Category Archives: Virtual Reality

Haptic feedback could be the next frontier for immersive VR experiences, and the new SenseGlove Nova VR gloves make a firm stride in that direction, bringing us closer than ever to realistic simulations and fully sensory VR.

These wearable controllers offer touch-sensitive experiences you won't get with standard VR headset controllers, like the Knuckle controllers used with the Valve Index.

SenseGlove tells us that you get "an unparalleled 24 degrees of freedom and tracking" with the Nova's per-finger tracking system, far beyond the six-degree freedom of the Oculus Quest 2. This lets you "experience collisions, textures, and button clicks where they happen on your fingertips or the palm of your hand."

The SenseGlove Nova gloves cost a pretty penny, at around $5,000 (3,700 / AU$6,500) a pair, and for now you'll only be seeing it used for more commercial purposes; Airbus, Honda and Volkswagen have all been making use of its previous prototype (DK1) iteration, though we're told that future models will only get smaller, cheaper, and more mainstream in the coming years.

We sat down with SenseGlove's CEO and co-founder, Gijs den Butter, to talk about the importance of haptic feedback for VR, AR, and telerobotics as well as the future of haptic feedback in the medium of virtual reality.

For the full low-down on the SenseGlove Nova, watch our video at the top of this article.

Haptic feedback has gained a lot of buzz in recent months, especially in the world of gaming. The PS5's new DualSense controller makes use of haptic triggers for precise tension control something that's apparent in PS5 games like Astro's Playroom that really work to make use of the technology and prove a test case for it.

The danger, of course, is that the greatest advancements in VR and gaming interfacing won't be fully utilized by developers. There's no denying the potential of haptic feedback, though, and companies like SenseGlove are certainly going all in.

Read more:

These haptic feedback VR gloves are changing virtual reality here's how - TechRadar

Futuristic worlds accessed through goggles with graphics nearly indistinguishable from the real world are growing closer by the day as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) gain steam.

VR is an immersive digital experience that creates a completely virtual environment. AR is data and computer-generated images that are integrated into a users natural environment. MR blends elements of both, creating seamless transitions between virtual and real environments.

Millions eager to safely escape quarantine early in the pandemic discovered VR, AR and MR, though todays world already has heaps of mixed reality mixed in.

Faces take digital form through Snapchat filters that blend digital images with the shape of a users face, while a Google search for a pug from an Android phone will digitally render what looks and sounds like an actual-size 3D pug into your space. Anyone whos ever played Pokmon GO has already adventured into an AR world. Mixed reality has seemingly boundless potential, with applications in education and industry.

VR gaming is the way of the future, creating not just fun experiences for gamers, but educational experiences for students.

The pandemic appears to be illuminating opportunities for enterprises to train better, and these improvements wont just disappear after the pandemic ends. Innovations catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic wont just go away when some people start returning to work. According to an analysis by KPMG, the majority of innovations spurred by the pandemic are here to stay.

Weve seen a huge uptick of commercial interest in both virtual and augmented reality driven by the pandemic, Tom Mainelli, VP of devices and consumer research at IDC, said, adding that organizations of all sizes are leveraging the technology to train new employees, streamline manufacturing processes and increase collaboration among workers.

The AR/VR industry is expected to accelerate out of the pandemic, with total mixed reality spending ballooning from $12.0 billion in 2020 to $72.8 billion in 2024 comprising a 54% five-year compound annual growth rate.

I think weve seen three to four years of progress in just three to four months, in terms of acceptance of what the new world needs to look like, Steve Hasker, CEO of Thomson Reuters, said to KPMG.

Big tech companies arent missing the opportunity to build on mixed reality the genre of tech made up of AR and VR products though it might not have been in time for the pandemic.

Facebook owns the Oculus brand of virtual reality gaming headsets, which it bought for $2 billion from the controversial tech entrepreneur Palmer Luckey in 2014. The company also has plans to launch smart glasses in 2021, though they wont quite be AR. Instead, theyll be simpler, more along the lines of Snapchat Spectacles regular sunglasses with an integrated camera lens for filming and taking pictures with longer term plans to deliver an AR product.

