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Art in a virtual reality: the platforms bringing exhibitions home – Wallpaper*

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

Liu Ye, Catherine Deneuve, 2012. Acrylic on canvas, 60 x 45 cm. Private Collection, Beijing. Photography: Roberto Marossi; courtesy of Fondazione Prada Milano

Fondazione Prada looks inwards and outwards for its virtual presence

On the back of show postponements, the Milan institutionhas amped up its virtual presence, offering a visual lab of creativity to keep the inspiration flowing. Across platforms including Vimeo, Youtube, Facebook and the website, Fondazione Prada is forming virtual exhibition experiences, opening up the archives, presenting video projects and more.Inner Views takes a visual dive into three recently-opened exhibitions: Storytelling, by Chinese painter Liu Ye, K, a multi-platform exhibition inspired by three uncompleted Franz Kafka novels and The Porcelain Room, exploring the historical significance of Chinese-exported porcelain. Here, the institution thinks beyond the gallery experience, offering new interviews and videos encouraging intimate engagement with the exhibitions and the creative minds behind them. In Outer Views, the foundation transcendsphysical and virtual walls, documenting thecuratorial contribution of Collezione Prada, including recent loans for major retrospectives of Donald Judd, Bruce Nauman and Richard Artschwager.fondazioneprada.org; instagram/fondazioneprada

Writer: Harriet Lloyd-Smith

VR Education believes enforced home working will be game changer for virtual reality – Proactive Investors Australia

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

Homeworking is one of the things that has changed dramatically in thepast month of the coronavirus pandemic.

How do you organise or attend a conference from your own study and when there is a travel ban, for example.

One answer isto host a conference in virtual reality and if you have the technology to hand, like Ireland's VR Education PLC (), this period of enforced homeworking is set to be a company maker.

Dave Whelan, chief executive and founder of VRE, says his phones have been ringing off the hook since coronavirus restrictions wereimposed,with the company employing additional business development staff to handle the extra workload.

Two weeks ago, it ran a virtual conference for Taiwanese electronics group HTC.

The Hyve conference is normally an event with physical attendees, but as it was due to be held in China HTC asked VRE if it could host the event virtually.

Whelan says it had over 1,000 logged in atthe event through its virtual reality platform Engage.

Speakers and attendees from Europe and the US were able to interact naturally with visitors from China while over 1.1mln watched the live streaming of the conference.

Since then, it has been inundated with queries from event organisers through the world.

Because of the virus, organisers are really assessing how they have done business in the past and asking can we do this online in future, he says.

Whelan adds that a key advantage of its Engage VR platform is that it has a very low bandwidth requirement for conversations inside the platform.

We dont transmit video. What we transmit is positional data, which is a large text file, and MP3 audio.

For people, who cannot run a Skype meeting or video conference because of bandwidth constraints, Engage will work perfectly well, he adds.

Whelan believes the last couple of weeks have been a game-changer for the VR sector overall, which up to now has promised much but struggled to deliver.

VR headsets have fallen in price so you dont need a computer while a 5G connection works extremely well.

Anyone who has used Zoom and Skype for meetings knows they can get very busy, very quickly with people talking over each other.

Using VR, enables a meeting-style connection at home.

Engage uses3D spatial audio, he explains, so if you are in a group of 50 people in a virtual room and there is a presentation going on at the front, you can still lean over to the person next to you and whisper as if you were sitting next to them.

You can also draw on the virtual whiteboard or make a presentation, he adds.

Headsets are around US$400 each and can connect directly to W-Fi, while each 'virtual seat' on the enterprise version of the Engage platform costs US$300.

Originally, Engage was set up as an educational tooland here too business is flying at present.

Games activity has rocketed since the lockdowns and that has translated into big rises in the usage of VREs software.

A new game Space Shuttle Commander is due to come out shortly on best selling headset Oculus, but Whelan says Engage is also being used a social medium to help people keep in touch in the current situation.

Going forward, the prospects look bright.

Following the success of the Hyve conference, HTC wants to be become a reseller of VREs software in China and combine it with its own hardware.

Discussions areunderway with other large conglomerates including telecoms companies and hardware businesses.

Trading is going really well," says Whelan, adding thelast few weeks have been transformative.

"Now one saw this coming. We thought 5G was going to be the push for VR technology, but with the virus causing a lot of people to reassess how they work and communicate, now is the time that this technology is going to flourish."

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VR Education believes enforced home working will be game changer for virtual reality - Proactive Investors Australia

Virtual Reality Can Transform The Remote Workforce – Allwork.Space

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

As technology allows workers to meet through video communication tools and conference call software, replicating real-life meetings or product demos can be challenging. That is where virtual reality comes in. Companies can use VR to hold meetings with both employees and customers and interact as if they were physically together.

Furthermore, VR technology can reduce the need to go to a new location for meetings, which also cuts the costs of commutes for employees as well as your companys carbon footprint.

VR meetings also help cut down on distractions, which keeps employees engaged and makes for more meaningful and productive meetings. For instance, MeetinVR allows users to move, point, sketch and interact with objects and people like in real life. This makes brainstorming and team-building activities that much more effective.

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While there are numerous resources and tools like Slack to keep colleagues communicating, a VR breakroom or lunchroom can encourage employees to make a more meaningful connection with one another.

VR technology can also be used to better cater to remote workers well-being. For instance, companies can design VR environments such as meditation rooms and quiet spaces.

Introverted employees can also look to gain a lot from VR meetings as it offers them a way to socialize and engage with colleagues, without the exhaustion that an in person meeting can cause.

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Virtual Reality Can Transform The Remote Workforce - Allwork.Space

Next Generation HP Virtual Reality HMD Teaser – 8Bit/Digi

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

Following the successful launch of Half-Life: Alyx, Hewlett-Packard has announced the next generation of the Virtual Reality HMD.

The next generation of the HP Virtual Reality HMD is being developed in collaboration with Microsoft and Valve. The announcement was made in the teaser featured above. While not much is known about it at the moment, its clear that they are trying to go head to head with Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR and the HTC Vive.

More details will be announced in the future. Its unknown if it will appear at major expos and conventions during the late Summer or early Fall season.

8Bit/Digiis an independent media outlet that provides an insight into the video game community and industry of theSan Francisco Bay Area.

We are an indie media outlet that provides an insight into the gaming community and industry of the Bay Area. Please help support independent media by donating today.

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Next Generation HP Virtual Reality HMD Teaser - 8Bit/Digi

University researcher uses virtual reality to fight COVID-19 – CTV News

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

SUDBURY -- Researchers from around the world have been working non-stop, using a variety of tools, to come up with a treatment for COVID-19. Laurentian University's Stefan Siemann has those means at his fingertips.

Hes just one of several researchers that answered a call from the United Kingdom to study the virus using virtual reality.

"What I'm doing is I've shifted my focus from typical enzymology, so studying enzymes and proteins, to something particular related to COVID, to the new virus" said Siemann.

They're looking at potential molecular targets that could block a protein that is made by the COVID virus.

"You have to kind of imagine the virus itself, and related viruses like the AIDS virus and SARS virus, they make this giant protein and it's really non-functional, but what this protein that we're looking at does is it chops it into pieces and these pieces are absolutely vital to replication of the virus, so if you could block that from working, this particular protein that chops, then the virus wouldn't replicate so it's a very attractive drug targeted that's already been exploited with AIDS treatments and SARS treatments as well," said Siemann.

The hope is that something like this could work with the new coronavirus.

He anticipates that it could take another year for a vaccine to emerge, this is just providing researchers with additional avenues to take.

"If you can come up with pharmaceuticals that can bind and block this one protein from functioning, the virus is not replicating and eventually your immune system will pick up and eventually get rid of the virus."

The program he's been using has allowed him to immerse himself into the protein world, to visualize the cavity on COVID-19 they are trying to fill.

"It's like building lego with little fragments and pieces and block this big cavity and so when you do that, the protein will not work and it will not do the chopping so virtual reality allows you to dive right in," said Siemann.

