HappyGiant Announces Augmented Rreality Greetings Cards For Use With Apple AR Devices

Greetings cards, eh? Who needs them? Once upon a time perhaps a sprinkling of glitter and a paper bow would impress on a special day, but now they just clutter up the place and you’re left wondering how long you’re obliged to leave them up for. Wouldn’t they be so much more interesting with a few augmented reality (AR) features? Damn right they would, and that’s why HappyGiant are introducing new REAL cARds.

REAL cARds are essentially the traditional greetings cards you tolerate, but contained within an AR app so they don’t clutter up your living space. There will even be seasonal updates to the cards, so you can rely on them for more than just Valentine’s Day.

We previously saw HappyGiant release HoloGrid: Monster Battle AR last year, an ARKit enhanced version of their strategy digital board game. Clearly the experience the videogame brought the team has given them the skills and tools they need to build their REAL cARds. HoloGrid: Monster Battle AR allowed players to place digital monsters into the world around them, making the experience more immersive and fascinating than possible with AR features.

HoloGrid: Monster Battle has also released on the Microsoft HoloLens, so the team are clearly adept at developing for a range of AR devices. Instead of monsters and beasts, REAL cARds will include more hearts, teddy bears, flowers and more.

You can download the app for free on compatible iOS devices. You can even send the cards to friends and family without the app, though they only receive a video version of the experience. Definitely less impressive and immersive, but better than nothing.

You’ll be able to choose from multiple different animated card sequences, customise decorations, send to your friends and family, and of course the cards feature 3D animation, music and custom messages, all of which can be viewed in AR.

It’s definitely an interesting concept, and makes us excited at the prospect of being able to customise creations using AR devices. But more than that, the AR technology makes it possible for people to customise messages and convey feelings more than what they may have been able to without the technology. For more news on AR messages and experiences, make sure to keep reading VRFocus.

February 10, 2018

AR Startup RealWear Raises $17 Million CAD After Moving To Vancouver

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) startups are getting more support than ever before from financiers and investors, and the industry’s worth just keeps getting bigger. In 2017 we saw investments in VR and AR technologies break records, and with several investments in companies already this year, it’s possible that 2018 might be the biggest year for VR and AR technology and development than ever before.

Now, yet another startup in the AR space has secured the necessary funding they need to continue operation and their ventures into new AR technologies and products. RealWare recently moved from their headquarters from Silicon Valley to a site in Vancouver, and has since raised $17 million CAD.

Oregon Live reports that the company hopes to expand to up to 100 employees by the end of the year, and despite the large amount of money invested thus far, RealWare are still looking for another $3 million to add to the pot.

RealWear create wearable specialised clothing for industry purposes. Waterproof, dust tight, drop proof and rugged pieces of equipment that incorporate AR technology, such as building site helmets with AR visors that allow users to view information and instructions while on the job, such as product maintenance, assembly and inspection.

The RealWear website says it’s technology has the “power of a tablet in a wearable form factor” and it’s the kind of technology that can really help busy employees working on the ground. The technology’s software uses Android OS, making it simple to download and APK file and installing it on an Android device.

When RealWear announced their Vancouver site, they said they would hire at least 20 people for the site, which is based near Fort Vancouver.

The eagerness for investors to spend money on RealWear makes sense, they offer a unique product that’s sure to only become more mainstream in industry use cases as time goes on. We’ve already seen how VR can revolutionise and change the construction industry, with designers and architects evangelising the new technologies and their potential uses. As we get more news on the latest industry uses for VR and AR technology, you’ll read about it on VRFocus.

February 10, 2018

SynaptixGames Studio Director Robert Madsen Talks About VR Development In New Interview

We’ve been covering SynaptixGames and their virtual reality (VR) videogame Day of Destruction for a while now. The studio show incredible promise for VR development, and now in a new interview, Studio Director Robert Madsen has spoken about the studio and their investment in VR development.

Speaking to the Entertainment Software Associastion (ESA), Robert Madsen shares stories about himself and his experience in the videogame industry, before talking about SynaptixGames, Day of Destruction, and VR development.

