Category Archives: Virtual Reality

Called Echo Arena, the multiplayer part of the space exploration title pits teams of five weightless robots against each other in a frantic game of zero-g frisbee. The goal is pretty simple: get control of the flying disc, avoid attacks from other players and toss the space frisbee into the opposing team's goal. Actually doing this is pretty hard. Not only is navigating four dimensions difficult in itself, but the momentum of tossing yourself off a wall in zero gravity means it's exceptionally hard to catch a pass. With time and practice, it can be done -- but between the mechanics of the game and the VR experience movement model, there's a very clear skill curve.

That's probably why Intel chose Echo Arena to be one of two games in its VR Challenger League. Starting in July, Intel and the Electronic Sports League will host a competitive VR gaming series in both online and localized events before a finale at the Intel Extreme Masters World Championship in Poland next year.

After half an hour of training and four quick rounds of Echo Arena, it's hard to say for sure if it'll be the Rocket League of VR -- but it's definitely a start. Playing the game absolutely feels sport-like. Carefully balanced offense and defense are necessary for winning a match, and when our team didn't work together, things fell apart quickly. But not all sports are fun to watch. Even after I played a few rounds of the game, I found being a spectator it difficult -- it just wasn't easy to tell what was going on from an outside perspective. And without spectators, VR eSports just isn't going to work out.

It's an issue, but not an insurmountable one. Live commentary and a solid spectator mode could go a long way toward making sense of Echo Arena as a spectator sport -- and Intel is serious about making VR eSports viable. In all, up to $200,000 in prizes will be awarded to top players of Echo Arena and Insomniac Games' The Unspoken. That's a big investment.

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'Echo Arena' is competitive, virtual reality frisbee in zero gravity - Engadget

June 14, 2017 5:08 PM By Kristine Sorensen

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) Virtual reality really hit the consumer market about a year ago, and for the first time, its at a price point that schools can afford.

The Allegheny Intermediate Unit has trained about one-hundred teachers in our region, many of whom are just starting to use it in the classroom, and theyre finding that students are embracing it as a new way to learn.

When the teachers put on the headset, which is the device that you put up to your eyes and wraps around the sides so you only see the screen, they realize it is much more than just an image on the phone. Its transportation to other places, other worlds and even other time periods.

What these teachers are seeing inside are images like the Grand Canyon, Stonehenge in England and construction of the Empire State Building.

Were not just limited to the world weve always known but we can literally transport to anywhere in the world with virtual reality, one teacher said.

At the instruction seminars, the teachers are learning how to implement virtual reality in their classrooms. For example, they are coming up with ways to use the virtual reality images of an iconic scene from Times Square in 1945 in history and writing classes; images of the Kilaneau volcano in science class; blockages in coronary arteries to teach medicine, and a virtual chemistry lab made by Schell games in Pittsburghs Station Square.

McKeesport High School chemistry teacher Mark Bacco is excited that students will be able to work with virtual chemicals that are too dangerous to use in a real lab.

Plus, he says, it saves a lot of time and money. To set up a lab and clean it up takes 15-20 minutes to set up and 15-20 to clean up and with virtual reality, its over instantly and kids still get same experience.

So the big question is how much does it cost? To make it affordable, some schools are asking kids to bring in their own devices. Then they use cardboard headsets that are only $5.

Propel High School art teacher DeVon Gandy says virtual reality can be an inspiration for many of his low income students.

They dont get to see anything outside where they live so they dont have the hope to become that, he says. He plans to use virtual reality to show his students other places and ideas. I hope to bring it to into the community, flood it with opportunity they wouldnt have because of financial issues.

The headset can also help students with ADD and ADHD because it focuses your attention. Its just the beginning of a new world beyond books.

Tyler Samstag, who directs innovative instruction for the AIU, says, People are excited about the ability for [virtual reality] to create empathy and access to places and content that otherwise they wouldnt have access to.

For the general public, if youve never experienced virtual reality, there are a few places you can do it right now in Pittsburgh.

The Carnegie Museum of Art has a virtual reality experience thats very futuristic. Its in the Hall of Architecture until September.

Kennywood has a ride thats using virtual reality the Sky Rocket Coaster.

And the Steelers are planning a virtual reality experience of the football games coming out sometime this year.

You can learn more about virtual reality in the classroom on Kidsburgh.org an online resource for kids and families.

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Kristine Sorensen joined KDKA-TV as a reporter/anchor in April 2003. VITALS Joined KDKA: April 2003 Hometown: Winter Park, Florida Alma Mater: College of William and Mary, Northwestern University Medill School of...

