XRTechNews

Apple Enhances Vision Pro Experience with visionOS 2.2 Update

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 08:33:00 GMT

Apple is set to release visionOS 2.2 in December, bringing significant enhancements to the Vision Pro headset's Mac Virtual Display feature. This update introduces four key improvements:

Wide and Ultrawide Display Settings: Users can now choose between new Wide and Ultrawide display options, offering expanded virtual workspace configurations.

Enhanced Screen Resolution: The update delivers higher screen resolution, resulting in increased visual clarity for a more immersive experience.

Integrated Audio Playback: Audio will now play directly from the Vision Pro headset, eliminating the need for external Mac speakers and streamlining the user experience.

These advancements aim to elevate the functionality and user satisfaction of the Vision Pro, particularly for those utilizing the Mac Virtual Display feature. The visionOS 2.2 update is anticipated to be available in mid-December.

DEEP.FINE's XR Spatial Information Solution 'DSC' Wins CES 2025 Innovation Award

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 08:22:00 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea—November 27, 2024—DEEP.FINE, a leading XR spatial computing platform company, has been honored with the CES 2025 Innovation Award for its XR spatial information construction solution, DEEP.FINE Spatial Crafter (DSC). The award, announced ahead of the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025 in Las Vegas, recognizes DSC's excellence in the XR Technologies & Accessories category.

CES, the world's largest consumer electronics exhibition, annually selects and honors top technologies and products with its Innovation Awards. DSC's recognition underscores its technological prowess and innovation in creating 3D representations of real-world spaces. DEEP.FINE plans to showcase DSC at CES 2025, aiming to introduce the solution to global enterprises and explore international market opportunities.

DSC enables users to effortlessly generate digital spaces using mobile devices, eliminating the need for expensive LiDAR equipment or specialized engineers. Within the platform, users can create and position AR content in both 2D and 3D formats. The system incorporates patented technologies, including a "3D map generation system that reduces production complexity and difficulty" and an "augmented content processing system," both registered this year.

A cornerstone of DSC is DEEP.FINE's proprietary Visual Positioning System (VPS), which facilitates precise augmented reality experiences. Unlike GPS, which is limited in environments with restricted satellite signals, VPS determines user positions through imagery, ensuring reliable operation in complex indoor settings such as exhibition halls, museums, and shopping malls. The platform's cloud-based infrastructure allows multiple users to share spatial data in real-time, enhancing collaborative efficiency.

DEEP.FINE has applied DSC in various projects, including the "AR-based Indoor Positioning Navigation Pilot Operation" conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Korea Land and Geospatial Informatix Corporation (LX). This initiative involved digitizing approximately 50,000 square meters of the Gwanghwamun area. Additionally, DSC has been utilized to create AR docent features, providing augmented reality introductions to exhibits within Seoul's public libraries.

"While digital transformation is progressing across industries such as manufacturing, construction, energy, and logistics, high costs have posed challenges for small and medium-sized enterprises and public institutions," said Hyunbae Kim, CEO of DEEP.FINE. "Our technology addresses the reliance on specialized personnel in digital twin construction and reduces costs by up to 80%, lowering the barriers to digital transformation. Our continuous efforts have culminated in this CES award."

Apple Announces Finalists for Apple Vision Pro App and Game of the Year Awar

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 08:25:00 GMT

Apple has unveiled the finalists for the 2024 App Store Awards, introducing a new category dedicated to Apple Vision Pro applications. This addition highlights the company's commitment to recognizing excellence in spatial computing.

Finalists for Apple Vision Pro App of the Year:

JigSpace: Enables users to effortlessly view 3D and augmented reality models, enhancing interactive learning experiences.
NBA: Redefines sports viewing by offering immersive experiences, setting a new standard for fans.
What If…? An Immersive Story: Invites users into a novel Marvel experience, blending storytelling with interactive elements.

Finalists for Apple Vision Pro Game of the Year:

Loóna: Presents relaxing puzzles designed to help users unwind and de-stress.
THRASHER: Features smooth, innovative controls, providing a dynamic gaming experience.
Vacation Simulator: Offers a vibrant, intuitive gameplay environment, delivering a refreshing take on virtual vacations.

These selections underscore Apple's dedication to fostering innovation in spatial computing, celebrating developers who push the boundaries of immersive technology.

Meta Horizon Worlds v123 Unveils Exciting New Features and Fixes

Tue, 28 May 2024 03:47:00 GMT

Meta Horizon Worlds has rolled out its latest version, v123, and fans of the virtual platform have much to look forward to. This update not only brings about a feature test related to quests and rewards but also addresses several bugs that have been affecting the user experience.

