Podcasts about Mixed reality

Send us a textWhat if the future of storytelling wasn't passive—but fully immersive, interactive, and built by communities? In this mind-expanding episode, Joey Pinz dives deep into the metaverse with Athena Demos—co-founder and CEO of Big Rock Creative (BRC), the award-winning XR company behind BRCvr, Breonna's Garden, and the groundbreaking new BurnerSphere platform.Athena shares how immersive XR is reshaping art, activism, therapy, and human connection—from military haptics and PTSD healing to 360º Burning Man experiences that blend digital with dust.

In this episode we hear how to do elbow arthroscopy with the aid of 3D technology. Przemyslaw Lubiatowski explains his study and experience in the OR with this new method. Our SECEC expert today is Doruk Akgün who supports with his knowledge. Enjoy!   Music under CC license:  Artist: Blue wave theory Title: "Lava Sprout" 

How can we create XR experiences with purpose and why does it matter? Last week's MeaningfulXR conference at UC Davis and in VRChat brought together a dynamic XR community from across the globe to explore the answers and featured some of the latest academic research using XR across disciplines including education, psychology, design, AI, health and wellness, tracking data and more. On this special episode, I'm sharing the audio recording of our MeaningfulXR panel, Creating platforms and apps to better people's lives Led by Carsten Becker, Faculty, Media Design and Extended Reality USC Iovine & Young Academy and featuring Avi Bar-Zeev, XR Pioneer, founder and president of the XR Guild. I highlight some of the exciting projects I saw on Day One of the conference and Carsten shares his industry insights, the importance of ethics and purpose driven XR, as well as how to overcome building and investment challenges for new XR students and builders. We also hear from Carsten's Neely Center student mentees who are designing purpose driven XR for social impact.  Special thanks to Robby Ratan and the MeaningfulXR team!Thanks for listening!  Subscribe to Zero to Start on your favorite podcast platform... Follow our podcast page on LinkedIn!FEATURED CONFERENCE PROJECTS/CREATORS:Reimagining Land Acknowledgment: Co-Designing Location-Based AR with Indigenous Communities - Kai Lukoff, Sean Hauze, Madison Nguyen, Isabella 'Amne GomezCN Vision: A Novel AR Tool for Enhanced SLP Neuroanatomy Learning - Maura Philippone, Jesse SandersonImmersive Religion: Enhancing Religious Literacy through Extended Reality -John SoboslaiNavigating Ethics in Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) Design for Dyslexia Interventions - Aurelia O'NeilFEATURED LINKS:MeaningfulXR ConferenceNeely Purpose Driven XR LibraryNeely Center for Ethical Leadership and Decision MakingXR GuildXR Guild LibraryVIDEO Lightning talk: A Deep Dive into Eye-tracking in XR with Avi Bar-Zeev - Stanford Cyber Policy CenterCONNECT WITH SICILIANA:LinkedInsicilianatrevino.com

Outgoing Meta wearables chief Dan Reed joins the Leaders Sport Business podcast this week. Having announced his departure from the technology giant earlier this month, Reed reflects on 11 years at the helm of various departments at Facebook and then Meta. Hired out of his role as President of the NBA's G League, Reed initially joined Facebook to head up its nascent sports activity as Director of Global Sports Partnerships in 2014. Building out a crack team - which included the likes of Peter Hutton, Joyee Biswas, Ronan Joyce, Jordan Gruber, and Nick Shaw among many others - Reed oversaw the development of Facebook Live as a viable sports streaming platform, 'experimenting' with hundreds of millions of dollars of rights as the company tested different strategic directions in sport. As VP of Global Sports and Media Partnerships, Reed developed the growing content creator ecosystem inside Facebook's portfolio of apps, and tailored new monetization models for all manner of sports-focused entities and individuals. And as COO of Reality Labs, essentially Meta's wearables division, Reed drove a multi-billion dollar business in AI, AR, VR and Mixed Reality products, pioneering what many believe will be the next iteration of mass-adopted connected devices through the Meta Rayban partnership.

Hi, I'm Dr. Elhanan Gazit, and welcome to The Gameful Intelligence Podcast – One Study Corner. In this episode, I team up with my AI co-hosts, Daphne and Marshal, to explore a powerful R&D study led by Dr. Edsel Ing from the University of Alberta, published in the Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology in 2025. The research examines how Mixed Reality (MR) glasses can support stroke survivors suffering from homonymous hemianopsia—the loss of half the visual field in both eyes. We break down what XR (Extended Reality) means, how immersive technology is reshaping rehab, and how this study beautifully exemplifies key components of my Gameful Intelligence (GI) approach. That isn't just about seeing better—it's about reclaiming Agency, fostering Co-Creative interaction, and navigating recovery through Disruptive human-centered design in the AI Era. ⭐ Enjoyed this episode? Follow, rate five stars, and share it with someone who'd benefit! DM if you have questions about my upcoming book: "Gameful Intelligence: The Secrets of Business Growth and Personal Happiness in the Gen AI Era" (working title). I'd love to hear your thoughts. Let's connect: LinkedIn | Facebook  | Instagram Want to learn more about Gameful Intelligence x AI for business and personal Growth? Talk to me or book a consulting session today at Juloot.com * This episode is based on Dr. El-Hanan Gazit's upcoming book: 'Gameful Intelligence: The Secrets of Business Growth and Personal Happiness in the Gen AI Era' (working title). Read:  Ing, E. B., Roy, I., Tavakoli, M., Jivraj, I., & Galvez Ruiz, A. L. (2025). Mixed Reality Glasses with Picture-in-Picture Navigation for Patients with Homonymous Hemianopic Visual Field Loss. Journal of neuro-ophthalmology : the official journal of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society, 45(2), 215–218. https://doi.org/10.1097/WNO.0000000000002343 Try NotebookLM powered by Google: https://notebooklm.google

Today's bite-sized episode is a quick shout out to the Meaningful XR conference  happening Thursday May 22nd and Friday May 23rd at the UC Davis International Center and virtually in VRChat.On Friday at 12:30pm  I'll be joining the panel, Creating platforms and apps to better people's lives Led by Carsten Becker Faculty, Media Design and Extended Reality at USC Iovine & Young Academy Featuring Guljaha Shaik Neely Fellow 2024-25 and recent MBA graduate from the USC Marshall School of BusinessAnd friend of the podcast Avi Bar-Zeev XR pioneer, founder and President of The XR Guild, a non-profit that seeks to support and educate professionals in XR on ethics and most positive outcomes for humanity.Thanks for listening! Happy installing... Subscribe to Zero to Start on your favorite podcast platform Follow our podcast page on LinkedIn!FEATURED LINKS:MeaningfulXR ConferenceNeely Purpose Driven XR LibraryNeely Center for Ethical Leadership and Decision MakingXR GuildDigital Wellbeing -Caitlin KrauseThinking Fast and Slow - Daniel KahnemanCONNECT WITH SICILIANA:LinkedInsicilianatrevino.com

Award-winning new media artist Flavia Mazzanti takes us on a journey through Vienna, São Paulo, Tokyo – and into the post-anthropocene. As co-founder of Immerea, she's exploring the intersections of technology, identity, and immersive art. In this episode, Flavia talks about her approach to virtual and mixed reality, her artistic research, and the power of shared digital experiences. A conversation about the future of XR, embodied perception, and expanding realities through art. Flavia Mazzanti, co-founder of the Vienna-based media company Immerea, is a visionary working at the intersection of art, technology, and spatial experience. From her internationally acclaimed project Beyond My Skin to her teaching and public speaking engagements, she is reshaping how we interact with digital environments. In this episode, she discusses how XR can go beyond spectacle and become a meaningful tool for reflection, transformation, and connection.

