VRARA Member EON Reality to Establish a VR Center in New York City

The Center will support a Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality certificate program offered through the Lehman College School of Continuing and Professional Studies

EON Reality Inc., and Lehman College, a public, senior college located in the Bronx that is part of the City University of New York (CUNY), announced the establishment of an Interactive Digital Center (IDC) as part of Lehman College's School of Continuing and Professional Studies. This IDC will support the training of new VR and AR professionals as well support the development of VR and AR applications that will assist in teaching Lehman's students. 

As established industries continue to be disrupted by technological advances, workers who have been displaced will need retraining to find a new trade. The VR and AR industries are quickly growing and require an infusion of talent to meet the market's demands, which some project to be around $150B by 2020. Additionally, EON Reality's seventeen years of experience in using VR for training and education will empower Lehman to create VR learning modules to help train workers for other industries.

"Lehman College is a perfect partner for EON Reality," said Dan Lejerskar, Chairman of EON Reality. "New York City is a place where our unique combination of training and education can make a difference in people's lives, especially when combined with Lehman College's expertise. VR and AR lets people learn by doing. This speeds up the entire learning process, improves retention, and helps learners make the right decisions in stressful situations. This technology is perfect for the School of Continuing and Professional Studies in one of the world's most dynamic cities."

"This vital partnership with EON Reality, is but one example of how Lehman is cementing its place as the most important, mission-critical senior college of The City University of New York," said José Luis Cruz, President of Lehman College. "This effort will provide invaluable state-of-the-art experiential training to students of our School of Continuing and Professional Studies -- positioning them well for the opportunities of the burgeoning VR/AR industry."

The first phase of the IDC is a VR and AR training facility and development lab, which will train future VR and AR professionals. Students will engage in a yearlong program that involves three months of classroom training followed by seven months of project-based learning that includes project work done for real customers. Additionally, the facility will include an Icube Mobile, a four-wall immersive Virtual Reality room, that will enable the students to experience and test their creations.

The IDC will open in the second quarter of 2017 and is now accepting applications. For more information please visit: www.eonreality.com.

VRevolution Event at Nasdaq NYC

VRevolution event in NYC featured 300+ executives from brands like NBA, Red Bull, PEPSICO, Six Flags, among others, and focused on building immersive brand experiences through VR and AR. Corporate and brand leaders got the opportunity to develop the strategies and relationships that they need to drive progress in consumer engagement or enterprise initiatives. 

VR/AR Association member STRATA was one of the vendors in the exhibit area. 

VR/AR Association Boston Chapter President, Mike Festa, was one of the many speakers: 

Everything VR & AR Podcast: Niko Chauls of USA TODAY NETWORK

Listen here

Joined by Niko Chauls who is the Director of Emerging Technology at the USA Today & Gannett Network on this episode to learn more about what his team is doing in the augmented, mixed and virtual reality space across their 110 locations in the United States.

Niko discusses what the purpose is behind the VRtually There YouTube channel, along with sharing more information about just what is the yearly StoryNEXT event that he is the Executive Director of.

Also Niko share some wonderful insight on the Hololens and what direction Microsoft is looking to head with it and so much more that it is just best to hear what he has to say.

The NRF & VR/AR Association invite you to the Retail BIG Show for VR AR in Retail & eCommerce

The industry’s premier event – Retail’s BIG Show – is January 15-17, 2017, in New York City. It’s three days, 33,000 attendees, 300 speakers, 100-plus sessions and 500-plus exhibitors. 

VR/AR will be one of the highlighted technologies at NRF. 

The NRF and VRARA invite retailers to the Big Show. VRARA retail members get in at a discounted price. This offer includes all session (breakouts and Keynotes based), EXPO floor to include all sessions on the EXPO (based on availability), and all open networking events (opening reception, keynote lunch). Offer good until 12/2/2016.

Contact Kris Kolo at kris@thevrara.com for the discount and or more details.

