Google introduces the Yi Halo VR camera that can capture 8K 3D 360 degree videos at 30 fps

Google has tied up with GoPro rival Yi to introduce the Yi Halo VR camera. The Yi Halo is the second camera based on Jump, a VR technology product from Google for professional productions. The Yi Halo is the second Jump camera from Google, after the GoPro Odyssey, to be aimed at high quality VR content creators. Yi has a much smaller and portable Yi VR 360 for live 360 broadcasts, as well as drone, dash and action cameras.

The Yi Halo has 16 2.5K cameras arranged in a ring, with a seventeenth unit facing upward. Two backup camera units are included in the box. After processing the video information from all the cameras together, you get an 8K video at 30 fps. The resulting video supports VR glasses, and uses the Jump assembler to create a seamless panorama. The exported data includes depth information that can be imported into visual effects and video editing software. The camera has been built to work natively with the Jump assembler. Here is a video of what the camera can do, which is better viewed with VR headsets.

Derin Turner, Production Director at VR Playhouse says “This camera and Jump ranks as one of the best and easiest pieces of equipment and platform to use on the market.” Jay Spangler, Executive VR Producer for Two Bit Circus says “The camera combined with the stitching algorithm is the best 360 video solution in the industry.”

There is an integrated control unit apart from the Android app.

The camera weighs just under 3.6 kg, and is pretty portable. An internal battery provides 100 minutes of continuous shooting. An AC charger can power the device and charge the batteries at the same time, and the rig supports V mount external batteries. An accompanying Android application allows for live monitoring and works as a command and control console. The recommended phones for the app are the Google Pixel phones, and the app only supports Android versions 5.0 and up. The computation power is provided by 18 Ambarella A9SE75 chipsets. There is an integrated omni-directional microphone on board. There is a passive and fanless cooling system on board. The camera is not resistant to dust and water, so cannot be used in these environments.

The camera is going on sale some time this summer, but a 100 selected creators will be able to get their hands on the rig, for free. Google also announced the start of the Jump Start program, which puts this exciting new rig in the hands of promising content creators, giving them access to the Halo camera before anyone else. During the Jump Start program, the creators will also have free access to the Jump assembler.

Those interested can apply for the Jump Start program up to 22 May.

Publish date: April 25, 2017 12:03 pm| Modified date: April 25, 2017 12:03 pm

Apple to focus on chip design in-house to reduce costs; to stop sourcing chips from Imagination

Image: Reuters

Apple Inc’s decision to stop licensing graphics chips from Imagination Technologies Group Plc is the clearest example yet of the iPhone maker’s determination to take greater control of the core technologies in its products – both to guard its hefty margins and to position it for future innovations, especially in so-called augmented reality.

The strategy, analysts say, has already reduced Apple’s dependence on critical outside suppliers like ARM Holdings Plc, now owned by SoftBank Group Corp.

Apple once relied heavily on ARM to design the main processor for the iPhone, but it now licenses only the basic ARM architecture and designs most of the chip itself.

More recently, when Apple bought the headphone company Beats Electronics, part of a $3 billion deal in 2014, it ripped out the existing, off-the-shelf communications chips and replaced them with its own custom-designed W1 Bluetooth chip.

“Apple clearly got rid of all the conventional suppliers and replaced about five chips with one,” said Jim Morrison, vice president of TechInsights, a firm that examines the chips inside electronics devices.

“Today we do much more in-house development of fundamental technologies than we used to,” Apple Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri said at a February conference. “Think of the work we do on processors or sensors. We can push the envelope on innovation. We have better control over timing, over cost and over quality.”

Most vendors of consumer electronics products rely on outside suppliers for chip design and development, primarily because it is extremely expensive. That has created huge opportunities for companies like ARM, Qualcomm Inc and Nvidia Corp, which have developed core technologies for processing, communications and graphics that are used by scores of vendors.

Now, though, Apple is so big that it can economically create its own designs, or license small pieces of others’ work and build on it. As with ARM and Qualcomm, the actual manufacturing of the chips is still contracted out to a semiconductor foundry, such as those run by Samsung Electronics and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd.

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Bringing more of the design work in-house cuts complexity, people familiar with the processes say. Instead of managing one or more design teams and then a fabricator, Apple has only to manage the fabricator.