Paul McKinney, Director of Donor Services and Logistics with the Irish Blood Transfusion Service, chats to Mairead about the pilot and also the urgent need for 2,000 more people to donate blood Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Check out my newsletter at TKOPOD.com and join my new community at TKOwners.com.I sat down with Robert Scoble and we talked about the future. He's been around for the first Tesla ride, the early days of Uber, and now he's deep into AI, smart glasses, and even Neuralink. We covered where tech is heading next, why most people are still sleeping on it, and what happens when AI starts watching you and giving you advice. He also shared his thoughts on China's rise, virtual beings, and why America better wake up.You can find Robert on X at https://x.com/scobleizer where he posts his list of 800+ AI tools, aka “The Holodeck.”Timestamps below. Enjoy!---Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-ytAsk me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-askLearn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjkLearn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cofFollow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-xFree weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nlShare this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-allScrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os---00:00 The Future of AI: Underhyped or Overhyped?02:58 The Evolution of Mixed Reality and Wearable Tech06:08 AI in Everyday Life: Tools and Gadgets08:58 The Impact of AI on Business and Entrepreneurship12:05 Neuralink and the Future of Human-Machine Interaction14:55 Comparing the AI Boom to the Dot-Com Boom18:10 The Global Race in AI and Robotics20:51 Innovation and Creativity in a Competitive Landscape

Watch on YouTube.In this episode, Rory Greener, Tech Journalist, XR Today speaks to the creative team behind the BBC's AR Snapchat filter that helps teach the public sign language.Today's guests is Shahwali Shayan, Founder of Shahnanigans.What XR tech are YOU most excited about? Let us know in the comments! Subscribe for more XR deep dives and hit the notification bell so you don't miss our next analysis.Thanks for watching. If you'd like more like this, don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to our channel.You can also join in the conversation on our X and LinkedIn pages.

In this episode of Coffey & Code, host Ashley Coffey sits down with Josh Bankston, Partner at Mace Virtual Labs, for a deep dive into the evolving world of XR—Extended Reality—and how it's reshaping the future of education, business, and immersive experiences. With over 13 years in the XR industry, Josh shares powerful insights on the importance of thoughtful product design, why iteration is key to innovation, and how champions inside organizations play a critical role in adopting new technology. From VR-powered training to brand activations that forge direct audience connections, this episode is packed with takeaways for anyone looking to design meaningful, tech-forward experiences. You'll also hear about:Real-world examples of XR in action across industriesThe shift toward AI-integrated 3D modeling and developmentHow immersive tools are changing the way we engage and learnWhy community and collaboration—not gatekeeping—are the heartbeat of the XR movement If you're curious about how to leverage XR and AI to design the future of work, learning, and storytelling—this one's for you. EPISODE CREDITS:Produced and edited by Ashley Coffey. Cover art designed by Ashley Coffey.Headshot by Brandlink MediaIntroduction music composed and produced by Ashley Coffey LINKSFollow Coffey & Code on Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, and YouTube for the latest emerging tech updates! Subscribe to the Coffey & Code Podcast wherever you get your podcasts to be notified when new episodes go live. © 2025 Coffey & Code Podcast. All rights reserved. The content of this podcast, including but not limited to text, graphics, audio, and images, is the property of Ashley Coffey and may not be reproduced, redistributed, or used in any manner without the express written consent of the owner.

Julien Franke Stellt die AR-VR-Brille vor, erläutert das Betriebssystem und sein Bedienkonzept und demonstriert die AR und VR-Features im Hinblick auf die Erfahrung für blinde und sehbehinderte Nutzer*innen..

ECHOVISION is the latest experience from multi-disciplinary artist Jiabao Li that has three major parts. The first part is a mobile-phone based mixed reality experience that does a metaphoric translation of echolocation by using LiDAR to detect your immediate physical surroundings, and then reveals it with a rippling shader that is voice activated. The second part is a video that poetically visualizes different bat calls that have been identified by AI into different contextual domains, and there's a really awesome haptic couch experience that goes along with it. The last part is a field trip to the Congress Street bridge to watch the emergence of hundreds of thousands of bats come out at night as they go to eat. I caught up Li to hear more about all of her interdisciplinary and interspecies collaborations on this piece. This is a listener-supported podcast through the Voices of VR Patreon. Music: Fatality

On the last day of immersive exhibitions, I saw Roman Rappak's latest RISTBAND mixed reality live performance experiment, which now has a 4-year streak going at SXSW. This year he added an array of 13 d&b audiotechnik speakers that used wave field synthesis to create a spatial audio mix that was added to his mixed reality performance. I have Rappak recount the evolution of this MR live performance (not using Pico HMDs), and see my interviews about unpacking previous live performances from 2022, 2023, and 2024. Rappak shares that adding immersive art to a live musical performance leaves audiences searching for a story, and if he didn't provide one then people would make one up. He's been adding voice-over narration to more deliberately guide the story he's telling, but also experimenting with spatial audio mixes using high-end speakers. I had a chance to catch up with both Rappak and d&b artist relations manager Wayne Powell (in episode #1536) about his latest spatial audio innovations. This is a listener-supported podcast through the Voices of VR Patreon. Music: Fatality

THE SECRET LIFE OF MONSTERS: THE GATEWAY EXPERIENCE is a mixed reality puzzle game created by Wallrus Creative Technologies as an immersive demo in order to feature the unique tracking technology they've created in order to better facilitate LBE mixed reality experiences on the Quest. They built a tracking system hidden within their custom tiling in order to have all of the Quest HMDs know where true north is located, and avoiding some of the more annoying and time-consuming calibration steps involved with mixed reality experiences. The experience itself featured a seamless transition between floating mixed portals and immersive worlds where you have to find and scan corrupting monsters in the parallel realities. I get the full story of how the project developed from Emile Arragon and JP Desjardins, and it's interesting to note that Arragon is really sensitive to motion sickness from virtual locomotion in VR, but mixed reality experiences where you only move when your body moves are a lot more comfortable for him. At the end of the day, this piece does feel a bit more like a tech demo than full-on game or fully fleshed out story or world, but it serves the purpose of demonstrating their elegant solution to a MR calibration and orientation solution that could open up a number of new mixed reality experiences within different LBE contexts. This is a listener-supported podcast through the Voices of VR Patreon. Music: Fatality

The SXSW XR Competition jury prize winner REFLECTIONS OF LITTLE RED DOT had some really innovative mixed reality integrations, and was also a part of a new trend of cultivating an archive of material as an artistic practice. This piece by director Chloé Lee featured about 3 hours of documentary interview footage shot in Singapore starting in 2015 exploring a variety of different themes. Originally started with the intent to create a documentary to learn more about her mother's homeland, Lee turned to mixed reality to create sets of themes featuring looping clips from interviews she conducted to tell the story of Singapore. The experience creates a sense of wandering that you get when exploring a new place, and allows you to dip in and out of different flows of thought. You can navigate these different themes by placing a physical photo slide into a retro slide projector that only takes one slide at a time. Once you pop it in, then you immediately see a mixed reality light creating a holographic Singaporean table where you can sit down and navigate 5-6 different clips. It's one of the more compelling uses of mixed reality I've seen that creates a holographic illusion that you use your body to edit between these different interview clips. The jury statement reads, "Deceptively humble and delightful, this open-world documentary invites us to freely explore a country in transition. Guided by a daring new talent in XR storytelling, it confronts us with the vulnerability of everyday life, evoking a universal sense of place." This is a listener-supported podcast through the Voices of VR Patreon. Music: Fatality