A crystal ball is yet to be invented, but it could be by 2030. Until then, "fake news," data privacy, virtual reality and artificial intelligence to bound to rise, for better or worse.

Apple is anticipated to launch a set of glasses that have both virtual and augmented reality capabilities where digital images are spliced in with your view of the natural world sometime before 2022. Apple originally planned to release a headset in 2018, but like other tech companies, it pushed the project back due to internal disputes over the design of the product.

Lots of companies have tried to roll out AR or VR glasses for everyday consumers, but it seems like these products are either too clunky, too expensive or lack the functionality needed to be adopted by the general public. Google launched the Google Glass in 2014 then pivoted the product to sell to enterprises. Examples abound of similar retoolings.

A lot of advancements are being made to mixed reality tech which are solving the problems of functionality, clunkiness and price for widespread consumer adoption. Heres how these three design problems may be solved in the next few years.

First, the problem of functionality. Users are less likely to adopt a new product if it doesnt improve on older tech or satisfy a need. Another of Apples revolutionary rollouts, the Apple Watch, lacks functionality when the wearer isnt connected to the internet or near an iPhone. The same problem could plague users of Apple mixed reality glasses in remote areas.

[Typical mixed reality] glasses cant hold a computer," Wolen, who remains personally and professionally engaged with mixed reality, said. Most of the functionality of the glasses will be computed in the cloud, and that relies on the cell service that you have. Depending on where you are you might get really slow updates, or the glasses might not even work, Wolen said.

With the advent of fifth-generation mobile networks, or 5G, internet speeds might improve enough to connect apps within a mixed reality headset quickly enough while navigating cities, which will make them more useful for consumers and increase their functionality.

Facebook has a goal of 10,000 active Oculus Quest units, which Zuckerberg argued will inspire independent developers to create games that are compatible with the console, another means of boosting functionality.

The clunkiness problem is one that must be solved before many mainstream consumers shell out hundreds of dollars for a VR, AR or MR headset.

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Apple originally started working on a super high-performance set of goggles that had both AR and VR functionality that required a stationary hub about the size of a small Mac computer thatd communicate with the glasses through a wireless signal.

Apple execs settled on a new design that ditches the hub losing some functionality but still offers a cinematic sound system and graphics that are indistinguishable from reality, according to Bloomberg.

Apple is really good at keeping things sleek, clean and simple, so if theyre making glasses, they know that they need to look good so that someone will wear them all the time, Wolen said. ... It will be interesting to see how Apple targets customers and how they showcase what these glasses are really capable of. And then from there, we might see other companies mimic what [Apple] is doing.

Finally, the price needs to be right for the average consumer. Prices are dropping for the Facebook Oculus Quest. The Quest 2 retails for $299 thats $100 cheaper than Oculus 1, which was released just a year before and boasts improved functionality.

The Oculus Quest 2 was released in October with preorders topping those of the original Oculus Quest, Mark Zuckerberg said during a Q3 earnings call in 2020.

If Apples launch is successful, competitors will likely follow suit and roll out mixed-reality products for everyday consumers, which will result in a lowered price point. It all depends on if Apples launch appeals to the general public.

Apples brand recognition and focus on aesthetics may help with the price and adoption of VR by the masses.

While the real world reels with the uncertainties of inflation, disease and climate change, virtual realities, and even virtual worlds, are becoming more of a possibility.

Skylar Wolen (18) founded JMUs AR/VR class as an undergrad and is now a consultant at Deloitte. Wolen first got interested in the tech when he helped develop a VR exposure therapy treatment app built with Oculus development kits 1 and 2, which facilitate the creation of software thats compatible with an Oculus headset.

JMU has further integrated virtual reality into campus since its introduction in 2016. Students can use the program in X-Labs to make their own products and become trained in different fields.

