VRARA London: VR Storytelling, and Guided Visit to IBC Accelerators Media Innovation Programme

We are here to keep you up to date on upcoming events and news for VRARA members and partners. If you have something to share contact us at ​londonmarketing@thevrara.com​.

In this edition we have VR storytelling at the Open City Documentary Festival. We also have a guided visit to the 2024 IBC Accelerators Media Innovation Programme kick-off event.

Losing Home: Expanded Realities at Open City Documentary Festival

Celebrating the art of non-fiction, Open City Documentary Festival aims to challenge and expand the idea of documentary in all its forms.

Losing Home will feature work by five artists ranging in form from interactive VR and mixed reality experiences to video games and multiple-channel video which all address ways in which we can become alienated from spaces which once felt familiar, be they the cities we live in, the relationships we are part of or the bodies we live in. The exhibition will include the first UK presentation of new work by artists Aay Liparoto, Patricia Echeverria Liras and Ben Joseph Andrews & Emma Roberts and will also include a new version of Alice Bucknell’s The Alluvials alongside the London premiere of Nick Smith’s We Were Both Wrong.

The exhibition’s private view will take place on Thursday 25 April between 4:30-7pm and will then be open from 12-7pm on Friday 26 – Monday 29 April. The exhibition is free and no booking is required – it is located in Rich Mix, the festival’s hub in Shoreditch.

You can read more about the exhibition ​here​.

IBC Accelerators Media Innovation Programme

The International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) held the kick-off day for their 2024 Accelerator programme last month.

Muki Kulhan, Innovation Lead, IBC Accelerators Media Innovation Programme, gave us this introduction to this exciting and productive initiative in the media technology sector:

“Over the last five years, the IBC Accelerators Media Innovation Programme has provided a really amazing R&D sandbox for new and progressive, emerging media projects exploring new workflows, tools and techniques in XR and Game Engine led creative production. This year will be more ambitious than ever before, with XR, VR, AR and AI-led initiatives becoming truly a part of creative productions in our media, entertainment and broadcasting industries. I can’t wait to see what happens this year and we promise to keep the VRARA community updated as the projects progress!”

You can get a taste of the day in this video ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx5inTAEOhE​ and read about the selected challenges here: ​https://show.ibc.org/accelerators-2024-challenges​ We plan to follow the progress of the programme throughout the year.

Do you have a story to share?

If you have a story to contribute for the VRARA London Chapter newsletter, contact John Dowsland at ​londonmarketing@thevrara.com​.

John has many years of experience in content management & distribution for film, music and corporate communications, and currently works in calibration technology. In 2018 he joined the board of Cinema Technology Community CIC, and he has been involved in the VRARA since 2022.

Thanks for reading! Click here to ​Get in touch

Unlock the power of xAPI reporting for enhanced performance tracking

From VRARA member immerse:

Drive decisions and business impact with Immerse Platform training insights

VR training data from the Immerse Platform offers more than insights into your program's effectiveness. It also delivers predictive analytics crucial for strategic decision-making. By leveraging this rich data, organizations can foresee challenges, customize training to meet specific needs, and enhance individual and operational performance. And with xAPI reporting, all your data is available in your LMS.

Learn more

We´ll help you launch your xAPI reporting

Get in touch

At Immerse, we seamlessly integrate xAPI reporting into your VR apps, from any content creator, during development or post-deployment.

Our consultancy service tailors the xAPI structure to meet your reporting objectives, integrate it with the Immerse Platform and deliver rich data and ROI analysis.

Contact our team today to learn more.

VRARA London Updates: Join us at Best of Europe and IT²EC. Plus, spotlight on Uvisan.

We are here to keep you up to date on upcoming events and news for VRARA London members and partners. If you have something to share contact us at londonmarketing@thevrara.com

In this edition you’ll read about VRARA’s Best of Europe event in March and the return of IT²EC in April. We also have an article from Uvisan who share a white paper on UV-C technology.

Best of Europe: XR, AI, Immersive Tech

THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2024: 9:30 AM 12:30 PM

Join us for Best of Europe: XR, AI, Immersive Tech, our VRARA Europe Summit, a virtual event on March 21, 2024. We expect 1000+ people!

Register here

If interested to sponsor, please email londonmarketing@thevrara.com

Our event will have 30+ speakers and bring together key leaders and innovators in the immersive tech space in Europe, offering unique insights and perspectives on the latest developments in the industry.

