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How Samsung's VR headset convinced John Carmack to join Oculus VR
John Carmack's name isn't synonymous with virtual reality just yet. He's still "the guy who led programming on Doom and Wolfenstein" to most folks; the co-founder of acclaimed development studio id Software. And that's exactly why it was such a big deal when he suddenly left id Software last year to join Oculus VR as chief technical officer. Though Palmer Luckey and co. helped sway him with their own Rift headset, Carmack was eventually sold on the gig by Samsung's mobile VR concept: Gear VR. "That was really the prime thing that motivated me to decide: No, I'm gonna devote 100 percent of my attention and focus to Oculus," he told Engadget in an interview this week.
Researchers turn to VR to treat phantom limb pain
Researchers at the University of Manchester are turning to virtual reality once again, not to have another go 'round at proving whether telepathy is real or not, but to help individuals with amputated limbs recover from so-called "phantom limb pain," a sensation wherein amputees appear to feel pain in their lost limb. The treatment involves patients donning the requisite headgear and data gloves, allowing them to explore a virtual world with their missing limb restored. Patients then perform various tasks that trick the brain into thinking it can control the missing limb, something earlier studies suggested would help alleviate the often unbearable pain. While the study is definitely on the small side -- just five patients -- the researchers seem to be quite enthused with their findings, reporting that four of the subjects achieved significant reductions in pain, in one case after just a single session. Cause for further study, no doubt; let's just hope our British friends don't completely give up on their more esoteric endeavors.
