Category: Time

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This VR Documentary is Filming Outside of the ISS so You Can See Space With Your Own Eyes

Space Explorers: The ISS Experience is a multi-part VR documentary from Felix & Paul Studios and TIME that lets you see what life is like aboard the International Space Station. The first two episodes transport you to the rarefied air of the ISS interior, however the studios today announced that they’ve begun filming episodes three and four outside of the ISS, letting you virtually experience the edge of space via 3D, 360 video.

Exterior scenes are being filmed by Felix & Paul’s customized virtual reality ‘Outer Space Camera’, making it the first such attempt to capture 3D, 360 video using the ISS as a space-based camera dolly. Those scenes are slated to be featured in Episode 3 Unite (coming fall 2021) and Episode 4 Expand (coming winter 2021).

The series is an Oculus exclusive, offering VR support across Rift, Quest and Quest 2 via the Oculus Store. Here’s a view from the ISS Cupola to give you an idea what it might be like looking out at the pale blue dot sans air.

The studio says its custom-fitted ‘Outer Space Camera’ is built on a Z-Cam V1 Pro camera consisting of nine 4K sensors allowing for a 3D, a 360-degree image at 8K resolution.

It’s also been “specially hardened” by the company Nanoracks to withstand a host of conditions including the vacuum of space, solar ultraviolet radiation, ionizing radiation, plasma, surface charging and arcing, temperature extremes, thermal cycling… the list goes on.

a look at a 360, 3D camera used in Space Explorers | Image courtesy TIME, Felix & Paul Studios

The Outer Space Camera, which has been attached to the Canadarm2 robotic arm, is built to store around 15 hours of 3D, 360-degree video, complete with custom lenses made to withstand extreme light and heat to minimize flare when directly exposed to the Sun—quite a feat when external temperatures can range from -250° F to +250° F (-155° C to +121° C).

Felix & Paul is an Emmy Award-winning studio responsible for VR films such as MIYUBI, the Nomads series, Strangers, and The Confessional. The Montreal-based studio has also created several productions for existing franchises such as Jurassic World, Cirque du Soleil, Wild, and Isle of Dogs. High-profile collaborations have seen VR experiences created for NASA, SpaceX, President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, LeBron James, President Bill Clinton, Wes Anderson, Brie Larson, Jeff Goldblum, and Bill Murray.

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If you want to catch the first episodes of Space Explorers in VR, you’ll find them over on the Oculus Store for $3 a piece, each of which take around 30 minutes to watch. They’re also available from select telecoms LGU+ in South Korea, KDDI in Japan, AIS in Taiwan, Orange in France, and Deutsche Telekom in Germany.

The post This VR Documentary is Filming Outside of the ISS so You Can See Space With Your Own Eyes appeared first on Road to VR.

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Martin Luther King Jr.’s Iconic ‘I Have A Dream’ Speech Recreated In VR For New Exhibition

One of the most seminal moments in history has been recreated in VR for a new exhibition, open from tomorrow.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic ‘I Have A Dream’ speech can now be experienced inside an HTC Vive Focus Plus at the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago. We originally reported on the piece in late 2019, but now we’ve got a closer look at it.

The virtual recreation is part of a wider exhibition called ‘The March’, chronicling the historic events of the 1963 march on Washington. The experience was created under the Times Studios banner in partnership with Ryot and Digital Domain among others. Viola Davis is an executive producer on the project.

The March starts with an audio experience introducing people to the civil rights movement. Soon after, you’ll strap on the Vive Focus to find yourself cast as one of the 250,000 people marching, ready to witness the speech. Up to four visitors can view the piece at once. You can get a look into the making of the experience in the video below.

Interested in seeing it for yourself? You can book tickets via the official site right here, though it’s free with museum admission.

If you’re interested in checking the experience out, we’d also recommend seeing I Am A Man, a free PC VR piece that captures the horrifying scenes around King’s assassination in 1968. It’s a tough experience, no doubt, but an equally important piece of VR history keeping.

Will you be heading out to check this piece out? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Martin Luther King Jr.’s Iconic ‘I Have A Dream’ Speech Recreated In VR For New Exhibition appeared first on UploadVR.

