By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer

MIAMI BEACH Nicholas Montes put on goggles and a catcher's mitt and crouched.

The 13-year-old will never catch a 104 mph pitch from Aroldis Chapman. But at the All-Star FanFest, he felt what it's like to be Buster Posey snagging virtual strikes.

"It like I was actually in the game. When I was catching, I felt the ball move and everything," the 13-year-old from Miami said enthusiastically Sunday. "And then when I saw it go in my glove, I tried touching the ball, but I felt the remote control thing. So it was pretty cool."

Developed by GMR Marketing, the Esurance Behind The Plate With Buster Posey VR Experience allows fans to "catch" fastballs, curveballs and sliders from a generic pitcher at velocities ranging from 86-93 mph.

"I've always said that I thought it would be cool for the average fan to either step in the box or like this get behind the plate and get the same sense of what it's like to see a 90-plus, 95-mile an hour fastball coming your way," Posey explained last week.

Esurance Insurance Services Inc., a subsidiary of Allstate Corp., became a sponsor of Major League Baseball in 2015 and signed Posey as a brand ambassador. The company had a 180-degree photo experience at the 2015 FanFest in Cincinnati, then provided 360-degree videos of fans taking swings last year in San Diego.

In a dual setup at FanFest, which opened Friday and runs through Tuesday, people get to signal for three pitches over about 90 seconds as Posey's recorded voice offers tips. They can choose the pitch type by pointing their glove toward an icon on the screen, triggering a sensor. When a pitch is successfully caught, the person hears and feels the mitt snap.

"It is as real as it can be," Danny Devarona, a 48-year-old who coaches youth baseball in Miami Lakes, said after taking his turn.

Commercial and social media content was shot over two days during spring training in Scottsdale, Arizona, where Posey's San Francisco Giants train. Posey's voice-over was recorded after the season started.

"Are you ready? All right, let's see what you've got," Posey's voice tells fans. "This guy throws a nasty curve. The trick is to keep your glove below the ball and your eye on it. ... Keep your chin down and be ready to slide to your right, because this one might hit the dirt."

"Nice job! Right in the pocket," he tells fans when they succeed.

"Yeah, that was a tricky one," he says when they fail.

Based on PITCH f/x data, breaks of 38-to-52 inches are simulated.

"Fans will receive a social-sharable video for them that they can then distribute to their friends," said Kristen Gambetta, Esurance's brand partnerships manager. "With VR, there's something really entertaining about seeing people's facial reactions and kind of seeing their movements and how they react to having a ball flying at their face."

Several thousand fans were expected to put on the electronic "tools of ignorance" over the five days. And unlike real catchers, they won't have to stuff sponges in the glove to absorb the impact.

"Let's just say I'm pretty impressed. I don't think I can ever catch or hit for that matter a Major League Baseball curveball," said Pablo Souki, a 38-year-old from Venezuela who lives in Miami. "That was pretty eye-opening."

Read the original here:

Virtual reality baseball a hit at the All-Star FanFest - Daily Commercial

A small rural school in Washington County just 5 miles from the Canadian border is going high-tech next year, thanks to a $10,000 grant that will allow school officials to integrate virtual reality into lesson plans for studying history, biology, engineering and other subjects.

The Danforth community is devoted to our children, and at East Grand School we are always looking to provide important opportunities for our students, said Jennifer Gillman, a math teacher who beat out 83 other applicants to win the grant. The money will be used to buy virtual reality headsets, which retail for about $800 each, and set up a dedicated space for VR, a 3D printer and other hands-on technology.

(The students) have the ambition and the ability, but they dont always know whats out there in the world for them, Gillman said. There are about 150 students in the school, which spans pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

The grant is the fourth annual $10,000 technology award by Kepware Technologies, a Portland-based software development firm sold several years ago to PTC Inc., a Needham, Massachusetts-based technology company. The grants are intended to spur interest and experience with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and develop the states workforce.

Technology is key to enhancing student learning, said Tony Paine, chief technology officer of Industrial Automation at PTC. Access to technology enables students to develop a strong foundation of technical skills and inspires them to explore their talents. The Kepware School Grant Program continues to supply students in our home state with tools to succeed in STEM disciplines and overcome the technology gap facing many Maine schools.

Noel K. Gallagher can be contacted at 791-6387 or at:

[emailprotected]

Twitter: noelinmaine

Read more here:

Grant of $10000 will link students in rural Danforth to virtual reality - Press Herald

Electric South and the Goethe-Institut at this years Durban Film Mart at the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) will present New Dimensions Virtual Reality Africa, a selection of specialised productions from Kenya, Senegal and Ghana.

Each of these works, said organisers in a statement, offered a view of the vibrant, diverse and ever-changing cultural landscape of contemporary Africa.

Ingrid Kopp and Steven Markovitz, Founders of Electric South, said: The aim of this collaboration with the Goethe-Institut is to provide funding support to African storytellers and artists in the development and production of their own VR ideas, and introducing African and international audiences to African-produced VR.

Said Lien Heidenreich-Seleme, Head of Cultural Programmes for Subsaharan-Africa at the Goethe-Institut South Africa: As part of our work with the theme future, we are exploring virtual reality not only with filmmakers, but with artists from very different disciplines all over Sub Saharan Africa. We are excited to see how new technological means will allow for new stories being told.

Included was the VR work Spirit Robot by Ghanaian science fiction author and founder of the Afrocyberpunk website Jonathan Dotse who explored the Chale Wote Street Art Festival in Accra.

Kenyan photographer Ngendo Mukii produced a poetic city symphony on Nairobi in the VR piece Nairobi Berries, consisting of her lyrical voice-over alongside surreal, layered images of the city.

Her synopsis reads: In the empty spaces we cannot claim as our own, in forests full of smoke and beneath still waters, two women and a man wrangle. Each must hollow out the others core for fruits promised but only ever borne in dreams. For this is Nairobi, the city we call home.

Senegalese fashion designer Selly Raby Kane presents a magical 360 piece, in which a little girl is chosen to discover the invisible Dakar.

Kenyan The Nest Collective created an interactive work set in the distant future, when a group of Africans have left the Earth to create a colony on a distant planet.

The Mercury

Originally posted here:

#DIFF2017: Africa in Virtual Reality - Independent Online

By: PTI | London | Published:July 10, 2017 12:39 pm The Virtual Time Binoculars project is ground breaking for digital reconstruction because it uses technology already in peoples pockets, said Iain Oliver, Head of Systems for Smart History. (Source: Bloomberg File photo)

Scientists have developed a new virtual reality app that enables users to see Scotlands capital city Edinburgh as it may have been in the 16th century. The smartphone app, developed by researchers from the University of St Andrews in the UK lets visitors explore the city, Edinburgh castle and its surrounding landscape.

It is striking how the cityscape is both familiar and different from the city today. Instead of the new town there stands a great loch yet the castle stands guard over the city much as it does now, said Sarah Kennedy, Digital Designer of the University of St Andrewss spinout company Smart History.

Virtual Time Binoculars: Edinburgh 1544 provides a unique window into the capital around the time of the birth of Mary, Queen of Scots. Visitors will experience the digital reconstruction through a virtual reality app that hosts a range of virtual reality headset usage, as well as a web resource.

We intend for it to be the first of many Virtual Time Binocular apps with depictions of St Andrews and Perth already in the pipeline, said Alan Miller, Director of Smart History. We have had interest from across Europe and Latin America, so we expect our Virtual Time travel platform to go global, said Miller.

Using their mobile phones and VR headsets, users will become virtual time-travellers as they are immersed in historic scenes, stereoscopic video and 360 degree images. Visitors will be able to explore present day St Giles Kirk and the Grassmarket as they learn more about their 16th century equivalents in parallel.

Guided virtual tours of the Royal Mile will allow virtual time travellers to compare Edinburghs past to its present. The app allows users to view the reconstructions either in full screen mode or through more immersive virtual reality mode. Hotspots highlight the scenes with more facts and historical images for users to learn about the location.

The digital reconstruction is inspired by a drawing created by the English military engineer Richard Lee, who accompanied the Earl of Hertfords May 1544 expedition.

Lees drawing, now held by the British Library, is one of the oldest surviving depictions of Edinburgh, and became the defining English impression of Scotlands capital.

St Andrews researchers supplemented the information from Lees plan with archaeological evidence, 16-century written sources, and information about the geography of the modern city, to create an updated reconstruction of Edinburgh.

The Virtual Time Binoculars project is ground breaking for digital reconstruction because it uses technology already in peoples pockets, said Iain Oliver, Head of Systems for Smart History.

We have developed a software framework which will enable us to continue to send people back in time, Oliver said.

For all the latest Technology News, download Indian Express App

More:

New virtual reality app lets you visit 16th century Edinburgh - The Indian Express

Royal Caribbean International has launched a new virtual reality (VR) experience, the HoliDeck, as part of its new marketing campaign, Where Everyone Gets What They Need, to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

The islandwide campaign, which will run for a year, was conceptualised and executed by iris Singapore and Mindshare. iris Singapore was also responsible for producing the HoliDeck.

The new VR experienceallows those on board to experience a selection of 11 activities such as skydiving, surfing and rock climbing without leaving the cruise ship. The HoliDeckwill be showcased at the upcoming NATAS Travel Fair in August, and the company is also distributing cardboard VR headsets to its key agents in Singapore, as well as international representatives in the region as the latest sales toolkit.

In addition to the HoliDeck, the campaign will also be executed via print, out-of-home (OOH), online and TV. Its latest TV commercial revolves around the idea that Royal Caribbean is an enjoyable and hassle-free holiday that appeals to multi-generational families, couples and singles. The line You cant always get what you want from the Rolling Stones classic hit is playfully quashed by the one-size-fits-all Royal Caribbean holiday showcased in the TVC.

A Royal Caribbean cruise is the holiday for guests all of ages. No matter what kind of adventures they seek, there are so many things to do onboard, be it sports, parties, shows and dining, so there is something for everyone,Nicole Lai, marketing manager, Royal Caribbean, said.

We are always ready to embrace innovative technology to connect with digital savvy consumers. We hope through utilising the VR technology and game design, consumers will change their mindset and to give cruise holiday a try, Lai added.

According to Dean Reinhard, creative technology director (APAC), iris Worldwide, the team created real-time interactive CGI scenes in order to bring the experience to life. Live action scenes were captured using a range of high-end 360 cameras, equipped with binaural audio microphones to further enhance to overall presentation of the HoliDeck. A HTC Vive headset and controllers are used to track users movements within the scene, allowing for interaction with scene elements.

This makes the branded content more immersive and interactive, and provide an exciting experience that continues to resonate with users long after they have returned to reality, Reinhard said.

