It’s been an unusual week on Life In 360°. Monday we took a trip behind the scenes at the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom courtesy of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Naturally, we followed that up on Wednesday with a 360 degree video featuring American metal band Soulfly because of that highly well documented Soulfly/UK legal system connection.
Ahem.
Well, the pendulum is swinging violently back in the opposite direction from Soulfly today with another entry courtesy of ‘the Beeb’. The BBC’s film crew are taking another wander around a famous London building and this time it’s one of the true icons of the London skyline – St Paul’s Cathedral.
The current cathedral is not the original building on the site, it was initially preceded by a church in the 7th century AD. This was then followed by a new cathedral in 1200’s following the destruction of the previous building and initial attempts at re-construction fire in the 11th century – but not the Great Fire of 1066.
The present Cathedral, with its world-famous domed roof was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, a man St Paul’s itself refers to as “Britain’s most famous architect”. The modern, or at least ‘most recent’ St Paul’s Cathedral was finally consecrated in 1697 after a somewhat speedier construction than that of its predecessor.
“When you come St Paul’s, we hope to give you a visit you will remember.” Says the St Paul’s website. “You can walk in the footsteps of royalty and political leaders on the Cathedral floor; climb the dome to try the unique acoustics of the Whispering Gallery; go even higher to enjoy some of the most spectacular views over London from the Stone and Golden Galleries; or head down to the crypt where our nation’s heroes are buried.”
You can learn more about the history of the cathedral in the 360 degree video below.
Humanity has the ability to do great things. We have expanded our knowledge of the universe in astounding ways in a relatively short amount of time. We are capable of great feats of courage, of skill, of great works of engineering, art, literature, cinematography and other forms of culture. We are also equally capable of cocking up everything we touch.
So, if you were to ask if it were possible that humanity could somehow mess up its greatest ever achievement – landing on the moon – thanks to our own stupidity, then the answer would have to be… yes. Yes, we probably could.
The moon has captivated and inspired people for thousands of years, and a new show at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (that’s Lousiana, north of Copenhagen in Denmark) is celebrating our relationship with our nearest celestial entity. Called The Moon: From Inner Worlds to Outer Space the exhibition which opens today it charts everything “from painting to virtual reality, superstition to science, myths to missions, fantasies to space colonies. with the VR component coming from a particular interesting source… and an even more interesting point of view.
The VR work is one made by Laurie Anderson. Anderson was made the first artist in residence at NASA back in 2004 and her work looks set to take people not to the moon we know but a dark reflection of what could have been. The moon becoming a dumping ground and the site for humanity’s disposal of all nuclear waste.
“The disposal of certain components of high level nuclear waste in space appears to be feasible from a technical standpoint.” Reports the technical paper on the subject that was first proposed back in 1978. “Disposal of all high level waste (Mix No. 1) in space is impractical because of the high launch rate required, and the resulting environmental impact, energy requirements, and economic factors. Thus, some form of waste separation will be required. A separation of just the unused uranium and cladding reduces the launch rate by a factor of approximately 40.”
“The storage of nuclear waste in space does not appear to be an attractive option.” It later admits.
The installation will take visitors through this moon that could have been, one tarnished by humanity, as well as include other sections that will take the user in different directions of thought and awareness.
Exact details are sketchy as Anderson has expressed a desire to keep what exactly happens secret. However, you can find out by attending the exhibition which will be at the museum up to January 20th next year. VRFocus will bring you more news of VR’s use in the arts very soon.
If you read VRFocus regularly – and we hope that you do – you’ll like as not be familiar with stories about how company A, which related to virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), etcetera, has just complete a funding round or something similar. In a lot of cases, quite possibly the majority how they have acquired the funding boils down into two camps: one single investment or investors “led by company B”. But what makes immersive technology an interesting prospect for a business that specialises in investment? How much do they know about the market and the way development is going? After all, it’s not a question we really ever ask investors: why?
So, when one such investment company, Intel Capital, emailed us interested in maybe contributing in some way on a future guest piece we said ‘okay, tell us what has you interested in VR/AR’. So, they sat down and had a chat about it.
