Despite a week of upbeat virtual reality developments, promises and encouragement -- the first Disney-backed Marvel VR game, six Emmy nominations for VR "experiences," an endorsement from a top streaming media packager plus a big (albeit temporary) discount from Oculus-- the outlook for the immersive technology continues to baffle media analysts.

The recent string of frothy announcements comes just a few weeks after Ericsson released a generally effusive outlook about VR, especially its value in video programming.

So while technology and programming suppliers continue to proclaim VR's looming role in entertainment (as well as in industrial, medical and other professional applications), media operators are still going slow in planning for the bandwidth and transmission requirements that VR will require. For now, much of the discussion still revolves around the near-VR (but usually not immersive) presentations of 360 cameras, increasingly showing up as thumbnail videos in social media and other online feeds.

Nonetheless, the mid-summer bump of simultaneous VR developments served as a reminder that this technology could still become a $100 billion global industry by 2020 (as Nokia forecasts) and reach 49.2 million American by 2019, according to a report by eMarketer.

At Disney's D23 Expo in Anaheim, Calif., last weekend, the studio plunged back into the games category (from which it had withdrawn last year) via its subsidiary Marvel. It unveiled "Marvel Powers United VR," which will debut next year. Gamers can play at varying skill levels using Marvel characters such as Rocket Raccoon, Deadpool, Captain Marvel and The Hulk. Disney has partnered with Facebook-owned Oculus.

Related> CTA Projects Record Revenue for VR

A day before D23 began, when the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced nominees for the 69th Emmy Awards, VR was in the running with six projects nominated in the "Original Interactive Program" and "Creative Achievement in Interactive Media Within a Scripted Program" categories (the academy hasn't created a VR category).

In the first category, all three nominations came from Oculus, some with a partner. One of those nominees is The People's House, featuring a White House tour with Barack and Michelle Obama. The second category included The Mr. Robot Virtual Reality Experience from USA Universal Cable Productions, Stranger Things VR Experience from Netflix and CBS Digital, and The Simpsons Planet of the Couches from Gracie Films, 20th Century Fox Television and Google Spotlight Stories.

More Content, Lower Prices Separately, Oculus announced that it will put $50 million of the $250 million already committed to VR content into non-gaming, experiential VR content," according to published reports.

Meanwhile Oculus just slashed its equipment pricing. It has temporarily bundled its Rift headset and Touch controller into a $399 package, about $200 lower than the $598 price announced in March, which itself marked a drop from the $799 Oculus kit price early this year. The company said the summer-long promotional pricing seeks to attract potential customers who "may have been sitting on the sideline because of price," as well as viewers who have been waiting for more apps and games to become available.

Related> VR Equipment Market Mixed: Study

And at a July 18webinar on "How to Produce, Deliver, Monetize & Experience VR Content, NeuLion and Nokia executives urged media companies to plunge into VR opportunities.

VR has moved "beyond simple streaming, said NeuLion executive VP Chris Wagner, because "theres so much more to do to interact with the viewer to enhance the video-viewing experience.

Compelling content is [vital] to make sure that you have that most immersive experience, added Malachi Bierstein, head of VR sales at Nokia.

Without the content, not really much else matters," Bierstein said in published reports from the webinar. "So, really that compelling content is going to be the ultimate driver of VR adoption."

Their pleas for high-quality video content backed up findings from an extensive Ericsson "Merged Reality" study published a few weeks earlier.

That study found that 54% of respondents believe VR devices will become the new screens for video. About the same number (53%) expect video to be one of the most popular uses for VR.

Notably, current "early adopters" were significantly more enthusiastic than survey respondents who "are planning to use a headset," but the overall optimism is promising for a product that currently has a very limited footprint. (According to eMarketer, only 2.9% of Americans now use a VR headset at least once-per-month, a figure that will grow to just 5.2% by 2019.)

Related: Facebook Dives Deeper Into AR

Many analysts still believe that augmented reality -- a more limited, less expensive approach to content enhancement that doesn't require special headsets and other gear -- will make its mark in the mass media well before VR. As an example: During next month's total solar eclipse, the Weather Channel will use AR during its all-day coverage to explain the science of how the eclipse develops.

Perhaps even more pertinent: AFacebook group that has focused on VR for several years this week expanded its name to "Virtual and Augmented Reality."

Read more:

Another 'Promising' Week for Virtual Reality - Multichannel News (blog)

AUSTIN (KXAN) With all the talk of virtual reality these days, you might have been wondering what all the fuss is about.

Downtown Austins technology startup accelerator Capital Factory wants to make it easier for Austinites to find out for themselves.

Virtual reality, or VR, is really an experience-it-to-believe-it technology; thats why Capital Factory recently opened its VR lab to the public. What started in December as a place for developers to test out ideas is now available for anyone to come in and try out various virtual reality applications.

The lab is set up with several different VR headsets and controllers, with monitors so others can watch whats happening. Users can shoot free throws, use a bow and arrow to defend their castle against invaders, and prepare virtual meals.

But the space is for more than just games.

A popular VR experience in the lab is using Google Earth to take virtual tours of anywhere in the world. The camera moves with your head movements and the controllers zoom down to street-level to explore.

Entrepreneurs are working to harness the technology to apply it to a wide range of industries and professions, including medicine and education.

The latter is where Kate Peilers interests lie. She set out to answer one question: How do you make books more interactive?

I was always a tactile and visual learner, Peiler, the founder and CEO of the educational technology company DisruptED, said.

Shes developing a series of books for pre-K and kindergartners that use augmented reality and virtual reality to engage kids.

I realized, oh my gosh, this is how visual learners like me can dive into a book, she said.

In the augmented reality, or AR, version, readers open up a physical book, then use the camera on their smartphones or tablets to enhance the pictures in real-time. Whats flat on the page turns into 3-D animations.

In the VR version, users are transported into the story and can look around as narration explains whats happening. So its bringing that story to life, Peiler said.

Shes developing several educational books, including one about shapes, one about letters, and one about colors.

Peiler got help developing her project at Capital Factorys VR lab.

Theres no excuse not to try VR, Brance Hudzietz, Capital Factorys ambassador or emerging technologies.

We noticed that in Austin theres this huge appetite for virtual reality, both on the entrepreneur side and the consumer side, Hudzietz said. But there wasnt this centralized place for it.

The VR lab, which now anyone can try out, is just the start of the companys investment in the new technology. Capital Factory conference rooms are now equipped with VR capabilities, Hudzietz said.

You can be showing off the innovations that are happening in healthcare and VR, he said. If its an education event, an edtech event, you can be showing off really interesting educational VR experiences as well.

They get it, Peiler said.

Shes working on a pilot to test out her book series with families and others in the tech space; thats thanks to the VR lab and the connections it brings, too. Without it, she said, she wouldnt be ready.

It would take me a lot longer, she said, and I just no I couldnt. I tried.

