$99 Intel RealSense Camera R200 Developer Kit With Windows And Android Support Now Up For Preorder
Notable highlights of the camera include a full VGA depth resolution, 1080p RGB camera, range of up to 9.8 to 13.1 feet or 3-4 meters (outdoor usage is also possible with the camera's longer range capability) and a USB 3.0 interface.
The dimensions are measured at 0.37 inch in thickness and 4.02 inches in length, which make the latest model relatively smaller than its older sibling.
The camera's augmented reality feature is part of the company's grand plan to bring the technology to tablets and PCs, similar to Project Tango of Google. Intel said that the camera was designed to work with sensors in order for device screens to deliver certain information such as the location of the user and viewed objects. Additionally, the camera will also be able to recognize the user's moods based on his facial expressions while it also maps out the surrounding area which can be useful in playing games and experiencing virtual worlds.
Pre-order here: http://click.intel.com/intel-realsense-developer-kit-r200.html
See the full story here: http://www.techtimes.com/articles/123735/20160112/99-intel-realsense-camera-r200-developer-kit-with-windows-and-android-support-now-up-for-preorder.htm
CNET Founder Launching Virtual Reality Network
“Virtual reality won’t be a wholesale replacement of TV, but a massive new industry directly adjacent to the old one,” Reality Lab founder Halsey Minor says. “Virtual reality growth will come from entertainment.”
At CES 2016, Minor debuted Reality Lab’s Quantum Leap VR system, which was streaming live 360-degree 4K video content wirelessly over a Verizon VZ -0.07% LTE connection onto a Samsung SSNLF 0.00% Gear VR device in real time.
Each Quantum Leap camera features 16 individual HD cameras that produce two 360-degree stereoscopic images (one for each eye) for each viewer. Minor says the views are perfectly stitched together in real time, revealing none of the “seams” typically found in VR video content, despite running at 25 frames per second. Since the cameras support higher resolutions than any current VR headset, the technology is already built for the future.
In addition, the system supports Hyper VR, which allows three-dimensional objects and animations to be inserted into any 360-degree livestream.
But Minor isn’t selling this technology. Instead, he’s using it to create his own virtual reality network of channels, which will focus on individual sports and types of music at first. The company’s first partnerships will be announced in the coming months with content timed to launch in Q2.
Minor believe the future of virtual reality is untethered, which is why he debuted his technology on a mobile device.
Minor says the key to livestreaming 360-degree video is to get the best content—the Super Bowl, the presidential debates, big concerts, and soccer matches—and develop it in a different format. The Quantum Leap camera system will allow viewers to choose from multiple perspectives on the fly during event coverage.
See the full story here:
Say hello to VIDIUS, the world’s smallest first-person-view camera drone
Measuring in at just 1.7 inches wide and standing just under an inch tall, the VIDIUS is a modern marvel of design and engineering. Due in large part to its diminutive size, owners need not register the VIDIUS with the FAA before flying.
Not only does the onboard camera boast the capacity to stream and record video in 420p, but it also allows pilots to snap stunning photos in-flight as well. Available next month on January 29, Axis currently allows preorders of the VIDIUS for $75 ($20 off its regular retail price).
See the full story here: http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/introducing-the-axis-vidius-drone/
DAQRI Smart Helmet Brings Augmented Reality to Heavy Industry
[Philip Lelyveld comment: this story does a really good job explaining the components of the HMD and how it works.]
Unveiled at CES 2016, the DSH is powered by a sixth-generation Intel Core m7 processor and Intel’s RealSense technology. As an industrial-grade human-machine interface, the DSH makes augmented reality (AR) practical in the workplace for the first time.
In addition to the Intel processor, the DSH utilizes multiple cameras: high-resolution, low-resolution and infrared.
A 13MP HD camera is used for photo and video capture, AR applications, 2D target recognition and tracking and object/color recognition.
Two infrared cameras are part of Intel’s RealSense technology. Combining them with the HD camera as well as an infrared laser projector allows the device to infer depth by detecting reflected infrared light.
The low-resolution camera works in conjunction with an industrial-grade inertial measurement unit (IMU) to calculate the helmet’s relative position in space. A second, commercial-grade IMU is included for additional applications.