Below are examples of what VRARA members are doing with VR AR in Retail:

Mativision launches world’s first virtual medical reality training facility

Mativision is delighted to announce the launch of the world’s first virtual reality (VR) medical training facility, which opened in London this week with a live dental implant surgery broadcast via VR headsets to a group of senior global doctors.  Mativision’s proprietary VR platform, VRinOR®, has been specifically designed for medical education and training.  An important step for healthcare practitioners worldwide, the facility will be permanently located at the Practical Implant Dentistry (PID) Academy in Leeds following the London demonstrations. The centre will add a new dimension to medical training, facilitating the instantaneous dissemination of surgeries to remote doctors and students.

To mark the opening of the training facility, initially housed at Sethi Ltd on London’s Harley Street, 25 international doctors were invited to witness a specialist in dental implants, oral surgery and prosthodontics, Dr Ashok Sethi, perform two complex dental procedures. Viewed via VRinOR® on Samsung Gear VR headsets, the assembled doctors were able to view the operation in as much detail as if they were in the room.  The 360° camera provides those watching with the same viewpoint as the surgeon, offering a totally immersive experience. In addition, those viewing via the VRinOR® platform have access to interactive content that provides additional patient data and a close up view of the operation, projected over the 360-image.

The closed sessions in London are part of a series of many to filmed and viewed through VRinOR®. Once the permanent training facility opens later this year, the platform will be used as part of the academy’s Training in Practical Implant Dentistry course.  It is hoped that the model will be replicated at medical training establishments across the UK and beyond, providing doctors and students around the world unparalleled access to expert medical training, ultimately improving healthcare globally.

George Kapellos, Mativision’s Head of Marketing and Partnerships, said: “VRinOR® gives better-than-live access to operations – traditionally students and doctors would be behind a partition when viewing live operations for training purposes – with VRinOR® they have the same view as the surgeon: 360 degrees, full view of the cameras used internally in the patient, the ability to move around the operating theatre by switching the camera view, and at the same time they’re able to overlay the screen with patient information and other data.

“The opportunities to use VR technology for good are extensive and growing all the time. By breaking down traditional barriers, our bespoke training facility will allow doctors and healthcare professionals from across the world to learn from each other for the ultimate benefit of the patient, and the new centre is an important step in reaching this goal. We are thrilled to be a part of the journey towards global democratisation of healthcare training.”

Dr Ashok Sethi said: “The quality of VRinOR’s immersive and interactive content means I can demonstrate complex procedures with extreme precision and at the same time add a wealth of additional information to the VR content, helping my trainees get a deeper understanding of the surgery technique at a glance, even if they’re thousands of miles away. We are delighted to have access to this pioneering technology, and look forward to a future in which VR integration is standard practice in medical training.”

About VRinOR®:

Partnering with globally renowned doctors, VRinOR® aims to democratise global medical training by offering wider reach, content interactivity, easier access to a wealth of information and customised experiences. Please click below for the link to a clip of the world’s first VR surgery, which Mativision streamed live on VRinOR to 55,000 viewers worldwide in April this year.

The VRinOR® app can be downloaded on the following platforms:

iOS

Android

Gear VR

Recap of the StoryNEXT VR Stories event by USA TODAY NETWORK

LIVE on #Periscope: #storynext showcase part III #vrara https://t.co/yS785ULowI

— VRARA New York City (@thevraraNYC) October 27, 2016

The VR/AR Association partnered with USA TODAY NETWORK for this event in NYC that attracted the best minds in Media, Publishing, Journalism, and VR from the likes of USA TODAY NETWORK, Facebook, Google, New York Times, United Nations, among others. 

Below is a video of the USA TODAY NETWORK team talking about their VR app, VRTUALLY THERE,  and their experiences.

The discussions were of course around VR Stories, and specifics included content creation and consumption by anyone, viewed on any headset. Right now, you can't watch Facebook 360 video on Google's headsets, nor vice versa, can't watch Google's YouTube's 360 videos on Facebook. Where is the interoperability, compatibility the crowd asked. 