If youd like to try out the VR lab, you can take a tour of Capital Factory Tuesday through Thursday at 4 p.m. and play around in the lab for about an hour afterwards, or email cr@capitalfactory.com to set up an appointment to check it out.

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Virtual reality lab offers Austinites a chance to try out new tech ... - KXAN.com

Grindr is being used in New York to encourage people to access sexual health prevention services. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Images

Almost half the worlds population is online and billions of young people use social media. So why doesnt more sex education happen across these channels? The first Global Advisory Board for Sexual Health and Wellbeing brings together a group of individuals who are using innovative ways to reach more people with information about sex and relationships. Here are some of the projects theyve been working on:

In 2015, Antn Castellanos Usigli, a male nurse working in New York, started working in an HIV/sexually transmitted infections (STIs) prevention clinic at a hospital in Brooklyn. The goal was to increase the number of at-risk patients that came into the clinic for sexual health prevention services. Initially, the clinic tried outreach in clubs and bars in Brooklyn, but not a single client came in through this approach.

Usigli thought about using Grindr, a dating app for gay men, to raise awareness of HIV. He set up a profile as a male nurse to tell at-risk patients about the services offered at the clinic. He then developed a script for healthcare professionals to use.

The success rate has been astonishingly high. In the first month of using the app in this way, more than 20 new at-risk patients came to the clinic for a variety of preventative services, such as sexual health counselling, HIV/STI testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). In little over a year, more than 100 new at-risk patients came into the clinic. Some of those tested positive for HIV and Usigli was able to link them to medical care. Others tested positive for STIs and Usigli was able to treat them.

In India, there are high levels of domestic violence , mostly against women. Both women and men refuse to report such crimes to the police. There is also reluctance in society to acknowledge it as a problem.

In June 2017, Love Matters, a website providing information on relationships, sex and love, produced Indias first virtual reality immersive experience on physical, sexual or psychological harm by a current or former partner or spouse. The film, Kya Yahi Pyar Hai? (Is this love?), uses VR to narrate a powerful story and connect with young people.

The film was shown in pop-up VR booths in pubs, restaurants and metro stations in Delhi for 10 days. The results have been overwhelming. In Delhi central station alone, more than 500 people per day went out of their way to sit in the booths and watch the video. Now, people from across the world are looking to screen the film. It will be shown across different locations in India through partnerships with colleges, universities, restaurants and film clubs.

After graduating from Tbilisi State Medical University with a medical degree, Gvantsa Khizanishvili started working with Planned Parenthood, a not-for-profit organisation that provides sexual healthcare in the US and globally, in Georgia.

Through her work, she found that there were no state-supported sex education programmes in many eastern European and central Asian countries, including Georgia. There was also no information targeted at young people health service providers were not equipped with the skills to meet young peoples needs for information, counselling and confidentiality of services.

To address this, Khizanishvili has developed IntiMate, the first comprehensive youth sexual and reproductive health and rights app in Georgia. The aim is to provide comprehensive sexual health education, raise awareness about the different methods of contraception and sexual health and wellbeing among young people. The app launched in July 2017 and will use social and digital media to provide sex education to young people in Georgia.

Two thousand women aged 15-24 are infected with HIV every week in South Africa, however most of the HIV prevention campaigns are aimed at men.

During her senior years at medical school in rural clinics, Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng, a GP with an interest in sexual health and relationships, realised that young people did not have access to comprehensive information on sexuality.

She uses her significant social media following to deliver sex education. She also developed a 12-part series called Sex State of the Nation on SoundCloud. The series launched in 2016 and reached a wide audience: the vlog on vaginal health has been viewed more than 5,000 times and the one on safe oral sex more than 4,500 times. Her weekly column in the Sunday Times ZA continues to be in the top five most read articles online with a reach of more than 300,000 people.

Sofia Gruskin is the chairperson of the global advisory board for sexual health and wellbeing. She is a professor at the University of Southern California.

Join the Healthcare Professionals Network to read more pieces like this. And follow us on Twitter (@GdnHealthcare) to keep up with the latest healthcare news and views.

If youre looking for a healthcare job or need to recruit staff, visit Guardian Jobs.

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Grindr, virtual reality and vlogging: new ways to talk about sexual health - The Guardian

For the record, this also is new to us.

That's not a set up for lower expectations. It's just that plenty of us in news don't have technical brains, but we're getting our geek on for future's sake.

Let me explain: Early this year, our executive editor, Autumn Phillips, got wind of a partnership between Eastern Iowa Community Colleges and a California-based company called EON Reality. Dubbed the Innovation Academy, the digital-tech experts at EON came to Davenport to teach college students how to develop content and tools for the up-and-coming world of virtual reality and augmented reality.

Phillips contacted EICC Chancellor Don Doucette to see if there was room in the partnership for us.

"I've been interested in VR (virtual reality) for a long time," she said. "I wondered how to use this local partnership as a learning experience for the newsroom.

"Don enthusiastically made things happen. Lee Enterprises put up the R&D money we needed for the partnership."

Phillips then asked for newsroom volunteers people who wanted to learn something about virtual reality. Why not?

I had one experience with virtual reality, and I loved it. About a year ago, the Baseball Hall of Fame ("We Are Baseball") trailers showed up in the parking lot at Modern Woodmen Park, and I went down and plopped into a swivel chair and strapped the virtual-reality gear to my head. It was a cool experience, even for someone who can take or leave baseball.

The virtual technology put you right there in the dugout, on the field, behind the plate.

The only downer was the turning in my seat, combined with the subtly unstable camera shots, made me feel woozy. I since have learned that 360-degree viewing makes many people nauseous.

But technology has come a long way.

"If you look at the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 7S, you can see there is much better stability," said Aubrey Jimenez, training coordinator at the Innovation Academy. "Smartphone makers are infinitely aware of what's coming for this technology."

So, what's in it for Quad-City Times readers?

In March, at the first meeting of our little volunteer group -- publisher Deb Anselm, photographer Andy Abeyta, assistant city editor Liz Boardman, Phillips and myself -- we came up with a plan. We asked ourselves: What story could we tell that would best benefit from this 360-degree technology that virtually brings you all along with us?

My mind instantly went to the starting line of the Bix. In the moments leading up to the firing of the starter pistol, the air on Brady Street feels like the air during a lightning storm. As thousands of voices turn into a white-noise hum, goosebumps pop onto your skin in fleshy anticipation.

We decided the Quad-City Times Bix 7 would be the perfect launching pad for our first virtual-reality project. But we wanted to do more than shoot immersive images; we wanted to tell a story. So, we agreed we would find a runner and tell the runner's story.

A standout sprinter at Sherrard High School, Nolte went to Western Illinois University on a track scholarship. Now 31, Nolte is married and the mother of two young girls, working full-time. She started training months ago to run the entirety of the Bix for the first time.