What's New?

Quests and Rewards Expansion: The developers are currently testing new features tied to quests and rewards. Some users might come across short-term experiments where achievements and quests are displayed on the World details page.

Thursday Night Rumble: An exciting event for the community has been introduced. Every Thursday night, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm PT, players can engage in Super Rumble, pitting their skills against others and proving their dominance.

Improvements and Fixes:

Quality of Life Enhancements: Avatars will now appear more luminous when viewing their hands or their reflection, particularly in Welcome Island.

Movement and Physics: Issues that hindered the smooth movement of objects, especially larger ones that rotate slowly, have been addressed. Duplicated objects that exhibited unusual sliding tendencies due to a defined center of mass will now move normally.

Party Interaction: A glitch that stopped individuals in a party from accepting an invite to another member’s Personal Space has been fixed.

For Creators: The limit on creating Persistent Player Variables has been raised from 75. Additionally, a problem regarding the erroneous movement of duplicated objects has been rectified.

Current Known Issues:

Emotion Mix-Up: Sometimes, using the “sad” emote accidentally triggers the “angry” one.

Object Interactions: Grab points may sometimes be challenging to spot or grasp, and grabbable objects can unintentionally apply force to avatars.

Music Settings: Despite setting World Music to 0%, music might still play in the background.

For Creators: Completely erasing an object’s tag requires modifying the tag first. Also, worlds with multiple collaborators might face hitches loading door content. Moreover, there's a scripting sequence error related to player entry events.

Meta Horizon Worlds continues to evolve, and with this update, the team is moving closer to providing an even more seamless virtual experience for its users. Whether you're into quests or just looking to hang out with friends, this platform is gearing up to offer something for everyone.

Unity Launches Beta Program for visionOS

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 03:35:00 GMT

The partnership between Unity and Apple facilitates a unified look for content by leveraging Unity's PolySpatial technology and Apple's RealityKit-managed app rendering. Such integration ensures that the content built in Unity aligns seamlessly with other apps on visionOS.

One of the significant highlights of the collaboration is Unity's commitment to support visionOS and PolySpatial, thus offering users the chance to enjoy Unity apps from day one in Apple Vision Pro's new spatial environments. Developers can sign up for the beta at www.unity.com/spatial.

The newly launched beta program empowers creators to build and adapt existing experiences for visionOS, allowing direct previews to Apple Vision Pro from Unity Editor. Intuitive new authoring workflows and robust input tools provide natural interaction using eyes and hands on Vision Pro.

Unity's SVP & GM, Ralph Hauwert, expressed excitement about working with Apple, emphasizing the company's commitment to streamlining the process for developers. Apple’s vice president of the Vision Products Group, Mike Rockwell, also shared enthusiasm about Unity-based apps running natively on Apple Vision Pro, thereby utilizing features like low latency pass-through and high-resolution rendering.

Comedy studio Triband has already benefited from Unity PolySpatial, adapting their game WHAT THE GOLF? for Apple Vision Pro. CEO of Triband, Peter Bruun, praised Unity's tools for facilitating a smooth transition to create an engaging experience on visionOS.

The Unity visionOS beta program includes development support for visionOS, PolySpatial, and access to onboarding resources. More details can be found at www.unity.com/spatial. Unity's collaboration with Apple opens a new horizon for developers, setting a benchmark for future immersive experiences in the industry.

Unity, the globally renowned platform for designing real-time 3D content, has launched a beta program for visionOS, inclusive of access to Unity PolySpatial. This integration with the Unity editor enables developers to create apps and games compatible with Apple Vision Pro.

The partnership between Unity and Apple facilitates a unified look for content by leveraging Unity's PolySpatial technology and Apple's RealityKit-managed app rendering. Such integration ensures that the content built in Unity aligns seamlessly with other apps on visionOS.

One of the significant highlights of the collaboration is Unity's commitment to support visionOS and PolySpatial, thus offering users the chance to enjoy Unity apps from day one in Apple Vision Pro's new spatial environments. Developers can sign up for the beta at www.unity.com/spatial.

The newly launched beta program empowers creators to build and adapt existing experiences for visionOS, allowing direct previews to Apple Vision Pro from Unity Editor. Intuitive new authoring workflows and robust input tools provide natural interaction using eyes and hands on Vision Pro.

Unity's SVP & GM, Ralph Hauwert, expressed excitement about working with Apple, emphasizing the company's commitment to streamlining the process for developers. Apple’s vice president of the Vision Products Group, Mike Rockwell, also shared enthusiasm about Unity-based apps running natively on Apple Vision Pro, thereby utilizing features like low latency pass-through and high-resolution rendering.