Check out the HoliDeck here:

View the TVC here:

Campaign Credits:Client: Royal Caribbean Marketing Manager: Nicole LaiSenior. E-Commerce Marketing Executive: Jolene Khoo Agency: iris Singapore Account Director: Stanley Chan Fuse team: Brandon Bredda, Ridwan Zulkifli, Emre Switzer, Artem Paramonov, Hans Sabastian, Dean Reinhard Creative team: Grant Hunter, Jonathan Cockett Senior Planner: Alasdair Gray Project Executive: Peh Pei Yi

The rest is here:

Royal Caribbean's virtual reality experience hits the deck - Marketing Interactive

Welcome to Being There, a column on the emerging world of immersive entertainment from virtual reality and theme parks, to haunted houses and interactive theater. Written by The Verge senior reporter Bryan Bishop.

When Birdman director Alejandro Gonzlez Irritu premiered his new virtual reality installation piece Carne y Arena at the Cannes Film Festival this year, it was celebrated as a new high-water mark for the medium. Created in collaboration with Industrial Light & Magic xLab, the project drops participants inside a harrowing run across the US-Mexico border highlighting both the horrifying steps those seeking a better life for their families are willing to take, as well as the terror and inhumane treatment that can follow if theyre caught.

Its a mesmerizing, heartbreaking piece, and while the experience of Carne y Arena undeniably delivers on VRs endlessly-discussed potential as an empathy machine, its actually the physical, real-world bookends that set-up and conclude the piece that lend it context and emotional depth. Its triumph isnt one of virtual reality, expertly executed though it is that but rather of the tremendous power that different types of immersive experiences can have when theyre woven together, creating bracing new ways to make audiences think and feel.

I recently had the opportunity to experience Carne y Arena at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, where it recently opened (its also currently showing at Fondazione Prada in Milan). Visitors go in alone, and after reading some text from Irritu about why he created the piece in the first place his intention was to allow the visitor to go through a direct experience walking in the immigrants feet, under their skin, and into their hearts my first stop was a holding room nicknamed a freezer.

A physical experience as much as a virtual one

It was a cold, sterile space, with a series of uncomfortable metal benches lined up against the walls. Scattered across the floor were battered shoes and a dusty backpack. As some text on the wall explained, the pieces of clothing had been recovered from the desert near the border between Mexico and Arizona; left behind by people that had tried to make their way to US soil, only to be snatched up by the US Border Patrol, or disappeared by the very individuals theyd paid to help them cross in the first place.

As instructed, I sat down to remove my socks and shoes, and placed them in a nearby locker. And then I waited. The room was unnervingly cold, even with the sweatshirt I was wearing, and that was precisely the point. Freezers are where Border Patrol tosses those rounded up in sweeps, leaving refugees and immigrants to shiver in the holding rooms for days at a time. As the minutes stretched on, I realized I had no idea how long I was going to be in the room, or even when the overall experience would end. I was just stuck there, cold and isolated the first time I realized Irritu had creating a physical experience as much as he had a virtual one.

Abruptly, an alarm bell sounded, red lights flashing: my cue to leave the room. And like the piece of cattle Id been made to feel like, I headed dutifully through the next door. Beyond it was a massive room, dimly lit by a glowing orange light that ran horizontally along one wall. As my eyes adjusted, I made out two people silhouetted in the darkness. I stepped towards them my feet crunching in the sand that was suddenly underfoot.

The two attendants helped me slip on a backpack and Oculus Rift headset, but it was perhaps the least technology-focused VR experience Ive ever taken part in. There were no controllers to fiddle with or visible sensors in the room, and no one asked me if Id tried other headsets before. It was simply a matter of slipping the Rift on, and being informed that Id be gently guided by a human hand if I started getting too close to a wall. Then, without fanfare, I was simply in the middle of the desert.

While the characters in Carne y Arena are computer-generated, the landscape itself was captured traditionally, and its clear almost immediately that both a world-class filmmaker and cinematographer (Irritus long-time collaborator Emmanuel Lubezki) are at work. The desert at dawn is breathtaking, even with the gritty resolution of a modern headset, and the feel of sand beneath my feet grounded me almost instantly. I watched as a group of immigrants approached, exhausted from their travels. I walked around to each of them, noting that they varied in age ranging from a young man to a grandmother. Getting too close to their faces revealed the plastic, uncanny valley issues that still afflict most CG characters in this kind of environment, but their body movements were nuanced and subtle, a step up from what Id come to expect.

My instinct was to run but Border Patrol agents had already blocked my escape

Behind me, I detected the distant beat of helicopter blades. I craned my neck and spotted the vehicle approaching in the slowly brightening sky. Before I knew it, the helicopter was upon us, wind blasting down on me (an incredibly effective bit of sensory tie-in). My instinct was to run, so I turned back around only to see a Border Patrol vehicle and officers swoop in to block my escape, guns drawn.

As a VR experience unto itself, Carne y Arena can be considered a cousin to the kind of journalistic work pioneered by Nonny de la Pea. Irritu talked to many immigrants that had made the journey across the border, and its both their individual stories and their motion-captured avatars that populate the piece. But hes clearly not just interested in a literal representation of their experiences. Over its nearly seven minute running time, Carne y Arena also delves into the dreamlike at one point, a wooden table appears in the middle of the fray, with children on either side watching a tiny boat filled with refugees overturn and sink into its surface and the abstract. Abrupt cuts and context shifts, traditionally problematic in VR, are used to great effect, putting the viewer in the same mindset of disorientation and fear that the immigrants themselves are facing as theyre zip-tied in the desert sand. And then, just as the chaos of the round-up seems to be reaching its peak, everyone is just suddenly gone.

Thats when I found myself walking alone in the desert once more. And as I crossed the terrain, I saw them: discarded shoes and a backpack, left behind by the people Id just seen swept away. Perhaps the same shoes and backpack Id encountered in the freezer minutes before.

The final part of Carne y Arenas triptych is a video installation, and it brought the entire experience home. Facing an unbroken stretch of border fence was a black wall with nine windows set at eye level. Within each a video clip was playing: a single close-up of one of the people portrayed in the VR experience, with text explaining their struggles and travails in their own words. A woman who had worked relentlessly so she could afford to bring her family over one by one, a Border Patrol officer with no respect for those who cant find empathy for people eager to start a better life; their faces simply stared at me as I read their stories. In virtual reality, Id observed their ordeals, unable to intervene. But here, their direct gaze became an emotional call to action: these were real people, and simply observing them wasnt an acceptable option.

Its tempting to discuss Carne y Arena just as a virtual reality experience. A filmmaker on the level of Alejandro Irritu getting involved in the medium is what many hope will elevate it to the point where mainstream adoption is truly within reach. But the greatest takeaway from the piece is that VR alone isnt enough not to deliver the kind of rich emotional experience Irritu was interested in delivering, at least. Carne y Arenas physical bookends arent bells and whistles; theyre part of the core conceit of the piece itself. The reveal of the discarded shoes in the VR short directly pays off the time audiences spend in the freezer; the last segment with the wall of videos takes the terror of the virtual segment, and makes it heartbreakingly personal. None of the three sections fully work without the other two, resulting in a multi-tiered experience that does more than just toy with the idea of replicating someone elses life experiences. It actually tries to convey the emotional horror of them, using a mix of physicality and artistic interpretation.

Irritu is focused on delivering the best emotional experience, not simply the best virtual one

Obviously, augmenting virtual reality with real-world, physical elements isnt new. Full-blown hybrid arcades like The Void mix the two extraordinarily well, and even smaller solutions like Nomadics modular system are incredible in the way they enhance the sense of presence while in VR. While Carne y Arenas use of sand and wind machines do give its headset portion a wonderful sense of tactile immediacy, its a very different kind of impact than actually sitting in a physical recreation of a freezer, not knowing how long youll be there, or what will happen next.

Ultimately, Irritu has built something focused on delivering the best emotional experience, not simply the best virtual one, and thats where Carne y Arenas power lies. In the rush to experiment in a burgeoning medium, VR is being used to try to replicate every environment possible, and that kind of experimentation is vital. But all too often, little thought is given to presentation, or whether a particular experience is even well-suited to VR in the first place. The entirety of Carne y Arena could have been delivered through a headset things similar to the freezer portion already exist in projects like 6x9 but that wouldnt have been the most impactful way to deliver this experience, or the most engaging one.

Recognizing that immersive entertainment can be more than just VR that it can include physical locations, art installations, and mixed reality elements is going to be vital, particularly as the industry focuses on location-based entertainment. For creators, that may very well be the meta-lesson from Irritus evocative and heartbreaking piece: expand your toolbox when possible, and use the best medium for the story you want to tell. The filmmaker himself seemed to understand that by deciding to move away from traditional cinema for this project in the first place. Given how incredibly effective Carne y Arenas mix of physical and virtual is, perhaps other creators will too.

More here:

Alejandro Irritu's Carne y Arena proves that great virtual reality means going beyond the headset - The Verge

The turbulent world of Dunkirk is a click away.

Christopher Nolans latest epic tells the tale of the battle of Dunkirk that took place between Nazi Germany and the Allied forces during the Second World War. The nine-day battle saw the evacuation of British and Allied forces from the beaches of the namesake French town as the Nazis continued their advance on the opposing forces. In the end,338,226 men escaped.

As the film gears up to hit theaters this summer, PEOPLE brings you a virtual-reality experience connected to the movie which takes place in three settings: land, sea and air.

Watch the 360Save Every Breath: The Dunkirk VR Experience in the video above, explorable by clicking and dragging your mouse across the screen. The more you move, the more youll discover the dramatic scenes.For a fully immersive virtual-reality experience using VR goggles, download the LIFE VR app for iOS and Android or visit time.com/lifevr.

Save Every Breath: The Dunkirk VR Experience will be on display next week at the all-new VR in the Sky event taking place at the Time Inc. headquarters in New York. The first-of-its-kind 2-day event will feature presentations, experiences and more spotlighting the cutting edge of the VR industry with Dunkirk VR even making an appearance as a special installation at the top of One World Trade Center.

You can also watch the full trailer for the experience below.

The movie stars a list of heavy hitters and newcomers alike, including Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Fionn Whitehead and Harry Styles in his acting debut.

To watch the full experience and explore more exclusive virtual reality content, download the LIFE VR app foriOSandAndroidor visittime.com/lifevr.

Dunkirk hits theaters July 21.

Read more here:

By Land, By Sea, By Air: Go Inside the World of Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk in This Virtual-Reality Exclusive - PEOPLE.com

Another step in Brooklyns evolution as a tech powerhouse comes with the announcement that the borough will soon be home to the countrys first ever publicly funded virtual reality/augmented reality (VR/AR) facility.

