The chipmaker's chief technology officer Mark Papermaster has been telling Design Automation Conference attendees that the PC and mobile tech eras are being followed by the adoption of head-mounted devices and virtual reality.  This is great news for AMD, which managed to miss out on mobile devices and Virtual Reality requires gear which is pretty much glorified PC stuff.

Papermaster said that such technology is expected to have a wide influence on several aspects of everyday life.

In addition to entertainment, gaming and training, virtual reality is being adopted by sectors such as education, health care and the media. The various potential uses provide technologists with plenty opportunity for future business, Papermaster said

“Immersive computing is that next inflection point. It is truly being woven into the fabric of our lives. The world is poised for an onslaught of great products.”

He said that but how much Immersive computing are we really seeing? In fact the first wave of expensive VR and AR machines are not in the shops yet and require a budget similar to that of the US defence budget to afford.  

Papermaster said several factors are at play to create a quality tech product: a clear goal, design-team culture, clarity of the plan, maniacal execution, and containing the scope of the project.

“The trick is not getting lost in the details and staying focused. I’ve seen culture derail many a product; I’ve seen culture derail many a company.”