Category: Sixense

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Sixense Partner With Penumbra for Medical VR Venture

With virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) in healthcare a rapidly growing sector of the overall immersive technologies, several companies are seeking to enter the sector. As such, Penumbra Inc and Sixense Enterprises have partnered for a new joint venture in the VR healthcare area called MVI Health Inc.

Sixense Enterprises have done a great deal of work in providing VR and augmented reality (AR) products and software for business and enterprise, such as its work with HTC Vive to bring Computer-Aided Design tools into VR with MakeVR Pro.

Sixense will be bringing its experience with enterprise-level VR technology along with its immersive computing platform while Penumbra will be focussing on developing advanced medical therapies that incorporate immersive technologies and devising means of commercialising them. It is anticipated that this combination of expertise will eventually lead to the creation of a new digital health platform.

Penumbra has been involved in providing innovative healthcare products for some time, and experts have noted that its dedication to keeping up with newly developed technology to remain on the cutting edge has served the company well.

“We have long believed in the tremendous potential of immersive, full-presence virtual reality to help improve lives though better healthcare and Penumbra is the perfect partner for us to collaborate with in this vision,” said Amir Rubin, CEO and founder of Sixense Enterprises. “We believe that by combining our unique immersive computing platform with Penumbra’s innovative approach to development and commercialization of medical products, MVI Health can establish itself as a leading digital health platform.”

“We are excited about the potential of the Sixense technology and its ability to improve patient experiences across broad areas of healthcare and wellness,” said Adam Elsesser, chairman and CEO of Penumbra and CEO of MVI Health. “We look forward to collaborating with healthcare professionals and institutions to address a wide variety of medical conditions that can impact a vast number of people.”

Fur further news on new developments in the immersive technology industry, keep checking VRFocus.

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‘MakeVR Pro’ Introduces Precision Tools for 3D Modelling in VR

There’s some healthy competition in the VR 3D modelling space, as Sixense brings serious enhancements to MakeVR in a new version of the product named MakeVR Pro, with precision tools to assist in detailed 3D creativity and production. Both versions are currently only available on Viveport, although there are plans to bring the software to other platforms.

Since its launch in March, MakeVR has touted its ‘professional-grade CAD engine’ and smart integration with 3D printing, with the ability to save in industry standard .sab, .stl, and .obj formats, and linking directly to the Shapeways printing service. However, it was missing some essential features that advanced or professional creators might expect from software of this kind. As shown in the new trailer, MakeVR Pro addresses this with a number of useful tools for precision alignment and advanced modelling, including grids, object snapping, precision sweeps, object mirroring, a rotation tool, ruler, and jigs.

While it seems like an odd decision to retain two separate products rather than simply improving MakeVR (particularly with the fairly small price difference), the good news is that existing owners of MakeVR are receiving MakeVR Pro for free. And the changes should be worth a look even for the casual user; the new product isn’t just for professionals, as Steve Hansted, Product Manager for MakeVR explained in an interview on the official Vive blog.

“‘Pro’ refers more to the new functionality than the target audience,” he says. “We still have all the Boolean tools for more freeform creation, but what we’ve added are precision tools that will allow anyone, from students to Makers and 3D print enthusiasts to 3D modelers and designers, of all ages and skill levels, to be able to jump in and start building content with positional and rotational accuracy. It’s still so easy to learn and fun to use that it’s totally accessible to everyone.”

“This new layer of precision, combined with Vive’s room-scale technology, paves the way for MakeVR Pro to become the primary 3D object modeling tool for professionals,” said Joel Breton, GM of Vive Studios. “Users can now manipulate objects with increased precision to take advantage of the fidelity and space that VR allows, much like the way carpenters and machinists work in their real-world shops.”

Originally built for use with Sixense’s motion controller technology, MakeVR has been in development for several years, and first launched on Viveport in March. While the software is currently only functional on HTC Vive hardware, presumably due to the assistance from publisher Vive Studios, it is due to arrive on Steam sometime this year and the developers have discussed plans to be platform agnostic in the future.