IT²EC

VRARA is an official partner of IT²EC, Europe’s largest annual International training technology exhibition and technical conference where technology evolution shapes the defence training of tomorrow. Held at the London, ExCeL from 9-11 April 2024. Registration for IT²EC is now open and VRARA Members will receive discounts to attend - email info@thevrara.com

In addition, we are excited to announce the highly-anticipated return of the DisTec Challenge! In collaboration with Dstl IT²ECproudly presents the ‘Pixels and Personalities: Realising the social aspects of a future virtual classroom’. We are calling upon companies or individuals across all sectors, particularly those pioneering AI-driven tutoring and virtual classroom technologies, to join us in refining training methodologies and technologies for the future workforce, which aim to address real-world issues faced by today's end-users. If you possess groundbreaking solutions poised to meet this challenge, we invite you to submit your entries here: by March 8th 2024.

Member Spotlight: Uvisan

Uvisan, the UK’s leading UV-C disinfection specialist, has created an eBook packed full of useful information about UV-C and its applications in VR. Learn about how UV-C works, how pathogens are transferred from surface to surface, why UV-C is more effective than wipes and much more. To download your free copy, follow the link below.

https://www.uvisan.com/uvcvr

Do you have a story to share?

If you have a story to contribute for the VRARA London Chapter newsletter, contact John Dowsland at londonmarketing@thevrara.com.

John has many years of experience in content management & distribution for film, music and corporate communications, and currently works in calibration technology. In 2018 he joined the board of Cinema Technology Community CIC, and he has been involved in the VRARA since 2022.

Thanks for reading! Click here to Get in touch.

VRARA London Sponsors The Economist's Impact Enterprise Metaverse Summit

The VRARA London Chapter is a proud sponsor of the Economist Impact’s Enterprise Metaverse Summit 2023, which will help senior leaders build and benefit from digital twins to enable productivity gains and sustainable innovation.

A digital twin is a 3D replica of a physical workspace and assets, and can imitate a single screw to an entire factory. The insights this digital copy provides can help firms enhance resilience, adaptability and efficiency. Digital twins will underpin the enterprise metaverse and are forecast to become a US$48bn business by 2026 (McKinsey). Businesses can also use mixed reality (augmented and virtual) to enhance collaboration, improve the safety of working environments and increase the effectiveness of training.

However, the enterprise metaverse may not become mainstream as fast as its champions expect, if at all. Will it be based on proprietary technology or on open standards? How should firms build their first digital twin and take advantage of the opportunities presented by mixed reality? Enterprise Metaverse Summit will offer informed and nuanced views from forward-thinking companies who are already gaining value from immersive reality.

Join The VR/AR Association London at The Economist's Impact Enterprise Metaverse Summit on June 28th-29th in London, in-person and online. Get a balanced, informed perspective from industry leaders that have already gained real value from the technology, and get the tools you need to benefit from mixed reality and digital twins. Register now (including free passes for eligible attendees): https://bit.ly/3Lyb6t5.

disguise powers virtual production for “La Fortuna” Miniseries

(London, 29 June 2022) – “La Fortuna,” a six-episode Spanish-American miniseries airing on Movistar+ and AMC+, turned to virtual production powered by disguise vx 4 media servers to capture the magic of both countries all in one shoot. With Barcelona-based MO&MO Film services designing the virtual production scenes and facilitating in-camera VFX, the film was able to include exterior scenes all the way from Washington D.C on-set in their shoot in Madrid. 

“La Fortuna” tells the story of the discovery of a Spanish frigate sunk by the British navy off Portugal back in 1804 and the ensuing legal battle over the ownership of the treasure.  Stanley Tucci heads a Spanish and American cast in the mini-series directed by Alejandro Amenabar and co-produced by Movistar+, AMC Studios and MOD Pictures.

Virtual production for feature films and television has been increasingly adopted as a way to gain efficiency, lower costs and reduce the need for complex location shooting without compromising on quality. Wanting to take advantage of these new workflows, Cinematographer Alex Catalan from AEC, contacted Barcelona-based MO&MO Film Services upon the recommendation of a colleague, resulting in MOD Pictures asking MO&MO Film to design and shoot the virtual production scenes. Taking place in MO&MO Film’s virtual studio in Madrid, Gloshine MV 2.6mm LED walls with NovaPro UHD processing and disguise vx 4 media servers facilitated the virtual production workflow.

