Jo Yardley has another article up about the OculusRift. See: Solving virtual User Interface problems. She’s on about User Interface problems. The article includes a video that shows some of the aspects of the User Interface problems.

But there is a funny video out that shows and even more serious problem. Check this out:

It is obvious balance is going to be a problem. Sixense’s STEM where you wear four motion detectors and stand up has the potential for injury. Jo mentions dancing. That REALLY seems to have the potential for injury. Even if you use the OMNI treadmill dancing would seem to be a problem. Without the Rift I have enough problems dancing when wearing heels and drinking spiced rum.

Actually anything that requires balance is going to be a problem. As I imagine it, the area around you would have to be clear of things. If you can reach it, you are probably going to hit it or fall over it by accident. So, there goes my nearly ever present hot chocolate. (Well, it’s mostly a winter thing I’m looking forward to.)

However, with all the problems the video does show people are getting a kick out of the Oculus Rift. I continue to think it will be wildly popular.

In this next video the guy is playing Skyrim. The video is long. The interesting thing is the guy is using the keyboard and I think the mouse. But, he isn’t having to peek out from under the Rift. He has learned to control these things by touch, which is how we are supposed to type. The guy is funny. He fights dragons in the last half of the video. The eye/hand control seems to work well enough.

So, using the Rift might break me of the habit of looking down at the keyboard while I type. But, think the video makes it obvious that we’re not going to have to look at the keyboard or the mouse to be able to use them. The guy in the video is obviously making good use of them both. Looks like it’ll just be a matter of learning to use the Rift, the keyboard, and mouse together. Humans are amazingly adaptable.

I see there are lots of problems. The manufactures and game makers are going to solve as many of the problems as they can think of. But, once the rift is out and people are playing games and using it, they are going to find lots of unique solutions. That should be interesting.