I Found A Planet - Chapter 356

Chapter 356

Chapter 356: Virtual Technology

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Within a few years, Xing Hai Technologies was going full throttle into the deserts . They had slowed down their investments and explorations in other scientific fields .

In fact, due to the rapid development of science and technology, the GDP growth rate of the Z nation had been above 8% for five consecutive years .

Many new industries had sprung up and numerous vents had erupted . Amongst the industries were “indoor stereoscopic agriculture”, “new energy”, “quantum computer”, “artificial intelligence and robots” and “virtual reality” . Amid these vents, Xing Hai Technologies only invested meager amounts in “indoor stereoscopic agriculture”, having decent technical capabilities in the field and occupying less than 5% of the industry’s total market shares .

They showed absolutely no interest in “virtual reality” and completely ignored any opportunities it may have presented .

“Virtual reality” was no longer considered a new industry but it had welcomed its second spring in the past couple of years .

Currently, VR games occupied 60% of the gaming market . VR social, VR education, VR shopping, VR streaming, VR concerts and various other VR applications sprouted like mushrooms after the rain . Its global market scale had exceeded a whopping one trillion dollars . In the future, the industry had hopes of breaking through three trillion dollars barrier or even making more than five trillion dollars . Many capitalists were increasing their investments in this industry .

In fact, the outbreak of the “VR industries” had certain conjunctions with Xing Hai Technologies .

Firstly, graphene chips had become widely used . Their performances were several or even dozens of times higher than that of traditional silicon chips, with their smaller volume and lower power consumption . They satisfied the requirements of running VR applications as the chips were able to provide the hardware basis .

Secondly, one of Xing Hai Technologies’s research centers had made a breakthrough in holographic projection technology . The size of the device could even be reduced to fit into a helmet . The image generated attained 8K HD standard and had totally knocked out the concept of frame rates . The reason was that there was no frame rate in holographic projection, or in other words, it had infinite frames per second . The imagery perceived was consistent with reality . This solved the problem where people were prone to dizziness after putting on a VR helmet .

Added to the completeness of other sensor technologies, the several obvious defects of VR devices had been entirely solved . Hence, the industry welcomed its second wave of popularity .

But Xing Hai Technologies had no interest in this field . The investment that Xing Hai Technologies placed in the field was almost zero . This had attracted the attention of many critics and professional netizens within the local technology circle .

“Strange! Xing Hai Technologies has absolutely no interest in doing investing in VR and has completely shut themselves out this vent . ”

“Currently, high spec VR devices can be sold at more than 50,000 dollars on the market . Even the low spec ones are tagged at 10 thousand dollars and above . Even so, supply is still overwhelmed by demand . Global shipments have exceeded 10 million units in 20X7 . This year, shipments should be able to exceed 15 million units . Everyone is desperately trying to profit from VR and Xing Hai Technologies is actually indifferent towards it . ”

“Have they gotten the large-scale enterprise defect? Have they become conservative and lost the motivation to move forward?”

“I don’t get what are they thinking either . I’ve left a post on Chen Jin’s Weibo calling for him to get into VR . I’m a hardcore Xing fan and am already used to Xing Hai Technologies’s products . I always feel that Xing Hai Technologies provide the best product experience and make products of the highest quality . If Xing Hai Technologies does VR equipment as well, I believe that theirs will be the best among all . ”

“True, an industry without Xing Hai Technologies feels a little immature and incomplete . ”

“But the tycoon is all in environmental protection now . He didn’t even look at the trillion-dollar VR industry which will potentially bring him hundreds of billions of revenues every year . ”

“Uhm, things aren’t necessarily as they seem . . I feel that Xing Hai Technologies might be holding on to something big . They might be in the process of inventing something even more advanced than the VR helmet . This is a future industry that could possibly eliminate the PC . It is impossible that Xing Hai Technologies would stay out of this,” some netizens analyzed .

…

Some netizens had really hit the mark .

A big move .

Xing Hai Technologies was indeed preparing to make a big move .

August of 20X8 .

