it ARMv7 Neon, well, actually, a video file. It is easy to find them on all kinds of torrent trackers, the technology is called Side-By-Side or SBS for short, feel free to search for these keywords. The player has the ability to adjust the aspect ratio of the video being played, which is extremely useful for SBS files that otherwise stretch vertically to fill the screen. In my case, I needed to go to the settings - "screen" - "aspect" and selecting "manually" set the aspect ratio to 18 to 4, otherwise you will get vertically stretched images. I tried to look for other players with similar functionality, but I didn’t find it, if you know, add it to the knowledge box.

In general, I have nothing more to add to this point - an ordinary 3D cinema is in front of your eyes, everything is very similar to going to the cinema, or watching on a 3D TV with polarized glasses, for example, but at the same time there are differences, in general, if you like 3D, you should try a VR helmet.

Android apps for Durovis Dive and similar systems

The whole story actually started from this point. In principle, the following three links show almost all possible programs for android at the moment:
www.divegames.com/games.html
www.refugio3d.net/downloads
play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.samples.apps.cardboarddemo

What do we need to enjoy virtual reality comfortably? Obviously - a joystick, or any other controller, for example - a wireless keyboard. In my case with a Sony smartphone, the natural and logical choice is the native and natively supported PS3 controller, but since I didn’t have this at hand, but turned out to be the good old Genius MaxFire G-12U, I added a microUSB to USB adapter to it , hooked it up to a smartphone, and was not even surprised that it immediately began working both in the device interface and in individual programs without any questions.

You will also need headphones, because immersion in virtual reality without sound will be incomplete. I have these ordinary plugs, and you figure out for yourself how more convenient.

What should and should not be expected from the applications presented in this section? The fact is that all applications in general that are written for android on the topic of virtual reality are very scarce, to put it mildly. If you run them without a helmet and try, well, to see what kind of virtuality it is, then there is a chance that you will not want to buy or make a helmet. They are frankly very raw and miserable, and do not represent anything super-interesting.

But. When you put your head in a helmet, everything becomes completely different, and personally, I, who am skeptical of everything, would never believe it, nevertheless it is true.

The main thing to consider is head tracking. Even with its poor implementation, or braking, this is a completely new and unexplored field for sensations, believe me, before the appearance of the helmet, you have not felt anything like this for a very long time, since adventures with rock climbers in the mountains, walking along the bottom of the oceans, spending the night in the forest and other mass murders that we all love so much. The helmet provides a completely unrealistic feeling of reality, I'm sorry for the pun, and any, even the most miserable graphics will seem like candy inside it, in general, I must say - if you like to play games, or feel new - the helmet is the device for you.

From my own experience: imagine that you are in 1998 and, say, a Polish game studio made a demo in which you landed on the moon, exited the module, saw the iconic American flag, which looks like a piece of cardboard nailed to a stick, stuck in ground, and above the flag in the sky there is an inscription in an extremely poor font “collect the tools, 3 pieces left”. At the same time, graphics from very, extremely simple elements, where the monotonously accumulated starry sky and square-repeating ground under your feet occupy 98% of the usable screen area, and somewhere you can see a couple of pixels of those “tools” that you have to find. Actually no. You can already see them, you just need to walk to them for 10 minutes. Just go. By the moon. Soundless. By repeating sprites. No action at all.

Tell me, after how many seconds would you remove this game from a computer or even a smartphone? That's it. And in a helmet, this miracle allows you to experience (!) the devastation and loneliness of the only person on the planet. No kidding. I found myself after 15 minutes of the game desperately afraid that I was alone on the moon, under the cap of the stars, and I didn’t know what to do.

More or less the same story with all other games and applications. They are miserable, they are creepy as hell, but at the same time inside the helmet - they send you back 15-20 years ago, and some before, to the very games that you played, and not for which you spent time. So far, the only question I have for the developers is why is there not a single game with a full-fledged story for this alignment? A single game would save the state of affairs simply incredibly, because now, showing people virtual reality on android, there’s nothing special to show, everything with the reservations “this is a demo, you can’t shoot here”, yes “everything, the whole game is completed, yes, for 4 minutes." By the way, almost all these applications are written in Unity, all the more surprising is their low level, or I don’t know how to search.