He first became aware of the technology more than a year ago. Since then, he's introduced it into his course load and has been showing it to students.

"I think this is where education will go for chemistry, bio-chemistry and probably other disciplines," he said. "In this case you even collaborate with people around the world so they can enter the same virtual reality world where you can talk to them, interact with them and work on the protein together."

"I don't think it's going to be a quick fix, so this is kind of exploratory, someone still has to make these types of molecules so there's organic chemists involved, so what we're doing is coming up with ideas and uploading our ideas onto a central server in the UK. They're going to look at what we propose and then actually have to make those types of molecules and that's a major challenge in some cases," he said.

"So it's a good step, it's a step in the right direction but it'll take time, it's not a quick fix by any means," said Siemanns.

Any sort of medication would have to be synthesized, tested and then approved before it could be used on the market.

"The hope is to find something that's already out there like a drug or something that was explored as a drug, maybe something that was approved that might work against the virus, that would be quick," he said.

Siemann's efforts have been just one of several Laurentian faculty have been undertaking since the campus was shut down.

Another professor has also been making hand sanitizer for the Greater Sudbury Police Service.

Laurentian University President Robert Hache adds they've been making every effort to continue research projects including those aimed at COVID-19.

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University researcher uses virtual reality to fight COVID-19 - CTV News

Israel Opens Jerusalem to World This Easter Through 360 Virtual Reality – CBN News

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

JERUSALEM, Israel Every spring, the streets of Jerusalem are bursting with Jewish and Christian pilgrims ready to celebrate Passover and Easter. And this year the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan begins in April, too.

This year, that wont be possible due to the devasting COVID-19 global pandemic. However, technology is allowing people from around the world to visit the heart of Jerusalem from their own homes. Israels iconic Tower of David Museum is using virtual reality to allow pilgrims to visit the Western Wall during Passover, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher during Easter and at the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan.

The museum Innovation Lab has created an immersive 360-degree virtual reality experience that anyone with an internet connection can access. Visitors will be able to see Jerusalem as it is today and how it looked 2000-years-ago with several virtual reality tours.

The Tower of David Museums Innovation Lab has worked with companies such as Blimey and Lithodomos and is supported by the Jerusalem Development Authority. The tours and experiences encapsulate the essence of the innovative vision at the Tower of David Museum - to create a modern, dynamic, unique language for the rich story of Jerusalem. VR can enable emotions felt as close to possible as when one is physically present. We hope that for those looking for hope in these uneasy times and for those that might turn to prayer and to Jerusalem - might find a little bit of hope when becoming immersed in the holy city of Jerusalem, says Eilat Lieber, Director of the Tower of David Museum.

Lieber hopes the virtual tours will give people hope as they continue to battle the coronavirus.

These are challenging times for us all, she continued. Millions of prayers and dreams of people from all over the world have been caught between the towers, spires, and domes of the city for thousands of years. The city has given hope and inspiration for centuries.

People will be able to access the virtual reality tours free of charge from the first day of Passover, through Easter, to the first day of Ramadan April 9-24.

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Israel Opens Jerusalem to World This Easter Through 360 Virtual Reality - CBN News

Virtual reality brings ancient sites of Syria and Iraq to life – The Times

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

The wars in Iraq and Syria have cut off some of the most celebrated ancient cities in the world from public view.

However, virtual reality technology means that the sites can now be visited remotely, and the scale of the destruction they have suffered more fully appreciated.

An exhibition in Washington titled Age Old Cities: a Virtual Journey from Palmyra to Mosul has brought to life five significant sites in three cities: Aleppo and Palmyra in Syria, and Mosul in Iraq.

The mosque was one of the historical sites which have been ruined by conflict in Syria

The exhibition, at the Smithsonian Institutions Arthur M Sackler Gallery, is closed at present because of the coronavirus pandemic but the virtual reality parts can still be downloaded from the internet, where they have been posted by the video-games company that helped to create

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Virtual reality brings ancient sites of Syria and Iraq to life - The Times

The virtual reality of the class of 2020: A high school senior’s perspective – Montgomery Advertiser

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

Nya McClain, Special to the Advertiser Published 10:37 a.m. CT March 30, 2020 | Updated 10:47 a.m. CT March 30, 2020

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The class of 2020s senior year recently tested positive for Coronavirus.

The better part of a year spent anxiety-ridden over deadlines and testing, mentally exhausted by college essays and class projects, and full of anticipation over reaching the end of our thirteen-year journey and the starting a new chapter of independence, now comes to a screeching halt. A global-pandemic-sized halt. A halt that tosses us into unfamiliar territory of having spare time and questions that neither Google nor Wikipedia can answer. A halt filling us with uncertainty. Uncertainty that looks like prom dresses ready to be worn or returned, college visits postponed or held virtually, and pre-dated graduation invitations that may or may not be mailed.

After spending this school year meticulously managing and mapping out time, time now leaves us hanging in the balance of a short abbreviation TBD.

As cohorts of Generation Z, we are often characterized as being entitled and self-absorbed. Should we ignore the sadness of unfulfilled expectations for our senior year, perhaps replacing it with the worlds shared malaise of the COVID-19 crisis? Is expressing frustration and disappointment symbolic of our selfish generation, or is it typical of any high school senior, regardless of birth year, to wants a special acknowledgment of past accomplishments and future potential?

Nya McClain is a senior at LAMP High School in Montgomery.(Photo: Contributed)

Surely this is why senior photo shoots, class rings, custom invitations and graduation ceremonies were invented to memorialize this milestone year.

My fellow classmates, in due time we will move beyond the uncertainty of the present and refocus on the future that lies before us. In the meantime, lets remind ourselves and others that we are owed the grace to express our unique feelings about this very odd period in time that caught the entire world off guard. As the generation also characterized as being great multitaskers, we are capable of feeling both the personal and earthly gravity of this situation.

We mourn for the loss of getting to fully experience the end of our senior year. In typical response, the world around us is shouting for us to get over ourselves, that people are dying, that we should stop crying about a petty dance. These remarks tend to come from older generations that got to experience these things, the generations that already have their feet on the ground. However, we are not upset because of the dance itself.

We are mourning the loss of the remaining shreds of stability in our lives.

More: 'Don't make me cry': Coronavirus pandemic robs high school seniors of precious memories

For many seniors, we have already spent months stumbling through the college application process, trying to figure out what our futures will look like for the next 4+ years. Before that, we spent our high school years preparing for senior year. Many of us have been anticipating this year since elementary school. Is it wrong to feel upset about losing something you have worked towards for twelve years?

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We understand that many people are suffering. We are just trying to figure out how to cope.

The world often forgets that we are still kids trying to grow up.

Since our childhood, my generation has been told that we will be the ones to change the world.We were not, however, warned of the baggage that came with this responsibility. For many high school seniors, the world has changed drastically in the time it took us to reach our final year of education. Every day, the news cycle spins faster and faster, and for those of us that havent even had the chance to put our feet on the ground, the fear of being swept away feels imminent.

Climate change continues to deteriorate the life span of our planet, and many of us feel powerless against the forces causing it. We have never lived in an America that is not at war. In 2019, there were more school shootings than days in the year. Every day it feels like a new tragedy is thrown at us, and the next one is hurtling towards us before we can even figure out how to deal with the last. Because of this, many of my peerscomment that they feel numb or desensitized.This sensation comes with much guilt and thoughts that we should feel something more, but it is also a necessary copying mechanism.

If we felt the full scope of our emotions every time we were informed of a new tragedy somewhere in the world, we would be reduced to hollow husks of despair. Instead, we take in the world around us, cataloging and analyzing and coming up with creative solutions to our problems. This pandemic has brought about destruction and disruption of the lives we once knew. It also brings with it a new experience in learning and preparation for our generation.

One day, when the world is left to our care, we will be more than ready.

