Since 2016, the Venice International Film Festival was one of the first film festivals in the world to demonstrate an interest in Virtual Reality.
The development of the VR Theater in 2016 sparked enormous interest among the participants of the Venice Production Bridge. Starting in 2017, La Biennale di Venezia launched the first competition of Virtual Reality works, held for three editions.
Today the category “Meeting the network” brings us to Athens, Greece were ICCS is based.
The Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS), is a non-profit Academic Research Body established in 1989 by the Hellenic Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs to carry out applied Research and Development activity in the areas of telecommunications, computer systems and their applications in a variety of research themes. ICCS is linked to the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and is hosted by the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (SECE).
In EuroVR, ICCS is represented by one of its research groups, the Intelligent System Engineering and Novel Simulations Environment (I-SENSE) Group, founded in 2002 by Dr. Angelos Amditis as a continuation of various smaller research groups already active from the early ‘90s.
We are pleased to announce the 4th conference “VR in Science and Industry” organized by the VRISI network on October 6th, 2020. This conference follows a series of successful events taking place every year since 2017 (2017 and 2018 in Aachen, 2019 in Sankt Augustin). The conference brings together end-users from science and industry, as well as solution providers, start-ups, and even individuals with a common interest in Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and more generally in interactive technology known as “XR”.
This year’s conference was going to be organized by the Chair of Computer Science Prof. Dr. Ulrich Lang at the University of Cologne. However, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the activities of the university, the organizers decided to convert it into an all-digital conference experience. Therefore, “VR in Science and Industry” will be an online event only. While the previous physical events brought together between 80 and 100 experts in XR technologies, we expect for this year a larger audience, thanks to the virtualization of the conference and the opening to high-visibility international keynote
speakers.
Today the category “Meeting the network” brings us to Valencia, Spain, were in 1990, a small group of researchers and Ph.D. students created LabLENI.
LabLENI, guided by Professor Mariano Alcañiz, Institute Director and Founder, (among the 10 authors with the highest number of publications worldwide under the topic virtual reality) joined EuroVR Association in 2018 for enhance VR/AR activities around Europe.
The Laboratory of Immersive Neurotechnologies carries out research activities for a better understanding and enhancement of human cognition, combining insights and methods from computer science, psychology and neuroscience. They also develop solutions to support real-life studies and interventions, rather than for use in laboratory settings only.
The series to get to know the people who are part of EuroVR Association continues.
For this edition we are please to introduce one of our corporate members: VTT
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd is the leading research and technology company in the Nordic countries. With 73 years of experience they use research and knowledge to develop new smart technologies, profitable solutions and innovative services.
VTT has already exploited VR/MR/AR and participatory design for some 25 years in order to design and evaluate high-investment products. The main goal of using the VR/MR/AR environment is to provide all designers and stake holders, including workers, a possibility to experience their future workplaces and/or influence their design.
Smart Tram Ecosystem – VTT Research project
Swing:It is an Italian SME, quickly growing during the last and the next years.
We are providers of Innovative Solutions for Industry and Research Organisation and leader
on the provisioning of VR/AR/XR software. We provide Innovation in Space/Satellites, Earth
Observation, Life Science, Cultural Heritage/Virtual Museums, Transports, e-Health projects.
In the aim of several Research and Development projects/activities, we have several available
permanent positions for junior/senior Computer Scientists or Software Engineers/Architects.
The field of application will be at least one of the following:
– Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality and/or 3D Modeling
– Internet of Things
– Big Data, Deep Learning, Machine Learning
– Visualization solutions
VR is regarded as the ‘native land’ of dreams and experiments that require both up-to-date solutions and investments. Once a freshly developed platform or game is discovered, it starts chasing one of the standout apps.
One of its areas, Location-Based VR (LBE), speaks volumes about how stunning VR can be. Overall, it is expected that the virtual reality market is going to worth $12, 324.7 Mn by 2027.
However, not so many people are fully aware of VR`s current prospects and how its future may unfold. And the bitter truth is the majority of development companies are not headed at creating a low-cost content for the average consumer.
