Daily Archives: May 13, 2024

BATMAN has an impressive gallery of supervillain enemies but the most famous ones like the Joker often hog the spotlight, especially in the world of videogames. However, this may change in an upcoming game set in the Batman: Arkham series.

The franchises four main games Asylum, City, Knight and Origins changed the face of the superhero genre in gaming and inspired many of the games that came since the franchise began back in 2009.

One of the series spin-offs was Batman: Arkham VR. Unlike the main games, Arkham VR allowed players to step into the armoured boots of Batman by using virtual reality (VR) headsets such as the PlayStation VR or Oculus Rift.

The game was short, its gameplay was barebones and reception was mixed, but the high sales showed that it had potential and that demand was certainly there.

On May 1, Oculus Studios revealed that it is answering the demand with Batman: Arkham Shadow, a new VR game set in the Batman: Arkham universe. Unlike how Rocksteady Studios developed the main games, development for Shadow will be handled by Camouflaj.

Leaning into our eight years of dedicated VR game development history has enabled us to not only create a distinctly Arkham-feeling game but done in a way that leverages the immersive magic only VR can provide, reads a letter from Camouflaj founder and studio head Ryan Payton.

Batman: Arkham Shadow is the largest Camouflaj development project to date and marks our second release as a first party member of Oculus Studios, following 2022s critically-acclaimed release of Marvels Iron Man VR for Quest 2.

Unfortunately, the game is set to be a Meta Quest 3 exclusive game.

See the article here:

Batman returns to VR - theSun

Sandbox VR shows off what players looked like in their "third act" in and out of game.

At Sandbox VR, guests can transport to a zombie apocalypse, a pirate ship or even Netflixs hit series Squid Game through virtual reality gaming technology.

The brand initiated its United States franchising plans and its making waves in the Middle East with a 25-unit deal inked by Apparel Group.

It has been a whirlwind, to say the least, said Lee Hebditch, director of global franchise operations. Were the fastest-growing location VR concept in the world.

Sandbox VR provides a virtual reality experience for its customers. All games are developed in-house at studios in Vancouver and China.

Unlike typical VR experiences, which can cause motion sickness and disorientation, Sandbox has a custom motion-capture set up that responds to in-game actions. A gaming session takes place over 45 minutes with up to six people, with the final step being a mock movie trailer of the best in- and out-of-game scenes.

Over the past 18 months, the brand was hard at work developing new stores, now up to 46 locations globally.

We did that for a number of reasons, actually, said Hebditch. As we speak, we have a pipeline of international franchise locations over 100 across the globe.

The proven model through both international franchises and U.S. corporate locations made Sandbox interested in the franchising model. As for the newest deal with Apparel Group, the partnership will bring locations across the Middle East. Apparel Group operates over 80 brands across the Middle East and the surrounding countries.

Sandbox VR recently launched its U.S. franchising initiative, already signing deals for Florida.

Sandbox is signing deals all over the United States, with deals signed in Florida and other leads in the works. Fourteen units are set to open in the U.S. this year.

In terms of franchisees, Sandbox looks for experienced entrepreneurs looking to try something new and unique in the entertainment space. Operators who are willing to engage with the community are also high priority, as community involvement fits with the value of social engagement. Hebditch encourages franchisees to experiment with community engagement, whether thats traditional marketing or local initiatives.

In a post-pandemic era, theres a heightened emphasis on fostering connections and that kind of social-shared experience, said Hebditch. I think location-based entertainment and VR entertainment hits that nail on the head.

As for the games, Hebditch is partial to Deadwood, a zombie shooter and survival game, and wants to discover if the rumored nightmare mode is true. He enjoys the teamwork aspect of Squid Game to complete the tasks (and if youve seen the show, you know what happens if you dont).

To own a Sandbox franchise requires an initial investment of $764,000 to $1.02 million. According to its franchise disclosure document, U.S. gross unit sales in 2022 ranged from $82,722 to $2.69 million.