Nya McClain isa senior at LAMP High School in Montgomery

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The virtual reality of the class of 2020: A high school senior's perspective - Montgomery Advertiser

Kaleidoscope and the Museum of Other Realities Step In to Help the VR Industry During the Pandemic – Filmmaker Magazine

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

One thing thats been uplifting to observe throughout all the recent closures of movie theaters, festivals, and other cultural institutions has been how individuals and companies have stepped in to provide relief, support, and camaraderie during an unprecedented crisis. This is true in the virtual and augmented reality community as much as in the broader film industry, as content creators and distributors have come together to support each other as their work has come to an essential standstill.

Of course, some companies and services have seen an uptick in their business, as consumers explore using VR products to hold meetings, even in gaming platforms like Rec Room that werent intended as business solutions. Likewise, the social music platform WaveXR and the VR cinema space Bigscreen have provided ways for isolated individuals to still unite virtually with a larger audience. But despite increased use among some consumers and businesses, a plethora of cancelled contracts and delayed projects have combined to create an uncertain future for producers, and the loss of premieres at festivals like SXSW and Tribeca has been just as devastating for VR filmmakers as for traditional ones, besides the closing of VR-centered location-based entertainment spaces.

Amidst this turmoil two organizations are joining forces to support these artists and businesses: Kaleidoscope, an XR networking and funding organization that I wrote about in 2017, and the Museum of Other Realities, a virtual gallery that showcases VR artists and connects them with funding and audiences; Danny Bittmans Night Snow, seen above, is one piece that has shown at MOR.On March 16 Kaleidoscopes Ren Pinnell and MORs Robin Stethemand their associates announced that they would use their relative strengthsKaleidoscopes online market and MORs capacity to host large groups onlineto host premieres, screenings, conferences, or any related events. And they have continued to reach out to other partners: on March 23 Kaleidoscope announced another project with AmazeVR to host a showcase for distribution-ready VR films on April 24.Details for submitting projects or attending that event are here.

Virtual reality by its nature does have the advantage of being able to be distributed online and viewed while buyers, funders, and audiences continue social distancing at home, and these types of efforts are taking full advantage of that. Those interested in showing their work with MOR or Kaleidoscope should write to the email address events@kaleidovr.com or reach out to Pinnell, Stethem, or any of their colleagues to find out more, but Pinnell also provided Filmmakerwith a statement about their purpose in the weeks going forward:

Pinnell:In many ways events are the lifeblood of the VR/AR industry. Its where artists are discovered and where deals get done. The XR industry is a relationship-based business. Its all about who you know and building trust and friendships. And events are still the best way to form and solidify working relationships. But now that we are entering a new world where in-person events are no longer safe for at least the next three to six months, many artists and professionals are at risk of having their careers and livelihood significantly disrupted. At Kaleidoscope our mission has always been to help artists secure the funding and support they need to be successful. By bringing together artists and industry at highly curated events weve been able to help XR creators raise millions for amazing projects like Spheres, Battlescar, Vestige, and Terminal 3. But we realized early on that the only want to scale up events and support more artists was to move our events online. So over the past few years we built the Kaleidoscope platform to help us produce, manage, and promote online events. Until recently all of our online events were hosted via streaming video, because the available social VR apps were either designed for small groups or were aesthetically unappealing. That all changed when I discovered the Museum of Other Realities. It is the first virtual venue that is architecturally stunning and designed for large audiences. After hosting our First Look Market there last month, I firmly believe the Museum of Other Realities is a game changer.

Witnessing the cancellation of major festivals like SXSW, Tribeca, and Laval Virtual as well as countless local events, Robin and I felt compelled to act. Together, Kaleidoscope and the Museum of Other Realities have the tools and resources needed to help migrate our industrys events into virtual reality. So we wanted to get the word out that we are here to help. If youve had to cancel your festival, conference, or industry gathering, then we want to hear from you. Or if youre an artist who has had to indefinitely postpone your premiere, let us know. We can help. Please email us directly at events@kaleidovr.com to discuss how to host your events in virtual reality.

Now is the time to come together as a community to support the artists and industry professionals most impacted by this global crisis. And until we get to the other side of the pandemic, that means coming together in virtual reality.

Calling on Virtual Reality in the Wake of COVID-19 – Grit Daily

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

As this pandemic continues to loom over us, we see the world around usas well as our ownalter radically. Its time to employ a different technique: the use of virtual reality the kind of tech thats been utilized for medical advancements, educational advancements and assisting businesses in their growth. Lets review some of the ways virtual reality (VR) has made itself a necessary means in the wake of COVID-19.

After continuing to deteriorate, a man in his 50s who had tested positive for the virus was transferred from an area hospital to George Washington University Hospital; deeming him the first COVID-19 patient GW would encounter.

The condition of the patients lungs were progressively worsening. In the hospitals podcast, chief of thoracic surgery at GW hospital, Dr. Keith Mortman, said that the patients lungs needed higher levels of support from that ventilator and it got to the point where he needed maximal support from [it]. And thats when the initial hospital reached out to GW for help.

The patient had been admitted to GW to receive ECMO, a process where oxygen is pumped back into the blood. GW decided to employ VR to inspect the state of the patients lungs and assess how much damage this disease is causing; the results were uncanny.

The VR tech allowed for the medical staff to recreate 360 degree images of the patients lungs, providing a clear image of what they were working with. Its such a contrast that you do not need an MD after your name to understand these images, Dr. Mortman says, This is severe damage to both lungs diffusely. GW was the first hospital in the nation to utilize VR for thoracic cases and continues to turn to VR in the battle against COVID-19.

Museums, tourist attractions and national parks have joined forces with this interactive tech to keep cultural content alive, and the escape to nature an option as we close our doors to the outside world. A week ago today, the National Park Service announced that it would be modifying operations in its 419 parks in response to the social distancing and safety guidelines pressed by the White House and the CDC during the COVID-19 pandemic. NPS has made it possible for people to virtually visit sites like Yellowstone National Park, the Denali National Park and Preserve, the Upper Delaware Scenic and Rec River, and even the Statue of Liberty.

For those lacking a cultural and art fix, museums and art galleries have taken a similar approach. New York Citys Metropolitan Museum of Art has made a few of its exhibits available online and promises to surface their greatest hits and hidden treasures via social media; LAs Getty Museum plans to promote content via their social media and their blog The Iris; Paris Louvre Museum is offering tours of Egyptian antiquities, the remains of the Louvres Moat, and the Galerie dApollon; Romes Vatican Museum is has also contributed a 360-degree virtual tour showcasing its multitude of art collections. These are only a few of the many museums and galleries that are making their content available to the public right now via VR.

Another factor that this global pandemic has struck: our businessesour employment, and the way we function as workers. Those fortunate enough to work remotely, have all been ordered to do so.

Big tech companies have transitioned entirely to remote work until further instruction is given; disrupting the kind of collaborative work and the valuable hands-on-approach in training that employees benefit from in an office environment. In response, companies have implemented VR to mimic the hands-on training employees wouldve received in a workplace environment; allowing employees to continue sharpening their skill-set while under lockdown. 20% of workers claim their biggest struggle with working from home is Difficulties with collaboration and communication. Where collaboration gets stifled, virtual reality can bridge the gap. Remote meetings can be hosted through VR, allowing colleagues to communicate complex concepts coherently and efficiently; almost as if they were in the same room.

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Calling on Virtual Reality in the Wake of COVID-19 - Grit Daily

How Florida State is hoping virtual reality can help its quarterbacks – The Athletic

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Florida State quarterback James Blackman was wearing more equipment than usual when he dropped back to pass during 7-on-7 drills in the first spring practice under coach Mike Norvell on March 7.

There was no extra padding. Instead, he had a cell-phone sized camera affixed to the top of his helmet on a small stand.

Blackman wore a green non-contact jersey and the drill wasnt at full speed, so the accessory didnt pose a hazard to him or anyone else on the field. Quarterbacks Jordan Travis and Tate Rodemaker also wore cameras during their reps. At other points in practice, safeties wore them as well.

The purpose was simple: Capture everything transpiring on the field through the eyes of the players. All of the footage later was parsed together to create a virtual reality experience that can be accessed through a headset for simulated practice.