Comedy studio Triband has already benefited from Unity PolySpatial, adapting their game WHAT THE GOLF? for Apple Vision Pro. CEO of Triband, Peter Bruun, praised Unity's tools for facilitating a smooth transition to create an engaging experience on visionOS.

The Unity visionOS beta program includes development support for visionOS, PolySpatial, and access to onboarding resources. More details can be found at www.unity.com/spatial. Unity's collaboration with Apple opens a new horizon for developers, setting a benchmark for future immersive experiences in the industry.

Meta Connect 2023: A Return to Two-Day Event and New Announcements Await

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 03:46:00 GMT

MENLO PARK, Calif. - In an update following their initial announcement two months ago, Meta has revealed that Meta Connect will be making a significant comeback. Scheduled for September 27-28, the event marks a return to a two-day format.

Hosted at the Meta Headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., attendees and enthusiasts worldwide are ensured of an immersive experience. The company plans to broadcast the event live on several social channels, ensuring that a global audience can stay tuned in real-time.

Among the key highlights is the Keynote, to be delivered by Mark Zuckerberg. Additionally, the Developer State of the Union and various breakout sessions will delve deep into topics encompassing AI, virtual reality, mixed reality, and augmented reality. Attendees gracing the event in person can anticipate demo experiences, exclusive networking events, among other offerings.

Though the in-person slots are limited due to constraints, the virtual gates are open to all. A special focus this year is the eagerly anticipated unveiling of the Quest 3. Apart from this, glimpses into the latest strides in AI and XR innovation, a peek into the evolving metaverse, and interactions with the vibrant community of developers, builders, and creators are on the agenda.

Those interested should mark their calendars and keep a vigilant eye out for further details as the date approaches. Meanwhile, for exclusive insights, programming announcements, and real-time updates, signing up at metaconnect.com is highly recommended.

SK Hynix Likely to Supply Custom DRAM for Apple's 'Vision Pro'

Sun, 13 Aug 2023 03:44:00 GMT

It is reported that the customer-customized DRAM memory semiconductor made by SK Hynix will be installed in Apple's next-generation mixed reality (MR) headset, 'Vision Pro'.

According to the industry on the 11th, SK Hynix is expected to supply special DRAM for the Vision Pro, which Apple has announced for release. According to the industry, the Vision Pro is a device that implements computing functions in 3D space, worn like goggles, and is a new hardware device that Apple has unveiled for the first time in 10 years.

The special DRAM of SK Hynix was developed in-house for the Vision Pro. It supports real-time high-definition video processing in conjunction with Apple's new chip 'R1'.

The R1 chip processes information entered by 12 cameras, 5 sensors, and 6 microphones. According to the industry, it is known that Apple has continued to collaborate, such as changing SK Hynix's DRAM to a high-bandwidth product from the development stage and applying it to the R1 chip.

Apple plans to release the Vision Pro early next year. Regarding this, SK Hynix said, "We cannot confirm the contents related to the customer."

NVIDIA CloudXR Suite: A Game-Changer for Scalable XR Streaming

Sun, 13 Aug 2023 03:41:00 GMT

With extended reality (XR) becoming an integral part of many industries, NVIDIA is set to elevate the experience with its newly launched CloudXR Suite. This innovative suite is aimed at enhancing streaming quality for all-in-one (AIO) headsets, which, despite their convenience, often fall short in graphics capabilities.

NVIDIA's CloudXR Suite has been engineered to revolutionize XR streaming, allowing users with AIO headsets and mobile XR devices to immerse themselves in high-definition environments, irrespective of their location. By leveraging the power of NVIDIA RTX GPUs and the NVIDIA RTX Virtual Workstation software, the suite promises seamless streaming of XR applications to both Android and iOS devices.

What sets the CloudXR Suite apart is its dynamic adaptability. It optimizes image quality and frame rates according to network conditions, ensuring optimal augmented-reality and virtual-reality experiences. This adaptability provides businesses the flexibility to efficiently manage XR workloads, while developers benefit from a robust platform to craft tailor-made XR solutions.

Ericsson and VMware are among the first to tap into the potential of CloudXR. Collaborations like these pave the way for a more immersive, high-quality XR streaming experience, especially with the integration of low-latency features such as the 5G L4S.

Soon to be available for users, NVIDIA's CloudXR Suite is poised to be a game-changer in the XR landscape, promising a seamless streaming experience without compromising on graphic requirements.