Category: ZeroLight

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The VR Job Hub: Zerolight, Condense Reality & Yord

VR Job Hub

Every weekend VRFocus gathers together vacancies from across the virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) industry, in locations around the globe to help make finding that ideal job easier. Below is a selection of roles that are currently accepting applications across a number of disciplines, all within departments and companies that focus on immersive entertainment.

Location Company Role Link
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight LookDev Artist Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight CG Supervisor Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight UI-UX Design Team Manager Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight UI/UX Designer Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight DevOps Engineer Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight Associate Technical Director – Cloud Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight Associate Technical Director – Tech Team Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight Unity Developer Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight Graduate Graphics Engineer Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight Graphics Engineer (Mid to Senior Level) Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight Solution Architect Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight Programme Manager Click Here to Apply
Bristol, UK Condense Reality CUDA Engineer Click Here to Apply
Bristol, UK Condense Reality Computer Vision and Machine Learning Engineer Click Here to Apply
Bristol, UK Condense Reality Computer Vision and Image Processing Engineer Click Here to Apply
Bristol, UK Condense Reality Game Engine Integration Engineer Click Here to Apply
Bristol, UK Condense Reality Backend Engineer Click Here to Apply
Náměstí Míru, Prague Yord 2D Graphic Designer Click Here to Apply
Náměstí Míru, Prague Yord Senior Unity 3D Developer Click Here to Apply
Germany Yord Trainee Business Developer Click Here to Apply
Náměstí Míru, Prague Yord Senior 3D Graphic Designer Click Here to Apply
Náměstí Míru, Prague Yord Senior Full Stack Web Developer Click Here to Apply
Náměstí Míru, Prague Yord Trainee Business Developer Click Here to Apply

Don’t forget, if there wasn’t anything that took your fancy this week there’s always last week’s listings on The VR Job Hub to check as well.

If you are an employer looking for someone to fill an immersive technology related role – regardless of the industry – don’t forget you can send us the lowdown on the position and we’ll be sure to feature it in that following week’s feature. Details should be sent to Peter Graham (pgraham@vrfocus.com).

We’ll see you next week on VRFocus at the usual time of 3PM (UK) for another selection of jobs from around the world.

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The VR Job Hub: Zerolight, Rewind & VISR

VR Job Hub

Every weekend VRFocus gathers together a number vacancies from across the virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) industry, in locations around the globe, to help make finding the ideal job easier. Below are a selection of roles that are currently accepting applications across a number of disciplines, all within departments and companies that focus on VR, AR and MR.

Location Company Role Link
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight Motion Graphics Designer Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight Senior Product Analyst Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight Product Marketing Manager Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight Graduate Graphics Engineer Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight Generalist Tech Engineer Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight Graphics Engineer Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight Graduate Software Engineer Click Here to Apply
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Zerolight React Developer Click Here to Apply
St Albans, UK Rewind Lead 3D Artist Click Here to Apply
St Albans, UK Rewind Lead Unity Programmer Click Here to Apply
St Albans, UK Rewind Senior Artist (3D & Technical Art) Click Here to Apply
St Albans, UK Rewind Senior Artist (3D & VFX) Click Here to Apply
St Albans, UK Rewind Senior Artist (3D) Click Here to Apply
St Albans, UK Rewind UE4 Programmer Click Here to Apply
Bournemouth, UK Bournemouth University VR/AR System Developer (Fixed Term) Click Here to Apply
Hull, UK VISR VERTX Platform Engineer Click Here to Apply
Hull, UK VISR Mixed Reality Programmer (AR/VR) Click Here to Apply

Don’t forget, if there wasn’t anything that took your fancy this week there’s always last week’s listings on The VR Job Hub to check as well.

If you are an employer looking for someone to fill an immersive technology related role – regardless of the industry – don’t forget you can send us the lowdown on the position and we’ll be sure to feature it in that following week’s feature. Details should be sent to Peter Graham (pgraham@vrfocus.com).

We’ll see you next week on VRFocus at the usual time of 3PM (UK) for another selection of jobs from around the world.

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Qualcomm Unveils Snapdragon XR2 5G Reference Design Headset

Last year Qualcomm Technologies revealed its new Snapdragon XR2 platform design with 5G and the next generation of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) devices in mind. Today, the company has taken that process by unveiling the first reference design.

