Journey Through the Immersive Universe of Four Seasons» is an interactive xr experience that immerses viewers into the realm of Antonio Vivaldi’s musical masterpieces.
Through visually compelling storytelling, participants will delve into Vivaldi’s creative journey as he breathes life into his renowned concerto «The Four Seasons.» Each season unfolds in a distinct and captivating environment, seamlessly blending natural elements and music to deliver a multisensory and enchanting encounter.
As artists, musicians, and creatives, we find ourselves at a true crossroads—a junction where making the right choices is neither easy nor singular. Beyond the numerous apparent opportunities before us, we must navigate financial survival and address the sustainability of teams, technicians, and the myriad fellow travelers who render our projects minimally viable and appealing to an ever-changing society hungry for new, distinct, and increasingly participatory experiences.
Our journey began over a decade ago with our first forays into immersive 360º recordings, collaborating with artists, musicians, and music classrooms. Here, we began to experiment and learn from the sensations and perceptions conveyed by users, students, and teachers.
One of the pivotal moments in our journey was the first live performance featuring renowned artists like Ouka Leele, where we embarked on an interactive interpretation inspired by the sounds of the Concerto de Aranjuez. It was a fascinating experience, devoid of prior rehearsals or experiential training, executed on a digital stage using Oculus Rift equipment and Tilt Brush from Google, and recorded in 360º stereo with Vuze 360º cameras. This opportunity to recreate Digital Ephemeral Art raised initial doubts regarding feasibility, sustainability, and monetization in more straightforward and economically accessible spaces, as we spared no means or resources for this performance. Crucially, this experience was made possible through the indispensable collaboration of CEV‘s technical team.
Later on, we delved into the world of reconstructing the virtual museum of the Arab Kunka (Cuenca ancient city)—a collaborative, immersive space within the Frame VR platform. Here, we established a connection between the virtual reconstructions of the Ancient Kunka during the Arab era and the music of the great musician and composer Chema Vílchez, particularly his work «The Land of the Three Cultures».
As visitors strolled through the ancient Arab fortress, its mosques, baths, buildings, markets, and streets, they were enveloped in the sound of music that transported them to bygone eras, while also being able to explore current spaces through 360º videos. This interconnection between virtual reconstructions, current videos, and music elevated the experience to a higher level, almost teleporting participants to that magical bygone time.
Years later, the Reina Sofia Higher School of Music presented us with a truly intriguing challenge. We were tasked with creating an experience using recordings from a classical music concert to reach students in their educational program who, due to pandemic-related time constraints, were unable to participate in workshops and concerts. This concert was recorded in the Sony auditorium of the school, utilizing 360º 4K cameras and ambisonic microphone technology. The acoustical characteristics of the auditorium are truly exceptional, enabling us to produce recordings of the utmost quality. We utilized Vuze and Zoom equipment, as well as VR devices from Pico, with technological support from HP.
This experience allowed us to craft 12 virtual musical stories centered around artists such as Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and Respighi, where musical compositions intertwined with natural spaces, sensory explosions, and magical worlds, transporting visitors through 12 unique historical narratives. As a result of this endeavor, we developed «Music with the Five Senses,» which was implemented on a Virtual Reality platform and Pico devices, visiting hundreds of schools and educational centers nationwide over the years. Thousands of visitors have immersed themselves in this wonderful and experiential world, making it a true milestone and international benchmark as an immersive educational project centered around classical music.
The next stop on this journey is Vivaldi 3.0. The Journey to the Universe of Antonio Vivaldi and the Four Seasons, led by Ara Malikian and the Camerata of the Reina Sofia School, has been a mystical experience, with a predetermined start date and script, and a long journey through the forests of magical seasonal music. Along the way, we’ve encountered numerous passages and experiences that ultimately culminated in an absolutely magical work. This journey, based on Vivaldi’s original sonnets, reinterpreted by a team of writers and Ara himself, allowed us to rediscover the connections between music, nature, and the cycle of life.
Throughout this process, we’ve painted on a virtual canvas, initially blurry passages gradually taking shape into a metaphorical interpretive tableau. Throughout this process, we’ve immersed ourselves in music and creativity, repeatedly playing with the tools offered by generative artificial intelligence, which helped us reinterpret passages and scenarios through Vivaldi’s sonnets and words, Ara’s interpretations, and our own way of composing this tableau, ultimately giving it a cohesive and coherent form. We aimed for it to be timeless, appealing to various types of audiences, inviting them to return to a childlike state and be carried away by the creative spirit of the compositions and the intersection with the cycle of life, both human and natural. And all this, with a commitment to sustainability, balance, equality, and educational vision through values inspired by the emotions and sensations we’ve gathered in the project. This is our way of contributing to the awareness of the need to accelerate societal transformation.
The first test to visualize the outcome of this initial step of the project was the concert held on January 29th at the Sony auditorium of the Reina Sofia School. It was a real trial by fire, where we had to present this new proposal for an interactive multimedia concert live to a select audience: students and teachers from various schools in the Community of Madrid. It was a multimedia experience where interactivity through monitors and screens, interactions among musicians on stage, Ara Malikian’s performance, his introductory messages for each movement, and images, passages, and videos related to the movements were put to the test.
More than 600 students from a dozen public and private schools in the Community of Madrid, accompanied by their teachers in two sessions, were able to enjoy this experiential session, with an extremely high level of satisfaction. And all this was made possible thanks to the perfect coordination between the ONE team and the production, audio, and video team of the School. We had top-of-the-line equipment and professionals of the highest caliber. The journey has only just begun, and this experience has allowed us to analyze and evaluate the initial results, and to envision how we can continue advancing and projecting new immersive experiences in the immediate future. We aim to enhance the experience by integrating 3D multimedia elements more extensively, as well as enhancing the pre- and post-concert experience.