But you still don’t listen to me, try it yourself, and tell your version, I’m interested. And season with references, I will be immensely. For example, I even installed a demo with the frantic title of Toilet Simulator. Because.

small easter egg

In fact, on the durovis-dive website there is a link to quake-2, a demo version of the game that is installed on android and has the ability to display mode SBS, at the bottom of this page there is a detailed instruction on how to do it. The only thing that did not work in automatic mode was that a separate archive did not unpack, so there will be links to mirrors in the settings of the running game, you need to retype one of them into the browser on the desktop, download the self-extracting archive, pull out the pak0.pak file from there and put it to the directory of the game installed on the phone, I have it called baseq2.

After that, the same Q2 started up for me without any problems - it works very quickly, and everything is perfectly visible. It became scary literally after 30 seconds, just a chill down the spine, but I won’t describe it further, try it yourself. Unfortunately, it was not possible to take a screenshot, and the joystick works so far only in the "wander" mode, it does not know how to shoot, you have to pick the settings.

Thus, all this sluggishness of android developers (attention android developers!) led me to think - well, there are no games for android - let's try a desktop computer, remembering the main advantages of a virtual helmet - a huge screen with immersion in the image and position tracking heads, and try not to lose them.

Connecting to a computer as a VR device

To be honest, the idea of ​​such a connection appeared immediately, but there was not a single idea how, what and in what order to do. Therefore, while I was drawing, cutting and gluing the parts, I thought along the way where to get information on how to display an image from a computer video card, while simultaneously transmitting head tracking, that is, gyroscope and accelerometer data to a computer. And all this, preferably, with a minimum delay.

And you know, the solution was found. It consists of three stages, each of which we will consider separately, moreover, first I will describe the options that work, and then I will go over those that turned out to be inoperative in my case, but may be useful to you.

We create a 3D output on a computer.

It turned out to be relatively simple, but not knowing right away, you can get lost. So, an ideal computer that allows you to play full-fledged 3D games in stereo output format has a video card based on conventional NVidia or ATI chips, the more modern the better, and, what is very important, the ability to set arbitrary resolution in the drivers. If you have a laptop (my case) or a video card whose drivers do not support arbitrary resolutions, the image in the helmet will be vertically stretched, and a possible solution, unsafe and rather dreary, is to dig into the registry and set permissions there. Your suggestions, again, are warmly welcome!

In general, you will need to install a version of your graphics card drivers that supports arbitrary resolutions. If your smartphone and your monitor have 1920x1080 pixels on the screen, then everything is very simple - in the graphics card settings you need to create an arbitrary resolution of 1920x540, and then apply it to the monitor. You will see how the working area of ​​the screen has become smaller in height and is located in the middle of the screen. If the picture on your screen is something like this, then you did everything right:

So, everything was tested on a regular but powerful desktop computer with an NVidia graphics card and the latest drivers. It is important that the conditions are met - when you start the game in stereo mode, the image on each half of the frame is not stretched.

The second thing you need is to download a 3D driver - which has a full trial version for a period of two weeks, and allows you to output 3D images to peripheral devices in arbitrary configurations, and side-by-side, and top-bottom, and anaglyph, in in general, whatever you want.

Install in the usual way, run the TriDef 3D Display Setup utility and select the Side-by-side option, now when you run games from under this driver, they will be in stereo mode “half a frame to each eye”. If you have games installed, then you can open the TriDef 3D Ignition utility and search for installed games, a shortcut to your game will appear in the window - voila, you can use it.

I didn’t have games installed, so I installed Steam and bought Portal 2 for 99 rubles on sale, but this is advertising. And here comes the moment you need to be aware of - a driver that serves stereo output can output stereo for any game that has the ability to run in fullscreen, but cannot create output for a window whose area is smaller than the size of the desktop. Remember this moment, below it will become critical, like a red rag from a bull.

In general, if the drivers are installed and configured, the game is purchased and launched, and it all looks like this on the screen:

You can move on to the next step.

Transferring an image from a computer to a smartphone screen

There are several ways, and judging by the numerous icons in the market, there are not so few programs that allow you to transfer what you need. I was "lucky" before I found a convenient and workable application, I tried several other, depressing and frustrating google play crafts, and I'm sorry that any slag is allowed there. I spent more time searching for and configuring applications than making a device. Moreover, one of the applications had to be bought, and everything would be fine with him if everything was not bad. But first things first: you will definitely need a local wi-fi connection between your computer and smartphone.