Qualcomm

As with any reference design, the idea is to help foster new products using the XR2 5G platform, with OEM’s able to make use of the extra power and functionality it offers. The designs cover all three technologies from a sleek looking, matt black VR headset to an MR device similar to Microsoft’s HoloLens. All the form factor were developed by Goertek.

As previously released the Snapdragon XR2 5G features a range of improvements on the previous generation. Qualcomm states that the reference design has 2x the CPU and GPU performance, 4x more video bandwidth, 6x higher resolution and 11x AI improvement. The platform can support up to 7 seven cameras, two internal, one for each eye for eye-tracking and four external cameras, two RGB cameras for MR experiences and two for head tracking. Manufacturers can use the reference design to assemble different configurations enlisting the seventh camera for facial/lip tracking or a second monochrome camera for controller tracking.

As Oculus Quest has proven customers want easy to use, wireless devices and 5G is expected to take that to the next stage. Headsets using Snapdragon XR2 5G shouldn’t need to worry about heavy onboard processing, limiting the quality of applications due to chip limitations. Qualcomm’s Boundless XR is an end-to-end solution using Edge Cloud rendering over 5G – the concept was previously shown in partnership with Zerolight – allowing some of the work to be offloaded to the cloud before returning to the headset, only possible using 5G’s low latency. The reference design can use Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) via a 5G connection, or on a nearby PC using a 60-GHz wireless connection.

Qualcomm - Zerolight

Other useful features of the reference design include an IR emitter for hand tracking and head tracking, allowing for simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) to coexist. It supports 3D audio, voice commands and 2Kx2K per eye dual panel LCD.

When it comes to when these new devices using Snapdragon XR2 5G will start appearing Hugo Swart, VP & GM of XR at Qualcomm said in a press briefing that: “We expect that this year, to have XR2-based products. I think the question is really will the first devices have 5G or not, I still cannot answer that but I’m confident that we’re going to see XR2-based products in the market this year.”

So 2020 could see some exciting standalone hardware arrive by the end of the year with the help of 5G. For further updates from Qualcomm, keep reading VRFocus.

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Zerolight, Pico & Qualcomm Unveil Boundless XR Wireless PC Concept at EWTS

Tech companies are getting very excited about the rollout of 5G, especially when it comes to the possibilities for wireless virtual reality (VR). Today, Zerolight, Qualcomm Technologies and Pico Interactive have announced a PC concept called Boundless XR, showcasing a fully wireless demo at the EWTS event this week.

EWTS Press Shot

Designed to be a precursor to Boundless XR over 5G, this demonstration is an untethered walking VR experience that will enable users to configure and explore a range of Cadillac vehicles in high definition thanks to Zerolight, without the need for external sensors.

Using a Pico prototype headset, Qualcomm will replicate the high bandwidth and low latency of 5G on its booth by rendering on a PC and streamed directly via a local 60-GHz wireless connection. When it comes to the 5G version will move from local hardware to 5G Mobile Edge Compute (MEC) infrastructure.

“We’re excited to see boundless XR for PC, which we unveiled at GDC 2019, come to life with ZeroLight for this Cadillac VR showcase,” said Brian Vogelsang, senior director of product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. in a statement. “ZeroLight’s enterprise-focused solution demonstrates significant commercial potential, especially as we lay the foundation for a 5G connected future which will help deliver immersive, untethered experiences that transform XR for the consumer and the enterprise.”

Tethered XR

“It is vital that we ensure our technology is optimised for both accessibility and scalability. This showcase, along with our inclusion in the XEP initiative, marks a significant step towards achieving this through the migration of our award-winning XR solutions into the edge cloud. With the imminent arrival of 5G, we will soon have the high bandwidth and low latency required to deliver this on live projects without reducing the quality of the experience,” comments Barry Hoffman, Chief Strategy Officer, ZeroLight.

The overall aim is to provide mass-market customers with access to enterprise-level processing power, so they can unbox a wireless headset with inside-out tracking and step into a rich and vibrant digital universe. These are the early stages and VR headsets will also need to be compatible. When that does happen, VRFocus will keep you updated.