What follows is a roundtable discussion between Intel Capital investment directors Stephen Saltzman and Tammi Smorynski. With Ameet Bhansali, Intel Capital’s Vice President and Managing Director for New Technologies asking the questions and acting as moderator.
Ameet Bhansali: If I brought your grandmothers into the room, how would you explain AR and VR to them?
Stephen Saltzman: In AR, you’re adding information to the world around you. For consumers, think Pokémon Go. For companies, imagine a map that guides your drivers through a warehouse in the most efficient way possible.
Tammi Smorynski: VR is a full-on simulation of something: performing surgery, walking through a city, or touring the solar system. You’re not adding information to your world; you’re in a completely different one.
AB: How would you describe yourself – AR/VR booster, skeptic, or something else?
TS: I started out a little skeptical about VR, because I’m one of those people who can’t even play Pokémon Go in a car without getting sick. But as I’ve seen the possibilities, I’ve become more excited. There’s a great capability for education and training, for example. And safety: you can stop a person from doing something dangerous, flash a warning.
SS: I would say I’m a booster because I’m a skeptic. Sure, the technology is bright and shiny, but is it useful? I got a great answer after talking to the head of neurosurgery at a major research hospital. I heard about improved outcomes across 368 brain surgeries using VR-assisted navigation – and how they generated millions in new insurance reimbursements.
It was easy to see a lot of other compelling business cases where VR can help people who have to think in 3D.
AB: So how far away are we from seeing AR and VR make major inroads?
SS: The inroads are already made. We have pilot projects across entertainment, manufacturing, and eSports. We have groups developing new tools and interoperability standards. None of this would be happening if people didn’t see a big opportunity, including investors.
AB: For instance?
SS: Many industries depend on expensive specialists to help field technicians; they literally ride along in a truck to a remote site. With AR-assisted remote viewing, a specialist can virtually peer over a technician’s shoulder to help fix an engine, printing press, or wind turbine, then move on to the next job. That’s a huge productivity boost.
TS: It’s also an experience our industry knows how to deliver. Remember, AR is a lighter technical lift than VR because you’re moving a small amount of information. A Pikachu or turbine blade only appears when you get near it – that’s a small data load and something we already know how to handle.
But where it really gets interesting for me is new AR viewing devices.
AB: Such as?
TS: Think about people wearing AR sunglasses. As they go about their day, they get information on where to find a coffee shop, or they read a discreet review of the shop. These are byte-sized messages only they can see. Even if I personally don’t like wearing glasses, when AR adds enough value, I’ll get them.
AB: If these glasses for AR turn out to be stylish, consumers will adopt them quickly. And if that happens, I would think enterprises would have to integrate them.
SS: Yes. Just like bring-your-own-device forced IT departments to relent on iPhones and Android devices. Long-term, we see headsets that look like Oakley sunglasses and can shift between reality modes depending on the application.
AB: We’ve talked a bit about AR. What about the market for VR? The current expectations seem to be a bit muted.
TS: On the hardware side, there are at least three challenges. First, the devices are clunky. If you want to get to a self-contained, lightweight device, you need sufficient computing power in the headset – not a tethered backpack, belt pack, or PC.
Second, since it’s a simulation and you don’t have access to the outside world, you have to track your actual position. Otherwise you’ll keep running into walls and tripping over coffee tables.
The third challenge is how you display information. The simplest way is to put a screen in front of your eyes – what’s called a stereoscopic display. On the other extreme is a true hologram, which gives you the feeling of a 3D object. Stereoscopic displays are here today; holograms are years away.
SS: Essentially, the first generation of consumer VR headsets was good enough to critique. The second wave is making the experience better. Faster and fatter wireless connections are getting rid of annoying cable bundles. And full system prices are dropping to about $1,000, which is a magical threshold for consumer products.
First-year VR headset sales in 2016 almost equaled first-year iPhone sales, in terms of units. That number doubled in 2017 and should double again in 2018.
AB: What about content?
SS: On the consumer side, blockbuster titles have started shipping, more are in the pipeline, and VR theme parks and arcades are popping up. In gaming, the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive have been out long enough that developers can create high-impact videogames, not just cool five-minute experiences. As a result, VR eSports are now a thing.
