Volumetric capture is one promising avenue for creating photorealistic VR. It’s a process in which a lot of cameras capture an actor’s performance from a wide range of angles. The results are then stitched together to recreate the performance as a 3D asset. So far we’ve seen the technique used cautiously in apps like Blade...
Author: ssvar
Swiss Society of Virtual and Augmented Reality
A chat with Niantic CEO John Hanke on the launch of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
Just shy of three years ago, Pokémon GO took over the world. Players filled the sidewalks, and crowds of trainers flooded parks and landmarks. Anywhere you looked, people were throwing Pokéballs and chasing Snorlax. As the game grew, so did the company behind it. Niantic had started its life as an experimental “lab” within Google...
NASA’s historic Apollo 11 launch comes to your phone in AR
We’re nearing the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing (on July 24) and, to celebrate, there’s an interactive augmented reality app called 321 LAUNCH that will bring a faithful recreation of the launch to your mobile device — and any surface you happen to have at hand. Their are actually two AR experiences...
How To Use Your Oculus Rift S On SteamVR
Last week, Valve’s SteamVR platform added full support for the Oculus Rift S. You can use SteamVR to play many PC VR games not sold on the Oculus Store. You can download SteamVR from Steam. What is SteamVR? Steam is a popular digital store and launcher for PC games (both VR and non-VR). SteamVR is...
YUR.FIT Integration Officially Coming To Synth Riders To Track Your Calories In VR
Synth Riders has been in Early Access on Steam for about a year now and it’s basically like taking the concept behind Audioshield and mixing it with dance. So instead of just punching orbs or slashing cubes like in Beat Saber, you’re moving your body with more fluidity in a way that feels very analogous...
The Scream VR Brings Edvard Munch’s Unsettling Painting Home To PCs
In the span of less than 15 minutes The Scream VR provided one of the most tightly packed, and memorable, art lessons I’ve ever experienced. The Scream VR is a free download on Steam and Viveport directed by Sandra Paugam and Charles Ayats for Cineteve and Arte France. The adaption of Edvard Munch’s famous work caught our...
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite AR Game Now Available On iOS And Android
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, the follow-up to Pokemon Go from creators Niantic Labs, is now available on iOS and Android mobile AR devices. The game was originally slated for release tomorrow, June 21, but appears to have started rolling out a day early in some territories. In California it was available for download this morning....
Oculus Connect 6 To ‘Begin A New Chapter In VR & AR’ In September
Mark your calendars; the dates for Oculus Connect 6 just came in. The website for Oculus’ sixth annual developer conference just went live. This year’s show will take place on September 25 and 26 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. It’s just a basic landing page right now but it does tease that the...
Mona Lisa VR Experience Coming To Louvre Museum, Viveport
A new VR experience coming to the Louvre Museum in Paris, France virtualizes of one of the most iconic paintings in history. Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass is due to arrive at the landmark institution on October 24. As the name suggests, the piece takes an in-depth look at the painting from storied artist, Leonardo...
E3 2019: Penn & Teller VR Is All About Pranking Your Friends And It’s Hilarious
As expected for anyone familiar with the iconic magician duo, nothing about my appointment to see the upcoming Penn & Teller VR game was normal. For starters, the demo took place at a literal dance studio across some railroad tracks a few blocks away from the Los Angeles Convention Center during E3 2019. Offsite demos...