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Interview: Automotive Specialist Zerolight on Finessing Software Through Eye Tracking

With its headquarters in Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, Zerolight is at the forefront of immersive visualisation techniques for the automotive industry, regularly showcasing its virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) developments. Earlier this month Develop:Brighton took place and VRFocus caught up with the Zerolight team to find out what was new.

HTC Vive Pro Eye - heatmap

One of the core aspects of Zerolight’s VR solution is to provide car manufacturers with an immersive system for customers to buy their products. This is a VR experience where they can finetune features of a car purchase, such as interior trim or various alloy designs. With this in mind, Zerolight continually looks to optimise the software via the use of eye-tracking and heatmaps.

Using a headset like the HTC Vive Eye, Zerolight can monitor where a customer is looking, what draws their attention and how long they may look at specific areas. This information can then be tailored for different manufacturers, allowing them to add in more key options in the places that matter, offering a greater variety of paint colours for example. At the same time streamlining the experience so that customers don’t feel like they’re getting bogged down with endless options that they don’t want or need.

VRFocus saw this in action at an HTC Vive event in May, demoing a BWM showpiece that’s been a staple experience for a couple of years. Zerolight aims to ensure a highly immersive experience, so you start by standing next to the car to alter the outside design then step into the car and sit down in a racing-style seat – it wouldn’t work as well in an office chair – for that added sense of presence.

HTC Vive Pro Eye

VRFocus had a chat with Alvaro Barua, a software developer at Zerolight discuss the current trend towards mobile-based headset such as Oculus Quest, as well as its continued efforts improving its VR solution with eye-tracking.

Check out the interview below, and for further updates from Zerolight, keep reading VRFocus.

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Hands-on at Vive X: An Enterprise Focused Future

May ’19 saw the global Vive X accelerator hold a selection of demo days to help promote a variety of startup companies involved in the fourth batch selection. Days were held in Beijing, Tokyo and London (the one in San Francisco was this week), and VRFocus took a trip to the across the UK capital to see what was on offer.  

HTC Vive Pro Eye

One of the main reasons VRFocus also wanted to attend was to get some more hands-on time with the HTC Vive Pro Eye – the new flagship device which has just launched – as well as the HTC Vive Focus Plus, the standalone headset which is only going to be made available to enterprise customers – meaning it’s a rare chance to test the sucker out.

There were four companies showcasing their tech with Vive headsets, Kainos, Immersive Factory, Vobling and ZeroLight. Kainos is a British digital solutions company that was using Vive Pro Eye to demonstrate an AI driving tool, which could analyse and collect insights into driver behaviour – essentially a more advanced hazard awareness test. This certainly proved to be one of the more interesting use cases for virtual reality (VR) eye-tracking at the event, as the system could tell with incredible accuracy where a driver was looking at all times and how quickly and when they noticed a road hazard.

The simulator didn’t require any other input from the user – you didn’t need to actually drive the car, for example, it’s not Need for Speed – all that was required was awareness of the surroundings. This also meant the system logged one of the fundamental faults of most drivers, not looking at mirrors. It’s this type of VR use case that could introduce many more people to the technology, as it provides not only a better environment for hazard perception training; the software can offer decent accurate feedback.

Immersive Factory was the only company displaying the HTC Vive Focus Plus for its training software. Reasonably comfy, it’s a far bulkier piece of hardware than Oculus Quest, as well as being unable to offer the same tracking capabilities of the consumer headset (only two front-facing cameras!). Screen quality was good (as far as we could tell) from the one short demo, but highly noticeable was the unergonomic 6DoF controllers which are well below-par when compared to rivals.

As for Immersive Factory’s demo, it was a neat little simulation to teach correct health and safety procedures when operating a cherry picker. The goal was to change a bulb, demonstrating how not following safety procedures can lead to accidents while working at heights. Needless to say, VRFocus managed to get to the required height by operating the pickers levers but forgot to attach a safety harness. So when leaning towards the bulb the obvious happened, VRFocus went tumbling to the concrete floor.

Vobling was another company in the training realm, showcasing a VR simulator the firm had built for Scandinavian train operator SJ. This combined both the eye-tracking and controllers to help close a door that was stuck. Not a simple process  (there was no giving it a boot), the software provided a highly detailed environment where certain locations had to be inspected and a procedure followed to release the door properly.