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Martin Luther King Jr.’s Iconic ‘I Have A Dream’ Speech Recreated In VR For New Exhibition

One of the most seminal moments in history has been recreated in VR for a new exhibition, open from tomorrow.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic ‘I Have A Dream’ speech can now be experienced inside an HTC Vive Focus Plus at the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago. We originally reported on the piece in late 2019, but now we’ve got a closer look at it.

The virtual recreation is part of a wider exhibition called ‘The March’, chronicling the historic events of the 1963 march on Washington. The experience was created under the Times Studios banner in partnership with Ryot and Digital Domain among others. Viola Davis is an executive producer on the project.

The March starts with an audio experience introducing people to the civil rights movement. Soon after, you’ll strap on the Vive Focus to find yourself cast as one of the 250,000 people marching, ready to witness the speech. Up to four visitors can view the piece at once. You can get a look into the making of the experience in the video below.

Interested in seeing it for yourself? You can book tickets via the official site right here, though it’s free with museum admission.

If you’re interested in checking the experience out, we’d also recommend seeing I Am A Man, a free PC VR piece that captures the horrifying scenes around King’s assassination in 1968. It’s a tough experience, no doubt, but an equally important piece of VR history keeping.

Will you be heading out to check this piece out? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Martin Luther King Jr.’s Iconic ‘I Have A Dream’ Speech Recreated In VR For New Exhibition appeared first on UploadVR.

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Martin Luther King Jr.’s Iconic ‘Dream’ Speech Coming To VR In 2020

A long-awaited virtual reality experience based on Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech will make its world premiere as a ticketed museum exhibit at the end of February 2020, its developers announced this week. The March promises to transport viewers to the August 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where King delivered the speech to a crowd of over 200,000 people at the U.S. National Mall, for an atypically engrossing VR display.

According to Time, which created the experience, its centerpiece will be the first-ever virtual depiction of the slain civil rights leader — one it claims to be “the most lifelike rendering of a human performance in virtual reality to date,” recreated using VR, AI, and machine learning technologies. Though there aren’t yet any images of the virtual Dr. King, The March is being developed in partnership with King’s estate, so there’s certainly every opportunity for a perfect 3D performance.

Over 80 actors were scanned to recreate the overflowing crowd in VR, in some cases including actual attendees and/or their relatives. The goal is to let a headset wearer feel as if they were actually attending the event, including a fully interactive recreation of the event and first-person experience of the speech, though it’s not yet clear how close or far viewers will be able to come to King as he’s speaking. Time previously said that the experience will include separate segments on the March, the National Mall, and the speech, which originally ran for nearly 17 minutes.

A large group of immersive and digital effects specialists are bringing the project to life, including Time’s Mia Tramz, Alton Glass of GRX Immersive Labs, V.A.L.I.S. studio, RYOT, Digital Domain, and actress Viola Davis’ JuVee Productions. Creative Artists Agency brought Time and RYOT together for the deal, and acted as a strategic advisor.

The March will run from February 28 through November 2020 at Chicago’s DuSable Museum of African American History, the United States’ first independent African American history museum, and will travel to additional, yet-to-be-announced museums and public venues. Tickets will be made available soon, with early notifications to be sent out from this link.

This post by Jeremy Horowitz originally appeared in VentureBeat.

The post Martin Luther King Jr.’s Iconic ‘Dream’ Speech Coming To VR In 2020 appeared first on UploadVR.

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TIME Immersive VR/AR Mobile App Launches by Landing on the Moon

One of the most famous print magazines in the world, TIME, has launched a new way to consume is journalism, augmented reality (AR). Today, TIME Immersive has been launched for iOS devices, and to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing the app brings that iconic moment into your living room.

Time Immersive

Landing on the Moon is the first piece of content to feature on the app, produced in partnership with the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum and sponsored by Jimmy Dean. The 3D assets are thanks to 20 years of research and artistry by John Knoll, Chief Creative Officer of Industrial Light & Magic, with the spatial sound design by Erik Lohr, RYOT’s head of audio, and a voice-over by TIME’s Jeffrey Kluger.