Welcome to the interactive immersive world of Vivaldi 3.0. Step into a space where reality merges with imagination, where every corner is filled with magic, and music awaits you at every turn. As you enter the world of the four seasons, you’ll find yourself surrounded by vibrant landscapes pulsating with energy and creativity. Feel the thrill of immersing yourself in a world where the boundaries of reality blur, and your senses awaken like never before. Interact with the environment around you: touch, explore, listen, and engage with the elements inhabiting this fascinating world. Whether you get lost in enchanted forests or dive into the depths of the unknown, each experience is yours to discover and shape. Prepare to be captivated by the sights, sounds, and sensations enveloping you as you delve deeper into this immersive universe throughout the cycle of life.
So, welcome to a world where dreams come to life, and the extraordinary awaits you around every corner! Let your curiosity guide you as you embark on an exciting and unforgettable journey through the Interactive Immersive Universe of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.
Here are some figures reflecting and highlighting the extraordinary effort involved in this journey: An experience recorded and produced in 6 months, many locations, involving more than 50 professionals and over 4,000 hours of work, recording 4 live concerts with the attendance of over 1,000 people (students & teachers) from 20 schools. An immersive experience available on VR devices and the Web XR immersive platform, featuring 4 spaces, or «stations,» with interactive games, integration of 3D volumetrics, hundreds of photographic images, 10 hours of concert recordings in 8k, several terabytes of video and sound files, hundreds of hours of processing and post-production, hundreds of hours of editing and format integration…hundreds of images generated by AI to create virtual spaces and environments, artificial intelligence and image processing, 8K 360º cameras, ambisonic sound, creation of countless 3D assets…
8K Enables Immersive Vivaldi 3.0 Project By Bob Raikes
…and this is just one of the stops on this magical and unique journey.
Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández © of ONE Digital Consulting.
VRARA Member Highlights using VR as a Tool for Learning
VRARA Member Kimberly Workum from University of Manitoba discusses about how VR can be used as a learning tool in nursing and medicine. Watch the interview here!
Summary from our Spatial Education Unleashing 3D Active Learning
Pau Guardiola presented at our Online Session about Spatial Education Unleashing 3D Active Learning.
Pau Guardiola discussed special education and 3D active learning, emphasizing the use of XR technologies in education. He showcased examples of spatial education and highlighted the importance of active learning and quick feedback. The speaker also discussed the use of VR technology for training purposes and the application of virtual reality in deliberative polling. The evolution of avatar technology and the potential of AI avatars for personalized education were also discussed. Future technologies, OpenAI's new feature, immersive learning research, VR and AI integration, and concerns about AI hallucination and reliability were addressed. The participants expressed their wishlist for an education-focused VR platform and discussed collaboration and managing the VR environment. The importance of engagement and immersive experiences in the virtual environment, as well as the potential of generative AI, were highlighted. The novelty effect in research and healthcare credentialing in VR were also mentioned.
Spatial computing and AI in education
problem of decreasing student engagement and the impact of technology in the classroom.
example of spatial education using a QR code to overlay a 3D model of the human heart on educational material.
XR in Education
goal of engaging students in class using XR technologies and introduces the team 'You Can Extend It, Relate It Up'. They collaborate with professors and design educational experiences. Research projects are conducted to measure the effectiveness of these experiences.
research projects on XR in education and invites the audience to be active participants using the Slido application.
importance of active learning and introduces Slido as a tool for quick feedback from students.
concept of spatial computing and its relevance in education for teaching and learning 3D concepts. He discusses the natural evolution of the internet and the potential revolution in classrooms.
examples of spatial education applications in the classroom and invites the audience to share their understanding of spatial education.
Learning spatial computing in the metaverse
here is no correct answer to a question, but all answers could be correct, highlighting the fascinating nature of the technology.
examples of using VR technology in dentistry and CPR training, showcasing the increase in engagement and performance observed in the VR groups.
examples of using 3D spatial techniques, including recreating a technique for taking off a helmet, recording a rescue operation, and reconstructing drone footage.
Virtual Reality Training
use of virtual reality technology for training purposes. They explain how they reconstruct real scenarios using drone views and 3D reconstruction software. They also mention the use of realistic makeup for creating victims and the application of Polycam and Spatial for recreating spaces and scenarios. The speaker emphasizes the importance of providing realistic training experiences to prepare students for real-life situations.
Deliberative Polling in the Metaverse
work with the Deliberative Democracy Lab to apply virtual reality technology in deliberative polling. They explain the methodology of deliberative polling and how it aims to gather public opinion after informed discussions. The speaker mentions conducting deliberative polling in person and online due to COVID-19. They express their goal of bringing deliberative polling to the metaverse and highlight the positive experiences they had with conducting it in virtual reality.
Discussion about Meta-Res Technologies and Avatars
meta-res technologies can be better than two-dimensional groups of discussion and talks.
evolution of avatar technology, mentioning that they have become more realistic over time.
metaverse is moving towards a more realistic experience, which may have consequences for harassment and bullying.
potential of AI avatars for personalized education and internationalizing educational material.
creation of a metaverse and showed a space where virtual soccer and football can be taught.
capabilities of the tool, including screen sharing, sharing of videos and images, and the ability to accommodate up to 50-45 students at the same time.
Discussion about future technologies
future technologies, including the ability to have AI, the democratization of creating metaverse experiences using AI, the development of a special classroom, and a project in Mozambique and Uganda to have classes in VR with Spanish and Stanford professors.
Discussion about personal avatars and AI assistants
A participant raises a concern about personal avatars and AI assistants. The speaker discusses their experience with personalized AIs and training an AI agent. They also mention a research project involving feeding an AI with polls.
OpenAI new feature
OpenAI new feature that allows users to create their own AI by paying a monthly fee of $20. He mentions that the AI can be trained with user data and customized. The feature has been found very useful.
Immersive learning research
experience with immersive learning research, stating that it has higher motivation and cognitive effects compared to traditional styles. Pau Guardiola expresses interest in collaborating on publications or conducting new research in this area.