The post ‘MakeVR Pro’ Introduces Precision Tools for 3D Modelling in VR appeared first on Road to VR.

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HTC Vive Studios and Sixense Launch MakeVR Pro, Bringing CAD-based Precision Tools to 3D Modeling

In March HTC Vive Studios and Sixense launched MakeVR, a 3D modelling and computer-aided design (CAD) engine that could be used by amateurs and professionals alike. Today the two have announced MakeVR Pro, expanding on the original software by adding precision tools for a more precise alignment of objects.

MakeVR Pro’s enhanced functionality has been created to increase accuracy and detail of 3D projects, helping meet the needs of professional 3D designers. Creators will now be able to use grids and rulers, jigs, snapping, surface tracking, and mirroring to help improve and fine-tune their designs even further.

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“This new layer of precision, combined with Vive’s room-scale technology, paves the way for MakeVR Pro to become the primary 3D object modeling tool for professionals,” said Joel Breton, GM of Vive Studios in a statement. “Users can now manipulate objects with increased precision to take advantage of the fidelity and space that VR allows, much like the way carpenters and machinists work in their real-world shops.”

In-app tutorials are provided to guide users through the process of learning this new functionality. Just like MakeVR,   MakeVR Pro has the ability to export standard object files for 3D printing. Sent to either a local 3D printer or to a 3D printing service like Shapeways.

“While still a simple and intuitive solution to use, we wanted to ensure that _MakeVR Pro_ provides anyone the ability to create content with precision and accuracy.” said Amir Rubin, Co-founder and CEO of Sixense. “Our collaboration with Vive Studios has made for a professional-grade creativity experience that provides a powerful yet easy way, for people ranging from 3D print enthusiasts to industry professionals, to build precision models while immersed in a virtual environment.”

MakeVR Pro is available on Viveport for $39.99 USD and existing users of MakeVR will be given free access to the newly enhanced version.

For any further updates to MakeVR and MakeVR Pro, keep reading VRFocus.

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Kickstarting Your Dream: Has the time for VR Crowdfunding Passed?

The tale of the Oculus Rift’s crowdfunding campaign will go down in history as a monumental shift for virtual reality (VR). While the consumer adoption of the hardware has been slow – as many anticipated – modern VR simply wouldn’t exist without Palmer Luckey et al having made the jump to publicly display their wares years prior to launch. It was due to that decision way back in 2013 that today’s VR and augmented reality (AR) industries have generated so much buzz, and have had so much funding available.

However, the tides have shifted somewhat. Despite the likes of Oculus VR and OSSIC making things look easy, financing a project through a crowdfunding campaign was never truly a simple task. In the years since the Oculus Rift surpassed its funding goal by a staggering 875%, the VR audience has become wary; fatigued by demands on their wallet and demanding more than a simple idea to gain their support.

Blair Renaud, CEO of IRIS VR, has gained a reputation in the VR community for knowing how to steer a Kickstarter campaign from inception through publishing and beyond completion. Widely respected for his efforts in crowd-funding and the project that came of it, TECHNOLUST, Renaud recalls how difficult convincing an audience to part with their hard earned cash on a potential product is:

“Running a successful Kickstarter campaign isn’t just hard work, it’s a full time job. You have to a lot of research and build the campaign in the weeks (months?) leading up to launch, then run a full time public relations campaign once it’s live,” stated Renaud in communication with VRFocus. “Getting press is difficult, but necessary. Having a demo and a press kit is useful. You have to use every outlet at your disposal (Twitter, Reddit, Youtube, 4chan, etc.)”

TECHNOLUST screenshotFurther to this, Renaud insists that communication with not just key influencers but also individuals amongst the community is hugely important. Crowdfunding is not simply a case of putting up a campaign and watching the dollars roll in.

