Category Archives: Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality in Concert by the Houston Symphony.

This weekend, the Houston Symphony is bringing virtual-reality technology into the concert hall, allowing audience members to see music in ways beyond their imagination.

As the orchestra, led by guest conductor Ming Luke, plays light classics such as Debussys Clair de Lune and Saint-Sanss Carnival of the Animals, Austin-based artist Topher Sipes will use Tilt Brush, Googles virtual-reality painting app that recently transitioned to an open-source project, to translate the sprightly tunes into life-size works of art by way of structured improvisational, full-body movement.

Throughout Music Illustrated: Virtual Reality in Concert, a video team will draw the curtain back to share a behind-the-scenes perspective from inside the virtual world, welcoming viewers into the artists creative space. This insightful glance into his process combined with live footage of him performing downstage left and of the orchestra playing the inspirational melodies close by will be projected onto two screens on either side of the stage, mimicking a mixed-reality environment. The hourlong program, which has been a few years in the making, will be available to view in person with two socially distanced concerts at Jones Hall and online with a livestream option for Saturday evening.

This, to me, is like Fantasia in real time, says Lesley Sabol, Houston Symphonys director of popular programming. Her childhood fascination with Walt Disneys musical masterpiece cultivated her affinity for artistic expression, and several years ago, when a friend introduced her to this virtual-reality technology, she immediately set out to unite the immersive sensory experience with the orchestra and perhaps captivate a wider audience along the way.

In her search for a collaborator, Sabol was referred to Sipes, who had won the inaugural Tilt Brush competition presented by Originator Studios in 2016, after which he facilitated various Tilt Brush performances and installations, including one for Smartcar during South by Southwest.

Sipes has long approached digital visual media through the lens of a musician. Having studied piano and keyboard as a child, he eventually began to translate his ears sensitivity to rhythm and melody onto paper. Even today, after he listens to a piece of music with his eyes closed while sitting still, he plays the track again and allows his hand to move in response across a page, tracing an improvisational, abstract creation with a colored pencil.

This helps me to look at the song visually, take a step back and see how the music moves over time, says Sipes, who then enters the next phase of his process, shaping reactive responses to the music with his entire body while wearing a virtual-reality headset. He later refines the emerging imagery by selecting appropriate colors and brushes, and even times the choreography of his drawing. For me, its like solving a puzzle by whittling away at a four-dimensional time sculpture.

When: 8 p.m. performance and livestream Feb. 13; 2:30 p.m. Feb. 14

Where: Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana (Livestream ticket holders will receive a link via email.)

Details: $34-$84 (Single livestream tickets are $20.); 713-224-7575 and houstonsymphony.org

The canvas serves as his dance floor, so to speak a concept that is far from new to him. In 2011, Sipes co-founded ARTheism, an immersive dance company for which he projected motion graphics, which he drew using a digital drawing tablet or a multitouch screen, onto performers such as his partner Samantha Beasley. The two artists formed an abstract visual language of their own that allowed them to improvise while staying in sync with one another, as if they were having a conversation through light, Sipes explains. Although his creative medium has changed, this endeavor paved the way for him to become a virtual-reality artist.

In this weekends visual spectacle, Sipes will create multiple works of art, each inspired by a different piece of music, and by the end of the concert, he will reposition them into a whole new composition to the lively Perpetuum Mobile, Op. 257 by Johann Strauss II. Once the curtain closes, all of these creations will be shared online for people to explore at their own leisure.

In reflecting upon the past several years, preparing for this multidimensional concert and pursuing his mission to humanize technology, Sipes recalls a quote by the late artist Jean-Michel Basquiat that has affirmed his practice: Art is how we decorate space, music is how we decorate time.

Lawrence Elizabeth Knox is a Houston-based writer.

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Houston Symphony and virtual-reality technology merge in weekend event - Houston Chronicle

In March 2014, Mark Zuckerberg announced on Facebook that his company had just acquired the virtual reality headset maker Oculus. At the time, a social media giant like Facebook getting its hands on a nascent VR initiative sounded ominous, and that was before the platform became a font for misinformation during the Donald Trump presidency. One day, we believe this kind of immersive, augmented reality will become a part of daily life for billions of people, Zuckerberg wrote in his post. The $2 billion deal hasnt proved that fruitful thus far, in part because the experience doesnt yet feel totally immersive. For the time being, at least, the closest approximation of all-encompassing virtual reality is still best found in science fiction.

