In the burgeoning world of virtual reality, storytelling is both cutting-edge and old-fashioned
In “Mindshow,” the tool allows you the ability to select reactions and then embed them into a story line; one demo has you alternately playing a captain and an alien in their first encounter; how you choose behaviors for each one informs how the scene plays out.
"Tree, from the duo that offered the powerful war experience "Giant,” tracks you as you move from a seed under the ground to a towering sentry of the rainforest, and eventually become a logging casualty. Notably, your movement changes the story: hold out your arms, for instance, and birds will land on them. “How much you want to interact will change what you feel,” said Zec.
See the full story here: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-ca-mn-vr-future-20170208-story.html
Sex In Virtual Reality Is Getting Even More Immersive in 2017
This year’s AVN Show – the world’s largest Adult Entertainment expo which took place in Las Vegas this week– focused a lot on VR, even adding two new dedicated categories (Best Virtual Reality Sex Scene and Best Virtual Reality Innovation/Site) to its 2017 industry awards. AVN’s CEO Tony Rios said in a recent interview that the response of the industry to VR has been phenomenal and that although the sector is still early in development, it is definitely here to stay. What remains to be seen, however, is how exactly monetization occurs going forward.
“New revenue attributable to VR is up 350% year over year, and this year we now plan to offer integrated support for smart services toys from companies such as Kiiroo that offer haptic feedback in sync to the video.”
These interactions include not only haptic feedback, but have started to incorporate other – more unexpected – senses: ...a feature called OhRoma, which incorporates odors through a sensory mask.
WankzVR, for example, recently launched a host of experiences targeted specifically at women which – unusually for the industry – featured a female point of view, and Phillips believes that VR will help drive up the quality of Adult entertainment across the board.
“The biggest trend I see over the next year with respect to adult content shot in VR, is the return of the quality porno movie,” he says. “Content that actually has a story line, a script, a production crew and a cast. Not just some guy with a camera shooting a couple banging on a couch.”
See the full story here: https://uploadvr.com/porn-teledildonics-2017/
Microsoft Camera Rig Gives HoloLens Developers Video Hack
Microsoft has come up with a new camera rig that allows HoloLens mixed reality app makers to capture video from a HoloLens and make it easier to show a person interacting with that app, something Microsoft dubs “spectator view.” The details of the hardware-software combo were published as open source on the HoloLens’ GitHub page. The HoloLens headset is wireless, which lets the user move around the room freely, and is based on four cameras, lightly tinted lenses and a holographic processing unit.
The Verge calls the new camera set-up, “a small step, but it’s one headed in the right direction for head-mounted displays,” that comes at a time when VR/AR companies are “running into ethical boundaries as well, sometimes relying on special effects rather than ‘real’ video to get their points across.”
This new “spectator view” solution simply requires any camera with an HDMI output. The user mounts the HoloLens to the camera, stabilized on a tripod (which requires a custom-made mount), and then wirelessly connects it to a PC running Unity, to share positioning data. Next step, the user outputs video via an HDMI cable, sending positioning data and video to the PC. Unity takes care of processing the data, and the result is “video of people walking around the room wearing HoloLens headsets” as well as “the apps and the digital objects and the games they’re playing around them.”
Reed notes that HoloLens customers have been requesting this new tool, although “it’s still unclear exactly how many HoloLens users are out there in the world,” with Microsoft saying only that sales are “in thousands.”
See the full story here: http://www.etcentric.org/microsoft-camera-rig-gives-hololens-developers-video-hack/
Virtual reality industry ‘in need of a jump-start,’ Imax CEO says at new VR center
Imax has made deals to build pilot centers in multiplexes with AMC Theatres and Regal Entertainment Group to test whether such attractions will help bring young people back to movie theaters. Each center costs $250,000 to $400,000 to create, not counting real estate spending, Gelfond said. Imax has additional centers planned for Britain and China and is eyeing projects in Japan, the Middle East and Western Europe.
The company on Tuesday announced deals with David Ellison’s production company Skydance Media and game publishing giant Ubisoft to provide content to the new centers. Skydance’s upcoming games include a science-fiction first-person shooter called “Archangel” and “Life VR,” an experience tied to the company’s upcoming space station thriller “Life.” Similar to the movie industry, Imax will share ticketing revenue with the gaming studios.
The flagship Imax VR Centre, located across the street from the Grove shopping center, opened with a soft launch Jan. 6. Gelfond said it has so far attracted 5,000 customers, and sales are growing so far, up 80% week-over-week. But, he admits, the company’s involvement with VR is still in very experimental stages.
See the full story here: http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-imax-vr-20170214-story.html
Google Chrome is about to revolutionize VR (WebVR)
WebVR has gained plenty of attention recently, with Facebook's Oculus and Samsung Gear VR both adding WebVR support in the last few months. That’s because WebVR has multiple benefits for consumers and developers alike, which ultimately helps platforms:
- WebVR makes VR much more accessible to consumers. WebVR is more accessible to consumers than the less affordable computer- and console-powered headsets, like the HTC Vive and PlayStation VR. It's also available on both the web and the headset, therefore broadening the content base.