VR and AI integration
integration of VR and AI. He mentions applications like PolyCam for creating 3D objects based on videos or photos, AI agents that can be deployed in metaverse experiences for real-life conversations, and Wanda VR deploying agents in their metaverse experiences. Pau expresses interest in further collaboration and learning about Michael Crawley's research and projects.
concern about some tools not working well and the constant changes in the VR landscape. He asked Pau Guardiola for his thoughts on addressing the challenges of AI hallucination and truth and accuracy reliability.
Discussion about the wishlist for education-focused VR platform
dream of having an education-focused VR platform similar to Spatial. He also mentioned the desire to deploy AI avatars in the platform.
Discussion about collaboration and managing the VR environment
projects are mostly based on frame VR, which is focused on education. He emphasized the need to train people on how to use the VR environment effectively.
concern about people's lack of knowledge and skills in managing the VR environment outside of the educational ecosystem.
Virtual Environment and Engagement
importance of creating an open environment in the virtual space where users can enter, get value, and exchange experiences.
challenges of understanding the purpose and target in a virtual environment compared to a university setting.
importance of engagement and immersive experiences in the virtual environment, particularly with the use of headsets.
risk of platforms focusing on different areas, such as video games, education, or enterprise, and the need for users to decide which platform suits their needs.
Generative AI and Democratization
excitement about generative AI and its potential to change interactions with technology, particularly in complex scenarios.
goal of making interactions as easy as possible, the need to democratize the technology, and the transition from typing to speaking.
Novelty Effect in Research
The participants mentioned the novelty effect and the need for more experience and time to study its impact on research data.
They expressed excitement about conducting research on groups that are already familiar with using certain technologies.
Healthcare Credentialing in VR
work on healthcare credentialing in VR and the research they are conducting on validity and reliability.
importance of gathering evidence and real cases to demonstrate the value of these technologies to the industry.
Job Opportunity: Lecturer - 3D Modeling/Design for Department of Interactive Media
The Department of Interactive Media at VRARA Member University of Miami seeks a dynamic and innovative design educator with diverse 3D modeling, rigging, and sculpting skills. The ideal candidate should be deeply committed to advancing the professional practice of 3D design and animation, particularly in the context of games and simulations. This position primarily focuses on teaching, with opportunities for collaboration in course development for the evolving Immersive Media program curriculum.
Key Responsibilities:
Instruct courses encompassing a wide range of 3D design and related topics, including but not limited to:
3D Character Design
3D Level Design
3D Modeling and Animation
Intro to Game Studies
Introduction to Immersive Media
Immersive Media Practicum
Advising Students
School Committees
Applicants interested and capable of teaching any of the following in addition will be given priority
Introduction to Game Design
Immersive Narratives
Intro to Creative Coding
2D Character design
Qualifications:
Required:
Professional experience or experience in teaching 3D modeling and animation.
Demonstrated potential for collaborative interdisciplinary design work and/or research practices.
Practical experience outside academia, preferably in a game development studio, design consultancy, or a company focused on immersive projects.
Candidates with a blend of academic and practical experience are strongly encouraged to apply.
A master's or doctorate degree; bachelor's degree may be accepted with substantial industry experience.
Proficiency in any of the following: Blender, Maya, Cinema 4D, Adobe Substance Designer, Adobe Substance Painter, etc..
Preferred skills:
Some coding knowledge (e.g., Unity/C#, Python, C++, TouchDesigner) is highly desired.
The ability to instruct Unity for immersive development is a plus.
Experience in creating visuals for immersive performances and interactive installations.
Experience with character rigging using motion capture systems.
Application Process:
Interested candidates are invited to submit the following documents:
Cover Letter detailing qualifications for the position.
Curriculum Vitae or Resume.
Portfolio link showcasing relevant work.
Contact information for three professional references.
Note: For full consideration, please ensure all required materials are included in your application. Application Deadline is open until the position is filled.
For questions, please contact Kim Grinfeder at grinfeder@miami.edu.
The University of Miami is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Females/Minorities/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities are encouraged to apply. Applicants and employees are protected from discrimination based on certain categories protected by Federal law. Click here for additional information.
Vote for Get Real in LAVNCH [CODE]’s 3rd Annual Out of This World Experiences Awards (OoTWEA)
VRARA Member Get Real was recently nominated as a finalist for an award from media firm LAVNCH/code for a metaverse homecoming experience they created for their client (University of Maryland Global Campus) last fall. See details and VOTE! Voting for the award is now open and runs through Friday April 5th at 11:59 pm ET.
University of Maryland Global Campus’ (UMGC) Homecoming 2023 – Reach for the Stars involved design elements that literally can not be replicated in the real world. The fact that it was hosted in the metaverse meant that there were no real physical boundaries or limitations to the potential of what could be delivered to the client. The combination of limitless design possibilities and the metaverse truly delivered an out of this world experience for all who attended.
The journey with UMGC showcased Get Real’s ability to blend creativity with technical prowess to deliver a unique virtual immersive experience to the UMGC team, students, and alumni. The project underlined why Get Real continues to innovate using immersive technology to foster stronger ties between key members of its clients’ community.
The engagement metrics supported the success of the project, highlighted by:
Over 2,200 visits to the Welcome Area (Hub) yielding over 39,000 total user minutes.
Over 1,100 visits to the Networking Lounge, with an average of 24 minutes spent in the experience per visitor.
Over 13,000 total user minutes spent in the Celebration Zone during the live DJ event.
Support your co-VRARA member and cast your vote for them before Friday, April 5th!
Has Healthcare Reached the “Tipping Point” for Mass Adoption of XR?
The use of virtual and augmented reality technologies (collectively known as extended reality or just XR), in the healthcare industry is on a dramatic rise. Some industry analysts predict healthcare to be one of the fastest growth industries for the use of XR.
Recently there have been many press releases and case studies from organizations that have implemented XR solutions for patient care starting from analysis, diagnosis, critical care, therapy, surgical procedures, and of course medical professional training. Are these indicators that we are at the “Tipping Point” for mass adoption of XR in the Healthcare industry?
However, there are many skeptics and naysayers in the healthcare industry .