She regards running a treat a way to do something for herself. For those of us who regard running as something to do in an emergency, Nolte's drive is impressive, especially since distance isn't her thing.

The Innovation Academy students followed Nolte on her last Bix at 6 training run.

"We're going to be violating your personal space," Jimenez warned as several students aimed their cell phones and a video camera at Nolte. "We need some close shots."

On Bix 7 race day, we'll have VR professionals from EON Reality Sports filming the event. Nolte will remain in the spotlight from the starting line to the finish line of the Bix, and the thousands of runners and Bix spectators will serve as extras in the 360-degree virtual story that follows.

Our efforts will culminate in a virtual-reality app, called QCT VR. Once the VR experience is ready, we'll provide a link in the weeks following Bix, so everyone can download the free app and follow Nolte's story while reliving the 2017 race. All you need is a smartphone and a set of Google Cardboard glasses. If you want to make sure you don't miss it, sign up for our Bix 7 e-newsletter atqctimes.com/email/We'll send a link to your email.

If you want to learn more about virtual reality or this project, stop by the Quad-City Times booth at the Bix 7 packet pickup on Thursday evening from 5-9 p.m. or Friday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. atRiverCenter South Hall at 136 East Third Street, Davenport. Or visit the Quad-City Times tent in the newspaper parking lot during the race after-party on Saturday.

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Quad-City Times to present Bix 7 in virtual reality - Quad City Times

A new camera that builds on technology first described by Stanford researchers more than 20 years ago could generate the kind of information-rich images that robots need to navigate the world. This camera, which generates a four dimensional image, can also capture nearly 140 degrees of information.

We want to consider what would be the right camera for a robot that drives or delivers packages by air. Were great at making cameras for humans but do robots need to see the way humans do? Probably not, said Donald Dansereau, a postdoctoral fellow in electrical engineering.

Assistant Professor Gordon Wetzstein, left, and postdoctoral research fellow Donald Dansereau with a prototype of the monocentric camera that captured the first single-lens panoramic light fields. (Image credit: L.A. Cicero)

With robotics in mind, Dansereau and Gordon Wetzstein, assistant professor of electrical engineering, along with colleagues from the University of California, San Diego have created the first-ever single-lens, wide field of view, light field camera, which they are presenting at the computer vision conference CVPR 2017 on July 23.

As technology stands now, robots have to move around, gathering different perspectives, if they want to understand certain aspects of their environment, such as movement and material composition of different objects. This camera could allow them to gather much the same information in a single image. The researchers also see this being used in autonomous vehicles and augmented and virtual reality technologies.

Its at the core of our field of computational photography, said Wetzstein. Its a convergence of algorithms and optics thats facilitating unprecedentedimaging systems.

The difference between looking through a normal camera and the new design is like the difference between looking through a peephole and a window, the scientists said.

A 2D photo is like a peephole because you cant move your head around to gain more information about depth, translucency or light scattering, Dansereau said. Looking through a window, you can move and, as a result, identify features like shape, transparency and shininess.

That additional information comes from a type of photography called light field photography, first described in 1996 by Stanford professors Marc Levoy and Pat Hanrahan. Light field photography captures the same image as a conventional 2D camera plus information about the direction and distance of the light hitting the lens, creating whats known as a 4D image. A well-known feature of light field photography is that it allows users to refocus images after they are taken because the images include information about the light position and direction. Robots might use this to see through rain and other things that could obscure their vision.

Link:

New camera designed by Stanford researchers could improve robot vision and virtual reality - Stanford University News

Moneycontrol News

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) Annual General Meeting will also be available live on Virtual Reality (VR) in Mumbai today.

The RIL AGM is being broadcast live in 360 degree VR and those owning a VR headsets and compatible smartphone can watch it in Virtual Reality.

LIVE blog: Reliance IndustriesLimited 40th Annual General Meeting

A livestream of the announcements can also be found on Jios Facebook page.

Many are expecting a host of new announcements related to Reliance Jio- ranging from new tariff plans, new Jio services and the much-awaited Jio 4G phone besides the announcement of Jios new Fiber-To-The-Home broadband network.

Also Read: As Reliance Industries holds its 40th AGM, shareholders look for dividend in digital life

Reliances telecom venture Jio is responsible for massive disruption in the India telecom sector and upcoming announcements heighten the excitement for this years AGM.

RIL posted its June quarter earnings with a better than expected 9 percent rise in first quarter profit.

Watch Mukesh Ambani's Speech Live at Reliance's 40th AGM

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RIL's 40th AGM also live on Virtual Reality: Important Reliance Jio announcements expected - Moneycontrol.com

"Oh, it's a beautiful blue ocean," the Orlando native said. "There goes a diver. He's floating by."

The retired Walt Disney World worker's next adventure could take her to the Grand Canyon or on a safari without ever leaving her home in an east Orange County assisted-living facility. She's among the residents testing whether virtual reality can help people with dementia.

"We are trying to be on the cutting edge of what we provide to our residents," said Kimberly Edwards, executive director at Encore at Avalon Park assisted living and memory care.

Encore at Avalon Park is the third senior residence in the country to test the virtual-reality system created by MyndVR, a Dallas startup whose partners are Samsung and the University of Texas at Dallas.

All 89 residents will have a chance to try the 360-degree experience, but only 16 will participate in the four-week field trial eight with dementia and eight without.

They'll spend no more than half an hour at a time looking at three- to five-minute scenes meant to evoke nostalgia, serenity and wonder. Choices include a 1950s jazz club with a live singer and patrons sipping martinis, a sunset on a farm and a painter creating a flower-filled canvas.

MyndVR hopes the scenes will soothe the patients with dementia and reduce agitation and depression.

During a past trial in Plano, Texas, a few residents without memory loss were allowed to try a skydiving segment that was a hit with an 85-year-old woman, Brickler said.

"Our plan is to essentially be the Netflix of VR for seniors," MyndVR CEO and co-found Chris Brickler, 45, said on a visit to kick off the trial last week at Encore at Avalon Park.

That's why the equipment is designed to be light enough for comfort and easy to navigate.

It consists of a headphones and a headset powered by a specially programmed cellphone. The user sits in an office swivel chair under the supervision of a staff member trained by MyndVR. Slowly twirling the chair and moving the head create the panoramic effect.

"The hurdles are far less than we thought, and the unintended benefits are starting to be more than we anticipated," said Brickler, who plans to lease the equipment to senior-care residences across the Sunbelt, where many older people live.

No scientific studies prove the value of the technology among patients with dementia or other seniors.

But with society aging fast the U.S. Census Bureau predicts the 65-and-older population will grow from 49.1 million in 2016 to 83.7 million in 2050 and 98.2 million in 2060 several other companies in the U.S. and abroad also are experimenting with or marketing VR to senior-care and senior-living communities, hospitals and consumers.

Dr. Rosemary Laird, a Winter Park geriatrician whose specialties include memory disorders, said the technology sounds promising if only to bring the world to people who no longer can venture out.