From the many doomsday scenarios imagined by (and adapted from) Philip K. Dick to wacky tangents on Rick and Morty, television and film have long been interested in the line between whats real and whats imagined, as well as the idea that virtual escapism can bring about more harm than good in the wrong hands. (Facebook hoping to get billions hooked on VR headsets definitely sounds like the first line of a dystopian novel or a supervillains origin story.) But even though virtual reality hasnt reached the Is this really happening? level of, say, Total Recall, its still easier than ever to buy into the idea that nothing around us is real.

In Rodney Aschers latest documentary, A Glitch in the Matrix, the filmmaker explores the increasingly widespread belief that what we perceive to be the real world is, in fact, some type of complex simulation. Pulling from sources as varied as Plato and Elon Musk, the documentary takes a measured approach to the followers of simulation theory, some of whom are interviewed through the prism of CGI avatars, an interesting (and slightly goofy) stylistic choice. In the film, Ascher seems less interested in definitively proving or debunking these beliefs than exploring how they are formed and cultivated through the echo chamber of the internet. The scarier implications of simulation theorys desensitizing effects are also examined through one of the documentarys interviewees, Joshua Cooke, who chillingly recounts how he murdered his parents in 2003 because he thought he was living in The Matrix. (According to Cooke, he even recited Keanu Reevess final lines from the movie before committing the crime.)

The Matrix is probably the poster child of the virtual reality movie, in terms of its broad appeal and wide-ranging influence. But its also safe to assume that the vast majority of viewers appreciated the film for the Wachowskis distinct visual style, intriguing world-building, and breathtaking action sequences, and didnt see it as an open invitation to take the red pill. (Im, like, 98 percent sure we arent lying suspended in goop while a bunch of robots have taken over the planet.) Instead its other films that have embraced a more ambiguous approach to their virtual worldsand examined whether those worlds are really worth celebrating.

In Mike Cahills Blisswhich, in what is either a strange coincidence or a minor hiccup in the simulation we call life, was released the same day as A Glitch in the MatrixOwen Wilson plays Greg, a sad-sack divorce whos having the worst day of his life. Greg is called into his bosss office and promptly fired, and then he accidentally (and somewhat comically) kills his boss. After hiding the body, Greg goes to the bar across the street where he meets Isabel (Salma Hayek), an eccentric homeless woman who tells him theyre living in a virtual world and almost everybody around them is, in video game parlance, a non-player characterincluding Gregs children.

Its easier to buy Isabels story once she uses telekinetic powers to shape their reality; Greg is able to do the same after he takes these mysterious orange crystals. Soon, Greg and Isabel are using their powers to knock supposed NPCs over in roller skating rinks. The movie also features equally mysterious blue crystals, which, if enough are ingested, will thrust Isabel and Greg back into reality. The use of crystals, combined with the grimy and crime-ridden world the characters inhabit, will draw inevitable comparisons to The Matrixespecially since Greg has his own reawakening in a much more idyllic world. (This isnt much of a spoiler, considering the trailer gives away the reveal.) But as Agent Smith explained to Morpheus in The Matrix, mankind wasnt able to accept the machines vision of a utopian world, which is why the Matrix is filled with familiar imperfections. Bliss, then, will make you question how much of what Greg is experiencing is real. Skepticism is encouraged, particularly considering the blue crystals bear some resemblance to a, uh, real-life substance. What would a simulated reality with vivid detail and a lack of apparent consequences be if not highly addictive?

That brings to mind Zuckerbergs real-life Oculus endgame: Billions of people buying into a breakthrough immersive technology to the point that it becomes a staple of everyday life. But you get the impression that VR would only be embraced so wholeheartedly if it would serve as an attractive alternative to the state of the world. And, as has been repeatedly expressed in VR movie canon, thats a fraught proposition.

