If you’re looking for collaborative software on Oculus Quest to talk with friends and colleagues then there are several solutions available. MeetinVR has been a leading platform within this space but never had an official Oculus Store app to make that process simple. Well, today it does.
Like any collaborative app, MeetinVRaims to make remote collaboration as seamless as possible so that users can get on with their work without having to worry about what platform they’re on and where they are. So alongside support for Oculus Quest and Quest 2, the app also works with Pico Neo 2, PC VR headsets like Varjo as well as joining in via PC if you don’t have a headset.
“We are very excited to be launching on the Oculus Store. This will enable many more people to access MeetinVR’s powerful collaboration tools with minimal effort,” said Cristian-Emanuel Anton, Co-founder and CEO of MeetinVR in a statement.
Compatible with Wolf3D so users can create personalized selfie-based avatars, MeetinVR provides a selection of tools to facilitate collaboration and make it feel more natural. Ranging from simply being able to virtually handshake, users have the ability to draw in 2D and 3D, activate speech-to-text note-taking, 360 media casting, Microsoft OneDrive integration, and meeting management. The new Oculus Store app will be free to download with pre-populated demo content or there’s a 30-day free trial. Registered users gain access to advanced functionality like Wolf3D’s avatars.
Collaborative apps like MeetinVR are becoming a popular alternative to video conferencing thanks to that feeling of being in the same room as your team. The company is working towards solutions that cater to those who love and good video call, saying in a statement: “If you’re used to working with video calls and prefer sticking to what’s familiar, MeetinVR will soon have a solution for that as well. MeetinVR will feature essential integrations, allowing you to peer into the world of VR via the video conferencing solution within just a few simple clicks.”
There’s an extensive selection of virtual reality (VR) apps that specialise in remote collaborate with one of the most fully featured being HTC’s Vive XR Suite which arrived in 2020. Today, the company has announced that its selection of five applications is now available in four new markets.
Originally released in China, Vive XR Suite can now be purchased in EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa), Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan by companies wishing to expand their immersive online work efforts. The suite’s five apps provide a range of services, from small meetings all the way up to online conferences.
Compatible with VR headsets, PCs and smartphones, the package is comprised of Vive Sync, Vive Sessions, Vive Campus, Vive Social, and Vive Museum, some as part of partnerships with other VR solution providers. Vive Sync was initially created by 2 Bears Studio as an internal collaboration tool and now allows other companies to create a private meeting room for one-to-one or group meetings. This is the core app a lot of business will be interested in.
For more large-scale events you have Vive Sessions – powered by Immersive VR Education’s Engage platform – allowing the creation of conferences, exhibitions and educational events. Vive Campus (powered by Virbela) has a mixture of locations such as virtual offices, learning environments and event spaces, with private, always-on virtual workspace for remote teams to nip in and out of.
The VRChat powered Vive Social is your ticket to a virtual universe that’s always changing and being improved. A community of creators have built virtual worlds, avatars, and interactive experiences. Numerous festivals have been held within VRChat, such as Raindance and Venice VR Expanded, plus SXSW Online XR is being held there this week.
Finally you have Vive Museum. Making use of Museum of Other Realities, this is the perfect spot for artists to showcase their work, where users can wander around amazing digital exhibitions, chat in groups and easily capture the odd selfie or two.
Businesses interested in the Vive XR Suite in the new regions can purchase it as one entire bundle or each app standalone depending on their needs. For further updates keep reading VRFocus.
The world of virtual reality (VR) collaboration has seen rapid growth over the past few years, with some companies taking a broad approach whilst others focus on more specific industries. Today, collaboration platform The Wildhas announced the acquisition of Prospect, IrisVR’s flagship product for the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry.
They’re both in the same field of enterprise collaboration so this acquisition should make them a powerhouse when it comes to companies looking for an immersive solution for teams to work and design together. Prospect integrates with Revit, Rhino, Navisworks, SketchUp, and other 3D tools. It supports HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, and Windows Mixed Reality headsets.
