Carmel: Difference between revisions - VR & AR Wiki - Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Wiki

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[[File:Carmel.jpg|thumb|Carmel being presented during Oculus Connect 3 (Image: uploadvr.com)]]

Carmel is a [[virtual reality]] (VR) web browser developed by [[Oculus VR]]. It was revealed in October 2016, during the company’s annual developer conference Oculus Connect 3. Since December, a Developer Preview version of Carmel is available in the Gallery Apps section for [[Gear VR]]. It is designed for developers looking to create VR experiences viewed through the browser using the [[WebVR]] API (an API that provides headsets access to web-based VR content). The Developer Preview contains several samples that showcase what can be done with VR on the web. It also contains documentation to aid the developers to make their own content. The company says that Carmel is “optimized for performance, designed for navigation and input in VR, and will be tightly integrated with Home and run on any Oculus device.” <ref name=”1”> Feltham, J. (2016). Oculus launches developer preview of its WebVR browser, ‘Carmel’, on Gear VR. Retrieved from https://uploadvr.com/carmel-launches-developer-preview-gear/</ref> <ref name=”2”> Hayden, S. (2016). Oculus to support WebVR through new VR browser codenamed ‘Carmel’. Retrieved from http://www.roadtovr.com/oculus-support-webvr-new-vr-browser-codenamed-carmel/</ref> <ref name=”3”> Ivoylova, A. (2016). Oculus Carmel Developer Preview browser has appeared in the Gear VR store. Retrieved from http://en.holographica.space/news/oculus-carmel-developer-preview-browser-appeared-gear-vr-store-6663</ref>.

==General Information==

[[Carmel]] is a [[virtual reality]] (VR) [[web browser]] developed by [[Oculus VR]]. It was revealed in October 2016, during the company’s annual developer conference Oculus Connect 3. Since December, a Developer Preview version of Carmel is available in the Gallery Apps section for [[Gear VR]]. It is designed for developers looking to create VR experiences viewed through the browser using the [[WebVR]] API (an API that provides headsets access to web-based VR content). The Developer Preview contains several samples that showcase what can be done with VR on the web. It also contains documentation to aid the developers to make their own content. The company says that Carmel is “optimized for performance, designed for navigation and input in VR, and will be tightly integrated with Home and run on any Oculus device.” <ref name=”1”> Feltham, J. (2016). Oculus launches developer preview of its WebVR browser, ‘Carmel’, on Gear VR. Retrieved from https://uploadvr.com/carmel-launches-developer-preview-gear/</ref> <ref name=”2”> Hayden, S. (2016). Oculus to support WebVR through new VR browser codenamed ‘Carmel’. Retrieved from http://www.roadtovr.com/oculus-support-webvr-new-vr-browser-codenamed-carmel/</ref> <ref name=”3”> Ivoylova, A. (2016). Oculus Carmel Developer Preview browser has appeared in the Gear VR store. Retrieved from http://en.holographica.space/news/oculus-carmel-developer-preview-browser-appeared-gear-vr-store-6663</ref>.

When it came out, the VR browser was still in an early stage of development, not even having an address bar. Currently, the focus is mainly on the possibilities of VR web browsing, but the plan is for Carmel to allow access to both traditional 2D content and VR experiences through the web. There is also available the Carmel Starter Kit, for download or viewable online (provided the user has a compatible browser). Its goal is to teach developers how to get their content running inside a headset, how to utilize the Gear VR’s touchpad on the web, how to navigate HTML5 in VR, and display 360-degree content on a web page. Oculus’ dedicated [[WebVR]] page has examples of what is possible to do with the API. Carmel is based on a version of [[WebVR]] that the major browser vendors believe can reach general availability in 2017. Oculus VR is working alongside their partners at [[Google]], Microsoft, and Mozilla to deliver VR browsing, a key milestone for the Web <ref name=”1”></ref>.

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With Carmel, Oculus improves one of its platform´s disadvantages: the inability of its users to go online through the brand’s app. The browser will have support for Oculus Rift in the future <ref name=”3”></ref>. Oculus has also announced React VR, which is a VR-focused version of the React open source javascript library created by Facebook. Its goal is to help developers build VR web content <ref name=”2”></ref> <ref name=”4”></ref>.

==VR Web and next steps for Carmel==

Carmel is Oculus first product designed to bring web content to mainstream VR devices. The VR Web is a platform of APIs and technologies that permit the creation of VR experiences for the web. The content can include immersive 3D scenes and enhanced 2D web experiences running on VR. The 3D scenes are built with the WebGL and WebVR APIs. This brings what is possible in today’s desktop and mobile browsers to VR. Naturally, VR Web experiences will look best using a headset, but they can be downgraded to run on a WebGL-enabed device, such as a mobile phone or a desktop browser. The next milestone for Carmel is a browser capable of navigating not only VR content but also existing 2D content <ref> Rogers, J. and Antonov, M. (2016). Carmel Developer Preview launches today. Retrieved from https://developer.oculus.com/blog/carmel-developer-preview-launches-today</ref>.

==References==

[[Category:Software]] [[Category:Oculus Rift]] [[Category:Web Browsers]]