philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

Saudi Entertainment Ventures’ complexes to include virtual reality, performing arts

Saudi Entertainment Ventures (SEVEN) plans to include virtual reality and live performance centres across its 20 planned entertainment complexes across the kingdom, according to CEO Bill Ernest.

In January, SEVEN announced plans for a 100,000 square-metre entertainment complex in Riyadh, located on Riyadh’s Eastern Ring Road at the intersection of King Abdullah Road.

In an interview with Arabian Business, Ernest – a 25-year veteran of the Walt Disney Company – said that the project, and the subsequent ones, will have “a lot going on.”

The PIF expects SEVEN’s collective projects to serve more than 50 million visitors each year, provide 22,000 direct jobs and contribute SAR 8 billion ($2.13 billion) to the Saudi economy by 2030.

See the full story here: https://www.arabianbusiness.com/media/417191-saudi-entertainment-ventures-complexes-to-include-virtual-reality-performing-arts

Hospice residents enjoy virtual reality thanks to East Linton company

Using the latest high-tech VR headsets, one individual was transported to Jerusalem, a place he had always dreamed of visiting.

In another session, a 101-year-old woman was thrilled to revisit her childhood home in Darjeeling and indulge in a trip up the Amazon river for the first time.

The experience triggered happy memories with the opportunity to reminisce about old times, as well as encounter new places.

See the full story here: https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/17570615.hospice-residents-enjoy-virtual-reality-thanks-to-east-linton-company/

9 Augmented Reality Technologies for Architecture and Construction

Fologram

Fologram transforms 3D models into full-size construction instructions through augmented reality glasses, such as the Hololens. The program seeks to facilitate the construction of complex projects that require a series of measurements, verification and specific care through digital instructions that are virtually superimposed on the work space, directing a step-by-step guide for masons during the construction process.

See the full story here: https://www.archdaily.com/914501/9-augmented-reality-technologies-for-architecture-and-construction

Why Virtual Reality’s Disruption Of Hollywood Isn’t Here Yet (But It’s Not Dead Either)

Virtual Reality is another area that has plenty of potential but not mass adoption by Hollywood but that may be about to change if Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, Ugly Dolls) 'THE LIMIT' is an early taste of a future that's almost here.

The trailer for Rodriguez's 'THE LIMIT' is fast-paced and offers a glimpse at an immersive thrill-ride that involves jumping out of a plane, a high-speed car chase amongst other heart-rate elevating elements. The drawbacks are not the desire to make content like this but the challenges that come with filming. Aside from costs, creating in this medium is a challenge according to Rodriguez; "I couldn’t really plan even simple things, like how close the vehicles should get to each other until we were there on the day and I was looking through the camera because the lens is very wide. POV works much better in VR than in traditional film and TV, but it takes a lot of coordination between all involved."

Creating cinematic VR requires new 'languages' that lead to a different relationship with the audience according to Rodriguez; "Designing a story that is immersive and a lean-back experience [is tough], one where the audience has freedom of movement and can choose where to look, but at the same time you want to direct them as well to see and hear what you want them to in order to get the most out of the film, is harder."

Speaking to the DGA, Jon Favreau (Avengers) isn't convinced on VR's cinematic future either; "Part of the job of the filmmaker is to support that immersion. And often it relates to how you make choices that you believe the audience would make. So, if you're cutting a scene properly, it's almost like you don't need VR because you're looking where they want to look anyway."

See the full story here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/paularmstrongtech/2019/04/13/why-virtual-realitys-disruption-of-hollywood-isnt-here-yet-but-its-not-dead-either/#845227f1b607

Immotion to install its virtual reality pods at two major US aquariums

Immotion will install a range of VR cinematic motion pods on a revenue-share basis at Odysea Aquarium, in Scottsdale, Arizona, and The Maritime Aquarium, in Norwalk, Connecticut

Customers will be able to ‘swim’ alongside some of the most mysterious and amazing creatures in the world.

The installations follow the recent release of Immotion’s live-action VR movie ‘Swimming with Humpbacks’, which it said prompted a “large number of enquiries” from zoos and aquariums.

“Demand for immersive edutainment is growing, and interest from the zoo and aquarium industry is at an all-time high. Immotion Group can deliver something new and unique to their customers, while also providing valuable ancillary revenue.

See the full story here:https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/218553/immotion-to-install-its-virtual-reality-pods-at-two-major-us-aquariums-218553.html

Watch: Visit Emperor Nero’s palace via virtual reality

https://www.euronews.com/embed/726980

The Domus Transitoria (the transit house, which allowed Nero to move between the Palatine hill and the Esquiline hill) was the first lavish residence of perhaps Rome's most notorious emperor, before the more famous Domus Aurea (Golden Palace) was built after the 64 AD Rome fire.

