CardBoard VR-Set (Google Cardboard)

Оn June 25, 2014, during the Google I/O developer conference. Google released the template for making a VR headset named Google Cardboard. It was an Оpen-Source project to make VR accessible and affordable, and It is a one-day build that requires almost nothing to build provides a great deal of enjoyment.

You can find the original project website at the link below.

https://developers.google.com/cardboard

Most of the materials for this project are easy to find, chances are, you already have them lying around the house, in the garage, or even in the recycling bin. Here’s what you’ll need:

Materials:

1. Cardboard – A large piece, big enough to fit 3 sheets of A4 paper (for the template).
2. Belt – About 30 cm of an old backpack strap, a wide rubber band, or anything similar.
3. Bifocal lenses (x2) – This is the one item you’ll likely need to buy.
4. Smartphone – No special specs required; even an older model will work just fine.

Tools:

1. Scissors
2. Razor blade or craft knife
3. Double-sided adhesive tape
4. Paper glue

Google Cardboard turns your phone into a magic portal using a little trick called stereoscopy.

That’s a big word for a simple idea: show each eye a slightly different image, and your brain gets fooled, in the best way possible. It thinks you're seeing real 3D space, just like in the real world.

Cardboard splits your screen in two, showing a custom image for each eye. The lenses line everything up and zoom it in, so your brain stitches it all together like a puzzle. And boom, you’re not just looking at a screen anymore.

You’re standing inside a whole new world.

These twin images are designed to mimic the way your eyes naturally see, from slightly different angles. That’s how we see depth in the real world, and Cardboard just hacks that with science!

Your phone’s gyroscope and accelerometer are like little motion-sensing ninjas.

They track your head movements, left, right, up, down, and update the scene in real time.

So when you look around, the world looks back.

It’s not just a video, it’s a full-on virtual adventure that moves with you.

"The Process.." – My Approach (But Feel Free to Make It Yours)

I’ll walk you through the simple build process based on my own experience, but honestly, don’t feel locked into my method. Use your imagination, your tools, your materials, I even encourage you to put your own spin on it. After all, for most of us, it’s really about the process.

Start by taking a large piece of cardboard and cutting it down into three A4-sized pieces — these will match the pages of the printable template.

Next, download and print the template (linked below as Cardboard Printable PDF.pdf). Fix each of the three pages onto the prepared cardboard sheets.

Now, grab your scissors, razor blade, craft knife, whatever works for you, and cut out the shapes from the template. Once you're done cutting, remove the paper and clean up the edges if needed.

Carefully fold the pieces along the marked lines, making sharp, clean creases. Use paper glue or double-sided tape to hold everything together and form the main chassis.

The lens holder is made from a three-segment piece, place the lenses in the center segment, then fold the other two parts over to sandwich the lenses securely in place.

For the head mount, I used an old backpack strap with a buckle, but feel free to improvise. A wide rubber band or any kind of adjustable strap will do the job, as long as it holds the headset firmly on your head.

Here you are few tips and important parameters to be aware of:

Lens-to-Screen Distance: This is critical for achieving the right focus and magnification. The lenses should be placed about 45mm (forty-five millimeters) from the phone screen. This distance works well with the focal length of most lenses used in VR headsets.

Lens Spacing: The lenses should be positioned to align with the average human interpapillary distance (IPD), which is around 63 (sixty-three millimeters) apart. This ensures each eye sees the correct portion of the screen.

Phone Slot Dimensions: The slot for the phone should fit most smartphones, ideally up to six inches in screen size, with enough space to hold the phone securely.

Viewing Window: The opening where the lenses align with the screen should cover the width of the phone's display to provide an immersive field of view.

Headset Depth: Ensure the material extends far enough to block external light, maintaining a snug fit against the face for a better VR experience.

You are free to tinker, experiment, add or remove something and adopt it for your needs

When everything is done, go to AppStore, find and download some apps and games and enjoy!

Google Cardboard has a variety of fun applications and games.

For Exploration, Google Earth VR lets you fly around the globe, and Titans of Space offers a guided tour of our solar system. For Gaming, VR Roller Coaster gives you an intense virtual ride, and Hidden Temple VR offers an Indiana Jones style puzzle adventure. For Storytelling, Within features immersive VR Films, and NYT VR brings powerful journalism to life and much more fun and educational content.