Virtual-reality is set to explode in the coming months, with Sony, Razer, Oculus/Facebook and HTC all releasing high-end headsets that take VR to a new level. During Nvidia's GTC technology conference in Silicon Valley, we were given a hands-on demonstration of the HTC Vive in a variety of gaming and work situations. Over the course of an hour, we battled Imperial stormtroopers with a lightsaber, explored the International Space Station with NASA astronauts, scaled the summit of Mount Everest, and designed a bespoke BMW sports car. Early verdict? Virtual reality is legit.

Nvidia GTC is the place where GPU developers converge to experience the latest in graphics technology. The three-day event covers everything from self-driving cars and artificially intelligent robots to supercomputers used in deep learning. Here are the most innovate and awe-inspiring products from the showroom floor.

MSI has announced a new version of its 17-inch WT72 laptop specifically tailored for software developers working in virtual reality. Packing in an Nvidia Quadro M5500 8GB GPU, it can be used in conjunction with HTC Vive or Oculus Rift as a complete VR workstation solution for animation and design professionals. (We just want one to play Bullet Train on.)

The phrase "cognitive computing" is often bandied about when discussing artificial intelligence, data mining and deep machine learning. But what does it actually mean? During Nvidia's GTC technology conference, IBM Watson's chief technology officer Rob High gave a perfect distillation of this complex topic.

One of these images is a live HD video stream of a power drill in stasis. The other is a photo-realistic 3D model built in Nvidia Iray, a 3D renderer for design professionals. Can you tell which is which?