You can read more about what USA TODAY NETWORK is doing in VR here. 

The takeaways are highlighted in the below quotes:

VRARA NYC: Interview with Diego Fiorentin

The VR/AR Association recently sat down with Diego Fiorentin, head of business development for Squadability, an Uruguay-based software development company (with a new office in NYC) committed to delivering high-quality content and elevating the user experience. 

Fiorentin, 32, founded Squadability in 2015 after selling his software factory, intent on breaking barriers and serving as a vessel for change and problem-solving. It does not take long to see that Fiorentin is an optimistic man, so much so that his faith in ‘randomness’ to generate digital value is refreshing, particularly in a time where it seemed we were at risk of divorcing science and technology from a sense of engagement and meaning. Squadability carries this same philosophy to enact real change with virtual tools. For Fiorentin and his company, new technologies are synonymous with new answers. One such instance of their dedication to problem-solving lied in the lack of public ambulances in Brazil. Their response to this was the development of a mobile app operating under the same general structure of “summon-by-smartphone” technologies such as Uber. This time, however, the app alerts any nearby medical personnel and requests medical attention for immediate assistance. This, however, is only the beginning of Squadability’s quest to approach AR technology heuristically. “Augmented reality,” Fiorentin remarks, “is an extension of our senses, helping us see the details, providing a higher quality life”. 

Check out the video below for more details, as well as this week’s recap of virtual and augmented reality news.

USA TODAY NETWORK Joins the VR/AR Association

Now a member of the VRARA, the NETWORK is further committed to engaging the VR community.

The USA TODAY NETWORK has proudly joined the VR/AR Association (The VRARA) as part of the organization’s long-term commitment to build a deeper connection and further engage with the VR and AR community. The VR/AR Association is an international organization designed to foster collaboration between innovative companies and people in the virtual reality and augmented reality ecosystem that accelerates growth, fosters research and education, helps develop industry standards, connects member organizations and promotes the services of member companies.

“The VR/AR Association is excited to welcome the USA TODAY NETWORK as a member. Both of our organizations are dedicated to accelerating the growth in the virtual reality and augmented reality industry. As a member, the USA TODAY NETWORK will participate in the Association's initiatives and together with the community will accelerate the development and consumption of VR content." says Kris Kolo, President, VR/AR Association, NYC.

Being one of the first major publishers to experiment with storytelling using virtual reality, the NETWORK has been at the forefront of innovation when it comes to marrying technology with premium journalism, and has made major strides in producing award-winning VR content both editorially and for brands.

“As a network comprised of 109 local news properties as well as our flagship national brand USA TODAY, we are dedicated to creating high quality virtual reality content and deeply immersive experiences for our audiences,” says Niko Chauls, director of emerging technology at the USA TODAY NETWORK,

“However, we are all responsible for building a VR audience ecosystem and working together to drive mass adoption.  Partnering with an organization such as the VR/AR Association, a thought leader in the industry with deep roots in the VR and AR communities, helps us accomplish that goal. Our membership will allow us to create, collaborate and pioneer new media together and I’m thrilled to explore the great unknown.”

Learn more about USA TODAY NETWORK products, projects, and initiatives related to VR here. 

VRARA Member Mativision Featured during Facebook Oculus Keynote for VRinOR

By George Kapellos, Head of Marketing & Partnerships, Mativision

During the Keynote at the Oculus OC3, the 3rd Developers Conference in San Jose earlier today, Max Cohen, VP Mobile, showcased a selected few from the 400+ VR Apps which are available for the Oculus. 

When he reached the part about VR being educational, he said, “…people won’t be learning from textbooks, they’ll be learning experientially…” and brought to the big screen Mativision’s VRinOR App, to demonstrate his point, saying that  “… it was used to Live Stream an operation from inside the operating room…” 

For all of us at Mativision, this moment was the culmination of a long journey that started well before the world had even heard the word 'VR'. Because, Mativision was not created overnight. 