In these circumstances, location-based entertainment appears to be a perfect match for anyone who ever wanted to start their business and direct it to VR. With some VR center being kept humming or the content appealing, you`ve got all chances to make your way in this sphere.
Let us give you a few examples. Wanting to launch new virtual reality centers in Tokyo, New York, and other cities, Sandbox VR, famous for its ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ and ‘Deadwood Mansion’, has raised a $68 million of funding from Andreesen Horowitz, Triplepoint Capital, Floodgate Ventures and elsewhere. The Void (‘Wreck-It Ralph’, ‘Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire’, ‘Ghostbusters: Dimensions’), another LB VR provider, has also benefited from Ruper Murdoch`s investments totaling to $20 million.
The number of squad-based content, as well as LBE itself, is growing day by day. Those experiences are spread globally: Sandbox VR – 4 countries with 6 locations, The Void – 4 countries and 16 locations, Zero Latency – 20 countries and 36 locations, Avatarico games – 28 countries with more than 100 locations, Holgate – 25 countries and 256 locations.
It seems like location-based VR is simply one more temporary substitute, something that comes and goes pulling down companies` ventures. True, some of them, unfortunately, are to face it (as IMAX, for instance), but others move forward.
There is no mystery why, just a clear business idea forecasting future expenses, current possibilities, and trustworthy partnerships, choosing the right place and content for your target audience.
We`ll note that location-based VR is rather brand-new, and there is a bunch of business models to investigate to appeal to users.
In the abstracts below, we`ve tried to get together the most renowned LBE companies for you not to spend hours collecting necessary data.
The company offers patrons unprecedented immersive gaming experience being completely untethered. To achieve that scale, Zero Latency`s equipment doesn’t come cheap.
A few years ago the company was considered to be a pioneer of free-roam virtual reality. Zero Latency has been listed among the top of the fastest-growing developers, therefore, it is being nearly impossible to trace. Say, for example, about its partnership with Vodafone or the latest free-roam experience ‘Sol Raiders’ bringing a competitive edge to e-sports.
Among the company`s basic lack one may track the specifics of its shooters and video games as not all users crave for weapon-based combats. Another deals with space-efficiency: 8 players require 2000 sq ft.
So, if you are about to open a VR center, it is far crucial to make calculations connected to the revenue per square feet beforehand. From the look of things, in case you`d like to attract your audience with shooters via opening a huge theme park with various free-roam experiences, these guys are your total hit.
Here we`ve got another big-name LB VR developer. Hologate`s significant part of the install base sets out in theme parks and centers, movie-theatres, mini-golf courses, casinos.
Concentrating on coherent top-end turnkey solutions, the company provides additional income when other agencies are enabling them.
More than that, though, Hologate has reached more than 2 million plays and the average ROI in the short span of the 8 months so far. It`s no wonder why it bears the name of the most flourishing global-scale VR multiplayer.
As a deal-breaker, again mind the content and product you are embarking on. Here space efficiency is a bit better but, still, there`s a chance for 4 users to participate at once. After all, you`d better come with the idea of big malls and a bunch of footprints.
The Void seems to go high since it became a part of Disney Accelerator. With big franchises like ‘Star Wars and Ralph’ and Disney park locations being opened, still, there is no word on franchises for entrepreneurs.
The latter may be regarded as a big loss, for sure. Its concept presupposes the use of hyper-reality also engaging a lot of building on site. Leveraging various headsets combination and suggesting motion tracking, haptics, and other built-in effects, the virtual reality experiences enable users to interact within a virtual environment and discover sets of settings.
Otherwise, if The Void decided to open a franchise opening the mutual venture would cost a fortune whereas a venture investor may benefit from such a partnership. That brings us back to the idea Disney hits the spot while it`s directed to big business.
Having experienced a so-called ‘nuclear winter’ and a period with no investments, Sandbox VR has risen to attract funds.
Involving hyper-reality being less operose that that of The Void, its business concept is thought to be clean cut. Such minor details as a real table to hide or a torch to grab and many other sophisticated features turn VR into an advanced space-efficient experience.