Testing these sorts of simulators out certainly helps to demonstrate how useful VR really can be for the workplace (it doesn’t solely need to be about zombie headshots) particularly when offered the visual detail the HTC Vive Pro Eye can offer. And it now means VRFocus can unstick an SJ train door when travelling across Sweden if needs be.

As for ZeroLight, this is a company well versed in VR, having worked with cars makers like BMW on a range of projects. The one at Vive X was an oldie but a goldie, highlighting how purchasing a new BMW in the future could be done entirely in VR. The demo is a couple of years old now but it looks great on the Vive Pro Eye, being able to swap alloys around, change the paint colour and more. There was even a physical racing seat provided so that at the right moment you could step inside the car to examine the interior and alter its design as well.

VRFocus is positive regarding the future of consumer VR and only expects it to get better. However, should it all implode and the general public gets bored with strapping high-end tech to their faces, there will always be a place for VR when it comes to enterprise solutions. It’s just way too useful, with too many applications across a number of industries proving that when taken seriously, VR can produce excellent results.

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The VR Job Hub: Funomena, Zerolight & More

Looking for a change of direction in your career or are simply so excited about the possibilities of virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) that you want to join in the fun? Well then, VRFocus might just have a few jobs available to help make that yearning a reality.

Location Company Role Link
San Francisco, CA Funomena Lead Programmer Click Here to Apply
Northampton, UK Engine Creative Senior Unity/AR/VR/Game Developer Click Here to Apply
London, UK VeloCloud Senior AR/VR UI Developer Click Here to Apply
Aberdeen, UK Robert Gordon University Research Assistant – Virtual and Augmented Reality for Cultural Heritage Click Here to Apply
Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK ZeroLight Design Director Click Here to Apply
Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK ZeroLight Senior Software Engineer Click Here to Apply
Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK ZeroLight Tools Engineer Click Here to Apply
Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK ZeroLight Director of Business Development Click Here to Apply
Detroit, US ZeroLight Technical Project Manager Click Here to Apply

Don’t forget, if there wasn’t anything that took your fancy this week there’s always last week’s listings on The VR Job Hub to check as well.

If you are an employer looking for someone to fill an immersive technology related role – regardless of the industry – don’t forget you can send us the lowdown on the position and we’ll be sure to feature it in that following week’s feature. Details should be sent to Peter Graham (pgraham@vrfocus.com).

We’ll see you next week on VRFocus at the usual time of 3PM (UK) for another selection of jobs from around the world.

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New Report By VR Intelligence & ZeroLight Shows Immersive Experiences Are Working

Following the news in August that ZeroLight and StarVR had provided Porsche showrooms with a virtual reality (VR) makeover, ZeroLight has announced the release of a new report by VR Intelligence. The report shows that VR and augmented reality (AR) retail experiences are making an impact with consumers and that the majority would like to use the immersive technology to help them make purchasing decisions in the automotive sector.

ZeroLight

Automotive companies have been using VR and AR for some time now both in the design but thanks to the improved availability and more affordable headsets coming to market, the use of the technology for then consumer facing sectors has been increasing rapidly in recent months. This means that more showroom floors are seeing the use of VR for consumers to use and becoming immersed in a new kind of shopping experience.

According to the report by VR Intelligence and ZeroLight, in a survey of 1,000 consumers across Europe, over 80% claimed they’d like to see, design and select preferences for their car using VR. Of the same 1,000 consumers, 64.7% would be prompted to visit a dealership if it offered an immersive experience.

“Our goal at ZeroLight is to harness new technologies to deliver experiences that complement the overall relationship between brands and their customers. This research validates the use of immersive technologies as a unique touchpoint within the automotive purchase journey, facilitating the overall sales process whilst positively impacting brand perception.” said Joseph Artgole, Associate Marketing Director, ZeroLight.

ZeroLight

The report goes in depth on both the consumer perceptions of immersive technology such as VR and AR within the automotive retail experience, as well as those of the car brands currently implementing the technology. The report notes that two brands leading sector at the moment are Audi and MBW, who are both featured in the report providing insights into their own case studios and the impact the technology has had on their businesses.

