5 questions about Oculus VR

What is it, and why did Facebook buy it ( not Google)?

Facebook’s $ 2 billion acquisition of Oculus has pushed the world of virtual reality into the spotlight. While a few players have emerged with devices that immerse users in virtual worlds, none has received as much adulation as Oculus. Here are five questions about the virtual reality company.

1. What is Oculus?

It’s a virtual reality company based in Irvine, Calif. The start- up was founded by 21- year- old Palmer Luckey, described as a “virtual reality enthusiast and hardware geek.” In 2012, the company used crowdfunding service Kickstarter to fund its first product, the

Oculus Rift.

2. How does the headset work?

The headset looks like a pair of goggles with a display attached. After strapping the device onto their heads, users see a display that delivers two parallel images to each eye, which helps create a stereoscopic 3- D effect.

The headset also boasts a wide field of view that extends beyond the user’s peripheral vision. This is important because when wearing Oculus, it doesn’t feel like you’re staring at a screen. Instead, it’s like Oculus just dropped you inside a virtual universe.

Using 360- degree head tracking, the headset monitors every movement in real time, projecting new views. Look up and you’ll see a view of the sky, or look down to view your feet. Users can even look behind them. In demos, the headset is paired with headphones for audio and a video game controller to walk or run.

3. When is it available to the public?

Developer kits are available now to users who want to create games or other applications for Oculus. The company says it plans on releasing the headset to consumers, but it has not set a release date.

4. Who are Oculus’ primary competitors?

There are very few major competitors in the virtual reality market. However, that’s likely to change. Tech giant Sony recently entered the market with the announcement of its experimental Project Morpheus VR headset. Also, Xbox One maker Microsoft has reportedly expressed interest in the VR field. Other headsets that have generated buzz include the Avegant Glyph, a virtual retinal display for watching HD video.

5. Why would Facebook want Oculus?

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s interest in Oculus goes beyond the VR company’s ability to bring video games to life. He sees it as the next big computing platform, applying it to fields such as education and communication.

Oculus board member Antonio Rodriguez, a general partner at VC firm Matrix Partners, says Oculus has been approached by interested parties from all fields, including medicine and space exploration.

“Mobile is the platform of today, and now we’re also getting ready for the platforms of tomorrow,” Zuckerberg said in a statement.

JEFF CHIU, AP Peter Mason tries the Oculus headset at the Game Developers Conference 2014 in San Francisco.