theblu – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

March 12, 2018

Kortex Expands List Of Compatible Titles

Kortex, the device used in partnership with virtual reality (VR) experiences has announced a number of new titles and expereines that are compatible, offering users more options for immersive stress relief.

Kortex Promo 01

The device uses electrodes which attach to the skin to provide gentle neurostimulation, which in some studies has been shown to stimulate the production of serotonin and lower cortisol. After a large number of beta testers gave feedback on how positive the combination of Kortex and Land’s End: A VR Adventure was, the company have now expanded the umber of titles that will be ideal for use within Kortex. The list is a taste of suggestions put forward by VR World Director of Content, Tommy Goodkin which is based on his six weeks of using Kortex.

For Samsung Gear VR users there are now two additional titles that will work with Kortex. This includes the 2017 Emmy winner title Invasion! from the director of Madagascar, featuring the voice of Ethan Hawke. The second title being Asteroids! which is once again from the director of Madagascar and will take users on an 11-minute immersive cinematic experience through space as part of the crew. Both of these are available via the Oculus Store and are free to download.

KORTEX

For Oculus Rift and HTC Vive users there are even more titles which are now able to be enjoyed along with Kortex. The Climb (Oculus exclusive) will see users climbing up huge heights, feeling the exhilaration of extreme free solo climbing like never before. Take your time and enjoy the views or complete for the fastest time to the top, the choice is up to you. Just make sure you are not afraid of heights.

Google Earth VR is also now supported, allowing users to take a stroll through the streets of their local town or famous cities, soar over the Grand Canyon, or walk around key landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower.

If the ocean is more your thing than TheBlu is for you. Explore the wonder and majesty of the ocean from the comfort of your own home. Visit a range of different habitats and come face to face with some of the most interesting and largest species on the planet. Fantastic Contraption will let users engage in a surreal building title as they build life-sized contraptions that fill the skies, and use them to sure puzzles on the other side of a floating island. No solution is right or wrong, so let your creativity run wild.

Real-time strategy (RTS) title Tethered awaits for users t o lend their guiding hands in a beautiful series of islands that will offer an experience unlike anything a user has seen before. Lastly, Dear Angelica (Oculus exclusive) is a journey through a magical and dreamlike world by the Emmy Award winning Oculus Story Studio. Featuring artwork painted entirely in VR, Dear Angelica is an immersive short story starring Geena Davis and Mae Whitman.

Kortex are continuing their work to develop the neurostimulation solution further and expand the library of suitable content as well. It is currently available to order direct from their website and is compatible with most VR units.

For more on Kortex in the future, keep reading VRFocus.

March 7, 2017

theBlu: Tiefsee-Erfahrung in VR ist nun eine Museumsattraktion in Los Angeles

Das Naturkundemuseum Los Angeles (NHMLA) rüstet auf. Ab sofort können Besucher per VR-Brille in beeindruckende Unterwasserwelten eintauchen. Wevr, die Entwickler von theBlu, einer VR-Erfahrung, die den Ozean hautnah präsentiert, haben angekündigt, dass das kalifornische Museum die frische Technologie ab sofort in ihre Ausstellungen einarbeiten will.

Wal, Riff und Tiefsee – Naturkunde in VR erleben

Im Verlauf von sechs Minuten zeigt das Museum drei Unterwasser-Umgebungen, die unterschiedlicher nicht sein könnten. In einer dieser Umgebungen macht ihr die Bekanntschaft mit einem 25 Meter langen Blauwal, der in unmittelbarer Nähe an einem versunkenen Schiff vorbeigleitet, in einer anderen findet ihr euch inmitten von Schildkröten, Quallen und prachtvollen Seeanemonen, am Rand eines Korallenriffs, wieder. Die wohl spektakulärste Erfahrung bietet allerdings der Ausflug in die Tiefsee. Besucher haben die Möglichkeit mithilfe einer virtuellen Taschenlampe in den finsteren Abgrund hinabzutauchen und Anglerfische, Tintenfische und andere Kreaturen der Tiefsee zu entdecken.