While Ernest Clines Ready Player One is mostly concerned with dropping a bunch of 80s pop culture references in its nostalgia-obsessed text, Steven Spielbergs 2018 film adaptation is more disturbing and self-aware than it probably gets credit for. Spielbergs subversive approach to Clines source material is apparent from the films chilling opening sequence, where everyday people are hooked into the pop culturecentric fantasy of the Oasisbasically VR at the level of Zuckerbergs wildest dreamsas a means of escaping a world crumbling under the weight of capitalism, poverty, and greed. (The use of Van Halens Jump is a nice touch.)

Clines book, along with its derivative sequel, is largely predicated on the surface-level proclamation that some dope stuff came out of the 80s. But Spielberg seems more interested in the role pop culture plays in providing shallow escapist comforts. And considering Spielbergs massive cultural footprintfrom Jaws and Indiana Jones to Jurassic Park and E.T.Ready Player One can be viewed as a filmmaker coming to terms with his own legacy within a glitzy blockbuster where the Iron Giant and a Gundam fight Mechagodzilla. (Obviously, the pop culture fan service of Ready Player One is still plentiful, and theres a reason the film isnt among Spielbergs highly regarded works.)

Ready Player One ends as the Oasis is placed in the hands of the people rather than a greedy corporation trying to monetize the platform further, a cushy landing that closely mirrors its source text. Protagonist Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) and his friends decide to close the Oasis two days per week for its users to spend time outside of ita bizarrely pitiful compromise in the context of a real world thats in a state of decay. But Ready Player Ones climax is also, in a way that Cline doubtless never intended, a bleak inverse to the Matrix trilogy. Instead of actively trying to fix the real world, the Oasis proves to be too alluring to quit outright. Theres no point enduring the hardships of repairing society from the ground up when, like Cypher enjoying the simulated taste of a perfectly prepared steak entering his mouth, ignorance is bliss.

Which is not to say that all fictionalized concepts of VR carry such bleak undertones. While virtual reality isnt the subject of every Black Mirror episode, its one of the anthology series favorite go-to storytelling devices. Anyone familiar with Black Mirror knows to brace for the worst, and the VR-centric episode Playtest absolutely fits the bill. But one of the shows most celebrated installments, San Junipero, abandons that formula to spotlight a moving love story between two women (played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Mackenzie Davis) whose connection transcends death in a simulated reality where their avatars represent their younger selves. The hopeful tone of San Junipero is the exception to the Black Mirror rule of distrusting technology, especially in the hands of large corporations. But thats exactly what makes the episode so greatand in its own way, ambitious.

Maybe its only natural that recent onscreen depictions of virtual reality have underlined its escapist appeal, and, as expressed by the real-life interview subjects of A Glitch in the Matrix, convinced people that theyre living in a simulation. (Who among us wouldnt want to get whisked away to a world of pure imagination, especially in the midst of a pandemic?) But with a fourth Matrix movie arriving at the end of 2021, bringing us back to the franchise where a messiah-like figure freed mankind from its virtual prison, it feels like the virtual reality movie is coming full circle. Or perhaps were getting caught in the same nostalgic comforts that these stories have been warning us about in the first place.

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The State of the Virtual Reality Movie in 2021 - The Ringer

In the oil and gas industry Baker Hughes is using it to simulate its facilities within training rooms. BP has done similar in its efforts to recreate the conditions faced during drilling activities.

Meanwhile surgeons are making use of an extra pair of eyes through British-based Proximie. The VR kit allows surgeons from anywhere in the world to scrub in and share insights about the ongoing operation.

Consulting firms like PwC and Deloitte are also part of a host of big name businesses banking on the commercial success of VR.

"Because we use a virtual office, and because there are avatars, it does allow you to bump into colleagues in a way you can't do in organised video conferencing," says Ed Greig, Deloitte's chief disruptor.

When designing offices, people now look to increase the collision coefficient that allows different teams to bump into each other and have casual conversations that can often spark new ideas."

Deloitte's virtual officehas seen its usage spike since the start of the pandemic. Greig says the technology was "small-scale experimental" before the pandemic but that the pandemic had "massively accelerated" it use.

UK-based VR firm Mesmerise hopes to take advantage of the advent of remote working that has been driven by the pandemic.

We envisage a future where virtual reality is a critical part of working from home, says Andrew Hawken, the Mesmerise chief executive and co-founder.