Thats a new feature that we have, Blackman said after that practice.

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How Florida State is hoping virtual reality can help its quarterbacks - The Athletic

CRE Industry Keeps Deals Afloat Through VR Technology, Skype And FaceTime – Bisnow

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

All the intangibles revealedduring commercialproperty tours, like a building's patinaor its interior design, or how it just feels to walk into the lobby, help landlords win overpotential tenants.

But what happens when an international pandemic like the coronavirus makes it impossible for brokers to invite prospective tenants and clients on-site for personalized tours?

For some, it means business activity subsides until the crisisends.

Others are sealing the deal from the comfort of their own homes. Whilevirtual reality and remote building tours arent new to the brokerage industry, the pandemicmay hasten their move into must-haves.

Texas-based landlord Boxer Propertydecided to go full-throttle into the virtual realtyspacewhen the COVID-19 pandemic forced potential tenantsaway from the company'soffice buildings.

Boxerhad already deployedvirtual realitytechtoolsthat allow tenants to capturerealistic, multidimensional views of itsproperties online.

Years ago, we started taking pictures of suites, and then we started doing videos, Boxer Properties Marketing DirectorHeather Shuttleworth said.Then, werecently got aMatterportcamera, and we are doing the full 360-virtual tour experience at several of our properties.

Even though 3D tours are effective, Boxer still wanted a more personalized approachduring the COVID-19 crisis, so the firmupped theante and now offers liveSkypeproperty tours hostedbyBoxer employees.

They can talk to [the leasing agent]face to face and see the space through the camera, Shuttleworth said. If they want to walk through it on their computer they can, but we are kind of missing the personal touch there and people often have questions and want to look at something more closely in the space.

The Boxer team isalready receivingpositive feedback; and at least one Skype tour recipientsigned up for a lease right aftertaking aremote interactive tour.

Co-living and microstudio multifamily provider Common says 30% of its rental applications come from the firms online virtual tour experience, whichthe firm hasoperated in some form sinceits inception five years ago.

But Vice President of OperationsEric Rodriguez saidCommon, much like Boxer Property, kicked its existing remote solutions up a notch when the coronavirus crisis sent New York and other areas into lockdown mode.

With the firm already offering FaceTime andGoogleHangouttours with live specialistsprior to the crisis,the transition to conducting everything remotelywas an easy one.

It has always been part of our concept, Rodriguez said of the firms tech-first approach.

Rodriguez saidCommonhas always believed its mission is to get more peopleinside the property at all times of the day. In good times, that involves both in-person tours and VR-guided tours. In bad times like these, it means doing everything remotely without missing a beat.

The firm believes all multifamily leasing in the future will depend heavily on remote access and virtual reality components to stay competitive.

Generally the property management industry is shifting toward that convenience-first perspective, he said.

Real estate brokerage Younger Partners out of Dallas has been offering virtual toursof its Greenway Tower listing in Irving, Texas, for quite some time.

The brokerage doesn'tviewremote-viewingor virtual tours as new concepts,nor do they see their emergence asrelated to COVID-19.

I think it's becoming more and more a must-have, founding principal Sean Dalton said. Everything is changing in our society as far as [everyone] wanting things now and quicker. Everyone wants thingsto get done faster ... and I think these virtual tours allow people to be more efficient with their time.

Greenway Tower's owner poured millionsof dollars intorenovating theproperty, and the virtual tours were put into place with the help of an app to simplyget more eyes on the building and all itsimprovements, Dalton told Bisnow.

This is exactly where virtual technology succeeds best.

We felt that this was an opportunity to really get the building into [prospective tenants]hands rather than pulling them out to Las Colinas.

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CRE Industry Keeps Deals Afloat Through VR Technology, Skype And FaceTime - Bisnow

Virtual Reality: Paradigm art gallery makes the shift to a more digital landscape – South Philly Review

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

It was last Monday when the City of Philadelphia made the call to order all non-essential businesses to close in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Like all other art venues in the city, Paradigm Gallery + Studio, 746 S. 4th St., shut its doors and adhered to the order. But Sara McCorriston, co-founder of Paradigm, isnt giving up.

We really believe that in times like these people really need artwork, she said. Even though it can be sometimes the last thing that people have on their minds, when you put it front and center it can be the first form of comfort for people.

For these reasons, Paradigm has decided to work in collaboration with its artists to create special content across its digital platforms. More specifically, theyll be hosting fun, virtual events for art lovers across the city and the world. These events will include virtual artist Q+As, studio walk through, gallery walk throughs and creative tutorials helpful for those looking for ways to create their own art.

Weve been working really closely with our curators and staff to digitally have more of a presence than ever, McCorriston added. Were so thankful for technology and what it allows us to do in this day and age because I think it makes those personal connections, whether or not theyre in person more tangible and more felt.

Paradigms publicist, Madison Fishman, said the gallery plans to use the coronavirus shutdown as an opportunity to create a more unique and in-depth way for art lovers to interact with artists.

Its super ranging and very special and never-before-seen, behind-the-scenes kind of stuff is what Paradigm will be working on, Fishman said. Its to increase visibility at a time when a collector cant just walk into the gallery, and I think its a little more dynamic than just a virtual exhibition.

McCorriston said itll be a more in-depth look at how we curate, how the gallery works and an opportunity to talk about the artists and why Im so passionate about them in a much more real way.

So far, the only event to date has been a virtual tour of Paradigms current exhibition, TEN, which celebrates the 10th anniversary of the studio. It premiered this past Saturday on Instagram Live. However, more virtual events are being scheduled, and will be announced on Paradigms website, paradigmarts.org. McCorriston said more events will be planned for the gallerys next exhibition, Strange Delights, which opens on Friday and lasts until May 16.

This exhibition will be a totally digital-from-afar experience, she said. We really want it to be engaging.

McCorriston said that a big part of the reason for this effort is to keep collectors interested in purchasing art from artists so they can continue to make a living amid the economic downturn. Despite the store being closed, McCorriston is still shipping artwork out to buyers.

Our job is to get artists paid by selling their artwork, she said. Were doing everything we can to make sure were still selling their artwork at the same rate we are now. We want them to be able to have the same expectations for us selling their work and getting them paid.

McCorriston sees the shutdown of her business as an opportunity to have the public connect with the artists in the same way she has.

We work with artists all around the world that for years we have developed close working relationships and friendships with, she said. Sometimes, we forget that weve never even met in person and so I think its kind of time to share that with the local community and the world at large in a time where everyone kind of has to connect that way.

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Virtual Reality: Paradigm art gallery makes the shift to a more digital landscape - South Philly Review

Microsoft introduced an improved version of virtual reality for the blind – FREE NEWS

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

Microsoft introduced an improved version of virtual reality for the blind. In it, users can move a virtual cane not only in the horizontal plane but also raise and lower it. This allowed almost all test participants to pass the required site without collisions, the report said Microsoft Research.

For the first time, the corporation introduced virtual reality for blind and visually impaired people in 2018 it was called Canetroller. The main element of the system is a cane, with the help of which the user contacts the environment and determines the presence of obstacles in it.

A vibration motor is mounted in the cane, which makes it stop when it collides with an obstacle. When in contact with a particular type of surface, the system transmits its specific sound to the user for example, how steps sound when walking on paving slabs or on asphalt.

The main limitation of the system was that the cane could only be moved in a horizontal plane. This greatly complicated navigation in a large space.

In the new version, researchers have expanded the possibilities of the cane now it can be moved both horizontally and vertically, as well as pull to itself. This, according to the developers, not only expanded the range of interactions but also allowed to put the cane perpendicular to the ground.

The new system allows you to simulate contact with various surfaces using a vibrator mounted in the cane and pre-recorded sound.

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Microsoft introduced an improved version of virtual reality for the blind - FREE NEWS

UM Awards 6 Extended Reality Projects Under New Initiative – dbusiness.com

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

U-M is awarding funding to virtual and augmented reality projects through its new XR Initiative. // Image courtesy of the University of Michigan

A virtual reality chemotherapy simulation that helps train future medical professionals on what to do when the drug leaks out of blood vessels and threatens a patients skin is one of six extended reality projects to receive a first wave of funding under the University of Michigans new XR Initiative.