The evolution of AI is changing the way we interact with the physical world, not just in how we use this technology, but also where and how we access it. In this episode, Reid and Aria sit down with Meta's Chief Technology Officer, Andrew “Boz” Bosworth, who is pioneering wearables for the company. Boz's journey in the tech sector has taken him from working on Microsoft Visio to founding Reality Labs, Meta's AR and VR division. Now, he's focused on the next frontier in mixed realities with his latest project, Orion, a pair of AR glasses. Boz offers an Orion demo and shares his vision for wearables as an equalizing technology that can unlock superpowers for every person. Plus, they check-in on the state of AI as it relates to open source software, safety, hyperscalers, and startups.   For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/  Topics: 1:03 - Episode introduction 3:36 - How Boz's farm upbringing influenced his career and perspective on the digital world  7:02 - How will wearables influence how we navigate the physical and digital worlds?  9:46 - Meta's AI philosophy 11:27 - Pi explains Norbert Wiener's construct of information theory 14:28 - What would it take to build AI world models? 15:09 - What are the most significant use cases for Orion? 19:01 - Can Orion accommodate monocular vision? 20:00 - Boz's response to Orion skeptics 22:29 - Boz gives predictions on our AI future 25:09 - What would it look like to have a compatible system of wearables?  27:30 - Unexpected discoveries from Orion testing 29:33 - What is Meta's focus in the AI space for the years to come? 30:48 - How do we ensure that AI innovation is used for good? 35:28 - Boz responds to Meta's changes in fact checking policy 37:11 - How will hyperscalers and start-ups flourish in the AI game? 40:06 - Boz shares his review on “The Wild Robot” 42:24 - Rapid-fire questions Select mentions:  The Martian by Andy Weir Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir I Am a Strange Loop by Douglas Hofstadter J. C. R. Licklider, psychologist and computer scientist Douglas Engelbart, engineer and computer science pioneer Norbert Wiener, computer scientist and mathematician Yann LeCun, computer scientist and Chief AI Scientist at Meta  Michael Abrash, Chief Scientist, Reality Labs, Meta Garry Kasparov, Russian chess grandmaster 4-H, a youth development program from the USDA The Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) Qualified Business Income Deduction (QBI) Possible is an award-winning podcast that sketches out the brightest version of the future—and what it will take to get there. Most of all, it asks: what if, in the future, everything breaks humanity's way? Tune in for grounded and speculative takes on how technology—and, in particular, AI—is inspiring change and transforming the future. Hosted by Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger, each episode features an interview with an ambitious builder or deep thinker on a topic, from art to geopolitics and from healthcare to education. These conversations also showcase another kind of guest: AI. Whether it's Inflection's Pi, OpenAI's ChatGPT or other AI tools, each episode will use AI to enhance and advance our discussion about what humanity could possibly get right if we leverage technology—and our collective effort—effectively.

Handheld gaming looks like the future — so why isn't it more popular? The Verge's Sean Hollister joins the show to talk about some new data about the handheld console market, what it says about the Steam Deck's dominance, whether the Switch 2 might change everything all over again, and why Sony and Microsoft don't appear to be in the game at all. After that, David reports on his trip to Florida to see TGL, the golf league aiming to bring the sport to new places and new fans, with the help of a truly enormous amount of technology. Finally, we answer a question on the Vergecast Hotline about iPads — and more specifically, one particularly good reason to upgrade to the Air or the Pro. Further reading: Three years later, the Steam Deck has dominated handheld PC gaming shipments Steam Deck OLED review: better, not faster Lenovo Legion Go S review: feels good, plays bad Asus ROG Ally X review: the best Windows gaming handheld by a mile MSI Claw review: an embarrassment A night at TGL, the would-be future of golf From ESPN: Inside the making of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's TGL From Wired: Robotic Putting Greens. Mixed Reality. Loud Spectators. This Is Golf?! Apple iPad Air 2025 review: what the M3 upgrade really gets you Email us at vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11, we love hearing from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello everyone, and welcome to another exciting episode of VR in Education, where we explore how virtual reality is transforming teaching and learning. We are thrilled to have Aaditya Vaze, the CEO and founder of CuriosityXR, joining us today. CuriosityXR is a groundbreaking mixed-reality app that allows learners to ask an AI expert questions and receive 3D models, images, and immersive visuals to deepen their understanding. Instead of passively consuming information, students can explore, interact, and spark new inquiries—making learning more engaging and dynamic. Today, we'll dive into how mixed reality is reshaping education, the power of curiosity-driven learning, and the thought process behind keeping CuriosityXR grounded in the real world rather than fully virtual. So, let's jump in!

MECCA 911 Executive Director Jim Smith on first responder activity during the latest winter weather event. JuHyeong Ryu from WVU, Statler College on the “Enhancing Workforce Development through Advanced Integration of Mixed Reality and Digital Twins.” study. Vice President of Research at WVU, Fred King on funding and the reaffirmation of WVU as an R-1 institution. 

Magnetic Momentum: The March of Qi2 Wireless Charging.  Medical Marvels: Mixed Reality Meets Medicine.  Hydrogen Harnessed: Lignin-Based Jet Fuel's Leap.  CSIRO's CRACO Cracks Cosmic Clues.  Pebble's Powerful Comeback: A Classic Clicks Back to Life.  Boom's Breakthrough: Supersonic Success Signals Swift Soaring Skies.  Quantum Quells Chaos: Pioneering Algorithm Accelerates Turbulence Simulations.  Doomsday Dial Dwindles: Clock Ticks Closer to Catastrophe.  Deepseek's Daring Development: Diminishing AI's Energy Demands. 

Samsung is making big moves in Mixed Reality, but will their Samsung XR headset codenamed “Project Moohan” finally bring AR / VR into the mainstream?Meanwhile, AI agents are changing how we interact with technology—but does this mean the death of phone calls as we know it?In this episode of Redesigned Podcast, we break down:- Samsung's new Mixed Reality headset – Apple Vision Pro has competition!- AI Agents – Will we stop using phones altogether?- The Death of Phone Calls – Why do people avoid talking now?- Adidas's AI-generated ad campaign – Is AI killing creativity?- Gremlins 3 – A classic film franchise finally ready for a sequel 35 years later?Are phone calls really dying? Or is it just evolution? Drop your thoughts in the comments!Subscribe for more deep dives into tech, AI, and nostalgia!Listen to the Redesigned Podcast – New episodes every Thursday! Enjoyed the episode? Please hit follow so you don't miss an episode. You can also follow me on social media:Instagram: https://instagram.com/thecontentpro_Threads: https://www.threads.net/@thecontentpro_Tiktok: @thecontentproducerWant to work with me, be a guest or collab?Website: https://www.thecontentproducer.co.uk Email: andrew@thecontentproducer.co.uk