It may also help the company move faster – and save money – as it focuses on new technologies such as virtual and augmented reality. Apple CEO Tim Cook has indicated that Apple plans to integrate augmented reality into its products, which makes 3-D sensors and graphics chips like Imagination’s especially important.

Even before formally cutting off Imagination, Apple had given hints that it was preparing to design its own graphics processors. Specifically, it introduced a piece of its own code called Metal for app developers. App developers use Metal to make their apps talk to the graphics chip on the iPhone.

By putting a piece of Apple-designed code between app developers and the phone’s chip, Apple has made it possible to swap out the chip without interrupting how the developers work. That could also make it easier to bridge the gap for developers between the graphics chips on Apple’s phones and its desktop computers, which currently require some separate coding.

“By promoting Metal instead of relying on other existing standards, Apple is not only able to control what graphics chip functionality is exposed at its own pace, but also blur the line for developers between coding for desktop and mobile GPUs,” said Pius Uzamere, the founder of a virtual reality startup called Ether.

Taking control of the iPhone’s chips can also help Apple keep costs down, which is especially important as it gears up for a feature-laden new iPhone this fall. Timothy Arcuri of Cowen & Co said in a research note that he thinks the curved screens expected on the new phone could add as much as $50 in cost, for example.

Shebly Seyrafi, an analyst at FBN Securities, estimates that the average price of an iPhone increased only 1 percent to $695 last quarter, while costs increased 8 percent to $420, resulting in an iPhone gross margin of 39.6 percent. That is down from the 44 percent average gross margin for iPhones in 2015, according to Seyrafi’s estimates.

Apple spends only $75 million a year on licensing fees for Imagination’s chips. But licensing fees to chip designers, taken together, are a significant cost for the iPhone. Apple recently sued Qualcomm for $1 billion over licensing terms for its communications chips – which Apple would have trouble designing in-house because of patent issues.

Reuters

Publish date: April 5, 2017 11:21 am| Modified date: April 5, 2017 11:30 am

Microsoft launches app to let users stream Xbox One titles on the Oculus Rift

By tech2 News Staff /  13 Dec 2016 , 12:27

Microsoft has launched the free Xbox One Streaming app for the Oculus Rift. Users will need a Windows 10 PC, an Xbox One and Oculus Rift on the same wireless network for the streaming to work. At launch there is support for Gears of War 4, Forza Horizon 3, and Halo 5: Guardians. Support for more titles, including sport and indie titles are planned for 2017. A few backward compatible Xbox 360 games will also be supported.

The feature is an extension of a feature that allowed Xbox One titles to be streamed to a Windows 10 machine. The Oculus Rift works with Windows 10 natively, so there is no need to install or configure additional software. The machine should be capable of supporting VR experiences, so the minimum requirements are on the higher side. Users will also require a free Xbox One Live account for the streaming feature to work. An Xbox One controller is used as input for the titles.

Previously, the Microsoft and Oculus teams had worked together to bring Oculus Rift support to the beta version of Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition. The experience allows users to play Minecraft on a virtual flat screen television, or dive into the game at any point for an immersive 360 degree Minecraft experience. At the Microsoft’s Windows 10 “Creators Update” event in October, Microsoft demonstrated its own VR glasses.

Google, Samsung, Oculus, HTC, Sony partner to create a Global VR Association

By tech2 News Staff /  08 Dec 2016 , 18:04

Virtual reality has seen a lot of development this year and many tech companies have come out with their own VR headsets as well. But as it stands, the VR headsets and VR roadmaps seem to be going their own paths and there isn’t any synergy so to speak. In order to stop that, top companies have decided to come together.

Google, HTC, Oculus, Samsung, Sony and Acer have come together in a partnership to create the Global Virtual Reality Association (GVRA) which aims to ‘unlock and maximise VR’s potential’.

This seems to be a logical step, as the current ecosystems are working in silos. For instance, the games on the Oculus store will not play on the Vive or PS VR or the sensors on the Vive are only unique to the Vive headset and will not work with anything else. Similarly Sony’s PS VR requires the PS 4 and its own sensor.