Nowadays, Sandbox VR`s treasure box comprises mostly shooters, but the good news is that they also in the search for family-oriented game solutions.
In reality, unfortunately, Sandbox VR doesn’t allow for a straightforward franchise. The developer seems to do everything by themselves since Andreessen Horowitz provided the investment.
Dwelling on out-of-doors VR experiences, one can`t but mention an escape game niche. Its business model demands grow stronger each year.
Avatarico seems to be one of the most efficient solutions in this area. The one that claimed to create a product featured on Forbes whilst having returned the very first funds in 6 months.
The most glaring difference is that their products are aimed at mass audiences. That list is made up of family-friendly content and the one suitable for corporate meetings.
While measuring the loyalty existing between a client and a provider, the developer has received a 50% Net Promoter Score comparable only to Netflix. Experiencing approximately 5 years of VR pioneering and 5 games being launched, any of Avatarico`s games require just 270 sq ft for 6 players.
When it comes to further prospects, the company has entered the USA, Canadian, Mexican, and Australian markets with Entermission being the distributor.
Gaining unique expertise in operational business and technology utilized, both Entermission and Avatarico look far ahead. For instance, Cosmos arms players with hand tracking system whereas one is sitting in a chair with hands bare and just some headsets being on. So, be ready that your hands are going to be the accurate functional copy to VR ones.
Such VR experience provides players with the feeling of floating in zero gravity, shooting fireballs, using telekinesis, and even hi-fiving your mates. And Entermission works on its empowering: at TransWorld’s Room Escape Show & Conference in Texas the company has unveiled the turnkey haptic solution also stimulation users with the wind, temperature, and scents
If you are inspired enough to bring up your location-based entertainment, you are to get the expertise in the following:
Minding the information presented, you`ll stay updated with the current market demands and ready to start your business or collaborate with a trustworthy technological LB VR partner. Opening a VR franchise or chain seems to be the next natural step.
However, there are other features that you shouldn`t overlook. LB VR gets the privilege of the high-end equipment usually presupposing VR headsets, backpacks, and a place for users` free VR locomotion.
The article we referred to the most promising LB VR companies to date. The ones that come up with off-the-shelf franchises and solutions. The huge part of the above-mentioned developers` success based on the thoughtful partnership.
Taking in both ups and downs, LBE continues on its path. To minimize loses you may freely rely on our tips and cautiously think on benefits and drawbacks before acting.
Anton Zaitsev, Avatarico CEO, AR / VR developer. His company was the first to develop a VR escape game for location-based entertainment. He has been dealing with VR technology for more than 6 years. He likes to share his experience in that sphere providing some useful tips for VR business success. He is always ready to help with any questions related to VR technology. You can contact him at zaitsev@avatarico.com.
EuroVR is happy to announce a new media partnership with an international VR an AR event, the 2020 Asia VR & AR Fair & Summit, taking place in Guangzhou (China) on May 10-12, 2020.
Entering its 7th editions, this international-scale VR&AR event is going to be staged on a show floor of 30,000 sq.m with an expected 180+ exhibitors and 25,000 global buyers. Five special exhibition areas will be marked out respectively for VR/AR Games, VR/AR Education, VR/AR applications, VR/AR Hardware, and VR/AR Contents in order to achieve a more systematic and comprehensive display of VR&AR products.
Moreover, the flagship conference of 2020 Asia VR&AR Industry Development Forum is going to be an information-packed 2-day program, composed of several parallel forums respectively focusing on hot subjects like VR&AR education, VR/AR Plus 5G, VR/AR Industrial Applications, and so on.
VR&AR Fair 2019 occupied a net exhibition area of 25,000 square meters, accommodating about 150 exhibitors. Parts of enterprises like VRway, Xiechuang Technology, NINED, FuninVR, Loonqin Tech, Movie Power, Meleap (Japan), Zone Laser Tag & Hologate (Germany), MIND & IDEA(Taiwan, China), ANVIO/DGMA VR (Russia), Media Guide (Taiwan, China), HEIVR, Ten Ho VR Classroom,and etc. Besides, the event received more than 25,000 person-time visitors, of which 4,126 were overseas from the USA, UK, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Russia, Canada, Norway, etc.
