"Since the current situation is temporarily keeping the public away from cultural venues, it is up to culture to reach out to the public." These are the words with which the team at the Phi Centre in Montreal presents a proposal available since early May, PHI VR TO GO . The principle? Make a selection of films and documentaries in virtual reality available to everyone by providing an easy-to-use Oculus Go headset, rented for 48 hours. 75 headsets allow a wide audience to discover around ten works selected by the Centre's teams. These are delivered to your home by bike or electric car.
Source: Phi Center of Montreal
" And it works like a charm! " says Myriam Achard, head of programming and public relations at the Centre. "The operation was announced on a Thursday morning at 9am, an hour later the reservations were full for the following 10 days! And it's still the case 3 weeks later!"
The success is such that this offer will continue when the Phi Centre can reopen to the public. Myriam plans to develop this system in other cities in Canada, and even other countries.
Camille Lopato and the Diversion teams are also thinking about what comes next: when immersive experience venues will be able to welcome the public again. Will users agree to wear a headset that was used a few minutes earlier? How can they adapt to this possible concern about compliance with health standards.
Even though they have always been very concerned bitcoin data about hygiene issues and have always done what is necessary to ensure that each person has access to perfectly clean equipment, in this new context, it will be necessary to strengthen health measures by using the Clean Box , which allows VR headsets to be disinfected using UV rays.
“We are going to stage this disinfection device to reassure the public. Ultimately, this confinement has been conducive to reinvention. We have had time to think about solutions to be able to democratize these experiences,” she continues.
This is also the bet of more and more museums which offer – in addition to exhibitions – interactive and immersive experiences.
This is the case of the National Museum of Natural History, the first museum to have set up a permanent room, the Virtual Reality Cabinet of the Grande Galerie de l'Evolution . This space relies on virtual reality as an educational tool for scientific knowledge.