Lori Bettison-Verga, Leiterin und Präsidentin des Naturkundemuseums, zeigte sich in einem Statement begeistert von der VR-Technologie, die in Verbindung mit multimedialer Unterstützung eine ganz neue Ebene der Wissensvermittlung ermögliche:

Engaging and inspiring visitors is what we do — and theBlu: An Underwater VR Experience is beautiful, powerful storytelling. It would not surprise me if the next generation of marine biologists — and VR developers — are inspired by this exhibit.

Schon auf dem Sundance Film Festival 2016 wurde die VR-Experience, bei der Jake Rowell (Call of Duty, Final Fantasy, Superman Returns) Regie führte, mit einem Platz in der Ausstellung unter dem Titel “New Frontiers” ausgezeichnet und für exzellent befunden.

Die Entwickler des kalifornischen Studios Wevr möchten mit ihrer Applikation nicht nur ein jüngeres Publikum für VR begeistern, sondern alle Altersgruppen ansprechen und mithilfe der Immersion, die theBlu mit sich bringt, sowohl unterhalten als auch informieren.

Wir stellen fest: Die Integration der virtuellen Realität in herkömmliche Bereiche des menschlichen Lebens schreitet voran. Wo innovative Museen des Planeten ansetzen, könnten in Bälde Schulen oder Forschungseinrichtungen folgen. VR-Erfahrungen als Mittel multimedialer Kommunikation und Bildung wird uns auch in Zukunft begleiten.

Der Beitrag theBlu: Tiefsee-Erfahrung in VR ist nun eine Museumsattraktion in Los Angeles zuerst gesehen auf VR∙Nerds. VR·Nerds am Werk!

February 24, 2017

Wevr’s theBlu Lets Dubai Aquarium Visitors Go Beyond The Glass

The Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo now lets visitors go beyond the glass and having an astonishingly intimate encounter with sea life thanks to the HTC Vive.

Wevr’s theBlu, one of the first experiences to feature on the SteamVR headset, is one of a handful of VR apps on offer at the site’s new VRZOO. Visitors will be able to put on the headset and experience the brief, atmospheric encounter with a whale and other creatures that so many Vive owners will have already seen for themselves. The Vive it setup to support room scale play.

Offering a number of memorable encounters, theBlu is one of the most powerful examples of the sense of scale and immersion that VR can deliver, and appeals to just about anyone, not just gamers. If you haven’t checked it out for yourself, it’s available on Steam for $9.99.

While theBlu will create a sense of wonder, the VRZOO also hopes to educate its audience on the challenges that animals of all kinds face. In addition to the CG experience, live action, 360 degree footage will also showcase life both above and below the ocean in Uganda, South Africa, Maldives, Egypt, Australia and Mafia Island. These 3D clips will focus on aquatic wildlife facing extinction, aiming to raise awareness and support for their preservation. The installation was setup with the help of Emaar Entertainment.

VR is becoming an increasingly important tool in raise the awareness of many campaigns like these. When done right the connection users are able to grow with subjects inside headsets can be much more powerful than anything you’d see on a standard display, offering the next best thing to being there yourself. We’ve also seen the tech used to shine a light on the ongoing immigrant crisis that the world is facing and create a better understanding of historical events.

Tagged with: Dubai Aquarium, theBlu, VRZOO, WEVR

February 20, 2017

Wevr’s theBlu to Feature at Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo’s ‘VRZOO’ Attraction

Earlier this month VRFocus reported on virtual reality (VR) studio Wevr’s collaboration with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles (NHMLA) to exhibit theBlu: An Underwater VR Experience. The company has now announced it’s working with Emaar Entertainment to bring theBlu to the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo.

As part of a new attraction called VRZOO which focuses on awareness and conservation efforts, theBlu: Season 1 will be used to allow visitors to explore multiple underwater habitats and come into virtual contact with creatures of the deep. Wevr has customised the experience specifically for VRZOO.

VRZOO

VRZOO will also feature a live-action 360-degree section from locations including Uganda, South Africa, Maldives, Egypt, Australia and Mafia Island, where users can see some of the world’s most captivating species, all of which are on the brink of extinction.