“With Landing on the Moon, TIME is building on its decades of trusted and authoritative space reporting to tell this story in a brand new way, just as we have done in previous projects such as our Emmy Award-winning documentary A Year in Space,” said Edward Felsenthal TIME Editor in Chief and CEO in a statement.

Currently only available for iOS devices, TIME Immersive will be coming to Android soon. If you don’t own an Apple AR compatible device and want to check out Landing on the Moon the mobile web AR experience, both of which are the work of Trigger.

Time Immersive

“TIME has always been at the forefront of visual storytelling. With the launch of this app and our first web AR experience, we are putting a stake in the ground with AR and establishing the level of immersive journalism that TIME will continue to bring to our readers,” adds Mia Tramz, Emmy-winning VR producer and editorial director of Enterprise and Immersive Experiences at TIME.

TIME has previously announced two major immersive projects it preparing to release, The March and Space Explorers: The ISS Experience. The former will allow viewers to experience the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, while Space Explorers: The ISS Experience is an immersive documentary series filmed in and around the International Space Station, created in conjunction with Felix & Paul Studios.

As TIME releases further immersive content, VRFocus will let you know.

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VR Cameras Now on International Space Station to Capture Space Walks & Missions

Last month, TIME and Felix & Paul Studios launched VR cameras to the International Space Station (ISS) in a new project to bring viewers an intimate look aboard one of the most exclusive places in human existence.

Dubbed The ISS Experience, over the course of the next year VR cameras will provide what the makers call “unprecedented access to a participatory experience—one that will culminate with the first-ever filming of a spacewalk in cinematic virtual reality.”

The year-long project was announced at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah this weekend. The project’s first VR scene was filmed on Friday, January 25th.

“We will take audiences inside and outside of the space station through the immersive and experiential power of virtual reality,” said Felix & Paul creative director Félix Lajeunesse in a statement obtained by Collect Space. “We’re going to look at the research, the science and the work that is done on the International Space Station. And we’re also going to look closely at the reality and challenges of learning to live in space.”

Image courtesy TIME, Felix & Paul Studios

“Most of what we will film is going to be captured inside of the space station over a period of about nine months. But as the story builds up, it’s going to gradually ramp up to a spacewalk, where we will take audiences outside the space station, alongside the astronauts, to capture the first ever cinematic VR spacewalk. We’re pretty excited,” said Lajeunesse.

The team launched two VR camera systems on board a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft last month. The cameras, which provide a 3D 360-degree view, are an array of Z CAMs and custom-built, made-for-space motorized rig that’s anchored to specific places on the station.

“A very vital thing to virtual reality storytelling is where you actually place the camera, and in our practice at the studio, we like to think of the virtual reality camera as if it were a person. We generally want to place that VR camera where a person could actually physically be or stand, and that’s a massive factor in building a sense of immersion for audiences,” said Lajeunesse.

Image courtesy TIME, Felix & Paul Studios

“That’s good on Earth, but when you bring that philosophy to the space station, then it brings a lot of problems, because the space is not that big on the station and there’s some pretty critical operations being done by the astronauts in space where a big camera could be in the way,” he continued.

The team behind The ISS Experience collaborated with NASA to map out ideal locations for the cameras, and what times they could film within a maximum “184 hours of crew time” that NASA set aside for the project.

Image courtesy TIME, Felix & Paul Studios

Two more VR cameras are said to arrive to the ISS later this year which will be specially built to not only withstand microgravity, but to undergo what the creators claim will be the “first-ever extravehicular activity (EVA, or spacewalk) in cinematic virtual reality.”

It’s still uncertain where the cameras will be anchored too, be it the Canadarm2 robotic arm, the Japanese robotic arm that is mounted at the end of the Kibo module or on Dextre, a two-armed manipulator.

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Filming is slated to finish in late 2019, and afterwards The ISS Experience will be available via AR, VR and “other immersive platforms.”

Felix & Paul is an Emmy Award-winning studio which has overseen the creation of many original VR films including MIYUBI, the Nomads series, Strangers, The Confessional, and the Space Explorers series. Felix & Paul have also created several productions for existing franchises such as Jurassic World, Cirque du Soleil, Wild, and Isle of Dogs. High-profile collaborations have seen VR experiences created for NASA, SpaceX, President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, LeBron James, President Bill Clinton, Wes Anderson, Brie Larson, Jeff Goldblum, and Bill Murray to name a few.