The deal will see The Wild becoming the core product, integrating Prospect’s range of features. IrisVR’s customers already using Prospect don’t need to change anything, the software will continue to function the same as before. The Wild’s customer base will now include Perkins + Will, KPF, Interior Architects and Leo A Daly (architecture), PAE Engineers, Thornton Tomasetti, Black & Veatch (engineering), Mortenson, Gilbane (construction), and more.
“VR is entering a new chapter with lighter, more accessible hardware and customers that are beginning to deploy enterprise VR at scale,” said Shane Scranton, CEO & Cofounder of IrisVR in a statement. “By joining forces with The Wild, our products will continue to help teams catch errors earlier and make decisions faster, while also building towards a future of deeper integrations and broader hardware support within The Wild’s ecosystem.”
“With remote work becoming common for AEC professionals, we have a unique opportunity to redefine and improve the workplace through immersive collaboration,” adds Gabe Paez, Founder & CEO of The Wild. “We intend to dramatically expand what is possible in The Wild and joining forces with IrisVR is a huge leap forward to empower more teams to experience their work together in virtual reality.”
VRFocus will continue its coverage of The Wild and its latest updates, reporting back with further announcements.
Working from home always sounded like a great concept in theory, especially when sat on a train commuting to the office at seven thirty in the morning or stuck in gridlocked traffic. For those able to, that fantasy became a very real reality during the course of 2020, as offices were closed and everyone had to become immediately proficient in managing video calls. Yet there is another way, where you can have face-to-face conversations in digital worlds which emulate that feeling of working together, something you probably didn’t think you’d miss until now. In this new series VRFocus is going to deep dive into the world of remote collaboration and what it holds for the future.
Down the XR rabbit hole…
You may think why bother with all the fuss of a virtual reality (VR) headset and the specific software for remote collaboration when you can just video call using your laptop’s built-in camera. Honestly though, aren’t you already bored with meeting after meeting staring at a sea of faces who’ve slowly decided that getting ready for work went from looking sharp and groomed to wearing hats that hide bed hair. Because that’s how it feels. A quick chat with friends and family over video call is no bother as you can just lay in bed or chill in the garden with your phone. That doesn’t look so good when having a meeting with colleagues or clients anywhere in the world.
Plus there’s that loss of connection (no that doesn’t mean your dodgy Wi-Fi). In a workspace – whether that’s a meeting room, open plan office or even the pub – most of us thrive on being able talk in close proximity, and that’s where ideas can really flourish. The same can’t always be said for Zoom or Google Meet calls, lively debate suffers in the process as everyone tries to get their point/idea across.
Which is where VR or augmented reality (AR) comes into play as a means of bridging those long distance barriers, providing a similar level of interaction in a friendly space where groups aren’t frowned upon! And it doesn’t require a high level of tech savvy either, a lot of these new apps available facilitate both VR and non-VR users so if you find you really don’t like VR you can still take part – just with a lot less interaction.
An ocean of possibilities
This brave new frontier doesn’t need to be daunting, scratch the surface and there’s plenty of fun to be had whilst diving deeper uncovers specialist features tailored to specific industries. Like any tool or piece of software you need to find what’s right for you or your company. Big multinationals already use XR for collaboration, training and design purposes like Nvidia’s Holodeck used by Koenigsegg or SkyReal, originally conceived internally at Airbus. However, most of you may just want to jot notes down, upload a pdf or hold a PowerPoint presentation. If that’s the case then you’re in luck, you can do just that!
To get you started, apps such as Spatialor Gluecan be a great launch point offering free access to their apps so you can test them out on headsets like Oculus Quest 2. These kinds of apps let you host small groups, offer basic storage and can support 2D and 3D file uploads. Business can then take that a step further by paying for licensing packages which allow for greater room sizes, more storage and greater freedom to personalise spaces. Paying opens the door to more apps specialising in remote collaboration like The Wild, SkyReal, VisionxR, Vive XR Suiteand many more – which VRFocus will detail in future articles.
While the feature sets may differ depending on whether they tailor to small startup teams or a multitude of teams across regions, there’s one thing that links them all, that feeling of presence. You can all sit around a table to have your meeting, write ideas on a giant board or hand a 3D model between each of you. XR has always had that ‘you need to try it to understand it’ requirement so all of this may seem unnecessary. After a couple of immersive meetings, the thought of a video conference will just be boring.