TS:The long-term challenge will be to create content so people come back. Consumers will be fickle about VR content similar to how they are about online videogames.
AB: And on the enterprise side?
SS: Just as early TV producers needed time to move beyond filming plays and radio shows, enterprise experts had to play with AR and VR to understand what it could do. After that, they needed great tools. On the AR side, Apple and Google gave us ARKit and ARCore. Unity and Epic developed real-time videogame engines. And platforms like Sansar let creative teams create immersive worlds without programming.
But businesses also will need to put existing data on those goggles. And one promising segment for independent software vendors is to bridge the gap between legacy systems and VR devices. That’s why we’re seeing the big consulting and system-integration firms build practices in AR and VR.
AB: In that light, let’s talk about the business opportunity: where does it reside for established companies like Intel?
SS: In VR, the opportunity for companies of all sizes is to make 3D-related tasks easier. Think of an architect doing a virtual building walk-through with her client, with the ability to see the actual reflections and light patterns that will occur throughout the year.
TS: The volume of information from these experiences will drive data center growth; a VR data stream requires seven times the bandwidth of a traditional one. That puts a premium on edge computing and will accelerate the rollout of 5G networking. For Intel, that means more silicon in more places. It also means big opportunities in data analytics and computer vision systems – areas where Intel plays but is hardly alone.
AB: How do startups figure into this scenario?
SS: If you think about innovation that arrives up year after year, it’s from the startups that get the attention of major players. For example, our portfolio company InContext Solutions uses eye-tracking technology to help retailers make smarter – and quicker – decisions, by putting real customers in VR simulations and analyzing their eye movements to redesign store layouts.
Eye-tracking by Tobii
AB: I always like to ask this question: what haven’t we talked about that’s important to understand?
TS: Steve Jobs said when you develop something it’s all about the user experience. He was right. My first VR experience made me nauseous – it was the fast panning. You have to make these systems for the lowest common denominator, like me, so it’s a great experience all the time.
SS: Ultimately AR and VR are not point products or solutions. They’re enabling technologies that will continue to evolve over time and along a continuum.
AB: OK, last question: if I popped by your house, what AR/VR toys would I find?
SS: In part because I truly love VR – and in part because I’m embarrassingly uncoordinated with a traditional gamepad – you’ll find a Rift and a Vive; I plan to upgrade to the Vive Pro as soon as it ships. My only AR toy is my iPhone X.
TS: : I’m a total laggard when it comes to adoption. I was the last person to get a smart phone. I’ve thought about getting the VR stuff, but I’m waiting for it to mature. Goggle people: call me, let’s talk.
Every time an Apple executive steps on to the stage for a company keynote new iOS powered devices are not that far behind, and the same was true for yesterday’s Apple Special Event, which broadcast from the Steve Jobs Theatre in Cupertino. The company unveiled new iterations of both the Apple watch and the iPhone X – the iPhone XS, the iPhone XS Max and the somewhat confusingly named (at least from the point of view of immersive technology) iPhone XR.
A12 Bionic powered apps.
While the XR (pronounced “10 R”) is a budget model, and as mentioned, nothing expressly to do with XR, augmented reality (AR) and Apple’s ARKit 2 platform did come in to discussions for the power behind it and the two XS models, the chip that powers the device is the new A12 Bionic chip.
The A12 Bionic, which features 6.9 billion transistors, a combination of 4-core powered GPU, 6-core powered CPU and a Neural Engine comprised of 8 cores is the world’s first 7nm chip and according to Apple can do 5 trillion operations every second. The A12 Bionic allows the calibration of cameras for AR with accurate motion tracking with its gyro and accelerometer and low-light usage while delivering 60fps bringing with it machine learning.
“It’s a huge breakthrough.” Said Apple’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Philip W. Schiller as he introduced the chip. “This A12 Bionic is, without question, the smartest and most powerful chip ever in a smartphone. So much of the experience we have with iPhone is driven by this chip and it’s going to enable us to have so many great new experiences not possible before.”
The expanded screen for the new iPhone X models, has, according to Senior Director of iPhone Product Marketing Kaiann Drance.“turned into a wonderful window to these new AR experiences,” adding that “iPhone XS is the best platform for AR.”