So where are we really at in terms of adoption of XR in the healthcare industry?
That was the primary question that was asked during the recent VR/AR Association Healthcare Summit at the University of Miami on February 24, 2024.
This 1 day conference and technology exposition was hosted by the University of Miami and brought together physicians, researchers, and technology companies who are leading the way in using XR to share information, experiences and opinions about where we are, and where we are headed in terms of adoption of XR in healthcare.
With over 100 attendees both in person and virtually on the ENGAGE XR platform this conference exceeded attendees expectations.
We would like to thank the VR/AR Association South Florida Chapter, the University of Miami and our conference sponsor Magic Leap for helping us put on this initial event.
If you weren’t able to attend the Miami event then you can join us in Orlando on April 11th and 12th for the VR/AR Central Florida Chapter Immersive Technology Summit at Full Sail University where we will have a track and exhibitors focused on XR and healthcare such as eXeX (the first company in the world to use the Apple Vision Pro in surgical operations who are from Orlando), AdventHealth University, Orlando Health, the US Defense Health Agency, US Army, Navy and Air Force. In addition hardware providers such as HTC Vive, Magic Leap, Varjo, Magnetic 3D will participate and be showcasing their solutions and experiences.
Due to the success of the Miami event we are looking to host Healthcare summits with our VRARA Chapters and other associations around the world. If you are interested, please contact John Cunningham at john@thevrara.com.
Please watch the highlight video of the VRARA Healthcare Summit!
Call for Participation in our VRARA Enterprise Summit 2024: XR, Digital Twin, AI
After our successful virtual event Best of Europe: XR, AI, Immersive Tech on LinkedIn Live (we had 3200+ attendees with 30+ speakers, plus 100’s more watched on X twitter, and Facebook!), we are doing our next virtual event, Enterprise Summit 2024 XR, Digital Twin, AI on LinkedIn Live.. REGISTER HERE!
LinkedIn has 1 Billion users and we expect 1000s to participate in our event! Plus, more than 57M businesses are listed on LinkedIn, and our event will help elevate your brand and get you established as an authority in the industry.
If you would like to sponsor and or speak at this event, please email kris@thevrara.com
See our previous Enterprise Summits:
Summary from our Voice-Enabled VR Activities Reshaping Language Therapy Experiences
Ognjen Todic and Nikola Paunovic from Keen Research presented our online session https://www.thevrara.com/industry-committees on Voice-Enabled VR Activities Reshaping Language Therapy Experiences , with 25+ professionals.
Ognjen Todic provided an overview of Keen Research's voice-enabled VR activities for language therapy, emphasizing the benefits of on-device processing and privacy. The discussion also covered the benefits of local processing, the SDK and customer use cases, and Pragmatica's virtual reality solution for speech and language therapy. Challenges in accessing speech therapy were highlighted, along with the company's business model and future plans. The regulatory pathway, voice data storage, use cases of the solution, integration with existing VR programs, hardware and battery consumption, voice recognition and noise, supported languages, and pricing model were also discussed.
Voice-enabled VR activities for language therapy
overview of Keen Research and their software development kit for on-device feature cognition.
benefits of on-device speech recognition and how their product, Keen ASR SDK, enables voice-enabling applications locally without the need for internet connectivity.
Keen Research develops SDKs for on-device speech recognition.
developers integrate Keen ASR SDK in their applications to voice-enable them.
privacy and security benefits of on-device processing, ensuring compliance with regulations like HIPAA, COPPA, and GDPR.
importance of on-device processing, including offline functionality, network independence, and scalability.
advantages of on-device processing, such as privacy, security, and removing dependencies on network and back-end services.
Discussion about the benefits of local processing
The speaker mentions the benefits of running everything locally, including no latency, easier customization, and cost or usage-based cloud solutions. They also mention having full control over data and users' data and its use.
Discussion about the SDK and customer use cases
SDK and its features, including native SDKs for iOS, Android, and Linux, a web JavaScript SDK in beta, and a Unity plugin. They also mention supporting multiple languages.
customer use cases, including Metronic, University of Louisville, Viacom, Paramount, PBS Kids, and Pragmatica, with use cases in education and VR training.
Discussion about Pragmatica's virtual reality solution for speech and language therapy
VR solution for speech and language therapy. They mention the positive feedback and traction received for their VR activities.
the problem they are trying to solve, which is the limited availability and high cost of speech therapy for children with communicative disorders.
Challenges in accessing speech therapy
The average cost of speech therapy is $150 an hour, which can go up to over $250 an hour in metropolitan areas. Some waitlists for appointments can be as long as 6 to 12 months, and even longer due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The core product is virtual reality activities that allow individuals to practice their communication skills independently. These activities are professionally curated and tailored for clients.
The company's solution is to create virtual reality activities that mimic speech therapy sessions, allowing individuals to practice their communication skills at home. This solution aims to provide immediate intervention and overcome the barriers of cost and availability.
The advantages of the virtual reality product include the use of Keen Research's voice recognition technology, custom tips and personalized feedback, and the immersive and transferable practice it offers. Virtual reality allows for hands, head, and gesture tracking, which is beneficial for individuals with autism.
Business model and future plans
The company's business model involves selling the product as a subscription plan for $150 a month, providing access to all virtual reality activities and the data dashboard.
The company is based in Canada and plans to expand to the US market. They have competitors in the VR therapy space but highlight their product's autonomy and voice recognition capabilities as unique advantages.
The team plans to finish stage one of their marketing strategy by the end of the year and move on to stage two, which includes ad spend, digital marketing, and social media. They also discuss the need for seed funding by September 2025.
Regulatory Pathway
the regulatory pathway for the company's intervention in the field of suicide prevention and clinical trials. Karthik explains that FDA approval is not mandatory in speech and language therapy, but they are looking into regulatory approvals for insurance purposes. The main concern is data privacy.
Voice Data Storage
where the voice data is stored. the processing happens locally on the device and there doesn't need to be a recording on the device. However, there is an option to store the recording if needed.