At Xing Hai sixth R & D Center, Chen Jin himself and some of the company’s executives came to have a look at one of their new products .

In the product test room, they got to witness the brand-new product by the name of “Fantasy 1st Gen . ” The product consisted of a helmet with a whole lot of induction wires sticking on it, a metal chair and a capsule-shaped experience cabin .

Liu Yuankai, who was responsible for the development of this system, explained it to Chen Jin and others:

“Mr . Chen, Mr . Ling, everyone, the development of this device has taken us six long years!”

He picked up the helmet full of wires and sighed . “Such a device can simulate 40% pain, 55% touch, 14% smell, and 10% taste . It can use brain waves and eye movements to manipulate characters in the virtual world to perform permitted arbitrary actions . ”

“Adding up with the 99% visual and 96% hearing simulation, the comprehensive simulation of this virtual helmet should be at 50% . ”

“Its simulations are nowhere close to reality, but compared to other VR products on the market, it is definitely an era-defining leap . Before the Fantasy 1st Gen, those other products will have nothing that can compete . ”

“Once the Fantasy 1st Gen is released, I believe that it will set off a storm and sweep all existing VR products into the trashcan of history . “This is the real future . ”

As he spoke, Liu Yuankai felt that he had become fortune’s tool . He was not a programmer . He couldn’t even type a line of the so-called programming codes . He was a pure amateur in the programming field . However, the “Virtual Helmet” project had still been handed over to him . Xing Hai Technologies’s Ling Jundong had approached him numerous times and headhunted him, offering him a superb welfare package .

It wasn’t because he had some halo on him, but because he was the world’s top expert in human brain research .

In the project team, there were more human brain research experts like him than programmers . Moreover, the programmers had to obey their scheduling in entirety, seemingly only playing the role of a handyman .

The “Virtual Helmet” was all about the human brain . The human brain was extremely complicated and mystifying . Only human brain experts had some slight understanding of the connotations of brain waves and were able to decipher some of the brain’s mysteries . Hence, their knowledge was essential in developing a functional virtual helmet .

If this kind of work was left to the programmers or hardware engineers, they would find themselves at a loss right away . Therefore, in a strict sense, the “virtual helmet” was a product of human brain biology, not a simple digital product .

It was conceivable that, compared to a VR product that did not provide sensations such as pain, touch, smell, and taste, this “virtual helmet” could literally be deemed as a magical object .

Moreover, one could experience the virtual world by manipulating their characters through their minds . One did not have to get their feet on the VR treadmill, hold operating handles in their hands, or perform any physical movements . It was self-evident that their new product would provide a better user experience and convenience .

“Speaking of which Old Liu, what is the production cost of the Fantasy 1st Gen?” Chen Jin asked .

“Uhm, about it costs about a hundred grand per unit . It uses a lot of high-purity rare earth metals to improve the detection sensitivity of brain waves . ”

“What if it were to be mass-produced? How much could it be reduced to?”

Liu Yuankai shook his head . “Not much . It would still cost above 70 or 80K . The number of rare earth metals in each helmet cannot be reduced . Otherwise, the simulation degree will drop below 50% and mind-controlling will become inaccurate…”

Ling Jundong frowned and said, “Not many people will be able to afford the cost if it is priced at 70 to 80k per unit . Could only the rich be entitled to our product?”

“Relax, there will be a way to reduce costs . ” Chen Jin was not at all worried . “In about five years, its cost can be reduced to around 30 thousand and in 10 years, it will cost even less than ten thousand dollars . ”

Everyone looked at him with doubts on their faces .

The reserves of rare earth elements on earth were very small . Both the cost of mining and refining them was staggering . With rare earth elements being a must for virtual helmets, where did their boss’s confidence that the cost price would reduce to a third and even a tenth come from? Could there be some new material or new technology that could reduce the usage of rare earth elements?

Liu Yuankai still shook his head . The effectiveness of the rare earth elements was absolutely the best . No material could ever replace it .

Chen Jin, however, gave off a mysterious smile . He lifted his head slightly . His lifted his eyes to the ceiling of the room as his mind roamed into the profoundness of outer space .

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