“We were proud to shoot with Alejandro Amenbar on his first TV series and with Alex Catalan, one of the more demanding DPs in Spain.  The project went perfectly, like all of our projects with disguise, with easy set-up and programming,” says Virtual Production Supervisor for MO&MO Film Services David Monguet.

The process smoothed the creation of in-camera VFX for car scenes using plates shot in Chicago, as well as scenes shot in Washington, D.C. showcasing the outside seen in the windows of the Spanish consulate. There were also sequences shot showcasing American TV reporting footage. 

Cinematic results for many of these scenes were achieved using disguise Designer together with the vx 4. These included the colour adjust layer which proved to be a must and the blur layer which helped DoP Catalan show the depth of field in some instances. PreComp, as a mapping type, was used in a blur layer and colour adjust was applied to manipulate all the layers simultaneously. The wrap tool helped adjust camera perspective in some scenes while disguise’s ACES integration helped achieve colour control for the VFX sequences.

Learn more about ACES in our ebook

Credits

Director Of Photography: Alex Catalan AEC

Director: Alejandro Amenabar

VFX Supervisor for Twin Pines: Juanma Nogales

Virtual Production Supervisor: David Monguet

# # #

About disguise

disguise is the platform to imagine, create and deliver spectacular visual experiences. Its award-winning extended reality (xR) solution has powered over 400 immersive real-time productions across live entertainment for music artists such as Katy Perry and Billie Eilish, film and episodic TV productions for Netflix and Amazon Prime, corporate presentations for Siemens and Verizon, and live broadcast programmes from Eurosport, MTV and ITV,  in more than 35 countries.

With an ever increasing global partner network and working alongside the world’s most talented visual designers and technical teams in live events, TV broadcasts, films, concert touring, theatre, fixed installations and corporate and entertainment events, disguise is building the next generation of collaborative tools to help artists and technologists realise their vision.

Headquartered in London, disguise has an expanding global presence with offices in LA, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, Tokyo, Auckland and Singapore.

Recognised as one of the Financial Times’ top 1000 fastest growing businesses for 2021 and a winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation 2022, disguise has majority backing from investment firm Carlyle Group, with Epic Games taking a minority stake.

For more information, please visit www.disguise.one    

Germany https://www.disguise.one/de

France https://www.disguise.one/fr

Spain https://www.disguise.one/es

Japan https://www.disguise.one/jp    

China https://www.disguise.one/cn

Korea https://www.disguise.one/kr 

London North Eastern Railway Drive Railroad Training Efficiency Using VR and SenseGlove Nova

SenseGlove Nova is used for assembling a train ramp in Virtual Reality: Haptic force feedback gloves improve VR simulation and allow trainees to physically feel the virtual tools and parts of the train.

DELFT, THE NETHERLANDS – June 23, 2022 — SenseGlove, a leading developer of force feedback gloves for VR, today unveiled results of a SenseGlove case study conducted in cooperation with London North Eastern Railway, a British train operating company. SenseGlove Nova is a haptic force-feedback glove designed specifically for professional VR training purposes.

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) implemented SenseGlove Nova for the railroad VR training in assembling a train ramp in Virtual Reality. They used haptic force feedback gloves to improve the realism of the interactions in a virtual training and train the employees more efficiently by using haptic gloves instead of just using controllers. 90% of participants who completed the haptics training indicated that they felt ready to assemble a ramp in real life and did not need any further training. Assembly trainees who donned SenseGlove Nova haptic force feedback gloves in a virtual environment were able to physically feel the virtual parts of the train, explore the details of the ramp, and interact with required tools in a natural way. The feeling of realistic physical interaction is possible due to the combination of SenseGlove’s force feedback, vibrotactile feedback and motion capture features.

The features play an especially important role for assembly training: force-feedback gloves allow the wearer to feel the parts of equipment that need to be assembled and also ascertain the difference between their sizes and density of each part. SenseGlove Nova's vibrotactile feedback enables trainees to feel every impact when they connect or insert the parts, as well as the vibration when they work with a drilling machine, for example. Combined with motion capture, the features allow the trainees to interact in a similar way as they would in a physical training.

Learn more at https://www.senseglove.com/.