The Great Fire of Rome consumed most of the city over the course of a week, with some blaming Emperor Nero (who famously "fiddled while Rome burned"), who in turn blamed the Christians.

Modern-day visitors to the palace must descend underground to see the palace's rooms and gardens, which were later covered by other constructions and debris.

"Nero wanted an atmosphere that expressed his ideology, that of an absolute ruler, an absolute monarch, therefore this was a place of great opulence and wealth," explains Alfonsina Russo, manager of the Colosseum Archaeological Park.

See the full story with video here: https://www.euronews.com/2019/04/15/watch-visit-emperor-nero-s-palace-via-virtual-reality

Parks: Virtual Reality (VR) Headsets Remain Niche Video Game Product

Parks found that while 25% of domestic broadband households are familiar with VR technology, just 8% of households use it. Among consumers who own or are familiar with VR, 54% use their headset or would use it for gaming.

“Sixty-two percent of U.S. broadband households play video games, and while gamers are a passionate market segment, they can be limited in scope, which has stalled adoption of VR to a wider audience,” analyst Billy Nayden said in a statement. “There has been some notable video content developed for VR, such as Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s short video experience Carne y Arena, which won an Oscar, but overall lack of quality, non-gaming content is inhibiting broader adoption.”

See the full story here: https://www.mediaplaynews.com/parks-virtual-reality-vr-headsets-remain-niche-video-game-product/

NexTech opens augmented reality entertainment studio in Hollywood

Augmented reality technology provider NexTech AR Solutions Corp. announced Friday that the company is taking its industrywide software development in a new direction: to Hollywood.

With its new AR Studio in Hollywood, NexTech intends to launch a proprietary entertainment venue that will focus on producing immersive content using next generation AR on mobile devices and smart glasses.

“NexTech is building an innovative concept for immersive entertainment that I’ve been waiting over five years to materialize,” Barry Sandrew, a  visual effects pioneer and serial entrepreneur acting as adviser to NexTech. “Within AR Studios the technology, talent and opportunity to create this new form of storytelling have converged into what promises to become a game changing entertainment venue.”

NexTech’s claim to fame is providing end-to-end AR solutions for numerous industries designed to enhance marketing, advertisements and sales.

See the full story here: https://siliconangle.com/2019/04/14/nextech-establishes-augmented-reality-entertainment-studio-hollywood/

also see https://www.nextechar.com 

Coachella 2019: From augmented reality to food delivery, tech plays increasing role in the festivities

Not only did Coachella unveil Coachella Coin, a new scavenger hunt game that festival guests can use on its app, but there are a bunch of spots throughout the festival where guests could indulge in new technologies, including a new stage at the Sahara tent that lets guests see space-themed augmented reality, Friday night headliner Childish Gambino’s collaboration with Google Pixel and a lounge from HP where people could design their own knapsack.

Augmented reality at the Sahara Tent 

Visitors to the Sahara tent, the airplane hangar of a stage that features a lot of electronic music and hip-hop, got to see it in an all new way by using their Coachella Camera on their Coachella smartphone app. Between sets guests could point their phones at the stage to see a variety of space themed objects, including space stations, asteroids and an astronaut not unlike the giant astronaut from Poetic Kinetics that’s roaming the grounds nearby.

“Together, augmented reality, virtual reality, and the various other ‘extended realities’ will change the way that people interact with the world and each other,” Coachella Digital Innovation Manager Sam Schoonover wrote in an email. “Music festivals both on and off-site will also be affected. So while we always make an effort to introduce new technological components that the fans will find and interesting, we’re also preparing for the future.”

See the full story here: https://www.pe.com/2019/04/14/coachella-2019-from-augmented-reality-to-food-delivery-tech-plays-increasing-role-in-the-festivities/

Sound May Be the Next Augmented Reality Frontier for Brands

A new wave of tech could dramatically change how we hear a digitally augmented world. Thanks to the new Bose Frames, anyone can hear personal stories from pilgrims hiking the famous Camino de Santiago trail in Spain—just as if they were walking alongside them. And Tónandi, a collaboration between the mixed-reality company Magic Leap and the Icelandic band Sigur Ros, allows users to create music by interacting with sounds and digital visuals in the room around them.

See the full story here: https://www.adweek.com/digital/sound-may-be-the-next-augmented-reality-frontier-for-brands/