Day of Destruction - Screenshot

Speaking about the studio SynaptixGames, Madsen states; “I founded SynaptixGames in 2011 and, as a contract game studio, we have written games for just about every platform out there, including mobile, web-based platforms, PC-based platforms, and consoles. VR is the latest and greatest thing we’ve been tackling.”

Madsen goes on to talk about VR, and how the studio adapted quickly to the technology to get ahead of the curve; “When we have clients that are coming to us with their ideas, they tend to ask for a specific type of experience on whatever the new thing is. About three years ago, we saw VR coming as the next big thing, so even before we had clients asking for VR we had already dove in. We started with Gear VR and started making our first game on that, and since then, we have had clients coming to us for VR projects. It was kind of a serendipitous thing because we had the experience and were taking clients who needed VR applications. Over the last three years we’ve created games for the Gear VR, Google Cardboard, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive.”

Madsen also talks about the recent Day of Destruction, saying; “When we got our hands on our first Gear VR Innovator Edition about three years ago, there was a contest and we decided to use that as an impetus to get started. We actually created the first prototype of Day of Destruction on the Samsung Gear VR in about four weeks and submitted it for the contest. Since then, we’ve been continuously working on it, keeping in mind that our own projects can’t interfere with our contract projects. So, we spent about 20 percent of our time working on Day of Destruction over the last three years. Ultimately, we decided, because of the visual quality that we wanted, we would continue to develop the game on higher-end systems like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.”

VRFocus reviewed Day of Destruction, saying; “Day of Destruction certainly doesn’t wow in the graphics department – there are far better looking virtual reality (VR) titles – but it doesn’t need to. It has that B-movie quality that just works, and the in game audio (especially the music) is top notch. That’s why it’s a shame there isn’t more to the gameplay.”

You can read the full interview right here. SynpatixGames are sure to release more VR projects and videogames in the near future, and you’ll be able to read about them all right here on VRFocus.

February 10, 2018

Australian VR Film ‘Awake’ To Premiere At South By Southwest 2018

More and more film makers are turning to virtual reality (VR) technology to bring their audience closer to powerful and personal subjects. Empathy is just one of the benefits of experiencing film and video in VR, and documentaries such as The Choice are taking advantage of that. Now, Awake is heading to South by Southwest (SXSW) to premiere.

We’ve reported on Awake previously. The VR film is being directed by Start VR’s Chief Content Officer Martin Taylor, who has been working on the project for several years. The project has support from several large companies, including Screen Australia, HTC Vive, Animal Logic and Microsoft Mixed Reality Capture.

The film is set to premiere at SXSW 2018. It’s the first time a VR film from Australia has had the chance to premiere at the event. Hopefully it will lead to further recognition of the Australian VR scene in the future.

Awake star Jake McDorman and Analeigh Tipton, and it takes audiences into an immersive and vivd dreamscape and that bends the concepts of space, time, and reality. It explores the human psyche at its most vulnerable through the character-driven narrative.

McDorman plays Harry, an isolated man still suffering after being widowed. Throughout the Awake series, audiences will follow Harry as he goes from a prisoner in his own home, haunted by the memories of his wife Rose, played by Tipton, and obsessed with a cryptic message.

Mike Jones of VR Noir, The Kettering Incident and Deadlock also helped in the production, along with Christian Cantamessa, who worked on Red Dead Redemption, Shadows of Mordor and AIR. The experts of the digital VR worlds and character driven narratives come together in Awake to bring players closer to the characters than ever before.

Attendees at SXSW 2018 will be able to view Awake at the Virtual Cinema area, a space dedicated to VR, augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) storytelling.

It’s good to see SXSW’s continued dedicated to VR media, and Awake’s inclusion at the event will no doubt invigorate the Australian VR scene. Once we see Awake for ourselves, and should we hear anything more about it, you’ll be sure to read it all here first on VRFocus.