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Kidsburgh: Virtual Reality In The Classroom - CBS Pittsburgh / KDKA

Springboks

2017-06-15 11:54

Kings Park Stadium (Gallo Images)

Durban - As the Springboks chase a series win against France in Durban on Saturday, SuperSport will mark a first by offering a virtual reality stream from inside Kings Park.

The 360-degree view will be broadcast on SuperSports Facebook and YouTube pages and will feature action from inside the stadium in the build-up with a view of supporters and action from in the stands.

YouTube will have an alternative stream to see more of the stadium from strategic points around the field.

There will be pre-and post-match feeds as well as in-game footage.

Other packaged content from the day will be published on SuperSport social media platforms on Monday.

Any match footage will be geo-blocked to Sub-Saharan Africa.

"With rapid advances in technology, this was an inevitable move," said Gideon Khobane, chief executive of SuperSport.

"We hope this adds to therichness of thetraditional broadcast and look forward to seeing theresults."

Kick-off on Saturday is at 17:00.

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Virtual Reality for Springbok coverage - Sport24

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) Virtual reality is painting a new type of picture at Artlink in downtown Fort Wayne. The technology is the first open virtual reality creative space in northeast Indiana and changes the way art is created and viewed.

Two sensors create a virtual workspace for the artist to create in. The artist then holds two wands that effectively act as as a palette and brush. 3-D HTC VIVE goggles are worn to fully immerse the artist in an environment that they can create. The technology uses Google Tilt Brush software to allow artists to see horizons, shadows, highlights, and perspectives like never before. And through the internet, this art can be shared with anyone in the world who uses the goggles and software.

Theoplis Smith III, a local artist, says this technology is important for Fort Wayne:

We are shaping a culture in Fort Wayne. The biggest avenue is always being able to push the envelope more, push technology more, push those that may not even be exposed to art put them in the arena where theyre able to see what artists do, understand where we come from, and also for the other artists to be able to challenge us to grow

Matt McClure, Executive Director of Artlink, says this technology was made possible through a partnership with Arts United and other donations. He says one of the best things about the virtual reality creative space is that it is open to the public:

Having this technology in Fort Wayne gives people who would otherwise not have access to it open access to it. This is Artlink as an organization who represents the individual artists in this community to say everyone come on in and play and create.

Artlink is located at 300 East Main Street in downtown Fort Wayne. Summer hours for the virtual reality creative space will be limited and will vary. You can find those hours on the Artlink website and Facebook page. Time is booked in 30-minute increments. The cost is $5 per half-hour for Artlink members, $10 for non-members. This technology is for ages 12 and up. Click here for more information.

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Virtual reality reinvents art at Artlink | WANE - WANE

Sitting on a couch and playing Mario Kart with your friends is greatbut soon youll be able to get a full-on virtual-reality experience with Mario Kart Arcade GP VR. You might not get to buy it, but youll be able to play it if you visit the VR Zone in Shinjuku, Japan.

It's unclear whether this is a brand new game or a VR rehash of an existing Mario Kart Arcade GP game developed by Bandai Namco from the 2000's. Either way, this promises to be an all-new and unique Mario Kart experience. You could say this is Nintendos first shot at VR despite the publishing seemingly being their only involvement in the arcade game.

The game will run on the HTC Vive headset accompanied by an arcade-style car you sit in with pedals and a steering wheel. There are Vive trackers you wear on your wrists to throw items like bananas and shells at your opponents in the game.

The globally popular Mario Kart Arcade GP has been reborn at the VR Zone with the kind of thrill-packed action that could only come from a VR activity! Enter the Mario Kart universe you know and love and race to the finish line, says the VR Zone website. The course is filled with the well-known Mario Kart traps and tricks. Dodge giant Piranha Plants and Thwomps, leap over huge ravines, and watch out for Koopa as he tries to get in your way.

If youre a VR/Nintendo nut, head over to Japan to check this out. While youre over there, maybe do some real-life Mario Kart racing on the streets. Just watch out for blue shells.

Check out the video below from UploadVR showcasing Mario Kart and a few other VR titles coming to VR Zone.

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Virtual-Reality Mario Kart Is Coming to a Japanese Arcade - The Drive

Bay Area-based virtual reality (VR) startup Nomadic has raised a $6 million round of seed funding led by Horizons Ventures, with participation from Maveron, Presence Capital, Vulcan Capital, and Verus International.

Nomadic is focused on location-based VR, and aims to launch VR centers in malls and theaters. The company is focusing on modular sets to make it easy to quickly switch out experiences much in the same way a theater may replace movies every couple of weeks.

