Monthly Archives: March 2017

New York Times

Virtual Reality Leads Marketers Down a Tricky Path New York Times Virtual reality videos, which give users a sense of being transported to another place, where they can walk around and interact with that environment, often start at $500,000 each to make, according to Forrester Research. And if a company tries to trim ...

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Virtual Reality Leads Marketers Down a Tricky Path - New York Times

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MILWAUKEE -- There are millions of things that make up our reality as we know it. Imagine a world where you can go anywhere, experience anything and be anyone. We have reached the doorstep of this new technology walking through will undoubtedly change the world we live in.

Jeff Fitzsimmons is the creator of a 360-degree video of Milwaukees Polar Bear Club which was featured in The New York Times. Hes also the owner of Custom Reality Services a virtual reality company based in Milwaukees Third Ward.

His business is putting the viewer smack dab in the middle of an alternate reality or virtual reality.

Jeff Fitzsimmons

It gives you the ability to walk through that experience and feel like it is happening to you, said Fitzsimmons.

Virtual reality is a technology that has been tried in the past, but failed a few times over, in fact. This time around though, VR has emerged as a mainstream phenomenon.

Every commercial you see has people wearing VR goggles,and in 2011, virtual reality was jet-pack, flying car, crazy talk and that's a big shift in a short period of time,"said Fitzsimmons.

Jeff Fitzsimmons

There are different levels when it comes to virtual reality headsets on the market. The most basic is Google Cardboard and can be used with almost any smartphone. The next step up is Samsungs Gear VR which can only be used with specific Samsung phones. After that comes the more professional grade models including the Sony PlayStation VR and HTCVIVE.

The HTC VIVE, the controllers, the computers, the software -- we're talking thousands of dollars at that point, saidBen Holt, marketing director of EC Virtual Reality in Waukesha.

Coming here is kind of like an arcade, you know?We have ones where you are playing by yourself. We have ones where you're playing with people here, and like you said, there are experiences," said Holt.

You can try different experiences like swimming with jellyfish or riding to the top of a New York City skyscraper. Holt calls it the perfect place for a conservative adrenaline junkie.

However, gaming and entertainment are just the beginning for this instant escape.

Virtual reality

This is like the invention of electricity, not like the invention of 3D movies. This will impact everything," said Fitzsimmons.

It is already being used in theme parks, on university campuses, for magazines -- even real estate. The Broadway Market Lofts in Milwaukees Third Ward are far from finished, but when a potential renter puts on a virtual reality headset, 'what is' turns into 'what could be.'

Its really hard for a lot of people, including myself, to imagine what the fixtures are going to look like, the finishes, said Lindsey Bortner, property manager for Milwaukee View.

The applications for virtual reality are endless now that the computing power has finally caught up with the vision.

That difference was the difference between 'I want to throw up' and 'wow, this is amazing. I really feel like Im here,'said Fitzsimmons.

There is still a ways to go with the hardware. Fitzsimmons saidthe big, bulky headsets and trailing wires will all eventually go away.

If you want proof VR is here to stay this time, Fitzsimmons urges you to look at those at the forefront of embracing this new frontier.

Any technology people can figure out how to have sex in it will be around forever. Television, VCR, said Fitzsimmons.

Is virtual reality being used now for that purpose?

Oh yes, but dont Google that! saidFitzsimmons.

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It'll impact everything: Applications for virtual reality limitless now that technology caught up with vision - fox6now.com

Science Daily

Virtual reality training for 'safety-critical' jobs Science Daily Cineon Training is developing immersive, 360-degree training through virtual reality headsets to prevent accidents and improve the performance of workers. It also uses technology such as eye tracking and physiological monitoring to help understand how ... Could virtual reality help pilots to land aeroplanes more accurately? New device is being used to train specialists ...Daily Mail Work in a high-risk industry? Virtual reality may soon become part of routine trainingInternational Business Times UK all 3 news articles »

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Virtual reality training for 'safety-critical' jobs - Science Daily

As SeaWorld parks phase out their real-life animal encounters, the entertainment giant is looking to virtual reality to boost guest satisfaction in a different way.