One caveat, she said, would be to avoid scenarios that might frighten or overwhelm seniors who can't distinguish reality from the virtual world.

Virtual reality is part of a leap in care from three or four decades ago, when nursing homes tied unruly patients to chairs or their beds to keep them from hurting themselves or others, said Daniel Paulson, a professor of psychology at the University of Central Florida.

Later, drugs took the place of restraints, said Paulson, who is not familiar with the VR project but is involved with a music-therapy pilot program that pairs middle schoolers with residents at Encore at Avalon Park.

"No one wants to go into a nursing home and learn that grandma has been drugged into submission," he said.

At minimum, Encore at Avalon Park administrators hope to inject a novel diversion into the lives of their residents.

"If it doesn't decrease their anxiety or depression, at the very least it gives them an enjoyable experience for half an hour and increases their quality of life," Edwards said.

Story byusan Jacobson / Orlando Sentinel

Originally posted here:

Assisted living tries virtual reality to help seniors with dementia - Duluth News Tribune

Game fans will get their first shot at Deadpool in the Oculus VR game debut this week at Comic-Con. AFP Relaxnews

Smart-mouthed, mayhem-prone anti-hero Deadpool made a virtual reality debut on Wednesday in a "Marvel Powers United" game being tailored for Oculus Rift gear.

Developer Sanzaru Games collaborated with Marvel on the virtual version based on the comic character, which was a smash in an eponymous film released last year.

The "fast-talking, butt-kicking Merc with a Mouth" joins Captain Marvel, Hulk and Rocket Raccoon in a game that lets players become superheroes fighting together against super-villains.

Game fans will get their first shot at Deadpoolin the Oculus VR game debut this week at Comic-Con in Southern California.

More characters are expected to be added to "Marvel Powers United" by the time it is released next year. The price has yet to be announced.

"Crack wise and crack skulls as you wield katanas and hand cannon pistols because why bring a knife to a gunfight when you can have both?" a fact sheet for the game reasons.

Players wearing Rift headsets use Touch controllers to whip semi-automatic pistols or Desert Eagle hand-cannons from holsters and blast adversaries, prompting trademark wise cracks from their "Deadpool" persona, an advance test of the game revealed.

Katanas, the traditional Japanese swords, are unsheathed by reaching back over one's shoulders, and shuriken, the sharp-edged, star-shaped weapons, are thrown rapid-fire with wrist flicks as Hulk smashes, Rocket Racoon opens fire from above and Captain Marvel obliterates bad guys with photon beams.

The ability of Deadpool to heal quickly from almost any injury meanwhile provides an edge as waves of enemies strike.

"Marvel Powers United VR" was touted as a first-person, multi-player game featuring explosive battles in settings from the Marvel universe.

Zombies and mutants

The alliance with Marvel represented a coup for game publisher Oculus Studios, which has been striving to build a library of compelling experiences that will get people to buy Rift's virtual reality gear.

Rift and Touch controllers got a temporary price cut this month, bundled together at a discounted price of US$399 (RM1,710).

Zombies from the television series The Walking Deadand other demons are coming to life for video game players in virtual worlds.

Gamers will be climbing into colossal war machines to battle high-tech armies, wandering mutant-infested post-apocalyptic wastelands and going toe-to-toe with demons in new virtual reality offerings unveiled at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) last month.

The number of E3 exhibitors involved with virtual or augmented realities more than doubled to 126 from 53 last year.

Sony built on the array of games for its PlayStation VR gear, which works with top-selling PlayStation 4 consoles.

Sony, HTC and Facebook-owned Oculus are the top players in virtual reality head gear, each striving to stake out territory in the budding market.

While Sony's VR headsets work with PS 4 consoles, competing gear requires computers that can handle the demand of processing rich, immersive graphics in real time. AFP Relaxnews

More here:

Superhero Deadpool opens fire in virtual reality - The Star Online

Pitchfork is proud to announce a new partnership with Inception, a leading provider of 360 and VR entertainment media. With the Pitchfork Channel on Inceptions VR app, music fans will be able to explore interactive dimensions to the music they love, with new VR music video experiences from musicians and artists. RJ Bentler, Pitchforks Vice President, Video Programming, says of the partnership, Music videos have been a driver in the digital video space for a decade, and we see huge potential in expanding the art form into this much more immersive format. This is an entirely new way to think about visualizing and experiencing music, and we have tons of crazy ideas up our sleeve.

Inception CEO Benny Arbel comments, We selected Pitchfork as our number one music partner because we believe they truly are the most trusted voice in music. Their approach that marries documentary, live and review content fits perfectly with our VR world. Inceptions proven capability in interactive VR casual entertainment together with the creativity from the Pitchfork team and their selected artists, will create truly immersive entertainment VR content.

The first offering from the partnership will be shared in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

Read more:

Pitchfork and Inception Launch Virtual Reality Music Channel ... - Pitchfork

On July 29, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid will meet for a friendly match at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. This time,El Clsico the name given to any match between the Spanish rivals, which have met more than 200 times will make its virtual reality debut.

NextVR, a VR publishing startup focused on live sports and events, is planning a full production of El Clsico. This includes streaming a pregame show, all of the on-field action, a VR version of Marc Anthonys halftime show and a postgame wrapup. NextVR will set up 11 fixed VR cameras and 12 roving cameras around the stadium, with a production team of 35 people manning the entire effort. On the broadcast, veteran MLS sportscaster Mark Rogondino will call the play-by-play, and former soccer players Mnica Gonzlez and Heath Pearce will serve as analysts.

Everything youd expect from a traditional broadcast, you will see in our own broadcast, said Josh Earl, NextVRs head of sports.This includes mini-features NextVR will shoot in the days leading up to the game, during the traditional El Clsico celebrity and alumni games, VIP parties in Miami, both teams practices the night before and the fan fest, which will then be rolled into the live coverage.

NextVRs livestream will be available inside its app, which is only available on the Oculus store for Samsung Gear VR device owners and the Google Play Store for Google Daydream owners. That means no 360-degree video version of the livestream will be available anywhere.

While El Clsico is the main event, NextVR will also produce three-minute highlights packages of the eight other games in the International Champions Cup, which features other top-tier European teams such as Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain.

NextVRs plans for El Clsico come as the VR publishing startup, which has raised $115 million from investors including Comcast Ventures, Time Warner Investments and entertainment executive Peter Guber,looks to bring more live sports to VR. Last fall, the company partnered with the NBA to stream one regular-season game for free within its VR app. In total, 26 full games were broadcast by NextVR, featuring a production level similar to what the company is planning for El Clsico.

When we started several years ago, wed put the camera down and stream out an experience that would be similar to if you were sitting courtside at the game, said Earl. That was great as a first step for VR, but we also learned that even in VR, fans want all the bells and whistles that come with a traditional broadcast thats why we brought in our own announcers and produced our own segments.