Use Cases of the Solution
traction in EdTech, language learning, entertainment/education, and frontline worker scenarios such as warehouse operations and healthcare procedures.
Virtual Reality (VR) and Audio Virtual Reality
concern about the lack of voice communication in her VR research study and asked if it could be integrated with an existing company's VR program.
the integration of voice communication into an existing VR program would require the company to integrate their SDK.
a Unity plugin, but the integration with an existing VR program would require the company to integrate their plugin into their product.
Hardware and Battery Consumption
custom hardware, typically Linux or Android devices, can be used for running the recognition locally.
the battery consumption during recognition, which varies depending on the CPU and typically takes 20 to 60 percent of a single CPU core.
the impact on battery is negligible for most use cases, except for always-on listening scenarios where ruggedized Android phones with stronger batteries may be required.
cloud-based services can drain the battery due to Wi-Fi or internet connectivity, making always-on listening in the cloud not feasible.
Voice Recognition and Noise
the acoustic models used for voice recognition are trained with noisy data to make them more robust.
background noises are typically not challenging for their SDK, but cross talk, especially in situations with multiple people speaking simultaneously, can be harder to handle.
Supported Languages and Adding New Languages
the system currently supports English, Spanish, German, and French.
models optimized for kids' voices in English.
adding new languages is considered straightforward, requiring a lot of speech data. They are open to adding more languages based on business needs.
Pricing Model
the company's licensing model and compares it to Azure's pricing model.
the trade-offs between the two pricing models and highlights the suitability of their product for larger user bases or environments with unreliable internet connectivity.
VRARA Central Florida Immersive Technology Summit April 11/12: Register for Free Today!
In March 2023, we held the inaugural VRARA Central Florida Immersive Technology Summit at Full Sail University and hosted over 800 attendees in an action packed 1 day event. This year, the 1st Annual VRARA Central Florida Immersive Technology Summit will be bigger and better and will span over 2 days (April 11 & 12) and plan to host over 1000 attendees.
The Summit will bring local and global experts in the area of XR, AI and other immersive technologies together to share and learn about the technologies that are changing the way we play, learn and work and why Central Florida is being recognized as a leader in Immersive Technologies.
Recently, VRARA COO and Orlando Chapter President John Cunningham discussed with Kevin O’Donovann the upcoming event, including how those who cannot make the event in person can still attend for FREE!
Here is just a sampling of what to expect:
- Conference (3 tracks) - Available in person or virtual on Engage XR - 11 April
- "Hands On" Developer XR workshops with Unity, Apple Vision Pro, Magic Leap, Varjo, ESRI and others - 11 April
- Conference Reception - 11 April
- Women in Technology Breakfast - 12 April
- Technology Expo - 25 Companies - 12 April
- Career Fair (40 companies) - 12 April
Learn more details on these events AND reserve your FREE spot today!
THIS is the future of soft skills training
Guest Post from 3spin Learning Co-Founder Thomas Hoger.
Teaching soft skills with today's analog methods is difficult. Dialog with real people is absolutely essential, but *in learning* it quickly lacks variety and becomes predictable, as you can usually only talk to a few people with relatively similar backgrounds and perspectives – but that's not what the real world of communication is like.
Immersive dialog training with AI comes in all facets, infinite variations and is completely individual, based on the learner's knowledge, reactions and progress.
Watch this video to see how Lufthansa Aviation Training Group (LAT) uses immersive learning with AI on the Apple Vision Pro to give cabin crew the knowledge to de-escalate difficult situations above the clouds. LAT wants to sell this scenario "out of the box" in the aviation industry. If you are interested, get in touch with Gilad Scherpf .
Are you in a different industry and want to use other types of dialog training such as sales conversations, negotiation techniques, conflict resolution, effective communication or job interviews? This scenario was created without any programming in the software 3spin Learning. With a few clicks, you too can create, edit and publish scenarios for hundreds of learners worldwide.
100% adaptive training – the holy grail of learning that HR managers have wanted for decades and that was impossible just over a year ago is now on the market, affordable and available to everyone.
What would YOU use it for?
Recap of our Best of Europe: XR, AI, Immersive Tech event; 3200+ attendees, 30+ speakers. Watch video recordings here.
Our event brought together key leaders and innovators in the mixed reality and spatial computing space in Europe, offering unique insights and perspectives on the latest developments in the industry. Presenters included Lufthansa, Volvo, Mondelez, Hugo Boss, TUV Nord, WURTH, Microsoft, and many others!
We had 30 speakers and the presentations covered Microsoft Mesh, Apple Vision Pro, AI, and so much more! And, we had 3200+ attendees on LinkedIn Live, plus 100’s more on X twitter, and Facebook!
You can rewatch the video recordings here
If you're not a Member yet of our global association yet, see all the benefits and apply here
If you would like to speak at and or sponsor our next event, please email kris@thevrara.com
Other Highlights:
Lufthansa presented their solution for Apple Vision Pro
Insights from the inimitable Timmy Ghiurau on his overall creative process and how he brought 5 separate silos of VR development at Volvo together under one cooperative vision from a janitor's cupboard.
Microsoft Mesh delivering on what Horizon Workrooms set out to do regarding meeting remotely in VR as effectively as in person.
3Spin learning's Noel Ludwig did a very brave LIVE demo of their no code AI powered solution to building VR training scenarios for Lufthansa with a just few clicks of a button and a handful of appropriately-engineered prompts
ArborXR's David Burch helping all sorts of VR companies deploy across the world with ease
The great-sounding book of Accenture's Nick Rosa: Understanding the Metaverse - a business and ethical guide
WarpVR's Danny de Bruijn reminding us of the importance of narrative driven training and wielding a combination of 3 GPT's to handle a) story outlining, b) non-linear narrative development and c) scene-enhancement
Areyes's Ivan Pavluchencko opening ar' (sic) eyes to how the future of brand communication may well land at the interface of gaming, AR and ads
Dr Rolf's incredible introduction to the all powerful VR Direct enabling consistency and ease of construction of a wide variety of VR projects.