You will also need a good and fast "remote desktop" that does not log out from your desktop account when you log in via remote. The free Splashtop turned out to be such a program, and the half-paid iDisplay was also found.

The one that is paid - everything is fine with it, only it did not allow the screen cut off from above and below to be placed exactly in the middle of the display, so I had to abandon it, but in general it works well, there was even a review on Habré, where I got it from. But Splashtop worked as it should, so put it on.

All programs of this type work in approximately the same way - you need to download and install the host version for your desktop, and the receiver version for your smartphone. I think there won’t be any problems with this, so I won’t describe these processes, there it’s a five-minute tambourine - downloaded, installed, registered, configured, connected. The only thing I will mention is that you will need to go into the settings and indicate that your wireless connection should be used locally, for which you will need to explicitly specify the IP of your computer in the android version, you can find out this address using the ipconfig utility on the command line. Actually, these are all the settings, everything should already work, here, for example, is a screenshot from the smartphone of the current moment:

If you run the game from under the 3D Ignition utility, it will appear on the screen of your smartphone at the same time as it happens on the monitor. Or not. Because here lies the hottest pitfall of our history, and yes, you will laugh as much as I laughed. Watch out for sleight of hand: the driver that gives a stereo image from the game requires a full screen (if you select the "in the window" mode, the stereo will not work, the game will start normally), and the desktop access program from your smartphone screams "I can't run fullscreen, sorry, yes, absolutely”, and can only show the desktop and windows on it.

Therefore, the most delicate moment. Most likely, you will be able to play any games that run in borderless window mode. I don’t know for sure why and where such a mode exists in games, for this reason, or for some other reason - but it turned out to be a salvation: on the one hand, it deceives the desktop, and tells it that it launched the game in full screen, and on the other hand, it formally gives the smartphone just a window, though without frames and expanded to full screen. The very case when both the wolves are full and the sheep are safe.

So I was lucky, the portal-2 that I downloaded from Steam turned out to be exactly the game that supports all three launch modes. So it's up to you to check at your own discretion which games will start this way and which won't.

Already now you can start the game and drive it in a helmet. But, as they say, the picture would be incomplete if there were no head tracking.

Enable head tracking

You have read up to this point, with which I congratulate you. I do not want to deceive you, this point is the most difficult and little studied, nevertheless, do not despair. So.

The first thought was to "disassemble" the Oculus Rift SDK or Durovis Dive SDK, since the source code is in the public domain. Perhaps this should have been done, but I'm not a programmer, and I don't understand anything about it. Therefore, my eyes were turned to ready-made solutions that transmit the position of the smartphone in space to the desktop. As it turned out, there is just a huge number of programs that supposedly can do this. Judging by the descriptions - so do almost everything. And again, I sorted through dozens of programs with sweet promises, but in reality it was even more terrible, disgusting and miserable than sorting through programs for displaying images on a smartphone screen, what’s there, even more miserable than those demo games for durovis dive, which I described above. If at this stage you catch a wave of frustration, then that’s it, “goodbye helmet”. Nevertheless, the necessary (with reservations) program was found. But first, a fly in the ointment - Monect, UControl, Ultimate Mouse, Ultimate Gamepad, Sensor Mouse - all this did not fit. Especially the first one on this list - the description says that Monect Portable provides a mode

FPS mode - Using gyroscope to aim the target just like a real gun in your hand, perfect support COD serial!

But, let's move on to successful options. You will again need to download the host and client version of the program called DroidPad. It was she who, when setting up one of the modes, made it possible to do the necessary, and transmit the parameters of the sensors in real time via wireless access. The algorithm is as follows - install the program on the desktop and on the smartphone, run it on the smartphone, select the "Mouse - Mouse using device tilting" mode, and then launch its desktop version.