Maitha Al Dossari, Chief Executive Officer of Emaar Entertainment, said: “Emaar Entertainment is committed to providing visitors of all ages with interactive edutainment experiences. VRZOO is the latest addition, designed to broaden the mind and provide deeper connections to the world around us, using informative and interactive platforms. VRZOO demonstrates our commitment to education as we work toward a safe and more informed future for animals and humans alike.”

“Educating the public about endangered species is a key priority at Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo and we’re glad to be able to reflect that mission in the new VRZOO attraction,” said Paul Hamilton, General Manager & Curator, Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. “As we continue to expand our offering, VRZOO is the next step in diversifying our educational platforms. The experience brings adventurers closer than ever to incredible creatures such as African Elephants and Dugongs, in a safe environment, where they can come face-to-face in a way that’s not possible in the wild. VRZOO carries an important message in that all the species showcased could be lost forever in the near future without intervention. It is frightening to think that in our lifetime, some of these species may become extinct and only live on in VR for future generations.

“For Emaar Entertainment, the conservation journey started at Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo with the world’s first Sand Tiger Shark artificial insemination programme; with this new initiative, we’re able to build on that, combining interactive technology and education in a fun, new way. We want people to feel a connection to the animals, and hope it leads to awareness and a deeper desire to get involved in conservation initiatives.”

If you can’t make it to Dubai to see VRZOO, you can always experience the normal version of theBlu on Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. For any further Wevr updates, keep reading VRFocus.

February 10, 2017

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles to Exhibit Wevr’s theBlu

Virtual reality (VR) studio Wevr has announced a collaboration with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles (NHMLA) to exhibit theBlu: An Underwater VR Experience, a specially curated cut of multi-award-winning VR series, theBlu.

theBlu: An Underwater VR Experience, directed by Jake Rowell (Call of Duty, Final Fantasy, Superman Returns), is a unique 6-minute presentation for NHMLA visitors, highlighting three environments. They’ll be able to encounter a 80-foot blue whale as it swims past a sunken ship; an undersea migration on the edge of a shallow coral reef, with turtles and swarms of jellyfish gliding by; and a deep dive into an abyss, where hidden creatures including angler fish and squid appear with the use of a virtual flashlight.

theblu_screen_008

“The museum has integrated technology and multi-media into our newer exhibits and is now exploring ways to enhance digital engagement with the natural world. This iconic deep dive VR experience from Wevr brings us to a new level of interactivity—and our visitors come along for the ride,” said Dr. Lori Bettison-Varga, NHMLA Director and President. “Engaging and inspiring visitors is what we do—and theBlu: An Underwater VR Experience is beautiful, powerful storytelling. It would not surprise me if the next generation of marine biologists—and VR developers—are inspired by this exhibit.”

“Here’s what it’s like, from someone who has done a lot of SCUBA diving: It’s fantastic to see all those underwater creatures, and not be underwater and cold—especially the deep-sea chapter, where you couldn’t even dive in real life,” says Dr. Chris Thacker, NHMLA Fish Curator. “Users get an up-close look at the animals, particularly the whale and the turtle, and interact with jellyfish and see how they respond. The experience is scientifically accurate and does a good job of replicating what it’s like underwater, all while you’re just standing there, warm and dry.”

Before starting the experience visitors are acclimated to the technology amid glowing NHMLA ocean specimens on display and projections of reef footage. They’re then led into five “pods” in the gallery, each containing a HTC Vive headset. For friends and families, a seating area is located nearby, where they can watch the action on a monitor.

theBlu: An Underwater VR Experience will be open to NHMLA attendees from 6th March – 28th April, advanced timed-tickets can be purchased online, at NHM.org.

For all the latest VR news from around the world, keep reading VRFocus.

December 14, 2016

Wevr Adds $20 Annual Pass To Premium VR Content On Its Transport Service

Wevr is following in the footsteps of traditional media companies like HBO, Netflix and Hulu. The virtual reality startup is launching a $20 annual subscription premium channel on its Transport service, offering early VR users unlimited access to exclusive content like Deepak Chopra’s Finding Your True Self, Tyler Hurd’s Tribeca Film Festival VR hit, Old Friend, Reggie Watts’ Waves and theBlu Season 1.

