LENS lets you explore urban public spaces through 360° recordings. A VR headset provides the most immersive experience; if you do not have one, you can still look around the spaces on your phone or computer.
The recordings are hosted on YouTube, making the archive accessible across phones, computers and VR headsets. Phones and computers let you explore without VR equipment. A phone viewer offers an affordable introduction to immersive viewing, while a standalone headset provides the best experience.
Open the recording in the YouTube app and move your phone to look around, as you would when framing a photograph, or swipe to turn the view. This is a convenient way to explore wherever you are.
Open the recording on YouTube and click and drag to look around. The larger display is useful for examining details and taking notes. You can also share the screen in class without needing VR equipment.
A Cardboard-compatible phone viewer uses your phone’s screen and motion sensors to offer an affordable alternative to a standalone headset. “Cardboard” describes the viewer type; choose a padded, adjustable model rather than one made of actual cardboard. Place your phone inside and select Cardboard mode in YouTube. Note that as of October 2026, this mode is available on Android only.
Consider a VR headset to feel as though you are actually in the space. The surrounding view responds to your head movements, helping you judge its scale in relation to your body. Open the recording in the native YouTube app, for example on Meta Quest 3.
For the best experience, I recommend a recent standalone headset with native YouTube support, such as Meta Quest 3.
A standalone headset is designed as a complete optical system: the displays, lens shape and placement, and software correction work together. Lens-to-eye distance affects how much of the image you can see, while lens spacing should match the distance between your pupils. Adjusting these helps keep your eyes in the position where the image is clear and the field of view is fully visible. A basic Cardboard viewer offers fewer adjustments, and its results depend on the phone’s screen size and how it sits behind the lenses.
For example, Quest 3 combines pancake lenses, adjustable lens spacing and eye relief, a 110° horizontal field of view, and 2064 × 2208 pixels per eye. The broad area of clarity lets you look across the scene with your eyes, with less need to turn your head to keep details in focus. Dedicated tracking and display refresh rates up to 120 Hz also help the view respond smoothly as you turn. Together, these make it easier to spend time observing spatial relationships. The recording’s resolution and frame rate still limit the video quality.
Headset specifications →Check supported YouTube VR devices →Follow these steps on a headset with YouTube VR support. Menu names and paste controls may vary between devices.
For a class discussion, cast the Quest view to a computer and connect that computer to the classroom display or projector. Casting is a Quest system feature.
Try the recording and casting setup before class. The headset and computer must be able to communicate over the network; if the connection fails on campus Wi-Fi, ask IT whether device-to-device connections are allowed.
Meta Quest casting tutorial →