Another includes a nuclear reactor simulation that offers training without the safety concerns of a live reactor

The university is always asking Whats next? and its thrilling to see the creative and multidisciplinary projects in health care, engineering, and architecture as part of the XR Initiative, says James Hilton, U-M vice provost for academic innovation at U-M in Ann Arbor. These projects are looking at long-standing challenges in new ways and will allow our faculty to use XR to redefine what a hands-on, immersive education looks like for our students and learners beyond campus.

XR encompasses augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, and other variations of computer-generated real and virtual combined environments and human-machine interactions.

The three-year funded initiative calls for the universitys Center for Academic Innovation to seed new projects and experiments that integrate XR into residential and online curricula, and to create innovative public/private partnerships to develop new XR related educational technology.

Financial awards for the first-round projects ranged from $12,000 to $25,000, and each award will be supported through a number of in-kind investments from the XR Initiative and the Center for Academic Innovation.

The first wave of XR projects are looking at unique challenges in new ways and target a wide range of learners from high-schoolers through graduate students, says James DeVaney, associate vice provost for academic innovation and founding executive director of the Center for Academic Innovation. Thats important to the center because to understand and make best use of innovative pedagogies and breakthrough technologies we need to design with diverse learners from the start.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 650,000 people a year in the United States get chemotherapy as an outpatient. It is a high-volume, high-risk clinical intervention that requires interprofessional clinical teams to manage, Michelle Aebersold, clinical professor at the School of Nursing, wrote in her proposal.

Her teams Getting Under the Skin project seeks to develop a 3-D environment to help students interested in becoming nurses, pharmacists, and physicians manage a serious side effect of the therapy.

In the area of high-risk medications, we have only been able to show our students the devastating effects of when hazardous, yet important, intravenous medications leak outside the vessels and cause skin damage, she says.

XR has great potential to provide faculty another educational methodology to use in helping students understand their role in caring for patients, being part of a health care team, learning how to care for patients, and one added advantage over other simulation methods is that immersive VR can help students understand what it is like to be a patient.

Another virtual reality project would create 3-D models to give students experience operating a nuclear reactor.

Michigan Engineering is home to the No. 1 nuclear engineering program in the country. For several decades up to the early 2000s, the program included training at a physical nuclear reactor. The Ford Nuclear Reactor, originally established as a WWII memorial under the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Project, permanently shut down in 2003.

It was decommissioned over the next four years, leaving U-M as one of the only programs without a research reactor, both in the Top 5-ranked university programs and the Big 10, says Brendan Kochunas, project manager and assistant professor in the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences.

The extended reality nuclear reactor laboratory simulation would allow some retired courses that used the Ford Nuclear Reactor to be taught again to upper level undergraduates and graduate students.

Students would use VR headsets to virtually walk around the reactor control room and floor, look down at the core, view instrument panels, and interact with the control panel.

In reality, one does not simply walk up next to an operating nuclear reactor core, but in virtual reality one can, Kochunas says. We can also overlay simulation results on the virtualized physical systems allowing students to experience neutron fields or temperature fields visually, where in reality this is not possible. Now we get the opportunity to have the Phoenix rise again only virtually. I think thats pretty cool.

Other projects funded include:

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UM Awards 6 Extended Reality Projects Under New Initiative - dbusiness.com

What are the segments booming in Virtual Reality Market? – Fresno Observer

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

The global virtual reality market is anticipated to reach USD 120.5 Bn by 2026, as against USD 7.3 Bn in 2018. Virtual reality or VR is advancing at a fast pace. The advent of virtual reality technology has transformed the way we live, work, and socialize. Both virtual reality and augmented reality possess the potential to transform the world. As people are eager to learn and grow, virtual reality plays a significant role in learning and development. From entertainment to education & training and travel, virtual reality offers a real-time experience to its users at a reasonable price. Virtual reality is gradually paving its way into the automotive sector. Besides the integration of voice assistants, vehicles nowadays come integrated with several advanced features to offer improved driver safety. Spurred by these factors, the global virtual reality market share is expected to increase considerably in the near future.

For more information in the analysis of this report, visit https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/virtual-reality-market-101378

The report profiles some of the leading players in the global virtual reality market. These include:

Request a Sample Copy of the Global Market Research Report https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/virtual-reality-market-101378

Fortune Business Insights in a report, titled Virtual Reality Market Size, Share and Global Trend By Offering (Hardware, Software), By Technology (Nonimmersive, Semi-Immersive), By Industry Vertical (Gaming & Entertainment Media, Healthcare, Education, Automotive, Aerospace & Defense, Manufacturing), By Application (Training & Simulation, Educational, Attraction, Research & Development) and Geography Forecast till 2026 studies growth opportunities and threats prevalent in the market. As per the report, the global market is likely to report a stellar CAGR of 42.2% between and 2026. Virtual reality has the ability to stimulate the environment via head-mounted displays, helping a user to interact and explore. Growing technological advancements in virtual reality are likely to generate plenty of VR solutions, allowing real-time experience to customers. This, in turn, is expected to drive the virtual reality market growth in the forthcoming years.

Other Than Gaming & Media, Virtual Reality to Penetrate into Healthcare, Education, and Other Sectors

The demand for virtual reality applications is increasing in healthcare, gaming & entertainment media, automotive, manufacturing, and other industries. Of these, gaming and entertainment media covers a 40.5% of the global virtual reality market share. The adoption of virtual reality technology is likely to increase in the education and healthcare industry, thus boosting the virtual reality market size. The technology can be used for providing training, monitoring patients, and practicing surgeries. As per research studies, virtual reality is expected to be the future of online learning. For instance, an education technology start-up called 3rdFlix raised around USD 5 million from Exfinity Ventures to create a live learning experience. With the rising awareness about virtual reality, the adoption of concept leaning among students is increasing.

As per technology, companies plan to invest in semi-immersive technology than non-immersive with am aim to create a better user experience. Owing to the rising investments and research and development activities, the software segment is expected to be on the rise whereas hardware witnessed a steady rise.

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Segmentation

1. By Offering

2. By Technology

3. By Industry Vertical

4. By Application

5. By Region

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Google and Apple Focussing on R&D to Innovate the Virtual Reality Market in North America

North America covers 40% of the share in the global virtual reality market and is leading the market. US giants such as Facebook, Google, and Apple continue to focus on research and development (R&D) activities for software and hardware to further stimulate the virtual reality market share. The growth in this region is mainly attributable to the increased funding in start-ups, making the market dynamic.

The market in Europe is projected to hold a quarter share in the forecast years. Countries such as France, Germany, and France are the major contributors to the market. Apart from North America and Europe, the market is expected to rise in other regions such as Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

Over 70% of the Players have their Dominance in North America

Of these, companies such as Facebook, Google, Microsoft, HTC, Autodesk, Leap Motion, 3D, Sixense Enterprise, Dassault Systems, and Eon reality are responsible for the surge in the virtual reality market revenue. Moreover, over 70% of these players have their dominance in North America. Recently Dassault Systems offered help to the students of the University of Switzerland by making them aware of the latest technologies and industrial process. With the help of virtual reality, the company helped more than 700 engineering students and made them aware of ENOVIA for collaboration, CATIA for multi-disciplinary systems design and documentation, 3DEXCITE for high-end 3D visualization, and DELMIA for manufacturing simulation and robotics. Companies are increasibgly investing in virtual reality technology to stay ahead of competition. Some of the recent industry developments are mentioned below:

June 2018: A virtual reality headset called Oculus Go was launched in Canada and UK. It is now available at reasonably affordable prices.

May 2019: Ultrahaptics announced the acquisition of a hand-tracking headset maker called Leap Motion to strengthen its market position

August 2019: Sony Interactive Entertainment patented a virtual reality device combating eye-tracking and other simulation sicknesses.