The A12 Bionic looks set to power a new range of deeper and more enhanced AR apps created in ARKit 2, Apple demonstrating the AR Quicklook feature and even namedropping AR app Measure, which first appeared earlier this year at WWDC 18.
ARKit 2 as powered by the A12 Bionic chip.
We can expect a new wave of these enhanced experiences to start dropping after release and VRFocus will let you know when we have news on any of them.For more AR news you can find a link to everything on the site under ‘More’ on the top shortcut bar. Alternatively click here to go directly.
If, like me, you wear glasses you’ll be more than aware that the process of getting a check-up has changed much for the better over the last ten to fifteen years. No more is your face forced in to what looked more like some kind of torture device. Now there are pre-checks and automated changes to the device you look through.
Yes, there’s still the question of whether the circles look clearer and whether you see green or red better on any given lens. Yes, you’ll still be disheartened that you can’t read the lowest line of letters initially because your mother didn’t marry a microscope. But there’s much less awkward invasion of your personal space, and grinding of a stranger’s forehead against yours while they flash something into your eye from less than an inch away.
Eye tests of course aren’t just important for getting the right prescription of glasses. They help identify other issues that might be affecting the health of your eyes and the future of your vision.
As part of one their recent trip to Korea to take part in an immersive technology event, VRFocus Video Content Producer Nina Salomons and Editor Kevin Joyce took a trip to visit M2S who describe themselves as a ‘Media Medical Solutions Company’. As part of their work in virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) solutions MS2 have created a new tool for opticians to test patient eyes that utilises a VR head-mounted display (HMD) with eye-tracking and a station fitted with a touch screen. M2S has already created five approved tests with the device which it hopes will speed up the process of diagnosing, treating and preventing eye diseases. It’s an idea that’s been around for some time, but is coming to fruition years later.
“For the medical field [eye tests] are very constant.” Says M2S’s CEO Won Jung in conversation with Nina. “They haven’t changed it testing wise and cure wise for the eye test – they’ve done the same way for fifty years. They didn’t change at all. But with our VR technology and creating the space technology we can do a much better, and quicker and easier way to do the examination.”
Jung also notes the increase in the amount of eye tests being needed in the modern world, and how faster methods are needed to keep up with demand. You can find out all the system in our interview below, and come back tomorrow when you can see what happened when we put out Editor Kevin Joyce through an unscheduled eye test.
When we discuss uses for virtual reality (VR) and other immersive technologies we often mention the various ways VR is being utilised in the medical field. There’s even a subsection on the website itself, ‘Your Virtual Health’ where we collate features relating to VR and MedTech.
Now more than ever, the health of the mind, your mental wellbeing, is being seen as just as important as that of your body. One former incubator project in San Jose, California however is looking at a way to utilise VR for both body and mind.
Providers EvolVR have teamed up with social VR platform AltspaceVR to launch what they are calling the first-ever VR yoga and meditation classes. Following a series of successful “Beta events”, beginning this month EvolvVR are running five weekly classes, which are open to anyone regardless of age or country. EvolvVR also aim to bring the 45-minute free sessions to further social VR platforms at a later date as well as introduce more focused and advanced courses for which it will charge a small fee.
“We’ve only scratched the surface of what’s possible for spiritual exploration and personal growth in virtual reality.” Says EvolvVR’s CEO and Founder the Rev. Jeremy D. Nickel. “With new hardware and software becoming available every week, and the price of the necessary equipment dropping steadily, the adventure is really ahead of us.”
Interested parties can find out more information about EvolvVR’s activities on their website. We’ve also included a trailer below. VRFocus will bring you more health related VR news very soon.
While there continues to be something of a debate about the proliferation of virtual reality (VR) arcades and VR’s role as a part of digital out-of-home entertainment (DOE) locations it can’t be denied that many names involved within DOE are continuing to expand their ventures. It’s something that’s touched on regularly in The Virtual Arena, but even beyond this in recent months we’ve seen new locations announced from the likes of The VOID, VRIGHT, a new spin-off studio from Vertigo Games specifically for DOE VR titles and much more.