Our goal is to bring people together through world-class experiences, said Hebditch. We love to focus on the social aspect, and the whole approach really captures that social interaction with the players.

Continued here:

Sandbox VR Announces U.S. Franchise Initiative and International Deal - Franchise Times

Note: This press release is a 1:1 copy of the original issued by BMW headquarters in Germany. No adaptations have been made to cater for the UK market.

Munich. MINI is thrilled to unveil its latest innovation, MINI Mixed Reality, merging the virtual and real worlds. With MINI Mixed Reality, drivers can immerse themselves in a unique journey through the MINI universe while behind the wheel of a MINI, all through the power of virtual reality.

MINI Mixed Reality combines the thrill of driving with the immersive capabilities of virtual reality technology. Picture this: as you sit inside a MINI vehicle, your surroundings transform. Through a VR headset, you see the world outside the windows as a vibrant, virtual MINI Virtual Reality World, while still being able to navigate through the actual environment via camera streams. It's a seamless integration of the physical and digital realms, offering a new dimension to the driving experience.

MINI is all about pushing boundaries and redefining what's possible. MINI Mixed Reality is not just about drivingit's about embarking on a journey, exploring the creative minds of MINI Design, and experiencing firsthand what MINI represents. It's an invitation to see the world through a different lens, quite literally.

Behind the magic of MINI Mixed Reality lies a sophisticated system: a high-end PC running a self-designed MINI VR World, streaming seamlessly to the headset. But that's not allheadset tracking, acceleration, sound, and vehicle interface devices work in harmony to create an unparalleled driving experience.

MINI Mixed Reality isn't just a noveltyit's a testament to MINI's commitment to innovation. Once again, MINI is staying true to the MINI DNA and paving the way for future advancements. MINI Mixed Reality opens doors to exciting possibilities, from gaming integrations to potential partnerships.

At BMW Group, this technology is being utilized for test and validation purposes, including user studies for automated driving.

Ends.

The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the worlds leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2023, the BMW Group sold over 2.55 million passenger vehicles and more than 209,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2023 was 17.1 billion on revenues amounting to 155.5 billion. As of 31 December 2023, the BMW Group had a workforce of 154,950 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products.

http://www.bmwgroup.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BMWGroup Twitter: http://twitter.com/BMWGroup YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/BMWGroupView Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bmw-group/

MINI Press Office Contacts:

Tom Evans MINI Press Officer Tel: 07815 371705 Email:Tom.Evans@mini.co.uk

Helen Wilson MINI Media Relations Manager Tel: 07815 372480 Email:Helen.Wilson@mini.co.uk

Christina Burnham-Hepe General Manager, Communications Tel: 07815 371206 Email:Christina.Burnham-Hepe@bmw.co.uk

Graham Biggs Corporate Communications Director Tel: 07815 376867 Email: Graham.Biggs@bmw.co.uk

Media website: http://www.press.bmwgroup.co.uk http://www.mini.co.uk http://www.twitter.com/miniuk http://www.facebook.com/miniuk http://www.youtube.com/miniuk

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MINI Mixed Reality Experience: Driving into the Future. - BMW Press

Survivors of October 7 have recorded their testimony as part of a virtual reality experience, which allows viewers to witness the terrifying and traumatic ordeals first hand.

The project, which started as an Instagram page to record testimonies of survivors and first responders in the wake of October 7, has developed into an educational tool that creators say will help challenge the denial of the Hamas attacks on university campuses.

Founder of the project and October 7 first responder, Nimrod Palmach, has teamed up with immersive media and genocide testimony specialist Stephen D Smith to create the Survived to Tell -Be the Witness project.

Nimrod Palmach, co- creator of the VR project, Survived to Tell - Be the Witness, which will allow users to witness first-hand events of October 7 (Credit: Stuart Mitchell)

The pair hope the VR experience will help educate a global audience about what happened when Hamas launched its terrorist attacks on Israel.