Table of Content

6. North America Virtual Reality Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2015-2026

6.1. Key Findings / Summary

6.2. Market Size Estimates and Forecasts

6.2.1. By Offering (Value)

6.2.2. By Technology (Value)

6.2.3. By Industry Vertical (Value)

6.2.3.1. Gaming & Entertainment Media

6.2.3.2. Healthcare

6.2.3.3. Education

6.2.3.4. Automotive

6.2.3.5. Aerospace & Defense

6.2.3.6. Manufacturing

6.2.3.7. Other

7. Europe Virtual Reality Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2015-2026

7.1. Key Findings / Summary

7.2. Market Size Estimates and Forecasts

7.2.1. By Offering (Value)

7.2.1.1. Hardware

8. Asia Pacific Virtual Reality Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2015-2026

8.1. Key Findings / Summary

8.2. Market Size Estimates and Forecasts

8.2.1. By Offering (Value)

8.2.1.1. Hardware

8.2.1.2. Software

8.2.2. By Technology (Value)

8.2.2.1. Nonimmersive

TOC Continued!

(Have a Look at Reports Trending in Information & Technology Industry)

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What are the segments booming in Virtual Reality Market? - Fresno Observer

How Virtual Reality is Disrupting the E-Commerce Industry – BBN Times

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

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Its no surprise that these days, there seem to be more and more opportunities for remote work, and an increasing creation of distributed workplaces.

While the allure of working from home (or being able to work from anywhere) can be exceedingly appealing, let me be the first to tell you remote work is a lot more difficult than just casually sitting with your laptop on the beach.

When settling into remote work, there are a few different tricks you can use to be your most productive self, instead of feeling stressed, demotivated, and regretting the day you ever went location independent.

There are a few different approaches to remote work these days. You may be a full-time employee to one company that allows you to work from home, or that doesnt even have a specific headquarters, but instead has built an entire distributed team (think companies likeBuffer). Or, perhaps you are a freelancer or contractor who may work with a number of different projects or companies where you are not required to be on location.

In any case, you may have opportunities to move around freely,or youd rather stay put in one place. In the latter case, perhaps you choose to work from home or rent an office, or have a membership at a coworking space.

With many different options, how you doremote workis completely up to you. But there are some basic challenges that remote workers in every type of situation can feel. Staying personally motivated, reducing distractions, and being efficient in work execution are on the top.

For me at least, the key to being more productive while working remotely has been to admit when Im struggling, and be aware of the conditions that I wouldliketo work in, but just arent feasible for my productivity. Remote work solutions can be very individual depending on what motivates you, what kind of hours you like to keep, and what types of environments you thrive in.

Some of the best solutions for remote worker productivity have nothing to do with technology or fancy techniques. When thinking about how to be productive when working remotely, often the best thing to do is to start with the basics.

Youve probably heard this before, but its crucial for remote workers to create a routine, and stick to it. Some of us remote workers may be rebels when it comes to keeping to the ordinary, but routines arent boring, theyre necessary for being productive.

Without a routine, you can often waste a ton of time just figuring out what you want or need to do next. If you dont have a schedule for your morning, like reading your emails by 9:30, checking and making your daily to-do list by 9:45, and getting started on completing your first task by 10:00, you may find yourself rounding 10:30 and all youve done so far is had four cups of coffee and checked facebook.

Routines create some semblance of structure, and structure is actually a really necessary component of being productive with remote work.

But sometimes too much routine or structure can stifle creativity and the execution of your best work. Monotony isnt good for anyones work satisfaction, so find out how and where you work best. Variety may be sitting at your kitchen table to work for the morning hours, and then switching it up to your home office in the afternoon. Or, perhaps you find a coworking space that gives you a nice change of scenery a couple days a week.

Variety (with structure) can be good for helping you to get out of mental ruts, and can help to inspire you in some ways. Not to mention, if you are only working from home it can be at least slightly more difficult to hold yourself accountable when there is no one else there who can see you doing work, or for you to talk to and discuss ideas with. Even just getting out to a coffee shop to work from may be beneficial for your productivity levels.

Ill admit, Ive had more than a few Donald Duck video meetings: I may be dressed professionally on top, with my hair done and teeth brushed, but out of the line of site of the camera, I may or may not be wearing pants. Whenworking from homeit can be so tempting to throw on the same sweatshirt youve been wearing for the past four days. But this can be detrimental to your productivity.

Getting up and taking a shower, getting properly dressed and ready as if you are going to the office, will get you in the right mindset for your work day. It can make you feel more awake, in a working mood, and its the first thing you can check off your list of accomplishments. When working remotely, you need to count every win.

Its a common conundrum for remote workers: a whole day passes and you think to yourself, have I spoken to another human today? When working from home especially, you can sink into the bad habit of not getting out enough or interacting with others, but this can be problematic for your productivity.

Just getting out of your house, even to grab a coffee down the street, or taking a drive to the store, can be a quick and easy way to refresh your motivation and jump-start your energy. Not to mention that the benefit ofremote workcan be flexible, but sitting at home all day is not making the most of that benefit, no matter how much you enjoy the nonexistent commute.

When you arent being watched over by a manager, or there is no one really keeping tabs on the hours you keep, the problem isnt always that you dont work enough. The problem may be that you dont set hard boundaries for what is work and what is personal.

In the beginning of my venture into working remotely, I found myself wanting to be eager, available, and seemingly always on top of things. What that translated to, was answering emails at all hours of the night, never really logging off, and finding the lines between my professional life and private life completely blurred.

But the fact is, it made me stressed all the time, and the companies I worked for didntreallynotice a difference in my work ethic. Work issues bled into my nights and weekends and free time until I felt that I was in work mode basically 24/7. And as it turns out, it killed my productivity when I needed it most.

Setting hard boundaries, and establishing the precedent to your company or customers about sticking to specific hours can be crucial for your motivation and also your sanity. Be sure to create that hard-line early on, so that you know when to be in productive time, and when you can (and should) relax.

As with procrastination, remote work has a fun way of making even small projects take up all the time you have available. The less busy you are, the less efficient youll actually be. When you have a lot to do, and a lot to fill your time with, that is when youll actually be your most productive.

Especially if you are just starting out freelancing and are still collecting projects to fill your docket, block your days for work, and then your days for doing errands or job searching, or whatever else you need to do. If you try to fill your 40 hour work week with only 20 hours of work, youll be slow, inefficient, and definitely not cost-effective. Try to get as much work assignments as you can, because when you can fill your time with actual work, then you will be more productive.

Remote workers would be nowhere if it wasnt for the plethora ofproductivity and collaboration toolsthat are now available to us. While self-motivation and old school methods for productivity can create a good foundation, the tech will be your friend when working remotely.

Thankfully,productivity toolsfor that are beneficial for remote work are basically an industry in and of itself. There are many different options you can use for being the most productive.

Project management tools likeAsanaandTrellocan help you stay the course when it comes to just getting things done. With these types of tools, youll have a good overview of what you need to complete and when, and at what stage each project is in, or if you need input from others to complete tasks.

Task management tools likeWunderlistandTodoistcan be awesome for tackling to-dos, especially for visual people who like to look at a clear overview of what needs to be prioritized or if there are impending deadlines. Time trackers likeTogglandThe Pomodoro Trackercan help you be more aware of the time you spend on different projects or just work in general and can help you to be better about being productive in sprints.

While you should use tech to help you be more productive, sometimes those tools should work to actually limit the number of distractions you have, and what you have access to. Social media, email, RSS feeds, news notifications, personal messaging apps, and many others can cause major problems for remote workers. Use app blockers likeFreedomorSelf Controlto ensure you can turn off the things that are not essential for getting your work done.

While remote work lends itself to a lot of independence and autonomy, it can actually really help your productivity to collaborate with others. On one hand, working with a team that relies on you and vice versa can give you some accountability for completing tasks in a timely way. But it can also cure some of the side effects of working alone like basic loneliness, or mental blocks.