If everything is done in this order, the connection should work, and voila - you control the mouse cursor on the computer screen! So far, it's messy and messy, but wait, now we'll set it up. In my case, in the android version of the application, the screenshot of the settings window looks like this:

You can set the name of the device, but it's better not to touch the port - it works by default, but it's better not to touch the working one yet. In the desktop version, everything is a little more complicated, my settings are like this, but they still have to be optimized, so use it only as a guide, no more:

Here are the settings for the X and Y axes on the computer screen, and the strength of the sensor from the phone. How exactly it all works for me is still a black box, because the application developers do not provide any documentation, therefore, I provide the information “as is”. I completely forgot to add that I have a program installed on my smartphone that controls the launch of applications in landscape or portrait orientation, and all applications that were tested for this venture = were tested in album mode. The application is called Rotation Manager, and the screen auto-orientation is globally disabled in the smartphone.

Having configured your applications accordingly, you will need to connect the smartphone to the computer according to the algorithm described earlier (for me, any discrepancy with the specified order leads to the application shutting down), and, holding the smartphone in your hand as it will be located inside the helmet, try to configure the settings - Alternately adjusting the desktop sliders and clicking on the "Calibrate" button in the android version window. I will say right away - after a rather short attempt, I managed to adjust the angles and turns relatively decently, but then, adjusting more precisely, I knocked down those settings without thinking to photograph them, and those that are now in the screenshot are already only an approximation to the previous ones that were still feel better. Another point - all these sliders are very sensitive, and holding a smartphone in one position so that it does not arbitrarily remove the cursor is inconvenient, so you constantly have to disconnect and configure, then connect and check. After some time, the information in the article on this subject will be updated, but even with the current settings - inside the game world it looks very impressive.

So what are the feelings? At the moment, for lack of time, I have installed the Portal 2 games and the free HAWKEN robot shooter offered by Steam. As for the portal, you are quickly enslaved by the surrounding atmosphere and sound, and the immersion is so strong that there is nothing to compare with, except that sitting in front of the computer 10 years ago at four in the morning, everything is perceived approximately just as sharply. But if there it was fatigue and darkness around, then in a helmet it is a slightly different, brighter effect of the same presence. But the second game, where you sit in the canonical "huge humanoid robot" - surprised. In the presence of a helmet on the head, the reality projected as if on the surface of the helmet in the game becomes closer, warmer and more lamp-like, and very quickly. Surprisingly fast.

You should not assume that the sensations caused by a VR helmet will be the same for everyone, but for all the "guinea pigs" I can confidently say that absolutely everyone appreciated this device, the reviews are extremely positive and interested. Therefore, I boldly recommend it to you too, spend one day making this helmet, and evaluate it yourself. My personal goal was exactly this - to quickly satisfy curiosity, without spending money and time waiting, I spent about three days of searching and setting everything up, and now I pass the baton to you, already in a compressed form.

Personally, I decided that I would most likely make a second version of this helmet, with minor modifications and improvements, and subsequently purchase a fresh consumer version of the Oculus Rift. It turned out to be very interesting and informative.

I really look forward to new applications for android, and partly this article was written with the hope that one of the developers will become interested and give out some kind of interest for the general public to see. And, a small wish - if you know any programs and solutions that I did not mention, but which would increase the quality of the article and improve the performance of the device - write about them in the comments, and I will definitely add valuable information to the article, for future generations.

TL;DR: the article describes a fast and high-quality method of manufacturing a virtual reality helmet based on an HD smartphone or tablet with an android on board, a complete step-by-step instruction and general principles of this process, and also describes the main available ways to use the resulting helmet: watching movies in 3D format, games and applications for android, and connecting the helmet to a computer to immerse yourself in the reality of desktop 3D games.

Having your own virtual reality module has been a dream of many since childhood, and progress has already come close to creating such devices. In 2014, Google developers presented the world with a stunning invention that uses the capabilities of ordinary Android smartphones. Right at the conference, any participant could assemble a virtual reality helmet out of cardboard and a few simple parts and appreciate the delights of three-dimensional graphics and atmospheric video with the ability to view in all 360 degrees.

Virtual reality on the cheap

Google Cardboard did not become a technological breakthrough, virtual reality helmets have existed for quite a long time, moreover, many are familiar with children's devices for viewing three-dimensional images. The ability of smartphones to navigate in space now, too, few people can be surprised, no, the public was surprised by something else. The simplicity and accessibility of the design is what really deserves attention, besides, the developers have managed to release many applications by now that use this device to immerse themselves in virtual reality.