February 10, 2018

This Week In VR Sport: NBC Sports VR, Sporty Bodycams And Possible Golf VR Broadcasts In Future

Every week we bring together the latest stories from the world of sport colliding with virtual reality (VR), and this week is no different. We’ve got news on the NBC Sports VR app, a brand new bodycam designed for active lifestyles, and a hint that we might get more VR golf broadcasts and content in the future.

Read on for more information, and make sure to come back every week for the latest in the world of VR sport.

Watch The Winter Olympics With The NBC Sports VR App On Gear VR

It’s not the first time we’ve reported on the Winter Olympics being broadcast in VR, but while before it was for our European pals, this time our American friends are catered for with NBC Sports VR on Samsung Gear VR.

The Oculus Blog made a post about the new app, ushering people to download and enjoy what will be more than 50 hours of VR coverage. Though for long form VR content you will need to authenticate your app through your paid TV provider.

Of course the event is broadcast in VR thanks to Intel True VR, who are responsible for the technology being used to broadcast the games.

FITT360 Is A Wearable Bodycam Built For Active Lifestyles

We’ve seen plenty of bodycams in the past, but not many that offer 360 degree capture. So it’s a good thing we’re getting the FITT360, a bodycam designed for an active lifestyle.

Bodycams are a wise choice for those that are safety conscious and is appropriate for all ages as we can see from the trailer above.

It’s one of the least intrusive bodycams we’ve seen, and the 360 degree capture is a massive bonus. We’ll have more on the FITT360 cameras as the information comes in.

European Golf Tour CTO Hints At VR Broadcasts In Future

In an interview with Silicon, European Tour CTO Michael Cole has made a few comments regarding VR broadcasting. Though it seems there are no immediate plans, that’s definitely not to say that it’s not on the European Tour’s agenda.

It follows a partnership with Tata Communications, who supply digital and broadcast solutions. They currently already work with the F1 and MotoGP. Cole has said of the partnership; “[Tata has] an absolutely critical role in being the conduit for the host broadcaster to the rest of the world. They bring experience and expertise to help us connect to a worldwide audience.”

When it comes specifically to VR broadcasting, Cole makes clear that they are observing the state of VR broadcasts and content; “[I] come from the world of the Olympics and there is a point of view that sport is a great platform for innovation. In my mind, whilst that’s true that any technology has to be robust. Getting that balance between bleeding edge innovation and tech that’s tried and tested is critical.”

Cole continues; “I’m not particularly interested in being number one and bringing new innovation to sport. But I’m very interested in being number 2 or number 3. We owe that to the players and the audience.”

Hopefully we’ll see more VR golf coverage in the future. For all of the latest news on sport in VR, make sure to keep reading VRFocus.

February 10, 2018

Powerful Virtual Reality Documentary ‘The Choice’ Attempts To Remove Stigma Surrounding Abortion

We all know how virtual reality (VR) can take users to new places, give them new perspectives, and brand new experiences. We’ve seen VR film projects and documentaries that want us to understand the plight of deprived areas, and we’ve seen VR apps show us the impact of climate change. Now, a new documentary wants to put people in the shoes of women who are going through an abortion.

Abortion is still an incredibly sensitive subject in many areas of the world, and often those opposed to abortion have little to no understanding of the mental and physical exhaustion these women go through. As such, the new VR documentary, now on Kickstarter, seeks to make a wider audience understanding of what women must go through, and why the choice is so important for so many reasons.

The documentary is titled The Choice, and will take viewers into a woman’s body as they experience the panic of realising they have an unwanted pregnancy. The documentary will introduce viewers to real women, who will talk about their experiences, their emotions, and the difficult choices they had to make.

VR was chosen as the medium for the documentary as they wanted to make users feel like a part of the world, a part of the woman’s life, and as if the decision was also yours. Traditional media can make you view the story of another, but so rarely can they make that story yours, too. VR’s potential for empathy is paralleled, thus the choice to make the documentary for VR devices.