So when you book a meeting or an event, youll have a VR headset on your desk and will be able to join a meeting in VR as quickly as picking up your phone.

In September, the company hosted hundreds of people in its Gatherings virtual space for the annual conference of financial services giant Morningstar.

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Virtual reality is transforming what it means to work from home - Telegraph.co.uk

The Global Virtual Reality Market size is expected to reach $31. 2 billion by 2026, rising at a market growth of 20. 3% CAGR during the forecast period. Virtual Reality (VR) is bringing a paradigm shift in the manner we interact with the environment and objects around us.

New York, Feb. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Virtual Reality Market By Component, By Device, By Technology, By End User, By Region, Industry Analysis and Forecast, 2020 - 2026" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06021509/?utm_source=GNW Growing adoption and utilization of virtual reality in different sectors is boosting the global demand of the virtual reality market. A person can explore a 3D computer generated environment which is presented by virtual. With the help of this, a person feels himself to be part of the near-reality world. Virtual reality has been rising to prominence across different sectors such as real estate, healthcare, entertainment, and education, etc. Moreover, VR is consistently being used to give training to employees and doctors to prevent any errors. With the help of VR technology, conference and meetings in real-time are becoming possible. Virtual reality makes it more convenient for engineers to assess designs and check how the structure will appear in real.

The adoption of VR is boosted by the rising affordability of 360-degree cameras because these cameras are becoming independent accessories in smartphones. These cameras, integrated in smartphones and mobile apps, are well-versed in capturing 360-degree videos. As a result, network sites such as Facebook and YouTube are adopting and promoting such videos. Manufacturers of smartphones are planning to develop operating systems incorporated with pre-installed camera apps with 360-degree photo capacities. The growth of the VR market is boosted by the rising popularity of 360-degree picture content.

By Component

Based on Component, the market is segmented into Hardware and Software. The hardware segment held the significant revenue market of the global virtual reality market in 2019. Demand for HMDs combined with the reducing prices of the display will boost the growth of the segment in the next few years. Consumer-ready headsets to experience VR can accelerate the segment growth during the forecast years.

By Device

Based on Device, the market is segmented into Head-mounted Display (HMD), Gesture-tracking Device (GTD) and Projectors & Display Wall (PDW). The HMD segment held a significant revenue share of the global market in 2019. The segment is anticipated to keep up its dominance over the forecast years. The gesture tracking devices segment is expected to gain popularity because of its application in the design, defense, and architecture sectors.

By Technology

Based on Technology, the market is segmented into Semi & Fully Immersive and Non-immersive. The fully immersive segment holds a major market share. This segment is anticipated to increase further and display a major CAGR during the forecast years. Numerous companies are researching haptic gloves and other wearables. In 2018, Microsoft Corporation introduced Microsoft Layout which is a mobile application for VR headsets. This application allows users to virtually move 3D objects on a floor plan, making it convenient for architects to observe their designs.

By End User

Based on End User, the market is segmented into Consumer, Commercial, Healthcare, Enterprise, Aerospace & Defense and Others. The virtual reality market will be dominated by consumer applications in the next few years. Consumer sectors include gaming and entertainment applications, accounted for the highest revenue share of the market. This is credited to the high penetration of this sector in the gaming industry. The immersive technology accompanied with VR in gaming and entertainment lets a user experience a completely new virtual world. The virtual reality market will be led by consumer applications during the forecast years.

By Region

Based on Regions, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, Middle East & Africa. In 2019, the market was dominated by North America. This is owing to the high adoption of new technologies by the common people and the presence of numerous virtual reality companies. The U.S. is a leading contributor to the development of the virtual reality market in North America. However, Asia-Pacific is anticipated to witness the biggest development rate during the forecast years. This is credited to the increase in adoption of technologically advanced solutions, a rise in penetration of smartphones in developing countries such as India and China, and increase in application areas among end-use industries.

The major strategies followed by the market participants are Product Launches and Partnerships. Based on the Analysis presented in the Cardinal matrix; Microsoft Corporation, Google, Inc., Facebook, Inc., and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. are the forerunners in the Virtual Reality Market. Companies such as Eon Reality, Inc., Dassault Systemes SE, Ultraleap Limited, Sony Corporation, and Autodesk, Inc. are some of the key innovators in the market.

