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A techno wiz determined to bring the great outdoors inside for those who can’t venture further than their living rooms for health reasons, is creating virtual tours of picturesque Jersey scenes.
Moved by the story of an elderly woman who missed her daily walks in Howard Davis Park, Rory Steel created a 360-degree tour of the park so that islanders can visit their favourite spots from the comfort of their homes.
As well as the video, Rory is offering newly cleaned Virtual Reality headsets so those in isolation can be fully immersed in the experience.
Speaking to Express about his idea, Rory said he came up with the virtual tours after seeing Deputy Kevin Pamplin tweeting about a constituent who missed her walks in the park. The tours allow those unable to get outside during the covid-19 quarantine to get a glimpse of the great outdoors whilst following the current public health advice.
“I'm going to use my exercise time to expand on the walks and hopefully give those that don't have the ability to roam outside the freedom to do so virtually. You don't need a posh VR device - although you can buy them for about 6 pounds - you can simply log straight into YouTube and choose to look where you want on any mobile device or computer.”
Pictured: Rory's 360-degree tour of Howard Davis Park (YouTube/MrSteel).
It’s not the first time that Rory has used his tech know-how to make the world more accessible. Recently, he adapted a Nintendo Switch controller to make it easier for his daughter, Ava, who has a genetic disorder, to play her favourite game – an invention which went viral and caught the attention of major players in the tech and gaming industries.
Howard Davis Park was the test-run, but Rory wants to create virtual tours of other places too and is inviting requests from islanders.
“If you know someone that has a particular favourite place to spend some time let me know no and I'll do my best to get there.”
Rory added that he might even dip his toes in a bit of ocean exploration, saying: “Depending on the elements I might even brave the water or a stand-up paddle board experience!”
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