The commitment level is high for NextVR, but as other publishers have seen, true VR lacks an audience. Earl declined to say what sort of viewership last seasons NBA games received on NextVRs app.

Because of the nature of our stereoscopic true VR, [NextVRs content] cant be put on a 360 player on a traditional phone or computer, Earl said. Were new and we know were not up there with TV, but the biggest thing were looking for is growth and we continue to see that.

Image courtesy of LaLigaTicketsOnline.com

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Big-time sports are coming to virtual reality - Digiday

July 19, 2017 Gaming fans at an electronics show last month in Los Angeles test virtual reality gear of the sort used in a new 'Deadpool' game tailored for Oculus Rift users

Smart-mouthed, mayhem-prone anti-hero "Deadpool" made a virtual reality debut on Wednesday in a "Marvel Powers United" game being tailored for Oculus Rift gear.

Developer Sanzaru Games collaborated with Marvel on the virtual version based on the comic character, which was a smash in an eponymous film released last year.

The "fast-talking, butt-kicking Merc with a Mouth" joins Captain Marvel, Hulk and Rocket Raccoon in a game that lets players become superheroes fighting together against super-villains.

Game fans will get their first shot at "Deadpool" in the Oculus VR game debut this week at Comic-Con in Southern California.

More characters are expected to be added to "Marvel Powers United" by the time it is released next year. The price has yet to be announced.

"Crack wise and crack skulls as you wield katanas and hand cannon pistols - because why bring a knife to a gunfight when you can have both?" a fact sheet for the game reasons.

Players wearing Rift headsets use Touch controllers to whip semi-automatic pistols or Desert Eagle hand-cannons from holsters and blast adversaries, prompting trademark wise cracks from their "Deadpool" persona, an advance test of the game revealed.

Katanas, the traditional Japanese swords, are unsheathed by reaching back over one's shoulders, and shuriken, the sharp-edged, star-shaped weapons, are thrown rapid-fire with wrist flicks as Hulk smashes, Rocket Racoon opens fire from above and Captain Marvel obliterates bad guys with photon beams.

The ability of Deadpool to heal quickly from almost any injury meanwhile provides an edge as waves of enemies strike.

"Marvel Powers United VR" was touted as a first-person, multi-player game featuring explosive battles in settings from the Marvel universe.

Zombies and mutants

The alliance with Marvel represented a coup for game publisher Oculus Studios, which has been striving to build a library of compelling experiences that will get people to buy Rift's virtual reality gear.

Rift and Touch controllers got a temporary price cut this month, bundled together at a discounted price of $399.

Zombies from the television series "The Walking Dead" and other demons are coming to life for video game players in virtual worlds.

Gamers will be climbing into colossal war machines to battle high-tech armies, wandering mutant-infested post-apocalyptic wastelands and going toe-to-toe with demons in new virtual reality offerings unveiled at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) last month.

The number of E3 exhibitors involved with virtual or augmented realities more than doubled to 126 from 53 last year.

Sony built on the array of games for its PlayStation VR gear, which works with top-selling PlayStation 4 consoles.

Sony, HTC and Facebook-owned Oculus are the top players in virtual reality head gear, each striving to stake out territory in the budding market.

While Sony's VR headsets work with PS 4 consoles, competing gear requires computers that can handle the demand of processing rich, immersive graphics in real time.

Explore further: Game players face their demons in virtual reality

2017 AFP

Microsoft's cloud computing platform will be used outside China for collaboration by members of a self-driving car alliance formed by Chinese internet search giant Baidu, the companies announced on Tuesday.

Laboratory equipment is one of the largest cost factors in neuroscience. However, many experiments can be performed with good results using self-assembled setups involving 3-D printed components and self-programmed electronics. ...

Access to clean, safe water is one of the world's pressing needs, yet today's water distribution systems lose an average of 20 percent of their supply because of leaks. These leaks not only make shortages worse but also can ...

A virtual reality "space ride" in which viewers feel as if they are flying through the air inside a giant glass ball has been developed in Japan.

Supercapacitors are an aptly named type of device that can store and deliver energy faster than conventional batteries. They are in high demand for applications including electric cars, wireless telecommunications and high-powered ...

Virtually any modern information-capture devicesuch as a camera, audio recorder, or telephonehas an analog-to-digital converter in it, a circuit that converts the fluctuating voltages of analog signals into strings ...

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Superhero 'Deadpool' opens fire in virtual reality - Phys.Org

A new virtual reality arcade has opened its doors in the neighborhood. The new arrival to Downtown, called Escape To Virtual Reality, is located at 155 W Washington Blvd.

According to the newcomer's website, it's the "first location-based entertainment Virtual Reality gaming platform designed to provide visitors with a top-quality VR gaming experience."

Through VR headsets, visitors can leave the world they know and enter a whole new realm, with the option to play Time Zombies (fight and survive the zombie attack), Dronestorm (battle against giant centipedes) and Planktos (be the guardian of the crystals). See the pricing here.

The new arcade has garnered rave reviews thus far, with a five-star rating out of five reviews on Yelp.

Damon F., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new spot on July 17th, said: "This was my first experience with virtual reality gaming...things have definitely come along way since the 1980s and Duck Hunt on Nintendo! I had so much fun and definitely got into it."

Yelper Paul C. added: I took my brother and his friend here and it was so much fun. I recommend to anyone who likes gaming and likes playing with friends. The time zombies game is by far my favorite.

And Nina A. said: "My experience here is unexplainable!!! The suspension, and the realistic interaction with the zombies was so much fun. I was so scared I thought that were real, and I even lost my voice at a point from screaming so much!"

Head on over to check it out: Escape To Virtual Reality is open MondaySaturday from noonmidnight. (It's closed on Sunday).

Original post:

New Downtown Arcade 'Escape To Virtual Reality' Opens Its Doors - Hoodline

Black-and-white striped angelfish glide past Mary Spencer as she scuba dives for the first time in her 84 years.

Above, the sun glows white at the top of the Thai sea. Below, a school of bright orange fish darts by.

Oh, its a beautiful blue ocean, the Orlando native said. There goes a diver. Hes floating by."

The retired Walt Disney World workers next adventure could take her to the Grand Canyon or on a safari without ever leaving her home in an east Orange County assisted-living facility. Shes among the residents testing whether virtual reality can help people with dementia.

We are trying to be on the cutting edge of what we provide to our residents, said Kimberly Edwards, executive director at Encore at Avalon Park assisted living and memory care.

Susan Jacobson/Orlando Sentinel

Mary Spencer, 84, watches a video that immerses her in deep-sea diving. She's participating in a virtual-reality trial of dementia patients at Encore at Avalon Park assisted living facility on July 14, 2017.

