Virtual Perceptions

By Tom Ffiske // 15 April 2020New to the newsletter? 

The newsletter audience grew about 25 per cent over the last week. To all the new subscribers, hello! I hope you enjoy what you read, and if you, do, I appreciate if it is forwarded to any friends or colleages. This writer would really appreciate it <3

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Listen to the audio version here:

THE BIG STORY

a fitness partner, guiding users through various exersises to sweat away the Easter calories. The title arrives April 23. The trailer revealed very little, but the interview unveield a fair few tidbits on the application - and it doesn't look good. The game looks like it only shows a Beat Saber-like experience, and paying $20 each month for a similar experience feels a bit off. New content will be added, but no plans have been shown yet. I look forward to seeing the full title soon, but I can't see it being worth the pricetag when cheaper and effective alternatives already exist in the market.

PEOPLE MOVES

• Immerse has promoted Che Osborne to Chief Sales Officer. Immerse runs a platform that lets organisations create, integrate, and measure VR training.

• Andrew Crow is now Head of Design, Portal at Facebook. He is working closely with the team and, I quote, 'creating the future of AR/VR in everyday life.' Very intrigued to see what this will turn into!

If your company has a significant move, send me an email and I will add it to the next edition.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSORS

This can be you! Want to be seen at the forefront of the VR and AR community? Contact me today, and we can talk through how I can best help you. Please email [email protected].

OTHER STORIES

• Roto VR, a company that makes chairs, raises £1.5 million to, and I quote, 'push VR games to the next level.' That's right, a chair raised £1.5 million. Meanwhile, I was happy to make a pasta dish that didn't taste rubbish.

• meepl is offering free access to its smartphone-enabled, 3D body scanning technology, for fashion SME's affected by COVID-19. Lovely!

• Adding another remote-working tool to the collection, Seymourpowell runs a system called Reality Works. It lets people collaborate from remote locations, by allowing their teams to ‘dial in’ and participate in the design process in real-time via tablets, phone, and VR headsets.

• Moving away from VR, Looking Glass Factory announced that they are releasing a free plugin that will enable any content creator using Unreal Engine 4 to design and visualise holographic 3D models, worlds, and experiences in real-time.

• PwC's Jeremy Dalton joined Virti’s XR Training Podcast to talk about immersive training and other areas. It's worth a listen.

• Cognitant Group, a VR/AR healthcare provider, partnered with the NHS and a number of global pharmaceutical companies to offer an immersive content platform that provides patients with verified health information. This includes COVID-19, which is neat. The platform features immersive 3D and virtual reality content to help patients visually understand their symptoms, health conditions, and treatments.

• Fancy a party? VRrOOm, together with New Technology Walkers, MID Studio, Stereopsia and Virtual Worlds Festival has launched "Break Down These Walls!", a virtual festival that will be held on VRChat for all the duration of the lockdown. Get your jiggies on, and check it out.

• The VR/AR Global Summit will be online! With the COVID-19 situation, it will likely be the largest of its kind this year.

JOBS BOARD

Want hundreds of viable candidates to see your job opening? Contact me today, and I will add it to this section. Please email [email protected].

FINAL WORD

It is currently 11:30pm on 14 April. To my right is my partner, looking at funny animal videos as I edit this newsletter. To my left, a cold cup of tea. I have no final word this week, except a quiet contentment that I am doing something that I love, in my spare time. Whatever your commitments or hobbies, I hope you also find something which brings you joy; the kind of joy similar to greeting an old friend, or lying in a cozy bed.For Henry Cavill, that's painting Warhammer figuries. Be like Henry Cavill.