In 1992 I saw The Lawnmower Man, just like every other sci-fi geek. It was the first major movie that I can remember that introduced Virtual Reality to the masses in a way that made sense. You could understand how it worked. The movie focused on gaming, but immersive experiences were also obvious. I was enthralled. And during an Operations Management class at Bentley that year, I formulated the first version of TheMissionZone.

2016 has been declared to be the year that computing power has finally caught up with the vision. Occulus Rift, Samsung Gear, HTC Vive and other manufacturers have rolled out their first versions of headsets that will enable people to experience the vision for the first time. Augmented Reality, best portrayed by Microsoft’s Hololens, looks to be an equally impressive experience. I am excited for the day when these technologies are real and available and part of the human experience for interacting with the world.

However, these are but one component for a new interface with the world. And these reflect the notion that stationary entertainment is most scalable because a PC and some IO device can be easily placed inside the home or with the person. We at TheMissionZone believe this can be taken one step further. A programmed immersive experience should include the physical world.

Along with advancements in computing power that can render these virtual images; sensors, controllers and connectivity allows a system to interact with the real world that was not possible in 1992. Which is why the movie had to create those ‘hover chairs’ as a means to convey the idea of physical movement of the body.

We think this has the potential to vastly expand in capability in the coming years Coupled with either VR or AR interactivity, we believe that TheMissionZone is the true future of immersive experiences.

Stay tuned for more.