However, Immotion Group aren’t focusing solely on the UK seeking to grow its business in America as well as in Asia. To that end they have just announced an exclusive distribution agreement with Leke VR. The Beijing based firm have agreed an extension to the existing UK contract which sees the pair tied up through to December 31st next year. On top of this is a new exclusive distribution agreement for the USA, again contracted until the end of 2019. Immotion Group now will be selling Leke VR’s motion platform hardware in combination with their own experiences across both territories exclusively in addition to other markets while in return Leke VR will be bringing Immotion Group’s library of experiences to its already installed platforms across thirty countries.
“The Group will monetise its content on a ‘per play’ basis”.It explains in a statement. “The current usage on the Leke installed base is approximately 1 million ‘plays’ per month and the Directors expect this to grow strongly. The parties will now begin a full assessment of the relevant operational matters, with a view to such distribution beginning towards the end of 2018.”
“We are extremely pleased to have extended our exclusive relationship, and to be working much closer with Leke VR. We share the same vision with extremely complementary skills.” Adds CEO of Immotion Group, Martin Higginson. “Leke VR are, in our view, the market leaders in affordable VR motion platforms, whilst we believe Immotion is leading the way in immersive VR experiences. This unique combination, now available globally, will further propel both Immotion and Leke VR in their quest to lead the ‘out of home’ VR market.”
Higginson’s opposite number at Leke VR, Evan He, in turn said: “We are pleased to extend our exclusive distribution and manufacturing agreement with Immotion for both the UK, and now the USA, and to be working with them on the distribution of their VR experiences. The quality of experiences produced by the Immotion team is way above anything we have seen to date. We are convinced our customers will love them. The combination of the Immotion Group’s VR content and our VR motion platforms will allow Leke to deliver an offering which is far superior to other affordable VR experiences available to consumers globally.”
VRFocus will bring you more information about the developments in the DOE arena very soon.
As the immersive technology market changes so companies seek to adapt, either externally or internally. Some will seek investment, others will instigate growth through a merger or takeover of another firm. Potentially for the benefit of adding more skills and/or products to their business. Others will expand their operations with new staff and services. For WaveOptics, the UK-based designer and manufacturer of diffractive waveguides, which are a key optical component in augmented reality (AR) wearable devices, such as smart glasses. The team has again chosen to strengthen its internal team with new hires.
At the end of last year, WaveOptics took on David Hayes – the former Executive Vice President of Enterprise-focused smart glasses manufacturer DAQRI as their CEO. Now the firm has taken on a new Operations Director and Chief Technical Officer (CTO), Gary Spencer and Phil Greenhalgh respectively.
Greenhalgh is also a former DAQRI employee, and was previously the leader of the AR hardware engineering team. While Spencer is a 25-year veteran of the technology sector spanning a number of key roles in multinational companies.
“As CTO, Phil Greenhalgh will be responsible for research and development, driving forwards the focus on material sciences, and developing waveguides and projector systems with higher fields of view.” Says WaveOptics in a statement. “Gary Spencer, who joins as Operations Director, will be responsible for all aspects of our Operations, as WaveOptics expands its manufacturing capabilities across Europe and Asia.”
“These two senior appointments strengthen our management team and also are a clear demonstration of our rapid growth and international development.” Adds Hayes on the new hires. “Both Phil and Gary bring considerable technical and manufacturing experience, as well
as in-depth AR expertise. They will be key members of the team as we position the business to take advantage of the numerous opportunities in the rapidly developing and expanding AR market.”
Wednesday is a time for metal. I’m not sure who, if anyone, said that, but let’s go with it for the time being. Let’s be honest it’s a Wednesday. No one really likes Wednesdays. They’re just a half-way marker for the traditional working week. You mean I have to do everything I’ve already done again? Whoop-de-do.So, on that basis I’d have thought sticking some metal on to make the walls of your office vibrate an all too sensible suggestion and, being Life In 360°, we’ve got something that’s also immersive. Well, sort of.
Arizona metal band Soulfly have been thrashing guitars and screaming about religion, armageddon, and the darkness of the soul since 1997 – and judging by the news in the last six months they seem pretty on point in 2018. I’m not sure that’s exactly a good thing, really. In any case they band have a new album out this year, Ritual, of which the first single Evil Empowered (see what I mean) came out last month.