Wolens team earned two prizes at the second annual Bluestone Hackathon in 2016 by designing a virtual reality app that immersed a person in a simulation that exposes them to their fear. One of the hackathons judges was afraid of heights and started crying after entering the simulation on a mountain, Wolen said. Hes optimistic about virtual realitys uses.

It is pretty exciting, Wolen said. Its different, you know? Its nothing weve really seen before. Its new and I always like new things, and I like to push the limit on what were really capable of.

Tech futurists say virtual worlds, or the Metaverse, like Ernest Clines OASIS from the novel Ready Player One, could become a reality within as few as five years. Digital twins are virtual copies of real cities that youd use a set of VR goggles and haptic gloves to access.

Imagine taking New York City and all of its buildings and all of its information and uploading it and having that as a virtual reality world, Wolen said. Im hoping in the next five to 10 years well start to see movement into this area."

In Clines novel, humans use a virtual world to escape the messes they make in the real world, ditching a planet plagued by disease and poverty for a sunny and green virtual reality. In light of recent events triggered by social media, its not difficult to find examples of technology exposing the negative sides of humanity. On the other hand, its easy to imagine a virtual world as a good place where simulated cancer research can occur, or lonely people can find social interaction.

Notwithstanding, many tech futurists agree it can be irrelevant to make a call on whether a new tech will pose a net benefit or downfall to humanity.

What I see with technology is it always goes both ways, Wolen said. Theres always a positive and theres always a negative. If you leave it up to us we usually bring out the worst in things, but I hope for a positive.

Jillian Lynch is a senior international affairs major. Contact Jillian at lynch8jm@dukes.jmu.edu.

Disclaimer: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself and it expresses my own opinions. Im not receiving compensation for it and I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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Ready Player One? Virtual reality growing past the pandemic - The Breeze

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) It isnt often you hear patients describe Physical Therapy as fun, but a new virtual reality program being used by Therapists at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital could change that.

The Real System uses games to encourage real-life movements. Riley McCartney, OTR/L says the system does a great job getting patients to do dynamic movements, rather than simply raising arms up and down.

The patient wears a virtual reality headset and sensors on their upper body. The therapist operates the system through a tablet.

Stroke patients and others with neurological impairments can use the real system in their recovery sometimes without realizing how hard theyre working.

Meagan Berquist, OTR/L says, its really fascinating because we can target challenges weve been working on with patients but in a different way, a virtual way. Patients work on trunk control, arm strength, and functional reaching.

Mary Free Bed therapists will train on the Real System and begin incorporating into their practice over the next few months.

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Mary Free Bed uses Virtual Reality in Stroke Recovery - WOODTV.com

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. Leaders from across the 375th Air Mobility Wing stepped into a virtual reality-inspired test phase Jan. 12 for a new training effort targeted to help Airmen feel more comfortable about engaging with others to prevent suicide.

Senior leaders were asked to put on a virtual reality headset for a 30 minute interactive scenario with both a coach, who provided upfront training, and then an Airman who was in obvious distress. They were prompted to ask a variety of questions, whereupon the responses would vary until the member was successfully assisted.

This experience was definitely more powerful than just sitting through a boring Powerpoint briefing, said Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Bekoff, 375th Mission Support Group. I think the way the training is presented will resonate with our younger Airmen who are used to interacting in virtual worlds like this.

He said that on a personal level, he felt he had more confidence after the training to stick to the ACE response method of Ask, Care, and Escort, but, that no matter what, any interaction with those who feel suicidal will be a hard situation.

This is one reason why the Air Force is going to great lengths to find ways to address the issue with updated and innovative ways help Airmen recognize the signs and assist them in addressing a variety of situations. The scenario being tested right now involves an Airman to Airman experience, and future scenarios will involve training targeted with a first sergeant, a commander, and a spouse as well.

Scott AFB, along with Travis AFB, California, were selected as the pilot wings for the Air Forces Virtual Reality Suicide Prevention Experience. The company Moth+Flame was contracted to develop this immersive VR training experience. Training will be adjusted based on feedback during this test phase with possible final rollout later this year.