Hans Zimmer European Tour Pioneers a New Approach to Concert Tours Powered by disguise

(London, 30 May 2022) - When internationally-renowned composer Hans Zimmer was looking to create the visual elements of his world tour, it was clear that the production required a brand new approach. Zimmer called upon award-winning theatrical projection designer Peter Nigrini to create something unique for the tour, and asked events specialists Pixway to help them bring it to life with disguise-powered technology.

Alongside his career as perhaps the most prolific and recognised film composer working today, Hans Zimmer is also known for his immensely popular global tours, which offer an accessible way for music fans to enjoy his compositions performed by a full orchestra. For his 2022 European tour spanning 24 cities, Zimmer was interested in creating an experience for his audiences that had a distinctly theatrical sensibility.

“I think the reason why Hans was drawn to work with stage designer Derek McLane, lighting designer John Featherstone, and me, was that he recognised the need to build his audience a visual world,” says Peter Nigrini. “Providing each piece of music with a visual identity was first and foremost, but we also needed to meet this challenge while integrating live cameras to serve the audiences in the arena sized venues.”

Nigrini was completely won over by the possibilities disguise’s tech opened up to his production.

“Anytime someone gives me a chance to do something new; when someone says they haven't attempted something before, that sounds like a reason to charge ahead. I'll try anything if I know I have partners like those at Pixway and disguise to bring my vision to life.”

Creating the look of the production, Nigrini was adamant that live video footage should look nothing like those seen at other touring concerts. He worked with Berlin-based creative studio Pixway, who are specialists in the disguise workflow, to find a solution that would differentiate their show from others. One of the ideas that the team settled on involved processing and treating all of the live cameras outputs so that footage for different suites felt aesthetically linked to the films the music originated from. 

Part of this entailed colour grading the footage live as it was being shot, as well as other Notch processing built by Emery Martin. This allowed for the live camera footage for each track to be harmonized with the colour palette of their respective films, so that audiences could subconsciously link each piece to films they knew and recognised.

It was this process that led to Pixway, who have a long history of partnering with disguise on a wide range of projects from live and corporate events to xR production, to suggest using disguise’s RenderStream workflow powered by two disguise rx real-time render nodes and two disguise vx 4 media servers to bring the vision to life.

With disguise’s RenderStream workflow only previously used for in-studio filming and broadcast, Pixway knew that this was a bold choice to use it in a live concert setting - let alone a worldwide arena tour. The risk paid off for the team, delivering an amazing experience.

“There were multiple ways we could have achieved the solution we needed for these cameras,” says Nigrini, “but RenderStream is a tremendous asset at this level of production. And because we had expert help from Pixway and disguise, we could look at the half dozen different ways to get there and pick the most appropriate one for the problem in front of us.”

The power and reliability of disguise’s tech was as important to keeping the workflow simple as RenderStream itself, says Nevil Jeremias of Pixway. The team needed minimal equipment to run the entire show. They were able to use disguise vx and rx machines to power all of the live processing and carry the show.

“Fewer machines are much more efficient,” says Jeremias. They allow for more space behind the stage, a less complex setup, and other convenient elements for touring. Being able to use less machines just makes the setup more reliable, essentially.”

“Being able to offload the Notch rendering to the rx machines kept enough processing power on the vx machines for other parts of the show, such as automation and video playback. Workflow wise the processed Notch IMAGs could be used as easily as the other video inputs which sped up programming immensely. With this technology we could send all 14 cameras to the render node to process them in packs of four. Texture sharing is extremely fast and only adds a few frames to the roundtrip so it integrates seamlessly into existing environments,” Jeremias adds.

The team also used the project to beta test the latest disguise r21 software release, launched earlier this year. The release brought significant improvements to the RenderStream UI and new tools for colour management, following feedback and disguise’s close collaboration with its beta testers and Live and Colour Insider groups.

