Google Cardboard Is Virtual Reality On A Budget

A smartphone, a corrugated box, and an immersive experience

By Popular Science Staff

Posted on Dec 4, 2014 11:15 PM EST

Cardboard doesn't usually top the list of materials associated with tech giants, but this ultra-cheap virtual reality system should open new consumer frontiers for the technology. Jonathon Kambouris

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Instead of building a headset from scratch, Google created Cardboard, a complete virtual reality (VR) experience made from $25 worth of parts (a corrugated box, plastic lenses, rubber bands, glue, and magnets). A smartphone fits into the front of the box to serve as both the screen and the brains of the headset.

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