The post VR Cameras Now on International Space Station to Capture Space Walks & Missions appeared first on Road to VR.

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Step Inside the International Space Station Like Never Before With Cinematic VR Series ‘ISS Experience’

Felix & Paul Studios are one of the most prolific creative companies when it comes to cinematic virtual reality (VR), with two of its pieces Marshall from Detroit and Traveling While Black currently at the Sundance Film Festival. Continuing its relentless content creation, the studio has announced that in collaboration with TIME the pair will be combining their expertise in the creation of a new VR series called ISS Experience.

ISS Experience - inside

ISS Experience will be a documentary series filmed both in and around the International Space Station (ISS) over the course of a year. Thanks to the support of the International Space Station, U.S. National Laboratory and the access provided by NASA, will document life on board, capturing the first-ever spacewalk in cinematic 360, learning about what it’s like to live there whilst providing insights into the future of space exploration.

“We are excited to be working with Felix & Paul Studios to bring this project to many different audiences, across many different platforms,” said Mia Tramz, Emmy-winning VR producer and editorial director of Enterprise and Immersive Experiences at TIME in a statement. “This project will have a life on digital, immersive and physical platforms, and will ultimately serve as an educational experience to inspire generations to come.”

To begin capturing content for the ISS Experience TIME and Felix & Paul Studios launched two specialised Z CAM V1 Pro cameras to the ISS on 5th December 2018. These were adapted by Felix & Paul Studios incorporating purpose-built hardware and software that allows the crew of astronauts to shoot in these unique conditions.

Two additional cameras are slated to reach the ISS early this year, built to film outside of the ISS and to capture the spacewalk.

“Everything we have done to date as a studio has led up to this moment. We’ve immersed audiences around the world in extraordinary settings—from the White House to Eminem’s Detroit to the plains of the Serengeti—but space is the ultimate destination,” said Félix Lajeunesse, Emmy-winning creative director at Felix & Paul Studios. “We’re proud to be on this ambitious journey with our partners at TIME, producing the single most immersive experience ever made of life in space on the International Space Station.”

When completed the series will be distributed as both a digital XR experience and physical ticketed experiential exhibition at select museums and public locations. When these details are made available VRFocus will let you know.

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5 Historical Events And Time Periods You Can Visit In VR

Virtual Reality (VR) is a tool that can be used for complete immersion into a number of different experiences. Everything from horror videogames to simulating the experience of flying. There are a wealth of user experiences to try in VR. As VR applications become more realistic and as more genres are explored, it’s possible to give VR users the chance to take on new experiences.

TimelooperOne of the most popular new applications that VR users are enjoying is an app called Timelooper. This application allows individuals to completely immerse themselves in historical scenes from the past. Timelooper can help to place people into accurate historical scenes where they can experience them from a first-person view.

Timelooper isn’t the only way to experience history from the perspective of VR of course, you can also can find excellent immersive content on YouTube.

Both app and service can be fantastic for education and for helping people truly feel like time travelers! If you are interested in trying Timelooper or other history video content, here are some five historical events and time periods that you can currently visit in VR:

Washington’s Inaugural – 1789

Experience Washington’s inauguration in the year 1789 through the Timelooper app. This re-creation was filmed on location in period costume and it is truly a unique moment in history where you can step back and experience the inauguration of the first president of the United States. If you are a presidential history buff or you are simply interested in what public gatherings were like in the year 1789, this is a wonderful experience to try.

Timelooper - Washington's InaguralPearl Harbor – 1941

Experiencing the attacks on Pearl Harbor firsthand is possible thanks to a TIME magazine experience that has been published on YouTube. In a 360° video you can listen to a veteran retelling their experiences over some stunning visuals in a beautiful tribute to those that lost their lives. Although this is a short experience it can truly leave an impact.

The John Lennon Memorial – 1980

This experience which dates back to the year 1980 is a 360° immersive experience of what it would be like to attend the John Lennon Memorial. With scenes filmed at the time and remastered into a 360° experience, you attend John Lennon’s Memorial first-hand just like a time traveller. This is another experience built just for Timelooper VR.