Buying into the XR dream
Of course, this does mean buying new kit – or persuading your company to if you’re not the boss. Just like buying any piece of tech, there are various avenues to explore, thankfully unlike a new laptop there aren’t a plethora of options.
Firstly VR or AR. Then you’ve got deep pockets with thousands to spend then go nuts, Microsoft HoloLens 2 or Magic Leap One offers mixed reality, holographic solutions whilst Varjo or VRgineers are on the VR high-end. It’s more than likely that factoring for a multitude of employees or the budget-conscious startup that price will influence the decision. PC VR is one way to go, with headsets like Vive Cosmos or Valve Index solid choices. As these are cabled and require a PC that might not suit everyone, especially if they want to be light and mobile.
So we come to standalone VR as the most likely route the majority will take into this space. Oculus Quest 2 is going to be the front runner in this field as it is dominating the market quite frankly. But individuals do need a Facebook account or there is the Oculus for Business route, both with their good and bad points depending on circumstances. Others in this field like Pico Neo 2 and Vive Focus Plus do provide viable alternatives yet the software support varies wildly.
The new normal
All of this means that now is a good time to begin integrating this kind of technology into your everyday working practice. Companies like Facebook already envision a world where at least half of employees work from home within the next decade, reducing costs, the stress of commuting and more. This can’t solely be achieved through video conferencing or email, with XR offering a viable route for digital collaboration. Even when the pandemic subsides and things return to normal, every day 9 to 5 work life may not, so why not start to adapt now?
Animation and design app Tvori has been around for several years, allowing creators to build prototypes for films, XR apps and other projects. With remote collaboration more important than ever the company will be officially launching its Tvori Viewer app to aid remote review sessions between teams and clients.
Tvori Viewer is a multi-user platform that’s been running in closed trials with companies signed up for the app’s enterprise-level pricing. It’s designed so that creators can build animated prototypes of their experiences using the Tvori editor before exporting and then inviting others to review the process.
Tomorrow’s launch will see Tvori Viewer arrive for the pro version, ensuring the feature is made available to even more customers. The pro version starts from $125 a month (annual payment) – there’s a 14-day free trial – but to join a meeting you don’t require a license. As such, only the designer who holds the license can create and manage the teams and meetings.
The app is both VR and standard monitor compatible, with guests receiving instructions to download Tvori Viewer for PC or for Oculus Quest, via SideQuest. When it comes to the Oculus Quest version Tvori plans on making this easier via an App Lab link which should be available soon. Once in the review, the host can play animations, switch between scenes and set viewpoints for the participants.
It’s important to note that for the launch Tvori Viewer will be just that, a viewing app, guests won’t be able to directly edit anything. Tvori has said its currently beta testing MVP for Tvori on Quest with plans to launch in April. XR designers are encouraged to join the beta programme here.
If you want to see what Tvori’s like without signing up for the trial then there’s a free starter version which includes basic functionality. As further details arise regarding the Oculus Quest version and the Viewer coming to App Lab, VRFocus will let you know.
Teams looking for ways to collaborate through virtual reality (VR) have got an abundance of apps available like Glue, Spatial, Hubs, and Vive XR Suite to name a few. When it comes to specialised scientific research there’s Nanome, which has just announced the closure of a successful funding round raising $3 million USD.
Led by Bullpen Capital, the round also featured participation from Oculus co-founder Michael Antonov’s Formic Ventures as well as other angel investors. Nanome’s VR platform has been available since 2018 via the Oculus Store and Steam with the new funds going towards expanding its team and developing new partnerships.
“Since our founding, we’ve had a compelling vision about what scientific collaboration should look like and a goal to equip our real-life superheroes — scientists who are discovering ways to combat disease, address climate change and improve people’s lives — with an intuitive virtual interface where they can experiment, design and learn at the nanoscale,” said Steve McCloskey, Nanome CEO and Founder in a statement. “We made huge strides toward realizing that vision in 2020, and this funding gives us firepower to increase our impact, support more research initiatives and continue to revolutionize biotech and scientific research.”