The city recently announced the selection of New York University Tandon School of Engineering (formerly Polytechnic University) to develop and operate a hub for VR/AR at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, with a workforce development center at CUNY Lehman College in the Bronx. It is expected to open late in 2017.

VR and AR are hot and getting hotter. The city says the new lab will directly create more than 500 jobs over the next 10 years, and further position New York City as a global leader in the VR/AR industry.

Virtual reality is a computer-generated, three-dimensional environment that can be entered into by a person using technology such as special goggles or headsets and gloves. For example, a person might learn to skydive with a few stomach-lurching virtual jumps before attempting the real thing, or play a superhero battling aliens while immersed in a VR universe.

Augmented reality superimposes computer-generated images viewed with special headsets, smart glasses or a cellphone on top of the real world. For example, Facebook recently previewed an augmented reality social world where you can interact with your friends as if they are in the same room as you, no matter where they actually are. Or, a shopper might use AR to preview how a piece of furniture will look in their living room before they buy it. Soldiers can wear AR headsets showing data such as enemy location.

During a demonstration of the technology on June 27, Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen tried out NYU Tandons virtual reality app to take a virtual trip to Mars.

Augmented and virtual reality represents a huge new industry, and we want New York City to be second to none, Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a release. De Blasio said the plan was part of his strategy, called New York Works, to spur 100,000 good-paying city jobs in 10 years.

The lab received an initial $6 million investment by the NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the Mayors Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME). It will boost research, talent development and workforce development initiatives, the city says.

The lab will also help to fuel the citys emerging VR/AR sector with early-stage capital, and allow investors, researchers and organizations to collaborate.

The world of VR/AR is growing at breakneck speed and the implications for businesses across New York City are incredibly exciting, Media and Entertainment Commissioner Julie Menin said in a statement. This new facility will ensure that were doing our part to spur innovation, create talent pipelines, and make New York City the home of these emerging industries.

The lab will further strengthen the Brooklyn Navy Yard's thriving media sector, anchored by Steiner Studios, and create high-quality, middle-class job opportunities for New Yorkers," said David Ehrenberg, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation.

According to a 2016 report by Citigroup, the global VR/AR market could grow to $2.16 trillion by 2035 as different industries and applications make use of the technology.

Hundreds of startups and tech companies have set up shop in Brooklyn. The Tech Triangle made up of Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, and the Brooklyn Navy Yard is now home to more than 1,350 innovation companies 22 percent more than three years ago, according to the Tech Triangle consortium.

Read the original:

Brooklyn's role as tech powerhouse surges with coming of virtual reality lab - Brooklyn Daily Eagle

July 7, 2017

For the first time, visitors to Edinburgh will be able to explore the streets, marketplaces and churches as they may have been in the 16th century thanks to academics at the University of St Andrews. The virtual reality app, released this Friday, will add a new dimension for visitors, especially for those visiting the Fringe Festival over the summer.

As well as sweeping panoramas of the city, Edinburgh castle and its surrounding landscape, the mobile app enables exploration of the Netherbow Port, the West Bow, the Grassmarket, Cowgate, Trinity College, Holyrood Palace and St Giles' Kirk.

"It is striking how the cityscape is both familiar and different from the city today. Instead of the new town there stands a great loch yet the castle stands guard over the city much as it does now," says Sarah Kennedy, Smart History's Digital Designer.

Created by the University of St Andrews's spinout company Smart History, Virtual Time Binoculars: Edinburgh 1544 provides a unique window into the capital around the time of the birth of Mary Queen of Scots. Visitors will experience the digital reconstruction through a virtual reality app that hosts a range of virtual reality headset usage, as well as a web resource.

The Edinburgh reconstructions are just the beginning for Smart History. "We intend for it to be the first of many Virtual Time Binocular apps with depictions of St Andrews and Perth already in the pipeline. We have had interest from across Europe and Latin America, so we expect our Virtual Time travel platform to go global," says Dr Alan Miller, Director of Smart History.

On Friday 7 July, Smart History and Museums and Galleries Edinburgh will host a discovery evening at the Museum of Edinburgh where visitors can explore the brand new digital reconstruction of sixteenth-century Edinburgh. Visitors and residents of Edinburgh will for the first time be able to compare the modern city with the capital of James V and Mary Queen of Scots. The new reconstruction is the first to be created of the period, and is based on a drawing from 1544, the oldest relatively realistic depiction of the capital.

At the evening launch attendees will be able to walk through the streets of Edinburgh featuring the entire city held within the video game engine it was built in.

"Ever since we showed the preview video of our digital reconstruction of 1544 Edinburgh, people have been asking when the complete app will be available. We are very pleased to finally release it to the public," says Dr Elizabeth Rhodes, Smart History's Historian.

Using their mobile phones and VR headsets, users will become virtual time-travellers as they are immersed in historic scenes, stereoscopic video and 360 degree images. Visitors to the city will explore today's St Giles' Kirk and the Grassmarket as they learn more about their 16th century equivalents in parallel.

With the global release of the app on 7 July, Smart History will be in the Scottish capital at the Museum of Edinburgh for city tours and demonstrations from 10am to 4pm both Saturday and Sunday. Expertly guided virtual tours of the Royal Mile will allow virtual time travellers to compare Edinburgh's past to its present.

"In some ways time binoculars offer better Virtual Time travel than even the Holodeck on the Starship Enterprise. While the holodeck is incredibly realistic, it only exists in one place in time and space. Virtual Time Binoculars is a holodeck you can take anywhere with you," says Catherine Anne Cassidy, Head of Smart History's Digital Curation.

The app, which is Google Daydream enabled, allows users to view the reconstructions either in full screen mode or through more immersive virtual reality mode. Hotspots highlight the scenes with more facts and historical images for users to learn about the location.

The digital reconstruction is inspired by a drawing created by the English military engineer Richard Lee, who accompanied the Earl of Hertford's May 1544 expedition. Lee's drawing (now held by the British Library) is one of the oldest surviving depictions of Edinburgh, and became the defining English impression of Scotland's capital.

The interdisciplinary team of St Andrews researchers supplemented the information from Lee's plan with archaeological evidence, sixteenth-century written sources, and information about the geography of the modern city, to create an updated reconstruction of Edinburgh.

"The Virtual Time Binoculars project is ground breaking for digital reconstruction because it uses technology already in people's pockets. We have developed a software framework which will enable us to continue to send people back in time," says Dr Iain Oliver, Head of Systems for Smart History.

Explore further: New technology reveals 16th century Edinburgh

More information: Link to app: play.google.com/store/apps/det ory.edinburgh1544vtb

Elon Musk's Tesla will build what the maverick entrepreneur claims is the world's largest lithium ion battery within 100 days, making good on a Twitter promise to ease South Australia's energy woes.

Qualcomm on Thursday escalated its legal battle with Apple, filing a patent infringement lawsuit and requesting a ban on the importation of some iPhones, claiming unlawful and unfair use of the chipmaker's technology.

France will end sales of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040 as part of an ambitious plan to meet its targets under the Paris climate accord, new Ecology Minister Nicolas Hulot announced Thursday.

Japanese designer Yuima Nakazato claimed Wednesday that he has cracked a digital technique which could revolutionise fashion with mass made-to-measure clothes.

Volvo plans to build only electric and hybrid vehicles starting in 2019, making it the first major automaker to abandon cars and SUVs powered solely by the internal combustion engine.

The first Tesla Model 3 electric car for the masses should come off the assembly line on Friday with the first deliveries in late July, the company's CEO says.

Please sign in to add a comment. Registration is free, and takes less than a minute. Read more

See the article here:

Virtual reality opens doors to Edinburgh's historic past - Phys.org - Phys.Org

Even a grandpa can have fun in the world of virtual reality.

I recently experienced this truth, despite my misgivings about anything virtual reality related, as a first-time player in the Wilderness Resorts new CYvrSPACE Virtual Arena.

The latest in a handful of virtual reality (also known as VR) attractions to open in the Dells-Delton area in recent months, CYvrSPACE brings the fastest tracking of any virtual reality game system ever produced according to the Wilderness news release heralding the attractions unveiling July 4 weekend.

Of course, a local gaming arena could feature the slowest tracking of any VR game on the planet, and I would not know the difference. As someone whose gaming skills date back to the virtual Dark Ages of Donkey Kong and Asteroids, I was a little nervous about venturing into this virtual world.

Sure, I had tried my hand at Halo and Area 51 when my sons were teenagers more than a decade ago, but I had found out quickly what a veteran teen gamer could do at least virtually to a slow-fingered, digitally challenged geezer like me.

Joe Eck, general manager of the Wilderness and a driving force in bringing the CYvrSPACE experience to the resort, assured me ahead of time I would enjoy the new gaming experience, no matter what my skills or lack thereof.

For one, I would be the sole player in my virtual realm, because thats how the new attraction was designed. It would be man vs. machine, with no teenagers in sight, at least within my virtual realm.

Secondly, as Ecks Wilderness colleague and resort Attraction Director Chris Ebben put it:CYvrSPACE players dont have to be gamers with mad twitch controller skills. In CYvrSPACE, a participants body is the controller.

These facts tempered my trepidation somewhat as I arrived at the Wilderness one recent morning and proceeded toward the indoor resort area that formerly housed Wild Buccaneer mini golf, as did my brief warm-up chat with Eck a few minutes before we both ventured over to the CYvrSPACE check-in area.

Greeting the expectant gamer next to the arena entrance is a glass-enclosed gaming pod, which allows passersby and anyone else interested to watch while a giant flat-screen monitor high on one wall displays everything the gamer himself is seeing in his virtual world.

Before entering the glass-enclosed cube or one of the arenas six other pods which together comprise what creator Ben Davenport calls one of the largest free-roam, tether-less VR systems in the world the gamer must enter a darkened staging area and suit up with a backpack and controllers.

A sound system and another giant monitor continue to set the mood of impending battle while dispensing instructions, with a few able-bodied humanoid employees also on hand to answer questions and offer tips on how to use the dual hand-held controllers.

Once inside my VR pod I donned the headset, and suddenly I was transported to a futuristic control room, perhaps aboard a space station or some other intergalactic habitat, complete with a couple of zombie style robots slowly creeping toward me with menace in their eyes.

Within seconds, Id figured out how to fend off those zombies by pulling the triggers of my two virtual weapons as well as how to move around the room quickly with the only other button at my disposal.

Because I had the honor of playing inside the glass enclosure, my exploits were witnessed, and photographed, by a spectator or two, but I was not distracted by their presence because I could not see them, fully absorbed as I was with taking care of those pesky robo-zombies.

By the time my session had concluded approximately 20 minutes later, I had held off successively larger zombie hordes, even though I was pronounced virtually dead at their hands a couple of times. I also had learned to crouch behind various, virtual obstacles inside the room, and to dart hither and yon, out of the attackers grasp, with the touch of that third button.

