philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

Vuzix Partners with Powershelf to Deliver “Powershelf Stock to Sight and Pick-to-Sight, powered by Vuzix” to Retail Stores

Powershelf Stock to Sight and Pick-to-Sight, powered by Vuzix (PRNewsfoto/Vuzix Corporation)

The "Powershelf Stock-to-Sight and Pick-to-Sight, powered by Vuzix" solution uses AR technology and artificial intelligence to provide a hands-free option for store personnel to scan and overlay product-specific images directly into Powershelf through Vuzix smart glasses to reduce errors, save money and improve employee efficiency.

...it allows us to leverage the existing Powershelf network, exposing new and valuable use cases for this comprehensive solution set combining Machine Learning, IoT and the use of our award winning Augmented Reality technology.

See the full story here: http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/Vuzix-Partners-with-Powershelf-to-Deliver-Powershelf-Stock-to-Sight-and-Pick-to-Sight-powered-by-Vuzix-to-Retail-Stores-1001643608

The Best Augmented Reality of 2017

See the full story here; https://next.reality.news/news/best-augmented-reality-2017-0181868/

Boundaries of Virtual Reality Redefined

An exhibition of interactive virtual reality installation art is organized by Pejman Foundation, a Tehran-based cultural institute.

Titled ‘Elsewhere,’ the exhibit opened on Friday and will run through February 9. The event is a showcase of installation art created by South Korean filmmaker, documentarian and animator Hayoun Kwon, 36, and French film director Balthazar Auxietre, 32, according to the website of Pejman Foundation (Pejman.foundation).

The two artists are cofounders of Innerspace, a VR company with studios in Paris and Los Angeles, established to redefine the boundaries of virtual reality.

Virtual Reality advancements ease eye strain (Gree)

However, game company Gree has developed a helmet-type virtual reality terminal, which it says reduces eye strain.

The company says mirrors are used in order not to sacrifice the feeling of being real.

Gree says children aged 3 and above can use it safely by limiting usage to about 5 minutes.

The consoles will be installed at major retail chain Aeon Group's 200 outlets across the country, starting next summer.

See the full story here: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20171230_26/

A Major Apple Patent published in Europe this week Covers Near-Eye Displays for Augmented Realty Glasses

One of the engineers on Apple's optical team is Graham Myhre, Display Exploration Engineer who came to Apple from Lytro who is a leader in light field cameras and light field VR experiences. In total, six Apple engineers were behind this invention.

Apple's invention covers an electronic device such as a head-mounted device or glasses that may have one or more near-eye displays that produce images for a user.

See the full story here; http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2017/12/a-major-apple-patent-published-in-europe-this-week-covers-near-eye-displays-for-augmented-realty-glasses.html 

(India) The changed face of tech in 2018

Invisible Fingerprint Scanner

Qualcomm and Synaptics are working on fingerprint scanning technology that works through glass, aluminium and displays, including LCD and OLED.

Battery Tech

By using graphene — a form of carbon — instead of the common lithium, batteries could hold 45% more charge in the same size and go from 0% to 100% charge in 10 to 12 minutes.

Four Cameras Are Better Than Two
Four cameras in a phone (two each in the front and rear) can overcome the limitations of mobile phones compared with cameras.

Taller Displays

18:9 displays are here to stay and it should become the standard for Android phones across all budgets

Face unlock

Huawei has already showcased its own version of the advanced tech while others like OnePlus showed off its camera-based face unlock that's even faster than what the iPhone X offers.

See the full story here: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/from-invisible-fingerprint-scanners-to-smartphones-with-four-cameras-the-changed-face-of-tech-in-2018/articleshow/62306805.cms

Union: New Playground Design Work Is In Final Phase (with an AR component)

New “American Girl” doll launched by Mattel

Mattel (MAT) describes the latest doll in the popular toy line, which launches today, as a "creative, confident 11-year-old girl and aspiring astronaut who dreams of being the first person to go to Mars."

The company said that "Luciana Vega," described as being of Chilean descent, is meant to help girls defy gender stereotypes and embrace risks in pursuit of their goals.

Parents, meanwhile, should be prepared to embrace the American Girl app. That lets kids unlock augmented reality features, videos, space simulations and other content.

Mattel's marketing campaign includes an educational program geared toward third- through fifth-grade students that focuses on space exploration.

See the full story here: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-american-girl-doll-launched-by-mattel-nasa/

Single metalens focuses all colors of the rainbow in one point

Metalenses — flat surfaces that use nanostructures to focus light — promise to revolutionize optics by replacing the bulky, curved lenses currently used in optical devices with a simple, flat surface.  But, these metalenses have remained limited in the spectrum of light they can focus well. Now a team of researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) has developed the first single lens that can focus the entire visible spectrum of light — including white light — in the same spot and in high resolution. This has only ever been achieved in conventional lenses by stacking multiple lenses.

“Metalenses have advantages over traditional lenses,” says Federico Capasso, the Robert L. Wallace Professor of Applied Physics and Vinton Hayes Senior Research Fellow in Electrical Engineering at SEAS and senior author of the research. “Metalenses are thin, easy to fabricate and cost effective. This breakthrough extends those advantages across the whole visible range of light. This is the next big step.”

The Harvard Office of Technology Development (OTD) has protected the intellectual property relating to this project and is exploring commercialization opportunities.

“Using our achromatic lens, we are able to perform high quality, white light imaging. This brings us one step closer to the goal of incorporating them into common optical devices such as cameras,” said Alexander Zhu, co-author of the study.

See the full story here; https://www.seas.harvard.edu/news/2018/01/single-metalens-focuses-all-colors-of-rainbow-in-one-point

Lucyd ICO Wants To Develop AR Smart Glasses Top Tech Giants Couldn’t

Phil Lelyveld comment; this is the second article that describes Lucyd but gives no factual info for why they think their technology is better than Magic Leaps or any of the other AR glasses companies.  The ICO is to fund the prototype, which according to their website is not due until Sept. 2018.  The staff appears to be solid and qualified.  Invest in the ICO with your eyes open to the high risk and 'buzzword-centric' nature of their current publicly available info. Images in the articles are standard glass frames with annotations making them appear to be the ideal AR glasses.

Company info here: https://www.lucyd.co