The Silicon Valley Restaurant Betting Big on Virtual Reality Dining
... Later this month, iChina will debut its extravagant virtual reality room, the VR Realm. The experience consists of a full-fledged sensory immersion and a tasting menu that comes with a hefty price tag: a minimum of $4,500 for 10 people. Though the concept may sound gimmicky, iChina is stepping into a domain that remains largely unexplored. The restaurant is one of the first in the U.S. with a virtual reality room; there are only a few other restaurant VR experiences scattered around the world, at upscale restaurants in Shanghai, Serpong in Indonesia, and Ibiza. ...
Given the steep price, the VR room is clearly not intended for everyone. So, who is it for? According to Lam, they’ve been receiving ongoing inquiries since last year, mostly from upscale corporate clients. As iChina begins booking reservations, the team has been creating additional scenes, some of which can even include corporate logos. ...
See the full story here: https://sf.eater.com/2022/2/16/22936200/virtual-reality-restaurant-san-jose-ichina
The Metaverse Manifesto
Metaverse Code of Ethics
“Ethics and Science need to shake hands” Richard Cabot, Physician & Teacher
- Transparency makes everything better.
2. It all starts with Trust
3. One World, One Metaverse
4. Inclusion is everything
5. Avatars are Real People
6. Ponzi Schemes Should be Highly Discouraged
7. Ethics & Values Are up to All of Us.
See the full story here: https://alan-smithson.medium.com/the-metaverse-manifesto-2206d893a3bb
New Virtual Reality technology to repair hearts
The technology, which has been developed by researchers at Evelina London Children’s Hospital and King’s College London, brings together scans that are routinely used to plan congenital heart disease surgery to create a three-dimensional, beating digital double of the heart.
The researchers hope that using VR to plan and practice procedures will shorten operating times and reduce the need for multiple surgeries, leading to better outcomes and experiences for patients and their families. They hope that it could be in regular use within the next two years.
Trials of an early version of the technology, which used only echocardiograms (ultrasound scans of the heart) to create the VR heart, found that surgeons preferred it for understanding the anatomy of their patient’s hearts. They also reported that it increased their confidence and improved their decision making.
See the full story here: https://www.bhf.org.uk/what-we-do/news-from-the-bhf/news-archive/2022/february/new-virtual-reality-technology-to-repair-hearts
8th Wall and Ready Player Me partner to bring custom, interactive avatars into web-based Augmented Reality experiences
8th Wall, a provider of a web-based augmented reality (WebAR) development platform, and Ready Player Me, a cross-app avatar platform for the metaverse, have today announced an official integration which equips developers with all the tools they need to create immersive browser-based experiences with custom, interactive avatars. Projects that make use of this integration will allow users to bring their avatars into web-based 3D, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) experiences, which can be engaged with on smartphones, computers and AR and VR headsets. ...
8th Wall’s Engine allows creators to build WebAR projects once and deploy everywhere – something that the company refers to as ‘Metaversal Deployment’. As a result, World Effects can be experienced as AR on smartphones and smart glasses, 3D on computers, and VR on head-mounted displays. ...
See the full story here: https://www.auganix.org/8th-wall-and-ready-player-me-partner-to-bring-custom-interactive-avatars-into-web-based-augmented-reality-experiences/
Virtual influencers rush into entertainment scene
Virtual humans are cheaper, less risky than top celebs, while entertainment industry is easiest way to approach the public ...
Rozy, the first virtual social media influencer in South Korea, is set to debut as a singer with her first single “Who Am I” on Feb. 22. The debut single is produced by Vanilla acoustic’s Jung Jae-won, who has worked with artists such as Bolbbalgan4.
Prior to her singing debut, the virtual figure surprised viewers by making a cameo appearance in Tving‘s comedy series “Dr. Park’s Clinic” last week. ...
Meanwhile, virtual influencers have become a blue ocean in today’s entertainment market. Although they are computer-generated, their diverse character traits and talents make them seem almost human. Virtual humans can be widely utilized in areas such as advertising, music and acting. ...
Korea is not the only country that is witnessing a rapidly growing popularity of virtual humans in the entertainment industry. Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding introduced Dong Dong, a virtual idol promoting the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
See the full story here: http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20220215000733
By using artificial intelligence to track your eyeballs, cinemas may soon force you to watch all of the commercials.
In exchange for discounts and free movie tickets, a relaunched version of the streaming service MoviePass will use artificial intelligence (AI) eyeball tracking technology to ensure that all of its users are watching its ads.
Viewers will be ‘treated’ to a multi-advertiser ‘pre-show.’ A smartphone app will then use selfie cameras and facial recognition technology to ensure you’re actually engaging with the ads rather than just staring at them.
If you take your gaze away from the advertisements, they will pause until you return. ...
“At the moment, 70% of video аdvertising goes unnoticed.” This is а wаy for аdvertisers to get the impаct they wаnt while аlso аllowing you to get the impаct.” ...
See the full story here: https://technotrenz.com/entertainment/by-using-artificial-intelligence-to-track-your-eyeballs-cinemas-may-soon-force-you-to-watch-all-of-the-commercials-1670527.html
People don’t know how to react to this crazy new Netflix sci-fi movie
... One thing to know from the outset is that Bigbug is totally French. Whimsical, high-concept, weird, but ultimately a pretty inventive sci-fi satire that bursts with color. ...
First, let’s start with Netflix’s official description of this new movie. “In 2045, artificial intelligence is everywhere. So much so that humanity relies on it to satisfy its every need and every desire — even the most secret and wicked.
“In a quiet residential area, four domestic robots suddenly decide to take their masters hostage in their own home. Locked together, a not-quite-so-blended family, an intrusive neighbor and her enterprising sex-robot are now forced to put up with each other in an increasingly hysterical atmosphere.” Outside, meanwhile, the latest generation of androids known as the Yonyx are trying to take over things. ...
See the full story here: https://bgr.com/entertainment/people-dont-know-how-to-react-to-this-crazy-new-netflix-sci-fi-movie/
Apple trademarks its spaceship headquarters for augmented reality tours
PhilNote: Apple sort of trademarks a circle
Apple Park is the corporate headquarters of Apple Inc., located in Cupertino, California. It was opened to employees in April 2017. Apple has now filed for the "figurative" trademark for Apple Park as presented further below in our report. Interestingly Apple's trademark classification uniquely covers "conducting tours of corporate headquarters by means of augmented reality.
See the full story here: https://www.imore.com/apple-trademarks-its-spaceship-headquarters-augmented-reality-tours and here: https://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2022/02/apple-files-for-the-figurative-trademark-version-of-apple-park-that-will-be-associated-with-augmented-reality-tours-of-thei.html