The developers of Google Cardboard opened all the technical documentation for the device, refusing to trade their invention, and manufacturers immediately picked up the idea. At the moment, there are many different models made of plastic, cardboard and even leather products. For under $20, you can buy cardboard kits like the ones that were first introduced at the June 2014 Developers Conference. Also, instructions and diagrams are available to anyone, and it will not be difficult to assemble a Cardboard with your own hands.

materials

The prices for a cardboard box are, of course, quite significant, but before you make a Cardboard with your own hands, you should know where to find or purchase other materials. We will need:

Electronic component - powerful smartphone

Let's now analyze all the components point by point, starting with models of suitable smartphones. Anyone can find the drawings invented by the developers for assembling Google Cardboard with their own hands. The sizes of phones suitable for such versions of 2.0 glasses are limited to a width of up to 83 mm and a diagonal of up to 6 inches. For other sizes, you will have to think through your own design, choosing the distances to the lenses empirically or look for an option from finished products in the store. Additional requirements 3D-glasses impose on the screen of the device. Remember, you will not just look at the phone screen from a very close distance, but you will get a magnification through the lenses. Of course, the better the screen, the less discomfort. At the moment, it is possible to use smartphones based on and above (from 4 iPhones) or Windows Phone 7.0 and above, but initially the entire system was conceived specifically for Android 4.1. Download any VR application and test your smartphone for compatibility by rotating it and watching the picture.

Housing material

It is not difficult to choose cardboard for the base of our glasses; a large pizza box has suitable parameters. Also, cardboard can be purchased at needlework stores or disassemble some ownerless box from household appliances. Too thick cardboard will be inconvenient to cut and bend, while thin, most likely, will not hold the lenses and the smartphone in a rigidly fixed position on the head.

Optics

Lenses are perhaps the most difficult, but they are the most important material for 3D glasses. Google recommends using lenses for Cardboard with a focal length of 45 mm, respectively, the dimensions of the virtual reality glasses themselves on the site are designed only for lenses with such a focal length. Thus, the desire to use other lenses, or perhaps a system of two or more lenses per eyepiece, will inevitably lead to reconfiguring the distance to the eyes and screen, thus changing the whole design. If you feel confident enough, it's worth experimenting, but it's much easier to order lenses.

Fasteners

As an attachment to the head, you can use a fabric elastic band or a Velcro strap. Stationery gum for the case is easy to find, and even easier to replace. After assembling the entire structure, it is only needed to hold the shape. You can simply glue the 3D glasses at all joints after adjusting the lenses with glue or tape. Two Velcro 15x20 mm will be needed to fix the closed cover with the inserted smartphone. In the absence of such, there are many options for fixing the cardboard cover, the main thing is to make sure that the smartphone does not fall out during the use of 3D glasses.

Additional controls

Magnets are needed to make an optional 3D headset control button on the case, and are only suitable for smartphone models with a built-in magnetometer. When creating a helmet for testing, you should not spend effort and money looking for suitable magnets. Such a button can be attached to virtual reality glasses separately after the device has been fully tested, or not installed at all. For long-term 3D glasses, you will need a neodymium magnet ring and a magnetic ceramic disc, both no larger than 3x20mm. You can also cut holes and control your smartphone with your fingers.

An NFC sticker is glued to the inside of the glasses, which allows the smartphone to automatically launch the necessary applications. You can probably find it in communication stores or in online stores, it is also not mandatory, and you can put it on somehow later.

Toolkit and safety precautions

The tool for work will need the simplest:

• Google Cardboard template. The drawings are in the article.
• A sharp knife, a durable clerical knife will do. Cardboard must be cut clearly along the lines of the template, especially the grooves and holes, so scissors will not do it here.
• Tape or glue.
• Rigid line.

Google claims that scissors are enough for the job, do not flatter yourself, thin slots and fixing grooves are much more convenient to cut with a blade.

The design is reinforced with stiffeners from the inside, so there is not much difference whether to cut a single pattern from a long piece of cardboard or assemble it from 2-3 parts, connecting them with adhesive tape. When cutting with a knife, be careful not to scratch the surface of the table or floor, take a special board for this purpose, for example, a cutting board from the kitchen. Particular care must be taken when cutting out holes for lenses, so that subsequently the lenses lie in the same plane perpendicular to the gaze.