The company came out of stealth in March, and first demonstrated its technology at CinemaCon in Las Vegas the following month. It has seen a lot of interest from both location and content partners since, saidNomadics head of growth Kalon Gutierrez during a recent interview with Variety.Now, were in discussions with location partners that have hundreds of locations, both domestically and globally.

Nomadic is also in discussions with multiple studios, said CEO Doug Griffin.Weve heard this over and over and over from studios, that location-based is becoming part of their strategy.

Nomadic isnt the only company building locations for virtual reality entertainment. Imax launched a first VR center in Los Angeles earlier this year, and announced the launch of a new VR center in New York this week. And location-based VR startup The Void plans to open multiple new locations this year.

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Location-Based Virtual Reality Startup Nomadic Raises $6 Million - Variety

In Brief Virtual reality technology is quickly advancing, but it is still hampered by all of the required gear. Here is a timeline for when you can explore a virtual environment using only your thoughts. VR on the Mind

The technology for virtual reality (VR) has been growing in leaps and bounds over the past few years. From teaching us chemistry to helping us design cars, the virtual world is becoming more and more dominant in our everyday lives.

However, VRis still hampered by the necessity for users to wear clunky headsets and possibly other gear. While these are becoming more user friendly, we wanted to know when we will be able to bypass all that equipment to simply connect VR to our minds directly.We asked Futurism readers what they thought and got a range of predictions.

The decade with the most votes was the 2030s, taking 36 percent of readers votes. One such vote came from Kevin Kealey, who noted our progress in mapping the human brain and predicted this knowledge would soon allow VR techs to place electron inputs and outputs in the right places.

[T]he whole brain will be mapped and fully understood very soon, Kealey commented. We know where emotions come from. We know how to control them. We know most invasive techniques to place things within the body. While we still have a long way to go before we truly comprehend the complexity of the human brain, we are making progress in mapping it even using VR to help get the job done.

These guesses arent too different from some that are coming from experts in the field. For example, Dan Cook,founder of EyeMynd BrainwaveVR, has been working on tech that will allow users to interact in VR using their brainwaves no headset or controller needed.

Ten years from now, this will seem obvious, Cook said in an interview with the Guardian. Computers are becoming fast enough that we can detect and interpret all the signals of the brain in real time.Cook bases his technology off of the principles we observe when people dream. The mind can see and hear without using eyes or ears, and we should be able to harness that neurological ability, Cook argues.

Others in the field are more skeptical about the state of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. An international group of researchers determined thatmethods for interacting with virtual environments through our thoughts remain in their infancy, as they wrote in a study published in Computer.Major research challenges must be tackled for BCIs to mature into an established means of communication for VR applications, the researchers concluded in the paper.

While we may have to wait a number of years before we can enjoy a virtual world sans headset, companies are continuing to invest in BCI and VRtechnology. Who knows where the sciencewill be by the time they finally release Magic Leap.

See all of the Futurism predictions and make your own predictions here.

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When Will Virtual Reality Be Able to Connect Directly to Our Minds? - Futurism

Gematsu

Ubisoft announces virtual reality thriller Transference Gematsu Ubisoft, FunHouse, and SpectreVision announced Transference, a new virtual reality thriller due out in spring 2018, during its E3 2017 press conference. It will be available for PlayStation VR, HTC Vive, and Oculus Rift, as well as PlayStation 4, Xbox ... Psychological thrills, obsession at heart of Transference,' Ubisoft's VR gameDigital Trends all 65 news articles »

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Ubisoft announces virtual reality thriller Transference - Gematsu

Today, virtual reality has become a buzzword in the technology world. Virtual reality or VR is, in simple words, a virtual environment created through technology where our senses can explore it as if they are real.

This technology is immersive in nature because the user can totally be isolated from the outside world and experience the artificial reality as if it is real.

Here are some of the applications of VR in the present world and in the future.

#1: VR Gaming

The concept of VR gaming has been imagined since the days of video games. Virtual reality in games is created through special VR software.

The imaginary gaming reality is then viewed and interacted by the users through VR headsets and other gadgets.

The modern VR gadgets for gaming comes with motion sensor and gyroscope sensors which works in sync with the game and the headsets. The ability to interact with the virtual reality in real time is what makes VR games so fascinating.

#2: Visiting Places

VR technology in the travelling industry is being seen as the next big thing which can revolutionize how human beings experience places.

VR enables us to have an immersive experience. Imagine yourself visiting the Eiffel tower or the pyramid of Giza sitting on your couch, without even having to move an inch!

This is going to be true very soon through the means of wearables.

Wearables are small devices that you can wear which gives you certain information whenever you want it.