I even worked up a bit of a sweat.

Back in the staging area, as I decompressed from my turn as a cyber-warrior, Mr. Eck returned from his latest session as well, reporting a similarly rigorous effort plus a score exponentially greater than mine.

But he reassured me my scores would pile up quickly the more I played the game.

Thanks to another one of the new arenas features, I could pick up right where I left off the next time I happen to be staying at the resort perhaps with the aforementioned four grandsons safely ensconced at a nearby pool or at the brand-new Timberland Playhouse, located conveniently within a toddlers walking distance from the CYvrSPACE arena.

Perhaps Ill progress enough that Ill make my way into one of the other 49 levels of game progression" CYvrSPACE offers, accompanied by a host of new worlds and new enemies, bosses and challenges, according to the Wilderness news release.

The new attraction, open only to resort guests, costs $20 for the half-hour experience and is recommended for children ages 8 and up, according to the resort. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 608-253-9729, extension 40812.

Follow Ed Legge on Twitter @DellsEd. Contact him at 608-432-6591.

See the original post here:

Dells Wilderness unveils virtual reality arena - WiscNews

Volkswagen is buckling down on virtual reality technology.

The German auto giant said Wednesday that it built a virtual reality app that acts as a sort of digital meeting room where team members can interact with one another and discuss auto designs, among other things.

The new VR app contains all of the companys previous VR apps like its virtual reality car showrooms into one hub. Employees who work across Volkswagons various brands like Audi and Skoda Auto will be able to access the app and work together on different projects.

Get Data Sheet , Fortunes technology newsletter.

Going forward, we can be virtual participants in workshops taking place at other sites or we can access virtual support from experts at another brand if we are working on an optimization, said Volkswagen ( vlkay ) group logistics member Mathias Synowski in a statement. That will make our daily teamwork much easier and save a great deal of time."

Volkswagen said that it would be using a version of the HTC Vive virtual reality headset for businesses as part of its rollout of the new app.

HTC debuted its HTC Vive Business Edition last June. The headset costs $1,200 and comes with a 12-month warranty, customer support, and other features intended to make it more attractive to business clients.

Here is the original post:

Volkswagen Debuts Virtual Reality App for Training, Collaboration ... - Fortune

Things are about to get extreme as ESPN announced it will for the first time live stream the X Games in virtual reality.

Using Samsungs VR app and Gear VR headset, ESPN will offer an immersive view of the event taking place July 13-16 in Minneapolis. VR content will be include the Skateboard Vert, BMX Street and Skateboard Street Amateurs events.

ESPN is shooting the events with 360-degree camera systems and offering a multicamera livestream experience that includes real-time graphics, X Games talent and feature segments integrated into Samsung VR. ESPN and Samsung partnered with VR production company Digital Domain to offer the feature.

X Games has always been a laboratory for innovation and progression, both for the worlds top action sports athletes and for ESPNs production of events and use of technology, said Tim Reed, vice president of ESPN X Games, in a statement. We are always pushing to create new and better ways for fans to experience and interact with X Games. Working with Samsung to produce these three great events for Gear VR is an awesome example of that.

The Skateboard Vert and BMX Street events will also be offered in standard 2D.

RELATED: Samsung signs live VR content deals with UFC, Live Nation, X Games

Details about Samsungs and ESPNs VR plans for the X Games emerge after Samsung previously announced VR content deals with the ESPN as well as UFC and Live Nation.

We are excited to offer Samsung Gear VR users the opportunity to experience their favorite live music and sporting events through our industry-leading VR ecosystem, said Younghee Lee, CMO and executive vice president at Samsung Electronics, in a statement. Partnering with these companies to expand our VR services helps us to open up a new gateway of opportunities for fans and demonstrate our commitment to delivering experiences that make the seemingly impossible, possible.

See original here:

ESPN to livestream X Games in virtual reality - FierceCable

Just about every kid dreams of going to Disney World, the most magical place on Earth when viewed through youthful eyes (but a lot of waiting in long lines for the older and more cynical crowd). Because of the high demand, enjoying a day at the theme park can get pretty expensive, so when Victor Peoro told his young daughter that it was too pricey to go, he came up with a pretty good alternative: a virtual reality roller coaster (via Neatorama).

His setup was supremely simple: Get a POV YouTube video of a roller coaster ride playing on the TV, put his daughter in a small plastic bin, then hold that bin in front of the TV and move it around in sync with the video. Her laughter is proof enough that this was a good idea, and it looks like dad is having a nice time himself.

Tell you what, though: I dont have a daughter of my own, but if I did, I dont think Id be able to pull this offgoodness, are you seeing how huge this guys forearms are? Love is a powerful thing, but I got to start doing some curls or whatever sort of workout will inflate my forearms like that.

The good news is that the Peoro family might make it to Disney World after all. At the suggestion of many YouTube commenters, the father started a GoFundMe page to make his daughters dream of going to the theme park come true, and its nearly at the halfway point of its goal in less than 24 hours.

Check out the fundraiser here, and let us know in the comments if you have any other examples of creative and loving parenting like the video above.

Featured image: KentuckyFriedIdiot/YouTube

Continued here:

This Awesome Dad Made a Virtual Reality Rollercoaster for His Daughter - Nerdist

Wayne Hsiung, a founder of Direct Action Everywhere, which also fights for animal welfare, called the technology a game changer for animal advocates.

The meat industry always complains that were using selective footage, narrow vantage points and editing to make things seem worse, he said. But with VR, youre seeing exactly what we saw and hearing exactly what we heard.

In one sign of how quickly the technology is being adopted among animal advocacy groups, Direct Action also released a virtual-reality video on Thursday. It takes viewers into barns at Circle Four Farms in Milford, Utah, one of the largest pig production operations in the United States. The film shows sows with bloody and mangled teats; pregnant sows gnawing on the bars of the narrow stalls they live in until they give birth; and piglets clambering over and nibbling dead siblings.

In a portion of the film Mr. Hsiung narrates, dead piglets are piled up behind a sow who is wedged into a crate so tightly that she cannot move away from the mess. But a viewer can turn away from her to see, and hear, sows in similar straits all around her.

Circle Four is owned by Smithfield Foods, which was bought in 2013 by Shuanghui International, one of Chinas largest meat processors. Keira Lombardo, a Smithfield spokeswoman, said the video had blatant inaccuracies, such as its assertions that the animals shown in it are being starved.

This video, which appears to be highly edited and even staged, is an attempt to leverage a new technology to manufacture an animal care issue where one does not exist, she wrote in an email on Wednesday.

She said that after Smithfield was contacted last week by The New York Times, the company had outside auditors Barry N. Pittman, Utahs state veterinarian, and Jennifer Woods, a veterinarian and livestock handling expert conduct an investigation at Circle Four, which found no animal mistreatment. Rather, she said, the videos creators, who claim to be animal care advocates, risked the life of the animal they stole and the lives of the animals living on our farms. (In fact, Direct Action took two piglets from the farm, to rescue them, and Smithfield says it will alert the authorities in Utah on Thursday about trespassing on its property and other alleged infractions by Direct Action.)

Other animal rights organizations are moving to adopt virtual-reality technology. At its Animal Care Expo in May, the Humane Society of the United States introduced its first 3D video showing conditions at a dog-meat plant in South Korea. Its powerful, more powerful than conventional video, said Paul Shapiro, the societys vice president for policy.

It is not easy, however, to sneak the bulky equipment needed to make a high-quality VR video into an industrial barn or meat plant. Animal Equality had to stitch its first iAnimal video together using film shot on several cameras.

But the bigger challenge is distribution. The technology needed to watch the videos is not widespread, so when Animal Equality started an outreach program on American college campuses last year, it had to supply headsets.

So far, the videos have made it to 117 campuses, including Oxford, Yale and the University of California at Berkeley. Animal Equality is working to develop a mobile app that will deliver as close to a virtual-reality experience as possible.

Mr. Valle noted that The Times had distributed more than one million cardboard virtual-reality headsets and said that he expected the technology to continue to spread. Sure, this is a new technology, he said, but its being used more and more.

Read this article:

Animal Welfare Groups Have a New Tool: Virtual Reality - New York Times

XKW A9IqK:8-<$3^wc]6>9_@c^EYo^4uN&zN_LhUUMX6]G'eF.>nu|:%k/6DwXW2+zh}G6~`]rm:Ey=v'{y/nvi]z=_SAgwlw|g #4m[I/1J h]I7eYDj< t.j0PL@Jg2TTHi!AKU*g3|=;Ai3^$iWIPfTdRTVI(vy=,8pyJ*5WZBTOMPJ1SYQLfDU4*KJx^)@RJt"U"Ks-X.*HR9,~2n;*@* 4"7>4;?NPZBYR4ee3U E^UU>H:E'0)T1^1@c2Q'b5gRJr3AV1dxPS^*)Gq.buc&(LWEaT![f]o;Fg)-Y'/7.?oLCuO1VmYvoGL=m;dompz:HmKkujv,j+/fWch@Cs;3.h 9;y.~YeCk 5HeE_uO~6!m*1"=_D-J"}*Hzd*&RQKIDJIR2kjJ"@IAJCdPRTYUp&CqJEV(:{fZasT|6yH,#]YAF%un;DQDiKO33%&K}7|;#ge%s`wv66w4gOu g 'c" +13J*M%G9i,iS3sqN^ +iFP~*_$M"cxNNY>RdorV^UY.juN0"EMLy%jn.jvn/7;uZK6O[~M{k.VYxw]o6dowzOi cEtHI4YEI,0h-HHr>"?t:{$q8x6u7~yL/n%Fvg0-gM:I^}6RC3J}6>RxmH3mxlSxvv f<4:c4dA<[-P&BR6~dYKNIAzty$w/^,:y~crZt97x]oypu47 wVubh$oe/Z]!fG|W9g!.k*;(s}/ZKg ,YIQk}2uERsq {rme0EB|K8p&GjKr,>Tg C-A+j`uR *gc0)?#_}NczmibxNhQm-'IVG$`W@/b}Z UIGDP1SCxHb%f l^_s%yh|yX:HinM.*n1ok/"aNB=0u)2Y]1WZ )k-|c'dCUvI<3%gjxI3.-$)Wb]0 6J$]rqd~aqk-8"R`=GX$<-$XZ;w{|6t)TpIN$:mG=~* u ;1i&gEg9HzLm_+_~t9rs5Lp@1VViE=Y];v$;WpJbe:PLe,%sF ggUP2Nyz^*MS@3%UWkz3]e|2tKqFx@I| Tg5#J)pmTQVE/ lRfJC` U7#G$VK" l A5'uuKH5 L%ceBv jE?z )UhzwF btlkVODO`wAV1;cx6 U6aZ22GK)s5AN(`C== [APh ^QgI9SL[ighp->f7F_rGWMaUBXg jiN=$ `<~> WVo6C-~<~*jDC/qa_O 36Se_^~]~vO3Y"m H]VcZsX GU4r1M[:'m:Q.R.&$)h[SE%1g9deROKsFxo;Q-_RA 3VrM4DZH/K?Q*sl~'0OLap-'b" vF0GL6'A{ne~FQw}, X(e2rQ[D)~gMq<@ }"siO#E9g,ZF|RJJ7q]w2Myk'&AS0O-Z_2{D6v !]n0@,{u?&1i6qgeRm$nr(}KpO1rCfXk+0=){e?_uR~[W|#^/(ss/QXv~wEnq,OZoBqBpl4V&?:4gzp!XGeX"58 LXB1T~7r'*xP&C)R8Hc23( i(&(S9HAc }SQk[M9#f~_q~II$r#IL('?" qvE~7EKN4D.jv5`OMc_jJffT&}:l:eS"=;l2} ]Kj@.`A]2xh)4jp 5iO%;LZrRB IzKM`o)y{a?4I#x>3sG8$bLmI4+"Ndb8I8+8}N|$#-?DQphkBVMVT/L4,N5e?fZL0a@th!V,$a!;ox%4I~{@;A6}@+$M~@C,)ky{wh87DXL[)U Y-[5y,Xlf[S}kpI4Jst^8 R6%RhJ8)pR)) Q7`jc^dj.*=+MTY?=Fs,_/BvE,R@ )t LU /*AdBNuu|)]/VqIH&o>+fa^6}UIR2jKjS Fw;qDIzzu=oeMoqxMztGx rz%k]6R'a^I,bqvi9`wa4No>lA:sDe%2gM[PVR:/]]o6+"i&)RR>m2peEsH-68d:J"y.c`p'3d-H ;~Aj9:troPbK#RIj=P u>J ~N{r[j28n 2}Njc-*%WG:e5 2u6IP1{<;n7?nj_~ub,Hyb/7@1/RzLF4C&2T&cJpE gg4v1d%0np'[M3*q}rY2h(UG?3|:j%odh.:^4~~b*,w_mIe^q=*duZK^fpuE 4W@8D,v&yY.uU4[ofQ` +BEAM{2K7jw6wp)/  Y|YBAph)Je}[V,VE=Eo