Leading point on this training effort for the wing is Kirt Davis, the Violence Prevention Integrator who also oversees the wings suicide prevention programs. Assisting him with the test phase logistics is Tech. Sgt. Alisha Curtis, 375th Command Post. They both took the training and agreed that its a step in the right direction to get more people comfortable with reaching out to each other.

Davis said, I think whats really beneficial in this training is that it teaches you how to have the conversation. While theres no right answer for everything, it does show you how to avoid judgmental language and observe the surroundings while ensuring the person remains safe until additional help can be secured.

He said that once the program is assessed and approved for additional implementation, there will need to be support from all the units to bring the technology to their teams. Because this specific Airman to Airman scenario is receiving positive feedback, commanders are also asking for more scenarios, and asking if there is a way to evaluate if they did it right.

Mike Arth of Moth+Flame described how the application can provide data for leadership to better understand how Airmen are performing and where training gaps may exist that can be closed with alterations to the curriculum or additional exposure to key concepts. Moth+Flames goal is that a better understanding of where Airmen are struggling to employ ACE will lead to improvements that help Airmen learn faster and retain more of the material for longer.

Davis added, Anything we can do to enhance not only our training, but our ability to respond in these situations is worth trying. We still have an alarming number of people taking their life, and if were all prepared to engage when the time comes, then we can help those struggling to know that we care, we need them on our team and that there is hope for the future.

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Virtual reality brings new dimension to suicide prevention training - 62nd Airlift Wing

Surgeons, carpenters and workers handling hazardous chemicalsare likely to be trained using virtual reality sets eventually, Ofcom has predicted, as it said people remember around 90 per cent of what they learn using the technology.

The media regulator said improvements in VR headsets meant they would become an effective way to let people train for dangerous professions before attempting the work in real life.

The predictions came as part of a report into how technology is due to evolve and transform Britain in the coming years.

Virtual reality is a form of technology where people wear headsets or goggles that then project an alternate digital reality. The sets, which are already widely used by video gamers, can also be linked to handheld sensors that allow people to perform tasks in their virtual reality.

However, Ofcom noted the headsets are increasingly being used in schools as a more interactive and absorbing way to teach pupils visual subjects.

The report said: There is consensus that [virtual reality] is an effective way of providing differentiated and personalised learning experiences for students that increases the effectiveness of the teaching process.

While on average, a regular student can remember 30 per cent of what they hear and 20 per cent of what they see, statistics indicate that students remember 90 per cent of the material if taught using [VR].

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Ofcom predicts surgeons will eventually be trained using virtual reality - Telegraph.co.uk

MIDDLETOWN, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Reality Interactive, a leading retail technology design firm and digital agency in Middletown, Connecticut, wasnt going to let COVID-19 ruin their Holiday-20 fun.

A creative and tech savvy group by trade, they were determined to use the very expertise they offer their clients to host a safe, fun and innovative holiday party for their own staff.

In fact, whats been a tough year for many businesses has been a productive year for Reality, as many companies have enlisted them to digitally solve for their pandemic business struggles.

When an employee asked what are we doing for our holiday gathering this year?, this creative crew did what they do with every challenge quickly analyze, brainstorm, develop and launch a progressive solution in a months time.

Like many other companies, the Reality team has been working remotely since March 2020. Were a small but mighty crew, and the truth is that weve missed the human connection that we had pre-pandemic, said Jeremy Brazeal, Executive Creative Director for Reality. It didnt take us long to figure out that we need to be creative not only for our clients, but for ourselves, too.

In the spirit of celebration and safety, Reality took every day videoconferencing to the next level. They sent Oculus virtual reality headsets to their 46 employees as holiday gifts. On December 23, they used those headsets to go holiday office party mode direct from their homes. Together, employees virtually walked and talked through a snowy winter evening, played a few games of hoops and watched some holiday fireworks.

It wasnt what we were used to, but it was both safe and fun and definitely scored points for the cool factor, said Jessica Amenta, Reality Account Director. Its important that we as a team feel connected if we want to also feel connected with our clients. And this years holiday celebration showed us that management believes in that, too.