Device assembly

Assemble according to the drawings, strengthen the frame with adhesive tape and carefully monitor the location of the lenses. In a fixed position, the cardboard will firmly press the lenses so that they do not move relative to each other. Next, you need to glue the Velcro as fasteners along the edges of the top side and on the inside of the lid, and also install the magnets in their place. At this stage, you can already try on 3D glasses to your head in order to determine the places of possible rubbing of the skin. When watching a movie for a long time, for example, these points can be very annoying, so you can additionally lay them with thin strips of foam rubber.

Is the sheepskin worth the candle?

3D glasses are ready, it remains to fix them on your head with an elastic band or a strap of your choice, insert a smartphone with a 3D application and enjoy virtual reality. In terms of the cost of the received device, there are many offers of ready-made kits priced under $10. You can save only if all the details are at hand or are easily accessible. If you order spare parts, taking into account various shipping costs and lead times, it turns out to be somewhat more expensive than buying a complete set. Naturally, if your dog bites the 3D glasses for sitting in VR instead of feeding or walking the animal, you can easily assemble new ones using the instructions above and the rest of the parts. In the meantime, you are looking for cardboard to replace the damaged one, in order to restore the Cardboard with your own hands, you can walk and feed the dog.

Device Capabilities

At the moment, there is already a tangible number of applications optimized for Google Cardboard and several films. Paired with headphones, virtual reality glasses may well replace a good 3D cinema, and games, according to users, despite their primitiveness, can add a strong sense of presence and atmosphere. For craftsmen and lovers of various technical tasks, it can be noted that it is possible to connect Cardboard glasses to a computer to use the virtual reality module in games. This is where the real immersion is.

Recently, the technology of virtual reality is rapidly gaining popularity. However, while such devices are quite expensive and not available to everyone. A classic example is the Oculus Rift and its many counterparts. In this article, we will analyze in detail how to make virtual reality glasses, the feeling of using which will be quite comparable to more expensive factory devices. This miracle device is called Google Cardboard. So let's get started.

We need:

• sheet of paper or cardboard;
• scissors and stationery knife;
• glue for paper;
• Printer;
• a pair of plano-convex lenses;
• Velcro fastener for clothes;
• smartphone.

Template preparation

First you need to download a drawing with Google Cardboard dimensions with an electronic version of the template. The whole thing takes three A4 sheets and must be pre-printed on a printer.

Cardboard scheme for printing

Google often refines its products, and Cardboard is no exception. Therefore, the contents of the archive may change over time.

Case manufacturing

We bend the finished parts along the lines marked in red in the instructions. We make holes for plano-convex lenses with a focal length of 4.5 cm and mount the optical system. Lenses must be installed with the flat side facing the eyes.

The most difficult thing is to choose the right optics. Do-it-yourself lenses for Cardboard should be exactly the same, and the focal length should correspond to the distance from the smartphone screen to the eyes. This point is extremely important, since the degree of comfort when using glasses and image quality will depend on the choice of lenses.

3D smartphone apps

With the assembly over, you can start downloading and installing applications for virtual reality. If you intend to use a smartphone running OC Android, you can find and download this software on Google Play. It is better to search by the keywords "cardboard", "vr" or "virtual reality". As a rule, such programs are marked with an icon depicting Cardboard glasses.

Small but very important improvements

We attach a regular Velcro for clothes to the upper part of the glasses case so that the compartment for placing the smartphone can be fixed in the closed form. It is also recommended to make rubber straps to fix the device on the head.

Finished construction in action

We launch any of the previously downloaded 3D applications and fix the smartphone in the compartment intended for this, close the whole thing and fix it with Velcro. Ready! Now our homemade device will allow us to fully immerse ourselves in the mysterious virtual world.

To achieve even more comfort during use, you can equip the goggles with straps to securely fix them on your head. It is best to use two straps, one to wrap around your head at the back and one on top to keep the device from slipping.

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Now the technology of virtual reality is very popular, but so far it is quite expensive and not available to everyone. Probably everyone has heard about the Oculus Rift and its numerous analogues. In this article, you will learn how to make your own 3D virtual reality glasses for free and very simply. And according to impressions, this homemade product will be almost comparable to expensive counterparts. These glasses are called "Google Cardboard". So let's get started.

