SPACE is the first Virtual Reality computer environment, which enables you to work with your own virtual workspace without any need for large multiple monitors. It is possible to cut, paste and share content including the ability to stream videos. You have to make use of Virtual Reality (VR) headsets such as Oculus Rift and HTC Vive to navigate between each separate windows.
With SPACE, you will be able to see as many as six large-size displays stacked around the VR headset with wide range of content such as web pages, videos, native Windows apps, 3D models in addition to the capability to move windows as per your preference. SPACE beta is now available for Windows 10, 8.1, 8 and 7
In an exclusive interview with NetAns, Xiao Jia, CEO and creator of SPACE shared with us additional information about the only one VR based desktop management tool.
Can you share with us the necessity of software products like Space?
For a software engineer like myself, I need at least two monitors for daily work, e.g. one for opening a web browser with lots of tabs, another for editing all kinds of program files. Finding a desired window and switching between windows waste a lot of time. That waste happens because the screen space is limited. With SPACE we can utilize the full field of view, and also enable some new interaction designs.
I’ve also worked as a software engineer at a financial company, and financial traders use lots of monitors as well. I know there are many groups of people need this kind of thing.
Please share with us the purpose of Space app?
The ultimate goal of SPACE is to allow one to use his/her computer in VR. Without the constraints of physical monitors, and with the immersive experience enabled by stereoscopic vision, there are a whole lot of things that could be done now but was impossible before.
Is it possible to work with Space VR app in Windows XP and Windows 7/8/8.1?
SPACE is available on Windows 7/8/8.1/10. It is not available on XP because VR headsets do not support that.
Can you reveal the kind of technologies used to develop Space?
We developed SPACE from scratch without many dependencies. In particular, we did not use any game engines (e.g. Unity) but built our own. The web browser in the beta version is based on Chromium.
Can you share with us the various scenarios under which we can make use of SPACE Virtual Reality App?
The possibility is unlimited. Basically you can customize it to your preference and it should fit well with any use case related to multi-tasking. I talk about a few use cases frequently: (1) software development or operations, (2) financial trading, and (3) surveillance.
What are the primary requirements of SPACE Virtual Reality App?
SPACE requires a PC and a VR headset (either HTC Vive or Oculus Rift). User also needs a keyboard and a mouse to interact with it.
We saw that you are planning to release a commercial version? Will it contain more features than free edition?
I would say there are two editions, SPACE beta (the one we are releasing now), and SPACE (after it goes out of the beta stage). SPACE beta is free. We will sell licenses for commercial use of SPACE. For non-commercial uses, we plan to keep the cost very low, or even free.
Will there be any loss of clarity if I work inside Space app?
It works well for me. But the text may appear less crisp than on a physical monitor, due to the limitation of VR headsets today. It should improve pretty soon.
Is it necessary to make use of VR headsets to work with Space app?
Yes, SPACE requires a VR headset. Otherwise it has no way to show the virtual environment. SPACE is only software. It needs some hardware.
Do you have any plan to release Space VR app in Android and Windows Phone platforms?
No. We are targeting the PC market because people still have to get work done on their PCs.