Because Reality typically uses their own staff when testing newer technology, theyve been able to stay fluent in new technologies and applications, and offer their ever-evolving learnings to their clients.

Weve been doing remote team building activities in an effort to stay connected, but we wanted to use technology to its fullest and get the most out of our remote experience, especially at this time. Employees now want to try conducting meetings this way, too, so I guess our experiment can be considered a success. We plan to continue finding new ways to use VR to bring teams togetherthe holiday party was just the beginning, said Jeremy Brazeal.

About Reality Interactive

Reality Interactive is a multi-award winning, retail technology and design agency. The firm specializes in creating and managing innovative retail experiences using touchscreen displays, digital signage, digital media and a full suite of interactive and creative technologies.

Over the past 16 years, Reality has created hundreds of dynamic in-store experiences partnering with some of the world's biggest brands and their agencies.

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How One Company Is Using Virtual Reality to Create a Real Connection for Its Employees - Business Wire

[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Gamasutra and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press.]- 13.1.2021 - Oulu, Finland -

The Finnish game publisher VRKiwi revealed that they are working on a new PC virtual reality game called Crystal Raiders VR with the Lithuanian virtual and augmented reality studio Nieko. The game is planned to be released on Steam this year and other VR platforms are reported to be in the plans as well. Crystal Raiders VR will take part in the Steam Game Festival in February, where players can try out demos, chat with developers, watch live streams, and learn about upcoming games on Steam.

Crystal Raiders VR is an action adventure game where you can explore your way together with other players or solo through the many levels of an ancient castle combining a peaceful medieval-like environment with steampunk elements. Adventures full of action await the ones who dare to enter a maze-like fortification filled with crystal guardians, traps and puzzles. Players will discover great treasures, artifacts, and weapons to aid them in their castle challenge, and to unravel the mysteries of the forgotten Wizard Lord.

What makes Crystal Raiders VR unique from a typical cookie cutter VR game is that it emphasizes multiplayer virtual reality experience that incorporates a peaceful social platform, known as Camp Square, where players are able to chat with other currently online players. Players from around the world can socialize and compete on the leaderboard in specific activities.

The castle environment of the game, where the first challenge takes place, is planned to be the first of many subsequent, later to-be-released play challenges. Additionally, all challenge content is suitable also for smaller players of families due to the game's focus on cruelty-free combat.

Crystal Raiders VR Steam page is online so players can already go follow it for updates and wishlist it. The game also has a Discord community on https://discord.gg/JuRdcj4YKS.

Key Features

About VRKiwiVRKiwi is the game publisher brand of MeKiwi, a full-stack digital agency based in Oulu, Finland. Their first game Cave Digger was released on Steam back in 2018. Cave Digger evolved with the talented developers and player community into a solid game spanning many platforms, encouraging the indie studio to continue for a sequel, which is currently in development. VRKiwi has also released their second VR game, ArtPulse, and more games are coming through their publishing pipeline. Read more at VRKiwi.org.

About NiekoAt Nieko we are a team of 9. We have been working in the field for over 10 years and started to specialize in VR with the first Oculus DK2 Kit. We have in-house programmers, 3D modelers, texture artists, concept artists. We work on our own projects as well as provide services for customers, and sub-contracting for game companies. Read more about Nieko at Niekoplay.com.

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VRKiwi announces new virtual reality game Crystal Raiders VR in the works - Gamasutra

HONG KONG, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Speaking of the current hottest AR/VR technology, people are probably most familiar with their applications in the field of games and entertainment. However, these two technologies are slowly changing the sports industry that we are familiar with. We will talk about the innovation and experience of sports brought by the development of AR technology.

There is a pair of holographic exercise glasses that can project a holographic image, that is, a virtual partner, which can accompany you to run and exercise together. Not only will you no longer be lonely, but it can also stimulate your potential.