Download disguise r21

Credits:

Client: Semmel Concerts Gmbh

Production Company: Satis&FyVideo Gear Supplier: Videotechnik Bär GmbHLight Design: Lightswitch Concepts LLC

Creative Direction: Peter NigriniLead Animator: Robert Figueira

Animators: C. Andrew Bauer, Dan Vatsky, Austin Shapley

Illustrator: Sadi Tekin

Assistant Video Designer: Johnny Moreno

Notch Programmer: Emery Martin

Media Server Supplier and Integration: Pixway GmbH

disguise lead programmer: Nevil Jeremias

disguise second programmer / disguise tour operator: Edward Hoare

disguise tour operator: Viola Weinert

Image credits: Lightswitch Concepts

# # #

About disguise

disguise is the platform to imagine, create and deliver spectacular visual experiences. Its award-winning extended reality (xR) solution has powered over 400 immersive real-time productions across live entertainment for music artists such as Katy Perry and Billie Eilish, film and episodic TV productions for Netflix and Amazon Prime, corporate presentations for Siemens and Verizon, and live broadcast programmes from Eurosport, MTV and ITV,  in more than 35 countries.

With an ever increasing global partner network and working alongside the world’s most talented visual designers and technical teams in live events, TV broadcasts, films, concert touring, theatre, fixed installations and corporate and entertainment events, disguise is building the next generation of collaborative tools to help artists and technologists realise their vision.

Headquartered in London, disguise has an expanding global presence with offices in LA, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, Tokyo, Auckland and Singapore.

Recognised as one of the Financial Times’ top 1000 fastest growing businesses for 2021 and a winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation 2022, disguise has majority backing from investment firm Carlyle Group, with Epic Games taking a minority stake.

For more information, please visit www.disguise.one    

Germany https://www.disguise.one/de

France https://www.disguise.one/f

Spain https://www.disguise.one/es

Japan https://www.disguise.one/jp    

China https://www.disguise.one/cn
Korea https://www.disguise.one/kr 

Call for Sponsors for Location-Based VR Ecosystem Report in the UK featuring over 25 LBEVR Arcades

This report features over 25 LBVR/LBE spots in the UK. If you would like to sponsor this report, email info@thevrara.com asap.

Netflix’s ‘Army of the Dead’ VR experience in Westfield London is not one to miss! (VR LBE Review)

This action-packed VR experience takes place in a behemoth Armoured Taco Truck along with a team of up to 6 mercenaries. Armed with Valve Index headsets and StrikerVR guns, you embark on a relentless civilian rescue mission taking on hordes of zombies through a post-apocalyptic Las Vegas.

Equipped with cutting-edge technology, the OptiTrack motion trackers attached to both wrists are seamlessly accurate and responsive, allowing you to track all your teammates' movements in real-time. Furthermore, the haptic feedback from your weapon and the floor of the truck makes it so vivid and tangible, feeling every last bump, turn and recoil on this epic journey.

Netflix’s head of experiences, Greg Lombardo stated that they couldn’t pass up on the chance to partner with Pure Imagination Studios, Fever and The Stone Quarry to bring fans closer to Zack Snyder’s larger-than-life hit action horror ‘Army of the dead’. Commending the immersive power of VR, he stated, “We are always seeking new ways to immerse our fans in the stories they love. VR is certainly one way to do that”. 

To execute an immersive adventure like this with the pandemic and supply chain issues we have all witnessed recently is quite an achievement. I hope that the success of this venture paves the way for more permanent mainstays of VR experiences in prominent retail locations across the country. 

From start to finish the user journey is incredibly well coordinated. Accessibility and inclusivity are also duly considered as the entire experience takes place in the truck, there are no locomotion issues and users can play seated. In terms of COVID compliance, all the hardware is cleaned regularly with @Cleanbox UVC systems and FluoroPel 260 solution.

The 30-minute experience kicks off with your Avatar, Weapon & Attachment selection. The crew is then ushered through the apocalyptic compound into the briefing room where you are fitted out with your motion trackers and given a quick rundown of the mission by María Cruz (Ana de la Reguera), one of the leaders of the Las Vengeance crew. 

Brimming full of nervous excitement, the crew pumps you up and sends you through to the Armoured Taco Truck, where you get your headset, your weapon and begin your mission. What happens next is for you to find out, but what I can reveal is that the accuracy of the movement tracking, the detailed life-like animation and the real-time haptics made this exciting quest all the more impressive.

Once the rescue mission ends and you’re slowly making your way back to reality, you get the chance to see your scores (Kills, Headshots, Accuracy, etc.), browse merchandise and take some choreographed photos in front of a green screen.

Viva Las Vengeance: Army of the Dead is open now, It’s suitable for players 13+. Tickets prices start from £18, and I highly recommend you don’t miss it! Book tickets here!

VR/AR Higher Education Guide UK: Download now!