Dunkirk – 1940

In the Dunkirk VR Experience also published by Time magazine, you can go through a four minute journey of what the beaches of Dunkirk were like during this bloody battle. This experience places you on the beach with British forces as you are waiting to be picked up. It can be haunting but an incredible VR experience to visit. It was created as a preview for the Dunkrik film by Christopher Nolan and features many of the same costumes and sounds that were found in the film. If you are a fan of this film or if you are a history buff interested in this event from World War II, this could be an experience that you should try first.

Life As A Viking – c.800-1050

See what a true Viking battle was like from a 360° camera that was brought into a re-enactment fighting pit. With a gigantic group of 600 reenactors all armed with real axes and swords, you can join in the immersion and see what a true Viking battle would be like. National Geographic filmed this re-enactment on location at the Wolin Festival. The sounds and the visuals make you feel as though you are clashing swords with everyone first-hand!

Keep in mind that VR is now making it easier for anyone to transport themselves into a number of incredible experiences. With the help of immersive content you can find in Timelooper and Youtube, you can feel like a time traveler and see what it was like to be at each one of these important moments in History!

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TIME Release Augmented Reality Issue with RYOT Lab

Reading magazines on your tablet is one thing the digital age has brought us, but now print has found a way to win us back, and TIME is moving into the future. In TIME’s latest issue, you can use a smartphone app to turn the pages into an augmented reality (AR) feast for the eyes.

It’s a world away from the paper pages we know today, and an interesting way to make print relevant again, in a world where most people read news and articles on their smartphones.

Interestingly, the issue is guest edited by none other than Bill Gates, of Microsoft fame. Gates narrates a cover feature telling readers about an Ethiopian boy, Mohamad Nasir, whom Gates met in 2012. It’s a celebratory story about the reduction in child mortality rates in Ethiopia and throughout the world.

Gates says; “Child mortality is a a good measure for overall well-being; it’s also a leading indicator of progress. What is more fundamental than keeping children alive so they can thrive and build the future?”

The AR features of the magazine are powered by RYOT Lab, whom we’ve seen previously taking their virtual reality (VR) shorts to Sundance, and have also released a comprehensive app for Windows Mixed Reality.

RYOT Lab logoNot content to stop there, the next issue of TIME on January 15th will sport yet more AR features, with an infographic created by Bono. Yes, the U2 Bono. He’s quite rightly highlighting the gender gap in education, and is inspired by drawings created by Bono himself.

Bono hopes to give us a look into a world where men and women truly have equal education, and understand the struggles we currently face in that area. Learn more with the video below.

It’s fascinating that TIME are moving into AR compatibility, though the question is whether this is a passing fancy to celebrate the new year, or if this is a way for them to revolutionise print magazines again and make them relevant in a new age.

For all of the latest in AR and VR, and whether we’ll see more of that in print magazine, keep reading VRFocus.

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Report: Vive Users Are 95 Percent Male And Spend 5 Hours Per Week in VR

Report: Vive Users Are 95 Percent Male And Spend 5 Hours Per Week in VR

HTC has been conducting surveys about VR in China and now the results are in.

The following data was sourced from “2,5000+ participants including 62 percent Vive users and 32 percent non-Vive users,” according to the company. Keep in mind, therefore, that many of the findings will be Vive specific.

There are over a dozen reported findings here but let’s focus on the most interesting first. The report can be accessed here. The first thing that should catch most people’s eye are the findings concerning VR’s gender disparity. According to this study, 95 percent of Vive users and 87 percent of non-Vive VR users were male.

“Both Vive and non-Vive user groups show male users to be the dominant number, with potential for female VR users remaining largely untapped,” the report states.

A second notable result from this survey has to do with how many hours VR users are spending inside their headsets. According to the survey, Vive users on the consumer level are spending around 5 hours in VR per week and those on the enterprise level are spending around 12.

Consumers are apparently gobbling up content very quickly as well. According to the survey, 60 percent of Vive users download between eight and twenty four VR experiences every month.

What do you think of these figures? Do they surprise you? Let us know in the comments below!

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