Initially starting as a visualization tool to facilitate R&D by medicinal and computational chemists and structural biologists, Nanome has grown as an open platform for virtual collaboration. During the pandemic organisations have used Nanome’s platform “to assess candidate molecules’ ability to bind viral proteins in 3D,” the company notes.
“Nanome is reimagining the way we interact with science at a time when innovation in collaboration is more important than ever before,” said Ann Lai, General Partner at Bullpen Capital. “I experienced first-hand Nanome’s virtual-reality-based technology in 2018 and I immediately recognized how their platform could fundamentally impact the way we ‘do science.’ We’re excited to be a part of Nanome’s team for this landscaping changing journey.”
Nanomeis free for personal use on both aforementioned digital stores, supporting Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Valve Index headsets. For academic or commercial use there are various licensing structures. As Nanome continues to expand it platform, VRFocus will let you know.
If you want to chat and work with teammates in virtual reality (VR) there are plenty of ways of doing so. Glue is one of those collaborative apps specifically designed for enterprise use cases, supporting the majority of headsets including Oculus Quest. Today, Glue is making that even easier by launching its app on the Oculus Store for the standalone headset.
Real-time, virtual collaboration is rapidly expanding so companies are looking to make that as friction free as possible. Even though the company says that Oculus Quest/Quest 2: “is our recommended way to use Glue” users still had to cable the headset to a PC to download and setup the application. From now on that’s no longer a problem, plus if you’re new to the platform you can create a new Glue Team on a free licence tier inside VR.
“Two months ago we unveiled a major new release of Glue, enabling remote teams to have their most immersive meetings yet. Today, we’re excited to share the news that Glue is now instantly accessible on the Oculus Quest and Quest 2, two of the most widely used VR headsets today,” said Jussi Havu, CEO, Glue Collaboration, in a statement. “This is another important milestone in our journey to empower remote teams everywhere to do their best work through Glue.”
That update back in December 2020 saw the introduction of expressive avatars which use AI to mimic your behaviour. They’re also far more customisable than before, so everyone in the team can create their own look. Another useful inclusion was a speech-to-text option, making the app more versatile for all users.
As Glue is an enterprise-focused application, those companies which wish to scale-up can do so with pricing starting from €50 EUR per user per month for a team of ten. That drops to €40 per user per month when there are 100+ users.
Glue is freely available to download now for Oculus Quest. Or if you enjoy the occasional board game, Catan VRhas just launched at the same time for the standalone headset for $14.99. For all the latest updates on VR collaboration, keep reading VRFocus.
For the past three years, CollabHub has been developing its drawing/meeting app of the same name as an Early Access title on Steam. Allowing users to collaborate through a virtual whiteboard, CollabHub will soon be leaving Early Access as well as coming to the Oculus Store for the first time.
CollabHubenables up to 12 people to jump into a VR environment with a big interactive whiteboard at the centre. This focal point can then be used to draw diagrams such as flow charts, org charts, mind mapping, process diagrams and more using over 30 shapes including lines, rectangles, ellipses, arrows, and triangles.
These can then be moved and edited as required during a session by any user as well as importing PNG images to further enhance those diagrams. Once complete, the board can then be exported to an image file (PNG) or scalable vector graphics file (SVG) to easily share with others.
The app also features customisation options to change the colour, material and opacity of the board, a night mode is available to work under a starry sky, plus several indoor and outdoor environments. Avatars can be personalised to each user’s individual tastes with voice and lip-synch providing a more expressive experience.
The VR virtual meeting sector has grown extensively over the last 12 months, as both companies and individuals find new ways to interact remotely. From social hubs like AltspaceVR to fully blown conference venues in the Vive XR Suite, depending on the level of interaction required there should be an app to suit most needs.
CollabHub will leave Early Access on Steam and hit the Oculus Store for Rift on Monday, 18th January. An Oculus Quest version is also in the works, with a launch currently slated for Q2 this year. As further updates are released, VRFocus will let you know.
Several industries are witnessing a dynamic shift to various online platforms lately, owing to the current lockdown scenario. Copious organizations, schools and other educational institutions find the need to connect remotely, be it for meetings, lectures or even brainstorming sessions. As a result, there are enormous demands for web conferencing services, cross-platform messaging, file-sharing etc.