The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the market. Key companies profiled in the report include Google, Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Facebook, Inc., Sony Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group), Autodesk, Inc., Dassault Systemes SE, Vuzix Corporation, Ultraleap Limited (Leap Motion, Inc.) and Eon Reality, Inc.

Recent strategies deployed in Virtual Reality Market

Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

Dec-2020: Eon Reality signed a partnership agreement with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The partnership focused on providing augmented (AR), virtual (VR), and extended (XR) reality technology to improve remote skills-based learning and to provide training for students in the new Simulation and Game Design Technology program.

Oct-2020: Eon came into partnership with King Mongkuts Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL). Under this partnership, they established an Interactive Digital Center that allowed KMITL to continue its growth as one of the top universities in Thailand and added a new section like a VR Innovation Academy and educator certification programs.

Sep-2020: Eon Reality came into partnership with the National Company for Educational Services and Training (NEST) in Kuwait. This partnership aimed to bring an AR and VR center to the region, which provides excellence in the region for lifelong learning dissemination of AR and VR-based knowledge transfer solutions.

Jul-2020: Eon entered into a partnership with Dell. This partnership aimed to promote AR and VR solutions for academic and industrial facilities across the globe, particularly by using Dells potentially unmatched reach and ability to bring EON-XR to new potential users.

Mar-2020: Eon Reality partnered with Assam Electronics Development Corporation Limited, a machinery company. The partnership aimed to establish the first Augmented and Virtual Reality Center in India. This center offers effective AR and VR enterprise and academic solutions to provide training for the next generation of students and upskill workers within the areas significant oil and gas industry.

Jul-2019: Sony signed a partnership agreement with Oculus, a brand of Facebook Technologies. In this partnership, Oculus extended the olive branch and shared VR games with Sonys popular Playstation VR platform.

Feb-2019: Dassault signed a partnership agreement with ABB, a pioneering technology leader. Under this partnership agreement, the companies offered customers in digital industries, a unique software solutions portfolio ranging from product life cycle management to asset health solutions.

Acquisition and Mergers:

Jun-2020: Facebook took over Ready at Dawn, an American video game developer. The acquired company developed the Lone Echo games for the Oculus series of Facebook and afterward joined the Oculus series of Facebook.

Feb-2020: Facebook took over Sanzaru Games, the maker of the VR adventure title Asgards Wrath. This acquisition helped Facebook to pursue a future of rich, immersive, and original VR game content.

2017-Oct: Microsoft took over AltSpaceVR, a software startup company. This acquisition aimed to launch Windows Mixed Reality and the Windows 10 Fall Creators update.

Oct-2016: Google acquired Eyefluence, the first eye-interaction technology for AR, VR, and MR devices. The acquisition focused on the launch of the Pixel phone line with VR capabilities enabled by the Daydream VR headset.

Product Launches and Product Expansions:

Sep-2020: Facebook unveiled the Oculus Quest 2, its next-generation virtual reality headset. The VR headsets comprise new Touch controllers with optimized controller tracking to increase their efficiency.

Jul-2020: Microsoft introduced new features in Microsoft Teams. These features make virtual interactions highly organic and engaging that support the global shift of a more hybrid model of work, learning, and life.

May-2020: Eon Reality introduced EON-XR for Magic Leap. It focused on bringing the intuitive and flexible nature of EON-XR to a device that offers the ultimate freedom in movement and environmental awareness.

Sep-2019: Facebook launched Facebook Horizon, a platform where people can interact with others as digital avatars. The users can even add the elements of the world to the platform.

