A New Venue Two Hours Each Day During #HIMSS18: Social Virtual Reality!

[Looking for the event links? https://wareflo.com/himssvr/]

Whether you are in Las Vegas at #HIMSS18, or experiencing extreme FOMO elsewhere, you can hang out in social virtual reality with other virtually-present attendees, in a very cool meeting space, on a hill in a very cool park. In that meeting space (over my left shoulder) you can watch live video feeds from HIMSSTV. If you need a break from scintillating conversation with other aficionados, wander around outside, listening to the chirping birds and the gurgling brook.

This post is mostly about mechanics of joining us in virtual reality during HIMSS18 (when and how). If you want to more about why, I’ve written a backgrounder: Shared Social Virtual Reality Networking for Health IT.

Pre-#himssVR workflow:

  • Sign up for AltspaceVR
  • Download the free PC or Mac “2D” clients
  • Visit the 24/7 Campfire event to practice controlling your VR avatar (top of your screen, after you log in)
  • Check out upcoming featured events (the eclipse-watching party was awesome!) & perhaps indicate your interest (you’ll be notified when they are about to start)
  • If you have a compatible phone, buy a or GearVR headset.
  • Of course, if you already have an HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, or Microsoft Mixed Reality headset, very cool!
  • But remember, the free 2D-clients do not require a VR headset to participate!

Now go to the landing pages for each of the upcoming #HIMSS18 #himssVR social VR events and indicate your interest! You’ll be notified when each event is about to start, but easy-to-remember https://wareflo.com/himssvr will get you there too!

  • Monday, March 5, 3-5PM PST/6-8PM EST https://account.altvr.com/events/881267965868114242
  • Tuesday, March 6, 3-5PM PST/6-8PM EST https://account.altvr.com/events/881269045674901906
  • Wednesday, March 7, 3-5PM PST/6-8PM EST https://account.altvr.com/events/881270444273959398

Once you enter one of the #HIMSS18 V R events, here is a suggested workflow:

  • Look for me (the brunette in a blue shirt in the banner)
  • Move toward me (desktop arrow keys or mouse, zoom on tablet or smartphone, look and click in a VR headset)
  • Unmute yourself (look down & left, click the red mic symbol, swivel using right mouse button, see below for visual)
  • Say hi!
  • Click on me to pop up a dialogue box and friend me (or send a text message, if having tech problems).
  • As other VR avatars pop into existence, greet them too (ask them where they are from, etc: Mingle!)
  • Watch the meeting room screen… wander around outside (birds chirping, brooks burbling, leaves falling, so cool!)
  • Take a selfie (lower left, camera symbol) & post it to social media
  • Think about how cool this would all be if you had a virtual reality headset! (if you don’t already have a Vive, Rift, Mixed Reality, , or GearVR)

Here is a bit more orientation. This screen capture shows three useful things to understand.

First, I’m the skinny brunette guy in the blue shirt (VR is thinning!). Look for me! The reason you can see me is I am looking in a mirror at myself. Over my shoulder is the virtual reality meeting space. On the far wall, is a projection screen, currently showing the #HIMSS18 website. I can play videos on that screen. I’m hoping to stream some HIMSSTV live videos there. But the most important aspect to understand is the menu in the lower left. If you click in the center on the triangle thingy (AltspaceVR’s logo), you’ll pop up an other menu with lots of options, the most important of which is “Exit” (extreme upper right). When you first pop into existence in virtual reality, your microphone is muted. Click (or look at and tap) the topmost microphone symbol to unmute. Headphones are suggested! Then move toward me (or some other avatar) to say hi. Closer you are, the louder the possible conversation. Next, look at the laughing emoji the lower right. Click that and you can cause other folks to see emojis over your head: smileys, frownies, hearts (you like what you are hearing/seeing), as well as hands (as in, raising your hand to ask a question during a presentation). Finally, most important of all, on the left is a camera symbol, so you can capture selfies, or reverse the camera to take pictures.

I’m as excited about health IT networking in social virtual reality as I was when first discovered Twitter, 10 years ago. I am convinced that, in five to ten years, we will take for granted our ability to instantly teleport to all kinds of fantastical and practical environments, interact with many of the same folks on Twitter we currently follow and converse with now. I hope you’ll join me in the new social media Matrix!

PS Follow me, Chuck Webster, MD, on Twitter, at !

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