The Ghost Howls
DECEMBER 19, 2018
Less is more. So, when everyone is trying to do augmented reality, I’m sitting here trying to do the opposite, that is Diminished Reality (and Mediated Reality in general). . Spend one minute and watch the two videos below , where I play as a magician and show you the results of my crazy experiments. Notice that there is no post-processing in the parts seen from inside the headset.
VRScout
DECEMBER 1, 2018
Microsoft lands $479M contract to put the MR headsets into the hands of soldiers in active combat zones. Mixed reality will be joining the ranks of the U.S. Army thanks to a huge $479 million contract between the legendary military branch and Microsoft. According to a Bloomberg article, Microsoft HoloLens technology will be used to increase the lethality of soldiers by enhancing their ability to detect, decide, and engage the enemy.
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Tech Trends VR
DECEMBER 17, 2018
Artie is an AI engine that creates entertaining and highly interactive avatars for use in Augmented Reality. The ability to create engaging avatars is of course crucial if Social Immersive experiences and platforms are ever to catch on with consumers, and that’s arguably also the trickiest piece of the puzzle, as creators have to balance the desire for realistic representation and interaction with avoiding the dreaded Uncanny Valley.
Road to VR
DECEMBER 26, 2018
You might have caught a glimpse of the Feelreal mask prototype when it made headlines back at GDC 2015 , the smell-o-vision add-on for VR headsets that promised to bring plenty of scents to your nostrils and haptics to your face. Today the company announced that Feelreal is definitely for real, and coming to consumers via a Kickstarter soon. Feelreal contains what the company calls a “scent generator” that holds replaceable cartridges with nine individual aroma capsules, generating
Speaker: Chris Paxton McMillin, President of D3 Training Solutions
To avoid awkward and sometimes disastrous learning content, instructional designers must use authentic translation in the right context to get optimal results. For example, even a simple phrase like “got milk” translates to “are you lactating” in Mexico. Can you imagine what a straight translation might do to your course? With over 317 million people in the US and over 6.7 billion potential customers in the world, personalizing training seems logical.
Next Reality AR
DECEMBER 5, 2018
In recent years, many software publishers have tried to sell the business community on remote meetings via VR, but if social media chatter is any indication, it hasn't taken off in a big way just yet. However, for some, the notion of holding remote meetings using augmented reality, a medium in which you're still directly tied to the real world and not closed off in a blindfold-style VR headset, might be the better solution.
Virtual Reality Pulse brings together the best content for VR professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
VRScout
DECEMBER 27, 2018
Limbix is building up immersive content that therapists can use to tackle phobias, depression and anxiety. There are over 300 peer-reviewed studies that show VR is an effective tool for treating mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and addiction. It’s no wonder, therefore, to see a host of companies developing therapeutic content that leverages immersive technology.
VRScout
DECEMBER 26, 2018
Immersive technology continues its push towards mainstream appeal. If 2016 was the birth of modern VR/AR technology, than 2018 was its elementary school graduation. While this past year may have seemed like a quiet one when compared to the more exciting releases featured in 2017 and 2016, these past 12 months have been crucial in the development of the immersive entertainment sector.
VRScout
DECEMBER 31, 2018
Exploring the massive supernova remnant of a 400-year-old star has never been easier. A team of researchers lead by Kimberly Kowal Arcand of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) and the Center for Computation and Visualization at Brown University have begun development of a one-of-a-kind VR experience that utilizes data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory mission, infrared data provided by the Spitzer Space Telescope, and optical data from various other telescopes to ren
VRScout
DECEMBER 28, 2018
Verizon is the latest company to use VR to guide employees through dangerous scenarios. Imagine that you are an employee at a retail store getting ready for the start of the day. Then, just as you unlock the front doors, a group of strangers come barging in with guns pointed directly at you, yelling out fast instructions as a way to intimidate you and cause confusion; all with the intent of robbing the store.
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With a rapidly changing economy, Avangrid Renewables looked to virtual reality to develop a standardized form of immersive training in order to onboard and upskill technicians faster than ever before.