Download report

UK education guide

Immersive technology is blowing up everywhere, and that includes Higher Education. As VR/AR transform the way we work, learn, shop, and even construct military strategies, Universities are fielding increased demand from employers and aspiring students to produce graduates with the skillsets to thrive in this nascent industry.

According to projections set out by the European Commission, market demands for qualified Technology specialists will see a shortfall of up to 750,000 professionals in 2025. With VR/AR being one sector with the highest market demand.

The result of this is a growing number of AR/VR courses being offered at the pre-university, undergraduate, and postgraduate level in the UK. From software development to digital art to imaging in engineering, this emerging technology is popping up in a wide range of disciplines.

At the VR/AR Association London Chapter, we have compiled a guide highlighting courses surrounding Immersive Technology currently being taught in some of the UK's finest higher education institutions. Download the report to learn more!

Call for Sponsors - UK Higher Education Report featuring Undergraduate and Postgraduate schools

Email info@thevrara.com for more info or sponsorship opportunity

Immersive technology is blowing up everywhere, and that includes Higher Education. As VR/AR transform the way we work, learn, shop, and even construct military strategies, Universities are fielding increased demand from employers and aspiring students to produce graduates with the skillsets to thrive in this nascent industry.

According to projections set out by the European Commission, market demands for qualified Technology specialists will see a shortfall of up to 750,000 professionals in 2025. With VR/AR being one sector with the highest market demand.

The result of this is a growing number of AR/VR courses being offered at the pre-university, undergraduate, and postgraduate level in the UK. From software development to digital art to imaging in engineering, this emerging technology is popping up in a wide range of disciplines.

At the VR/AR Association London Chapter, we have compiled a guide highlighting courses surrounding Immersive Technology currently being taught in some of the UK's finest higher education institutions.

Email info@thevrara.com for more info or sponsorship opportunity

Download our New Report! 50 British Companies featured in our new UK Ecosystem Report

Download report

VRARA UK Report

Foreword by Cleanbox Technology

This decade promises acceleration in new, innovative technology in an increasingly inter connected world, and with the challenges that face us today, the need for innovation has never been greater. Cleanbox Technology is proud to sponsor the VRARA UK Ecosystem Report, and to join you as we make history together.

Virtual and Augmented reality open the door to possibilities both conceivable and presently beyond our imagination. As we scan this horizon for what comes next, we see opportunities for integration with many industries, and indeed our very lives, on a massive scale. If we are to seize this opportunity responsibly, we must do so safely.

Education, manufacturing, healthcare, entertainment and complex skill training have all seen early adoption of AR and VR. As the technology advances, this integration will proliferate, becoming as much a part of our day-to-day as cell phones or automobiles. If the potential for this technology is as transformative as we expect, there is an immediate need to create safe deployment strategy from the beginning. The health and safety of the public - as we have so painfully learned this last year - is dependent on a collaborative effort of government, industry and the public, working together to keep each other safe. Now is the time for forward thinking, responsible leadership from the pioneers of this technology.

While the excitement around VR/AR is easy to get caught up in, we encourage you to also take a calculated approach to strategy; incorporating logistical, ethical and safety considerations as we prepare to embark on this journey into the kaleidoscope future of our reality.

Amy Hedrick

Co-Founder&CEO

Cleanbox Technology

cleanboxtech.com

Call for Speakers for the VRARA London Panel: Shaping the Adoption of XR in Retail

Panel is on February 23rd, 4pm-5pm GMT

This will be a discussion regarding the key factors that are leading to the incremental adoption of AR/VR technology in retail.

AR/VR has already made inroads in the retail sector. Considering the benefits and ease of trade they offer, these technologies are here to stay. Major retailers across various sectors have already begun reaping the benefits of AR/VR technologies.

In this panel, we will specifically be discussing:

- The many different approaches: AR Point & Place, Virtual Showrooms etc. 

 - Integration into the shopping experience: WebAR vs Apps vs Social AR 

- B2B market: Convincing businesses that AR/VR is worth the investment 

 - The Customer Journey

If interested to speak or sponsor, email london@thevrara.com

Call for Participation: Industry Report featuring best British companies!

VR/AR Association London Chapter is producing an industry report on the UK’s Virtual and Augmented Reality ecosystem to promote British companies and organizations involved with immersive technologies and media.