Palmachs own testimony has been recorded as part of the project and gives viewers an insight into how he ignored the order from his company commander on the morning of October 7 to report to his army HQ near Jerusalem.

Instead, he drove south, to the kibbutzim near the Gaza border, having seen and heard what was happening down there.

Speaking at the launch of the project on Wednesday at the Israeli Embassy in London, Palmach, who founded NGO ISRAEL-is, said: I didnt see a living person till the evening.

As he was driving south, he was confronted with lines of bodies. Some of them were brutally tortured.

The 39-year-old said he also saw evidence of sexual assault, including women with their clothes taken off lying at the side of the road.

It was only later that day at Kibbutz Be'eri, where he found himself pinned down with a hostage situation, that he had time to reflect.

We couldnt just rush in, he explained as Hamas terrorists were holding civilians hostage inside a house.

My emotions started to kick in, and I realised I want to share my story, but who would believe me?

He knew then that he needed to capture this moment and feeling and get it all over the world.

The Survived to Tell project has recorded the testimonies that tell the story of what took place that day, and VR brings them to life with footage from the scenes.

It means that those watching are able to stand in the locations where the atrocities took place, with the survivors themselves.

The VR tells the story of survivors like Israeli Police Sgt. Remo Salman El-Hozayel, a Bedouin Muslim, who saved hundreds at the Nova festival by driving them to safety at a nearby greenhouse.

It also brings to life the experience of Mazal Tazazo, a 33-year-old Ethiopian Israeli social worker, who survived the Nova festival by playing dead.

Her testimony details how her friends were killed besideher while her legs were bound by Hamas terrorists.

Mazal Tazazo, whose experiences from October 7 are part of the Survived To Tell - Be the Witness VR project

Speaking at the launch of the project, she said it was important to tell her story so this cannot happen again.

The VR tool is crazy because it shows exactly how it was for us. I wish everyone would see it, she said.

In another VR experience, survivor Millet Ben Haim, 28, takes us back to the Nova music festival where she was forced to hide in the bushes for hours as the sound of gunfire and screaming surrounded her.

I thought I was going to be raped, she said. I prayed for a rocket to hit me.

An example of a VR headset view featuring testimony

Haim said the project was so important because it means people can meet me. They can see me and see what I went through.

Millet Ben Haim (bottom) hiding from terrorists with her friends on October 7

Smith, who is former director of the USC Shoah Foundation and co-founder of the National Holocaust Centre and Museum in Nottinghamshire, which uses VR tools to educate visitors, said extensive interviews with survivors have been recorded so that those watching the VR experienceare also able to ask them questions and have them answered.

He explained: VR takes us there, to the time and place itself. As a film producer and oral historian, I know very well that developing empathy is a first step to deeper understanding.

Smith added: Through the innovation of VR, viewers can step into the shoes of these survivors and bear witness.

Palmach plans to take the project to campuses around the world to counter the denial that the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas happened.

We have a really important job to do. I want everyone on campus to see this. I want policymakers to see this, he told attendees at the launch.

Ambassador to Israel Tzipi Hotovely said the launch of the VR project was an incredibly powerful educational tool. The VR nature of this project connects the user with individualswho suffered at the hands of terrorism.

For more information about Survived to Tell Be the Witnessand to find out about bookings, click here.

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Virtual reality project will allow users to witness October 7 first hand - The Jewish Chronicle

A Simon Fraser University (SFU) researcher is using virtual reality (VR) to help teens regulate their emotions and is using their feedback to help design and develop better technologies for psychologists.

Alexandra Kitson, a post-doctoral researcher in the Tangible Embodied Child-Computer Interaction Lab, supervised by Alissa N. Antle, in SFUs School of Interactive Arts and Technology, is presenting five papers with co-authors this week at the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 24) in Oahu, Hawaii.

Unlike, say psychology, where studies are often published in journals, in the field of human-computer interaction the top venue for publication is at the annual CHI Conference, ensuring results have impact in a timely way.

