One of the more suggested uses for both virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) was scanning furniture from stores and using it to visualise what rooms and areas would look like without using any resources, and that’s exactly what Wayfair Inc. has done with Wayfair Patio Playground.
This application allows users to select various chairs, tables, and general décor, either by hand or by drone, as pictured below. By accessing furniture that features in the Wayfair store’s real catalogue, users can place it where they fancy on a lakeside scene. Essentially, this is the best part of Sims, but with real items in VR.
“Patio Playground provides users with a new way to find design inspiration,” said Steve Conine, Co-Chairman and Co-Founder of Wayfair, in a press release. “Virtual reality is a truly transformative discovery platform, and we are excited to harness this technology as we continue to deliver an exceptional shopping experience.”
Conine explains why and how they were able to convert the store’s furniture into VR figures: “At Wayfair, we’re continuously looking for new ways to enhance the online retail experience through technological innovation.
“By combining our advanced first-party 3-D scanning and visualization capabilities with Facebook’s virtual reality headset, the Wayfair Next team has created an interactive and entertaining way for customers to get inspired and browse items for their home.”
Wayfair Patio Playground is currently available on the Oculus Store for free, and it is compatible with the Oculus Rift. The experience can be viewed below in its own trailer.
For more on the latest interior and exterior design VR applications, as well as all the news, updates, and features in the world of VR, make sure to check back with VRFocus.