VRScout
DECEMBER 14, 2018
“The Bizarre World Of Frank Zappa” tour will feature never-before-seen performances by Zappa. It’s no secret that legendary musician Frank Zappa was one of the most talented performers to ever grace the stage. Alongside his music, Zappa also gained notoriety for his work as a composer, activist, and filmmaker. However, what many people don’t know about the infamous rockstar was his passion towards technology.
VRScout
DECEMBER 7, 2018
Using immersive tech for meditation is becoming more popular, but can it make flying in economy feel bearable? Keen to explore the potential of immersive technologies to enhance passenger wellness during long-haul flights, StoryUP has partnered with French-American company Skylights , which has recently utilized cinematic VR as premium passenger entertainment to work towards integrating its Healium content onto their Allosky headsets.
VRScout
DECEMBER 17, 2018
VRHealth’s non-pharmaceutical VR experience arrives on the Oculus Go January 2019. Nearly 75% of women age 51 and above suffer from symptoms such as hot flashes, depression, anxiety, night sweats, insomnia, and loss of sexual drive as a direct result of menopause. To assist in combating these uncomfortable manifestations, VRHealth , an XR medical company specializing in medical and therapeutic applications, is in development of Luna, a VR therapist powered by artificial intelligence designed to
VRScout
DECEMBER 29, 2018
The 14-room facility features vibrating floors, haptic peripherals, and artificial wind. Location-based VR made serious headway in Malaysia this month as immersive entertainment specialists VAR Live launched what is now the largest VR-based theme park in the entire country. Located inside the MyTOWN Shopping Centre in Kuala Lumpur, VAR Live Malaysia offers 13 of their in-house VR experiences spread across 14 different rooms, some of which featuring various haptic feedback technology; from shakin
Speaker: Nik Gowing, Brenda Laurel, Sheridan Tatsuno, Archie Kasnet, and Bruce Armstrong Taylor
With 191 country signatories to the Paris Climate Agreement now hard at work in the race to zero carbon by 2050, much of the heavy lifting in ecosystem sustainability falls on the shoulders of the world's densely populated urban centers. This conversation considers how today's AI-enabled simulation media, such as AR/VR, can be effectively applied to accelerate learning, understanding, training, and solutions-modeling to sustainability planning and design.
VRScout
DECEMBER 19, 2018
Funomena’s latest game lets you plant holographic gardens in your own mixed reality playspace. As with all immersive hardware and platforms, the success (or otherwise) of Magic Leap will hinge on whether it can attract creative developers to make awesome content to bring its technology to life. That’s why it’s so exciting to see people like veteran VR Storyteller Robin Hunicke getting on board.
VRScout
DECEMBER 18, 2018
The original Super Mario Bros. has never looked this good. If you aren’t familiar with the concept of a video game emulator, this magical piece of software (or hardware) allows a computer system, also called the “host,” to operate like a particular video game platform. By using these emulators to run the ROM file of a specific game, users can access the original game experience as if they were playing it on its intended platform.
The Ghost Howls
DECEMBER 7, 2018
Where Thoughts Go is an emotional virtual reality experience developed by Lucas Rizzotto , a very smart XR developer and community member. When I saw his tweets about this application that was about “going in VR and listening to what other people have said”, I thought it was absolutely something I was not interested in. Then, when he gave me a code to try the app, I tried it and I had the same reaction that I had while trying Dear Angelica : (Image by Know Your Meme).
VRScout
DECEMBER 10, 2018
Have you ever wanted to jump through a mysterious portal and travel to a brand new universe where you loose all sense of space and time? LEGO Playgrounds, LEGO’s latest AR app-based channel , allows you to do precisely that. The LEGO Playgrounds portal is one of the latest LEGO digital innovations; a connected play experience designed to encourage kids and LEGO fans of all ages to create and interact with the physical and digital worlds.
Speaker: Richard Goring, Director at BrightCarbon
Remote meetings are here to stay - and many are BORING. If you are trying to engage your learners (or any audience), compelling content is critical. But trying to create stimulating content with the same tools you’ve always had is hard, right? Thankfully, wrong! Terrific tools in PowerPoint along with visual assets help you create the kind of dynamic content you need to capture your remote audience’s attention, with functions that allow for interactive sequences and navigation.
