A New Era of VR: From the Court to the Classroom

17 snips

Oct 13, 2023

Guest

Anurupa Ganguly

Guest

Paul Katsen

Paul Katsen, Cofounder of Gym Class VR, discusses how their top-rated app merges social interaction with basketball in the metaverse. He highlights VR's potential to enhance connectivity and the role of AI in its evolution. Anurupa Ganguly, Founder of Prisms VR, dives into how VR can revolutionize math education, addressing the alarming statistic that 70% of US 8th graders struggle with foundational math. Together, they explore untapped opportunities in VR for both fitness and education, envisioning a future where immersive experiences are integral to daily life.

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INSIGHT

VR's Killer App: Social Interaction

Social interaction is the killer app for VR, offering more immersive and expressive experiences than video calls.
Unlike video calls, VR allows shared experiences with people worldwide, creating deeper connections.

ANECDOTE

Gym Class VR's Early Success

Gym Class VR, a top-rated Quest app, initially offered limited functionality.
Users returned for the social aspect, highlighting the importance of shared experiences in VR.

INSIGHT

VR/AR: The Future of Smartphones?

VR/AR headsets are expected to eventually replace smartphones by offering value across all aspects of life.
This will involve developing diverse use cases and experiences, transforming activities into immersive apps.

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As VR technology inches forward, completely new experiences loom on the horizon.

In today’s episode, we expose listeners to the very real-world use cases already present on these devices, from fitness to education.

First up is Gym Class VR, one of the top-rated apps on the Quest. Cofounder, Paul Katsen, shows us how to dribble and dunk in the metaverse, but more importantly, discusses the social impact of VR, the technological prerequisites to get there, and the role of AI as we progress.

Following on is a founder on a mission to revolutionize education. Anurupa Ganguly from Prisms VR, explores how virtual reality has the potential to close the gap – one where 70% of US 8th graders are not proficient in foundational math.

Head over to our YouTube channel to see two a16z Podcast firsts: a full interview in VR, and host Steph slam dunking on an NBA court.

Topics Covered:

00:00 - The current state of VR

03:38 - How do you build the #1 VR app?

05:56 - How will VR become an everyday activity?

07:37 - The social and the technical arc of VR

11:47 - Untapped opportunities in VR

13:24 - Integrating AI into VR

17:09 - Prisms VR

20:10 - Why it’s critical to fix America’s math problem

21:12 - Why put VR in classrooms now?

23:23 - The successes of VR in the classroom

26:03 - Stats from the impact report

27:44 - Other curriculums could benefit from VR

31:04 - Opportunities for AI in VR

Resources:

Find Paul on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pavtalk
Learn more about Gym Class: https://www.gymclassvr.com
Find Gym Class in Meta Quest: https://www.meta.com/experiences/3661420607275144/
Find Anurupa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anurupa-ganguly-92790379
Learn more about Prisms VR: https://www.prismsvr.com

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