philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

Bjork Launches Virtual Reality Exhibition

For her latest foray into virtual reality, the singer is bringing her native Iceland to fans during her Björk Digital exhibition, which launches on Friday in Sydney, Australia.

During the event, Björk will premiere her fourth virtual reality video from her personal, and devastatingly stunning Vulnicura, which chronicles the dissolution of her longtime relationship. "[The exhibition] is a further step into completing the full Vulnicura VR album, which will come out soon," she said in a statement on her website. "I feel the chronological narrative of the album is ideal for the private circus virtual reality is: a theatre able to capture the emotional landscape of it."

Read the full story here: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/bjork-launches-virtual-reality-exhibition-20160602

Alzheimer’s virtual reality app simulates dementia

A virtual reality app has been launched to provide a sense of what it is like to live with different forms of dementia.

A Walk Through Dementia was created by the charity Alzheimer's Research UK.

It has been welcomed by other experts in the field.

see the full story here: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-36433868

Lucid Launches VR Content Studio

Lucid VR, the developer of 3D virtual reality (VR) pocket-sized cameras, is launching Lucid Studios, a production house specializing in the creation of 180- and 360-degree 3D VR videos. The firm already has a number of marketers signed up including cosmetics company Sephora and UC Berkeley among others.

With Lucid VR’s proprietary software, the 3D video content is then integrated for playback on websites and apps.

“Our 3D, 180-degree, VR approach gives storytelling true depth and peripheral vision in an incredible and very real experience,” said Han Jin, CEO, Lucid VR. “This is called ‘found footage’ in traditional filmmaking where viewers feel like what is filmed through the viewfinder is what they would be seeing with their own two eyes. It is incredibly realistic.”

UC Berkeley Recreational Sports department is using the new facility to develop VR videos for five or six different team sports, as well as the university's VR campus tour. Sephora and several U.S. retailers are other brands are using the studio to develop VR campaigns.

See the full story here: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/277099/lucid-launches-vr-content-studio.html

The next big thing in virtual reality could come out of this student club at Stanford

Stanford University's first virtual reality club, Rabbit Hole VR, was born in fall 2015 to bring together enthusiasts who want to try the latest headsets, organize panels, and create new applications for the emerging technology.

Yelizarova recently launched an "immersive travel blog" called Follow the White Rabbit, where she'll post weekly episodes and tutorials. Yelizarova will leave for Iceland in June and return to the states in early September, ending her journey at Burning Man.

Other members of Rabbit Hole VR have also taken on ambitious projects — and wound up with pretty stacked résumés.

Last summer, Korman worked on product design at an internship at Magic Leap, a company developing a mysterious, impressive-looking"mixed-reality headset" that has raised over $1 billion from high-profile investors like Google and Alibaba.

Others have worked in the Virtual Human Interaction Lab at Stanford and the University of Southern California's prestigious Institute for Creative Technologies.

See the full story here: http://www.techinsider.io/rabbit-hole-vr-stanford-2016-5

15 Virtual Reality Startups Changing the Game

Check Out These Virtual Reality Startups on Their Websites

AltspaceVR

UploadVR

TeliportMe

Lucid VR

Dermandar

Prizmiq

Twindom

Jaunt

MergeVR

IrisVR

Surre.al

Lytro

Roam and Wander

Sketchfab

Wevr

See the full post here: https://tech.co/notable-virtual-reality-startups-2016-06

Numbers Reflect Steady Rise of Augmented Reality Marketing In 2016

Through visual search, a user is able to take a picture on their smartphone, and iQNECT then provides additional information on the contents of that picture, such as links to a brand’s other content or upcoming deals. Not only can this type of AR provide all necessary information to users, but it can also take them directly to the point of purchase by connecting the user to an online vendor exactly when they show interest in the product.

These benefits are why early use of AR marketing is showing massive improvements across all marketing channels. USPS recently boosted direct mail response rates to 37% (up from 3%) by using AR to connect mail readers with electronic content, containing additional information on pricing tiers as well as an immediate option to purchase.

