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This weeks news round up features article about new full body tracking tech, a land rush in the metaverse, new opportunities for work in the metaverse, an upcoming Elden Ring VR mod and a bizarre new Apple patent. Let’s dive into it.
Full Body VR Tracking Using Fisheye Lens
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) are using controller mounted fisheye lenses to grant VR users a new form of full body tracking. By attaching two lenses, one looking up and one looking down, they are able to get fairly accurate full body tracking. The researchers started out using a desktop PC to power the cameras but have since been able to minimize the tech to the point where it can be entirely controller mounted. They are testing this technology using the Meta Quest 2 headset and controllers which could position this as a very attractive alternative to wearable full body tracking solutions. Read more about this new technology at KTVZ here
brands are driving up the cost of virtual land
With many big name brands afraid of missing out, they’ve rushed to snap up virtual real estate almost as fast as it can be created. While the technology to fully utilize these parcels of digital land is still years away, this rush has caused costs to skyrocket. Already this is a $500 million industry and is projected to grow to as high as $5 billion by 2026. With the rush of cash and interest in this new frontier it has also drawn in more classic investors. It has reached a point where banks are now offering loans to assist with the purchase of digital land. Three major marketplaces have cropped up to service this industry Decentraland, Somnium Space and Cryptovoxels. It appears as those much of this technology rests atop the blockchain and crypto technology. Read more about this at CBSNews here.
Working in the metaverse?
With the explosive growth of VR technology over the last few years and the much lower cost of entry it seems that VR could be the future of remote work. The pandemic has made remote work much more common but has also highlighted other issues like “Zoom Fatigue” and the lack of social events within the office. VR technology could bridge many of these gaps by enable coworkers to collaborate with each other in a more immersive way. Instead of Zoom drinks after hours with colleagues, you might end up going to a virtual bowling alley. Another massive benefit of VR is with interviewing because it can help diminish the effect of bias against people. This technology could also lead to boom in avatar fashion designers and accessories as more people adopt this sort of working environment. Read more about this at TheFashionLaw here.
Elden Ring in VR With Upcoming Mod
A new 15 minute teaser has been released by the mod creator, Luke Ross. With multiple perspective options to alter how you view the world, this mod could be somewhat disorienting for some players. The ‘R.E.A.L. Close’ mode enables players to see the 3D environment around them without hurting the gameplay mechanics, complete with a VR quick menu that pauses the game. There is also options to disable combat entirely to enable you to just wander around and explore the expansive world of Elden Ring. There is not yet an announced release date but you can learn more at TechEBlog here.
Apple’s New VR Patent For Your Car
The rise of autonomous cars has Apple thinking about future problems related to passengers not needing to look at the road anymore. This could cause a massive issue for people with motion sickness so their solution, VR headsets inside the car. Apple has been long rumored to be working on cars with its secretive “Project Titan”. This new patent is for a wrap around headset mounted inside the car but enables the user to have a much wider field of view. It can also be synced to the car to have the visuals match the motion of the vehicle to help minimize motion sickness. Apple is also considering how to gamify this technology so don’t be surprised if we are eventually fighting off zombie hordes while hurtling down the road in an autonomous car. Read more about this with the full article at The-Sun here.
I like how you cover several angles of the VR industry. Really hope this takes off for ya, man!