You will need

• cardboard or paper;
• scissors;
• stationery knife;
• glue for paper;
• Printer;
• 2 plano-convex lenses;
• Velcro for clothes;
• smartphone.

Instructions for assembling virtual reality glasses Google Cardboard

1 Template preparation for Google Cardboard

Primarily download the archive with the template for future virtual reality glasses(In chapter "Do it yourself" at the very bottom of the page). Unzip it into a separate folder. File Scissor-cut template.pdf will contain the pattern we need. You need to print it on a printer at a scale of 1: 1. It will fit on 3 A4 sheets.

Google often refines its developments, including Google Cardboard. Because of this, the files in the archive may change over time. Therefore, I apply for printing on a printer.

2 Template cutting for virtual reality glasses

Now carefully glue the pattern onto the cardboard. When the glue dries, you need to cut out all the details along the solid lines.

3 Hull Formation 3D glasses

We bend the parts along the lines marked in red in the instructions. We insert plano-convex lenses with a focal length of 4.5 cm into special holes. We connect everything as shown on the pattern. We insert the lenses into the holes for the lenses, with the flat part towards the eyes. It should turn out like in the photo.

The most important detail is the right lenses. They should be exactly the same, and the focal length should correspond to the distance from your eyes to the smartphone screen. Your choice of lenses determines your comfort and quality of impressions from the use of virtual reality glasses. The downloaded archive contains detailed information on the selection of lenses and focal length, check it out.

4 Application 3D for smartphone

Now you need to download smartphone applications that support 3D technology. If the smartphone is on the Android operating system, then applications can be downloaded, for example, from Google Play, searching for the keywords "cardboard", "virtual reality" or "vr". Usually, the icons of such applications have a stylized image of our 3D glasses.

5 Glasses improvement virtual reality

On the top of the glasses we glue the Velcro for clothes so that the compartment for the smartphone can be fixed when it closes. It is also desirable to make rubber straps so that the glasses can be fixed on the head. From the photo it is clear how it should look in the end.

6 Virtual reality glasses In action

We launch any of the downloaded 3D applications and insert the smartphone into a special place intended for it in the resulting glasses. We close it and fix it with Velcro. Now, looking through our homemade glasses, we can fully immerse ourselves in the virtual three-dimensional world.

Due to the growing popularity of VR technologies, many people want to join them. To date, there are many different variations and models of devices on sale, of various price categories. Nevertheless, some users, out of curiosity or in order to save money, are wondering how to make virtual reality glasses with their own hands from cardboard or plastic (which is already more difficult)?

This option is suitable, first of all, for those who have a modern smartphone with a large screen and a built-in set of sensors (more on the required sensors below). According to statistics, a large part of the population uses such devices in the world. Thus, with insignificant monetary and certain time costs, the user can make excellent three-dimensional glasses with his own hands. About what is needed for this and how all the parts are assembled, we will consider below.

An interesting point is that even Google manufactures and distributes a simplified construction of cardboard and simple lenses, they are called Cardboard. Their VR glasses, even in this design, are available in several versions that are not difficult to replicate at home.

Moreover, the company itself provided all the necessary information in the public domain.

Thus, it is not necessary to talk about the relevance of the issue under consideration.

What you need to assemble VR glasses at home

Before worrying about the materials and components of future glasses, you should make sure that your smartphone is compatible with the technology. Phone settings should provide comfortable work with 3D movies, games and other virtual reality projects.

Suitable for such purposes, for example:

• Android 4.1 JellyBean or better
• iOS 7 or higher
• Windows Phone 7.0 and so on

The screen diagonal must be at least 4.5 inches for comfortable and full-fledged operation of all applications.

What sensors are needed:

• Magnetometer, i.e. digital compass
• Accelerometer
• Gyroscope

The last two conditions are mandatory for most virtual applications, otherwise, the user will be able to view only . Without these two components, it is not possible to fully evaluate VR technology.