- WebVR could incentivize developers to build more VR content. Support for browser apps could lure in developers that were initially reluctant to make moves until they assessed how adoption of the technology would evolve. As competition between VR platforms continues to heat up, having more developers building content is key to attracting the best VR experiences.
- Web apps also make it easier for potential users to sample new VR content without needing to download and store it on their phones. Because of the complexity of VR content, it can be a drain on both phone storage and battery life. Accessing this content over the web fixes at least one of these issues since users can essentially stream the content from the web.
See the full story here: http://www.businessinsider.com/google-chrome-webvr-2017-2
Tata Elxsi helps Welspun to use Augmented Reality for its new SpinTales smart textile
Bangalore: Tata Elxsi, a global design company that blends technology, creativity, and engineering, today said that it partnered with Welspun, one of the world's largest textile makers, for the design, development and implementation of SpinTales – a new line of products that launched in 2016 with a patented Augmented Reality (AR) storytelling technology.
The Duvet and Rug are interactive and innovative textiles for kids, age three and up. The experience is uniquely interactive for both children and parents, with a focus on multi-dimensional storytelling, educational activities, and Augmented Reality. It is an experience that kids love.
By scanning the specified markers on the rug or duvet (using a tablet or smartphone) children can view characters in Augmented Reality. It feels like you are part of their world and you learn a bit more about the world they live in. SpinTales is the first of many experiences that will be introduced and launched by TILT.
The stories and content developed by Tata Elxsi’s creative team are inspired by stories that kids already know and love: Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Three Little Pigs and Jungle Book.
AR – Next Frontier for Competitive Advantage
ARToolkit is a widely used open source platform, among other features it also supports superimposing of virtual images on live environment through a video or see-through display. Vuforia AR platform provides an ease of use where your applications can see wide variety of things such as objects (including user-defined), texts and markers. It also works well with Unity which is a powerful cross platform 3D engine. Writing a 3D engine is intensive work so these platforms allow you to use your existing 3D engines such as Unity by leveraging the platform SDK.
Keep an eye on the Google Tango and Microsoft HoloLens that are working on an AR, VR and Mixed Reality eco-system that includes AI, advanced gadgets like Fisheye & depth cameras and advanced sensory and perception devices. Tango is a platform that uses computer vision to give Android devices like Phab 2 Pro the ability to understand their position relative to the world around them – no longer there is a need to have multitude of beacons for geo position tracking. A Tango-enabled device has wide-angle fisheye camera, a depth sensing camera, accurate sensor timestamping, and an SDK that enables apps developers to use motion tracking, area learning and depth sensing.
See the full story here: http://www.cio.com/article/3169685/emerging-technology/augmented-reality-next-frontier-for-competitive-advantage.html
Imax VR Inks Content Deals With Skydance, Ubisoft
Imax on Tuesday revealed the next steps in its plan to enter the virtual reality business with a flurry of partner news at its Virtual Reality Experience Center near The Grove in Los Angeles, its first publicly open showcase for its model of location-based VR pods that it intends to open in movie theaters and other public spaces.
That included new content deals with Skydance Interactive (the interactive arm of David Ellison’s Skydance Media), for which Imax centers will offer Skydance's first two VR projects as part of their rollout: Archangel, a story-driven shooter experience, and Life VR, based on the upcoming feature film.
See the full story here; http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/behind-screen/imax-vr-inks-content-deals-skydance-ubisoft-976115
Sony files patent for augmented reality contact lens
Sony has filed a patent for a new kind of augmented reality technology – a simple set of contact lenses with the ability to project or record live video.
Switched on and off by a user’s blink, with the contacts able to detect if they were deliberate or not, image capture technology and data storage would be contained within the lens itself.
Piezoelectric sensors – which have the ability to generate an electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress – would mean that the device would be powered by movements of the eye.
Once developed, the smart contact lenses could be potentially used to improve vision or provide an augmented reality HUD. Google is also working on similar technology, filing similar patents in 2014 for a contact lens with micro camera, enabling hands-free photography.
With its own patent now filed, Sony must now find a way to fit the technology comfortably within the eye, potentially revolutionising the augmented reality market if it comes to fruition.
See the full story here: http://www.leisuremanagement.co.uk/detail.cfm?pagetype=detail&subject=news&codeID=330285
iPhone 8 to come with augmented reality support
Apple's next iPhone could be a big deal for augmented reality, according to Goldman Sachs analyst Simona Jankowski, who noted as much in a memo, obtained by Benzinga.
It's likely that Apple is planning something big for the 10 anniversary iPhone and a lot of signs are pointing towards AR as an integral part of it, regarding the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.
See the full story here: http://www.gsmarena.com/augmented_reality_could_be_big_in_the_iphone_8-news-23407.php