Avatarcam's Marcin Klimek ensuring that one's 3D representation in VR space feels personable, conveying the real you as closely as possible
General Electric's VERNOVA business doing industrial safety training at huge scale thanks to Virtualware
Highligths Source: Richard Lewis
See all 30 speakers/presentations here
Immersive Spaces: Expert Roundtable
Originally appeared on XRtoday.com.
Thought leaders from HTC VIVE, the VRARA, and Tiny Brains, share their thoughts on enterprise-grade immersive spaces
Increasingly, the earth’s population is occupying immersive and virtual spaces. Ever since the mid-20th century debut of video games, generations of gamers have immersed themselves in exciting digital spaces.
Now, in 2024, with the rise of XR and spatial computing technology, new types of end-users are leveraging digital spaces for emerging use cases outside of the gaming sector.
With new generations becoming increasingly familiar with digital spaces, thanks to the massive gaming industry firmly planting itself as one of the most popular forms of entertainment, the enterprise sector can leverage this familiarity to create engaging workplace solutions, from virtual meeting rooms to XR training solutions.
As more and more emerging generations understand the potential of online or offline digital spaces, the enterprise sector may continue to see immersive spaces within workplace environments, from the office to the frontline to marketing departments.
Joining XR Today to speak in immersive spaces are leaders representing a range of immersive solutions providers of virtual spaces.
Thomas Dexmier, the AVP of Enterprise Solutions EMEA, HTC VIVE
Kevin O’Donovan, Co-Chair VRARA Industrial Metaverse & Digital Twin Committee, VRARA
Kevin Joyce, Chief Executive Officer at Tiny Brains Ltd, and STYLY XR Global Partner
How can a business best leverage immersive spaces Today? What use cases exist that introduce the value of immersive spaces for businesses?
Kevin O’Donovan
It depends on the industry you’re in. I’ll speak to what I’m familiar with within the energy industry and industrial space. VR and AR training gets people up to speed faster and saves time, effort, and money.
The second one would be sharing ideas. What I mean by that is that everything we design Today is a 3D model, and instead of getting everybody flying physically to one place and pouring over one screen or one set of printouts, you can do it remotely.
You can also use immersive spaces interoperably, where some people may be on a PC, and others may be in VR. But everyone gets a spatial perspective. I’ve seen this used in many companies where they’ll bring in people who are not necessarily facility designers. Whether on a VR interface, PC, or a 3D monitor showing a 3D rendering, they get a perspective of the size and shape of a facility, especially in VR.
When looking at a 3D render, engineers may say, “I need to walk down that corridor; that’s too narrow. I can’t walk down with a toolbox in both hands.” So they get an idea of what the place will look like and spot any issues they might see from their experience.
Additionally, there is a skills shortage in the energy industry and in many industries across the board, regardless of your country. Workers might never have been to a location before, so you can train them in VR or 3D models. It’s about speeding things up. People’s time is the most valuable commodity we have.
Kevin Joyce
Aside from the typical use cases, such as virtual meeting spaces or remote comms, the opportunities available for immersive spaces are wide-ranging. But before a business decides to invest, they need to decide what their end point goal is. Are you looking to foster a community or simply create a value-add for your existing customer base?
There are numerous platforms that allow you to create and or customize you own immersive space, essentially offering a spatial version of a Discord. These are great facilities for various tasks, but while they may be relatively simple to create, they are very time-consuming to moderate. As such, companies must be precise in their execution if they choose to follow this route. It’s lovely (and commendable) to attempt to create an all-encompassing space for your community to exist and feel free to share anything they so choose. However, without an extensive team of moderators, you’re likely to fall foul of a few pitfalls.
Keep it focused. Are you a company developing training solutions? Incorporate some video examples and brief demonstrations, and leave it at that. There’s no need to be everything to everyone all the time.
Thomas Dexmier
Collaboration is the key to success for many organizations – how can we maximize our productivity and improve communication with colleagues to ultimately benefit the business? Traditional approaches like voice and video calls are not engaging and are increasingly seen as a burden.
We strongly believe that immersive spaces have the potential to empower a workforce to collaborate efficiently and securely and, most importantly, across whatever device or platform they prefer – be it an XR headset, tablet, laptop, or smartphone. They create a sense of presence, enabling real connection and focus. And that’s especially important for remote workers, where it helps fight isolation and improves productivity.
A powerful use case is design review collaboration using digital twin visualization. At VIVE, we have recently unveiled our Polygon Streaming solution. Simply put, it allows for interactive, high-quality, detailed 3D models on any device. Polygon Streaming works seamlessly in-browser across different platforms and devices including smartphones, tablets, web browsers and XR headsets. Once, it would have required a powerful gaming PC to achieve these results, but Polygon Streaming makes it possible on everyday devices.
What challenges come from introducing immersive spaces for small and large-scale businesses?
Thomas Dexmier
Any new technology in the workforce has to be deployed the right way. People were cynical when PDAs came along, and Today, we can’t imagine working without smartphones – once people see how good the tech is, they embrace it.
It’s key to make sure that immersive spaces are accessible to everyone – regardless of the device they use. Friction loses users and engagement. Training sessions can be important but really, a business has to give people a reason to keep coming back to the tech.
There isn’t a singular approach that would work for everyone, because every company’s culture is different. And that’s one of the benefits of immersive spaces: the platform is very flexible, and it’s very easy to build something that’s engaging. When rolling out this technology, there should be a mixture of serious and fun – let people see and try out the true productivity benefits while also building in time to enjoy the experience.
I do think it’s important to lead by example and shape how your teams use technology. So the senior management needs to be engaged and hosting sessions in immersive spaces regularly.
Kevin O’Donovan
The simplest one would be you can’t just hand most people in a business Today a VR headset, a Vision Pro, or a set of augmented reality glasses and expect them to become instantly productive.
There’s a learning curve. How do I onboard people just using the technology? We’ve seen the same with Zoom and Teams. How many people use Zoom, and not necessarily all of its capabilities? Instead, they are just proficient with it and the etiquette.