According to the press release shared by the association, “The Global Virtual Reality Association (GVRA) will develop and share best practices for industry and foster dialogue between public and private stakeholders around the world.”

The association aims to promote responsible development and adoption of VR on a global scale. The members are expected to share best practices, conduct research and bring the VR community on the same page.

“The GVRA is a necessary first step toward ensuring great VR experiences for everyone, through collaborating on research and sharing best practices as the field grows and evolves. We look forward to working with our industry colleagues,” said Google’s director of immersive design Jon Wiley.

Jordan McCollum, the general counsel for Oculus at Facebook said, “We’re still very much in the early stages of VR, so it’s critical that industry leaders work together to create and share ideas on how we can safely build this industry. I’m looking forward to working with other hardware makers to proactively address the challenges we need solve to make VR a success over the long term.”

Why IT leaders should pay attention to Augmented Reality

Brian Blau, Research VP, Gartner

  03 Nov 2016 , 16:11

By Brian Blau

Magikarp is in the fountain, Charmander is near the park bench, Rattata is by the front desk and everywhere people are throwing digital PokéBalls with their smartphones.

These names represent Pokémon characters, inspired by the popular 1990’s television show, that show up in your GPS-rendered surroundings while playing the new Pokémon Go app. As players walk around their neighborhoods, offices or any physical environs, the phone vibrates to let users know that a Pokémon is nearby. The image of the Pokémon is displayed over the real-world terrain, and players use the phone screen and a live camera view to “catch” the characters.

A Pidgey appears on a car in screenshots from Pokémon Go

Launched in a limited number of countries in July 2016, the app has risen to the top of the app store charts in the U.S. and broken many app engagement records. While Pokémon Go is a game and its augmented reality (AR) feature isn’t sophisticated, the app’s success has turbocharged attention on AR and

Lenovo Phab 2 Pro the first Tango capable smartphone will change how we look at AR and here is how

Seeing objects in a room

By tech2 News Staff /  03 Nov 2016 , 12:53

Lenovo Phab 2 Pro is the latest smartphone by Lenovo to go on sale for $499.99. In fact, the device is the first one that is powered by Google Tango framework which relies on depth sensing to create seamless Augmented reality figures on the screen. This company has been working on the technology since last few years with constant videos demoing it right from the early stages.Also, Google announced a Project Tango smartphone way back in 2014 along with Project Tango Tablet released in 2014.

Tango was originally known as Project Tango and looked like a simple concept that maybe used for something. We were not sure about what the depth-sensing will actually do but we got a concrete idea about it after Lenovo announced the smartphone in CES 2016 earlier this year. But Lenovo demoed the capabilities of the tango technology in Phab 2 Pro which made it a serious contender for the most innovative smartphone for the year.

The demos during Lenovo Tech World painted a perfect picture of how capable the platform was and that smartphones were powerful enough to sufficiently track the 3D world and project an augmented reality on the screen. These demos included using Tango platform to measure the dimensions of the room accurately and use shopping apps to virtually redecorate your room before buying furniture or new products for your home.

Other demonstrations included live size models of dinosaurs where you can check different species of dinosaurs  with life-size AR renders. The renders can be changes in scale to comparatively study the entire field with an unprecedented level of interactivity. This can result in newer and dedicated applications for students across different fields, right from students of architecture to medical students.

During the launch, there will be more than 20 apps available for Phab 2 Pro users to experience different aspects of what Tango platform has to offer. These apps range from ‘Augmented reality gaming’ and ‘Augmented reality utilities’ with the gaming apps directly aiming at pure gaming like Pokemon GO but without the battery drain while ‘utilities’ hinting at apps like “WayFairView,” “Measure,” and “Magic Plan.”

Sony’s PlayStation VR does work on PC and Xbox One, but it’s a crippled experience

By tech2 News Staff /  14 Oct 2016 , 17:43

Sony’s PlayStation VR headset is the cheapest VR headset around today. While the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive will set you back a whopping $799 each (with controllers), the PSVR will set you back by $550 (with all accessories). But there’s a catch.

Unfortunately, the PSVR headset is only compatible with Sony PlayStation 4 and later consoles and there’s no way to get the device running on a PC or laptop or other such device. Or is there?