Mixed reality (MR) gaming startup MixRift has revealed significant growth milestones as the mixed reality gaming market approaches an inflection point. With IDC forecasting global XR headset shipments to surge 44.2% to 9.7 million units in 2024, MixRift's strategy to focus on accessible, casual gaming has put them ahead of the curve. In 2024, the company secured $1.6M in pre-seed funding in just seven weeks from leading investors including Outsized Ventures, Underline Ventures, and SOSV. Their rapid fundraise demonstrated growing investor confidence in MixRift's vision to lead the 'casual revolution' in MR gaming. MixRift's strategy of prioritising game mechanics and rapid prototyping over big-title launches has delivered strong results. Hell Horde, its free-to-play survival game, has achieved a 4.5-star rating in the past 30 days and already has over 150,000 installs on Meta Quest, increasing daily. The company has also launched successful games, Fractured, a mixed reality 3D puzzle game available on both Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest, and their latest launch, Crit Attack, a family-friendly arcade shooter designed for social play on Meta Quest. "While others chase buzzwords like AI, we're focusing on what matters - creating games people actually want to play," says Bobby Voicu, MixRift's CEO. "The surge in casual, social gaming experiences shows that mixed reality is moving beyond early adopters. With Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro driving mainstream adoption, we're seeing unprecedented demand for accessible mixed reality games." Key Market Drivers: The mixed reality gaming landscape is experiencing a fundamental shift, with IDC projecting the global XR market to surpass $100 billion by 2026. The competitive dynamics between Meta and Apple are reshaping mixed reality adoption, with Meta Quest 3's accessibility and Vision Pro's premium positioning creating distinct market segments. This diversification, coupled with IDC's forecast signals a maturing ecosystem where manufacturers are pushing each other to innovate. Meta's focus on gaming and social experiences, alongside Apple's emphasis on productivity and premium entertainment, is expanding the overall market while driving rapid advancement in both hardware capabilities and content quality. Perhaps most significantly, family and social gaming are emerging as key growth drivers. With 29.2% CAGR expected in VR headset adoption through 2028, the industry is seeing a clear shift from solitary gaming experiences to more social, family-oriented content that brings people together in mixed reality environments. Since launching in 2024, MixRift has grown to an eight-person team, bringing on specialist developers and designers to deliver more advanced experiences. "Our strategic growth has significantly improved product quality," notes Voicu. "The tremendous response from our growing community guides our development, ensuring we create games that truly resonate with players." The company's focus on casual, accessible gaming aligns with emerging market trends. There's increasing demand for co-op and social gaming experiences, both in physical and virtual spaces. This shift, coupled with mainstream MR adoption driven by tech giants like Meta and Apple, creates significant opportunity for MixRift's approach to game development. With an ambitious roadmap for H1 2025, including three new game launches, MixRift is positioned to capitalise on the growing momentum in mixed reality gaming. "What the market needs is high-quality MR games, and our flexibility lets us dive into unique game mechanics built specifically for MR, improving the prototyping process, and learning from user feedback." A recent Irish Tech News podcast with Booby Voicu can be heard here.

Steven founded Fantail Games to create Mixed Reality games that deepen our connection with the real world, the physical environment and our friends/family. He has worked on 40+ games with clients including Disney, Universal, EA and Hasbro working across many roles including coding, design, producing and even sales. He recently released Game Night a multiplayer mixedreality experience with no UI and where your body is the controller. Steven is a true believer in co located mixed reality and in this episode we discover: Why it took him so long to realize his dream of creating a co-located MR experience What was needed to create an MR game anybody could pick up and play in their livingroom What was his biggest mistake and how playtesting come to the rescue What co-located MR has to offer beyond Games Subscribe to XR AI Spotlight weekly newsletter

Dan Reed, COO of Reality Labs at META, joins James Kotecki in the CES C Space Studio to share what's next for Meta. Explore the capabilities of Ray-Ban Meta frames, including real-time language translation, as the company enhances accessibility to engage more consumers.

As technology has evolved so has gaming and with innovations such as MR (Mixed Reality) is transforming gaming. One person who knows all about this is the serial entrepreneur Bobby Voicu, the CEO and Co-Founder of Dublin based startup MixRift, an MR gaming studio. Ronan recently spoke to Bobby. Bobby talks about his background, gaming, the mobile revolution, mixed reality glasses, Halo, Meta Quest, the Irish tech space and more. About MixRift: Founded in 2024, MixRift believes in the power of MR to transform the gaming landscape, making it more interactive, accessible, and enjoyable for players worldwide. Our games are designed to be intuitive, allowing for seamless integration into our users' daily lives, ensuring that every adventure is just another reality away. They are not just creating games; they are creating experiences that leave a lasting impression, fostering a community of players who are as excited about the future of MR gaming as the Founders are.  

In this episode, I dive into Mark Zuckerberg's recent announcement about loosening restrictions on political speech across Meta platforms and explore what that means for free speech. I champion the revival of Hi-Fi separates, reminiscing about their glory days and paying homage to London's Tottenham Court Road, the once-thriving hub for Hi-Fi enthusiasts. At CES, I highlight a microwave with a screen, camera, and online features, questioning the role of connected devices in our lives. Finally, I explore the next big shift in tech: Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality glasses , pondering their potential to replace smartphones in the future. All this and more in this episode of Redesigned Podcast. In more detail:​ Mark Zuckerberg's Free Speech Gamble​ Make Hi-Fi Great Again: A Nostalgic Revival​ Tottenham Court Road: Hi-Fi Heaven Remembered​ Restarting My Vinyl Collection: Why Records Matter​ Robots vs Humans: What Happens If We Stop Working?​ CES Spotlight: A Microwave with a Camera?!​ The End of Smartphones? AR Glasses Are ComingEnjoyed the episode? Please hit follow so you don't miss an episode. You can also follow me on Instagram: @thecontentpro_

    Navy CAPT Travis Polk, MD, FACS, joins us to unravel the cutting-edge innovations transforming military medicine. What if AI and augmented reality could revolutionize battlefield medical care? Dr. Polk provides a compelling glimpse into the future of combat casualty care, shedding light on the Department of Defense's strategic approach to trauma research. From the 2024 Operational Medicine Symposium, we learned about prioritizing projects that extend resuscitation windows and improve blood products, paving the way for prolonged care and facilitating the return of injured soldiers to duty. This episode navigates the complexities of military research funding and underscores the essential role of technologies in situations where evacuation isn't an option.    We also venture into the realm of military medical training advancements, with a spotlight on new diagnostic tools for traumatic brain injuries. Discover how FDA-approved biomarkers like GFAP and UCH-L1 enhance real-time TBI assessment in combat zones, challenging the need for immediate CT scans. Our conversation looks closer at the Department of Defense's trauma centers and the significant strides made through clinical studies in refining trauma care. The discussion further broadens to include military simulation training, from synthetic simulators to mixed reality solutions, despite current haptic technology limits. Join us to explore the dynamic evolution of training strategies and the collaborative efforts between military and civilian sectors, ensuring our medical teams are battle-ready.   Chapters with Short Summaries: (00:04) Advancements in Military Medicine Research     DoD's Combat Casualty Care Research Program prioritizes trauma-related research for the U.S. government, focusing on improving blood products and integrating autonomous solutions for battlefield medical care. (09:18) Advancements in Military Medical Training      Military advancements in TBI diagnostics and treatment include blood-based biomarkers, trauma center studies, and medical simulation training. (14:07) Military Simulation Training and Experience      Simulation plays a critical role in medical training, using various methods and technologies to maintain trauma competency.   Take Home Messages: Strategic Research Funding: The Department of Defense prioritizes trauma-related research projects based on strategic military needs rather than investigator-driven interests, ensuring that innovations directly impact military operations. This approach is evident in the development of improved blood products, anti-shock drugs, and the integration of autonomous solutions like AI and augmented reality to enhance battlefield medical care. Advancements in TBI Diagnostics: Recent FDA-approved blood-based biomarkers, such as GFAP and UCH-L1, provide real-time assessment tools for traumatic brain injuries in combat zones. These innovations allow for better decision-making by identifying potentially serious head injuries without the immediate need for CT scans, which may not be available in the field. Simulation in Medical Training: Medical simulation tools, including synthetic simulators and mixed reality, play a critical role in training military medical personnel, from medics to neurosurgeons. These tools are essential for maintaining trauma competency and enhancing educational strategies in both military and civilian settings. Military-Civilian Partnerships: Successful collaborations, like the one at the Navy Trauma Training Center in Los Angeles, highlight the importance of military-civilian partnerships in providing just-in-time training for surgical teams before deployment. These partnerships are crucial for maintaining the readiness and effectiveness of military medical personnel. Future of Military Medical Care: The podcast emphasizes the importance of prolonged care when evacuation isn't possible and the need for technologies that can assist in returning injured personnel to duty. This includes optimizing therapeutic solutions for faster wound healing and functional recovery, ultimately improving military medical preparedness and excellence.   Episode Keywords: Military Medicine, Combat Casualty Care, Trauma Research, Blood Products, Anti-Shock Drugs, AI, Augmented Reality, Prolonged Care, Medical Simulation, Synthetic Simulators, Mixed Reality, Traumatic Brain Injury, Blood-based Biomarkers, Medical Training, Military-Civilian Partnerships, Navy Trauma Training Center, Surgical Teams, Deployment, Trauma Competency   Hashtags: #CombatMedicine #MilitaryInnovation #TraumaCare #MilitaryMedicalTraining #BattlefieldCare #ProlongedCare #TraumaticBrainInjury #MedicalSimulation #NavyMedicine #DefenseResearch   Honoring the Legacy and Preserving the History of Military Medicine The WarDocs Mission is to honor the legacy, preserve the oral history, and showcase career opportunities, unique expeditionary experiences, and achievements of Military Medicine. We foster patriotism and pride in Who we are, What we do, and, most importantly, How we serve Our Patients, the DoD, and Our Nation.   Find out more and join Team WarDocs at https://www.wardocspodcast.com/ Check our list of previous guest episodes at https://www.wardocspodcast.com/our-guests Subscribe and Like our Videos on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@wardocspodcast Listen to the “What We Are For” Episode 47. https://bit.ly/3r87Afm   WarDocs- The Military Medicine Podcast is a Non-Profit, Tax-exempt-501(c)(3) Veteran Run Organization run by volunteers. All donations are tax-deductible and go to honoring and preserving the history, experiences, successes, and lessons learned in Military Medicine. A tax receipt will be sent to you. WARDOCS documents the experiences, contributions, and innovations of all military medicine Services, ranks, and Corps who are affectionately called "Docs" as a sign of respect, trust, and confidence on and off the battlefield,demonstrating dedication to the medical care of fellow comrades in arms.     Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: @wardocspodcast Facebook: WarDocs Podcast Instagram: @wardocspodcast LinkedIn: WarDocs-The Military Medicine Podcast YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@wardocspodcast