We can all remember many years ago, the efforts to put the first 360-degree video camera through its paces. To understand the basics of filming a full 'bubble' around you, the mistakes, the problems we had to solve, the development of everything from the ground up. 

It was no different when we decided that it was time to use our technology for a higher cause something that marketeers in the space have labelled 'VR for good'. 

Back in April 2016, when we live-streamed in VR a cancer removal operation, something that had never been attempted before, we were mostly interested in the reviews and comments of medical students who watched the VR stream with headsets and to our satisfaction found out that they were all overwhelmed by the enthusiasm with which they described the uniqueness of the experience, not because it was “cool”, but because it had a much higher educational impact on them. 

That is when we decided to develop VRinOR, the world’s first VR platform, dedicated to the distribution of medical training content. The platform was launched in July and since then it is being populated with real operations filmed in VR. 

We aim to establish VRinOR as the go-to-hub for VR medical training content for all medical students and doctors worldwide.

And this is just the beginning to a very exciting journey....

To learn more about Mativision's VRinOR solutions see here. 

"Sensorama" - AR Going Forward

Tuesday’s event at the NYU Data Future Lab was another great success for the New York chapter of the VR/AR Association. The night began with esteemed media consultant and start-up veteran Chris Pfaff of Chris Pfaff Media/Tech LLC giving a primer on augmented reality, as well as the various channels through which it is presently operating and through which it is anticipated to operate. Naturally, Niantic’s Pokémon Go was a point of discussion; the breakout mobile game’s AR capability has been and continues to be debated amongst developers and academics. The debate itself is testament to the embryonic state of AR in the present age. It is for this reason that Pfaff’s basic definition of the technology — the layering of digital sensory information over reality — was both appropriate and necessary. 

Blippar's Ariff Quli operated under the same premise of “technological infancy”. Through his presentation, the notion of “everything around us [being] a new channel” was truly realized. A live on-site demo showed attendees the capabilities of machine learning not only for commercial spheres such as marketing and retail, but for education as well. From the anthropomorphization of a Coke bottle and the simulated exploration of the inside of a Jaguar XJR to the flight of virtual butterfly, born from the margins of a 2D drawing. As advanced as the beta was, future iterations will only become more developed, more accessible, smarter. That is to say, the future of visualization through AR, in industry and education, is promising. 

This was reaffirmed by Diego Florentin of Squadability, whose insistence on AR’s potential beyond entertainment and advertising was particularly emotive. As might be expected, he touched on the Internet of Things and how our everyday lives will be suffused with AR technology. For instance, the implementation of AR technology for the sake of affecting change toward the minutiae of our activities, our sports, our fashion, even our transportation systems. Imagine the ability to drive and not only hyper-visualize the things that lie before you and your immediate area but to also preemptively organize and navigate any route, all without having to look away from the road and down at your phone. Florentin ended his presentation with a call to action, to think bigger and to disrupt.

Oskari “Ozz” Häkkinen of Futurefly directed us toward the more gaming-oriented path that lies in AR’s future. However, he also introduced us the recently launched RAWR, a messenger app operating through the interaction of personalized 3D avatars that are responsive to a myriad of terms and emojis, denoting the weather, setting, and even physiology of the avatars themselves. Particularly interesting is that the avatars do not stay confined to the tiny world within the messenger app but can be superimposed onto our own rooms and surroundings.

The night continued with Ixonos’ Ted Iannuzi, whose technological endeavors predate the commercial implementation of VR and AR, but not necessarily their conception. Iannuzi’s talk began with the literature and ideas within that literature that inspired him — Popular Science, Popular Mechanisms, science fiction comics. He presented a pre-Internet world, imagination as the driving force behind emergent technologies, whose linear history trace back from TV Googles in 1963 to a holographic ATM that transcends physicality.