The glasses are connected to your mobile device through a matching APP. You can set the distance between the avatar and you, as well as the speed at which he runs. The system will also automatically adjust according to the user's running speed, to always keep a certain distance from the user.At the same time, the device is also equipped with GPS and a proprietary IMU, which makes it more convenient to know the running time and running speed in real-time, and the navigation route can be easily understood.

Ghost Pacer is compatible with more than 60 smartwatches, and it also has a heart rate sensor that can understand your body energy consumption in time. Therefore, this technology product can integrate various indicators to formulate exercise plans for users, so that users will become more and more healthy while exercising.

The charm of technology is everywhere. With the help of AR technology, runners no longer worry about the boring indoor running, instead, the experience is improved by the introduction of real scenes.Runners can also use AR technology to share more running content, experience races that cannot be participated in, and truly experience various running scenes, with the beauty of the track, the company of running partners, the transcendence and competition of the race, and the more intuitive data interaction.

In fact, there are precedents for AR products that focus on sports, such as AR glasses that focus on swimming. These products are aimed at professional athletes. Although the audience is small, the potential penetrationrate in the industry will be high.Similarly, running plus technology can transform a person's exercise into a richer multi-person collaboration. The collaboration between people and technology, whether it is sports experience or industry development model, will bring infinite possibilities.

The revolutionary changes that AR brings to running are just one aspect of the innovation in sports experience brought by AR. With the popularity of virtual reality and augmented reality, the number of participants in the field of AR holographic technology is also increasing. Some entrants have begun to apply AR to the sports field. For example, Apple is studying how to enhance live sports by allowing viewers to choose their camera angles and pick out the elements that they want more information about.

Holographic AR is full of science fiction elements. In addition to sports, holographic AR has broad development space in many fields in the future. Technology giants have all deployed in the AR field.

WIMI utilizes its strong technical capabilities and infrastructure to provide excellent products and services.The core of WIMI's business is holographic AR technology, which is used in software engineering, content production, as well as cloud and big data. The AR holographic related patent products applied by WIMI have fully covered multiple virtual reality scenes, such as sports performance, education, games, film, and television. Over the years of technologicalefforts, there are currently more than 4654 holographic content IP in technical reserves.

WIMI's leading holographic AR content production function is built around image acquisition, object recognition, automatic image processing, and computer vision technology. WIMI's software engineering team and visualization design team work closely to advance these visualization-related technologies and use them to design and produce innovative holographic AR content.

The so-called augmented reality is to display virtual information at the same time while displaying the real world, and completely change the way and efficiency of information transmission through the combination of the virtual and real world. Regardless of more accurately identifying the real scene, perceiving the environment, or adding user interaction through gesture recognition, AR applications will also have a demand for professional equipment.

WIMI Hologram Cloud is a holographic cloud comprehensive technical solution provider. Its business covers multiple links of the Hologram AR technology, including Hologram computer visual AI synthesis, Hologram visual presentation, Hologram interactive software development, Hologram AR online and offline advertising, Hologram ARSDK payment, as well as 5G Hologram communication software development. WIMI's commercial application scenarios are mainly concentrated in five professional fields, including home entertainment, light field theater, performing arts system, commercial publishing system, and advertising display system.

Data from a third party shows that by 2024, the market size of AR products will reach 165 billion U.S. dollars, with a rapid growth rate of 80%. The layouts of tycoonsin this market fully demonstrate that they are optimistic about the prospects of this new technology. With the unlimited prospects of the AR industry, WIMI plans to continue to improve and strengthen the existing technology and continue to develop in the AR field.

About Flipclutch

Flipclutch Team is a leading market research company in Hong Kong. They have established a professional and proprietary research platform for financial markets, focusing on emerging growth companies and technologically leading companies. Flipclutch team is professional in market research reports, industry insights & financing trends analysis. For more information, please visit http://www.Flipclutch.com

SOURCE Flipclutch Research

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Flipclutch Research: AR/VR virtual escort starts a new revolution in sports, WIMI keeps up with the new changes in the industry - PRNewswire

Cai Guo-Qiang world-famous for his firework displays and gunpowder paintings recently unveiled his first-ever virtual reality artwork, Sleepwalking in the Forbidden City.