You can’t just give a worker a headset. There’s that onboarding process regardless of what you’re using. So you can’t assume that everybody will use an immersive space and then find it a good experience.
Kevin Joyce
As stated above, it’s moderation that can become the biggest hurdle. The development of an immersive space is easier than ever, as is onboarding. However, if you have a large community you’re planning on migrating to an immersive space, you need to be aware of the opportunities you’re affording them. There’s likely to be one or more rotten eggs in that number, and ensuring they don’t ruin the space for others is important.
If you plan on launching an immersive space, no matter what the scale of your company, you’ll need to ensure you have a moderation team fully equipped for the task. Not just a ban hammer but the tools to deal with any unforeseen community issues that may arise. Few things are ever black-and-white, and it often takes skill to asses the truth behind disagreements in a virtual capacity.
How can a business measure ROI from an immersive space? What use cases best present a positive ROI for companies with different use cases?
Kevin Joyce
The ROI of an immersive space greatly depends on what your goal for that project is. If you want to upsell your customer base, revenue is an obvious metric. However, if you’re looking to drive engagement or create a facility for user feedback, the measurements for ROI may be a little more vague.
As ever, my recommendation would be to drill down to the core goal. Measure that against both financial and time investment on rival channels. For example, if you’re looking for engagement, you can measure return visits or direct communications per input as a direct competitor to X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, or any other platform used by your comms team regularly. The numbers will be skewed significantly at first due to the nature of building your own space as opposed to using an existing platform, however, you can expect some more balanced metrics to arrive a few months down the line.
What’s more, engagement in an immersive space is likely to have far more impact on the user than a traditional text-based app or platform. As such, it’s likely better to add additional weight to those engaging through an immersive space over other social media platforms.
Kevin O’Donovan
It does come back to the use case; you have the investment’s cost relating to developing a perfect 3D model or employing someone for six months and building one.
The ROI has to be put against what I am saving. What’s the saving for time out of the office, travel, and expenses? If I can cut down the training time so that I don’t have to wait for the factory to be built and then do six months of training, instead, a team can do three months of pre-training using 3D renders of a facility as it is being built.
Thomas Dexmier
This is a question which is asked a lot and there isn’t a simple answer. To some extent, it depends on the industry. For organizations which use a lot of visualization, immersive spaces make a lot of sense and with the ability to share high-quality 3D models, it will be easy to see the benefits – rapid iteration, and it’s quicker to get to the final product. Similarly, when presenting ideas or products to customers, the ability to take them on an immersive journey and help them to understand the product is key.
But what about the other organizations? Before the pandemic, the conventional wisdom was that being in a physical office from 9-5 every day was a great ROI. But now the world has seen that remote and hybrid working can deliver the same and often even better results.
So the real question is, what even is ROI to some? There are metrics which can be put in place around engagement and learning, or collaboration and productivity. But that doesn’t apply to every organization. We know that, ultimately, a happy and engaged workforce can be a powerful asset – and that’s very difficult to measure in any circumstance.
Will immersive spaces replace traditional remote meeting/collaboration tools or enhance them?
Kevin O’Donovan
So, there will be some unique use cases where it may be replaced, where it might be better to walk through a 3D design in VR than trying to do it on a team call.
But to be quite honest, because of some of the challenges, not everybody can do it. Not everybody has the bandwidth, for example. For me, it’s about enhancing; we’ll still use the traditional way for a long time.
Kevin Joyce
I don’t believe immersive spaces will replace traditional remote meeting platforms in the short term. There is a wealth of evidence to suggest that they can increase productivity, however, at present, you’ll still find some employees less willing to adopt the technologies than others.
In the same fashion that smartphones have become de rigueur, so too will immersive technologies in time. Companies investing in these platforms and immersive spaces at present are significantly ahead of the curve. It will take time for the reach of immersive technologies to grow and for employees to adapt to them.
However, setting the agenda early is not necessarily a bad thing! As with smartphones, having a company coordinated in immersive spaces will eventually become the norm, and having teams that are familiar with such platforms early will provide many unforeseen benefits down the road.
Thomas Dexmier
Technology is there to support humanity. We believe that immersive spaces have the potential to enhance the way we collaborate and can act as an extension of traditional physical or virtual meeting spaces. We’re also bringing technologies like AI into these platforms to help people be more productive by reducing time spent on routine, like taking minutes, so you have more time for the important things.
There’s no single solution which works for everyone, it’s different technology for different use cases. Sometimes, you need a lightning-quick chat – so you phone people. Other times, you can send an email because you’re in different time zones.
Immersive spaces will provide a hugely powerful and flexible tool which can make a real difference in workplaces. We’re already seeing a lot of positive feedback about VIVERSE for Business becoming an essential part of an organization’s suite of tools.
Apple Vision Pro: A Step into Spatial Computing
From VRARA Member Travancore Analytics:
Embarking on the innovative realm of VisionPro has been an enlightening experience for users, and Travancore Analytics has recently embraced this cutting-edge technology to develop transformative applications. As users of VisionPro, we have had the privilege of exploring its functionalities and witnessing its capabilities firsthand. In this article, we'll share our personal experiences and insights as VisionPro users, shedding light on the user-friendly features and the value it brings to the development process.
Moreover, we'll delve into Travancore Analytics' recent venture into VisionPro, highlighting how this decision has shaped our approach to application development. With the acquisition of VisionPro, we aim to leverage its robust features and enhance our capabilities in crafting sophisticated applications for our clients.
Join us on this exploration of VisionPro, from the user's perspective and the organizational adoption at Travancore Analytics.
Check here for the full article:
https://www.travancoreanalytics.com/apple-vision-pro-into-spatial-computing/
Website: https://www.travancoreanalytics.com/
Follow us on Linkedin for latest updates: https://www.linkedin.com/company/travancore-analytics/
Job Opportunities at Coventry University
Technical Skills Instructor
We are looking to appoint a highly motivated technician to support and teach in our new film studio and post-production suite. This role provides specific expertise, instruction, demonstration, and technical facilitation/support in assigned areas of the Film Studio, Post-production and Media Asset Management. Providing film studio management, recording, lighting, editing and workflow skill support and instruction to the faculty, but more specifically in the areas of Film Production and Media Production.