1#O>6n9b6D%e;p vd>kga3~zWJ:7T7m7obgY<|Iww:u&+ x[%p^KXX >Vk)rR@ $)]/|z"MqQi@Y,)SgFsJ8p^&o4i&}~mq$M+kRT"b3I4(KD^p,HBqCD+1G/~*3#`}!zq`0X0900@i#9 )w 7El'ThKEl)69l[@"7`> CRhIG?&N:L5FZ#v(5Pmm*z'UDD8C[(?&]l&HM{lt p!-+]*K"$KNp?aLRC&(;I)cNMgq}`G8cKSje;gn=*$@"o" ~k( `e9$)PoUR:`BWHz#dE1XqL!(9``M" t4VC?au[4GOoF}!LjO_5)5]r8]U jbih_nF OwaqCd:%,xxsVmS8:8)fM515wpK]tl7^b;}e?fa^J=@"I2AnM =:84/!h _rv0x^vOE7fd<^1S,&{!YOWpX:Tk88RQfs4VQko?x6Yg1(<()ZrVf4[en+aDr6Fs5XLhyxn6]}T[4MgC=YB5V Q_sZ8|'6Honk42nukZ$U}"u-`Q'u0XPWu4REXLwqVqe1lNmF.Y h8HCh$c.lBpN_Hp lq4Y"_=ZX]`>j"6wG#Hh84/DyeXrM5ng:p/KXg;N%8Hg )O(t7z2`q%M"T^'~&WlWS-z:@BYCG4))W>sK*_?{pS^qam+?J?_ ~V[}z__sZ 2?VTJ4iwKdpuNZl@aFA$v0CR 86^a1E*bWsihY:}vUCbRX/4]G@~L+` }J}x+z1.uX?n! ~4A__W.kS7},;vrV@nEomv}`4e[C2fXC@2nr`gtyG !=DaS"fG@x]?T2JvLf662::JAP~, ]!_fx8BST#,?)PV"SQ%M=*cqj&r]wqppe!h<1vBxuhj._xEv &dcJHcDESghI_[M |#X}&j$I7H!$Y[;bY4_C|}GBuP*fS-$J7g c*Q%k>1WCD*0X}P@N c,&o~'co6kd.*J M8Ts0;I&I,&$MI Co`W,qj7&* k6lTwIZL:D=b#&2}uMmS]]UmBz g2jmb|%;%q%Jc4bXsq3ei b5X{>>&~I mI1Ub@Q(*Jd<+IsV%6J}gK /YCf=wnO XzNKUuif:/0TQ/LSsuS`ri *,^~lI02hvZ ;)N-f Y.{QOT/fA/5Sw Z pmJ@ Fi(GKExMh<"t{]g{Ab9E&.:,nmT3zZ%l~);X?^"}:ps )boOhls5j ]}Vh a=vj2Kb9bYauaGq>t Ar6E`j q/3*-,*U[rEd77 7UN!onq_YIpLu&UH1!ekpcLy[8vlq.:VkyP`@kUn01R&ye*AIt}%;$AjdT5#aTt7`d{fBtEj5:t3B>?wfe^%iss^W ^RD:+WvGj AWk72wAMb):/mC6RcQ REvJRGsdB".~{3W4H_ximQ{#pEi% UPPSQTrVjW$p*wZ2v6c-Rs.4E'EZ*Z@Sw-(=-.j3~t-?; .yiwc-dA#JJ-'+*/EXViSeC"!#EK$hj]y/,8"!&2 ]^7t% D2LR?HluQv'R.won` `iCr H3 K%H$vm|Z_lpEjczi !fvL-(I*-a>SKNEiDU};{_}~M1^6o=4mT&`&'R=9s|k;{]?e53>XF+Y%VjR 4G!)e9n_!}O0?0>`/DL| {PAx|ME51Zgy??qZZ}TK_*2&LL;;)T6t0eg?!S/ tB],>|S9",}?vg/I)<>eN=5Wy23.8!k[s{ _w^{K!}]_Yjoq.KDiQ1xuK_5r-!6LYeVyRNB!Y2M9( %:LdocSw>i}OT)6t "t0X=k?.N{;S86 k!6+1)6#;j dYV "HV?*BCpun &951SI"BN^h%S1/H{[1wFNuc.eu'jO$94"5J5Lu.;_zdYH6)?W@{nYFJ<,|~ql{^5JZY P7y8| j=.aJ@%rzZ`s&,RRW6+FK8'JUGCQyPG;N#^28,se|Vzno`!UFPdC>zqUtX~K s J!Gh.A-slhnU>*qh5b,&nKd0s~=,w28h^H|AZh^%@6 HdMsw{2O9&F7;rSKu^?#W"/wKLNO"Vxg#W nzD /s]E^3L07b}8r]6o}B^h5 -2%snsFFP(I 1 L"OcM=a34VFJ=PyJ[[rvK*:0#IH9f,=-|X"kGb 0K ).9)TB1ki*t $h n Pa"kblvzo | [!<~ko@%ib3!)7$JW8qY8uP>yxW%oz+n_d-FcP}S/|(_?CyOn| };f-e6y]IAn8EsackVK6 9!zbB$ c_9gG(VThC)Q*9kB UAq{p{k,|,Q#V[[?]$kMk1^c_vgS}+1:i_5>;tAz,9`f]"A8 @[TGo*3bzuSDF,OaQ

Continue reading here:

Hollywood studios dip their toes in virtual reality - The Economist

BBC News

How virtual reality may change your life - BBC News - BBC.com BBC News Virtual reality (VR) is being touted as a big growth area for film-makers, engaging audiences in ways traditional film can't. But it is also being explored ... and more »

Here is the original post:

How virtual reality may change your life - BBC News - BBC.com - BBC News

YnFUa85*Ei]M?cnVk,r}=CR$Mh![sQF-_JCy?]@mY 9Q=uRJLwBdV_:_cHr(#huzyWM-Vy'nq4"/6iit93_ x A=qIak@WXK2M`2P*MD&$HS"41`F>;GPJR42Eti):> qA{c< 1$ i%a5t ed8AS&%IqzAi8P?:"4%pETL$:*TD#z2tRCTeP&"bL!`TBgqyU&3p^f*Q$HXd82&'6MN% 5K fq$>/la#L,e(Q&h$R?6Ni$8Lp,H#T@axFBs"C6/H B2e$JhH-EFZ!Ty'g8JSB)UT84iD)p(J`2%@8R>1(Yj[)<*!XJ+5f? I)lf5A:%9;ge^zA +Q%6>x"y ;-hu'Ti Ug(jy6mRY@,V?&.@sr45u{=-- f0jnod]/1Dvc4Oo'`GUDVc@Gpy6oe-=b[SQ ,mf3]9 Npri8nh.^pU.E}1<4RjJvr@7A8O'g1f~={ow|rSgrW_@pA2|9.4~]ns*9W1{{M]r{f;{z%W$bhFgcE#?khUif O>e $lK@oF}Uk/P%w3al5[W>9}?vXfr#SKosX;;v7=m3|6~%@,r7d.sU&x]KV;E rt>$~D0koJM6f;*Zk PDAf=5mr099pExb|?PbkpCw=6&BYW"nT(!q]z'6TyWCPAe`NkFx=e@)FXFX@2#=90*~{6Jb_~y]#9n,{>z1oqKpa BAi "LD{ZAA&ts LO8* J|yJ/6T)e%s}<'HK"no*siz]L:@WFT*"$M,#']XJGrd%t m*,eL!8.dC},(p[%/V!z]yLhRlm9/O{~}z]8EmLXv2(UK,E(m(fW/py&6dJ18UdiQ}o#alNsf(mSNz:PN'MzS5>njL6wjy|dJ|c!{yyU4g~D .eWSVv}uipPO2f:j=jvg`sWmOsFc^QW5~RYU/kwM]k6;gn5hkx??TVn]AF}Y h!KtX3_2zaZY{SQ+JR3}(D|L>h}d]_!VMO<#:kFRgQC"[.4bo'cLsz7Y )eXGLGd<$1]]h*IdzgNd1[xQ)qzod{{gjoOFci M~P6}OLz%0[ }JG%]~K^YL:%s//-3:[akW8=-1'>K2~x3p}i-kG,!$53WZ]%_k#n01$E@1@8El]b,O2'vALco%F *_8|h>MjXT0hVn<$5vocNDq>}J{Ad$8!!b1@HRIkP*z))]$c1ogUovji-A#E*O9H8rmdq 1aI(x|kE5+{27`C/P: vOfN:g3-_k(C#fly?tY`"U= kd ^mgW@Dn/}Tu|@ {z+(OD|@u^9]_/pV| +}LU+ @ ZPQ9m!,w2uA5FnU hhomM?j'iqXW =0]4=k{bi,oE'h%f@b$"7>w0?^iD1(%&7}nf* j'%$d%w-Ba(a^3CCN=43"VB;mM+Ecm i]n0~_7eq=`1pH^~~lJ"E1,Q/.CirG=Ba>>dEWw6c?@!JjDCE9]#Xn'3-'"_,z1HSuNgMQv$/b[S&I!OH,DM]Mi0bClU]%[DFUKxV-{{x67>e lV9Qq-WBT:86aYxM?J.Z3Bo#+3R!u9Dm::.(])hUPE%1g1dW[sBSw.:>PzN~Fl;{V1s^5eVbj#Xw"K?9.@n$yT#RcvL12D_#&Xq;;/] L]*f_D[L%i4OJs~_XTULN&>`TbbfA}Ky~(; ,yUIfU@k@&g?Gp9SD+x!|pJ~~,YyF,9 PWpnxM3.[C=sCOAn E9A/PU^Eb++lb0&oMG*n3,,6Q2qy"7)p:FAE%0C]K+toy&`-s0ntWmHeO CV88dF! 0 >{pIWK|Va< |h:VC_H{@=DOv]6 nv++]5n6.c%V?+r_QLzfx;Re^|o[r|.TI-'K|"8- C|T-~7Ko@ *,K[ozH,;X^*sY2Q-T!KCLM?L(|Mnufb3O~}l9gSmiB*jn3{Y(b3d4IJJ435J:QT R,4pLnxM!o0J+{1~< X "=PPRAY': e/U"PRDM2eu21D{/NJD_3koxESzH> Du*`o_Kt>dbH,{]iIz761GBP2] ]$RFo!#E_N34AF=y7M:M9O~:]qC: y d^>l2,b%]eXxx*rFNZ)P- -CI cQb`%e:!F&`jkP35}[*N3Gcr Z~Z)& ZtR|l<~mz-VIjXKjHMLS4!(G.?(0<0}+Ux.r1')*vY ;n_L~*|1l_y6~KEz_|4D ,#u5rE7;`w(j(,?*h,"]A0OM ^ -1'3XkOSMinl0H]]]u]5e}Gw48[M)L3/Z 1)U93Jw6osVfP<_<7_N7j,|~tE-Z8-rno%M$o d-_gK-(}Vj{"7oG|Agnt}sp52/;QPxfY@k^SoK<7ppB[gLE(~>j#1PaPC.ygg#{<=p{fTwc6w}vf$E]Yh>+}Ah2K=>|vr+Mg1[|0z'Northtp+w{}^vOGWB!>QL/}~9PZi /!^VP/"kcs)8v+%TM)'Y| x+J!cg)vTR^p7LO_NM2{*x>J%VN;/ GHYz&Ma,-:E*w6=qr//.q1|]5*zE0*K(%Atb /c{q7, kED>8k,T'DhVuHec`~O%M^GiZOVxY6B&-%PH)Ih`O+jv,=+"pn8b^04=K7(V;M3Zg>P%r.r7pFG-@xvu1v>g V R={ d; /?cp2=J IH5s~n66~rjE=_0?2m||>_k5OPW?>},Jc5=;y^6b_^m6B0#n ;e%?9cQ?1gpS5A}*bgflmCoGW*Bcp!MbaAOQ{@p9qyik}g<4+G -Ai;(f&6 MVvWG5B+XL|MxKK0] #!Ui1fc9Cw'[v/%Jj.;'~x/Ev}_[&_?dof_>u,r5 s{/A6qSS~tY-$@VenC[K9^[39KX|x>4WL.,VlWBouXx qL&rY/i@".nbOf +hl=:q{NLts,& 72}q7OXkItQABhKrh$7mz$5IUELIFIU2Nb8M]ocBrA1SaY[EL9fin@P6LxuS?yW4$SorG..&f^{FSO2v>|IAb&[:k '3i7dR(46:,"7,(&Du V: l_$YuV(lX-,&oaqBT*j>hArRLinOzTL'uvK.KUgy+4UU`ri JTB5eh$Cpov)|d@Z ;(m6 l9I=n@/ /l,KDb^@;TI00-bEQb4Ik@ j$]`,#kV.(1]Ue8Pm;AW$B?6$ E7JCHT1Fk0t].P^So@4OuW@sZ6+z!_*e=}ig:WW8:w>v-SC Mm$6Zu~he#t)Q'w$1rE*yZu :oj}8?i6! Q"X% rUc! (SZxupAo2|.>XYNX-*4Sr4*Y+Ezx((>zgIO_W+d~8_z=Q'J!$)ohQF2S.(o~"UzfOH&B]3rA{<69)-:WMr B [hE9xk9LYLV yk!{4mz4m<3n=[m58;bJW!)8Cx8rF@b&L!CcfmP-80"sw|i/6c2J;0x4BE?p2G2Qm3$)t&)6" i%kbuneD.R_SBUDo[:23gE wPZ(CvC}Y[@C#pM(Ji+`:!+r-A6YIe&Tk1}VmgYh!N@7In0Eg^dkUI:#I`H>@szR~U+'j `RaC-E,#N>,vF%r/TBOtn"cHYeT )O!^YuW!6jU /%]!X aw(Ti%1+Ey"FLI2g]d@p-L27En/FgIIR<|lrR4)fOAR!I6{!90yHCq]bROl~ 0sR ]{t[rRS`EU>BenF]oWMWcYfxVP~P>6_E/ aH9!F0q@GUY66`Xp EvWwWMcNK_au57 ZJ 5beW91Y-|v-{!|cVlv|TD""{|k6)qG,8kNN'NP/:d;.!RoO=g6S[mlCF=!_qv%?75&?]i8o:`7mK_L=ZOq{.Z0B~+j,&c8,c'A Xtx&4*a{kN#SCQMpf<":yTKY6jDyq&Kjo ;"*-%zE2tHWH(0bKCq~ "^1%]zLe6Zo@ib4-,!0T61V<(Qg dz?J?s4Dlz0 2j&`K'7VkDR ],:44 1a:)YKR]Xer%1ht%5E'NFZmZG! y*D~I}h*i44"2ZQy2u8rdA-Vd{7 ~zUTA`Q5zHSt}J8Iy*> QINN<{uQwz5XysAfd6Bj)~}P*G?.1 Ep[?KYm0t,-|UV7PC($!w;y|M+Apf 3_ XtB}i6lV>i?!UH2aK]eN11|B irW$gdQs5vxPbR^]]y&8w?k&+LWWBs3o^Ds?j_*4Jv{Y;I"k} 93>[`P)Lac6%.=k&9qPZ]o_>5'-ER:IUmxd/_'Fek D <`MJ[,WC'5a2' Dtxo4O/IW$$=v].ET)yyO59qT47sa ]@/ u&>AQmpXk0Dratm7[)ZT;4~SNjjJ,X2m0(SW[||s!HypEV[v! *'er3W}[=y|T#/,^MaQ~]YEyh@V5]9Q@)X:!K{ K&[wRQyL&_~>t(WcoFls:m%&&eXy,9jJ3delm?u?n"d[ns=WXyA{(%UoMT{IFu$Mb2&( >k#XzJWsl1`.pf*QCq,'tK{4@J'<[>;PFYVu^S[Bi='lHwhN*Y{zvp|n?7{*EGD14d5MyCy0lX(X &y)`jUwjrpMZ/:RAMiQA|_ +F4G(. 2J?m` W_(. *^X>pi`6NZ<(;;/g31&dFp <.OOPL=GyzSwaulNoi D6C?2iCeBE-RVr[(bUnFKU^G09Sc"q_1,78 J2x@EG-|9N#7+`AKJN`F`Fd|B*CSs+HX{u{'>;$vbn#%zcTU d:k/"k^6H! <#FX |(%OCUJO-> Po,*sYsMqvW(n:GYg/X^A1o;g!apa&Ze-xXX?`oG=5fGBqWE NgF &;bs`yn=k^`( }8ADO[b 0li16R/m%&nY2:%@!J"xnbUw(H gqM`E)%1-tFx!>NFN7aPkPg:0LEa ^$+9[7)^NX|ipjd.O4JmFg:cKLi J_Q4ns+J_ Kg |"q"6Y6@6**[c"" X"!,z*MpPKCujK G.kU~B?&}MeC|dJ[y[mu{95/ jM*b}_9x?k%^,iAn^:Hib/|nd1 7c8i 5+4sG-g]2L0 k(j=7hbcRrU ZW7!TMl6$cR:y_M:k!S6ZB^&|@ v~s4Vy`P'~6'|M.w<6+I;HwA K,$]+$u *x?WhU"0%h(QEp&A,pU6k5l&snBJ'OT(Xq@5`[W,dr[_tEloOfQcHl](HhFw/X,# $-KT;TsdV+2,ED5SQ92!`-`k;#$l[Qp!hQ4jK@7s.]a!H}:zoNydMDG:iIpE_y%IHd z$~2{bq9J]I. 9!z/^[8I./j*=hjvt3VV>|G2j RKDp%rJp$#'oN5"t8J]KjF0;gI9Pf9EMX b[_Bi'[qQX.-G04/cX q87',d@Qm+69L>&5RpS4<*AE`6$61BaP*-=?NMEj)[EyJo!vO[#$3,lh{E'tQPzu=9,eo 9TQz