VRScout
DECEMBER 15, 2018
Rizort Inc. adds several new locations to its collaborative vacation planning VR app. According to a recent Forbes survey , 77% of people who use VR want more social engagement, and I’ve long believed social is they key to getting the tech to a mass-market stage, but that needs to be done in the context of things that people already want to do rather than gimmicks.
VRScout
DECEMBER 4, 2018
Award-winning director creates voice-activated AR experience that boosts a child’s confidence. At first glance, Little Red the Inventor is a rather sweet-looking little AR app where you get to help out Little Red Riding Hood as she tries to make her way through the forest, out of trouble, and ultimately to her grandma’s house. But this is a bit more than just the retelling of a classic fairy tale.
VRScout
DECEMBER 4, 2018
VR is giving prospective students a glimpse of college life without having to travel across the country. When deciding which colleges to apply to, it is hard to know which campus will be the right environment for you if you aren’t able to explore the classrooms and quad. However, thanks to VR tour companies like YouVisit and Campus Tours , as well as VR applications from individual colleges and universities, students can now explore their future colleges without ever having to set a foot on camp
VRScout
DECEMBER 8, 2018
Altspace, the popular social VR app that is most notably compatible with both 3DOF and 6DOF VR headsets, is becoming efficient for users looking to get groups of people to connect and organize within VR. On a technical level, AltspaceVR has received a series of updates designed for event organizers to host audiences on stages that can be broadcast to several consecutive “overflow rooms”, allowing hundreds of AltspaceVR users to attend the same events simultaneously.
Speaker: Treion Muller, Chief Strategy Officer at ELB Learning
Since when has learning and development (L&D) become such a negative experience with its intended learners? Could it be because learners have been conditioned by very poor learning experiences over the past two decades, combined with the kinks of technological innovation? Or is it because learning has typically been designed as a one-size-fits-all solution, despite the fact that humans are not clones?
VRScout
DECEMBER 11, 2018
Scientists at Caltech are using AR to give objects in a room a voice, allowing the visually impaired to hear their surroundings. According to the World Health Organization , it is estimated that approximately 1.3 billion people around the globe live with some form of vision impairment. 217 million of those people having moderate to severe vision impairment, while 36 million people fall under the category of being legally blind.
VRScout
DECEMBER 20, 2018
Rovio Entertainment announces the VR debut of its global franchise. Just when you thought you’ve seen just about every Angry Bird iteration possible, here comes Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs. Developed in collaboration with Resolution Games, Isle of Pigs brings Rovio’s hit mobile game series to VR for the very first-time, sending the series infamous bird-launching gameplay soaring to new heights.
VRScout
DECEMBER 22, 2018
A new Snapchat Lens helps keep the memory of London’s iconic Big Ben alive during its three year renovation. London’s most iconic clock tower, Big Ben fell silent back in 2017 due to necessary and crucial conservation work that promises to safeguard the clock on a long-term basis. When in operation, Big Ben strikes a deep note of E every hour with smaller bells chiming every 15 minutes, filling the air for every Londoner to hear.
The Ghost Howls
DECEMBER 13, 2018
When I wrote my post about CES 2018 , I briefly talked about a headset called LooxidVR, able to “read the emotions” of the user by employing a combination of EEG sensors and eye tracking. Looxid VR has also won an innovation award at CES. The device has won the Innovation Award at CES (Image by Different Impulse). Today we are approaching CES 2019 and I have had the enormous pleasure of talking with Brian Chae, the CEO of Looxid Labs about his headset and the importance of Brain Comp
Speaker: Micah Eppler, Account Executive for Rehearsal of eLearning Brothers
Did you know that companies such as Paychex, 3M, and Honeywell are getting better results by incorporating video-based practice and coaching within their L&D strategy? From sales pitches to soft skills, learners are becoming top performers by applying and validating knowledge transfer using the unique benefits of video. Whether used as a stand-alone application or integrated with a learning platform, video-based practice and coaching platforms give learners the ultimate opportunity to repeatedly
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