And with the remembrance of a pre-Internet world came the contemplation of a post-Internet one. Our Q&A session brought forth a important question concerning the standardization of AR technology, of a forthcoming reality that is increasingly softening borders that once stood so resolute between the physical and the virtual. What to call this new term of art and design, of new forms of engagement? “Sensorama…” quipped Iannuzi.

Bending the Curve in Real Life: Augmented Reality for Producers

Join the VR/AR Association for our next New York event on Sept. 26 at the NYU Data Future Lab at 137 Varick St.

____

Augmented reality involves layering visual information on top of existing physical reality. Whether through mobile apps, head-mounted displays (HMDs); head-up displays (HUDs); retinal displays, or haptic sensors, AR provides experiences that are changing the way media is consumed and distributed. From the hit game ‘Pokemon Go’ to the forthcoming Magic Leap platform, the lure of AR involves geolocation information and real objects in a transformative way. Lower-cost hardware and the first holographic projection systems offer producers new ways to deliver advertising, viral stories, and special venue content.

The AR industry has evolved from Will Wright’s ‘The Sims’ to companies such as Blippar, which enables smartphones users to recognize images and layer content on top of objects, and Atheer, which delivers a mobile 3D platform.

This session will feature leading producers in the AR field, who will discuss the opportunities available for creative technologists and production companies in AR.

Mativision joins the VR/AR Association

With offices in New York, London, and Athens, Mativision provides truly immersive experiences for brands and businesses by giving them the ability to film and broadcast in full 360˚ vision and Virtual Reality (VR). Mativision has spent more than 10 years developing the world’s end-to-end technology that can stream live directly to VR from multiple synchronized 360-degree cameras, a technology that places Mativision in the forefront of the VR revolution.

Mativision's mission it to build the future of VR in Medical Education & Training through the VRinOR® mobile platform.  More info here . 

Envision - An Evening of Connection

Thank you to the event sponsors BrickVR and SpaceoutVR! 

LIVE on #Periscope: Envision 2016 brought to you by The VR/AR Association https://t.co/SdjkYuCFM0

— VR/AR Association NY (@thevraraNYC) September 8, 2016

‘Awesome,’... followed by smiling and laughter, as the attendee was immersed via the VR headset into another world. Excitement was the sentiment expressed by people who came and participated in our Envision Entertainment VR/ AR Event at Microsoft Technology Center last night. As an introduction to the brands and agencies that need more content in VR and AR; our goal was to start the conversation on how to integrate more VR/ AR experiences into production, marketing planning, and budgets.

SpaceoutVR talked about music as one of their driving experiences, BrickVR showcased their Firefly Concert Series to bring out emotional engagement, and Firstborn Digital Studio displayed their talent for action packed media play for sports brands. They also discussed the evolution of an earned media channel through their work with Mt. Dew.

Keeping in line with the theme shared by fellow speakers, KonceptVR told a story of how they partnered with space programs to create a ‘transformative’ connection with the viewer in their upper stratosphere space vision project.

Likewise, abstract color images set the scene as VirtualizeVR, David Mullett, delivered his nuanced rhythmic presentation of a work titled ‘a flash of color,’ which was used to hypnotize the user. Studio Transcendent described the narrative journey, and Total Cinema 360, Director Adrian Vasquez de Velasco authentically expressed his passion for original creative content.

The evening was wrapped up perfectly by TwoGoats Experiential Marketing Agency, Rich Cummings’, very accessible zeal while going over brand marketing and business in the VR space.

All in all a great success! Look forward to more.

VRARA NYC Chapter Member, SpaceoutVR, Listed in the Top 10 Most Amazing Virtual Reality Startups

Congratulations to NYC Chapter member, SpaceoutVR, which received an Honorable Mention in the Top 10 Most Amazing VR Startups. 

VRARA Presenting at the S&P Global Analyst Training for VR in NYC

On Aug 9th, VRARA NYC Chapter President, Kris Kolo, will be talking about the NEW, New Wave: Virtual Reality - it’s not just a game anymore.  