“The flagship project, which we delivered through our Audi Cities dealerships, was extremely visible within the company. The success of that project has really helped everyone in the company, from the top down, to understand VR, how it works and crucially why it’s important for the company.” explains Marcus Kuehne, Audi: “Once you have that foundation, you move beyond having to explain why it makes sense and instead move towards a space where different business units are thinking about how they can use the technology to benefit their own business needs.”

The full report is available to download for free here and is 24 pages in length. For more on all things immersive technology within the automotive industry and elsewhere, keep reading VRFocus.

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Zerolight Discuses Their Automotive Haptic Solution

Automotive visualisation specialists Zerolight have been developing high quality content to enable consumers to get up close and personal with automotive products in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) for some time. Recently, VRFocus’ Nina Salomons got to sit down with Joseph Artgole from Zerolight to discuss their latest advances including a new solution that provides haptic feedback to users experience automotive demonstrations.

Showcasing their new solution, Zerolight have partnered with Ultrahaptics to use sound wave based haptic feedback to build a more immersive experience that offers deeper immersive for users. “So we’ve partnered with Ultrahaptics and Meta to deliver what we believe is an intuitive interactive experience which we will see in the future.” Artglove explains: “So we’re combining augmented reality, haptic feedback through the use of sound waves to bring a sensation to the palm of your hands, and we’ve putting that in an automotive experience where you can actually configure a vehicle. You can actually going and feel the engine vibrate and then you can blow up the car and actually see the individual components around you

Zerolight opted to use this method of interaction to ensure that they solution could be used by anyone. Artglove goes on to explains that although a number of successful AR solutions are already on the market they are designed for mobile use. This is seen a strong install base, but to look to the future Zerolight wanted to move away from mobile and focus on being able to deliver outstanding quality within their immersive experiences.

“The idea is to deliver an immersive experience which are becoming common within the automotive industry at the moment.” Artglove adds: “Everyone is interacting and exploring with a car at life size scale to configure and digitally discover it. What we want to do is take that experience future and showcase what’s going on in the future using augmented reality. With those experiences we need to make them as accessible as possible to open up the marketplace even further.”

The full interview can be seen below and Artglove goes into a lot of detail about where Zerolight hope to take the solution and the thought process behind it. For more on Zerolight in the future, make sure to keep reading VRFocus to stay up to date on all the latest.

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Touching The Future of Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality (AR), for the most part, tends to be restricted to one sense – vision. It acts as an overlay on the real world, changing how it looks, but not how it feels. That might be about to change thanks to a partnership between Ultrahaptics, ZeroLight and Meta.

The three companies have worked together to create technology that encompasses three of the five senses in order to create a more involving and immersive form of AR. The proof-of-concept technology will be demonstrated to visitors at CES 2018.

The AR experience at CES 2018 allows visitors to don a Meta 2 AR development kit and explore a virtual recreation of a Pagani Huaya roadster hypercar. The car is set within a real-world environment, but users of the AR experience can configure the car, take it apart to see its components up close, and even feel the powerful vibrations of its V12 AMG engine using haptic feedback.

“Touch is intrinsic to our understanding of the world and how we interact with it. This shouldn’t be lost when we interact with digital media and virtual objects,” said Anders Hakfelt, vice president, product and marketing, Ultrahaptics. “Ultrahaptics uses ultrasound to create tactile feedback on the hand, allowing you to explore and manipulate virtual objects and react to tactile cues without inhibiting natural movement. By stimulating contact with digital models, we can amplify the overall impact and response of each digital interaction.”

“The vision behind Meta is to deliver a machine that acts as an extension of the body, allowing us to intuitively create, communicate and collaborate in a natural way,” said David Oh, head of developer relations for Meta. “We are working closely with our partners using the Meta 2 Development Kit to deliver such experiences through augmented reality today, while defining what the future of computing will look like in the years to come.”

“Brands are continuing to reinvent the way they engage customers through digital experiences. ZeroLight’s high fidelity visualisation software harnesses the full potential of cutting-edge hardware, bringing products to life in stunning detail through cohesive, personal experiences. Such quality enables the clear perception and understanding of virtual vehicles, allowing for more informed decision making,” said Joseph Artgole, associate marketing director, ZeroLight.

There will be a VRFocus presence at CES 2018, bringing you all the latest news and hands-on reports from the show floor.