Similarly, AMC Theatres used AR to get a 75% CTR by using augmented reality movie posters in their lobby. Movie-goers could pose by movie posters and take pictures alongside their favorite movie characters. Not only did this provide fun pictures for the consumer, but they also got coupons and other discounts by taking the photo in the first place.

See the full story here: http://www.business2community.com/brandviews/relevance/numbers-reflect-steady-rise-augmented-reality-marketing-2016-01559055#0XgXhOVRtqBeXtih.97

Jaunt Inc. Launches Virtual Reality Venture in China

Palo Alto-based virtual reality firm Jaunt Inc. has established a joint venture in China with Shanghai Media Group and China Media Capital, two of the country's most influential state-backed media and entertainment investors.

The partners say the China venture is already operational and producing Chinese-themed VR content aimed for a global audience.

"Initial programming will include VR content such as The Voice of China, virtual tours of Shanghai and music from the band SNH48," the partners said Tuesday in a statement. Jaunt says it also will tap SMG and CMC's content libraries to create VR experiences across travel, adventure, narrative, music and sports.

China Media Capital, chaired by Ruigang Li, is the local investment partner to many Hollywood brands in China. Its investment portfolio includes stakes in Imax China, Oriental DreamWorks and Warner Bros.' Chinese film studio, Flagship Entertainment.

Shanghai Media Group, formerly headed by Li, has a portfolio spanning print and digital media, live and filmed entertainment, e-commerce, tourism and gaming. It is one of the key investors in Walt Disney Co.'s $5.5 billion Shanghai theme park, set to open later this month, and also has strategic partnerships with Viacom, BBC, Amazon AWS and others.

See the full story here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jaunt-launches-virtual-reality-venture-898586

Microsoft announces Hololens ecosystem

"So when you ask the question 'when will it be available at a different price point?' or 'when will it be available in a different geo?' — what we're announcing today is the opportunity for you to ask any of our partners that question, because with HoloLens we're pursuing a very specific path. And we didn't announce anything with regard to HoloLens today — it was more about the platform now being available to partners."

Myerson later elaborated that he fully expects OEM partners to build Windows Holographic devices with a wider field of view than Microsoft's HoloLens, for example, addressing one of the bigger criticisms of the current hardware. He emphasized that HoloLens is simply one device that will exist within the future Holographic ecoystem.

See the sull story here; http://www.theverge.com/2016/6/1/11827538/microsoft-myerson-windows-holographic-partners

The Netherlands is a serious hotbed for virtual reality content

To address Marco’s point, we have to look to Aron Versteeg of ArtBeat, the gentleman who has to have the record in the Netherlands for having the longest track record in VR. He started ArtBeat in 2001, which means he has a whopping 15 years of experience creating VR projects.

Versteeg describes the following types of companies in the VR space in the Netherlands based on his broad view of the landscape:

1. Group 1 – Out for the quick bucks; usually recent business graduates.
2. Group 2 – IT-oriented companies that already have steady revenue models and have simply switched to VR or added it to their offerings.
3. Group 3 – Bonafide innovators that are in it for the long haul.

See the full story here: http://venturebeat.com/2016/05/28/the-netherlands-is-a-serious-hotbed-for-virtual-reality-content/

Paul McCartney releases six VR experiences

Paul McCartney is bringing fans into his world by way of virtual reality through a six-part series of VR experiences created to support the June 10 release of "Pure McCartney," his new retrospective album surveying the music of his career after the Beatles disbanded.

The ex-Beatle has teamed with VR producer-publisher Jaunt to create the segments that explore a handful of songs on the new album in a 360-degree video format.

The first two segments, for the songs "Dance Tonight" and "Coming Up", launched Tuesday with additional segments due May 31 for "My Valentine (Part 1)," June 7 for "My Valentine (Part 2)," June 10 (for "Mull of Kintyre") and June 14 ("Early Days").

See the full story here: http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/paul-mccartney-mines-virtual-reality-new-pure-mccartney-release-watch/