• How many companies are currently in market?
• What industries are they engaged in (movies, games, TV shows, sports, music, advertising, marketing, e-commerce, retail, security, health care, CADCAM (computer assisted design and manufacturing), hospitality, etc.)?
• what are the overall economic size of the VR/AR nascent industry  
• A case study example of how VR/AR is being adopted and integrated into a company engaged in the media/entertainment/media tech industry and what the company hopes to achieve, how, and when.
• Why is VR/AR not just a phase? VR/AR has been around for two decades and keeps restarting and evolving from motion enhancement, bulky viewers and headsets, 3D projection, etc. 
• How will VR/AR enhance incumbent business models and what might be the upside, and when?

If interested in attenting, email kris@thevrara.com

SpaceoutVR in Dominican Republic - Fostering “VR Entrepreneurs"

Below is guest blog post from VRARA NYC Chapter member SpaceoutVR about an ongoing effort in the Dominican Republic to introduce Latin American university students to Virtual Reality and inspire the next generation of VR Entrepreneurs.

SpaceoutVR donated branded headsets to the program and plans to continue to support this project, called BUSCAN2. Included is an interview with the founder of BUSCAND2, Omar Serra.

FOSTERING “VR ENTREPRENEURS” IN LATIN AMERICA

By Duncan Crary, SpaceoutVR

SpaceoutVR has teamed up with New York City-based BUSCAN2 to introduce Latin American students to virtual reality technology and motivate them to become “VR Entrepreneurs.”

This spring, SpaceoutVR donated branded virtual reality headsets to BUSCAN2 to distribute to students in the Dominican Republic who are learning hands on about VR. Founded by CEO Omar Serra, BUSCAN2 is a motivational program that introduces Latin American students and universities to the educational possibilities made possible through new technologies, while also incentivizing those students with digital currency rewards that can be used to further enhance their educational experience.

“I have been blessed as an entrepreneur, and I want to bring opportunity back to kids in the Dominican Republic and as a whole in Latin America,” said Dominican-born Serra, who now lives in New Jersey and works in New York City. “These are kids that are dreaming about things we take for granted in the United States. It’s a sad reality of Latin America.”

BUSCAN2 is a phonetic-visual substitution for the Spanish word buscando, meaning “searching” or “seeking,” with the number 2 replacing dos.  (It’s like how English speakers sometimes type the number 4 in the place of “for,” Serra explains.) The company aims to encourage students in Latin America to focus on their studies by rewarding their academic accomplishments with a digital currency called “Kunis.” Though at first it may seem to Americans like a bribe for studying, the program actually takes away the stress of not having money to pay for school that forces many students to get jobs or, worse, look to the streets for a way to earn a living.

“The sad thing in Latin America is that very little things will take someone away from the task of having a future, and BUSCAN2 wants to continue to be the company that -- in collaboration with the universities -- creates an entertaining and hopeful environment,” Serra said. “We reward kids for going to school.”

Each student in BUSCAN2 receives a Smart ID that holds personal info and a balance of Kunis they have earned. Currently the Kunis can be redeemed only at participating businesses -- such as retailers, restaurants or theaters -- or BUSCAN2 will provide a certificate that functions like a check that can be redeemed by the businesses. In the future, Serra hopes the cards will be more universally accepted and act like bankcards.

“We are still very much in beta,” Serra said. “We are now expanding so that kids can use the currency to pay for school and fund their own projects -- more than just everyday items.”

But where does virtual reality come in? Serra says that back in 2008, he set out to create a “parallel world” in which Latin American students can earn currency for learning and doing good things, as well as connecting like-minded students who are focused on doing better in life. And he wanted to create an environment that would foster a more significant dialogue than one finds on many other social media sites. With the recent marriage of virtual reality and smart phones, Serra realized the technology is now affordable and advanced enough to create that world.

“Buscan2 now has all these things that can be translated to VR. So, when the day comes you can take your course at home through VR. You can buy all your books through VR. And you can continue to earn currency that you can spend in the virtual world,” Serra said. “What’s happening now is certainly a game changer.”