Geographical Expansions:

Nov-2020: Samsung opened the AR-VR Innovation Lab at IIT-Jodhpur. This lab helps in providing training to students on new technologies like Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality and helps them in learning industry-relevant skills and making them job-read

Scope of the Study

Market Segments covered in the Report:

By Component

Hardware

Software

By Device

Head-mounted Display (HMD)

Gesture-tracking Device (GTD)

Projectors & Display Wall (PDW)

By Technology

Semi & Fully Immersive

Non-immersive

By End User

Consumer

Commercial

Healthcare

Enterprise

Aerospace & Defense

Others

By Geography

North America

o US

o Canada

o Mexico

o Rest of North America

Europe

o Germany

o UK

o France

o Russia

o Spain

o Italy

o Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

o China

o Japan

o India

o South Korea

o Singapore

o Malaysia

o Rest of Asia Pacific

LAMEA

o Brazil

o Argentina

o UAE

o Saudi Arabia

o South Africa

o Nigeria

o Rest of LAMEA

Companies Profiled

Google, Inc.

Microsoft Corporation

Facebook, Inc.

Sony Corporation

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)

Autodesk, Inc.

Dassault Systemes SE

Vuzix Corporation

Ultraleap Limited (Leap Motion, Inc.)

Eon Reality, Inc.

Unique Offerings

Exhaustive coverage

Highest number of market tables and figures

Subscription based model available

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Global Virtual Reality Market By Component, By Device, By Technology, By End User, By Region, Industry Analysis and Forecast, 2020 - 2026 - Yahoo...

First-in-the-city entertainment is coming to AMP Capitals The Palms Shopping Centre. The Oasis, a made in New Zealand business success story, is an immersive entertainment destination with Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, mini golf, an arcade and much more.

The Oasis is designed to appeal to the whole family and groups of friends; alongside the ground-breaking technology-driven entertainment there is also family-favourite offerings.

Keryn Ward, Centre Manager at The Palms Shopping Centre, says, The Oasis pop-up has already proved popular with shoppers and visitors over the summer, and we are delighted to be establishing it as a long-term entertainment venue which has genuine appeal for fun-loving people of all ages. As well as a site for games and entertainment, it will be a great spot for visitors to take a break and get refreshments the whole venue will be licensed, with food and beverages available on-site.

The Oasis will be located underneath Reading Cinemas bringing another level of experience to the centre with an interactive, themed 18-hole mini golf course and more than 50 arcade machines with brand-new redemptiongames and a nostalgic retro area.

The Oasis was founded by James Astrop and his wife Laura to expand their entrepreneurship in the New Zealand amusement industry after operating an entertainmentbusiness in Rotorua. Astrop worked closely with family, friends and industry contacts to identify exactly what the Christchurch entertainmentscene was missing and together they have sourced, planned and built attractions for the Oasis that are nothing like New Zealand has ever seen before.

Astrop says, We are delighted to have found our home at The Palms and to be creating this amazingvenue after an extremely enthusiasticreception to our initial pop-up venue.

The immersive experiencesincluding VR escape rooms and all ages VR games have already proven popular in the Oasis pop-up attraction and an untethered room-scale multiplayer experience which is the first of its kind in New Zealand. Racing simulators designed to give an experience as close as possible to being in your favourite car on a race track and afully licensed bar and kitchen to catch up with friends or refuel for more fun and games will round off the experience.

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Home-grown Virtual Reality comes to The Palms Shopping Centre News - Belinda Daly

AIDT, Alabamas primary workforce development agency, is teaming withHyundai Power Transformers USAand a firm specializing in virtual reality technologies on a revolutionary jobs training program.

The collaboration with immersive learning startupTransfrstands to make cutting-edge job training accessible to thousands of unemployed workers and aspiring manufacturing professionals across the state.

By putting this powerful solution in the hands of employers like HPT, were helping them to make good on their commitment to hire Alabama residents for good-paying manufacturing jobs, said Ed Castile, deputy secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce and executive director of AIDT.

This is about not just meeting the training and safety needs of industry partners, but also creating a repeatable and cost-efficient approach that can be applied in the context of other heavy industries, such as aviation and shipbuilding, he said.

Read a Forbes story on the groundbreaking partnership.

HPT manufactures power transformers used in electrical grids across the U.S. at a plant in Montgomery. The company announced a $33 million smart factory projectin 2018.

This is an application of VR technology that extends well beyond what many of us are familiar with from gaming or consumer apps, said Tony Wojciechowski, chief human resource officer at HPT. Its about harnessing the potential of immersive learning to train and certify employees on critical, in-demand skills at unprecedented scale. Its providing employers like us with a powerful new tool to train, recruit and hire talent right here in Alabama.

