The first unboxing video for Google’s 6DOF controllers hit the Web as the first wave of developer kits appear to be shipping out.
VR and AR developer Alex Coulombe posted the following video showing the complete contents of the developer kit, including AAA batteries and a charger for them as well as the controllers, the “tracking faceplate” and a cord to connect it to the Lenovo Mirage Solo standalone VR headset. The USB-C connector on the controllers is for “flashing” them, not for charging, according to a paper in the unboxing video.
We’ll update this post as hands-on impressions start to show up.
If Google is developing a standalone VR headset with the same controller tracking technology built into the headband, it is possible the company could provide robust inside-out tracking in a next generation system. Google’s investments in VR so far suggest its efforts have been focused on the unique capabilities of 6DOF hand controllers, and I think this kit could be a hint that the company is doubling down on standalone VR in 2019.
Trinus VR, an app which uses video streaming via your WiFi or USB to let mobile and standalone VR headsets act as if they were PC VR headsets, launches in early access today for Daydream. Daydream is Google’s VR platform which runs on compatible smartphones and the Lenovo Mirge Solo standalone headset.
That means that if you have a Daydream compatible smartphone and a gaming PC, you can grab a cheap DayDream View headset for $50 on Amazon and jump into SteamVR content that doesn’t rely on 6DoF headset or tracked controllers.
If you’re running Trinus with the Mirage Solo, things go to the next level. The software supports the headset’s 6DoF positional tracking, passing it through to SteamVR. You can duck, lean and walk around the experience (provided you disable the Solo’s built in 1×1 meter boundary system). Trinus claims the solution will have the VR game on your PC render at the correct 75Hz refresh rate of the Mirage Solo.
Trinus also claims support for PSVR and Google Cardboard. For Oculus Go and Gear VR users, the open source project ALVR already provides the similar functionality as Trinus for those headsets. Trinus tell us they plan to add support for Go and Gear VR in Q1 2019.
To keep perceived latency low and compensate for dropped frames in the transmission, Trinus incorporates its own asynchronous reprojection on the headset itself. Of course, the problem with Trinus and all apps like it is that image quality and latency still don’t match using a real PC VR headset. This isn’t generally caused by the wireless transmission itself (in fact, Trinus even supports wired over USB) — it’s actually the compression. Neither WiFi nor USB have sufficient bandwidth to transfer the raw image to a VR headset, so compression is used. This introduces artifacts to the image, but it also adds latency because it takes the PC time to encode each frame.
The main thing that prevents Trinus from being a true PC VR solution is Daydream’s controller, however. While it has a touchpad, it lacks even a basic trigger, and is rotation-only 3DoF, not 6DoF positional. Trinus is said to support two controllers at once, but most of SteamVR’s content really needs positionally tracked input to be playable. Trinus really only works well as a solution for playing gamepad games.
Update: Story updated after publication for greater clarity.
Sky veröffentlicht mit Hold the World eine neue edukative VR-Erfahrung für Oculus Rift mit dem Naturforscher Sir David Attenborough, welcher besonders durch seine Dokumentarfilme bekannt wurde. Der 92-Jährige führt die interessierten Zuschauer/-innen in den Hallen des Londoner Natural History Museum auf eine interaktive Reise in die Welt der Naturwissenschaften. So erhaltet ihr neben zahlreichen Informationen auch virtuelle Einblicke in Museumsbereiche, welche unter realen Bedingungen so nicht zugänglich wären.
Hold the World – VR-Bildungsapp für Oculus Rift
In der Lernapp Hold the World könnt ihr euren naturhistorischen Horizont erweitern und in den virtuellen Archiven des Londoner Natural History Museum stöbern. Dabei dürft ihr diverse Fossilen, Tier- und Dinosaurierskelette unter die Lupe nehmen, während euch der sympathische Dokumentarfilmer mit reichlich Informationen zu eurem Objekt versorgt. Dazu zählen interessante Erläuterungen über die Lebensbedingungen und typische Verhaltensweisen der entsprechenden Arten zu Lebenszeiten. Besonders herausragend ist dabei das einnehmende 3D-Abbild von Sir David Attenborough. Während seiner Erläuterungen entsteht ein realistisches Präsenzgefühl der naturwissenschaftlichen Koryphäe am Tisch.