Various reports have surfaced on Reddit indicating that the headset is indeed compatible with more than just the console. Apparently, you can simply plug your PSVR into any HDMI ready device, including an Xbox One, PC or even Nintendo Wii, and enjoy your game in a virtual 2D theatre of sorts on the PSVR.

There are theories as to why this works of course. The PSVR connects to the PS4 via HDMI, but not directly. There’s a processor unit in play, and it’s function isn’t entirely clear. Sony says that it handles virtual reality audio processing, but it also seems to determine if the headset is connected to a PS4 or not. Lacking such confirmation, the headset seems to be adapting all 2D video streams (that you’d see on a TV or monitor, to some kind of theatre experience. ArsTechnica gave the system a spin on the Xbox One and reported that the tracking capabilities don’t work. The virtual screen stays static. There is currently no way to get head-tracking or the controllers to work on the Xbox or PC.  

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ArsTechnica also points out that the Rift and Vive already have such modes, but those modes support tracking capabilities.

If the PSVR actually ends up working on PC—via a third-party hack or official support—it’s pricing alone might be enough to let Sony steal a march on HTC and Oculus.

No substitute for human contact, says Tim Cook while defending Apple’s augmented reality stand

Image: Reuters

By tech2 News Staff /  14 Oct 2016 , 17:57

Tim Cook is visiting East Asia and is currently in Japan. In an interview to Buzzfeed News Japan, Cook has again taken a side between virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Speaking to the correspondent, Cook said that there is no substitute for human contact and so Apple will want technology that encourages that.

Cook has been vocal about his preference for AR over VR. To that effect, Apple has beenpoaching engineers from companies such as Oculus Rift and Magic Leap. It has alsobought companies such as PrimeSense, the Israeli-company behind Microsoft Kinect’s sensor.

According to Cook, VR has interesting applications but it isn’t as broad-based as AR.

“Augmented reality will take some time to get right, but I do think that it’s profound. We might … have a more productive conversation, if both of us have an AR experience standing here, right?,” he told Buzzfeed.

Cook said that AR is better as it does not create barriers between people when they are interacting with each other.

In the story Buzzfeed also mentioned that Apple has held meetings with immersive content company such as Jaunt which is a cinematic VR company.

Tim Cook’s inputs on VR and AR are pretty logical. As reported by MacWorld, he commented “nobody in here, few people in here, think it’s acceptable to be tethered to a computer walking in here and sitting down, few people are going to view that it’s acceptable to be enclosed in something, because we’re all social people at heart.”

Cook was not against VR as he said, “I’m excited about VR from an education point of view, I think it can be really big for education, I think it can be very big for games. But I can’t imagine everyone in here getting in an enclosed VR experience while you’re sitting in here with me.”

Google Event: You can expect hardware, AI and VR announcements today

By Aditya Madanapalle /  04 Oct 2016 , 11:28

Google’s big October event is just hours away, and there are expected to be a number of major announcements. We might be on the verge of an extraordinary push into Hardware by Google, especially considering the event url is called Made by Google. The biggest announcement is expected to be the launch of two new high end Android handsets, that will let Google compete directly with Apple. There are further announcements expected for Google Home, Allo, the Daydream platform, and Chromecast. This is going to be an exciting confluence of hardware, artificial intelligence and virtual reality.

Pixel and Pixel XLThere were reports as far back as June that Google was in talks with hardware manufacturers to release in house devices. Two new smartphones from Google are expected to be launched at the event, and they seem to be positioned as the direct competition to the Apple iPhone 7 and the Apple iPhone 7 Plus. They are premium smartphones, with high end specifications, with custom software, and Google Assistant baked right in, to take on Siri. The Pixel phones are expected to come with unlimited cloud storage for photos and videos, that too in the original resolution. This is an attractive feature that will heavily convenience users, as they can easily forget about managing photos and let Google do all the hard work.

The Pixel Xl and the Pixel

The Pixel reportedly sports a 5.2-inch screen, whereas the slightly larger Pixel XL is expected to have a 5.5-inch  screen. Google finally stepping in to take on Apple products, comes towards the end of a year with a number of premium smartphones launches, including the OnePlus 3, LG G5, Huawei P9, the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. While still a niche category in India, there is