Beam me up: Mindgrub debuts virtual reality holodeck

Past the doubles ping-pong tournament and the rock-climbing wall, Mindgrub employees can take a break from their day and try out being a chef or relax under the sea as whales and fish float by.

All it takes is a headset, some handheld controllers and, yes, your imagination in Mindgrub’s new Star Trek-inspired “Holodeck.” The agency is touting the holodeck, short for Holographic Environment Simulator, as the first in Baltimore.

We're Proud to Debut the 1st #VirtualReality #Holodeck in Baltimore! #trekkies https://t.co/lOwThdL8HL by @mindgrub pic.twitter.com/ahJ66BSMIX

— Mindgrub (@mindgrub) June 1, 2016

This reporter slipped on the bulky headset and immersive headphones to try out a new reality and found herself in a chef’s kitchen preparing meals. The 360-degree experience makes you forget that you’re actually standing in a dark room instead of a colorful kitchen equipped with a floating computer barking orders at you to prepare food and clean up.
If calm ocean is more your thing than chaotic kitchen, the Mindgrub team easily flips a switch to transport users to an abandoned ship at the bottom of the sea. Schools of fish swim by and a whale floats past for a more passive experience compared to the activity-filled kitchen game.
Mindgrub’s Kelly Brown said virtual reality games and immersive experiences are great for company culture. The marketing manager for the agency said employees are welcome to take a break from their hectic day and relax in the holodeck.
But Brown added that developers also plan on using the VR setup as a learning tool. Mindgrub has already dabbled in virtual reality with a bike experience they demo’d at a fundraising event for the Ulman Cancer Fund.
Mindgrub says it’s hoping to dive more into virtual reality for gaming, healthcare and educational purposes.