After all, this documentary isn’t about making a splash on the world’s stage, but is instead about compassion. Compassion for others, women, and those that are suffering, especially if invisibly. The Kickstarter reads; “Compassion is necessary, especially in light of the fact that half of the society cannot personally imagine how it is to make this choice. Men do not ever expect to become pregnant. We want them to be equal and supportive partners in this debate and so we need them to understand even just a fraction of how it would feel to be in this situation. We want The Choice to be the tool that gives them the opportunity to gain this perspective so they can understand why women make this decision.”

You should look at the Kickstarter for The Choice right here, and donate if you feel you wish to support a good cause. When you’re able to watch The Choice, we’ll let you know, so keep reading VRFocus.

February 9, 2018

University Dean Believes Virtual Reality Can Be Used To Fight Addiction

A few years ago we reported on how virtual reality (VR) therapy could potentially help people with alcoholism or alcohol dependence. The study found then, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, came from a study of just 10 patients, but the researchers felt positive about the future of VR therapy for alcohol abuse cases. Now, years later, the Dean for the Tulane University’s School of Social Work believes that VR can definitely have a place in alcohol therapy.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Dean Patrick Bordnick believes in the power of the new technology to greatly aid alcohol dependence cases with virtual scenarios. Bordnick’s history with VR includes over a decade of investigating its uses in cognitive behaviour cases. Particularly, Bordnick looked at the potential for behavioural therapists to use the technology to help addicts cope with triggers that may cause them to relapse, but in a safe environment.

In addition to that, Bordnick is looking in to how VR can be used to help patients with autism better manage social situations.

Bordnick explains; “Fifteen years ago, the avatars were not realistic. Everything has been motion captured using real actors so that the patient and therapist can work together in a realistic environment that mirrors real life outside of the clinical setting.”

Bordnick continues; “Picture being able to practice what it’s like to venture into a party where you can walk into the crowd and interact. Or if you have a fear of public speaking, being able to stand in front of a virtual audience and practice your speech.”

Named Project Delta, the VR software takes users to setting that can trigger a relapse, such as a virtual bar where users can interact with patrons and order a drink. With a trained therapist observing the situation, they can better understand how the patient reacts in certain situations, while also acting as a guiding hand to move the user through the experience and deal with their triggers and urges. Another setting shows the exterior of a heroin den.

With Bordnick’s new advancements we’re sure that VR will be used for therapy cases more often in the near future, and hopefully provides a great relief to suffering addicts. For all of the latest VR health news, make sure to keep reading VRFocus.

February 9, 2018

New Tool AfterNow Prez Allows You To Craft AR Presentations Using Microsoft HoloLens

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) can be used for so much more than videogames and industrial applications – you can make your own presentations and creations utilising the new technologies, to turn your presentations into the most memorable presentations your clients and business partners are likely to see. That’s the thinking behind AfterNow Prez, the new software tool that will make it easy to create memorable, powerful and impactful presentations using Microsoft HoloLens.

Designed for sales demos, marketing engagements, hands on tutorials and more, users can simply upload 3D models, images and videos, and then physically place in the real world with the HoloLens technology. Users can sequence scenes in their presenations and apply transitions, and viewers can watch the presentations unfold in their real world environment through the AR technology.

We keep seeing more technologies making great use of Microsoft HoloLens and designed creative applications for the head-mounted display (HMD). We’ve seen trainees learning about ultrasound with HoloLens, and Microsoft are continuing the create spaces where developers can create new HoloLens software.

Philippe Lewicki is the captain at AfterNow, and he shares his enthusiasm for their latest software; “We were building augmented reality presentations for Fortune 500 companies and seeing how effective AR presentations were; we decided to reduce the complexity and cost of creating engaging and immersive augmented reality experiences. That’s when we started AfterNow Prez.”

There are three primary use cases that AfterNow Prez is designed for which are;

Sales, meetings or pitches
Tradeshows and demonstrations
Exhibits and showrooms with tour guides

The founder of INSCALE and INSCALE Interactive has also chimed in, sharing his high opinion of AfterNow Prez; “AfterNow Prez is a great opportunity to present in a whole new way. Very intuitive and easy to use! it’s all I ever wanted digital presenting to be!“

Anyone that has ever worked in an office environment or regularly hosts business meetings can already imagine the implications the software has. Business partners can be hard to impress, and fellow employees can sometimes find it difficult to follow long, drawn out presentations. With the new technology, it’ll be easier than ever to create memorable experiences that’ll capture those you’re presenting to. As long as the technology is on hand, in the right hands it can change careers. Should VR or AR technology be modernising any other technology we use every day, you’ll read about it on VRFocus.