A Digital Shift Becomes Indispensable
The future is an unpredictable chapter of time. Unforeseeable situations like mandatory work from home policies make telecommuting or remote working indispensable. Thus, the dependence on web-conferencing apps has sky-rocketed.
An eye-opening survey talks about a whopping 70% of organizations having shifted to online methods of recruitment, demanding the processes to be undertaken through a digital lens.
Video conferencing is a pivotal aspect of remote work. However, it poses quite a few challenges:
Throwing Light on the 4 Critical Shortcomings of Conventional Video Conferencing Applications
1. Efficient Collaboration Goes for a Toss
Video conferencing is rather static and prevents effective brainstorming, strategizing and collaboration. Mundane screen sharing sessions aren’t going to suffice your complicated project requirements.
This is due to the absence of vital elements like having tea breaks with co-workers, face-to-face mentorship sessions, quick all-team meets and live presentations. As a result, your team is deprived of the entire feel of being present in a healthy, active environment with proactive co-workers.
2. Boredom is Inevitable
Well, let’s face it: Web conferencing is very similar to watching a video, and boredom is bound to creep in. As a result, employees begin to swim in monotonicity, and the creative juices take a huge hit. Moreover, boredom is also a massive productivity killer.
3. Motivation Levels Take a Massive Hit
Standard conferencing solutions foster a non-engaging work atmosphere which generally results in motivation dips. Therefore, employees lack the drive to go above and beyond to add significant value to your organization.
4. The Dark Cloud of Loneliness
Perhaps the biggest con of video conferencing is a feeling of loneliness and being shut out. The social dimension is non-existent, and employees no longer have that unique connection with each other.
Think about it: how would your employees feel if they were to stare at a computer screen all day and indulge in no real instances of socializing?
Well, to maintain peak levels of productivity, there has got to be another more interactive and engaging solution to remote working.
4 Ways Immersive Telecommuting Truly Transforms Remote Working
The action-packed sci-fi novel Ready Player One featured a VR game setting and took the technology world by storm. Fast forward to the present, and here we are: witnessing Virtual Reality taking shape, and this is something beyond just emails, or excel sheets! It’s about creating a virtual space altogether, with customized features tailored to cater to individual requirements of specific industries.
In essence, the central idea is to eliminate feelings of detachedness and foster positive emotions by transforming the mundane remote work atmosphere into a social experience.
1. Powerful Virtual Capabilities Foster an Immersive Atmosphere
Topped with ultra-real avatars, immersive collaboration platforms impart a state-of-the-art immersive experience that makes employees feel they are “in” a conference room amidst “real” people.
The immersive near realistic environment essentially teleports you where you can present, chat, brainstorm and pitch great ideas. Participants feel immersed and witness an enthralling experience that fosters positive emotions like unity and peace.
For people who derive energy from everyday conversations and an interpersonal connect, an immersive remote work environment proves to be highly beneficial. It effectively mirrors an office setup, and thereby, corporates would witness an increase in productivity, creativity and inner peace.
2. Ideal Platform for Real-Time & Efficient Collaboration
Ideally, immersive telecommuting is easy to set up as your employees can use simple computers and laptops with standard configurations to enter a virtual space where other real people can join. Here, they can now present or demonstrate ideas, and collaborate effectively.
Also, there’s a wide variety of tools that add more versatility to collaboration, instead of only relying on typical slides and emails.
3. Vitalizes Productivity Levels
Socializing opportunities and enhanced collaboration lead to higher levels of productivity. As a result, despite mandatory remote working conditions, immersive telecommuting helps your employees maintain peak levels of performance and morale.
4. Streamlines Operational Efficiency Everywhere
An immersive end to end virtual solution eliminates unnecessary recurring email chains and incomplete knowledge transfer loops. An immersive remote working platform helps your organization streamline project planning, and expedite other work processes. The result is generating better returns out of your most precious resource – time.
Moreover, immersive telecommuting also reduces your carbon footprint, thereby making your enterprise eco-friendly.