The UK's immersive market is growing rapidly. We already have hundreds of companies, agencies and brands developing VR and AR solutions. This ranges from small startups to large organisations with operations in the UK developing immersive technologies for global use.

As well as this group of companies, many Universities, Research Centers, and Training Centers research, discuss and develop immersive technologies all across the country.

There is a lot of social interest, willingness and experience in creating skills and recently the expectation of implementing 5G networks in the country, which should happen in the beginning of 2021.

The potential of immersive technologies and the way they are already changing the reality in many companies and services in the UK, mainly for the end consumer, was well evidenced in the first VR/AR Global Summit Online this year, with several panels dedicated to the UK market.

Our local chapter has developed relevant partnerships with trade associations and important local institutions, such as ETSA (The European Training and Simulation Association), to join forces and work together to be even stronger and to spread immersion technology throughout the country and also looking for the European market.

Our Industry Report will specifically highlight the following:

 • Size of the UK market

 • Number of relevant companies in the UK

 • Local directory and Company info (size: number of employees, revenue; vertical, customers)

 • Reasons why company is based in the UK

 • Needs and hopes from and for the local ecosystem

Our report will be promoted via global VRARA channels and partners, which includes: Our global newsletter to over 35k emails, on our website (20K unique visitors per month), and social media (50K followers). 

If interested to Sponsor, email londonmarketing@thevrara.com

To get featured in the Report, submit your company / org info here

Pico Interactive and LIVR bring the world’s first VR streaming service for theatre and the performing arts

Attend the VR/AR Global Summit Nov 1-2 to see the latest from Pico Interactive and other VR providers!

Wandsworth Council has teamed up with LIVR - the world’s first VR streaming service for theatre and the performing arts - and VR headset maker, Pico Interactive, to offer Nine Elms residents exclusive access to their very own on-site virtual theatre.

The first-of-its-kind pilot programme will see an eight-seater virtual reality theatre experience installed at the R.O.S.E. Community Centre on the Savona Estate in Battersea this autumn. The initiative will utilize the LIVR platform to make theatre more accessible; increasing local residents’ engagement with performing arts. 

Using standalone Pico headsets, visitors to the centre will be able to get access to content from the LIVR library where they can experience great live performances on-demand in stunning 360° VR - completely free of charge.

The extensive content library will feature new works from emerging artists and critically acclaimed productions, performed in theatres, festivals and unique spaces across London and around the country. The fully immersive viewing experience will transport users into the front row to enjoy the performances as if they were sitting in the audience at the live shows. 

“I’m thrilled that theatre shows are coming direct to local residents through this incredible virtual reality experience. As arts and culture grows in Nine Elms, it’s fantastic that we can bring performing arts into the heart of the community and I hope as many Nine Elms residents as possible sign up to put a headset on and watch a performance.”

— Councillor Steffi Sutters, Wandsworth Council’s Cabinet member for Community Services and Open Spaces

“We’re really looking forward to starting regular VR viewing nights, which, alongside our new Community Theatre Tickets scheme in partnership with Battersea Arts Centre and Theatre 503, will offer residents plenty of affordable ways to enjoy live theatre this autumn.”

“The opportunity to participate in ventures like this and align ourselves with pioneers in the VR space is part of our DNA at Pico Interactive. We build hardware and offer an unparalleled level of service with the goal of helping our partners reach their visionary goals. This is an exciting time in Virtual Reality where people can be transported into unique worlds or experience live content as if they were there, that perhaps, they wouldn’t have an opportunity to do so otherwise.”

— Leland Hedges, Commercial Director, Pico Interactive, EMEA

The experience was successfully trialed at the recent Nine Elms Happy Streets festival, and it will begin operating on a weekly basis from Wednesday, 25 September. It will be open to local residents of all ages and is part of Nine Elms' wider cultural strategy aimed at increasing the community's access to, and engagement with, the arts through an ongoing programme of events and initiatives. 

For more info contact Logan Parr logan@pico-interactive.com

About Nine Elms

Nine Elms has always been a critical part of London’s landscape. Its past is one of commerce and industry, its future is of enterprise, art, culture and living. The Vauxhall Nine Elms and Battersea ‘opportunity area’ sits between Chelsea and Lambeth bridges, including Vauxhall & the Albert Embankment to the east and Battersea Power Station to the west.  

