Oculus Rift is a 3D headset which makes you feel you are inside the computer game you’re playing. A gimmick, or sign of things to come? Giles Turnbull reports

OCULUS Rift does not, at first glance, look like an earth-shattering piece of technology. It’s a blocky black box you attach to your face with a thick strap, and there are wires hanging out of one side.

Despite its unconventional looks and strange name, Oculus Rift is a gadget that has turned the world of computer games upside down in the past year, and could have a huge effect on other technologies in the years to come.

Inside the Rift, there are two small screens, one for each of your eyes.

The images you see in them are designed to make you feel like you’re standing inside a virtual 3D space.

Unlike previous attempts to make 3D goggles, the Rift has a very wide field of view, and moves the images you see in real time as you tilt your head around. It’s uncannily realistic, and games players love it. Oculus will soon release version 2 of the headset too, which is (inevitably) slimmer and sleeker.

Now though, let’s look ahead a decade or so. The headset has become little larger than a pair of specs. The images are higher resolution, the computing power many times more powerful.

Technology like this could change more than just games. Video calls, online shopping and dating, even education and travel might all be things that could be changed beyond recognition with good 3D virtual reality.

It might mean a different sort of internet in future. An internet where you can take a virtual stroll through any museum or art gallery in the world, without having to bend over a computer screen at all.

SOFT MURMURINGS

IT’S a busy day at work and you need to concentrate on something tricky.

Or you’re home and you feel the need to chill out. You could do worse than try Gabriel Martin’s Soft Murmur website (asoftmurmur.com) which lets you create a mix of gentle ambient sounds.

You can choose from birdsong, waves, a crackling log fire, rain, and even the hubbub of people chatting.

A lovely little site for people with busy brains.

WRAP YOUR DATA

IF you make a lot of charts and graphs at work or in school, it might be worth taking a look at Datawrapper (datawrapper.de). It’s a free online tool that takes raw data (perhaps from a spreadsheet) and converts it into a beautifully designed chart that you can embed into any other webpage with a couple of clicks.

Signing up for a basic account is free. Real data professionals can pay for a pro version if they like, but the free one will be plenty for most people.

CARDBOARD BLOCKBUSTER

WHEN Lily and Leon Mackie moved house with new baby Orson, they found themselves with lots of cardboard boxes.

Instead of throwing them out, they’ve turned them into cardboard film sets and taken a series of ingenious photos that re-create famous movie moments – with Orson usually in the starring role. Every photo is hilarious and the clever couple are posting them once a week on cardboardboxoffice.

com. A must-bookmark.