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Louis Rosenberg. Louis Rosenberg is a pioneer in virtual and augmented reality with over 300 patents; he has started multiple businesses, including Founder Immersion Corp, Founder Outland Research, and Unanimous A.I., for which he currently serves as CEO and Chief Scientist.     Louis Rosenberg has focused his work on the boundary between technology and human perception, aiming to enhance human performance with technology. In the conversation, Louis Rosenberg shared why he is wary of the potential for technology to dehumanize people and works to push the boundaries to augment rather than replace human intelligence.   Louis Rosenberg shared why he believes A.R. will be the primary way people access digital lives, replacing mobile phones with eyewear that spatially registers content to the real world. In addition, augmented reality and mixed reality will become more prevalent as society progresses. Finally, Louis Rosenberg shared his perspectives on the power of human swarm intelligence through Swarm technology as an example of the potential positives for the future of humanity in the collaborative use of artificial intelligence.   Some Highlights:- Louis Rosenberg on the Potential of Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality Technologies- The inevitability of Augmented and Mixed Reality in the digital age- Use of Augmented Reality in the medical space - The impact of Augmented Reality on different professions - Louis Rosenberg on Augmented Reality's potential in education and training - Why there is a need for policy solutions in Augmented Reality - The positive potential of the Metaverse- Dangers of unregulated AI-driven persuasion in the Metaverse- Louis Rosenberg on using Swarm Intelligence for smarter decision making - The use of Swarm Technology to forecast the future - How to use A.I. to harness the power of the human brain and the knowledge and information it contains Mentioned:Partnering Leadership conversation with Tom Taulli on A.I. Bootcamp for LeadersPartnering Leadership conversation with Dan Turchin on A.I. & The Future of Work Connect with Louis Rosenberg:Unanimous A.I. Website Louis Rosenberg's articles on BIG THINK Louis Rosenberg's articles on Venture BeatLouis Rosenberg on LinkedIn Louis Rosenberg's TEDx Talk New hope for humans in an A.I. world  Connect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

On this episode of Ruff Talk VR we are joined by Ben Outram the developer of Squingle and Rodolfo Saccoman from VRAL Games to talk about Squingle's launch on the official Meta Quest store. We are long time fans of the app lab version and it was great to see it have a full release. Listen as we catch up with Ben, learn more about Squingle's launch, and more!Big thank you to all of our Patreon supporters! Become a supporter of the show today at https://www.patreon.com/rufftalkvrPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/rufftalkvrRuff Talk VR Discord: https://discord.gg/9JTdCccucSIf you enjoy the podcast be sure to rate us 5 stars and subscribe! Join our official subreddit at https://www.reddit.com/r/RuffTalkVR/Store Link: https://www.meta.com/experiences/squingle/9288954704465499/Store Description:Squingle is the ultimate Mixed Reality 3D puzzle game. Navigate glass-like mazes called ‘Squingles,' guiding orbs while avoiding edges and collecting points. Discover why it's a critically acclaimed 5-star masterpiece!10/10 - “The perfect VR game.” ~ Zimtok593% - “A masterpiece.” ~ RuffTalkVR91% - “One of a kind.” ~ VRGameCritic“Brilliantly creative” ~ RoadToVR✨ 100 LEVELS AND MORE TO COMELaunching with 100 levels, with more added over time. Levels grow complex, featuring tighter spaces and new challenges.

Chris Duffey is a leading figure in technological futurism and creative growth strategies, spearheading Adobe's Global Partnerships for GenAI Solutions. In this conversation, we explore: Adobe Firefly and its impact on creative workflows Ethical AI, authenticity, and traceability in AI-powered tools The evolving roles of product and marketing teams Predictions for the metaverse and mixed reality Insights from co-authoring a book with AI EPISODE LINKS: Chris Duffey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisduffey/ Chris Duffey Book - Superhuman Innovation: https://www.amazon.com/Superhuman-Innovation-Co-Creating-Artificial-Intelligence/dp/1504170552 TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 Intro and Background 00:00:10 Adobe and AI 00:02:53 Adobe Firefly and Generative AI 00:04:50 End-to-End Workflow Transformation 00:06:42 Agentic Workflows and Multi-Agent Architectures 00:08:17 Gen AI vs Image Generation AI 00:13:10 Ethical AI and Creator Economy 00:17:16 The Future of Mixed Reality and AI 00:33:05 Chris Duffey's Book: Superhuman Innovation 00:36:13 Closing CONNECT: Website: https://hoo.be/elijahmurray YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@elijahmurray Twitter: https://twitter.com/elijahmurray Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elijahmurray LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijahmurray/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-long-game-w-elijah-murray/ Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/elijahmurray RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/3e31c0c/podcast/rss

Ian Hamilton and Don Hopper discuss Halo: Combat Evolved getting a full VR Mod, VRChat adding age verification, Figmin XR's ability to be used in colocation between an Apple Vision Pro and Quest 3 & much more.

Ian Hamilton and Don Hopper discuss a new game mode coming to Batman Arkham Shadow, saving the world from your living room, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024's launch & much more.

Ian Hamilton and Don Hopper discuss a full 8-hour VRChat game, the Pirates Jolly Roger game and a game which lets you trap your friends in mixed reality.

Ian Hamilton and Don Hopper premiere the trailer for Virtual Kombat and talk about the game and its interesting control scheme, Alien: Rogue Incursion being delayed into 2025, Vertigo games bringing an Arachnophobia mode to Metro Awakening & much more.

