How DARPA’s Augmented Reality Software Works
Six years ago, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) decided that they had a new dream. The agency wanted a system that would overlay digital tactical information right over the top of the physical world.
Using the ULTRA-Vis system, a Soldier can visualize the location of other forces, vehicles, hazards and aircraft in the local environment even when these are not visible to the Soldier. In addition, the system can be used to communicate to the Soldier a variety of tactically significant (local) information including imagery, navigation routes, and alerts.
See the full story here: http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/05/hows-darpas-augmented-reality-software-works/371652/
NBC Teams Up with AltspaceVR to Stream Presidential Debates in Virtual Reality
Here’s another first for this election cycle: The Presidential Debates will be streamed in virtual reality, and you’ll be able to join up with other viewers and have virtual viewing parties, complete with customizable avatars.
These VR viewing parties are being held by NBC in AltspaceVR, an events-focused virtual world that has recreated the broadcaster’s election-themed “Democracy Plaza” just for the occasion. AltSpaceVR can be accessed via apps for Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR and HTC Vive as well as through a desktop viewer for PCs.
AltspaceVR has raised a $10 million round of funding from Comcast Ventures, Tencent, Dolby Family Ventures and others last July.
See the full story here: http://variety.com/2016/digital/news/presidential-debate-live-stream-virtual-reality-vr-1201866378/
VR Privacy Problem Is Real: Here’s What You Need To Know To Protect Yourself
But now, virtual reality is threatening to erode our privacy to a new level from knowing how we physically move around to the brain waves we emit. Even though VR technology is still in its infancy, privacy advocates already quickly raising red flags concerned that consumers don't know what virtual reality companies can glean from our use of their devices.
Although noting that Oculus Rift "…will have a big effect on the future of technology," Franken also vowed to "…make sure that the company is doing everything it can to protect the very sensitive, private data of its users," he said in a statement in mid-May.
Consumers, of course, are already fairly comfortable with companies knowing their whereabouts—and those details are not unique to virtual reality, of course. But knowing a user's head movement? That their eyes glanced to one figure and not another while wearing a VR headset? Those details are unique.
... there's a potential benefit to this data collection, as well. With more data, brands will likely create marketing campaigns that the end-user may feel is more relevant to them.
Three-quarters, or 75 percent, of those on Forbes' World's Most Valuable Brands list, have created some form of virtual or augmented reality experience for customers or employees, or are themselves innovating and developing these technologies, according to YouVisit's Virtual Reality Brand Power Index.
Lock your device down
With VR devices and headsets, Levin recommends customers protect themselves right from the start. First? Be aware of the data that is collected about them. Next? Change default settings when those are provided, and set up a separate email address and passwords for gadgets that operate in virtual environments. If someone hacks into one online service, they then won't be able to use your login and password everywhere else on the net.
Companies then bear some responsibility sits with companies in creating privacy policies that are simple and clear—about what's collected on them and what isn't— so consumers can make an informed decision about whether to use their services or not, says Levin. Otherwise, more officials, like Franken, are likely to step up and force the issue further.
See the full story here: http://www.gearbrain.com/virtual-reality-privacy-consumer-battle-rights-1845199637.html
Sony Pictures, Reality One Team on Virtual Reality Slate
Sony Pictures will partner with Reality One to develop, produce, and finance a slate of virtual reality content, the partners said Tuesday. Many of the new virtual reality experiences will draw on the studio’s existing films and franchises, but others will be completely original works.
Sony Pictures will handle the distribution, with new projects expected to come to fruition later this year.
Still there is a sense that this is where the audience will migrate, and to that end, Sony appears eager to be one of the more aggressive players in the space. That’s somewhat unsurprising given that its parent company is a technology manufacturer. Sony has already launched virtual reality experiences based on “Ghostbusters” and “The Walk,” and tapped Jake Zim last July for the newly-created role of senior vice president of virtual reality.
Reality One was co-founded by billionaire and philanthropist Gigi Pritzker and former Legendary Entertainment executive Clint Kisker in 2015. They recently co-produced and co-published Gnomes and Goblins, an original production created by “Iron Man” director Jon Favreau.
See the full story here: http://variety.com/2016/film/news/sony-pictures-reality-one-team-on-virtual-reality-slate-1201865770/
Sony’s AnywhereVR brings your smartphone into PlayStation VR
The company’s music division, Sony Music Entertainment, announced a new relaxation app for its upcoming headset during a Tokyo Game Show 2016 press conference. Called AnywhereVR, the experience impressively projects your phone’s display inside an immersive environment, enabling you to check messages and apps without having to remove PS VR.
A brief trailer revealed the project onstage, showing a woman getting home from work, putting on her PS VR unit, and finding herself in picturesque environments with relaxing background music. She then grabs her phone in the real world, which brings up the display in the virtual environment that mirrors her device. According to the trailer (which includes brilliant narration), users will be able to talk to friends, use apps like Twitter and play minigames inside the piece. It’s not yet known if all smartphone apps will be supported in the app or only a specific selection, though the trailer suggested the later.
See the full story here: http://venturebeat.com/2016/09/17/sonys-anywherevr-brings-your-smartphone-into-playstation-vr/
Lumen – This Interactive Virtual Reality Experience Relaxes You in Minutes
[Philip Lelyveld comment: I tried this a few weeks ago at Framestore's Culver City office. The experience is wonderful!]
This virtual reality experience begins with a short breathing exercise, then places you in a luminous multicolored woodland where you’ll use ‘headset gaze’ to interact with the sights and sounds of your environment—and de-stress in the process. You’ll stimulate tree growth, choose a hue from the sky’s aurora display to customize your tranquil setting, and navigate a lush forest floor—giving colorful life to the dark and sparse landscape. The soundtrack, created by composer Peter Timberlake, evolves with your every interaction.
LUMEN was created in collaboration with Walter Greenleaf, PhD, of Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, and Framestore’s VR Studio—and Dr. Greenleaf and other Stanford research scientists at the Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital will be evaluating how LUMEN can help children who are undergoing difficult surgical procedures.
See the full story here: http://time.com/4498402/lumen-interactive-virtual-reality-relax/
Why Pokémon Go’s John Hanke says augmented reality is better than virtual reality
On the latest episode of Recode Decode, Niantic CEO John Hanke said he sees augmented reality as an important complement to his company’s guiding philosophy, that games should happen off the couch and outside of the home. In the case of Pokémon Go, players have to travel — including to places they may never have visited before — to find and catch all the Pokémon in the world.
"From the very beginning, our games were about encouraging people to go outside and see interesting places," Hanke said. "So [I have] mixed feelings about people looking at their screen while we’re trying to lead them out into the park where they can see the statue and trees and nature."
"Maybe at some point in the future there will be augmented reality glasses which overlay Pokémon and other things seamlessly into our environment," he added. "But those don’t exist yet, so we’re looking for those interim steps."
See the full story here: http://www.recode.net/2016/9/19/12965508/pokemon-go-john-hanke-augmented-virtual-reality-ar-recode-decode-podcast