“For the entire duration of the campaign, you have to be ready to answer every question posed to you on every platform (even the trolls!). This means waking up to a full inbox every day. On top of this, you should still be fleshing out the game and the campaign site, adding rewards, stretch goals and features.”

Of course TECHNOLUST’s successful campaign allowed IRIS VR to deliver the intended videogame experience across multiple VR platforms, but has also afforded Renaud the knowledge required for future crowdfunding endeavours: “When it’s all done you’ll feel like you can write a book on the subject when a publication asks you for a quote.”

IRIS VR’s success story has led to rapid expansion of the studio’s VR agenda, but others have left their backers less than satisfied. The Virtuix Omni was another success story at the time of funding, however even additional investment couldn’t prevent delays and the seemingly inevitable cancellation of international shipping plans. More daunting is Sixense’s constant moving of goal posts for the Stem controllers. Indeed, with Oculus Touch now a core component of the Oculus Rift package and HTC Vive’s Knuckles controllers and Tracker pucks looming, what need is there for a third-party motion-control device?

Delays are one negative aspect of a successful Kickstarter campaign, but these are projects that were funding a long time ago in the relatively short lifespan of modern VR. What about new projects? A recent campaign for a VR retail experience comes close to offering a unique perspective, but is clearly ill equipped for the challenge of convincing VR aficionados to offer their support:

“I want to create an application or experience that will give you the sensation of actually being present in a department store. You can see, feel and touch the items you want to purchase. Put them in your basket and purchase them all with virtual goggles,” reads the description of the campaign, simply entitled ‘Virtual reality shopping’.

A reasonable, if not particularly original, idea for the use of VR. However, when outlining the experience and hurdles that will be faced in the development of the project, campaign creator Jamie England offers no detail of her experience with VR, simply stating: “Risks are not getting the grocery industry to support the application. However I work in the grocery industry so I think any sale at home is good. There will be obstacles along the way.”

Development of the platform is arguably a bigger hurdle than achieving industry support at this point. There is no detail of England’s experience with VR or the development of applications, nor any information on the team she will be hiring. Furthermore, there is no imagery, no video content, no prototype available. England has an idea, but no concept for how this will develop. Sadly, this has resulted in the campaign achieving $0 USD of its reasonably small $50,000 target at the time of writing.

Essentially, the rules of VR crowdfunding have changed. There’s still plenty of room for a developer to get their idea noticed and even gain the support from key influencers needed to be successful, but a good idea is no longer enough. Reaching your goals on a crowdfunding platform should be considered a full-time job, and the support you need to give reaches beyond a Reddit post and e-mailing a few journalists. It’s a daily activity including constant updates, issuing of assets, interaction with those influencers and offering an early prototype of your work. Do this and your idea might just become a reality.

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Sixense’s MakeVR Now Available On HTC Vive

Sixense’s MakeVR Now Available On HTC Vive

MakeVR is a name you might not have heard in some time. Created by STEM System developer, Sixense, this is a 3D modelling app that’s been in development for some years. Longer, in fact, than the platform its debuting on today, the HTC Vive.

Since a cancelled Kickstarter campaign in early 2014 — which raised $66,294 of its $250,000 goal — Sixense has refined MakeVR, expanding beyond its initial Oculus Rift support and adapting its controller support to include the HTC Vive wands. It’s also now a Vive Studios title, meaning its development has been assisted by HTC. From today, however, the app is actually available from Viveport, HTC’s digital storefront for VR experiences, as a commercial product. It costs $19.99.

MakeVR is designed to open the doors to 3D content creation for just about anyone with accessible design that can get even inexperienced CAD modellers or random Vive users up and running with it in a short amount of time. 3D printing support allows you to bring your creations to life, and the app allows for real-time scaling of creations.