Two of the papers, which Kitson will be presenting at CHI '24, investigate the use of digital technologies to support the development of youth's emotion regulation skills. Working with youth in the local community, Kitson and her team explore ways that they could design immersive environments, such as virtual reality to enhance emotion-regulation training for teens. Emotion regulation is how people manage emotions, for example by purposely changing how they think about a feeling or experience to reframe it. The ability to use emotion regulation strategies during and after emotionally laden experiences is correlated with good mental health.

Weve seen a lot of clinical and psychology interventions, which are great and amazing and work, but teens still find it difficult to learn and practice managing their emotions and some interventions are not appealing or motivating for them, says Kitson. So thats where technology and virtual reality could potentially come in. We think VR could add "realness" to training and possibly motivate them to keep coming back.

The advantage of using VR in emotion regulation training, she explains, is that it can simulate realistic scenarios that can evoke visceral, emotional responses, compared to roleplaying or reading about scenarios. VR and artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to help people reframe their thoughts.

For example, managing feelings during public speaking is difficult. Kitson explains, public speaking can be scary, but in a VR public speaking environment an AI character can prompt you in real time to help you reframe thoughts of failure so you can practice keeping your cool. Then when the time comes to manage your emotions in real life, you'll be more prepared.

As part of her research approach, she works with a diverse group of teens of different socioeconomical and ethnic backgrounds, and neurodiversity, to co-design possible uses of these technologies for emotion regulation skills development training. The research is funded by NSERC.

Kitson is committed to a community-based approach to research. It goes back to that saying, Nothing for me, without me, Kitson says. They are the ones who are going to be using it in the end. I think its important to be able to involve teens and empower them to be able to contribute and then make something with us, so they can be like, We want this kind of experience. We want it to be in this place, at this time. And this is how we want to access it.

Participants included a high-school drama class with students of low socioeconomic status and different learning abilities. Compared with students of high socioeconomic status, these students are typically hard to reach. Getting their perspectives can be a challenge but offers unique insights and learnings. In co-design sessions, students shared personal and emotionally laden lived experiences and then brainstormed how VR experiences could help them learn to manage their emotions and respond to their lived experiences in more adaptive ways.

Among the revelations of the study was that teens have difficulties selecting adaptive ways to manage their negative thoughts and feelings during emotionally charged situations. One idea the team envisioned would be to leverage the unique opportunity in VR to expose adolescents to stressful situations where supports are embedded into a 3D spatialized environment, e.g., audio and visual prompts, while also incorporating gamified components for teens to learn and develop different emotion regulation skills.

Kitson is also presenting three other works at the CHI '24 conference. One paper is about asymmetric gameplay in XR, where one person is wearing a VR headset and the others arent. Another paper explores how AI-generated 3D content in VR could enhance dream reflection. Finally, she will co-facilitate a workshop on physiological signals in interactive systems.

I like the excitement of cutting-edge tech and being the first to explore something, or think about what it looks like in five, 10, 20 years and trying to design prototypes or the possibilities so we can be better prepared in the future.

Kitson acknowledges the collaborative nature of the VR Youth and Mental Health research project. Co-authors include Alissa N. Antle, Sadhbh Kenny, Ashu Adhikari, Kenneth Karthik, Artun Cimensel and Melissa Chan from the TECI lab at SFU and Petr Slovk (Kings College London), and Katherine Isbister (University of California at Santa Cruz).

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SFU SIAT researcher uses virtual reality to help teen mental health - Simon Fraser University News

A new generation of virtual reality (VR) training simulations is poised to transform legacy just-in-case classroom training in the US Navy into just-in-time training on ships and submarines. Affordable stand-alone VR can multiply reps and sets of immersive practices before sailors apply real-life skills.

The Navy partnered with my firm to demonstrate the value of VR training by converting a legacy touchscreen maintenance training program into a VR simulation that completely engulfs users. Sailors step into a virtual submarine machinery room of such convincing fidelity that they experience a sense of being there. Turning valves and tightening bolts, they feel tactile vibration in their hands and hear the diesel engine roar to life when started. The program is self-paced with tutorials, feedback loops, and scaffolding.