You will provide support to the production processes in the Film Studio including the management of the studio space and in providing skills support with recording, lighting and editing workflows. This post will support the broader activities of the College but be primarily focussed on students of Film and Media Production
For more information and to apply, visit Technical Skills Instructor-(coventry.ac.uk)
For an informal discussion about the role, contact Dr Bianca Wright, bianca.wright@coventry.ac.uk
Senior Technician - Immersive
Coventry University, UK
We are looking for an immersive technician who can support and oversee our immersive studios and deliver high-level creative production skills support in fields such as AR, VR, MR, XR, spatial computing, motion-capture, immersive/binaural audio and sensor-based interactive media. Our two immersive studios offer industry-leading performance capture capabilities and collaborative mixed reality/ immersive headset-based experiences as well as spatial audio capabilities.
For more information and to apply, visit Senior Technician - Immersive (coventry.ac.uk)
For an informal discussion about the role, contact Dr Bianca Wright, bianca.wright@coventry.ac.uk
Senior Technician - Hack
Coventry University, UK
We are looking for a Senior Technician - Hack to oversee our new Hack Labs and contribute to the effective running of workshops, laboratories, and studios across the College estate. As Senior Technician – Hack, you will provide instruction, demonstration and technical facilitation within the College of Arts and Society. You will be providing high-level creative production skills support in the fields such as physical computing (electronics, Raspberry Pi and programmable technology), Internet of Things, microcontroller robotics, extended reality (XR), sensor arrays, projection mapping and/ or holographic display technologies for creative practice, among others.
For more information and to apply, visit Senior Technician - Hack (coventry.ac.uk)
For an informal discussion about the role, contact Dr Bianca Wright, bianca.wright@coventry.ac.uk
Design Reviews Giving You a Headache?
*Guest Post from VRARA member Campfire 3D *
Ever get headaches figuring out how to share CAD models and collaborate on designs? Campfire can make that a LOT easier. Join us on March 28th for a webinar where we'll share the secrets:
Effortless model sharing across your team
Make design reviews feel like everyone's in the same room
Impress customers with interactive 3D presentations way cooler than slides
Get excited about the future! We'll also give you a sneak peek at how Campfire integrates with Apple Vision Pro for next-level experiences. Don't miss hearing from Campfire CEO Jay Wright and COO Roy Ashok!. Reserve your spot today!
Industrial IMMERSIVE Sessions Now Available!
The 6th annual Industrial Immersive Week brought together industrial, energy & engineering immersive tech leaders, software developers and VR / AR / XR, Spatial Computing, 3D and Digital Twins solution providers to share first-hand experience, insight and advice for implementing and scaling immersive tech programs in enterprise operations.
In his presentation, “Bridging the Industrial Skilled Workforce Gap with XR & AI”, our President Nathan Pettyjohn addressed the fact that over 10,000 baby boomers will retire every single day for the next 15+ years, leading to a $600 billion economic output deficit by 2030 in a gap of over 7 million workers. This is just the manufacturing category alone. His presentation covers how XR technologies are helping to solve this across several different cases and offers up several industry statistics on how this is providing an ROI for enter.
In addition to Pettyjohn's insights, COO John Cunningham shared a compelling case study on GE Vernova implementation. Titled "Complex Safety Training for Nuclear in VR - Bridging Physical & Virtual Worlds," Cunningham's presentation showcased the innovative use of VR to enhance safety training in nuclear facilities. Through engaging videos and real-world examples, Cunningham illustrated how VR technology seamlessly integrates physical and virtual environments to deliver effective training experiences. Watch his replay below!
VRARA Member dilium Announces the Official Launch of the Spatial Drawing App for VisionOS.
From VRARA Member dilium:
dilium is excited to announce the official launch of the Spatial Drawing app on the Apple Store for #VisionOS.
After receiving an overwhelming response to our video teaser, we have accelerated the release of this groundbreaking application.
#SpatialDrawing empowers users to unleash their creativity by offering a seamless platform to draw, create, experiment, and have fun.
Achieving this goal was also made possible thanks to our participation in the Apple #DeveloperLabs in London and Cupertino in 2023, which gave us the opportunity to discuss with Apple engineers, receive feedback and guidance on how to develop on the latest #AppleVisionPro.
This milestone coincides with our recent participation in INNOVIT - Italian Innovation and Culture Hub, a renowned accelerator program for Italian innovative startups and companies, supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During this program, we had the opportunity to showcase and validate our app in #SiliconValley, interfacing with and taking advice from the best #innovators in the world.
Commenting on the launch, dilium's CEO, Donato De Ieso, stated: "Spatial Drawing is a pioneering entry into the VisionOS ecosystem because it opens up a world of possibilities. However, we are only at the beginning. In fact, we are already working to make this app a new frontier for collaboration".
Spatial Drawing doesn't stop there though. Talking developer to developer: we give the opportunity to anyone who wants to integrate spatial drawing within their app to request our #SDK and enrich their solution. Our team of expert will be available to answer to all of the questions and offer technical assistance for any type of need.
About Innovit: the first Italian Innovation and Culture Hub in San Francisco, promoted by the Directorate General for the Country System of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in the US and the Consulate General in San Francisco, and managed with the support of the ITA - Italian Trade Agency and the Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco.
XR and GenAI in Enterprise: Interview with VRARA Minneapolis Chapter President Nick Roseth
XR Today’s Rory Greener hosts Nick Roseth, Founder of Explore Design and VR/AR Minneapolis Chapter President.
In this session, we discuss, XR and genAI solutions in enterprise environments, including:
Industry drivers of XR
GenAI as a driver of the market
XR and genAI relationship
Approaching a data-sensitive sector and already demanding sectors
XR/genAI forecasts