<]g,70g0Ui$A185_wtNJi/"mgR= Jw|t0|:`cmZL~;MF.vn}u^P~n3tA#B+~ hZ;l@"b/!wX FE}UV ]<XzCk&B x!YpP'Bal>Lb3~d6`UMEf2Yr>UR`8ZjX | [^CyzJ.>uacykM }-XJ$TdfpVG9;)oXZ%?8f9)$_L}=[Vdn2&6x%HD7+F`Nr`W>C;5L|OY,)y%L-n,G1 ;TY@R<@h@~U7:sT:o&"dxVI 4pAAn^BwT (:XR6N(u?R]gQ88tI@)XG .fH,8]yW$>!S~?R.lnq#8O@$ WH#k}w3Kw> 3=u_(gXnJa- 6awH!`g!xR>@Nt{r* =BQn]$M3vud_sN6UlM1 x"[ViPlXwK oj:Mm,i?"DE}`'"[OBqi,>WQ*6chwT%|RYw!DeSqx8c_ER(LgJ[> X/s:^K?/Zvx>M}QBi6yWl syHIp!t9yCry5/~72:/K3I :mO)A)IEiNDXV14^{VYEr(<~4a2g#, pr)?:-Sz4JTd(j[$B2||)IgA[75sD?<$ c#u]g00U+3SmUy 8S[-T^>o!VT,PXfhA@M'22.`w&V~&S2WjY @w_w3)s[u:)#(V+FEO=uRNCTMCxdeNu}d%Ql0?3^|f@;rw2gIYpb"urov$nhh-D 3S+N,5mi7D2}MU/Ob3^bdI5IWfctWCo$U(">4]SHGD}>Kjg)N#H71o9.K<4Uk#'r~R7/-'e7aWl1?+&C=d *>!wxbH$8mn@Y6eB!?IJ!3V8"gp|zs;91=QY{N>@-I*=5G}UZ/V-I++"Y4le[s[}G$brQX%TrEj1/i48'Z&k*0ZEg=XAFJpPN`8IUJ&2 O*sa7R@IcFzVN:IFLP#G-)1:%,YS*zJi_b*^Hlnw4X*JVDW;}nA"FAq}*"Kn$I:LW=L.1| ^#te?$7A%8-UG Fm06gc+dUH]mQ T H`aV bN1bEe%^iDz#$2#{~b.r w%8%hI2R8MmaUhvz|2^Q78,&u@c7]c*fk9R/|%fE Qy]^J!s$P]`:6-R8}?G_1ER"N`|,]c)cN]Kv8 /@=/GYd9UJ$8% U(8xl&K,R%)61l"- eeHF'N7GJ#}`o .WZ-I]y&UFM1I`[K{mCY~,l#-&/OEYg^@UBmIv,dP[KkKo*Key1xD+Cs@j%S{ p01tlU,SWMQa +cukvat;r~wi1wW)zfD'/YKY_9d";i3ASn- S%]IlX/`6cUId]6o-S~>KEwtu"06 |z~*tbA1g, @>,NIFTP`!H-&}eq5n'Kn1=8xG60a~!,b31Nr8)5SY,)~lv.VGt:.g%Pby`Gm2.6k!Ulp+[8(YT)gb0W Hu N40kA5h]ij]SwpCq+4?SSi}Y#yN-hv,yAlv br=0)q!kb#>T#j>s3pTL%GtA MD*hHz0/6X*R|s}2sP>zGTA-wa9Q%"J]e<:jFz<6^:` [/~/lcw>Qy"S [wZD;y(NTT"2` DyV^3hCH#|eqcC4GTHRPmH wKYF/m[Nd"GvovF|YyY'U|Sl7mF'VLMkY9LZB46a ,6 DI'|Zjta.oZyJZBX0VcI6VTN4S5QJbJTJx'^66IUYcjg]fBWhv66/K`?yT1*JAyWh]~npvzY+R$l: E:5TjU$TCTHA@iVh<`!y6K cpu]@FHh6t8!7|;>jTW 3)Qwz&w:B/~,78"d$XrbXio-:pB:_^]P Q{uL&]}CCf]UeWK7& 4 H_WU"V%'BnH 3;Q*T s 9' 1!_->X@{Lu.,Dw:Ot]xShC5*qzw/h x!5W)(z|c~{{" S]:-'w01m"LiF&L @*e{oIaq-R@8Pu+eXWDK]=X_ &?9A CANX( N"d B*E ;2^#R YZ%DeeqgNR /4o$xTJcRAb::i-Yav1v]DVU4oU16b PGAf"`_ $Mf4Rv?zoU}"pG@{7-Q#JIy9{cjn0Tq,t[6"TLt;F7umS5)IbB-B>1_c}""d0Jy'+g7 6Hb8cV4" Vo|7)%1 2g? =aeX{|zJs>:<)|5-8r 88!c/aK'wvJllg ~(8[ )CeA"|a 2)DdLP yAJ- :>irN 0d'rk)|{A$DJaNn{Ej46`l^_|m6^`Qf|R=L:m1Xr7 QP:=&_pt([1k*Cwd]K8 B ElzQZ)${1)32>g,jLOM ]NN 2`II% HI7M)p>6mp:R;0b#utGI3jsW3+nba{Z6b#wj? X8{:TW) ,B#)]A"la~ R9Py8X%w_OC`j!OA9yeT?WW }PnN+('in[ HX."$e*A%8|p8g6==:AJPgo_Sw`V%*bd*`&k#5 #@r ~Ea-dEQ^1A9[ln5# (FUA?[ x|e8<7&U $5hij BN(OwrbkUbOoJ>}Mqt5r")E#NGd:,28#<7cW%?J~_<]x:* f7!|ozCZ{aTvOw;/=+{jGdT01I 9~lv;{<^Ho]W*1.8?`vbW1@Qr0Se}tY f3sNi K*~Z 6,NP_]r(#kknz_M6D!8wR2'nr|Icy_0eW;xP#D|C6m=rDl>9{Ah;`n4S[Fki{+IB"^PUtjlUx"7J?vg/t RHYg7NlW^g?LG4Z085y*/V1>%ZdN=V]65VRCT"&bx"pY s.3 liHPv`4+h&9 JB-(H^?aplC: aL RQp.i[~Gi/YbZ

U, f=(F72`Ce[]ZE)"!{,%%l37ah Xe6VgAk^2:oj:^( .Qd,irK} _eLjl8q,b^Ch9e9U5TUE@kf5g F-=3+q)l98G>f[

J$:@WZW_fU*h zu

Original post:

A reality check for virtual headsets - The Economist

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

From sipping champagne in a virtual luxury box at the Camp Nou to sitting pitchside at Old Trafford from a hotel in Melbourne, Australia, the way we consume football is beingreimagined by broadcasters and technology companies.

As clubs look for new ways to build and engage their audiences, bold technical thinkers are plotting a virtual-reality revolution. Forget 3D television, which failed to take off and was hugely expensive; VR is the next frontier of football entertainment. Some have already arrived.

In August last year, Bayern Munich's opening Bundesliga game of the season against Werder Bremen was shown live in VR, the first time such an experiment had taken place, while Fox Sports used virtual reality images To enhance their broadcast of an Eredivisie match between PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord in February of this year.

This is next-generation VR we're talking about. From the Oculus Rift to the Google Daydream, Samsung Gear or HTC Vive, new technologies are poised to transform football viewing as you know it.

But will virtual reality live up to its hype, or are those staking millions on it destined for an expensive reality check?

Miheer Walavalkar sits quietly in a Soho coffee shop. He takes hissmartphone and slides it into a basic VR headset. While the rest of the world sips on lattes and flat whites, I am ushered into the world of virtual reality.

Walavalkar, born in India but residing in the U.S., is one of the brains behind LiveLike, whose introduction into the marketplace was one of the stories of sports VR last year. The company has raised $5 million in funding thanks to former NBA commissioner David Stern and a group of venture firms led by Evolution Media Partners and Elysian Park Venturescreated by the owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.

LiveLike are powering a new app for Fox Sports, called Fox Sports VR, which has already been busy impressing customers, notably showing a college football game between Oklahoma and Ohio State in virtual reality. They also have a partnership to create VR content with Manchester Cityand this week the company will team up with Fox to show the CONCACAF Gold Cup in VR. Bruce Arena's United States versus Panama on July 8 in virtual reality in LiveLike's "virtual suite".

The company has tested its VR capabilities with the Premier League and at the biggest club game in the world, El Clasico, which was watched in VR by an estimated 37,000 peopleon less than a week's notice behind a paywall.

Headset on, I'm reclining on a virtual sofa with a Premier League game happening in front of me. Sergio Aguero is nearly on my lap and David Silva is just further afield. Tilting the head one way changes the camera angle and allows the viewer to move behind the goal. Tilting it the other way allows them to watch from the stands.

There's a stats table you can flick through with just the smallest head movement, giving you the latest possession numbers, passing percentages and everything you could want as a football fan.Replays are freely availableyou just need to move your head slightly to initiate them. You can watch the same incident from three or four different angles.

It's intuitive, easy to use and, after the first five minutes, it's easy to forget that you are sat in a busy London coffee shop with a headset on.Occasionally, when the ball is swept away to the far side of the pitch, it is difficult to see the action, but a quick glance up a the large virtual screen keeps you abreast of what is happening.

For Walavalkar, who grew up watching the Premier League from India, the opportunity to share the beautiful game with millions back home remains a huge driving force.

"For us, live sports is the mecca," Walavalkar tells Bleacher Report."We have done a few live events that have gone really well and got good feedback. It's all about the user experience and social featuresthe ability to teleport the user into an experience.

"We've been able to integrate statistics and replays, while making it a much more social experience. We want fans to feel like they're right in the heart of what's happening."

For LiveLike, the U.S. and Asia are two of the biggest target markets. As noted, the app has already won deals with Fox and Manchester City, but competition is fierce. Anyone who stands still for more than a minute faces being left behind.

Let's take a look at the VR sport market as it affects the major players.

The TV Companies

Few know the potential for success in weaving together television and VR like Fox Sports' Mike Davies, senior vice president of field and technical operations.Davies is the go-to man when it comes to combining live broadcast and the virtual-reality aspect of the channel's coverageand it's paying off handsomely.

Showing Bayern Munich's league opener in VR was just the start for football. "We worked really closely with theBundesliga on this, and they were great partners," Davies tells Bleacher Report. "We tried two big different things, as NextVR has a lot of experience with live soccer.

"One of things we took was to add specialty commentators to the VR broadcast so we didn't take commentary from the linear broadcast. That helped the viewer feel like they had someone co-piloting with them in the experience.The other thing we tried was showing replays at half-time in VR. I think that one of the big things we've been looking at with LiveLikeis having the ability to go back and re-experience instances in VR."

Outside of football, Fox has trialled VR at the U.S. Open golf tournament, the French Open tennis tournament, Daytona 500 and a number of other events, including Monster Trucks.

"I've been playing around with VR for the past few years and actively involved in public-facing events," Davies said."It has been a very quick evolution. With the advent of products that make live VR possible, utilising cell phones, Google cardboard, it has been very quickly attainable technology in terms of being something everyone can consume, at least in theory."

The Bayern Munich VR broadcast went down well with fans and organisers alike, but the nature of football and its suitability for such coverage did raise some questions.

The length of the field was a challenge, with NextVR having to employ more cameras to cover the area. There were also resolution problems to consider, particularly when the ball was on the far side of the pitch.

"When the play was happening close to you, it was dynamiteit was like they were on your lap," Davies notes. "But when it was somewhat further away, because of the resolutions of the phone, it was very difficult to see the ball. I think that large playing field will require more resolution for people to see that."

Davies says he's keen on weaving in augmented reality elementshighlighting the ball or tracking player movements: "The way we're working around that is with additional cameras, tracking data and augmented reality to help you feel like you are part of the game.