Mary Spencer, 84, watches a video that immerses her in deep-sea diving. She's participating in a virtual-reality trial of dementia patients at Encore at Avalon Park assisted living facility on July 14, 2017. (Susan Jacobson/Orlando Sentinel)

Encore at Avalon Park is the third senior residence in the country to test the virtual-reality system created by MyndVR, a Dallas start-up whose partners are Samsung and the University of Texas at Dallas.

All 89 residents will have a chance to try the 360-degree experience, but only 16 will participate in the four-week field trial eight with dementia and eight without.

Theyll spend no more than half an hour at a time looking at three- to five-minute scenes meant to evoke nostalgia, serenity and wonder. Choices include a 1950s jazz club with a live singer and patrons sipping martinis, a sunset on a farm and a painter creating a flower-filled canvas.

MyndVR hopes the scenes will soothe the patients with dementia and reduce agitation and depression.

Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel

Chris Brickler, left, CEO and co-founder of MyndVR, helps resident John Auchter, 89, with a headset to view a virtual reality video at Encore at Avalon Park assisted living facility on July 12, 2017.

Chris Brickler, left, CEO and co-founder of MyndVR, helps resident John Auchter, 89, with a headset to view a virtual reality video at Encore at Avalon Park assisted living facility on July 12, 2017. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

During a past trial in Plano, Texas, a few residents without memory loss were allowed to try a skydiving segment that was a hit with an 85-year-old woman, Brickler said.

Our plan is to essentially be the Netflix of VR for seniors, MyndVR CEO and co-founder Chris Brickler, 45, said on a visit to kick off the trial last week at Encore at Avalon Park.

Thats why the equipment is designed to be light enough for comfort and easy to navigate.

It consists of a headphones and a headset powered by a specially programmed cellphone. The user sits in an office swivel chair under the supervision of a staff member trained by MyndVR. Slowly twirling the chair and moving the head create the panoramic effect.

The hurdles are far less than we thought, and the unintended benefits are starting to be more than we anticipated, said Brickler, who plans to lease the equipment to senior-care residences across the Sunbelt, where many older people live.

Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel

Jane Auchter, 85, a resident at Encore at Avalon Park assisted living facility, takes a virtual-reality trip to the Grand Canyon on July 12, 2017.

Jane Auchter, 85, a resident at Encore at Avalon Park assisted living facility, takes a virtual-reality trip to the Grand Canyon on July 12, 2017. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

No scientific studies prove the value of the technology among patients with dementia or other seniors.

But with society aging fast the U.S. Census Bureau predicts the 65-and-older population will grow from 49.1 million in 2016 to 83.7 million in 2050 and 98.2 million in 2060 several other companies in the U.S. and abroad also are experimenting with or marketing VR to senior-care and senior-living communities, hospitals and consumers.

Dr. Rosemary Laird, a Winter Park geriatrician whose specialties include memory disorders, said the technology sounds promising if only to bring the world to people who no longer can venture out.

One caveat, she said, would be to avoid scenarios that might frighten or overwhelm seniors who cant distinguish reality from the virtual world.

Virtual reality is part of a leap in care from three or four decades ago, when nursing homes tied unruly patients to chairs or their beds to keep them from hurting themselves or others, said Daniel Paulson, a professor of psychology at the University of Central Florida.

Later, drugs took the place of restraints, said Paulson, who is not familiar with the VR project but is involved with a music-therapy pilot program that pairs middle schoolers with residents at Encore at Avalon Park.

No one wants to go into a nursing home and learn that grandma has been drugged into submission, he said.

At minimum, Encore at Avalon Park administrators hope to inject a novel diversion into the lives of their residents.

If it doesnt decrease their anxiety or depression, at the very least it gives them an enjoyable experience for half an hour and increases their quality of life, Edwards said.

sjacobson@orlandosentinel.com or 407-540-5981

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Assisted living tries virtual reality to help seniors with dementia - Orlando Sentinel

Set in a post-apocalyptic America during the year 2089, players choose to play the role of Gabby or Gabriel Walker, codename "Guardian," who has been selected by the United States Free Forces to lead the resistance against the tyrannical corporation HUMNX, a private conglomerate that governs what is left of our ravaged nation. Players must use strategy and skill to fire upon enemies with a wide array of high-powered weapons while protecting their allies from onslaught.

"How better tointroduce players to Skydance Interactive's vision for the future of virtual reality gamingthantogive themhands-on controlofa giant mechin a waythat no other medium can deliver," said Peter Akemann, President of Skydance Interactive. "Now is the time to join the resistance, protect your friends and countrymen, and become the beacon of hope that America needs the Archangel!"

Archangel garnered "Best VR Game" Awards at E3 2017 from Geek Citadel, MMOGames, and MEUPS4. On August 2, 2017 it will be available on other leading virtual reality platforms, including HTC Vive and Oculus. A location-based version of the game will also be made available in IMAX VR Centres in August.

View the newest trailer for Archangel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoaFEXviJpE

To learn more about Archangel visit http://www.archangelgame.com and follow @archangelgame on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About Skydance InteractiveSkydance Interactive creates and publishes original and IP-based virtual reality, PC, and console games. The division of Skydance Media was launched in 2016 through the acquisition of The Workshop Entertainment, whose prior credits include franchise and genre-defining work on "Gears of War 4," "XCOM 2" for PS4/Xbox One, "Borderlands 2: Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage," and "Sorcery" for Playstation Move. Skydance Interactive's first VR game the award-winning Archangel launches in July of 2017. The studio is located in Marina del Rey, CA.

ContactsShannon Olivas Corporate Communications (424) 2913485 solivas@skydance.com

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/skydance-interactives-award-winning-virtual-reality-game-archangel-is-available-now-on-playstation-vr-300489734.html

SOURCE Skydance Interactive

http://www.archangelgame.com

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Skydance Interactive's Award-Winning Virtual Reality Game 'Archangel' Is Available Now On Playstation VR - PR Newswire (press release)

The visual effects whizzes behind Star Wars are using virtual reality and augmented reality to make the film jump off the screen.

John Knoll, chief creative officer and senior visual effects supervisor of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), described how his team created virtual sets for last year's blockbuster movie Rogue One 's that let director Gareth Edwards virtually map out certain shots and sets. He was also able to moving inside some of Rogue One's digital scenes to determine the best camera angles.

Knoll described the ILM's work while onstage Monday at Fortunes Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen, Colo. In addition to putting the next wave of visual technology to work on the big screen, Disney and Lucasfilm, the division that produces Star Wars , are also hard at work developing virtual reality and augmented reality products that can let the film's fans feel like they're inside the world of the movies, even if they're at home (or, maybe, at a Disney theme park ).

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Vicki Dobbs Beck, the executive in charge at ILMxLAB, Lucasfilm's new laboratory for immersive entertainment, said, "Our ultimate goal is to deliver really compelling, immersive stories." Last year, ILMxLAB introduced the Star Wars virtual reality experience Trials on Tatooine, which lets fans wield their own lightsaber, and announced a VR project featuring Darth Vader .