Opportunity knocks but once, there are numerous business opportunities waiting for EuroVR members.
Click here to apply for Exhibiting .
Click here to apply For Visiting.
Date: May 10-12, 2020
Venue: China Import & Export Fair Complex
Address: No. 380, Yuejiang Zhong Road, Guangzhou, China
Website: http://www.vrarfair.com/index.php?lang=en
For this edition of Meeting the network, we are pleased to introduce one of our founding members: Prof. Dr. Gabriel Zachmann, Professor at the Center for Computing Technologies (TZI) at the University of Bremen.
He joined EuroVR Association at its inception in 2010:
“My motivation for joining EuroVR was the opportunity to initiate collaboration in areas such as virtual reality, geometric computing, medical simulation, digital health, VR for robotics, and visual computing. I was interested in contributing to common EU proposals and helping to shape the EuroVR conference”.
Are you looking for a job in the virtual reality field? This article is for you! Read more about the two Ph.D. positions open at the University of Bremen and submit your application.
A researcher with the Computer Graphics and Virtual Reality Group at the University of Bremen, Germany.
Building on the state of the art in virtual reality research, including latest developments of production-quality game engines, this Ph.D. project shall develop concepts, scientific visualization methods, 3D interaction metaphors, and immersive virtual reality tools for geographically remote researchers to share and explore a meaningful virtual environment for collaborative virtual fieldwork on the seafloor. The project will evolve around the visualization of cutting-edge, large scale photogrammetric scans of hydrothermal (black smoker) vent fields and related volcanic structures of the mid-oceanic ridges.
This PhD project will draw upon visualization resources both at the CGVR lab at University of Bremen (in particular, the two-user powerwall, i.e., large-screen stereoscopic projection wall with tracking and correct projection for two users simultaneously), and at GEOMAR (the ARENA2 visualization dome theatre) as well as head-mounted display “satellite systems” (e.g., wireless VIVE at CGVR), to form a connected ecosystem.
Researcher with the Computer Graphics and Virtual Reality Group at the University of Bremen, Germany.
For several years now, innovative algorithms and methods for forward-looking space projects have been developed and researched within the framework of exploration projects funded by DLR Space Management. The knowledge gained and the algorithms developed are to be brought back to Earth as part of the project presented and made available as a key technology for mobility 4.0 in Germany. Within the framework of earlier space projects, algorithms for the planning and simulation of an autonomous spacecraft for the reduction of resources on asteroids were developed. The core contents of autonomous planning, navigation, and flight path optimization and control serve as a basis for the application of autonomous vehicles described here. The current project is based on results from an earlier project on autonomous driving and extends the research questions to real application scenarios by involving industrial partners.
The aim of the project is to automate recurring journeys in known areas and in particular to present solutions for cooperative maneuvers in such areas. For this purpose, the cooperation partners are working on the implementation in an application-oriented test field. Overarching goals of the project, which are to be implemented especially on real vehicles, are:
Candidates should have an excellent Master’s degree or equivalent in computer science, or related disciplines such as mathematics, computational engineering, physics, etc. Required skills are solid experience in C++ software development, and a very good command of English (reading/writing/speaking). Ideally, you have specialized in real-time computer graphics or physically-based simulation, you are capable of effectively applying mathematical methods, and you have good knowledge of GPGPU programming. In addition, the successful candidate will be highly self-motivated, passionate about their work, and have a good ability to work both independently as well as in a team in a multidisciplinary environment.
Applications should comprise a cover letter, complete CV including any achievements, degree certificates (including a list of courses and grades), names and contact details of at least two referees, and other credentials if any (e.g., recommendation letters, publications, etc.). Application by email is preferred. We encourage candidates to apply immediately but will continue to review applications until the position is filled. If you have any questions about the position, please do not hesitate to address them to the above email address.
Prof. Dr. Gabriel Zachmann
University of Bremen
Bibliothekstr. 5
28359 Bremen / Germany
zach at cs.uni-bremen.de
Visit the official website for further information.