Meta unveiled Project Aria Gen 2

The Immersive Wire - 3 March 2025

Author

Tom Ffiske
March 03, 2025

Executive summary

Welcome to your weekly briefing on the metaverse and spatial computing. Here are your snippets to sound smarter in meetings this week:

  • Top Story: Meta unveiled Project Aria Gen 2 (analysis below).

  • Funding: The CoSTAR Live Lab at Production Park is inviting applications for creative R&D projects in live performance, offering cutting-edge facilities and up to £13,000 in funding, with total support valued at over £100,000 per project.

  • Awards: The Innovate UK Immersive Tech Awards offer XR students the chance to win paid internships, mentoring, and UK-wide recognition, with submissions open until 16 March 2025.

  • Event: The Immersive Wire and City, University of London is hosting another networking event in London on 19 March. Come for the talks, stay for the chats and drinks!

  • Competition: The Prix Ars Electronica is accepting submissions for the New Animation category until 5 March 2025, with winners receiving up to €10,000 and a showcase at the Ars Electronica Festival in Linz from 3 to 7 September 2025.

  • Other stories: Wevr has launched its Shared Experience Engine, enabling up to 100 people to interact in XR environments, alongside the opening of the Wevr LA XR Lab in collaboration with HTC VIVE; and LOVESICK is a puzzle and adventure game where you are part of a struggling band, out 6 March (more stories below).

Monster Hunter Wilds is excellent. Cooking in intense circumstances, such as with fire-breathing wyverns nearyb, brings back great childhood memories 🍖

Tom Ffiske, Editor of the Immersive Wire

Top story

Meta unveiled Project Aria Gen 2.

  • What is it? Project Aria Gen 2 is the next generation of Meta’s research glasses designed for egocentric AI, machine perception, and robotics. These glasses build on the original Project Aria, launched in 2020.

  • What are the improvements? A few things. It features upgraded sensors, better processing power, and an improved design. It also enhances privacy measures and supports more advanced AI applications, improving spatial awareness, AR experiences, and robotics.

  • Who can use them? Not many people. Meta has set up an interest form if you wish to have a go, for selected partners. Yes, I have made a punt too — you never know!

Other stories

  • DualNorth Studios has launched DualNorth Immersive, a new division led by founder Christopher Bennison to develop branded XR content for next-generation smart glasses and headsets.

  • LOVESICK is a puzzle and adventure game where you are part of a struggling band, out 6 March.

  • Singer Studios has released the official trailer for Trailblazer: The Untold Story of Mrs. Benz, a VR experience starring Daisy Ridley and directed by Eloise Singer.

    • I am attempting to get an interview so I may learn more about the creation process.

  • Web3 Foundation has proposed a wish for change referendum to allocate 10 million DOT ($50.8M) to Kusama, fulfilling a 2019 pledge through a phased distribution.

  • Wevr has launched its Shared Experience Engine, enabling up to 100 people to interact in XR environments, alongside the opening of the Wevr LA XR Lab in collaboration with HTC VIVE.

  • Workshop Simulator VR has launched on SteamVR, bringing its highly rated craftsmanship simulation to PCVR users with support for Valve Index, HTC Vive, PICO, and other compatible headsets.

Note: The Immersive Wire is run by Tom Ffiske, who also works at Accenture. The contents of the newsletter should not be regarded as Accenture’s views.