Zur besseren Immersion könnt ihr eure Fundstücke von allen Seiten betrachten und in der Größe verändern. Die 3D-Objekte wurden per Fotogrammetrie aus den Originalbeständen des Museums archiviert und auch die Innenräume wurden auf Grundlage des Verfahrens virtuell für die VR-Erfahrung rekonstruiert.
Dadurch erhalten die interessierten Besucher/-innen nicht nur Zugang zu neuen Wissensquellen, sondern dürfen sogar in Museumsgebiete eindringen, die der Öffentlichkeit sonst verwehrt bleiben. Dazu zählen unter anderem die Bibliothek, das Archiv sowie ein eigenes Labor. Neben den zahlreichen Tier- und Pflanzenarten könnt ihr zudem kleine Quizeinlagen spielen und originalgetreue 3D-Animationen der Bewegungsabläufe der jeweiligen Spezies betrachten.
Hold the World für Oculus Rift ist für 3,99 Euro im Oculus Store erhältlich. Zudem ist eine Mobile-Version für Gear VR und Google Daydream verfügbar. Für Sky-Abonnenten wird die VR-Erfahrung innerhalb der Sky VR App kostenlos angeboten.
Today at the Made by Google 2018 event, Google officially unveiled the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, its latest line of smartphones. Sporting what it describes as the most powerful camera on a smartphone to date (they showed seven different magazine covers that were shot using the Pixel 3 camera) the device is set to launch on October 18th with pre-orders open now, starting at $799 through Verizon, or unlocked on the Google Store and with Project Fi.
The camera really does look remarkable in terms of quality and the AI powering it with a 12.2-megapixel rear lens capable of shooting 4K video, but that’s not really directly relevant to VR or AR immediately.
Inside of the Pixel 3 is a Snapdragon 845 processor with 4GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage. By comparison, the Oculus Go has a Snapdragon 821 and the forthcoming Oculus Quest will have a Snapdragon 835. Both phones have a flexible OLED display and are powered by a 2915 mAh battery.
According to the official Google blog post, the Pixel 3 is 5.5″ and will start at $799, while the Pixel 3 XL is 6.3″ and will start at $899. Both models are available in “Just Black,” “Clearly White,” and “Not Pink” because cheeky color names are fun. In the box you’ll get a pair of USB-C earbuds and a USB-C 3.5mm headphone adapter, as well as an 18-Watt fast charger that can reportedly “give you seven hours of use in 15 minutes of charging.” All Pixel 3 purchases also include 6 months of free YouTube Music Premium.
Depending on storage size the price varies as well. Here’s the breakdown:
There wasn’t a single peep about Daydream at all during the show, although on the specs page of the Pixel 3 website it does indicate: “Built for VR to work with Google Daydream View headset,” so it’s not a missing feature altogether at least.
AR did get a brief shoutout via AR Stickers, which have been rebranded as Playground with even more options. Nothing on ARCore though. Both phones also have two front-facing camera sensors, presumably to help enable more powerful AR content.
Do you plan on getting a Pixel 3? Let us know down in the comments below!
Wer AR-Inhalte entwickeln möchte, der muss zukünftig nicht mehr zur teuren HoloLens, Magic Leap One oder Meta 2 greifen, sondern kann dies auch mit der Daydream-Brille Mirage Solo erledigen. Wie UploadVR mitteilt, wird Google die autarke Brille nicht nur mit 6DOF Controllern ausstatten, sondern auch um AR-Funktionen erweitern.
Mirage Solo bekommt AR-Funktionen
Um die echte Welt darzustellen, soll das Bild der Kamera mit den Tracking-Daten verknüpft werden. Hierdurch soll eine möglichst saubere und reale Darstellung der Umgebung entstehen. Sofern die Mirage Solo im Pass-Through Modus ist, wird aus der VR-Brille eine AR-Brille und virtuelle Objekte, welche ihren Standort beibehalten, können im Raum platzieren werden. Da die Brille außerdem komplett autark ist, stören keine lästigen Kabel beim Gang durch die erweiterte Realität.