Serra also hopes that a partnership between BUSCAN2, Latin American universities and VR companies will create the next generation of digital entrepreneurs who will develop apps and collaborate in the virtual world. It has the potential to be a win for all—the students, the universities, the people of the DR and other Latin American countries, BUSCAN2 and the participating virtual reality companies, he said.

SPACEOUTVR, BUSCAN2 & DOMINICAN STUDENTS

This April, BUSCAN2 organized a series of VR presentations, hosted by Bracey Smith, at three universities in the Dominican Republic: Universidad Nacional Evangélica (UNEV), Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE). The talks attracted hundreds of students, including students from several additional universities. Serra used expensive VR equipment as well as more affordable SpaceoutVR-branded smart phone/cardboard viewers to demonstrate the technology and its applications.

BUSCAN2 awarded the donated SpaceoutVR cardboards based on the results of a contest so that they can continue to use them and learn about VR. Thanks to this initial presentation, Serra said a teacher and students at Instituto Politécnico Loyola (Loyola Polytechnic Institute or IPL) took the initiative to create their own “How to create VR content” class that meets on weekends outside the normal school schedule. Though not an official university course, yet, the school did donate the classroom space, Serra said.

But these students aren’t just interested in VR because of the fun and games. “It’s the dream of every kid to be another Mark Zuckerberg -- to create another Facebook,” Serra said. “They were thinking of becoming entrepreneurs but they didn’t know in what space. Now they chose VR.”

Dennis Adamo, Commercial Director and COO of SpaceoutVR, said he is interested in helping BUSCAN2 accelerate the program by supplying more corporate sponsored headsets.

“We thought it was an important opportunity for us as a company to spread VR, get students and teachers around the world to try VR now,” said Dennis Adamo, SpaceoutVR Commercial Director & COO. “I think this is going to be an ongoing SpaceoutVR program that serves our company commitment to corporate social responsibility and being good global citizens.”

For more information, see SpaceoutVR on www.spaceoutvr.com

SpaceoutVR, Inc Presents at the USPS Office of Inspector General VR Awareness

On June 25, 2016 the USPS Office of Inspector General, invited VRARA NYC Chapter Member, SpaceoutVR, Inc. to present some of the challenges and opportunities for VR Hardware sellers to get engaged with the innovations program at the  USPS Office of Inspector General, in Washington D.C. The program consisted of several companies in different areas of Digital marketing and services. SpaceoutVR, Inc.'s COO Dennis Adamo delivered an exciting overview of the VR/AR industry and talked about the challenges of shipping and servicing VR consumers. See the presentation here. 

NYU becomes a member of the VR/AR Association

The VR/AR Association (The VRARA) is pleased to announce that New York University (NYU) has become its newest member.

Both the VR/AR Association and NYU are dedicated to fostering growth and research in the virtual reality and augmented reality communities.  As a member, NYU will participate in the Association's University Partner Program by which NYU's research groups will be connected with VR AR companies to accelerate research and development. In addition, the Association will help enhance networking opportunities for NYU students in the VR AR industry.

NYU recently hosted the sold out VRARA March event in NYC.  "NYU is very prominent institution in the VR AR space, with many departments and groups being very active in the Media and Gaming space, including the Computer Science department, NYU Media Lab, Games for Learning Institute, MAGNET (the Media and Games Network), Integrated Digital Media Program in the School of Engineering, among others," says Kris Kolo, President of the VR/AR Association NYC Chapter.

"We are exciting to participate in the AR/VR Association University Partner Program" says Ken Perlin, Professor of Computer Science at NYU's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences.  "The field is moving very rapidly, and this partnership will help our students and faculty connect with industry at a critical time in the evolution of VR."

Ken Perlin of NYU won an Academy Award for his technical work improving special effects, ultimately used in movies such as  "Inside/Out."  He is currently developing additional  tools for filmmakers in the future.

"What they're doing at NYU is going to change the way you watch movies," said Kolo