This week, Apple have introduced AR purchasing in iOS, Sonic the Hedgehog has a mini Snapchat AR game and the retro Canadian Weather Channel was resurrected via a Raspberry Pi demo!
AR purchasing in iOS, Sonic on Snapchat AR and retro Canadian Weather Channel via Raspberry Pi!
Virtual Reality
2019 was a major inflection point for VR — here’s the proof
The Oculus Quest is accelerating things wonderfully — this article is really nice to see as it is hopefully combating the myth that VR is just something companies are pushing to no avail.
Unity’s latest trends report declares 2020 will be a breakthrough year for VR and AR
“This looks to be the year where we move beyond tentative experimentation into scalable deployment of immersive tech in the workplace”.
Grab $150 worth of VR games for $15 with this insane Humble VR Bundle
This was also highlighted in our new Discord by Erdtirdmans! Some very good VR games in ths bundle!
Awesome WebXR
Looking for more about WebXR, examples of it in action, frameworks for building it, editors for it… etc? This list is a great start!
Masterpiece VR CEO: 3D modeling in VR is 10x faster than on flat screen
Curious stance in this article as recent discussions I’ve had with 3D modellers is that they still prefer flat screen modelling rather than doing it all in VR.
Storytelling can reduce VR cybersickness
“A storyline with emotionally evocative details can reduce virtual reality cybersickness for some people, according to a new study”.
Sony is still reportedly planning to release PlayStation VR 2 after PlayStation 5 launch
Sony say they needs to finalise a few other details first and seem to want to focus on getting the PlayStation 5 release right.
Battle other trainers in this free Pokémon VR game on Oculus Quest
I haven’t tried it yet but it looks super curious!
Inside the wave of companies using VR to teach empathy
“Virtual reality makes empathy training scalable” — surprised not to see Equal Reality mentioned, but the article makes good points.
SteamVR beta adds new dashboard, Oculus Quest icon
The beta version of SteamVR now has an all-new interface and an icon for Oculus Quest in Oculus Link mode.
How a small handful of adorable dragons are leading the way for VR pets
Beast Pets is showing how virtual companions “can have a genuine emotional impact on users”.
Augmented Reality
Great new book on AR/MR/XR displays
I’ve already bought my copy as it’ll come in handy for an overview of the tech I’m putting together for a future Dev Diner Twitch stream!
Jack in the Box partners with paramount to promote ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ movie with Snapchat AR
You tilt your head to move Sonic left and right… looks like a lot of fun and a nice way to stay true to the retro Sonic games!
Luxury Escapism’s multi-sensory spa includes meditative mixed reality and ASMR sound baths
This spa in Brooklyn is using VR and all sorts of things in a new approach to the meditative spa experience.
Facebook just bought an AR startup that’s building a 3D map of the entire world
VR Scout looks more at Scape Technologies, who were bought by Facebook for a reported $40 million US.
Will Apple, Facebook or Microsoft be the future of augmented reality?
TechCrunch say that “while startup insurgents make a huge difference, big platforms may exert disproportionate influence over the future of AR”.
Announcing Magic Leap developer access programs and dates for Leap Developer Days
Magic Leap say that “2020 is all about providing more access for developers across the globe: access to hardware, funding, enterprise customers, and support”.
Apple attacks Snapchat’s shoppable AR with Apple Pay button & other custom actions for AR Quick Look content
Apple has added custom actions to its AR Quick Look feature for web-based AR content that is similar to Snapchat’s Shoppable AR e-commerce platform.
Google prepares to ship web-based AR support in Chrome 81
Chrome 81 brings support for the WebXR Device API — the standard for displaying immersive content on mobile devices and head-mounted displays on the web.
Some Tilt Five AR tabletops may face coronavirus delays
There are a bunch of Kickstarter delays due to the coronavirus and sadly, the Tilt Five AR headset is one of them.
Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Vehicles and Robotics
This AI could reunite families after an earthquake
This AI tool predicts the safest routes families can take to find their loved ones.
Meet Heidi, the robot who will paint your portrait for up to £20,000
Its artwork isn’t too bad either.
This AI tool rewrites outdated Wikipedia articles
A system created by MIT researchers is aiming to automatically updates factual inconsistencies in Wikipedia articles — at the moment it’s focused on specific sentences but the goal is to develop it to help reduce the human hours required to maintain Wikipedia.
Intuition Robotics raises $36m for its empathetic digital companion
ElliQ is a digital home companion for the elderly and has raised a bunch of money to further develop their tech.
AI weekly: machine learning could lead cybersecurity into uncharted territory
“Security firms are coming to rely on more AI, but we don’t know how things will escalate once the perpetrators of cyberattacks start using machine learning”.
This app is going to help the NBA find the next Giannis Antetokounmpo
NBA Global Scout is the next step in the league’s partnership with HomeCourt, an app with AR and AI skills training.
Billie Eilish gets interviewed by a robot
Vogue decided to get a robot to interview Billie Eilish.
Internet of Things and Makers
RF shield turns Arduino (and PC) into shortwave radio
Music synthesizers, RC controllers, Hackaday say they all likely are microcontroller-based now. Software-defined radio means you get the RF signal to digital as soon as possible and do everything else in software.
Retro Winnipeg Weather Channel
Developer “Probnot” has recreated the old Weather Channel from Winnipeg cable using a Raspberry Pi.
Cute videos, but little evidence: Police say Amazon Ring isn’t much of a crime fighter
Well, some police say that and others can’t say for certain if it led to declines — but some think it is a deterant to crime.
Apple files patent for a smart home system that could configure itself
“An Apple patent published today reveals an idea for a system that could automatically detect smart home devices and potentially configure them for the room they’re in”.
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Want more?
A neat way to add I/O with the physical world — the Wio Terminal
The world of micro-controllers and maker creations is a vast and ever-growing one that can be super intimidating to newcomers. Should you start with an Arduino? A Raspberry Pi? What's an ESP something something? How do you add a screen? Sensors? The team at Seeed Studio are trying to make things easier and their Wio Terminal looks like a nice option for those who want to start with a screen and some sensors.
Building a 3D printed AR headset with The Triton Project
It's always exciting to stumble upon another AR headset being developed! Graham Atlee has been putting together The Triton Project, an exciting new headset similar to Project North Star that can be put together with off-the-shelf parts! Here's a Q&A with Graham on how it came about and how you might be able to get your hands on one!