Update: We’ve partnered with Bananatic to feature their indispensable guide to Virtual Reality: check it out here. The Merge VR remote might be the new competition for Google’s Daydream controller, which only works with a limited number of Android devices. The Verge reports that the Merge VR remote can work with Merge VR headsets as well as other headsets and non-VR … Read More
November VR/AR News #1: Hardware updates, Google Tango and tech in South Africa
Most virtual reality headsets have one of two problems: either they are tethered to a computer, limiting the user’s mobility, or because they use smartphones, are too heavy. To combat this, Chinese hardware company Pico VR has come up with Pico Neo, a controller containing hardware to power a headset. According to The Verge, “By tethering the controller to an ultra-lightweight … Read More
Latest VR/AR Tech Developments
The new Snapchat Spectacles uses an embedded camera with LED lights to record users’ experiences through their own eyes. According to UploadVR, Snapchat isn’t the first company to try to bring glasses of this kind to the market, but the Spectacles are unique for capturing circular video around a scene that can be sent directly to the phone app. Microsoft might … Read More
October VR/AR News #4: virtual harassment, preserving Harlem’s history and Microsoft’s HoloLens
One of the benefits of virtual reality is its ability to mimic the real world, but this also means that issues surrounding race and gender can cross over. Jordan Belamire describes being sexually harassed while playing a QuiVr game and feeling powerless. This is just one woman’s experience, but her piece ends by exploring how abuse like this should be handled. “As VR becomes … Read More
October VR/AR News #3: AR at work
Virtual reality provides an opportunity to recreate and explore the past, especially in areas where little is known about its history. The Plain of Jars, an ancient site littered with mysterious stone jars, is being replicated virtually by Australian archaeologists. Researchers from the Australian National University and Monash University are using a new mapping technology called Cave2 as part of the … Read More
October VR/AR News #2: Veterans, the Best VR Headsets and Aliens
First up, a brief (and fun) aside: Baobab Studio, who are behind the animated VR “Invasion!,” which you can see in its entirety here, released a preview of the Sci-fi show’s second episode. Check it out here. One of the great things about VR is that organizations can use the technology to raise awareness about a wide variety of issues. This Washington Post article … Read More
October VR/AR News #1: Oculus Touch, Immigration, and Women in VR
In hardware news, Oculus revealed its new Touch at its third Connect conference on Thursday, Oct. 6. The $199 pair of hand grips brings Oculus on par or even past other motion controls released by Valve and HTC through its use of motion sensing and haptic feedback. At the conference, Mark Zuckerberg also demonstrated a new social VR experience that allows users to … Read More
Weekly news in 360 video and VR
The first U.S. Presidential Debate on Sept. 27 highlighted the current political polarization in the country, much of which plays out online on social media platforms like Twitter. But can communal VR spaces be a solution to promote productive political discussions? AltspaceVR thinks so. The company has spent a year building a VR community mostly to share collective entertainment experiences like virtual Dungeons & Dragons games. … Read More
This week in VR/AR: Dreaming, touching and education
This past week, there have been a series of tech developments in virtual and augmented reality. For one, Nikon took a step into the VR space with its new KeyMission series of cameras. In addition to the GoPro-like KeyMission 170 and KeyMission 80 chest camera, the KeyMission 360 is a strong new competitor for action. In addition to shooting 360 video … Read More
Last week in VR/AR: iPhone 7, Snapchat and a hedgehog
The biggest develops in VR/AR last week weren’t directly in the field, but in seemingly unrelated industries. Mostly importantly, the highly anticipated announcement of the iPhone 7 hints at a (near) future of mobile technology embracing new forms of reality. For uploadvr.com, Az Balabanian wrote, “…the micro-innovations in Apple’s optical technology, computer vision, machine learning, and wireless audio make iPhone 7 a device with all … Read More