HTC and Sixense hope that MakeVR becomes an industry standard tool, using a “professional CAD engine” to provide users with advanced tools. This is a hotly contested use for VR right now, though. MakeVR isn’t competing with other creative apps like Tilt Brush and Oculus Medium so much as it is VR4CAD and others that aim to capture the professional market too.

Of course when MakeVR was originally announced it was intended to be used with Sixense’s own position-tracked controllers, the STEM System. The controllers have had a troubled life since successfully closing a Kickstarter campaign in late 2013, though, and still haven’t been shipped out to backers. When we caught up with the company earlier this month we still couldn’t get a clear picture of when they might become available.

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MakeVR Launches on HTC Vive

Virtual reality (VR) content creator Sixense and HTC Vive have announced the launch of MakeVR, a 3D modelling and computer-aided design engine on the HTC Vive.

MakeVR has has a somewhat troubled development, including a cancelled Kickstarter that occurred back in 2014. The software has been presented at a few events, enough that VRFocus managed to get hands-on for a preview. Developers Sixense say that the aim of MakeVR is to allow users of all ages and skill levels to create 3D content, without needing to know how to program or use often complex CAD software.

The software enables two-handed gesture control to allow objects to be created and edited. Using the HTC Vive’s room-scale capability means there is a large canvas for users to work on and create 3D models that are as simple or as detailed as the user desires. MakeVR also allows for models created within the virtual space to be exported as standard files for 3D printing.

“MakeVR is a first-of-its-kind advanced creativity app for VR,” said Joel Breton, Head of Vive Studios. “We recognise how the intuitive and immersive environment of VR will revolutionise digital modeling. We worked with Sixense to create MakeVR as an accessible yet advanced creativity app for Vive where room-scale VR gives creators a virtual workshop, and the use of natural physical motions brings unprecedented expressiveness and intuitiveness to object design.”

“MakeVR on the Vive allows anyone to create 3D content as fast as they can think it up, then turn their virtual creations into physical objects with direct-to-3D printing,” said Amir Rubin, Co-founder and CEO of Sixense. “Our partnership with Vive Studios in developing MakeVR and introducing a new kind of advanced creativity app using the immersion of VR is a win for makers, designers and the 3D printing ecosystem.”

MakeVR is available through Viveport at a price of $19.99 USD. Sixense has also begun working on a professional version called MakeVR Pro, which the company hopes to have available later in the year.

VRFocus will keep you updated on MakeVR and other related titles.

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Sixense Still Won’t Say When Kickstarter Backers Can Expect Their Rewards

Sixense Still Won’t Say When Kickstarter Backers Can Expect Their Rewards

On October 12, 2013 Sixense closed its Kickstarter campaign after raising over $600,000 from 2,383 backers. The purpose of the campaign was to raise money for the STEM System: a third-party hardware solution capable of providing positional tracking and hand controllers to virtual reality headsets. Today, these capabilities come standard in the three biggest, high-end VR platforms: Oculus Rift with Touch, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR. Despite a first-party market that has innovated right past it and the growing threat of irrelevance, Sixense still has no definitive plans to begin shipping its STEM systems to the backers that funded it.

On the show floor at GDC 2017 there was a familiar booth — Sixense. Multiple stations had been erected to show off different use cases for the STEM System. Also inside this booth were top Sixense executives. Our goal was to get the answer to three questions: how exactly can you afford this booth but are unable to ship units to backers, when will you be shipping to backers and are you out of money as a company?

Photos taken by Anshel Sag at GDC 2017 showing equipment on display at the Sixense booth.

We spoke with Amir Rubin, CEO and co-founder of the company. I approached Rubin at his booth and asked him how it is that he can afford such a booth at such an in-demand show so many years after the close of his company’s Kickstarter?

According to Rubin, Sixense raised money following its Kickstarter to keep the company alive and expanding. Rubin would not say how much he raised or who the new investors are. When asked to name his new sources of capital, Rubin said they were “important people.”

