{"id":2119,"date":"2019-07-31T06:45:58","date_gmt":"2019-07-31T10:45:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/robodk.com\/blog\/?p=2119"},"modified":"2024-11-15T13:17:15","modified_gmt":"2024-11-15T18:17:15","slug":"virtual-reality-offline-programming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robodk.com\/blog\/virtual-reality-offline-programming\/","title":{"rendered":"Yes, Virtual Reality Now Works With Offline Programming"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We now support Virtual Reality! But, is VR really the future of industrial robotics or is it just a fun toy? Here’s an introduction to VR and OLP.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

In the latest release of RoboDK, we’ve introduced support for Virtual Reality (VR) headsets. For the very first time, this allows you to get “up close and personal” with your robot simulation when doing offline programming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The question you might be asking yourself is\u2026 Is VR “worth it” for me?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe you are in two minds about VR technology:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. You might think that VR is just a “fun toy.” A fleeting fad which will never become as popular as all the hype says it will. Surely, VR will just go the way of Google Glass a technology that supposedly <\/a>“died” in 2015<\/a>?\u2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. You might be enthusiastic and keen to use VR with offline programming. Maybe you’re already using VR. Maybe you’ve just heard about it and you want to get started as soon as possible.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Alternatively, you might just be unsure. Is VR really going to benefit your business? Let’s have a look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What is Virtual Reality?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Virtual Reality technology has been around for a surprisingly long time. It’s almost as old as robotics! The first VR headset that resembled the headsets we use today was actually invented in 1968.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Even so, VR is still quite a new concept for most people. You might have seen a demo at a trade fair or science museum but you probably don’t see VR in your day-to-day life\u2026 yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The technology has advanced a lot over the last decade. I remember trying out the first ever Oculus Rift developer kit<\/a> back in 2012, which my research colleague had ordered for a project. The experience was a bit clunky but it was the first time that I could imagine the future of home VR. The systems I’d tried before required a whole roomful of tracking technology. This just needed a headset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Oculus is one of the headsets that we now support in RoboDK. The technology is now much more advanced than it was when I tried it 7 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Industrial VR<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Most of the advertising for VR is currently targeted at the games market. However, you’d be wrong to think that the technology is only good for playing games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Industrial VR has been making waves in various industries for a few years now and the benefits are perhaps even more important than in consumer applications. It involves using the same VR headsets but applying them to industrial tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/a>Common examples of industrial applications include<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n