Testers gave the VR program a perfect score and said, You felt like you are actually working on the system and not just a screen! This enthusiasm resonated with submarine leaders and has sparked a flurry of ideas to enhance fleet readiness with VR learning at the point of need, whether its in port or underway.

Anyone who hasnt experienced the startling sensation of being transported to a virtual environment and performing hands-on tasks under stress, like troubleshooting a flooded diesel engine in a submarine machinery room, probably wont appreciate how far VR technology has come. The feeling of presence is so convincing that students forget that theyre not actually there. Users pick up the wrench with their virtual hands, fit it onto the bolt, and turn it, feeling like they are inside a submarine.

The hyper-realistic models, directional sound, and vibrating hand controllers hack their senses of sight, feeling, and hearing. Fully absorbed, they lose track of time and enter a state of "flow" as they learn and practice skills in a safe environment. Students and instructors from all over the world (or co-located) can interact seamlessly, appearing as avatars collaborating on tasks and debriefing, learning with and from each other in the context of the performance environment.

An instructor screen follows students through every step as they navigate the diesel engine, providing videos and text instructions to guide them through starting up the engine. Students grab the instruction screen and position it in mid-air at a location most suitable for the task theyre performing. Just like in real life, they use their hands to turn valves, push buttons, check gauges, tighten bolts, and pull levers. If they make a mistake, the sim scenario can easily be reset, as VR has unlimited redos. Arrows at the users feet show them where to walk to their next task. They have the option to physically walk around the simulated submarine if their real-world space is large enough, or use controller thumbsticks to navigate the virtual space while seated or standing stationary.

The new-gen low-cost, stand-alone VR headsets are portable and easily deployable at the point of need, even when physically aboard a submarine. They dont need cords or a PC and can be experienced seated or standing, self-paced or multi-player. When comfort, space, or security aboard ships make VR usage challenging, sailors can still use the application on handheld gaming PCs (like Asus ROG Ally).

The project is still in the R&D phase by the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, but early feedback should inspire other organizations to upskill and reskill their workforce with extended reality (XR) practice spaces that mirror their real-life workplaces. Learning through hands-on exercises at the moments of need, people can build muscle memory and cognitive mastery in the presence of peers and experts. XR promises to accelerate learning at scale, saving lives, sharpening skills, and flattening the learning curve.

Join my ATD24 session in New Orleans, Louisiana, The Future of Learning Is Spatial, to step inside the new reality-bending sims that reinvent learning for Fortune 50 companies and government leaders.

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The Navy Brings Training to the Fleet With VR - ATD

Manchester Airport has introduced a gaming zone at its Terminal 1 to entertain passengers before they board their flights.

Gaming Point, located after security at T1,features gaming PCs loaded with the likes of Fortnite, Red Dead Redemption 2, Among Us, Hogwarts Legacy, Minecraft, and Rocket League, as well as a Nintendo Switch.

The Steam PC network used at the site means that guests can continue their progress on games played at home, and can also play with or against other players online.

Passengers feeling the need for speed can also try out the Formula 1 simulator, complete with a steering wheel and pedals.

The site also features a virtual reality escape room, with a range of games and headsets, so you can experience another world ahead of travelling to your destination.

Prices for a gaming session start from 7.50 for 30 minutes, but vary depending on the experience. For instance, 45 minutes in the VR escape room starts from 30 for a single headset and goes up to 125 for private access with up to four people.

The airport recommends passengers book ahead of time, but says that walk-ins will be accepted if theres space. Note that age restrictions apply to particular games.

Richard Jackson, Manchester Airports retail director, commented:

Its a really fun attraction for gamers and non-gamers alike, with a VR escape room, F1 simulator and gaming PCs, consoles and more. It means that if youre a fan of computer games youll be able to come in and log on to play your favourite games like Fortnite and Among Us. But even if youre not, it gives a chance to enjoy a new and unique experience while you wait for your flight.