Transport is currently available on HTC Vive and Samsung Gear VR. The beta is running on Oculus Rift and Google Daydream. Anthony Batt, co-founder of Wevr, told UploadVR his team is working on a PlayStation VR version and all platforms will be supported by early 2017.

Batt said Transport was created because it’s critical in an early market to create a direct relationship with an audience.

“Consumers now understand the idea that subscribing to HBO, Netflix and Hulu funds superior content,” Batt said. “We think it’s a great model and believe it will work for the VR industry at large. The opportunity of making and programming brave VR and establishing serious connection between the audience and creators is our path forward. We think it is a win-win for everyone if we prevail.”

Batt said Wevr was influenced by the record label Sub Pop’s subscription service, “singles club,” where fans paid a very reasonable fee and trusted that the releases they sent you would be of a certain quality. That’s exactly what Wevr wants to do with VR.

“We want to establish a symbiotic relationship between this emerging audience and the creators,” Batt said. “We value these works and believe in their worth. By making Transport a subscriber product, we are trying to make it extremely convenient for an audience to find the very best experiences.”

Hurd told UploadVR Rene Pinnell at Kaleidoscope showed Wevr an early version of Old Friend, an interactive VR music video.

“I had decided I was making Old Friend and they were excited to get me whatever I needed to keep it moving and gave me the creative freedom to be as weird and crazy as I want, which for any artist is a huge priority,” Hurd said. “Transport has been a place for a really wide variety of unique content, which I appreciate a lot, it’s great to see a company making all these cool risky VR projects happen and getting them out into the world.”

Hurd said listening to the “Future Islands” song in his regular rotation inspired the visuals, and the people in his life that he’s shared many late night dance parties with inspired the specific dance moves.

“The song for me brings this kind of uninhibited excitement, the kind that makes you dance in a way that is certainly not cool at all, but is extremely fun and makes people laugh,” Hurd said. “My aim was to recreate this ‘stupid joy’ or ‘nonsensical joy’ for the participant, by completely surrounding them in a world where only that feeling exists, no matter what they choose to look at or do with their hands.”

Batt said since the company’s desire is to continue to fund creative VR artists so they can make great work and, most, if not all, of the revenue from the new subscription service will be shared with the artists to make new VR projects.

“Our focus right now is primarily the VR creative community,” Batt added. “We want to win their support so that we can build an audience together. We are confident that the consumer will grow as VR projects get better and better and become more viral. The challenge is to get more creatives making VR projects that will inspire consumers to spend more time with VR. We believe a narrow focus on winning these VR creators in a meaningful way will make a positive impact for the industry in a much broader way.”

Batt said the plan is to add new content for subscribers. In the future, he’s open to adopting a monthly subscription option, but there’s enough content today for an annualized model.

Chopra told UploadVR the Finding Your True Self program he’s created with Wevr will continue. He expects to have another VR program available within six months and he’ll start working on that in the next six to eight weeks.

“What I learned from this first program was that we underestimated the power of the (VR) technology,” Chopra said. “We could have done more things. And we will do more things next time to create an even richer multi-sensory experience.”

Chopra said Finding Your True Self was designed to give users a deeper understanding of the nature of experience, as well as the nature of their own self.

“We are trying to replicate in the 16 or 18 minutes that we have, the Buddha’s journey to Nirvana, toward enlightenment, toward understanding,” Chopra said.

Wevr continues to develop Gnomes and Goblins with Jon Favreau. Batt said the full experience will be completed by this time next year.

“We don’t know how that all turns out now,” Batt said. “It might be available on Transport or it might be stand-alone product.”

There will be plenty of other content available in between. And ultimately, the goal is to one day become the Netflix of VR.

“We’d love to see us get to that point, but it might be 10 years out,” Batt said. “We don’t know.”

Tagged with: subscription service, theBlu, transport, WEVR

November 27, 2016

VR FEST and Ocean Gala Holding Extreme VR Filmmaker Challenge

While currently an entertainment platform primarily, virtual reality (VR) is being used to highlight important issues around the world. In December the prestigious Ocean Gala event will take place organized by MaiTai Global and OceanElders. The event brings together global leaders in business and kiteboarding communities for a fundraiser to raise awareness and support for ocean causes. As part of the gala they’ve partnered with VRFEST and Extreme Tech Challenge to present a new oceanic conservation themed VR and augmented reality (AR) filmmaker competition.