- Apple CEO Pledges Support in Wake of Floods in Spain - Developers Seeded with Betas of OS Updates - visionOS 2.2 Adds Wide and Ultrawide Virtual Mac Display Options - Apple Shuffles Stores in NY and VA - Ming-Chi Kuo: “Cheaper” Vision Pro Pushed Past 2027 - Report: Apple to Sell Belkin Head Strap for Apple Vision Pro - Gurman: Apple Considering Vision Device Driven by iPhone - Sponsored by Incogni: Take back your personal data! Use code MACOSKEN at incogni.com/macosken to get 60% off an annual plan! - We go hands on with the security/credit freeze process - on Check No. 398 by SecureMac - online at checklist.libsyn.com - Catch Ken on Mastodon - @macosken@mastodon.social - Chat with us in Patreon for as little as $1 a month. Support the show at Patreon.com/macosken - Send me an email: info@macosken.com or call (716)780-4080!

Ian Hamilton and Don Hopper discuss our review of Metro Awakening, our in-depth breakdown of the making of Batman: Arkham Shadow, Gorilla Tag's PSVR 2 launch and more. 

How do you build your own mixed reality headset from sketch to scale? That's exactly what Alfred Jones, VP of hardware engineering at Meta Reality Labs, discussed with host Pascal. From choosing the right display technology, battery, thermal budget and of course hitting the right price point. How he manages to not fall victim to choice paralysis and so much more in episode 68. Got feedback? Send it to us on Threads (https://threads.net/@metatechpod) or Instagram (https://instagram.com/metatechpod) and don't forget to follow our host Pascal (https://threads.net/@passy_). Fancy working with us? Check out https://www.metacareers.com/. Links Caddy: https://engineering.fb.com/2024/07/18/virtual-reality/caddy-cad-mixed-reality-mr-meta/ Timestamps Intro 0:06 Alfred Introduction 1:40 Who do you work with? 3:23 Decision making frameworks 5:20 Is MR the final destination? 7:19 What makes good passthrough such a challenge? 10:18 How to build your own MR headset 13:51 Hardware design constraints 19:00 Prototype phases 22:34 Durability testing 26:23 Dogfooding at Meta 28:55 Magic wand for technical limitations 31:56 Outro 34:26

Ian Hamilton and Don Hopper discuss Ian's hands-on demo of Alien: Rogue Incursion, Walkabout Mini Golf's new 8-Bit Lair course, the best of mixed reality, VR games to play for Halloween & much more.

Apple sold only 370,000 VisionPro headsets-- much fewer than it expected. Meanwhile, Meta Ray-Bans are the top-selling product in 60% of Ray-Ban stores. The outcome of their AR/VR products couldn't be more different, even though they both have as much awareness as you could possible buy.There are 3 reasons:1. Price.2. Killer feature vs cool product.3. Destination vs always-on.Check this episode out if you want to understand the where mixed reality is going and what you need to do to make sure your product takes off.Send me a message to let me know what you think!

2024 hätte das Jahr der Virtual Reality werden können, immerhin spielt jetzt auch Apple mit der Vision Pro mit. Stattdessen stagniert der Markt für VR-Brillen. Bei der Vision Pro und anderen Headsets muss sich also noch einiges ändern. Nur ein gutes, bezahlbares Headset reicht nicht – der Traum einer VR-Zukunft ist aber trotzdem noch nicht geplatzt.

