I actually built something similar myself in December 2013 for iPhone, using just some cardboard and a couple of magnifiers I bought in a book shop the same day. It works surprisingly well, and I was really proud of myself.
... Afterwards I discovered Refugio, and I realized it wasn't a new idea at all. Now it is Google's idea.
[1] "Spun out of MxR’s VR2GO and HMD prototypes, the Oculus Rift is the single most anticipated piece of VR technology to date." http://projects.ict.usc.edu/mxr/diy/
In any case, not really fair if Google gets full credit for this.
If anybody is wondering about the 3D. I build a simple stereo-image OpenGL landscape app, and used the gyroscope of the iPhone 5 to determine view direction.
It is actually really simple, and the lag really isn't that bad.
The biggest problem is that you can't really do anything without a controller.
Yep I saw a German company selling these P2H (phone-to-headset as I like to call them) cases with some SDK as well.
This idea from google is not bad at all and has the added advantage of most likely better software support, however I would prefer the files for a CNC cutter so I could make one from wood or plastic that way it can be used more than once without the obvious wear and tear of cardboard.
No reason to assume they copied anything. Parallel near-simultaneous invention is getting more and more common. There are many people simultaneously inventing.
http://www.refugio3d.net
I actually built something similar myself in December 2013 for iPhone, using just some cardboard and a couple of magnifiers I bought in a book shop the same day. It works surprisingly well, and I was really proud of myself.
... Afterwards I discovered Refugio, and I realized it wasn't a new idea at all. Now it is Google's idea.