It should be noted that for self-production you will not need expensive or rare components. So, now let's move on to the list of necessary materials for making VR glasses with your own hands at home:

• Cardboard. It is recommended to use the most dense and at the same time thin variations, such as corrugated cardboard. Cardboard must be in the form of a single sheet with dimensions of at least 22x56 cm and a thickness of not more than 3 mm.
• lenses. The best option would be to use biconvex aspherical lenses with a focal length of 40-45 mm and 25 mm in diameter. It is recommended to use the glass version instead of plastic.
• magnets. You will need two magnets: neodymium in the form of a ring and ceramic in the form of a disk. Dimensions should be 19 mm in diameter and 3 mm thick. As a substitute, you can use ordinary food foil. Alternatively, you can use a full mechanical button.
• Velcro i.e. textile fastener. Such material requires two strips of approximately 20-30 mm each.
• Elastic. The length of the elastic band must be at least 8 cm, since it will be used to attach the smartphone.

In addition to materials, you will also need some tools: ruler, scissors, glue. Based on their capabilities and ingenuity, some materials and tools can be replaced with alternative options, if functionality does not suffer from this.

As you already understand, some materials and tools will not be enough for the manufacture, and even more so the assembly of the whole structure. Of course, this requires a drawing or simply a template scheme for creating virtual reality glasses.

You can find a template for cutting out glasses below. It can be easily printed and then pasted onto a sheet of cardboard. Since the expanded version of the glasses goes beyond the usual landscape format (and is 3 A4 sheets), then you will have to carefully and accurately combine all the fragments at the junctions.

To download the template to your computer, you need to right-click on the picture, and then click on the item "Save Image As".

3 parts template

Below you will see 3 large pictures that will need to be printed and then pasted onto cardboard so that all joints are respected.

Finished result on cardboard

This is the end result that you should get by joining 3 parts of an A4 sheet on cardboard.

Cut out cardboard construction

This is what we got after we completely cut out the cardboard according to the drawing. Carefully follow the numbers, and connect all the parts correctly.

Where to get eyeglass lenses

In this issue, it is the lenses that are the most inaccessible component. If you can’t find them at the nearest stores and outlets, you can do a search on the Internet.

Among the available and most likely places that may offer a similar product for sale, the following can be noted:

• Shops category "Optics". Here the goods are measured in dimensions - diopters, and for glasses you will need lenses of at least +22 diopters.
• Stationery stores. Loupes (i.e. magnifying glasses) are sold here, tenfold lenses should work as an alternative.
• Search on domestic sites and trading platforms, or on foreign online auctions.
• Make from a plastic bottle (more in the video instructions)

In the event that the lenses obtained by the user differ to a certain extent from the specified standard, it will be necessary to either grind the lenses themselves or make appropriate adjustments to the design of the glasses. Often the problem can be solved by providing in its design a device for adjusting the distance from the smartphone to the lens.

How to make glasses without lenses

Those who suggest the option of creating VR glasses without lenses can immediately forget about it. Without special lenses, the resulting design will be no different from ordinary glasses or glass. Such a design will not bring any practical benefit, except that it can be used to create the effect of a cinema.

Step-by-step instructions on how to make do-it-yourself virtual reality glasses from cardboard

So, when the user has all the materials, tools and a printed template, then you can start assembling.

First step

1. Glue the template onto cardboard
2. Cut along the contour
3. Bend and fasten separate places

The first step is to stick the drawing on a sheet of cardboard. The main thing is to be careful and observe accuracy at the joints so that the dimensions are not distorted. Then all the elements must be carefully cut along the contour. According to special marks on the drawing, it will be clear in which places the structure needs to be bent, and in which to fasten.

Second step

1. Insert lenses into the finished structure
2. magnet fastener
3. Foam lining on cardboard

Next, it is necessary to insert lenses into the already assembled frame, and, if necessary, fix them to increase the reliability of fasteners. Then a strip of foil or magnets is glued to create a semblance of a control button.

To increase the comfort of using the resulting device, in places of contact with the head, the surface can be overlaid with foam rubber or other softening material.

Video instruction

Certain points from the above algorithm of actions for assembling the structure under consideration may be incomprehensible or cause difficulties. In this case, you can familiarize yourself with the visual and step-by-step execution of all actions on the attached video instruction.

This is a fairly simple and cheap option that will satisfy the needs of a wide range of users. Once I've got it all right, don't forget to read the article about how to use it comfortably.