When it comes to Star Wars and Disney's theme parks, though, Disney CEO Bob Iger has made it clear that he sees a bright future for augmented reality, which uses a headset to superimpose computer-generated images onto a real-world view. Over the weekend, at Disney's D23 fan event in Anaheim, Calif., the company announced plans to partner with Lucasfilm and Lenovo on a smartphone-based augmented reality headset that would layer Star Wars experiences such as lightsaber battles and games onto the real world.

Meanwhile, Disney also announced plans to open an immersive, Star Wars -themed hotel and resort, where guests would be able to live out unique storylines. Asked about the resort and its potential applications for immersive storytelling, Beck said: "Once you step through those doors, you're in Star Wars . I would assume that mixed reality would play a role in that."

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How Lucasfilm Is Using Virtual Reality to Bring 'Star Wars' to Life - Fortune

Facebook's (NASDAQ:FB) Oculus is reportedly planning to release a stand-alone virtual reality device next year to retail for just $200. The goal is to push VR into the mainstream.

Virtual reality has been a niche product for the better part of 30 years, but Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made a big bet that VR is going to be the next big computing platform when his company bought Oculus for $2 billion in 2014.

Oculus released its first consumer product, the Rift, last year. While the device is relatively affordable, it requires users to hook it up to an expensive PC to run software. Meanwhile, low-cost devices that license Oculus technology, like Samsung's (NASDAQOTH:SSNLF) Gear VR, require a high-end smartphone. The new device will find a happy middle ground in terms of both capabilities and price. That may be just what the market needsfor mass consumer adoption.

Facebook Spaces. Images source: Facebook

Earlier this year, Mark Zuckerberg stated, "It's going to take five or 10 more years of development before we get to where we all want to go." Considering, the new Oculus device will have limited capabilities -- for example, no positional tracking -- it's just another step for the company in its push toward making VR the next big computing platform.

Other consumer electronic companies are following suit. Samsung is reportedly planning its own stand-alone headset as well, which will rely on Oculus technology. Other players like HTC and Lenovo are working on similar devices using Google's Daydream platform.

But Zuckerberg would compare these upcoming devices to early smartphones like those from Blackberry or Palm circa 2003. In other words, it's still very early and it could be another five years or more before we see a device that sparks mass interest in the platform. Zuckerberg points out it took 10 years for the smartphone market to sell 1 billion devices.

"I don't know [if] there was something that folks could have done to make that happen fast, but I think that was pretty good. And if we can be on a similar trajectory of anywhere near 10 years for VR and AR, then I would feel very good about that," Zuckerberg said during Facebook's fourth quarter earnings call earlier this year. "We're going to invest a lot in this and it's not going to return or be really profitable for us for quite a while," he added.

One big hurdle for virtual reality to overcome is a lack of content. That could be anything from immersive video content to video games. The problem is it's hard for top video game studios to create games for the platform before a mass audience exists.

To that end, Facebook has committed $250 million to new VR content. Most of that money will go toward software -- like the Facebook Spaces app the company unveiled during its F8 developers conference this spring -- and video games.

The new stand-alone device could help build a sizable enough audience that Facebook would no longer have to seed the content ecosystem. VR projects would be viable of their own accord, and game studios and software developers could start investing their time and money in projects for both high-end and low-end devices.

There's a ton of interest in virtual reality right now from a development side, but consumer demand hasn't quite taken off. We may still be a few years away from that, and Facebook will likely continue to lose money on its VR investments, but a stand-alone device with a broader reach than current devices have may be a key step to getting to where Facebook wants to go.

Adam Levy has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Facebook. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Is 2018 the Year Virtual Reality Goes Mainstream? -- The Motley Fool - Motley Fool

People who've tried it come describe it as a thoroughly awesome, mind blowing experience.

A new concept in computer gaming called Virtual Reality (VR) gaming puts you at the centre of the action, whether it be shooting an enemy or chasing a speeding car and, be warned, it's scary and incredibly realistic.

It's coming to Airhop Bristol, the biggest trampoline park in the world, about a half hour's drive from Bath and it looks set to be a thrilling experience.

Kids will love it, especially if they love computer games, but the fun isn't limited to the youngsters - adults are loving it as well.

The Virtual Reality Concept is coming to the park in Patchway for nine days only as a special trial from Saturday, July 22 until Monday, July 31.

It's not cheap at 25 for 30 minutes for two people, but it is innovative and the team behind it promise a once in a lifetime experience.

Entry to the massive trampoline park is 12 for an hour, and you can literally bounce off walls, fly in the air, play basketball or dodge ball.

Jumpers and bouncers have to sign a waiver in case of injury.

For the virtual reality gaming, special technology and equipment allows you to immerse yourself in the computer game and become part of the action.

Users in other parts of the country have described the experience as 'insane' or 'awesome' as it is incredibly realistic.

For more information visit http://www.airhop-bristol.com and to book tickets to the virtual reality gaming go to http://lcnvirtuallabs.com/whats-on/bristol-july17

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'INSANE' and 'SCARY' virtual reality gaming comes to Airhop Bristol, just a half hour from Bath - Bath Chronicle

Chinese media dubbed 2016 as the birth year of virtual reality (VR) in the country. Tech companies, including the big threeAlibaba, Tencent and Baiduall sought to set up their own VR initiatives. China may become the first market to see mass VR adoption by consumers thanks to drivers like government support, a willingness by consumers to adopt new tech and a highly competitive environment that will force prices down and foster innovation.

Here are five takeaways from a 2017 report on the state of VR in China from consultancy iResearch Consulting Group and VR market research firm Greenlight Insights.

No. 1: Revenues generated by the VR market in China will skyrocket between 2016 and 2021

The virtual reality marketwhich includes revenues from headsets, content, experience centers, peripheral hardware, marketing and VR camerasis projected to grow from RMB3.46 billion ($520.8 million) in 2016 to RMB79.02 billion ($11.9 billion) in 2021. Thats a more than twentyfold increase during that timeframe.

No. 2: Consumer content will soon generate massive revenues for Chinas VR sector

In 2016, sales of VR headsets accounted for 59.2% of total virtual reality revenues in Chinaby far the largest sharewhile consumer content made up just 7.7%. However, consumer VR content is set to explode, and is expected to account for 35.3% of all VR revenues in the country by 2021. By then, games will lead the VR content category, generating RMB9.62 billion ($1.45 billion), followed by films and movies at RMB8.79 billion ($1.32 billion) and live streaming at RMB 4.46 billion ($671 million).

No. 3: Companies will increasingly rely on VR to drive innovation and lower costs

Enterprise solutions will be one of the fastest growing VR segments in China, rising from RMB3.46 million ($521,000) in 2016 to RMB8.77 billion ($1.32 billion) by 2021. VR technology is already being applied in a number of disparate fields in China, including architecture, engineering, real estate, healthcare and retail, just to name a few. VR will eventually replace all screens in our lives and enhance efficiency in all industries, Alvin Graylin, head of operations in China for HTC, which makes the Vive VR headset, told eMarketer. Its likely going to be the technology that will ultimately enable a full remote workforce model for most businesses in the world, while greatly increasing the available talent pool for any business.

