Amusement companies go big with virtual reality at IAAPA expo
You could hardly move a couple of aisles on the huge show floor at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions this week without seeing people with goggles strapped to their faces.
“The public has advanced gaming systems at home and advanced software,” said Chris Considine, founder of Los Angeles-based CXC Simulations, which had its race car simulator at the show. “So when they go to an amusement center, they are looking for something better.”
In the fourth quarter of last year, the PlayStation VR sold 700,000 units, outpacing the standalone Oculus Go, which sold 550,000, according to the research firm SuperData.
The 585,000-square-foot floor of the show that closes Friday has companies from every sector of the amusement park supply chain. More than 40,000 people attended this week.
See the full story here: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/tourism/os-bz-amusement-attractions-vr-20191121-32rb2fmbundo5kdfrwsis4veue-story.html
Sony Opens a Game-Oriented Artificial Intelligence Department
Sony wants to challenge giant companies in artificial intelligence
The reason for Sony’s efforts is currently thought to be the challenge of challenging companies that have developed and grown greatly in the field of artificial intelligence. Microsoft and Google are two companies that have proven themselves in the field of artificial intelligence, and these two companies have more advanced artificial intelligence and cloud gaming systems. Google Stadia, which has just been released, and Microsoft Project xCloud, which is still in the prototype phase, are examples of the work of Sony’s competitors.
Sony is planning to work in two separate offices for this department, which will make improvements in artificial intelligence. One of these offices will be opened in Japan and the other in the United States. Hiroaki Kitano, president and CEO of Sony Computer Science Laboratories, is said to be the pioneer of the research.
Sony’s new gaming console, PlayStation 5, has created a lot of expectations, but Sony still seems to be a bit inadequate. Although not all the details of the new generation game console are known, SSD technology, which has not been used before, will be used in PS5 and the console will have an AMD graphics card with beam tracking technology.
See the full story here: https://www.somagnews.com/sony-opens-game-oriented-artificial-intelligence-department/
Glenn Reitmeier Opens Up About The Past, Future Of Television
Glenn Reitmeier: I believe I can provide unique expertise and value at the strategic intersection of business, legal and technology issues. It’s amazing how intertwined they have been throughout the course of my career. Any media business or any business in the supply chain is inherently dependent on technology to create and deliver content, and that content itself is intellectual property that needs to be protected.
...As far as lessons learned, first, on a technical level, we learned that hardware testing was unnecessary for a modern digital system design. You do that these days with rigorous simulation and evaluation, which allows you to avoid the long and costly process of hardware development.
TVT: What do you think will be fully rolled out first, 3.0 or 5G?
GR: I believe that ATSC 3.0 will be fully deployed before 5G. When you talk about 5G, there are often a lot of assumptions being made. But are you talking about 5G at 900 MHz or mid-band spectrum deployments of 5G? Obviously, as you go up to higher frequencies, you gain higher capacity, but your propagation and coverage area shrink.
When you look at the infrastructure and the investment, I think it becomes a pretty easy conclusion that ATSC 3.0 can be fully deployed before 5G when you look at it on a nationwide basis.
See the full interview here: https://www.tvtechnology.com/atsc3/glenn-reitmeier-opens-up-about-the-past-future-of-television
Snap Teams With Verizon to Develop 5G Augmented-Reality Experiences
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Verizon, in its ongoing quest to find killer applications for 5G wireless, has signed Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, as a new tech development and marketing partner.
Under the pact, the companies said, they will work together at Verizon’s 5G Labs to create new augmented-reality feature and experiences for consumers, including new ways to experience live sports, concerts and other events through Snapchat.
In addition, Snap and Verizon will work together on exclusive distribution and co-marketing initiatives. For example, Verizon will preload the Snapchat application on select 5G phones and provide exclusive offers to customers through programs like the VerizonUp rewards program. Also under the pact, Verizon will have premium sponsorship placements in Snap Originals video series.
Verizon has inked other 5G development partnerships, including with Walt Disney Studios. It recently teamed with the NFL to award two game developers — Colorfictionand Juncture Media — $400,000 each to create football-themed mobile games tapping the telco’s 5G network that are slated to debut at Super Bowl LIV.
See the full story here: https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/snap-verizon-5g-augmented-reality-1203411356/
New Virtual Reality Interface Enables “Touch” Across Long Distances. Lightweight, flexible patch conveys a tactile sensation directly to the skin
Rogers and his colleagues developed a vibrating disk, only a couple millimeters thick, that can run with very little energy. These actuators (a term for devices that give a system physical motion) need so little energy that they can be powered by near-field communication—a wireless method of transferring small amounts of power, typically used for applications like unlocking a door with an ID card.
The resulting product looks like a lightweight, soft patch of fabric-like material that can flex and twist like a wet suit, maintaining direct contact with the wearer’s skin as their body moves. It consists of thin layers of electronics sandwiched between protective silicone sheets. One layer contains the near-field communication technology that powers the device. This can activate another layer: an array of actuators, each of which can be activated individually and tuned to different vibration frequencies to convey a stronger or weaker sensation. This stack of electronics, slightly thinner than a mouse pad, culminates in a tacky surface that sticks to the skin. The device is described in a Nature paper published Wednesday.
So far, the researchers have tested prototype patches of different shapes and sizes to fit on various parts of the body—a circular one for the back of the hand and an X-shaped one for the upper back, for example. In one demonstration a family video-chatted while using the patch to touch remotely. In another, a lower-arm amputee gripped a beer koozie with his prosthetic hand. Each fingertip was equipped with sensors that communicated with a patch on his upper arm, providing tactile information about the object his robotic arm was holding. Finally, a test subject wore multiple haptic patches while playing a combat video game, so virtual strikes on his avatar’s limbs could be transmitted to the corresponding parts of his real body.
See the full story here: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-virtual-reality-interface-enables-touch-across-long-distances/
FANTASY Virtual Reality Blockchain Platform To Feature Premiere Adult VR Content From BaDoinkVR
FANTASY Virtual Reality Blockchain Platform To Feature Premiere Adult VR Content From BaDoinkVR
FANTASY, the premium adult virtual reality platform where payments are triggered by eye 'gaze,' today announced a content partnership with BaDoinkVR, the world's leading provider of adult virtual reality entertainment. The FANTASY VR platform features a virtual Red Light District where every street has a different adventure and behind every window lies a unique adult-themed fantasy. BaDoinkVR will utilize FANTASY to generate a new blockchain based revenue stream, provided by the VR platform's proprietary cryptocurrency Gaze Coin.
FANTASY is powered by Gaze Coin - a revolutionary payment system that allows content providers to generate revenue based on real-time engagement. Utilizing eye tracking technology, payments are made instantaneously based on how long a user interacts with the content. As a result, content providers and virtual property owners can generate multiple revenue streams for every minute and every user who engages with their content. From the users' perspective, consumers can avoid paying a relatively more expensive monthly subscription fee, and only pay for the content that they consume.
See the full story here: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fantasy-virtual-reality-blockchain-platform-to-feature-premiere-adult-vr-content-from-badoinkvr-300959756.html