Rubin steered me around his booth showing use cases for the STEM hardware. I saw STEM working to create gaming experiences (which Rubin says he is working to bring to casinos) and medical applications as well. The latter were said to be training experiences for doctors to help them master procedures without harming patients. I asked Rubin when his 2,300 backers could expect to see a return on their contributions. Rubin brought in an additional Sixense employee to explain.

“We needed to redesign the trigger based mount,” the employee explained. “One piece was too big and needs to be slimmed down.”

Rubin said the Sixense manufacturing pipeline is distributed and complex. Designs are reworked and sent to partners in China and Oakland, California for tooling and completion, he said. I asked Rubin what he wanted to say to his original Kickstarter backers that have been waiting for their systems. Rubin said STEM is continually being rethought and repurposed for things like medical applications. He also said the initial $600,000 influx from Kickstarter wouldn’t cover the tooling on the plastic for these devices. According to him, Sixense has a team in Israel and the company is spending $150,000-175,000 on research and development each month.

According to Rubin, “every day more and more money is being poured in” to the STEM System.

However, nobody I talked to from Sixense at GDC could provide an answer to the question “when can backers expect their hardware.”

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The Virtual Arena: Jackpot! VR Slot Machines

In his latest column for VRFocus leading exponent of the out-of-home entertainment sector, Kevin Williams, reports back from Europe’s largest gambling, online gaming and casino convention. Exclusively revealing the impact that virtual reality (VR) is having on is industry that has a serious interest in the re-emergence of this technology.

We had only just visited the London’s ExCel convention center for our report on the massive education show (BETT), but jump forward a few weeks and we find ourselves back at ExCel. Rather than one hall of the vast convention center, instead we see nearly all the North and South halls of the exhibition facility turned over to the 23rd International Casino Expo (ICE) Total Gaming expo.

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For those not familiar with the gaming industry, it covers a vast number of different elements, and seeing incredible year-on-year profitability. The ICE event includes exhibitors interested in “bricks and mortar” gaming facilities, like casinos, licensed-betting offices and adult gaming arcades (land-based) – while the rest of the massive exhibition covers online betting, gaming and gambling (iGaming), sports betting, gaming machines and the services that support all of them.

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The need by the gaming facility business to attract younger visitors has seen great investment in skill-based gaming (defined as ‘Skill Gaming’); while at the same time the great profits coming from online gaming services is looking to be secured with the use of new technology – both elements looking at VR as a possible opportunity.

Compared to the major interest that VR engender back in 2016, this year’s show seemed to offer a glimpse of the reality of the love affair with the hyperbole of what VR could offer, and wake-up to the reality of what can be achieved with the available hardware. It was obvious that ICE represented a show of two halves – an analogy any good sports enthusiast would recognize.

One side of the application of VR into the gaming scene we see its use as a promotional and marketing tool. One of those exhibitors that dedicated an area of their big booth to a VR component was BetConstruct, provider of online and land-based gaming solutions. The company had a “Virtual Reality Gaming” area offering two Oculus Rift (CV1) with both TOUCH and game pad enabled demonstrations. The demo offering the ability to navigate round a virtual casino.

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Another company looking at promoting a VR casino experience approach was Innovecs Gaming a company known for working with leading Intellectual Properties for application in gaming, came to the London show with a HTC Vive demonstrating their interpretation of how VR could be used as a compelling gaming experience. The company’s Vice President observing that while current consumer VR hardware is not suitable for land-based application, there were opportunities for online gaming experience supporting the mobile VR installed base.

Another company that favored the HTC Vive VR platform for demonstration was International Game Technology (IGT), the influential gaming machine manufactures vast booth had a dedicated enclosure with two HTC Vive, running the game Siege VR. Attendees to the show booked for their chance to experience the castle battlements bow and arrows siege defense game, a packed booth indicating interest in the demo.