No. 4: In the short term, VR will remain a niche tool among marketers

Though VR has the potential to help brands drive a more immersive and possibly more memorable marketing experience, the technology will not become a mainstream tool for marketers until it reaches mass adoption among consumers. According to the iResearch/Greenlight study, VR marketing outlays in China will grow from RMB30 million ($4.52 million) in 2016 to RMB1.98 billion ($298.05 million) by 2021. To give some sense of scale, eMarketer predicts digital ad spending in China will reach $96.52 billion in 2021.

No. 5: Budget-conscious consumers are investing in low-cost headsets (for now)

In 2016, the vast majority of the roughly 9.63 million VR devices shipped in China consisted of cardboard-type devices (e.g., Google Cardboard)understandable given their affordable price in a relatively untested market. However, mobile VR headsets, such as the Samsung Gear, will surpass cardboard headsets by 2021. By then, total VR headset shipments will hit 105.25 million in China, according to the report.

Man-Chung Cheung

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Five Insights into China's Virtual Reality Sector - eMarketer

A lab that opened last month in Fife, Scotland shows how the energy industry is embracing virtual reality systems considered futuristic justtwo years ago.

The Fife College Immersive Hybrid Reality lab is designed to enhance the training and development of the next generation of offshore wind turbine technicians, according to a press release.

It simulates the top of a nacelle on a 7-megawatt offshore wind turbine, allowing students to carry out fault-finding inspections without having to leave shore.

The virtual environment is modeled on a real-life demonstration turbine off the East Fife coast, used by the U.K.s Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult scheme for research and training.

Students can view the virtual environment through special goggles, but at the same time see their own hands and feet as well as being able to pick up and use real tools and manuals.

The virtual environment, created by the ORE Catapult along with Scottish public-private initiative the Energy Skills Partnership and animation studio Animmersion U.K., includes audio effects, such as wind noise, and can even simulate changing weather conditions.

A second virtual environment, currently being worked on, will simulate the interior of the turbine.

At the lab opening last month, the Scottish Government Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, Shirley-Anne Somerville, pledged further funding of GBP 50,000 (around $65,000) for the Energy Skills Partnership.

The money follows 300,000 ($389,000) already invested by the Scottish government in the virtual reality (VR) project.

Bill Hutchison, Fife College curriculum manager for electrical, electronic and petroleum engineering, predicted a rapid uptake of VR and augmented reality (AR) in the energy sector.

The renewable energy sector is already a primary user of VR for training, along with the aerospace, nuclear, construction and oil and gas industries, he said.

For offshore wind, in particular, VR and AR could provide very direct cost benefits compared to on-site training by avoiding the need to waste expensive components and spend money on travel to remote locations.

Students can use VR to "fly" through a virtual model of a turbine and become familiar with the work environment before visiting a site, which can help with logistics and job sequencing while reducing the likelihood of errors.

AR, meanwhile, allows engineers to complete work on site while benefiting from a VR overlay that provides information on assembly sequencing, tolerance measurement, tightening torque values and so on.

These are not the only areas where the offshore wind industry is beginning to use VR, though. The turbine maker MHI Vestas, for example, employs virtual environments as a sales tool at its exhibition stands.

One of the challenges in the offshore wind industry is that turbines are not accessible, said Michael Morris, external communication consultant at MHI Vestas Offshore Wind.

Located in remote areas of the North Sea and standing over 100 meters high, not many people get a chance to see these mammoth turbines, let alone actually see inside one of them. VR actually is the only cost-effective way to show people an offshore wind turbine.

MHI Vestas, which also uses VR for training, has conference stations where stand visitors don harnesses, protective vests and headsets before getting a guided tour around a virtual nacelle.

Thousands of people have experienced the film over the past few years, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, Morris said. When we need to show people what the turbines look like and how they operate, VR is undoubtedly the best way.

Today the main thing holding back greater adoption of VR is the number of systems there are to choose from, Hutchison said.

Certain systems may be better suited to given applications and it is still hard to pick market winners that stand a good chance of remaining in business in a few years time, he said.

However, there does appear to be a refinement process going on quite rapidly, with a number of systems moving out in front as preferred choices, he noted.

It would be reasonable to see all advanced engineering industries to be routinely using VR and AR within the next five to 10 years, he said.

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Renewables Sector Embraces the Promise of Virtual Reality - Greentech Media

The National Behavioral Health Innovation Center announced today that Rick Rekedal, a former senior executive with DreamWorks Animation, and Dr. Walter Greenleaf, a pioneer and leading authority on virtual reality for medical use, have joined its staff.

Walter and Rick are recognized internationally as leaders in their fields, said Matt Vogl, executive director of NBHIC at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Their knowledge and insight are powerful assets to our mission of finding bold new solutions to the countrys mental health crisis.

In 2016, Rekedal completed over 20 years with DreamWorks as Chief Creative of franchise development and the global franchise director of the hit movie Trolls. Rekedal has also worked on properties such as How To Train Your Dragon, Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and The Lost World: Jurassic Park, developing merchandising, interactive and licensing programs. Rekedals work has been recognized with two Annie Awards, two Kids Choice Awards and Toy of the Year. He is a frequent speaker and serves on advisory boards for The Wedgwood Circle; Michael W. Smith Group and Seabourne Pictures; and Belmont Universitys film school.

Rekedal joins NBHIC as Senior Creative Advisor, consulting on how to elevate an open and urgent national conversation on mental health.

Greenleaf is a behavioral neuroscientist and a medical product developer who has been on the cutting edge of virtual reality and augmented reality applications in healthcare for more than 30 years.

In his role as NBHICs Director of Technology Strategy, Greenleaf brings his considerable knowledge to the Centers approach to digital initiatives. He continues to work as a Visiting Scholar at the Stanford University Virtual Human Interaction Lab.

He has developed several clinical product streams, founded medical companies, and served as a scientific advisor and reviewer for the U.S. Public Health Service, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, NASA and the U.S. Department of Education. He holds a PhD in Neuro and Bio-behavioral Sciences from Stanford University.

Our approach is to seek out unexpected partners as we look beyond the current mental health system for new solutions, said Vogl. Walter and Rick fit that approach. Walters depth of knowledge in virtual reality and Silicon Valley are leading us to work with new technology partners in developing cutting edge tools for mental health treatments. Ricks extraordinary creative abilities can help steer powerful human connections to combat the awful stigma that is so harmful to many people in need.

Guest contributor: Lauren Baker, marketing and communications strategist for the National Behavioral Health Innovation Center at CU Anschutz.

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Senior Executives from Film and Virtual Reality Industries Join NBHIC - CU Anschutz Today (press release)