Throwing light on how an immersive platform is a game-changer for the entire remote working industry, here’s David Whelan, Founder, Immersive VR Education:
“The world has changed much faster than anyone has expected over the past 6 months. Companies, Schools, Colleges and Enterprises around the world have all been shut down and now have to find new ways to communicate and collaborate remotely. Many are now finding the limits of what video-based communications can offer and are seeking better alternatives. The ENGAGE platform brings remote communications and collaboration to the next level and we are delighted to be working with Dr. Sana and her team at TelecommuteX to deliver this service to customers in the middle east.”
Additionally, David also highlighted the impact that immersive telecommuting would have on organizations from a social interaction perspective:
“Using Immersive technologies is a game-changer for connecting people just as the telephone was over a hundred years ago. The telephone allowed you to talk to somebody on the other side of the world. VR/AR allows you to be with somebody from the other side of the world without the need to step outside your door. My development team has been under lockdown for the past 3 months and we hold all our daily standups and meetings inside ENGAGE virtually and it makes a world of difference for productivity replacing the need for endless video calls and emails. It is much easier to simply meet virtually, draw on a virtual whiteboard and present your ideas in a virtual meeting room. Using immersive technologies will become second nature soon as people will be less inclined to travel so readily for business meetings as they get used to working from home in these challenging times.”
To summarize, immersive telecommuting makes remote collaborations and virtual meetings avenues of socializing amidst productivity. Consequently, it’s the perfect alternative to conventional video conferencing applications.
Therefore, an immersive virtual space is the futuristic core of the ideal remote working platform; such as TelecommuteX (created in collaboration between Munfarid and Engage) – seamlessly infusing the concept of immersive telecommuting into your business ecosystem.
Pondering on how immersive telecommuting will streamline the average remote worker’s routine, here’s Evan Kristel, renowned technology influencer and Chief Digital Evangelist at eViRa Health:
“Prolonged sessions of remote working definitely takes a toll on employees’ mental health. Immersive telecommuting introduces the much needed social sphere that fills up possible voids of loneliness and apathy in the lives of your workforce. As a result, the average remote worker’s day is much brighter and “normal” with an ample amount of socializing opportunities.”
Evan also had an interesting take on the rapidly evolving technological era we are witnessing:
“It’s amazing how technologies have drastically evolved to help us thrive and not just survive in challenging times. Revolutionary technologies plant seeds of hope and positivity for the future of humankind. It’s our duty to embrace these technologies and ensure their widespread adoption & usage.”
Virtual Conferences are Steadily Gaining Traction
As concern over COVID-19 sets in, in addition to telecommuting, virtual conferences have also gained momentum. Known to strengthen professional relationships in both academia and business, conferences have always proved to be a platform for the exchange of ideas, nurturing upcoming entrepreneurs, thereby working towards the greater good. One such example is the IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (IEEE VR) that announced an all-virtual venue change.
The Ultimate Solution is Virtual Immersive Collaboration
Striking a healthy balance between the positives of both work from home and working on-site, virtual immersive collaboration proves to be the future of connectivity. Sectors like Logistics, Information and Communication Technology, Education, Food supply and a lot more are adopting immersive telecommuting.
A bundle on Oculus Quest drops the cost to get both OhShape and Synth Riders down to $27.99 as the developers behind the games launch a new song in both titles.
The new track is called Delight by Jamie Berry and is available now in both rhythm VR games. In case you’re unfamiliar, OhShape and Synth Riders both have fitness element to them with notable differences from the rhythm leader Beat Saber. In OhShape you try to fit your body into the cutout shapes in walls flying toward you while Synth Riders features a system where you dodge walls, hit targets and ride a rail system in solo or multiplayer.
The developers behind the games are also announcing a “Collab Delight” contest which asks players of both games to compete for high scores in the new song. Winners will be announced on July 1st and you can sign up for the contest here.
Here’s a trailer for the new song:
You can also check out the Duo Pack on the Oculus Store here. The price may vary by region but it should be a roughly 30 percent discount compared with the full price of both games. The new free song is rolling out to players on the Oculus Store and Steam as well.
We’ be curious to see how this new kind of collaboration is received by the communities for both games, and how popular the contest ends up being.
Will you be competing in the contest? Let us know in the comments below.
