Explorations within Google Cardboard

I ordered a Google Cardboard and received it in the mail today. So, naturally my first XR experience is with the on boarding and demos provided in the Google Cardboard app.

First Thoughts

So I ordered my Google Cardboard from Amazon, it came simply in a cardboard sleeve. There were no instructions, except for a simple diagram on the sleeve, showing the first Velcro to undo. I was scared I was about to rip the thing apart, I didn’t yet realize there was Velcro there. With that flap open, there’s then some more diagrams on the inside of the flap as to how to unfold the sides to flip over and Velcro the rest together.

At this point, with the thing all Velcroed together, I downloaded the Google Cardboard app for my iPhone. Upon set-up, you scan the QR code on the headset and successfully paired my Cardboard I/O 2015 viewer! Following the instructions on my phone, I put my device into the cardboard and immersed myself in the tutorial.

At this point, I’m in a mountain-lake-type scene with the tutorial menu floating around. The menus prompt me to press the side button to ‘next’.

Hold up — how does this button work?

Because this instruction was my first clue that there was even a button, I had to figure out how it worked, I wasn’t pressing any buttons on my phone, and it was only suction cupped to the cardboard, so how was it interacting? I took off the whole headset (I’d managed to figure out how to connect the elastic headband to the side Velcro pieces). Unvelcored the sides to look deeper, and realized, by pressing the side button (a little notch covered in fabric) that it is part of an arm of cardboard covered in that I assume in that filament fabric that mimics fingerprints so the screen recognizes it.

OK, so putting the headset back on and selecting ‘next’. Then I’m prompted to tilt my head to the side to go back. I tilt my head and go back to the main menu, where I have the option to select ‘explore’, ‘exhibit’, ‘urban hike’, ‘kaleidoscope’, or ‘arctic journey’.

Experiencing the App

I picked the Kaleidoscope. The scene starts out with the Google logo made up of little blocks. By pressing the side button that pieces explode into a kaleidoscope of pieces and color. Its pretty neat, rotating my head around to see all the pieces move. By pressing the side button again I lock the center of the kaleidoscope in place and I can look around at the ‘sides’ of the kaleidoscope.

Upon a quick exploration of the other options, the Explore option plops you down in the middle of various 360 degree images, like the American Museum of Natural History Expeditions Sample, or the Endeavor Space Shuttle Hangar. Exhibit brings you to an exhibition of 3D modeled art pieces by Rande Cook. The Urban Hike option brings you into Google Maps where you can tap though street view for various major cities throughout the world. Arctic journey is a little different, it opens to a menu, with a few different options to explore an arctic environment, you can fly, play, learn, create, and relax. I clicked learn, where I could click on different flora and fauna of this arctic environment.

Overview

The Google Cardboard app and headset are overall easy to use and understand and would be great for anyone looking to have a low cost and simple MR experience, particularly children or novices to XR. The app utilizes 3DOF or seated motion controls, all you need to do is tilt, nod, or shake your head. The only thing you need are a smartphone with access to the Google Play Store or the App Store and the Google Cardboard Headset. Granted I’m using the term headset loosely, it’s more of a holder for your phone, as your phone has all the technology.

edit: the apps within the Google Cardboard app do not utilize SLAM tracking