The magnificent adventure of a ‘Fragment’. Block NXLVI Parthenon North Frieze in Augmented Reality
In this article, appeared on Scires-IT journal, it is presented a case study by Alessandra Cirafici (SUN Second University of Naples, Italy), Donato Maniello (Studio gloWArp, Academy of Fines Arts-Naples, Italy) and Valeria Amoretti (SUN Second University of Naples, Italy), illustrating the application of Augmented Reality to a fragment of the Parthenon, aiming to investigate the role played by the introduction of digital technologies in communication strategies for the enjoyment of cultural heritage and in the formation of a new concept of “sensory environment”, intended as a space where the combination of physical presence with virtual elements generates unprecedented means of experience and education.
Three main aspects define the multimedia totem: indoor use of Augmented Reality, its use for the enhancement of cultural heritage, and the digital anastylosis that makes it possible to reconstruct the missing part directly on the element or on a copy of it. These options provide the opportunity to engage different age groups with the expressive potential of Augmented Reality also in terms of performance, with the possible transformation of any surface into a dynamic display.
See the full story here: http://www.digitalmeetsculture.net/article/the-magnificent-adventure-of-a-fragment-block-nxlvi-parthenon-north-frieze-in-augmented-reality/
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.
Many consumers are still getting used to just wearing VR headsets. But both "Tree" and "Mindshow" demonstrate that there's room in the medium for viewers to do a lot more than adjust the focus.
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For their new piece, they partnered with Funny or Die and its editor in chief Owen Burke for a 40-minute dramatic comedy featurette that is one of the most traditional stories told in VR, and certainly one of the longest. A child in early 1980s suburbia receives a toy robot; overjoyed, he begins bringing him everywhere — to class, to his room, to family dinners. The robot obliges by performing tricks that are pretty nifty circa the first Reagan administration. Oh, and did we mention you're seeing the world through his eyes?
“We’re just starting to figure out how to suspend disbelief in VR, which is something we’ve known in cinema for a long time,” said Raphael. “And one way to do that is to give you a sense of presence, to make you feel like you’re a part of what’s happening.”
See the full story here: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-ca-mn-vr-future-20170208-story.html
Epson Debuts BR 350 AR Glasses
Epson is debuting a new version of their Moverio glasses, dubbed the BT-350, designed for augmented reality (AR) applications in museums, opera houses, exhibition halls and conferences.
The BT-350 are Si-OLED-powered, binocular see-through smart glasses designed for commercial use, and in cultural and entertainment venues. With the BT-350, unused display space appears truly transparent thanks to our Si-OLED micro display technology and its high contrast ratio of 100,000:1. This means augmented content can be immersively overlaid onto the real world, making culture more accessible and exciting.
The transparent OLED integrates a 720p HD display (in the viewer’s frame of view) to augment what the viewer is seeing in person. They use an Intel Atom x5 1.44GHz quad-core CPU and 2GB RAM. Built-in connectivity and sensors include Bluetooth Smart, Wi-Fi, Miracast and motion sensors and they are also compatible with 3D content.
See the full story here: http://www.ravepubs.com/epson-debuts-ar-augmented-reality-glasses/
MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL HOPES AUGMENTED REALITY SPARKS BRAND LOYALTY
What are Moe’s goals for the AR campaign, Bacon Blues, from a customer engagement perspective?
Losacco: The objective of the Augmented Reality integration as part of the Rockin’ Rewards loyalty app and new in-store wall art is creating a new way to connect with our fans outside of a transactional experience. The universe of mobile apps is very competitive and there needs to be additional value of use for consumers to share their phone storage with a brand.
Moe’s is a brand that stands for music, musicians, and artists. Can you talk about how this campaign encapsulates the company’s mission statement or brand message?
Losacco: The M in M.O.E. is the direct tie to the musical heritage of the brand. The brand plays only Dearly Departed artists or covers on the in-restaurant playlist as a way to pay tribute to the pioneers of the music industry. It is also a way for the brand to introduce many artists to millennials and generation Z guests that have influenced many of the popular artists today.
See the full story here: https://www.loyalty360.org/content-gallery/daily-news/moe-s-southwest-grill-hopes-augmented-reality-spar
Augmented Reality, Virtual Sensors Enhance Physical Security Training
Experts on physical security at Sandia National Laboratory are applying technology and methods of the video game industry to real-world national security problems. Using pre-release stand-alone augmented reality headsets, computer scientists have recently adapted augmented reality to enhance physical security training and analysis.
"Physical security goes beyond guards, gates and guns to include engineered solutions and complex systems that are designed to protect against the theft of nuclear materials and sabotage," said Dominic Martinez, manager of the International Nuclear Security Engineering (INSE) department.
By combining augmented reality technology with Sandia's Integrated Security Facility, Le said students can peer through walls to show all the processes needed to handle and protect nuclear material without using hazardous material. The facility uses security systems originally designed to protect Category I nuclear material and now serves as a venue for hands-on physical security training. With its fully functional physical security and material accounting systems, the facility is invaluable for demonstrating physical security, material control as well as safety concepts and principles.
See the full story here: https://www.photonics.com/Article.aspx?AID=61668
ETC@CMU EXPLORES AUGMENTING REALITY
"The power of AR isn't to radically change our lives, but to make us better at what we already can do," said Will Hagen, a student at Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center(ETC), which is exploring its possibilities. The ETC is part of CMU's Integrative Design, Arts and Technology (IDeATe) Network.
The mixAR team studied how users interact with a virtual agent — in this case a spherical robot — to examine how an interactive agent can be useful, when it becomes a nuisance and how the robot could emotionally connect with the user.
"Right now the field is truly in its infancy," said Hagen, the producer for the mixAR team. "Imagine a paramedic arriving at an accident with an augmented reality device that can provide all the vitals of an unconscious individual, saving them the moments they may need to prevent that person's death. Dramatic perhaps, but one of the best examples of how we could use augmented reality to improve our society right now."
In addition to building valuable communication skills and meaningful projects in class, ETC's Silicon Valley program is hosted by Electronic Arts, so students on site are next door to a gaming company with many opportunities.
See the full story here: http://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2017/february/etc-augmented-reality.html
New VR cabinet will let you smell and touch a virtual world
VR Sense works with Playstation VR technology. Photos show users wearing elaborate PSVR headsets and clutching PS Move controllers.
The cabinet has functions for wind, “mist,” temperature, and scent. All of these will presumably work together to increase your immersion.
Supposedly the “scent function” will be able to replicate multiple kinds of environments. The pictures from the conference show everything from a forest to a snowy mountaintop.
The chair in the cabinet can also move in all different directions. Unsettlingly, it also comes with a sturdy seatbelt. This might mean a bit of shaking or jostling action for the users inside.
It isn’t just breezes or rain that you can feel when you sit in the VR Sense. One of the pictures shown during the press conference implies that users can feel bugs and rats crawling on them.
See the full story here: https://thenextweb.com/virtual-reality/2017/02/07/new-vr-cabinet-will-let-smell-touch-virtual-world/