Collaboration tools make working with distributed teams a non-issue. In many ways, they can encourage us to be more efficient in our communication, and be very transparent in our work. Communication apps likeSlack, doc sharing such asGoogle Drive,Dropbox, andBasecamp, and video conferencing withZoom, orGoToMeeting, make collaboration easier than ever.

Remote work can be a great experience and can allow you to have freedom, flexibility, and autonomy like youve never had in work before. But it can be very easy to fall down a rabbit hole of bad habits, distractions, and lack of motivation. Be honest with yourself about the kinds of environments that are best for your productivity, keep routines and structure, and use the right tools to help you stay on top of your assignments, and youll have no problem being successful working remotely.

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How Virtual Reality is Disrupting the E-Commerce Industry - BBN Times

Lessons in the virtual realm – AV Magazine

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

A landmark event in virtual reality history took placein February, uniting thousands of passionate users, educators, and experts in a virtual world and giving them access to a six-day global summit exploring the possibilities of VR innovation. Created in response to a growing need for a meetup solution to help educators integrate virtual technologies into the classroom, the Educators in VR summit offered a six-day, around-the-clock meeting space complete with 170 speakers and 150 events that made use of multiple virtual social and educational platforms.

When immersive technologies trainers, Daniel Dyboski-Bryant and Lorelle VanFossen, set up Educators in VR in 2018 they anticipated the monthly meetups would attract around 30 people. This quickly became a 180-participant weekly event and as the demand for virtual gatherings increased the pair set their sights on producing a conference with a difference a virtual summit that would see a coming together of diverse minds, expertise and disciplines to break down barriers and expose teachers to a variety of virtual technology use cases.

Having now held their largest event in Microsofts social VR platform AltspaceVR, Educators in VR is achieving the founders goals of allowing developers, creators and business owners to talk to potential users of their technology; from elementary school teachers learning how post-graduate students are pushing the boundaries of virtual research through to VR dance instructors helping high school teachers see the potential in haptics and full-body tracking.

A powerful alternativeVirtual summits offer participants and event organisers multiple benefits, one of the most obvious being increased access. While a real world conference can be expensive and time consuming, preventing some candidates from attending, the barrier to entry is much lower in virtual reality.

There is no better way to share the amazing work happening around the globe than getting everyone together at a conference, says Dyboski-Bryant. Through this virtual meeting space and the series of events held within it we are able to make this accessible to all our grass roots members and key industry players.

In light of the current coronavirus epidemic, transporting conferences into the virtual world might also offer a powerful alternative solution to cancelling events altogether. Factories, schools, businesses and possibly countries are also shutting down as we speak. Remote working is spiking and virtual reality fits right in, says Dyboski-Bryant.

Outside the current epidemic, VanFossen highlights another reason virtual meeting spaces are so valuable in this time of global climate crisis, our carbon footprint must be reduced wherever possible: The impact transportation has on the environment is one of the largest contributors to climate change and initial calculations indicate 1.4 million pounds of C02 were saved over our six-day conference.

So will virtual conferences replace the in-person conference industry? If viral health issues continue to be a factor, VanFossen believes it is likely. If not, virtual conferences are not a threat, but an alternative, especially when it comes to business conferences that happen regularly.

The same applies to educational conferences, meetings and even classrooms. The Educators in VR team is also developing a Borderless Classroom Network program to re-envision the multiple class or school field trip meaning classes from around the world can connect virtually for improved cultural and shared experiences without borders.

Charting new territoryBuilding a virtual world in which participants meet and share knowledge required extensive research to guarantee the most suitable and reliable solutions were selected. The virtual social and educational platforms available are robust and feature tools that make event hosting in virtual reality easier in many ways than a reallife conference, according to Dyboski-Bryant. For example, it is possible to mute the entire audience or any distracting noises such as shuffling paper or feet tapping so only the speakers are heard.

Instead of the speaker having to constantly repeat an audience question so everyone can hear, we could easily amplify their voice, speeding up the Q&A process to allow for more question time, adds VanFossen.

The virtual environments in which the packed schedule of events would take place needed to be high performance and accommodate a variety of devices. While other virtual social and event platforms are usually limited to 20 to 50 attendees, AltspaceVR accommodated larger numbers. Its Front Row tool also made it possible to mirror events spaces, meaning more attendees could view the experience from separate spaces.

Beyond the existing virtual platforms and working within their parameters to ensure a solid audience and presenter experience, similar tools to real-world event production were used to create the virtual summit. Google Forms was used for speaker and volunteer applications which were then fed into spreadsheets.

Discord, the instant messaging and VOiP software targeted at gamers, was chosen as the communication tool for all speakers and volunteers before, during and after to ensure there was a one-stop source for information and communication. The ability to text chat and voice chat in Discord added walkie-talkie capabilities during the event and allowed volunteers and speakers to participate in voice sessions to meet, greet and learn more about how this worked.

Just because virtual reality needs computer and virtual device access and many of our speakers may be experts in virtual and spatial technology this didnt mean they knew how to present in VR, says VanFossen. It is similar but different. The voice is the key more than the body and body language. There is the coordination of the movement of the avatar in the virtual space and the need of the speaker to talk with their hands or to be able to talk and walk and concentrate on their presentation at the same time in the real world. Add the new technology of hand controllers or keyboard shortcuts and things get a little more complicated.

As the biggest hurdle was prepping the speakers for a different presentation experience, extensive training, rehearsals and practice time for speakers and volunteers was offered for a month prior to and throughout the conference.

Reliance on third-party tools and device limitations was another challenge. YouTube videos were embedded (or linked) from within Slides.com and Google Slides that served as slide presentation management. I doubt these companies have any idea we are using their tools in virtual reality. If they do, it is low on their priority list, but it shouldnt be, says VanFossen. By ensuring slide and video tools are robust in VR, they are even more robust in non-virtual experiences and uses. We want to provide our feedback to help them improve.

Device limitations present obstacles when working with all virtual apps, platforms and experiences. Users want a more realistic experience even when using inexpensive equipment but until more power and capabilities are offered by lower-end consumer headsets, successful virtual platforms and event spaces will need to alter the experience to suit.

VanFossen highlights one important lesson learned during the process: no matter how clumsy the device, how frustrating it was to see the battery or overheating warning or how many times the audio was glitchy, people kept coming back for more. Ive been at real-world conferences where a little audio or slide glitch made most of the audience wander out, she says. The endurance test underwent by attendees and speakers to be there and share their expertise and experiences spoke to the passion and commitment they have to this new technology. We are pioneers, and we know there will be glitches along the way, but we are committed to the journey.

New territoryEducators in VR was launched to create legacy opportunities and educate others about how best to produce their own virtual experiences and events. One incorrect assumption is that a huge real-world conference can immediately switch over to a virtual conference and attract the same people, points out VanFossen.

While it is possible to do so in 2D desktop VR, using the computer as your access point by downloading and installing a virtual platform supporting PCVR, to have a truly immersive experience requires VR headsets. Sure, there are other uses of VR and AR such as in the medical field, but the consumer market is still very new. Convincing people to adopt VR devices as part of their work or conference experience is a leap of faith right now.

Financial benefits might tempt conference attendees to make the leap into the virtual world as participating in a VR conference removes transportation, accommodation and meal costs. Buying a virtual headset costs around $200-$2,000 for consumer to mid-range professional set-ups, says VanFossen. Lets assume that the average attendee invests in an Oculus Quest, being wise to buy the more powerful version at about $500. Thats around the price of most round-trip flights and its a device that may be used repeatedly.

Saving money by attending a virtual conference seems logical, but further education and public awareness is needed, says VanFossen: Weve proven virtual conferences are viable. We just need to get others on board. The technology is there it is easy to access and buy, but convincing companies of the value of the investment is the challenge, one quickly being overcome as they scramble to figure out how to protect their employees and participants from becoming part of the current health problem.

Educators in VR charted new territory as such an event on this scale had never been held. By proving the concept we have opened the gates for a whole industry, adds Dyboski-Bryant. This summit was a success beyond our wildest dreams. Was it perfect? No. But there was no template. We set out to bring the community together and for six days the community and the industry came alive. We opened peoples eyes and there is a real energy and drive to grow and expand this development.