"We can also integrate the linear broadcast into the VR with a Jumbotron,so if there is something that is particularly hard to see, then you can look at the screenjust as you would in the stadium."

The Clubs

For clubs like Bayern, with one of the largest and most engaged fanbases in football, the move into VR was a no-brainer. Stefan Mennerich, who heads up Bayern's digital media department, has been working on VR and 360-degree coverage with big success.

Mennerich sees VR as another avenue to bring fans together, particularly those who cannot get to matches at the Allianz Arena or live thousands of miles away in the U.S. or China, the two big target markets for the club.

In 2015, Mennerich began to see the benefits of VR after spending time at Facebook HQ and sampling the Oculus Rift, which is one of the market leaders in headsets.

"I thought that we would have to offer something like this because football lives off the possibility of fans taking part, and so I thought we have to do it,"Mennerich tells Bleacher Report. "I think VR is a very good way to let the fans take part in the event and emotions.

"I spoke to [NBA teams] the Orlando Magic and Golden State Warriors, and what they are doing is very forward-thinking, and we want to establish the same experience for our fans. But I can't say what financial effect it will have in the future. It is the same as with social media was in the beginning. You do it because it's fun, it has good content and the aim is to reach the fans."

Mennerich says the Bayern VR broadcast received encouraging feedback, though they may have been aided somewhat by the fact Bayern cantered to a 6-0 victory. While he remains cautious over the long-term viability of VR, he is optimistic for now.

"I think the first thing we have to do before making a decision is to wait until there is a big-enough audience to enjoy the content because not everyone has VR glasses or headsets," he says. "After that, once we bring in good content, we have to think about how we can monetize it."

The Experts

If Bayern need advice on monetizing VR, Brad Allen would be a good man to consult.

Spend five minutes talking to Allen, executive chairman of NextVR, and his passion for VR and sport is obvious. NextVRis one of the major players when it comes to live VR broadcastthere aren'tmany sports it hasn't shown in VR; they produced a highlights package on each game of the recent NBA Finals between Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors, while those without headsets could view highlights via the company's app. For Allen, this is one of the most exciting times in the business.

He believes VR will provide the perfect complementary form of coverage to live television and that the experience can be a highly engaged, social one.

"What you might see in the future is the chance to build your own luxury box outfitted with your team's gear, and you could invite all your friends," he says. "You look over there, and there are all your friends, avatars of them, or maybe they want to look like someone else, but you are all sitting there in the luxury box even though you are all sitting at home in your VR glasses."

Allen sees an e-commerce aspect coming into play, with the virtual suite offering up a chance to buy team merchandise, such as shirts and personalisation options. He accepts the world has changed dramatically in recent years and believes VR is a great way to bring new fans into the game.

"You have an aging population in some places and where maybe the millennials don't care as much because the amount of entertainment on offer is unprecedented, especially with esports and video games," he says."How do you bring those fans along?

"You can do it with new technology that is unique and different and appealing to them. That's why everyone is interested in this and connecting directly with their fans to give them an experience like nothing before."

Allen likens the scene to that of when cell phones first entered the market with the big, brick-like models. The emergence of Google's Daydream, the Samsung Gear and Facebook's constant investment means the importance of VR is not being lost on anybody. The technology is only going to get better.

"Goggles will move to glassesLG has already brought out its first version," Allen says. "I think they weigh 120 grams. They are tethered to your mobile device, but soon that will be Bluetooth, and all the power will be through the mobile device, and eventually the glasses will turn into something like Oakley wrap around glasses.

"They will have little ear buds that will come down so you get your audio, and eventually we'll have contact lenses. That will be bizarre because you are not going to know whether that person is watching something or talking to you.We've got the biggest companies in the world when you consider Google'sDaydream. They're probably going to be the biggest mobile winner in the space."

Allen talks of "a hundred companies in China" that are making headsets and believes it is only a matter of time before Apple enters the VR space.

But for all the technology and millions being spent, can VR ever compete with the real thingbeing at the game? How can it match the noise, the smells, the anticipation, the palpitations and the authentic matchday experience?

Can VR truly generate the stadium buzz so many football fans live for?

Perhaps not. But for those who live thousands of miles away from the stadium, it could be the ticket they have been waiting forbeing able to watch Manchester United from Macau, Bayern from Brisbane or Tottenham from Tahiti.

"I don't think anything can beat being there in person just because of the energy," Allen says."Youre high-fiving somebody next to you whom you didn'teven know because the team you're both fans of scored a goal. It really won't ever replace that.But what do you do about the 300 million fans who will never be able to get to the stadium? This is the closest thing they'll ever get to being there.

"We have a big strategy around Asia and China in particular; they are huge sports fans over there. People wake up at 3 a.m. to watch Premier League games because they are passionate fans like we all are."

Allen says a combination of geography and the difficulty of getting tickets to major games has driven demand for a more immersive TV viewing experience. "This is their answer. It's the virtual ticket to being there."

*All quotes and information obtained firsthand unless otherwise indicated.

Read the original post:

EPL 2030: Sergio Aguero in Your Lounge - Future of Football and Virtual Reality - Bleacher Report

Volkswagen plans to use virtual reality to develop real-world cars. The automaker is using VR to allow staff at offices in different countries to communicate in what it hopes will be a more efficient manner.

While phones, email, instant messaging, and videoconferencing make setting up a meeting between staff in different countries easy, VW believes virtual reality will take things to a new level. Following a test phase, the automaker announced implementation of VR for vehicle development at the Digility conference in Cologne, Germany.

Virtual reality will make it easier for employees to share ideas, Volkswagen believes. The tech could, for example, allow employees at its headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany, and its logistics offices in the Czech Republic to hold a virtual meeting and feel like they're in the same room, a company press release said.

In theory, the advantage of VR over more conventional methods of communication is its ability to simulate physical objects. Ford and BMW have experimented with using virtual reality to let staff examine 3D digital renderings of a car before committing to the time-consuming process of building a real-world clay mockup.

VW is so committed to virtual reality that, in concert with the startup Innoactive, it has created its own "Digital Reality Hub." It allows all software and hardware the company plans to use to communicate across one platform, giving all employees equal access to any projects uploaded to the VR realm. Volkswagen uses HTC Vive headsets, which are a popular choice with other companies.

Volkswagen will roll out virtual reality across its various car brands, and it will be interesting to see whether the technology makes a positive impact. VR is a hot topic both within the automotive industry and beyond, but it may be too early to say whether it really is the next big thing in tech, or just a fad.

Follow this link:

Volkswagen Uses Virtual Reality to Streamline Vehicle Development - The Drive

LOS ANGELES A new virtual reality exhibit that opened here last weekend gives viewers a first-hand look at what its like to try to cross the U.S.-Mexico border and a peek into what could be the future of political ads.

In Carne y Arena (Meat and Sand) at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, visitors strap on VR goggles for an immersive six-and-a-half minute movie where they find themselves among a group of migrants attempting to cross the U.S. border.

They are confronted with U.S. Border Patrol agents pointing guns in their faces, and they feel the cold of an immigrant detention cell. They hear personal stories from immigrants whove made the trek.

The experienceis directed by the filmmaker Alejandro Irritu, the Mexican director of the Oscar-winning films The Revenant and Birdman. Itallows the visitor to go through a direct experience walking in the immigrants feet, under their skin, and into their hearts, Irritu saidin a statement.

Carne y Arena, which first screened at the Cannes Film Festival, is hardly a mainstream work of advocacy. It has surreal touches: Viewers can literally peek into the chests of the virtual immigrants and see their beating hearts.

But as debates about immigration roil American politics, its impossible not to see the exhibit through a political lens.

I would pay for a bunch of Trump supporters to go and have this experience, said Anne Demo, who traveled from Pennsylvania to see the exhibit on Monday. Theres a level of humanity that really reaches you.

Such VR experiences have already become a staple of the high-end charity circuit. Black-tie clad donors at galas for the organization Charity: Water can strap on VR goggles and follow in the footsteps of a girl in an Ethiopian village getting clean water for the first time.

Cathe Neukum, an executive producer at the International Rescue Committee, which advocates for refugees, said half of the donors who watched her organizations VR production of a refugee camp in Jordan took off their headsets in tears. If youre watching a regular video on your TV or your laptop, you can walk away, but when youre engaged in a headset, youre in it in a completely different way, she said.

When a VR exhibit about a day in the life of a young Syrian refugee was included at mall kiosks soliciting donations for UNICEF, the number of people giving money doubled, said Christopher Fabian, an executive for the charity.

The possibilities for similar commentary abound. A campaign working to end solitary confinement could use VR to show people what its like inside a 6-by-9-foot prison cell, while groups advocating against President Trumps travel ban might put voters in the shoes of refugees escaping persecution in the banned countries.

For the last year, a Stanford experiment has been testing whether people who view a VR simulation of a homeless persons life from losing their job to struggling to pay rent to surviving on the streets are more likely to sign a petition calling for housing support. (The experience is on view at the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose.) The results are still forthcoming, said Jeremy Bailenson, the studys lead researcher. But overall, he said, theres a growing body of evidence that VR can be a powerful way to get people to empathize with others.

Not everyone thinks VR experiences about refugees, migrants or homeless people will be so influential. In a few years, everybodys going to do it its going to be boring, Fabian said. Theres a certain point where you say, I get it, the world is sad. The most exciting applications of VR, he said, will come in education and coordination connecting classrooms around the world and helping them study together, for example.

And not everyone who saw Irritus exhibit thought it would change minds. People are hardwired, especially these days, in their political belief systems, said Christine Davila, 32, of Los Angeles. Moreover, most Los Angeles museumgoers are probably already pretty immigrant-friendly in their political beliefs, she pointed out. (The exhibit is currently sold out through September.)

So far, the overtly political uses of VR have been much more rudimentary. Sen. Bernie Sanders presidential campaign released several VR videos of his campaign events, giving viewers a front-row seat at one of his rallies. Turn one way and you see the shining faces of the Berniecrats; look down and you can see the notes for Sanders speech.

Another project called AltSpaceVR brought people from around the country together in a virtual space to watch presidential debates and have political discussions. Arguments between people who see each other in virtual reality tend to be more civil than on social media, said Eric Romo, the companys CEO: Its more difficult to be negative if you actually see another person in front of you, than when youre hiding behind a keyboard.

The advent of television transformed American politics and campaigning, ushering in live debates and the 30-second campaign ad. While its too early to say if VR could get anywhere near that level of influence, its likely to at least play a role, especially as the technology gets cheaper and more widely available.

In 2020, Romo predicted, all the major presidential candidates will have some kind of VR element in their campaigns.

Go here to read the rest:

Virtual reality exhibit goes inside Mexican border crossing, with Oscar-winning director's help - The Mercury News