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Speaking with a IGT representative confirmed the game was being used as a presentation of their intentions towards creating skill-based gaming experiences that are totally immersive, testing the water regarding the trade interest.

Siege VR was originated by Sixense to demo their then STEM VR in 2014. This ICE demonstration had been commissioned exclusively by IGT, now running on HTC Vive’s rather than converted Oculus headsets. There are no plans for this to be released as a full game however, used wholly as a promotional tool, (there is also no news of the situation with Sixense after recent announcements of further delays).

VR offered a unique tool to present a message to visitors to the myriad big presentation; exhibitor Evolution Gaming, came to ICE with a portion of their booth turned over to several Samsung Gear VR used as a promotional tool offering a 360° visualization of the company’s studios and a behind the scenes view of their land-based live dealer games and interactive online casino experiences.

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Several ICE exhibition exhibitors just placed VR promotions on their booth to draw attention; Processing.com (a payment solutions specialist) had F1 racing action competitions, using CV1’s in a fast pace racing simulator promotion.

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The financial muscle of the international gaming industry has shown a strong VR interest; exhibitors from this territory included Digital Graphix Hub Technologies (based in the Philippines had many examples of their mobile VR setup running demonstrations of their envisaged online VR games.

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International exhibitor Global Bet presented their Virtual Sports platform, offering the opportunity for punters to experience their Virtual Sports events with a 360° presentation placing the guest in the heart of the action. Sadly, the CV1 seated presentation of their platform at ICE was not working.

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A surprise appearance on the vast Novomatic electronic gaming machine giants’ booth was the inclusion of a Sony PSVR experience –a themed area on the booth branded Barcade, visitors trying their skills on old school arcade games recreated in VR, run as a competitive promotion on their booth.

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Another surprise appearance at ICE was on the NSoft booth, known for software solutions for the gaming and betting sector (such as Sportsbooks), the company demonstrated the concept of using Augmented Reality (AR) to facilitate gaming with a Microsoft Hololens deployed into action representing virtual stats in the real-world.

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Beyond the use of VR as a demonstration / promotional tool of aspirations; on the other half of VR’s application, it was harder to find actual business initiatives towards building a revenue stream, and opening the door on the proposed opportunity that VR represents for the casino sector. Of those showing actual products.

The World’s largest online casino operator NetEnt followed on from their mobile VR Jack and the Beanstalk cartoon slot proof of concept in 2016, to launch at this year’s ICE the “first real-money virtual reality slot game”, to be delivered through their existing NetEnt Casino Module. The new game called Gonzo’s Quest VR has the player in a vibrant virtual environment and fun characters while playing virtual slots. On the booth players used the Samsung Gear VR to play the virtual slots, but the game is agnostic of mobile VR platform. The developers at NetEnt believe that VR has a given place in the future of online gaming, and feel that WebVR technology will mature enough to offer basic support for VR game-play by 2018.

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At ICE 2017 exhibitor JoinGames Malta, and VR partners Parallel66 created a VR themed area on their stand for the global reveal their first VR iGame: Kleopatra VR. They feel the game is the first fully interactive slot game experience for mobile VR. The team behind the product will launch the game as a VR app for smartphones in Q2 2017, allowing players to combine any VR Head Mounted Display (HMD) with their existing smartphone to enter a mystical Egypt-themed playing environment to move around, explore and play a unique 3D slot-game for real money.

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Considering the level of interest generated from last year’s ICE event towards VR, this year saw a greater penetration of VR hardware examples, but a need to find a “hook” to hang their efforts upon. As one well respected VR developer in the iGaming scene commented during the show. For demonstrations, they were happy to use CV1’s and Samsung Gear VR’s, but to generate a revenue, the reality was that until something like a universal WebVR platform is established (through solutions possibly like Googles Daydream) then there was still a vacuum regarding generating revenue while supplying a deliverable to the paying audience.

We wait to see if NetEnt, and the industry in general, will be the first to find that magical solution to profitability in VR.