For example, Google glasses, which can give you contextual information around a place you visit.

Many popular airlines like Qantas and travelling agencies like Thomas Cook has created VR content for their users. Their customers can experience the popular tourist destinations in immersive VR content before they even visit the place.

#3: VR Flight Simulators

VR flight simulator is a boon for aviation industry, both civilian as well as military.

VR simulators are basically used to train pilots about the various operations of an aircraft, developing skills of handling an aircraft in different circumstances and to learn about a new type of aircraft.

Although VR simulators are highly expensive but if thought in terms of safety, cost of an accident and related losses, it is way too less. And a single VR simulator can train multiple pilots in its lifetime.

#4: Experiential Marketing

The future of marketing is going to transform because of the VR technology.

Consumers can experience firsthand before committing any investment. One of the potential area of application is in the real estate market where agencies can create VR database of all the property listings and conceptualize each property according to the buyers taste.

The buyer can experience the property in virtual reality without having to visiting the place in real. Other potential usage can be for University tour in VR before getting admission, broadcasting live concerts in VR where the audience can feel & enjoy the live concert environment without being present in the concert.

#5: VR for the Disabled

Researchers are experimenting application of VR to help the disabled. VR can be

used to impart skills to disabled persons without any risks. This eliminates the safety issues faced in the real life world.

VR is also being tested to give a lifetime of experience to disabled people by making adventures more immersive through VR gadgets. Now a disabled person can experience the beauty of Himalayas through a VR headset.

#6: Entertainment

Virtual reality is completely reshaping the way we consume entertainment. VR has potential to replace two dimensional experiences.

Reality Lovers is an award winning company and worldwide website that combines adult entertainment with virtual reality. The high-quality videos found on the Reality Lovers website (that are ready to be downloaded and played back via your VR gear/goggles) are immersive, making the overall experience even more realistic and exciting. What makes VR adult entertainment so appealing is the feeling of being present in it and making all your wildest fantasies come true in the comfort of wherever you enjoy from.

The next level of VR entertainment goes beyond passively watching videos. Amusement parksare using VR even on the roller coaster rides to provide a thrilling experience. Also, Chinas Shanda Group is building a VR theme park in association with The Void.

#7: Filmmaking

According to Marcie Jastrow, SVP Immersive Media at Technicolor, VR is a perfect example of technology and art coming together.

Pioneers in this field like HP and Microsoft are working with the creators from the Film industries to make virtual reality similar to real world reality. Experts believe in the next 20 years virtual reality will converge with real world life and become a part of the mainstream.

The breakthrough in VR technology is being complimented by haptic devices, which blends virtual reality with sensory feelings. HP calls this Blended Reality.

The Future of VR

Virtual reality and other types of technology assisted reality is the future where human beings will be able to experience, create and manipulate artificial realities through technology.

The convergence of various other technologies and advancements with virtual reality will usher a new era in mankinds evolution. Some part of the community is worried about the potential misuse of VR and damage to the brain and human psyche but the overall prospects of this technology looks bright.

Do you want to be part of ending sexism, racism, and homophobia?

Photo credit: Getty Images

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7 Ways Virtual Reality is a Blessing to Humanity - The Good Men Project (blog)

Over the weekend the city of Warwick celebrated the 245th anniversary of the burning of the British ship, the HMS Gaspee. Many Rhode Islanders consider it one of the earliest clashes in the American Revolution. The skirmish is often overshadowed by the better known Boston Tea Party, which took place more than a year later.

Now a group of Brown University students is working to raise the profile of the Gaspee Affair. They're creating a virtual reality experience aimed at middle and high school students.

Using just a smartphone and a virtual reality program, students can be transported to Narragansett Bay circa 1772.

Its an important story that has significance in terms of the events leading up to the American Revolution, and I thought with the wow factor of VR and the dramatic story that we can raise the profile of the Gaspee, said artist Adam Blumenthal.

Blumenthal is Brown Universitys Virtual Reality Artist-in-Residence and creator of the education tool.

The program lets users witness the burning of the British ship and capture of its crew as lead by Rhode Island colonial leader John Brown. And Blumenthal said the tool makes for a more engaging learning experience than a typical history lesson.

Introduce the topic and have some discussion, introduce the VR part so the students go into VR and have an experience, Blumenthal explained. The students will come out of VR and maybe write some things, and then go back into VR.

Blumenthal expects to release the program online this fall. He said he hopes to be able to recreate other historical events using virtual reality in the future.

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Virtual Reality Tool Aims To Change How Students Learn About Gaspee Affair - Rhode Island Public Radio