February 9, 2018

SceneCam Night To Day Cameras Get £1.2 Million Investment From L&M Survey Services

The future is looking bright for virtual reality (VR) capable cameras, as L&M Survey Services has announced a £1.2 million GBP investment in SceneCam Cameras and SceneCenter 2.0 content management software.

Naturally, L&M Survey are looking to ultilise the technology in their own ventures. The investment will provide L&M Survey clients with night to day visual mapping services thanks to their high dynamic range (HDR) cameras.

SceneCam’s camera technology can be applied to a massive number of different use cases, such as VR content capturing, photogrammetry and documentation.

We’ve seen VR and augmented reality (AR) technology being applied to health and training before, and L&M Survey’s clients will also be able to use the new technology to improve the health and safety of their employees on sites. Employees will be able to familiarise themselves with site access points and conditions from the safety of their desks, potentially saving a lot of employees from having to travel out to sites in dark or dangerous conditions.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen investment in UK VR and AR technologies. We saw a big £1.3 million GBP investment in Immotion late last year, a VR and AR startup which looks to bring people new VR experiences.

L&M Survey Services’ commercial director Alasdair Kirkwood has said of the investment; “Our initial decision to invest in SpheronVR technology came largely from the benefits we immediately saw in reducing risk for our own staff on site. We today view this technology, particularly in our primary area of expertise, rail surveying, as the biggest single contribution to rail staff safety since the invention of Hi-Vis: it allows our survey teams, our clients and their partners to visit the sites, familiarise themselves with the site access points and track conditions from their desks, before they try to find, park and access in the middle of the night.”

The investment has secured some essential new tools and enhancements for L&M Survey’s current clients, and sure to attract more. We’re seeing VR and AR technologies being applied to a greater range of industries every day, and these investments can only mean a larger and more mainstream VR industry for both businesses and consumers in the future. For all of the latest news, make sure to keep reading VRFocus.

February 9, 2018

Apple Patent Revealing VR And AR Optical System Unearthed

Smart phones and virtual reality (VR) and even augmented reality (AR) are a match made it heaven. Whether it’s the easily implement ARKit from Apple or Samsung’s Gear VR in partnership with Oculus, or even Google Cardboard, VR and AR is a natural fit for the devices we carry with us every day. So why would Apple let the other smartphone manufacturers get ahead with VR and AR technology? They wouldn’t, and if we’re to believe this Apple patent will come to fruition in the future, they won’t.

Apple’s latest patent, as reported by iDrop News, is an optical system for VR and AR applications. Titled Optical System for Head-Mounted Display, the patent was published on February 8^th, and indicates Apple’s continued investigation into AR and VR technologies.

We wonder if this is related to their acquisition last year of Vrvana, an AR and VR startup which Apple picked up for $30 million USD. Vrvana’s Totem headset may have played some part in inspiring the new patent.

The report highlights a few details about what this patent pertains to and how they may intend for it to be used;

The patent describes an optical system for use inside a traditional head-mounted display (HMD). The patent mentions both AR and VR use cases, but highlight VR in particular.
Long term used being uncomfortable is noted, and indicates that lighter lenses and HMD parts may alleviate the issue.
The system is essentially designed to be more comfortable than other HMDs on the market, while offering a similar experience.

In the images attached to the patent we see what honestly looks to be a very standard VR HMD, though right now there’s no clear indication as to whether Apple are looking into releasing stand alone HMDs, ones compatible with Mac, or those designed with iPhone compatibility in mind.

It’s good to see Apple continue to dedicate resources to VR development. As one of the largest technology companies in the world with a massive install base of devices, their support could potentially be a massive launch pad for the entire industry. Whatever happens next, you’ll be sure to read about it first on VRFocus.