Simulating a factory

At the core of the unique program is a simulation of HPTs seven-story manufacturing facility developed by Transfr.

Within the simulation, workers gain first-hand invaluable experiences with the safety protocols required to operate heavy machinery and equipment of up to 400 tons, lifting power transformers as heavy as 800,000 pounds.

The training initiative is helping to increase compliance with industry standards as HPT employees learn how to operate and service cranes within OSHA standards, using a highly repeatable and consistent training process.

Alabama is leading the way in harnessing the potential of technology to unlock economic opportunity for citizens across the state, said Bharani Rajakumar, founder and CEO of Transfr. This is about expanding access to complex and high-stakes training to fulfill the states workforce development goals and fulfill growing demand from major manufacturers like HPT.

New York-based Transfr has worked with other Alabama employers, including Mazda Toyota Manufacturing and Alabama Power.

The startup is also collaborating with the Alabama Community College System and is involved inJumpstart AL, a new statewide program that aims to create the next generation of workers.

This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerces Made in Alabama website.

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AIDT teams with Hyundai for unique job-training initiative using virtual reality simulation - Alabama NewsCenter

Read a Forbes story on the groundbreaking partnership.

HPT manufacturers power transformers used in electrical grids across the U.S. at a plant in Montgomery. The company announced a $33 million smart factory project in 2018.

This is an application of VR technology that extends well beyond what many of us are familiar with from gaming or consumer apps. Its about harnessing the potential of immersive learning to train and certify employees on critical, in-demand skills at unprecedented scale, said Tony Wojciechowski, chief human resource officer at HPT.

Its providing employers like us with a powerful new tool to train, recruit, and hire talent right here in Alabama.

SIMULATING A FACTORY

At the core of the unique program is a simulation of HPTs seven-story manufacturing facility developed by TRANSFR.

Within the simulation, workers gain first-hand invaluable experiences with the safety protocols required to operate heavy machinery and equipment of up to 400 tons, lifting power transformers as heavy as 800,000 pounds.

The training initiative is helping to increase compliance with industry standards as HPT employees learn how to operate and service cranes within OSHA standards, using a highly repeatable and consistent training process.

Alabama is leading the way in harnessing the potential of technology to unlock economic opportunity for citizens across the state, said Bharani Rajakumar, founder and CEO of TRANSFR.

This is about expanding access to complex and high-stakes training to fulfill the states workforce development goals and fulfill growing demand from major manufacturers like HPT.

New York-based TRANSFER has previously worked with other Alabama employers, including Mazda Toyota Manufacturing and Alabama Power.

The startup is also collaborating with the Alabama Community College System and is involved in Jumpstart AL, a new statewide program that aims to create the next-generation of workers.

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AIDT teams in job-training initiative using virtual reality simulation - Made In Alabama

Abarth has launched the worlds first VR test drive pack enabling potential customers to experience the Italian sportscar brand from their sofa.

With the uncertainty around ever-changing tiers, temporary travel restrictions and dealership closures, the VR experience gives customers the opportunity to enjoy the thrill of driving an Abarth while staying in the comfort and safety of their home.

While nothing will ever compare with test driving an Abarth in the real world, the VR test drive provides customers and their families a fully immersive and exhilarating alternative.

The trial, which begins on February 8th, 2021, will take place from the Vospers Abarth retailer in Exeter. If the initial trial proves successful it could be rolled out to additional retailers across the UK.

During the trial period an expert from the retailer will deliver an Abarth crate to the front door of the customer (taking into account all government guidelines). Inside the crate will be the VR headset pre-loaded with the test drive footage and a pair of Bose headphones to ensure customers can fully experience the famous growl of the Abarth exhaust. Abarth branded items including a Bluetooth speaker and baseball cap are also included. In addition, a brochure is included providing drivers with all the detail they need on the Abarth range.

Those customers lucky enough to enjoy the in-home test drive, will virtually get behind the wheel of the new limited edition Abarth 595 Scorpioneoro.

When drivers put the headset on they will be greeted by Abarth owner and automotive influencer, Stef Villaverde (aka @Stef_ABTV), who will host and guide them on the virtual experience.