While the event itself was remarkable, the wider impact is only just becoming apparent. Within a week of the summit, at least 20 conferences shut down as a result of coronavirus and Dyboski-Bryant is aware of at least six organisations which are either augmenting or considering replacing their cancelled events with VR events.

Once the wider industry sees enough convincing examples of virtual conferences, it will develop a life of its own and I am pretty sure that even after coronavirus, we will continue to see this phenomenon grow, he says. This is great news for CO2 reductions and very likely also for VR device sales and the whole immersive industry.

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Lessons in the virtual realm - AV Magazine

Nano Medicine: Meaning, Advantages and Disadvantages

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

In this article we will discuss about Nano Medicine:- 1. Meaning of Nano Medicine 2. Advantages of Nano Medicine 3. Disadvantages.

The application of nanotechnology in medicine is often referred to as Nano medicine. Nano medicine is the preservation and improvement of human health using molecular tools and molecular knowledge of the human body. It covers areas such as nanoparticle drug delivery and possible future applications of molecular nanotechnology (MNT) and Nano-vaccinology.

The human body is comprised of molecules. Hence, the availability of molecular nanotechnology will permit dramatic progress in human medical services. More than just an extension of molecular medicine, Nano medicine will help us understand how the biological machinery inside living cells operates at the Nano scale so that it can be employed in molecular machine systems to address complicated medical conditions such as cancer, AIDS, ageing and thereby bring about significant improvement and extension of natural human biological structure and function at the molecular scale.

Nano medical approaches to drug delivery centre on developing Nano scale particles or molecules to improve drug bioavailability that refers to the presence of drug molecules in the body part where they are actually needed and will probably do the most good. It is all about targeting the molecules and delivering drugs with cell precision.

The use of Nano robots in medicine would totally change the world of medicine once it is realized. For instance, by introducing these Nano robots into the body damages and infections can be detected and repaired. In short it holds that capability to change the traditional approach of treating diseases and naturally occurring conditions in the human beings.

1. Advanced therapies with reduced degree of invasiveness.

2. Reduced negative effects of drugs and surgical procedures.

3. Faster, smaller and highly sensitive diagnostic tools.

4. Cost effectiveness of medicines and disease management procedures as a whole.

5. Unsolved medical problems such as cancer, benefiting from the Nano medical approach.

6. Reduced mortality and morbidity rates and increased longevity in return.

1. Lack of proper knowledge about the effect of nanoparticles on biochemical pathways and processes of human body.

2. Scientists are primarily concerned about the toxicity, characterization and exposure pathways associated with Nano medicine that might pose a serious threat to the human beings and environment.

3. The societys ethical use of Nano medicine beyond the concerned safety issues, poses a serious question to the researchers.

Nano Medicine: Meaning, Advantages and Disadvantages

What Might be the Best Way to Delivery Nanoparticle Therapy for Cancer? – Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Danzig

Scientists in the cancer nanomedicine community debate whether use of nanoparticles can best deliver drug therapy to tumors passively, allowing the nanoparticles to diffuse into tumors and become held in place, or actively, adding a targeted anti-cancer molecule to bind to specific cancer cell receptors and, in theory, keep the nanoparticle in the tumor longer. Now, new research on human and mouse tumors in mice by investigators at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center suggests the question is even more complicated.

Laboratory studies testing both methods in six models of breast cancer; five human cancer cell lines and one mouse cancer in mice with three variants of the immune system found that nanoparticles coated with trastuzumab, a drug that targets human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer cells, were better retained in the tumors than plain nanoparticles, even in tumors that did not express the pro-growth HER2 protein. However, immune cells of the host exposed to nanoparticles induced an anti-cancer immune response by activating T cells that invaded and slowed tumor growth. The results of the work Nanoparticle interactions with immune cells dominate tumor retention and induce T cellmediated tumor suppression in models of breast cancer, appears in Science Advances.

The factors that influence nanoparticle fate in vivo following systemic delivery remain an area of intense interest. Of particular interest is whether labeling with a cancer-specific antibody ligand (active targeting) is superior to its unlabeled counterpart (passive targeting). Using models of breast cancer in three immune variants of mice, we demonstrate that intratumor retention of antibody-labeled nanoparticles was determined by tumor-associated dendritic cells, neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages and not by antibody-antigen interactions, write the investigators.

Systemic exposure to either nanoparticle type induced an immune response leading to CD8+ T cell infiltration and tumor growth delay that was independent of antibody therapeutic activity. These results suggest that antitumor immune responses can be induced by systemic exposure to nanoparticles without requiring a therapeutic payload. We conclude that immune status of the host and microenvironment of solid tumors are critical variables for studies in cancer nanomedicine and that nanoparticle technology may harbor potential for cancer immunotherapy.

Its been known for a long time that nanoparticles, when injected into the bloodstream, are picked up by scavenger-like macrophages and other immune system cells, explains senior study author Robert Ivkov, PhD, associate professor of radiation oncology and molecular radiation sciences at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins.

Many researchers in the field have been focused on trying to reduce interactions with immune cells, because they have been trying to increase the circulation time of the nanoparticles and their retention in tumor cells. But our study demonstrates that the immune cells in the tumor collect and react to the particles in such a way to stimulate an anti-cancer response. This may hold potential for advancing beyond drug delivery toward developing cancer immunotherapies.

The investigators conducted a few in vitro experiments in their study. First, they applied some plain starch-coated iron oxide nanoparticles and others coated with trastuzumab to five human breast cancer cell lines, finding that the amount of binding between the trastuzumab-coated nanoparticles and cells depended on how much the cancer cells expressed the oncogene HER2. In people, HER2-positive breast cancers are among the most resistant to standard chemotherapy.

Trastuzumab, sold under the name Herceptin, targets the HER2-positive tumor cells and triggers the immune system as well.

Responses were surprisingly different in animal models, the researchers report. In separate experiments, the team used the nanoparticles in two immune-deficient strains of mice engrafted with cells from five human breast cancer cell linestwo that were HER2 negative and three that were HER2 positive. When they studied the animals tumors 24 hours later, they noticed that nanoparticles coated with trastuzumab were found in a concentration two to five times greater than the plain nanoparticles in all types of tumors, regardless of whether they expressed the HER2 protein. They also found that the number of trastuzumab-coated nanoparticles was even greater (tenfold) in mice that had a fully functional immune system and were bearing mouse-derived tumors.

This led the researchers to suspect that the host animals immune systems were interacting strongly with the nanoparticles and playing a role in determining retention of the particles in the tumor, whether or not a drug was added.

More experiments, the team reports, revealed that tumor-associated immune cells were responsible for collecting the nanoparticles, and that mice bred with an intact immune system retained more of the trastuzumab-coated nanoparticles than mice bred without a fully functioning immune system.

In addition, inflammatory immune cells in the tumors immediate surroundings, or microenvironment, seized more of the coated nanoparticles than the plain ones. Finally, in a series of 30-day experiments, the researchers found that exposure to nanoparticles inhibited tumor growth three to five times more than controls, and increased CD8-positive cancer-killing T cells in the tumors.

Surprisingly, Ivkov notes, the anti-cancer immune activating response was equally effective with exposure to either plain or trastuzumab-coated nanoparticles. Mice with defective T cells did not show tumor growth inhibition. The investigators say this demonstrated that systemic exposure to nanoparticles can cause a systemic host immune response that leads to anti-cancer immune stimulation and does not require nanoparticles to be inside the tumors.

Overall, our work suggests that complex interdependencies exist between the host and tumor immune responses to nanoparticle exposure, Ivkov says. These results offer intriguing possibilities for exploring nanoparticle targeting of the tumor immune microenvironment. They also demonstrate exciting new potential to develop nanoparticles as platforms for cancer immune therapies.

The investigators say they also plan to study whether the same types of immune responses can be generated for noncancer conditions, such as infectious diseases.

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What Might be the Best Way to Delivery Nanoparticle Therapy for Cancer? - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

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