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The Oculus Guardian is a boundary system that shows users of the [[Oculus Rift]] the limits of the area they are being tracked in. When in use with the [[Oculus Touch]], it displays in-app wall and floor translucent markers as soon as users approach the boundaries they have defined (figure 1). The markers are displayed in a layer superimposed over the game or experience being rendered. This allows for the user to move around an area safely, avoiding accidents like walking into walls or furniture <ref name=”1”> Oculus. Oculus Guardian System. Retrieved from https://developer3.oculus.com/documentation/pcsdk/latest/concepts/dg-guardian-system/</ref> <ref name=”2”> Feltham, J. (2016). Oculus teases “Guardian” boundary system for Touch, arriving this week. Retrieved from http://uploadvr.com/oculus-guardian-boundary-system/</ref> <ref name=”3”> Oscillada, J. M. (20162017). Oculus introduces Guardian, a boundary system for Touch. Retrieved from http://virtualrealitytimes.com/20162017/0902/18/oculus-guardian-boundary-system/</ref>.
The VR boundary system was first announced by [[Oculus VR]] VP of Product Nate Mitchell, through a Twitter message, in September of 2016. It was launched during the same month with the SDK update 1.8. A possible early implementation of the boundary system was present during a showing of the Oculus Touch shooter Dead And Buried some months before <ref name=”2”></ref> <ref name=”4”> Lang, B. (2016). Oculus confirms “Guardian” virtual boundary system, coming in next SDK update. Retrieved from http://www.roadtovr.com/oculus-confirm-guardian-boundary-system-oculus-touch-sdk-1-8-update/</ref> <ref name=”5”> Carbotte, K. (2016). Roomscale Oculus Rift? “Guardian” boundary system, touch controllers indicate new capabilities. Retrieved from http://www.tomshardware.com/news/oculus-rift-guardian-boundary-system,32705.html</ref>. According to a journalist that experimented the game, “it was after a four player match of Dead & Buried; Palmer Luckey, the founder of Oculus, pulled me aside and asked if I had noticed anything peculiar about this particular build of the game. After saying I hadn’t, he urged me to put the headset back on and then walk to my left. After few steps I saw a horizontal floating line appear in front of me about stomach-height. As I traced it with my eyes to the left, I could see that it encompassed me entirely, appearing like a square with rounded corners.” <ref name=”4”></ref> He also stated that the boundary wasn’t just a line. Instead it appeared as a piece of barbed wire, fitting in the general western aesthetic of Dead And Buried, and suggesting that developers may have the ability to modify the style of the boundary system to fit with their games <ref name=”4”></ref>.
