Year-In-Review: All of the companies Apple acquired in 2018, that we know of
Long list!
See the full story here: https://9to5mac.com/2018/12/22/year-in-review-all-of-the-companies-apple-acquired-in-2018-that-we-know-of/
The 5 Most Innovative Augmented Reality Products of 2018 (Spatial)
....nothing on the market is as impressive as Spatial, which includes the ability to use realistic avatars that look exactly like you, along with usable virtual arms and hands.
Currently, the software tool is only being made available to business customers, but as long as the small startup can keep its momentum, it's only a matter of time before this software reaches non-business users. In short, it's the closest thing to working with other people and their avatars in VR (something that happens more than many realize today), but without the limitations of being closed off in a virtual environment. Our hands-on review is just a taste of what's possible with Spatial.
The current version is only available for the HoloLens, but the team is working on a Magic Leap One version that will more than give Avatar Chat a run for its money.
See the full story here: https://next.reality.news/news/5-most-innovative-augmented-reality-products-2018-0191693/
IMAX is the latest company to leave the virtual reality business.
The straw that broke the camel's back?
It shouldn't go unnoticed that Google ended its VR camera development project with IMAX in August, and Star VR, which made the headsets IMAX used in its VR centers, is shutting down its VR business. To continue to offer a VR experience, IMAX would have had to switch from Star VR's wider-screen models to standard VR headsets, eliminating whatever technical it might have been leaning on to attract consumers.
See the full story here: https://www.fool.com/investing/2018/12/23/another-virtual-reality-dream-dies-quietly.aspx
Long-distance bus company debuts virtual reality experience for Las Vegas commuters
German busing company FlixBus, which began service for as low as $2.99 between Las Vegas to stops in Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Diego on May 31, added the VR headsets to its list of offerings for passengers who upgrade to its “panorama seats.” The Pico’s Goblin headsets, which retail for about $200, have an array of games and cinematic elements available, from virtual basketball to floating through outer space.
There are also 3D experiences such as diving to the bottom of the Red Sea or walking across the Arctic with penguins, FlixBus officials said. They say it is the world’s first virtual reality experience on long-distance buses.
See the full story here: https://lasvegassun.com/news/2018/dec/24/long-distance-bus-company-debuts-virtual-reality-e/
Can you stand segregation (Isolation)? These researchers are using virtual reality to let hospital staff see through their patients’ eyes
Four Emerging Technology Areas That Will Help Define Our World In 2019
1. The Internet of Things and Smart Cities
2. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
3. Quantum Computing
4. Cybersecurity (and Risk Management)
See the full story here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/cognitiveworld/2018/12/24/four-emerging-technology-areas-that-will-help-define-our-world-in-2019/#3bf4156f58dd
US-tech giant Intel’s VC arm backs China’s Sky Limit Entertainment
China’s Sky Limit Entertainment Group has received an undisclosed amount in a series A funding round from US-based technology company Intel Corporation’s venture capital arm Intel Capital. Sky Limit Entertainment will use the funding proceeds for location-based VR content creation and for the development and promotion of comprehensive virtual, augmented and mixed reality content solutions for applications such as large space multiplayer free-roaming interactive games, an announcement said in Thursday.
The funding round follows previous investments that the company had received from AVICTC, Lenovo Capital and Incubator Group (LCIG), Shenzhen Weiyue Creative Investment Group and Mango Cultural and Creative Industry Private Equity Fund.
In 2017, Sky Limited Entertainment opened one of the world’s first super-scale VR experience centers in downtown Beijing under its newly announced international entertainment brand “SoReal”. In addition, Sky Limited Entertainment’s Global Innovation Center, established in 2018, was the first entertainment technology operation to be located in the National Base for International Cultural Trade (Beijing).
Unlocking the Value of Augmented Reality Data
The word “sensor” has become inseparable from the internet of things (IoT), where sensors detect environmental conditions and communicate these signals bidirectionally as data, whether it’s an industrial machine reporting its operating condition or your home thermostat being turned on remotely.
Before the IoT, the two key functions of a sensor — to detect environmental change and to communicate that data — were largely carried out by humans. Today, as augmented reality (AR) technology gains adoption, humans will soon be equipped with sensors through various AR devices, such as phones and headsets. This augmentation provides uncharted opportunities for organizations to use these data insights to drive operational effectiveness and differentiate their products and services for consumers.
Smart, Connected Reality Means More User Data
Assessing the Business Opportunities From New AR Data
Early Use Cases for AR Insights
Connecting the Strategic Dots
See the full story here: https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/unlocking-the-value-of-augmented-reality-data/