This week we talk about the HoloLens, the Apple Vision Pro, and the Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses.We also discuss augmented reality, virtual reality, and Orion.Recommended Book: The Mountain in the Sea by Ray NaylerTranscriptOriginally released as a development device in 2016—so aimed at folks who make software, primarily, not at the general public—the HoloLens, made by Microsoft, was a fairly innovative device that looked like virtual reality headgear, but which allowed folks to interact with graphical elements overlayed on a transparent surface so that they seemed to be positioned within the real world; so-called augmented reality.This functionality relied upon some of the tech Microsoft had developed for its earlier Kinect accessory, which allowed Xbox owners to play games using their bodies instead of more conventional controllers—it used a camera to figure out where people, and their arms, legs, and so on, were in space, and that helped this new team figure out how to map a person's living room, for instance, in order to place graphical elements throughout that room when viewed through the HoloLens' lenses; so stuff could appear behind your couch, pop out of a wall, or seem to be perched atop a table.The HoloLens was not the only option in this space, as several other companies, including other tech titans, but also startups like Magic Leap, were making similar devices, but it was arguably the most successful in the sense that it both developed this augmented reality technology fairly rapidly, and in the sense that it was able to negotiate collaborations and business relationships with entities like NASA, the US Military, and Autodesk—in some cases ensuring their hardware and software would play well with the hardware and software most commonly used in offices around the world, and in some cases showcasing the device's capabilities for potential scientific, defense, and next-step exploratory purposes.Like many new devices, Microsoft positioned the HoloLens, early on, as a potential hub for entertainment, launching it with a bunch of games and movie-like experiences that took advantage of its ability to adapt those entertainments to the spaces in which the end-user would consumer them: having enemies pop out of a wall in the user's kitchen, for instance, or projecting a movie screen on their ceiling.It was also pitched as a training tool, though, giving would-be astronauts the ability to practice working with tools in space, or helping doctors-in-training go through digital surgeries with realistic-looking patients before they ever got their hands dirty in real life. And the company leaned into that market with the second edition of the headset, which was announced and made available for pre-order in early-2019, optimizing it even further for enterprise purposes with a slew of upgrades, and pricing it accordingly, at $3,500.Among those upgrades was better overall hardware with higher-end specs, but it also did away with controllers and instead reoriented entirely toward eye- and hand-tracking options, combined with voice controls, allowing the user to speak their commands and use hand-gestures to interact with the digital things projected over the real-world spaces they inhabited.The original model also had basic hand-tracking functionality, but the new model expanded those capabilities substantially, while also expanding upon the first edition's fairly meager 30 degrees of augmented view: a relatively small portion of the user's line of sight could be filled with graphics, in other words, and the new version upgraded that to 52 degrees; so still not wall to wall interact-with-able graphics, but a significant upgrade.Unfortunately for fans of the HoloLens, Microsoft recently confirmed that they have ended production of their second generation device, and that while they will continue to issue security updates and support for their existing customers, like the US Department of Defense, they haven't announced a replacement for it—which could mean they're getting out of this space entirely.Which is interesting in the sense that this is a space, the world of augmented reality, which some newer entrants are rebranding as mixed reality, that seems to be blowing up right now: two of Microsoft's main competitors are throwing a lot of money and credibility into their own offerings, and pitching this type of hardware as the next-step in personal devices.Some analysts have posited, though, that Microsoft maybe just got into this now-burgeoning arena just a little too early, investing in some truly compelling innovations, but doing so at a moment in which the cost was too high to justify the eventual output, and now they might be ceding the space to their competition rather than doubling-down on something they don't think will pay off for them, or they may be approaching it from another angle entirely, going back to the drawing board and focusing on new innovations that will bypass the HoloLens brand entirely.What I'd like to talk about today are the offerings we're seeing from those other brands, and what seems to be happening, and may happen in the near-future, in this augmented-reality, mixed-reality segment of the tech world.—I did an episode on spacial computing and the Apple Vision Pro back when the device was made available for purchase in the US, in February of 2024.This device was considered to be a pretty big deal because of who was making it, Apple, which has a fairly solid record of making new devices with unfamiliar interfaces popular and even common, and because the approach they were taking: basically throwing a lot of money at this thing, and charging accordingly, around $3,500, which is the same price the second HoloLens was being sold for, as I noted in the intro.But because of that high price point, they were able to load this thing up with all sorts of bells and whistles, some of which were fundamental to its functionality—like super-high-density lenses that helped prevent nausea and other sorts of discord in their users—and some that were maybe just interesting experiments, like projecting a live video of the user's eyes, which are concealed by the headset, on the front of the headset, which to me is a somewhat spooky and silly effect, but which is nonetheless technically impressive, and is something that seems aimed at making these things less anti-social, because you can wear the Vision Pro and still see people, and this projection of their eyes allows them to see you and your facial expression at the same time.I've actually had the chance to use this device since that episode went live, and while there are a lot of weird little limitations and hindrances to this device going mainstream at the moment, the technology works surprisingly well right out of the box, with the eye- and hand-tracking elements working shockingly, almost magically well for relatively early-edition tech; Apple is pretty good at making novel user-interfaces intuitive, and that component of this device, at least, seemed like a slam dunk to me—for casual use-cases, at least.That said, the company has been criticized for that high price point and their seeming fixation on things like putting the users' eyes on the outside of the headset, rather than, for instance, investing in more content and figuring out how to make the thing more comfortable for long periods of time—a common complaint with basically every virtual reality or mixed-reality headset ever developed, because of the sheer amount of hardware that has to be crammed into a finite, head-and-face-mounted space, that space also needing to be properly balanced, and it can't get too hot, for perhaps obvious reasons.Those criticisms related to price are the result not of comparison to HoloLens, as again, the pricing is basically the same between these two devices, but instead the result of what Meta has done with their mixed-reality offerings, which are based on products and technology they acquired when they bought Oculus Labs; they've leaned into providing virtual reality devices for the low- and mid-market consumer, and their newest model, the Meta Quest 3S is a stand-alone device that costs between about $300 and $400, and it has mixed-reality functionality, similar to the Vision Pro and HoloLens.While Meta's Quest line doesn't have anywhere near the specs and polish of the Vision Pro, then, and while it didn't arrive as early as the HoloLens, only hitting shelves quite recently, it does provide enough functionality and serves enough peoples' purposes, and at a far lower price point, that it, along with its other Quest-line kin, has managed to gobble up a lot of market share, especially in the consumer mixed-reality arena, because far more people are willing to take a bet on a newer technology with questionable utility that costs $300 compared to one that costs them more than ten-times as much.Interestingly, though, while Meta's Reality Labs sub-brand seems to be doing decently well with their Quest line of headsets, a product that they made in collaboration with glasses and sunglasses company EssilorLuxottica, which owns a huge chunk of the total glasses and sunglasses global market, via their many sub-brands, may end up being the more popular and widely used device, at least for the foreseeable future.The Ray-Ban Meta Smartglasses looks almost exactly like traditional, Ray-Ban sunglasses, but with slightly bulkier arms and with camera lenses built into the frames near where the arms connect to them.If you're not looking carefully, then, these things can be easily mistaken for just normal old Ray-Bans, but they are smartglasses in that they contain those two cameras on the front, alongside open-air speakers, a microphone, and a touchpad, all of which allow the wearer to interact with and use them in various ways, including listening to music and talking on the phone, but also taking photos of what they're looking at, recording video of the same, and asking an AI chatbot questions like, what type of flower is this, and getting an audible answer.These things cost around what you would pay for a Quest headset: something like $300-400, but their functionality is very different: they don't project graphics to overlay the user's view, in that regard they function like normal sunglasses or prescription glasses, but if you want to snap a photo, livestream whatever it is you're seeing, or ask a question, you can do that using a combination of vocal commands and interacting with the built-in touchpad.And while this isn't the mixed-reality that many of us might think of when we hear that term, it's still the same general concept, as it allows the user to engage with technology in real-life, in the real-world, overlaying the real world with digital, easily accessed, internet-derived information and other utilities. And it manages to do so without looking super obtrusive, like earlier versions of the same concept—Google's Google Glass smartglasses come to mind, which were earlier versions of basically the same idea, but with some limited graphical overlay options, and in a form factor that made the wearer look like an awkward, somewhat creepy cyborg.Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, has a similar offering which originally leaned into the same “these look just like glasses, but have little camera lenses in them” strategy, though with their newest iteration, their Spectacles smartglasses product has reoriented toward a look that's more akin to a larger, clunkier version of the free 3d glasses you might use at the movie theater—not exactly inconspicuous, though offering much of the same functionality as Meta's Raybans, alongside some basic graphical overlay functions: a lightweight version of what the Vision Pro and Quest offer, basically, and in a much small package.These new Spectacles are only available for folks who sign up for the company's developer program at the moment, however, and are purchased not as a one-off, but for $99/month, with a minimum commitment of 12 months—so the price tag is quite a bit higher than those Quests and Raybans, as well.Interestingly, Meta's Reality Labs recently held an event in which they showed off an arguably more advanced version of Snap's Spectacles, called Orion.These things are being pitched as the be-all, end-all mixed-reality solution that every company is trying to develop, but which they can't develop yet, at least not at scale. They look like giant, cartoony glasses—they're shaped like glasses, but comically oversized ones—and they provide many of the same benefits as today's Quest headset, but without the large, heavy headset component; so these could theoretically be used in the real-world, not just in one's living room or office.The company announced this product along with the caveat that they cannot make it on scale, yet, because cramming that much functionality into such a small device is really stressing the capacity of current manufacturing technologies, and while they can build one of these glasses, with its accompanying wristband and a little controller, both of which help the glasses do what they do, in terms of compute and the user interface, for about $10,000 per unit, they could not, today, build enough of them to make it a real, sellable product, much less do so at a profit.So this was a look at what they hope to be doing within the next decade, and basically gives them credibility as the company that's already building what's next—now it's just a matter of bringing down costs, scaling up production, and making all the components smaller and more energy efficient; which is a lot of work that will take years, but is also something they should theoretically at least be able to do.To be clear, most other big tech companies should be capable of build really snazzy, futuristic one-offs like the Orion, as well, especially if they, like Meta, offload some of the device's functionality into accessory hardware—the Vision Pro has offloaded its battery into a somewhat clunky, pocketable appendage, for instance, and most of these devices make use of some kind of external controller, to make the user interface snappier and more accurate.But Meta is attempting to show that this is the direction they see wearable technology going, and maybe our engagement with the digital world more holistically, as well. It's easy to imagine a world in which we all have these sorts of capabilities built into our glasses and wristbands and other wearables, rather than having to work with flat, not-mixed-reality screens all the time, especially once you see the tech in action, even if only as a not-for-sale example.One aspect of this potential future that Meta is forecasting is already leading to some soul-searching, though.Some students at Harvard modified a pair of Meta Ray-Bans to use facial recognition and reverse-image search technology so they could basically look at a stranger, then learn a bunch of stuff about them really quickly, to the point that these students were able to do this, then pretend to know the that stranger, talk about their work, find their spouse's phone number—a bunch of details that made it seem like they knew this person they'd only just met.All of which is pretty wild and interesting, but also potentially frightening, considering that this is basically doxing someone on demand, in public, and it could be used—like many other tech innovations, granted—to enable and augment stalking or kidnapping or other such crimes.None of which is destiny, of course. Nor is the success of this product type.But there does seem to be a lot of interest in what these gadgets seem like they might offer, especially as the prices drop, and as more entrants carve out space in that relatively lower-cost space—which is a space Apple is reportedly planning to enter soon, too, with a new edition of their Vision Pro that would cost maybe something like half as much as the first one, and possibly smart glasses and maybe even Airpods with cameras meant for release over the next couple of years.So it may be that the early divulgence of these next-step devices, showing us where these things might go with these higher-priced, smaller audience initial editions, could allow us to predict and prepare for some of their negative externalities before they go completely mainstream, so that when they finally arrive in their finished form, we're a bit more prepared to enjoy the benefits while suffering fewer (though almost certainly not zero) of their potential downsides.Show Noteshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spatial_computinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Vision_Prohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta_Quest_3Shttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta_Platformshttps://www.reddit.com/r/RayBanStories/comments/1e3frhc/my_honest_review_of_the_rayban_metas_as_everyday/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray-Ban_Metahttps://www.spectacles.com/spectacles-24?lang=en-UShttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectacles_(product)https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/students-add-facial-recognition-to-meta-smart-glasses-to-identify-strangers-in-real-time.2438942/https://archive.ph/6TqgFhttps://www.theverge.com/24253908/meta-orion-ar-glasses-demo-mark-zuckerberg-interviewhttps://about.fb.com/news/2024/09/introducing-orion-our-first-true-augmented-reality-glasses/https://www.reddit.com/r/augmentedreality/comments/1frdjt2/meta_orion_ar_glasses_the_first_deep_dive_into/https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/10/13/cheaper-apple-vision-headset-rumored-to-cost-2000-arriving-in-2026https://www.uploadvr.com/microsoft-discontinuing-hololens-2/https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/1/24259369/microsoft-hololens-2-discontinuation-supporthttps://www.theverge.com/2022/6/7/23159049/microsoft-hololens-boss-alex-kipman-leaves-resigns-misconduct-allegationshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_HoloLens This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