The DSH’s four-microphone array includes integrated power, volume buttons and an audio output jack to accommodate protective headphones.
See the full story here: http://www.engineering.com/AdvancedManufacturing/ArticleID/11264/DAQRI-Smart-Helmet-Brings-Augmented-Reality-to-Heavy-Industry.aspx
Google’s Project Tango will enable cool augmented reality games (hands-on demo)
Larry Yang, a former member of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 hardware team, gave me a demo recently over at his new job at Google. Yang is the lead project manager for Project Tango, which equips a mobile device with 3D-sensing capabilities so that you can create games and other apps that are aware of their surroundings. He showed me a game that uses Tango, and it was like stepping into a future where games, 3D sensing, motion-sensing, cameras, and animated overlays all combine into a very cool augmented reality experience.
See the full story here: http://venturebeat.com/2016/01/07/googles-project-tango-will-enable-cool-augmented-reality-games/
HOW FOX’S “THE MARTIAN VR EXPERIENCE” BECAME HOLLYWOOD’S MOST AMBITIOUS VR EXPERIMENT
"You’re building the plane while you’re flying it," says Ted Schilowtiz, 20th Century Fox’s futurist—and per his business card its "consiglieri"—of the Hollywood studio’s production of rich VR experience based on its recent mega-hit film, The Martian. "We didn’t have all the answers when we started, and we still didn’t have all the answers when we finished, but we know we created something meaningful. In scope and scale; it feels like a significant entertainment product."
At Fox’s request, so as not to spoil users’ surprise when they run through the experience, all seven will not be described here. But suffice it to say that each scene presents users with a scenario from the theatrical version of The Martian and tasks them with working their way through a challenge that Watney had to overcome in order to survive alone on Mars.
See the full story here: http://www.fastcompany.com/3054924/how-foxs-the-martian-vr-experience-became-hollywoods-most-ambitious-vr-experiment?curator=MediaREDEF
CAN VIRTUAL REALITY HELP KEEP ASTRONAUTS SANE IN SPACE?
Former astronaut Jay Buckey wants to see if virtual reality can help. The Dartmouth physician and his team have sent Oculus Rift headsets deep into the Arctic to test whether exposure to nature through virtual reality can help improve mood and stress levels.
See the full story here: http://www.popsci.com/can-virtual-reality-help-keep-astronauts-sane-on-deep-space-journeys
CES 2016: HTC Vive virtual reality headset gets upgraded
The headset's improvements over a version revealed in February include:
- A front-facing camera, so the user can view the world around them when desired
- A redesign of the headset and strap to make them more comfortable
- Interchangeable foam inserts and "nose gaskets" to better fit the shape of the wearer's face
- A brighter display with better clarity than before
- Handheld controllers feature a range of updates including textured buttons, grip pads and softer edges
HTC plans to launch the Vive in April.
See the full story here: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-35229548
Virtual Reality Video Game Industry to Generate $5.1 Billion in 2016
[Philip Lelyveld comment: Ignoring the made-up 2016 projections, what constitutes $660M spent on VR in 2015?]
"Consumers will spend $5.1 billion on virtual reality gaming hardware, accessories, and software in 2016. That’s up from $660 million in 2015, says the marketing leader. Meanwhile, the global market is expected to grow to $8.9 billion in 2017 and $12.3 billion in 2018.
A breakdown of this year’s $5.1 billion global market shows Europe in the lead with a $1.9 billion share and North America close behind with $1.6 billion. That’s followed by Asia with $1.1 billion, and the rest of the world accounting for $0.6 billion."
Consumers will spend $5.1 billion on virtual reality gaming hardware, accessories, and software in 2016. That’s up from $660 million in 2015, says the marketing leader. Meanwhile, the global market is expected to grow to $8.9 billion in 2017 and $12.3 billion in 2018.
"A breakdown of this year’s $5.1 billion global market shows Europe in the lead with a $1.9 billion share and North America close behind with $1.6 billion. That’s followed by Asia with $1.1 billion, and the rest of the world accounting for $0.6 billion."
See the full story here: http://fortune.com/2016/01/05/virtual-reality-game-industry-to-generate-billions/