“I am really stoked to be working again with two of my favourite artists, Eliran Kantor and Marcelo Vasco! The Ritual artwork is very mystic and captures the vibe of the album perfectly. For this one, we really tried to retain the groove of early Soulfly as well as my love for the heavy, fast stuff I’m into: like death and black metal and some hardcore.” Exclaimed Soulfly guitarist and vocalist Max Cavalera. “Working with Josh Wilbur for Soulfly this time around has been amazing. He’s a huge fan and added a lot to the record. I would fight for the fast songs and he would always push me to add more groove. I think in the end we created a really cool mix of songs that covers a lot of ground in my career. Let the Ritual begin!”
Indeed.
In promotion for the next release, the band has released a 360 degree video for the title track, Ritual. Except it’s not a music video or anything like that. It’s more the album art has come to life and smothered you like the giant white ball from The Prisoner. But for music fans who want to check it out, and VR fans who really want to get away from things for five minutes, you can find the video below.
But for those of you keen on getting to the crux of the matter where the immersive tech business is concerned there’s a new webinar been announced by the team at VR Intelligence for later this month. One focusing on the return of investment (ROI) brands are seeing from implementing XR technologies. The
Taking place on September 20th 2018 at 10AM PDT, a panel of experts representing three major firms will be in discussion with Amy Peck, the Founder & CEO of EndeavorVR who will be acting as the chair. They will be discussing the benefits of XR to a modern business, how companies can determine value, how they can quantify success and they will also no doubt touch on the results from last month’s XR industry survey that was published by VR Intelligence.
The panel members will be:
Vinay Narayan, Vice President of Product and Operations (Americas) for HTC Vive
Raj Tiwari, Global Service Owner – Advanced Technologies (XR) at Johnson & Johnson
Lee Burrell, Director of Business Development for Automotive, Engineering & Manufacturing at DHL
“While XR companies have excelled in creating hardware and software to transform industries – from architecture to automotive, retail and beyond – the question now comes in how those benefits can be measured and communicated, in order to push for further adoption and investment.” Say VR Intelligence in a statement.
Registration for the webinar can be made here. Look out for more details on further activities soon on VRFocus.
Well, the pendulum is swinging violently back in the opposite direction from Soulfly today with another entry courtesy of ‘the Beeb’. The BBC’s film crew are taking another wander around a famous London building and this time it’s one of the true icons of the London skyline – St Paul’s Cathedral.
So, if you were to ask if it were possible that humanity could somehow mess up its greatest ever achievement – landing on the moon – thanks to our own stupidity, then the answer would have to be… yes. Yes, we probably could.
“The disposal of certain components of high level nuclear waste in space appears to be feasible from a technical standpoint.” Reports the technical paper on the subject that was first proposed back in 1978. “Disposal of all high level waste (Mix No. 1) in space is impractical because of the high launch rate required, and the resulting environmental impact, energy requirements, and economic factors. Thus, some form of waste separation will be required. A separation of just the unused uranium and cladding reduces the launch rate by a factor of approximately 40.”
AB: How would you describe yourself – AR/VR booster, skeptic, or something else?
AB: Such as?
AB: And on the enterprise side?
“For the medical field [eye tests] are very constant.” Says M2S’s CEO Won Jung in conversation with Nina. “They haven’t changed it testing wise and cure wise for the eye test – they’ve done the same way for fifty years. They didn’t change at all. But with our VR technology and creating the space technology we can do a much better, and quicker and easier way to do the examination.”
Now more than ever, the health of the mind, your mental wellbeing, is being seen as just as important as that of your body. One former incubator project in San Jose, California however is looking at a way to utilise VR for both body and mind.
At the end of last year, 
“These two senior appointments strengthen our management team and also are a clear demonstration of our rapid growth and international development.” Adds Hayes on the new hires. “Both Phil and Gary bring considerable technical and manufacturing experience, as well
But for those of you keen on getting to the crux of the matter where the immersive tech business is concerned there’s a new webinar been announced by the team at VR Intelligence for later this month. One focusing on the return of investment (ROI) brands are seeing from implementing XR technologies. The