Graeme Stewart, director of Gaming Point, added:

I am thrilled to open Gaming Point at Manchester Airport a first-of-its-kind for UK airports and a concept that truly provides a fun, and innovative experience for passengers to enjoy in Terminal 1.

Excitingly, with the range of gaming options we have, there is something for every type of gamer! Our innovative space is designed to transform the time before boarding into an exciting part of the travel experience and giving passengers the chance to try something theyve never experienced.

The airport also recently announced plans to reopen its private terminal which had been mothballed since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Manchester Airports PremiAir private terminal to reopen as aether

manchesterairport.com

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Manchester Airport launches gaming area with virtual reality escape room Business Traveller - Business Traveller

A sunny beach under an azure sky in Mexico, a bustling market in Reykjavik, a sparkling lake in Quebecs Laurentians, a string quartet playing Bach

What if we could offer individuals in palliative care a whole range of peaceful, familiar or exhilarating experiences that they could enjoy from the comfort of their chair? What if such experiences could not only allow them to travel, discover, explore and relax, but also decrease their anxiety and physical pain?

Neuropsychologist Jhon Alexander Moreno, a professor in Universit de Montrals Department of Psychology and a researcher at the Montreal University Institute of Geriatrics Research Centre, decided to take up the challenge.

Moreno is now preparing to test the use of virtual reality headsets on patients in the palliative care unit of Hpital Notre-Dame. Participants will be immersed in videos filmed with a 360-degree camera and transported on a completely realistic but virtual visual and auditory journey. Their levels of pain and anxiety will be measured before and after the experience.

To create this innovative new tool, Moreno teamed up with Guillermo Lopez Prez, a filmmaker and the founder of Nipper Media, a Montreal company specializing in creating virtual reality content. Lopez Prez filmed the images used in the virtual experiences and then combined them with music, voices and details of the places presented.

Jhon Alexander Moreno with his partner Guillermo Lopez Prez, at Hpital Notre-Dame.

Morenos idea to use this non-pharmacological approach came from a desire to help ease the suffering of people at the end of life.

The end-of-life experience is probably the most emotionally demanding of all experiences, said Moreno. Individuals can experience considerable suffering due to not only physical pain, but also great existential anguish or anticipatory anxiety about death.

He pointed out that palliative care typically relies on a combination of approaches to relieve physical, psychological, spiritual, existential and social discomfort. In his view, non-pharmacological approaches offer numerous advantages.

Drugs can cause confusion and interfere with the individuals ability to communicate their wishes and reflect on whats happening to them,explained Moreno.

We find that using a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches allows patients to interact more with loved ones and caregivers, which can have a big impact on shaping their end-of-life experience.

Moreno also pointed out that those in palliative care have often been hospitalized previously and so have already spent a long time in bed. He sees virtual travel as a way for them to escape, stop thinking about their situation and have fun. It gives them something to look at other than the ceiling of their room.

During the test phase, Jhon Alexander Moreno presents his project to volunteers.

Moreno also suspects that virtual reality can benefit loved ones who are accompanying someone dear to them at the end of life. Hes going to test this by having them also put on a headset and share in the virtual experience. Again, he will measure their anxiety before and after the intervention.

Facing death can be just as difficult for loved ones. The emotions can be extreme and overwhelming, said Moreno. I believe that virtual reality can help make the whole experience less arduous and traumatic for them.

Moreno is confident that virtual reality can soothe those about to lose a person dear to them, and even possibly help with acceptance and preparation for bereavement.

This study, entitled Using virtual reality to manage anxiety and pain in palliative care, was launched in response to the Quebec governments call for social innovation projects aimed at reducing vulnerabilities and social inequalities in health. It is being funded by the Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Social Services.

Originally posted here:

Can virtual reality help ease the end of life? - Universit de Montral