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AWE Recap: From insurance to curing fear of spiders, AR & VR is changing lives

AWE Recap: From insurance to curing fear of spiders, AR & VR is changing lives

The AWE recap is back. We look back at the biggest news in augmented and virtual reality to keep you in the loop. Augmented Reality Zurich Insurance is using augmented reality to train over 10,000 of its managers in over 170 countries. The tech will be used within its in-class training sessions to provide managers with more in-depth information during their training. AR startup Spaceview won $240,000 at Angel Oregon for its AR app that lets salespeople and interior designers place virtual objects in a photo of a room. The 3-year old company beat out two other contenders in this annual competition in Portland. Virtual Reality HTC & Valve opened applications for Vive VR developer kits this week. Those accepted will be given a kit for free to get started on developing for the virtual reality system. Valve is encouraging all developers, big or small, to apply. Those interested need to fill out a form including a description of the project they would work on with the device. Virtual reality goes well beyond gaming and tech site, VentureBeat, recently published a great overview of VR apps that show how HMDs are being used outside of entertainment. The list covers anything from health and fitness solutions that can cure your fear of spiders to the ability to drive “virtually” anywhere. Swedish neuroscientists are using virtual reality to trick people in thinking that their body is invisible as a social study to see how people might be able to handle stressful situations better. The VR-based experiment asked participants to wear a HMD and then look down at their body at which time they were either shown nothing or a mannequin. In both cases, an object was brushed up against their body. In the cases where the user saw nothing (i.e. the body was invisible) the brain reacted as such. Augmented World Expo (AWE) is the world’s largest conference for professionals focused on making the world more interactive – featuring technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Wearable Computing, Smart Glasses, Gesture and Sensors devices, and The Internet of Things. Now in our sixth year, AWE 2015 is our biggest event yet with over 3,000 tech professionals, 200 demos, 100+ AWE-inspiring talks and over 150 participating companies. Tickets are on sale now....

AWE Recap: Car makers are big on AR & cheap VR solutions rev up their engines

AWE Recap: Car makers are big on AR & cheap VR solutions rev up their engines

The AWE recap is back. We look back at the biggest news in augmented and virtual reality to keep you in the loop. Augmented Reality BMW unveils Augmented Vision eyewear for the Mini: BMW entered the AR & wearables space this week as they unveiled a fashionable pair of smart glasses to be used while driving the BMW Mini at the Shanghai Auto Show. A collaboration with Qualcomm, the AR glasses show relevant driving information, provides drivers with new viewing angles and allows them to see their messages while in transit. Google cuts the price of Project Tango developer kits in half: In an effort to encourage more developers to use its 3D mobile sensing platform, Google has cut the price of the Tango developer kit in half to just $512 from the original $1,024. Interested developers were notified by email which also alluded to a wider release possibly in the near future. Ferrari rolling out AR in showrooms: Ferrari has created an AR app designed by Zspace and powered by Metaio to allow potential buyers to view all of the possible colors and models of its cars in the showroom. The app identifies one vehicle on the showroom floor and then lets the user toggle through additional alternatives via the AR experience. Virtual Reality Tribeca Film Fest makes a big push into VR: New York indie film fest, Tribeca, have made a huge push into VR this year with updating its lineup with talks on technology and VR demos. Some of the experiences include “The Machine to Be Another”, uses VR and a body cameras to give people the impression that they have switched bodies and environments with one another and a 360-degree shot episode of SNL. Google Cardboard grows up: Google announced some major updates for its Cardboard VR headset originally introduced at I/O last year. The announcement included the roll-out of a certification program for both apps and third party companies creating Cardboard, some new developer tools and enhanced search in the Google Play store to find applications that work with the device. Merge’s $129 virtual reality headset goes on sale this week: Texas startup, Merge VR are set to offer a foam-based VR headset this week for only $129. Like other cheaper alternatives, the headset uses a smartphone as the screen but the company wishes to differentiate themselves by bundling a handheld motion controller with the goggles. Augmented World Expo (AWE) is the world’s largest conference for professionals focused on making the world more interactive – featuring technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Wearable Computing, Smart Glasses, Gesture and Sensors devices, and The Internet of Things. Now in our sixth year, AWE 2015 is our biggest event yet with over 3,000 tech professionals, 200 demos, 100+ AWE-inspiring talks and over 150 participating companies. Tickets are on sale now....