The project is currently on display only at Beijings Palace Museum for now as part of his new, 800-piece plus retrospective, Odyssey and Homecoming. The expansive show coincides with the 600th anniversary of the historical Forbidden City.

Watch the one-minute trailer here:

Though Cai is perhaps best known for works that blend painting and pyrotechnics, this is seemingly the first time that he has used VR for a public project. My instinct is that since VR can represent the surreal and the invisible, it should be incorporated into my work in a more unique way a way that gives it its own distinct artistic language, Cai toldThe Art Newspaper of Sleepwalking in the Forbidden City.

In the exhibition, accompanying the five-minute VR film is a gunpowder drawing and a massive alabaster model of the Forbidden City, which Cai used to set the stage for the colorful, digitized fireworks display.

Born in the city of Quanzhou in southeastern Chinas Fujian province, Cai was based in the US until recently, but relocated to Beijing last November.

In September last year, he livestreamed an explosive daytime fireworks show entitled The Birth of Tragedy, intended as an artistic response to the pandemic, at Frances Charente River.

Related:

Chinese Artist Cai Guo-Qiang to Livestream Massive Firework Display from France

Theres sadly no news yet on whether the full film will be available for viewing outside of China anytime soon. For readers in Beijing, Sleepwalking in the Forbidden City is on display until February 5, 2021, at the Palace Museum.

All images: Stills from Sleepwalking in the Forbidden City (2020), courtesy Cai Studio

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Artist Cai Guo-Qiang Takes His Fireworks Finesse to Virtual Reality with Forbidden City Video - RADII

Regional workforce to benefit from cutting edge technology applications

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (January 11, 2021)Kirkwood Community College has created an augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) certificate course that has potential to dramatically impact regional workforce training and conferencing capabilities as well as how employees complete tasks remotely. The new offering will be a mixture of lecture, hands-on exercises, and lab experiences, and will begin January 25.

As AR and VR become more affordable, the technologies have become more feasible and widely used across multiple sectors. From manufacturing to healthcare to hospitality, as well as many other industries, businesses and organizations are beginning to realize the promising possibilities of implementing the technologies for a variety of uses. As 5G networks continue to grow across the world, the number of ways AR and VR are used will also become more prevalent.

To Kirkwood Program Developer Erin Brokel, with the explosion of remote working due to the pandemic, now is the right time to invest in these exciting and emerging technologies.

The new certificate course is all about advancing the future of the region through the opportunities that AR and VR are going to continue to provide, said Brokel. As more and more industries realize the limitless potential of this technology, its use will spread into areas we never thought possible. Its really going to be a driver of the growing automation and digitization of the workforce. This certificate will prepare someone to be an integral part of that transformation.

Students will be able to explore the different immersive reality options, including augmented, virtual and 360 virtual video. Using the latest development tools, learners will discover coding techniques specific to creating AR and VR projects. In addition, those in the course will be able to take projects from beginning to end and share them through multiple mediums including mobile and wearable devices.

For those that need it, tuition assistance is available and may fund up to 100 percent of the cost of the program. According to Brokel, that kind of support is just another example of Kirkwoods commitment to the regional workforce and the people it serves in the institutions seven-county area.

Kirkwood has always done everything it can to eliminate the barriers to getting an education, said Brokel. Cost is obviously a major obstacle for some people. Tuition assistance ensures that everyone has access to the technology and the ability to learn how to make an impact with these groundbreaking tools.

To learn more about the AR and VR certificate, call 319-398-5529, or email ceadvising@kirkwood.edu. To register, go to http://www.kirkwood.edu/arvr.

*****Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Certificate Course*****

When: January 25 May 26, Mondays & Wednesdays, 5:30-9:30 p.m.Where: Linn County Regional Center, Room 216Cost: $2,695

Tuition assistance may fund up to 100 percent of registration costs for this program.

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Kirkwood Launches Augmented and Virtual Reality Training Newsroom - Kirkwood Report