Interconnected Realities: How the Metaverse Will Transform Our Relationship with Technology Forever (Book): https://amzn.to/4egYeVmVirtual Natives: How a New Generation is Revolutionizing the Future of Work, Play, and Culture (Book): https://amzn.to/4eh4NqLGuest: Leslie Shannon, Head of Trend and Innovation Scouting, Nokia [@nokia]On LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-shannon-75856718/_____________________________Host: Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining Society Podcast & Audio Signals PodcastOn ITSPmagazine | https://www.itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-podcast-radio-hosts/marco-ciappelli_____________________________This Episode's SponsorsBlackCloak

I interviewed Co-Directors of Starship Home Mark Schramm, Director of Engineering at Creature, and Ashley Pinnick, Art Director at Creature, at Meta Connect 2024. See more context in the rough transcript below. Here's the Launch Trailer for Starship Home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6SepPOEwh8 This is a listener-supported podcast through the Voices of VR Patreon. Music: Fatality

Tap into innovation at IAAPA Expo, the biggest industry event of the year. Join us and other AttractionsPros in Orlando, FL, Nov. 18-22 to engage with the global community. Learn from the experts, leave with new ideas, and turn your passion for the industry into new possibilities. Register now to save up to 30%. Looking for daily inspiration?  Get a quote from the top leaders in the industry in your inbox every morning.   Val Syganevich is the President and Co-Founder of Freckled Sky, a production company specializing in themed entertainment and live events. With a diverse background ranging from programming to graphic design and eventually comedy, Val's career took a turn when he decided to pursue entertainment more seriously. After moving from Ukraine to the United States with his family, Freckled Sky was born out of a passion for creating immersive experiences that merge physical and digital worlds. In this interview, Val talks about mixed-reality storytelling, competing with the digital world, and the power of “what-if.” Mixed-Reality Storytelling “We are in live experiences, attractions, whatever, in our real world. But we also had our own unique creative expertise, how we merge physical and digital worlds, how we tell stories by using technologies but not showing technologies.” Val discusses how Freckled Sky differentiates itself by focusing on mixed-reality storytelling. This approach blends physical and digital elements to create immersive experiences without relying on visible technology like screens or VR headsets. Val emphasizes the importance of storytelling in their productions, ensuring that the audience is fully engaged without the distraction of obvious technological elements. By integrating digital aspects seamlessly into the physical environment, Freckled Sky creates a unique experience that goes beyond traditional entertainment. Competing with the Digital World “The only way how we compete with digital world, to use all the power of digital world and make something more than that in our real-life experiences.” Val touches on the challenge of competing with the pervasive digital world. He recognizes that the younger generation is deeply entrenched in digital experiences, yet he believes that live, in-person events still hold unparalleled value. Freckled Sky aims to leverage digital tools not to replicate screen-based experiences but to enhance real-world interactions. By doing so, they provide audiences with something that purely digital experiences cannot—an authentic, tangible connection in a shared physical space. The Power of “What-If” “First of all, we are dreamers, and that's actually what moves us. We haven't done our best show yet, our best project yet.” Val reflects on the importance of dreaming and the question of "what if" as a driving force behind Freckled Sky's innovations. He believes that there are no bad ideas, only bad executions, and that the key to success lies in the "how" rather than the "what." This mindset allows his team to constantly push the boundaries of what's possible in live entertainment. Whether developing new attractions or refining existing concepts, the spirit of exploration and the willingness to dream big keep Freckled Sky at the forefront of the industry.   To learn more about Val and Freckled Sky, visit their website at freckledsky.com. This podcast wouldn't be possible without the incredible work of our faaaaaantastic team: Scheduling and correspondence by Kristen Karaliunas Audio and Video editing by Abby Giganan   To connect with AttractionPros: AttractionPros.com AttractionPros@gmail.com AttractionPros on Facebook AttractionPros on LinkedIn AttractionPros on Instagram AttractionPros on Twitter (X)  

I interviewed Below Deck co-directors Martina Mahlknecht and Martin Prinoth at Venice Immersive 2024. See more context in the rough transcript below. Here's their artist's statement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tJmhkJC05Q This is a listener-supported podcast through the Voices of VR Patreon. Music: Fatality

I interviewed Impulse: Playing With Reality co-directors May Abdalla and Barry Gene Murphy at Venice Immersive 2024. See more context in the rough transcript below. Here's the official launch trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apgQxXwx7WE This is a listener-supported podcast through the Voices of VR Patreon. Music: Fatality

I interviewed Fragile Home director Ondrej Moravec at Venice Immersive 2024. See more context in the rough transcript below. There were also allegations of copyright infringement that were made within the context of a private WhatsApp group during the festival, and Moravec distributed an official statement privately to selected people privately on September 2nd, and then he shared his statement with me after the festival to be included here as an official comment on the matter. Here's their artist's statement about Fragile Home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hcc00RQ5I-A This is a listener-supported podcast through the Voices of VR Patreon. Music: Fatality

Laser Dance is a mixed reality game by solo XR game developer Thomas van Bouwel, who previously released minimalist puzzle game called Cubism. I had a chance to try out Laser Dance through Raindance Immersive, and it's one of those types of games that I think will really help define some of the key affordances of successful mixed reality games that modulate your existing context enough to transport you into another realm of play where you use your body as a controller. https://twitter.com/tovanbo/status/1806323145000816867 I had a chance to catch up with van Bouwel to unpack more about the mixed reality and hand tracking lessons from Cubism in the first half of our conversation, and then we dive into many of the peculiar considerations of mixed reality game design for Laser Dance covering everything from gameplay that adapts relative to the uniqueness of someone's space, the evolving Presence Platform functionality for mixed reality along with the types of custom programming needed to solve some of the open problems, as well as collaborating with the newly-formed Creature label that is providing additional support for innovative indie-driven, mixed reality and XR games like Laser Dance, Thrasher (more on this experience tomorrow), as well as their flagship mixed reality game of Starship Home. We also cover some of the unique insights from architecture that have also really helped to shape van Bouwel's journey from architectural visualization into the frontiers of leveraging spatial affordances for mixed reality gameplay. The release date for Laser Dance has not been announced yet, but you can wishlist it here. This is a listener-supported podcast through the Voices of VR Patreon. Music: Fatality

Apple still plans to launch a more affordable mixed reality headset before the end of next year, but the Vision Pro sounds like a one off. Plus, Nvidia, Microsoft and Apple vie for the title of most valuable company in the world. And much more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.