Wie gut der AR-Modus funktioniert und wann er für Konsumenten verfügbar ist, verrät Google noch nicht. Entwickler sollen aber schon bald Zugriff auf die Developer Kits erhalten. Die Mirage Solo kann derzeit ab 399 Euro in Deutschland erworben werden. Aktuell lohnt sich die Brille aber in erster Linie für Entwickler, da es nicht viele Inhalte gibt, die vom 6DOF-Tracking profitieren.
Hatrabbit Entertainment have released a new virtual reality (VR) title in the form of Slightly Heroes. A new Pixar-inspired free movement multiplayer shooter for the Daydream platform. In this videogame players will step into the role of a half-baked superhero and experience real-time player-versus-player battles with players from around the world.
Featuring a cast of characters that each have a unique style and design that feels right out of your own imagination, players will become one of them as they battle it out to become the greatest hero around. To do this, players will need to master the movement and aiming of their hero as they navigate the battlefield to blast their opponent with carefully aimed shoots. With each match being an intense one-on-one match, the fight will feel very personal but should you need some practice you can face off against AI controlled heroes which will help players train.
To help make the gameplay more interesting players will encounter a number of different power-ups and special weapons along the way which will put creative twists on your attacks and change up the rules of a match. You’ll need to stay on your toes if you want to take home the victory in this title so make sure to pay close attention to your surroundings and the power-ups.
As you climb the global leaderboard to prove you’re the best imaginary hero around make sure to unlock all the different characters and weapons along the way. Each have different attributes and play styles so finding the right one for you will be just as important as ensuring you land your shoots.
Slightly Heroes is available no on the Google Play store for supported Daydream devices for £5.49 (GBP) will other VR platforms to follow in the near future. With plenty of content and a free movement locomotion system the title looks and sounds to be a unique multiplayer shooter title that will surely be plenty of fun.
VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest from Hatrabbit Entertainment and Slightly Heroes in the future so make sure to stay tuned for more. You can enjoy the short trailer for the title below and get ready to fight the good fight.
Eine neue Partnerschaft zwischen Google und Labster sorgt zukünftig für den Zugang zu virtuellen Laboren für MINT-Student/innen und Schüler/innen per Daydreamoder Lenovo Mirage Solo. Die VR-Lerneinrichtungen sind mit dem nötigen Equipment für Biologie, Chemie und weitere naturwissenschaftliche Fächer ausgestattet und ermöglichen somit das Sammeln von Praxiserfahrung für die Lernenden.
Google und Labster – VR-Labore für MINT-Student/innen mit Google Daydream und Lenovo Mirage Solo
Google veröffentlicht gemeinsam mit Labster über 30 virtuelle Labore für Schüler/innen und Student/innen von naturwissenschaftlichen Fächern. So soll es den Lernenden zukünftig ermöglicht werden, innerhalb der interaktiven und immersiven Laboratorien Praxiserfahrung zu sammeln, ohne zwangsweise auf die Einrichtungen der Schule bzw. Universität angewiesen zu sein.
Eine praktische Idee, denn in vielen MINT-Fächern wie beispielsweise Chemie sind diese oftmals limitiert, da eine Vielzahl von Student/innen gleichzeitig in die Laboreinrichtungen muss, um zu üben und gegebenenfalls Stunden zu sammeln. Für Studierende von Fernuniversitäten ist es schlichtweg unmöglich.
Die virtuellen Ebenbilder sollen laut Entwickler/innen das neuste Equipment besitzen und dadurch realistische Experimente gewährleisten. So sind nicht nur die typischen Vorgehensweisen in der Praxis trainierbar, sondern es stehen zusätzlich diverse Simulationen zur Verfügung. Dadurch ist es möglich, auf molekularer Ebene Atome und DNA-Stränge zu analysieren und nach Belieben zu verändern.
Zusätzlich offenbart die VR-App ein personalisiertes Review, um den Nutzer/innen Feedback über ihr Lernverhalten zu geben. Dadurch wird erläutert, welche Theorien, Konzepte oder Techniken gegebenenfalls noch einmal vertieft werden müssen.
Google is officially adding Chrome support for the Google Daydream View and Lenovo Mirage Solo.
