McDonald's has just announced its Follow our Foodsteps tour of the UK, a program that invites people to come and try out a series of virtual reality and immersive experiences geared around food production and supply.
There are four main experiences for people to try out, however the two coolest are based on the recently released Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR virtual reality headsets.
The 'Top of the Crop' virtual reality challenge sees users put on an Oculus Rift VR headset and take control of a tractor during a potato harvest. Speed and accuracy of harvesting is measured, as well as the final quality of the harvested yield. As for the Gear VR experience, this is a series of immersive videos that take wearers into an organic dairy farm in South West England, a free-range egg producer in Cumbria, and a McDonald's food production facility.
The key to all the experiences is immersing people in the food production process and to, hopefully, enthuse younger people to get more involved in farming and agriculture. Speaking on the need for more people to become involved in the food supply chain in the UK, Environment Secretary, Elizabeth Truss said that:
“With 3.8 million people employed in the food chain it is vital for our economic future that we make British food and farming all it can be. By embracing the latest technology we will foster the next generation of entrepreneurs.”
TheFollow our Foodstepsexperience will be making the following stops on its UK tour:
- Balmoral Show, Northern Ireland, 11th-13thMay
- Royal Bath & West Show, 1st-4thJune
- Royal Highland Show, 23rd-26thJune
- Kent County Show, 8th-10thJuly
- Royal Welsh Show, 18th-21stJuly
- World Skills Show, Birmingham, 17th-19thNovember
- London Skills Show, 9th-10thDecember