Stef will give customers all of the key product information about the car before taking them on a drive of some of the UKs best driving roads.

The VR experience transports viewers instantly to the sweeping bends of the Great Orme, the lakeside vista of Llyn Ogwen and off-road adventures on Black Rock Sands. These roads were specifically chosen by Abarths online community of owners, the Abarthisti, who deemed North Wales to be the prime spot to experience an Abarth.

Arnaud Leclerc, Managing Director Fiat Chrysler Automobiles UK, said: We are delighted to be able to offer this innovative test drive approach to our customers and Abarth fans. This VR experience allows customers to enjoy the thrill of driving a 595, but from the safety of their own homes.

The Abarth 595 Scorpioneoro is a limited edition with only 2,000 models available globally. It pays homage to the exclusive A112 Abarth Gold Ring, better known to fans as the A112 Abarth Targa Oro.

Powered by a 165 HP T-Jet engine, the car is capable of reaching a top speed of 135 mph with an acceleration of 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds. Other standout features on the car include a unique livery, new leather seats with Scorpioneoro emblazoned in gold on the headrest, a chrome twin exhaust and 17-inch Formula Gold alloy wheels with red hubcaps.

SOURCE: Abarth

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Abarth launches world's first virtual reality test drive delivered to homes - Automotive World

Theres no better way to show off a VR game than with mixed reality footage which shows a real player inside of a virtual world; unfortunately setting it all up is no easy task. Luckily, YouTube channel TougeVR is sharing the secrets to great mixed reality streaming and capture in a video series called Mixed Reality Masterclass.

Whether youre a content creator looking to stream VR content or a game studio making a high quality trailer for your VR game, mixed reality is the ideal way to give players a sense of what its really like to be inside virtual reality. But mixing virtual reality and real life footage together into one seamless shot isnt exactly straightforward. Between hardware, software, framing, and lighting, theres a lot to learn to make it work, let alone make it work well. Luckily, help has arrived.

The TougeVR channel is home to some of the best mixed reality content youll find on YouTube, and now host David is sharing the secrets of his mixed reality productions in a free video series called Mixed Reality Masterclass.

A masterclass indeed Davids delightfully straightforward presentation goes over the complete setup process, covering camera selection and framing, controller calibration, latency correction, chroma key best practices, and plenty more.

While the first video in the series (above) will get you looking good with the basics, the second video introduces moving shots with a tracked camera, along with all the considerations youll need to make to your filming space to accommodate such shots.

TougeVR is promising more episodes of Mixed Reality Masterclass to come, so be sure to stay tuned!

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Video Series Shares the Secrets to Great Mixed Reality Capture for VR - Road to VR

Worldwide Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality in Healthcare Market Analysis to 2027 is a specialized and in-depth study of the Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality in Healthcare Market Industry with a focus on the global market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality in Healthcare Market with detailed market segmentation by product/application and geography. The global Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality in Healthcare Market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the Market status of the players and offers key trends and opportunities in the market.

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Whats included

Top Key Players in Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality in Healthcare Market:

Abbott oston Scientific Corporation,Koninklijke Philips N.V,Infraredx,Kaixin,Boston Scientific Corporation, Medtronic,Cardinal Health,Terumo Medical Corporation,B. Braun Melsungen AG,Johnson and Johnson

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Market Segmentation

The global augmented reality and virtual reality in healthcare market is segmented on the basis of device type, application, end user and geography. The device type segment includes, AR healthcare devices, VR healthcare devices. Based on application, the market is segmented as, patient care management, fitness management, surgery, medical training and education, others. Based on end user, the market is segmented as, research organizations, research and diagnostics laboratories, hospitals, clinics and surgical centers, government institutions, others.

The Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality in Healthcare Market is anticipated to grow with a significant rate in the coming years, owing to factors such as, rising incidence and prevalence of chronic diseases, increasing healthcare expenses toward growth of eHealth, telemedicine, telehealth. Rapid growth in delivery of services to patients, several technological enlargements in the healthcare industry in Asia Pacific and Europe are expected to offer growth opportunities for the players operating in the market.

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Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality in Healthcare Market Size, Industry Analysis, Growth Factors, Trends, and Regional Forecast to 2027 KSU | The...