Chrome was available previously in a hidden way on a headset like the Mirage Solo, but the update today adds the ability to “launch Chrome directly from your homepage to browse and interact with any webpage while in VR.”
We’ve yet to take the new app for a test drive, but Google says it includes voice search, incognito mode, saved bookmarks and all the other features you know from Chrome. There’s also a “cinema mode” which “optimizes web video for the best viewing experience in VR.” A Google spokesperson also confirmed WebVR is supported in this release of Chrome.
According to Google, if you update to the latest version of Chrome it will make the app available from the home screen of your Daydream headset. If you are able try it out, we’d love to hear in the comments how WebVR works and we’ll update this post when we give it a try ourselves.
We should also note the Mirage Solo is also fully capable of running any Android app, though that feature has been hidden like Chrome was previously. We’re hoping that Google finalizes Android app support so that it is easier to access the vast Google Play library. Apps like Amazon Video, which allow you to download and watch movies even without an Internet connection, could be very useful in current or future Daydream standalone headsets.
Google is showing indications that its operating system for VR could be evolving toward support of two-handed games. While it remains unlikely you’ll ever be playing Job Simulator or Tilt Brush on a Lenovo Mirage Solo or a Daydream View, the new addition to Google’s Daydream SDK could lay the groundwork for those titles and other great games like Beat Saber and Superhot to eventually run on future headsets powered by Google.
The Lenovo Mirage Solo and other Daydream headsets all use a single hand controller that operates a lot like a laser pointer. The latest update to the Google VR SDK for Unity, though, adds support for two of those types of controllers. Functionality shouldn’t change on devices that only support one controller, but apps could now see that controller as the player’s dominant hand. On certain devices capable of supporting two controllers, there could also be a non-dominant hand shown as well.
Google previously revealed computer vision research showing how it could determine the location of pointer-only controllers, effectively turning them into the point-and-reach controllers that are more compelling and fun to use, but there’s no indication in the documentation of support for point-and-reach hand controllers. That means Beat Saber or Job Simulator running on a standalone headset is still something we’ll have to wait to see. I’ve reached out to Google representatives to see if Mirage Solo or Pixel phones will support two pointer controllers, and I will update this post if they respond.
Fans of NextVR’s paranormal investigation series will be happy to hear that following enthusiastic fan feedback that the virtual reality (VR) series is getting a third installment. This new episode is titled “Paranormal Evidence: Missouri State Penitentiary” and as the title points towards, this episode will take viewers inside the Missouri State Penitentiary to look investigate for any paranormal activity.
Once known as “the bloodiest 47 acres in America” for its deadly riots and grisly murders, the Missouri State Penitentiary will make fur a thrilling investigation. Lead investigator Jack Kassewitz, who has years of investigative journalism and linguistics experience, lead his team into the abandoned prison to find answers to the paranormal activity that is known to take place their.
Kassewitz gave his team of investigators a range of details, including historical artifacts, based on months of research, to try and trigger paranormal activity in specific areas of the prison in hope of catching it all on film. The result far surpassed its reputation for unexplained phenomena as the team were victim to bizarre voices, multiple touches, and a physical attack.
“Paranormal Evidences continues to be a fan favorite in the VR community,” said David Cole, NextVR co-founder and CEO. “We excited to enable Daydream users to be the first to explore the shadowy and sinister halls of Missouri State Penitentiary.”
“When Jack came back from Unit 1 with wounds that looked like bite marks on his arm, we nearly pulled the plug on the shoot,” said Michael Watchulonis, executive producer. “The team insisted on continuing, and experienced new phenomena that we can’t wait to show our audience.”
This new 30 minute long episode is being released exclusively for Google’s Daydream platform through the NextVR app. This means users with a Lenovo Mirage Solo with Daydream or Daydream View, along with a compatible smartphone will be able to experience the immersive episode from the Google Play Store today. 30 days after this release the episode will become available on all platforms allowing all NextVR users to enjoy the paranormal evidence.
NextVR is available now for download on compatible headsets including Samsung Gear VR, Google Daydream, Windows Mixed Reality and PlayStation VR. For more on NextVR in the future, keep reading VRFocus.
