[Re-sent] I am back baby! (copy 73)

The Immersive Wire - 25 November 2020

November 25, 2020

By Tom Ffiske // 25 November 2020Been forwarded the newsletter? Consider signing up if you like what you see.

I'll be reading Ready Player Two this week. Oh boy.

Connect with the Igloo Vision team on LinkedIn.

The Main Story

Let's talk about two TV ads that used immersive tech.

One was Vodafone, a UK mobile network, which showed a child use a VR headset to watch a girl sledge down a hill from a first-person perspective. Aww, cute. The other was EE - another UK mobile network - who demonstrated the power of 5G by showing off a city-scale AR experience.

One is a great showcase of 5G and immersive tech. The other... isn't.

Let's start with the good one

. EE presented

created by the team at Happy Finish, using capture technology to show the performer dance among the skyscrapers. A great use-case of how 5G can make streamed experiences like these better. On top of that, the company also created a

(made by Aircards) that anyone can access from their homes, having seen it from their TV. A great way to include their audience, showcase 5G, and catch a glimpse of the future.

Then we have Vodafone

; a

where everything was red, from the jackets to the walls. (The only part that wasn't red was the snow, probably because children sliding through blood-soaked snow isn't the best look for the brand). There is massaging in the brand colours, and then there is overdoing it.

But worse, one child is watching another sledge down, via a VR headset. So imagine the rocking of the headset as it bumbles down, and as the child looks left and right while the viewer has no control; vomit-central. It's the worst kind of VR where, if replicated again, would create an uncomfortable viewing experience. Good representation of immersive tech is important for adoption; presenting bad examples will harm the progression.

aaaAAAAAAAAAaaaaaAAAAAaaaa. Photo credit: Vodafone.

Sponsored message from Igloo Vision

Team Igloo joined the world's largest integrator, AVI-SPL, to talk about how immersive technology can be used right across the curriculum in education. Check out the video they put together

.

Want to learn more about their services? Find out more about how they can help you.

Other Stories

Got a news story? Let me know at tom (at) virtualperceptions (dot) com.

Exclusive: Extend Robotics launched

a VR-controlled robotics arm.

HTC ran an interesting study on the future of remote collaboration.

  • According to the company, 'a current barrier to full adoption of this technology stems from a limited understanding of how virtual reality could be properly implemented into the world of work (19%).'

  • Additionally, workers are sceptical of how well this technology works (14%) and that it is too expensive (31%).

  • In brief, it looks like a lack of awareness is the problem. (If you want to find the report yourself, the full press release should be online by the time you read this. If not, send me an email and I can help).

For a marketing campaign, Oculus asked users to share their new headset with friends.

The VOID shut down.

  • RIP. I hope more like it appear in 2021, and they're great fun to attend. Location-based experiences have a future, but 2020 was not the right present.

Want to learn about XR in Radiology?

Reviews of the HP Reverb 2 are now out.

Fancy playing realistic tennis in VR?

Cybershoes met their Kickstarter goal on their first day.

  • Want to walk around in VR? This is the accessory for you, and it did remarkably well! Very curious to try it out myself.

Vicon is helping the University of Portsmouth with a new facility.

  • Vicon signed a contract with the University of Portsmouth to help deliver the university’s new Centre for Creative and Immersive Extended Reality (CCIXR).

Curious about XR in the UK during the 1990s?

Want to learn how to render your immersive apps properly?

HTC has updated its Vive Focus plus with new features.

  • The list is too extensive for a concise newsletter, so have a peek here if you're curious.

Did you know there is a way to track body and mouth movements without sensors?

  • The team found a way, and the academic paper on the innovation is worth a read. I can see the benefits of removing sensors for capturing data, so long as it still provides high-quality results.

Olleyes and Pico Interactive announce a partnership.

  • The duo will implement immersive tech for ophthalmologists (which means eye-care, in case you care as much as I care).

  • Slowly and steadily, more industries are using immersive tech - and Pico has done pretty well in 2020.

Walmart-owned Flipkart announced that they are acquiring Scapic.

  • The intention of the acquisition is to help boost Flipkart's immersive browsing experience, and Scapic is the one to go for.

  • Remember - Flipkart is India's second-biggest eCommerce player after Amazon. This is a big move.

Finally, I am available for work.

  • If you want a specialist copywriter / PR / strategist for an upcoming project, please send me an email and I would be happy to help!

Jobs Board

Community Manager -

Remote

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Design Producer -

Remote

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Product Manager -

London

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Senior Software Engineer

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Build Engineer -

Cambridge (Currently remote)

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Principal Technical Designer -

South Yorkshire

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That's all for this week! Want to have a chat, let me know about a news story, or talk business? Either reply to this email, or contact tom (at) virtualperceptions (dot) com. Have an excellent day!