Sponsored by: Unofficial Cardboard, Holocube, Phasespace, Pufferfish, Dreamland Entertainment, and PassmoreVR, the competition features ten oceanic conservation themed VR/AR exhibits from some of the world’s leading creators. During the event the experiences will be showcased on the latest head-mounted displays (HMDs) including: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Microsoft Hololens, Samsung Gear VR and Google Cardboard.

The exhibits will be judged by VR pioneer Greg Passmore (PassmoreVR) along with the XTC VR Ambassadors including Chris Crescitelli (Director of the Extreme VR Challenge), Gregg Katano (Unofficial Cardboard), Nitin Gupta (Google) and Ryan Pulliam (Specular Theory).

“I am honoured to be the Head Judge for the Extreme VR Challenge to support oceanic conservation and look forward to meeting all of the talented filmmakers who were officially selected for this exciting and meaningful event” said Passmore.

The official VR/AR projects selected for the Extreme Virtual Reality Challenge are:

The Click Effect by Sandy Smolan and James Nestor presented by Annapurna & Within

Valen’s Reef by Within & 3DPaint/FX

Share the Science: Climate Change VR by Otherworld Interactive

The Mini Mantas of Maria by Danny Copeland

California Platform Reefs produced by Dryft VR and C.A.R.E.

Aquarium Earth by Phasespace

Cry Out: The Lonely Whale Experience by 3D Live/Dell

Huebert the Holographic Manatee by Mirage Holographic

theBlu by WEVR presented by VRsenal

Great White Sharks by Curioscope

The entrants will be inline for a $10,000 USD cash prize when the winners are announced at the Ocean Gala on Saturday, 3rd December, 2016, in San Francisco, California. Keep reading VRFocus for all the latest VR news from around the world..

September 3, 2016

‘Iron Man’ Director Jon Favreau’s First VR Project ‘Gnomes & Goblins’ Looks Delightful

Veteran Director of Iron Man, Chef and more recently The Jungle Book, Jon Favreau has now teamed up with veteran VR production house WEVR on a brand new project entitled ‘Gnomes & Goblins’, a realtime VR experience set in a magical fantasy world.

The interest from Hollywood and its key players in immersive technologies seems to be growing apace, with studios and creatives keen to explore the artistic and, of course, financial potential of VR.

The latest convert to virtual reality is Jon Favreau, a Writer, Director, Producer and Actor you will almost certainly have encountered – unless you happen to have sworn yourself off all motion picture based entertainment for the last 20 years. He’s best known for his Directorial duties on films like Iron Man (2008) and The Jungle Book (2016), but you may have encountered his front-of-camera skills in many films from Hoffa (1992) to Chef (2014 – a movie he also wrote, directed and produced). Favreau is one of those sickeningly talented people then, and now he’s turning his attention to VR.

Favreau’s first project in virtual reality is a new collaboration with Wevr, developers of the enchanting underwater experience theBlu and Reality One. It’s described as an “opportunity to explore an enchanted VR world,” seemingly created by Favreau where you get to meet and “developer a personal relationship” with the worlds characters. Favreau says that he didn’t want the project to be a “passive cinematic experience where people just sit and enjoy it like a ride,” and importantly “where you have the opportunity to explore the same feelings you get while lucid dreaming.”

Gnomes & Goblins is formed from ideas that Favreau had been toying with already, but it was Wevr’s theBlu as demo’d on the HTC Vive which showed him that VR was the right medium to do the project justice. “I went over to Wevr and tried out theBlu on the Vive. Presence was the most interesting phenomenon when I experienced it for the first time,” says Favreau, ” Knowing that you are seeing something artificial and yet your brain is fooled into believing that it’s real.” As Favreau was looking for an independent collaborator with a “lab feel”, the partnership with Wevr was born.

If all of this sounds mighty intriguing, you won’t have to wait much longer to see what Favreau and Wevr have been working on for the last year. Gnomes & Goblins is set to appear via Wevr Transport, Steam and Viveport on September 8th in preview form, so you’ll be able to step into the world for yourself next week.

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