The area is being regenerated by two London councils working together; Wandsworth and Lambeth. The development programme is extensive, including a two-station extension of the Northern Line, new parks and schools, and new access to the Thames River Path.  Development partners are building homes, the new US Embassy, a brand New Covent Garden Market, business premises, shops and spaces for cultural exchange.  

Over 25,000 jobs are being created across the opportunity area, which offers over 6.5m sq ft of commercial space and high-quality locations to accommodate new and existing businesses.

The vision is a long-term one; to transform one of the capital’s last remaining industrial districts into an amazing place for Londoners old and new to call home. Today’s reality is an exciting one; new spaces and places coming to life every day.   

The VR/AR Association publishes the UK Ecosystem Report. Download here

Download report

VRARA UK Ecosystem Report

With VR/AR, we're going to experience music, art, content and data in context with our lives. A quick search of the GOV.UK Contracts Finder site and the Digital Marketplace suggests that, in the last half-decade, there have been just 17 public-sector tenders for virtual reality projects or products. But six of these were in the first half of 2019. This includes a £700,000 project from Highways England to deliver a virtual training environment, and a three-year framework launched by housing association London and Quadrant, which will use VR/AR technology in the planning of new buildings. A wide range of universities have invested in VR or AR environments to support the teaching of engineering and other subjects. The Ministry of Defense also recently spent money on a “VR demonstrator” to showcase the technologies of the future that will play a key role in the defense sector.

This report features UK-based immersive tech pioneers in the media, advertising/marketing, gaming, enterprise training, computer vision, geolocation, telepresence, education, retail/ecommerce, journalism, healthcare, art/entertainment sectors, among others. Thanks to their involvement with the VRARA in the UK and beyond (VRARA has over 4200 companies, brands, schools registered and over 27000 professionals), we continue to demonstrate how VR and AR will change people's lives, businesses and grow the economy through innovation. This connection and collaboration seems particularly important now, as we face the UK leaving the EU, and with the potential of VR and AR to expand into a $60 billion market by 2023.

If you're not a member yet, please join us in creating this magical future. As Jay Samit puts it: "the best way to predict the future is to spend time with those creating it." And if you or your organisation plan on using VR and AR, then the VRARA and its members would love to hear about it, and we encourage you to get in touch. We can help. Email us at london@thevrara.com

Call for Participation in our UK VR/AR Ecosystem Report. Over 100+ to be listed!

If you are interested to be featured in this report or sponsor it, email info@thevrara.com

The VR/AR Association is working on a report that will highlight VR/AR companies, Universities, and organizations involved in VR/AR in the UK. If you are interested in being featured in this report or to sponsor, please email info@thevrara.com

UK has the second largest video gaming industry in Europe, the fifth largest in the world, and is responsible for the release of some famous games including the Tomb Raider series. The U.K. also has a broad-minded attitude to job employment: university graduates are not tied to jobs relating to their degree programme and complete career changes are not unusual, creating an atmosphere of openness, exploration and flexibility. Together, this has all helped build interest in and experimentation with emerging technologies like VR/AR.

The report will specifically highlight the following:

• Size of the local ecosystem market

• Number of relevant companies in the ecosystem

• List of companies and company info (size: number of employees, revenue; vertical, customers)

• Reasons why company is based in the local ecosystem

• Needs and hopes from and for the ecosystem

See examples of our other Reports here

And, below is a sample infographic that will be included in this report, which is generated by our Directory (so please make sure you are registered and your company info including logo is up to date.)

If you have any questions or are interested in being featured in this report or to sponsor, please email info@thevrara.com

Get your Company Featured in our VR AR Ecosystem Reports

VRARA's 50+ Chapters are producing industry reports on the regional VR/AR ecosystems to promote companies and organizations involved with immersive technologies and media from NYC to Sydney, across the world.  The reports will be promoted by VRARA and our partners reaching potentially a 1M audience. 

Would you be interested to have your company featured in these report or sponsor the report? If yes, then let us know at info@thevrara.com 

Each report will specifically highlight the following:

• Size of the local ecosystem market

• Number of relevant companies in the ecosystem

• List of companies and company info (size: number of employees, revenue; vertical, customers)

• Reasons why company is based in the local ecosystem

• Needs and hopes from and for the ecosystem

If you have any questions or are interested in being featured or sponsor, please reply to this email or email info@thevrara.com