This summer, the Orlando theme park will debut a new virtual reality experience on its popular Kraken coaster, handing out VR goggles to give riders the experience of racing through a fully submersed underwater scene.

We see great potential for [virtual reality] use across the parks, SeaWorld CEO Joel Manby said in a call with investors on Feb. 28.

We're also looking to have a version of virtual reality for our animals where guests can see them live and other things you typically can't see as a human today except through virtual reality."

But as a new technology, virtual reality is unlikely to offer the full excitement of seeing a live animal in person-- or the thrill of being able to fully enjoy a traditional thrill ride like a roller coaster, say some theme park experts.

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"Parks should be careful not to be too liberal with their VR experiences, it should be used to enhance-- not replace-- traditional attractions," Ricky Brigante of Inside the Magic told Fox News.

While Brigante believes SeaWorld Orlando has some of the best rides in the business, he cautioned that experiences like the Turtle Trek-- a 3D theater experience about saving sea turtles-- lean too heavily on virtual reality and the in-your-face pro-conservation message takes away from the entertainment value. Plus, says the theme park insider, it's very hard to replicate the experience of meeting--and getting splashed by-- a real animal.

"Ipersonally get where animal activists are coming from but I've met many amazing trainers and caretakers [at SeaWorld] who put the animals' needs first always," says Brigante.

"When I think about going to SeaWorld, I want that visceral experience of seeing a real animal. VR technology just can't replicate that quite yet."

According to the Orlando Business Journal, SeaWorld's VR investment is part of the theme park giant's plan to revamp its offerings. SeaWorld will use advanced technology termed Deep See and will incorporate virtual reality headsets as a way to transport guests into areas of the world theyd never be able to visit otherwise.

"In general, VR headsets are an inexpensive way to create a new ride experience without having to make a major capital expenditure," explainedMartin Lewison, AssistantProfessor, Business ManagementFarmingdale State College in New York.

SeaWorld, which is looking to bring in new customers and win back detractors, may see VR as a relatively "low-risk" investment to upgrade additional rides.

Like Brigante, however, Lewison warns the virtual reality world has its limitations.

"On the negative side, however, the VR headsets do significantly slow down operations," says Lewison. "Goggles have to be cleaned and straps need to be secured...In addition, some guests ride rollercoasters so that they can feel the wind in their face and see the park around them. Ive heard some enthusiasts say that staring at game screens is something that one can do at home."

In January, SeaWorld San Diego announced plans to enhance its non-animal attractions with a roller coaster dubbed theElectric Eel. That ride, which will send riders back and forth at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour, will reach a height of 150 feet. It will also showcase a live eel exhibit in the waiting area.

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In addition to more rides, if SeaWorld is able to use the VR experience as something guests can only find within parks, however, Brigante sees great educational and entertainment potential.

"After handing out the goggles,SeaWorld could leverage the idea of getting all dressed up into scuba gear to give the audience that feeling of 'hey, were about to go on this deep sea dive, time to suit up.'"

The new attractions come as SeaWorld attempts to move on from its controversial orca-breeding program. Last May, the park partnered with marine biologist and wildlife artist Guy Harvey in an attempt to educate visitors on worldwide shark preservation attempts.

The parks new Mako coaster, named after the oceans fastest shark, served as the main point of that shark conservations education.

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Will virtual reality save SeaWorld? - Fox News

Airline KLM is using a virtual reality computer game to train 300 engineers how to safely evacuate an aircraft maintenance hangar in the event of a fire or other emergency.

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The project is part of an experiment by the airline to find a more effective way than traditional MicroSoft PowerPoint presentations and online courses of training large numbers of employees.

KLM has developed a virtual reality (VR) simulation of one of its large aircraft hangars, which allows its engineers to take part in a simulated fire evacuation, choose how they respond at each stage and experience the impact of their decisions.

Employees take part by wearing Samsung virtual reality headsets, through which they view a three-dimensional video of the hangar they work in and their colleagues.

The experience is completely immersive, says Guido Helmerhorst, social, business and technology architect at Air France-KLM, adding that it makes the learning an emotional and memorable experience.

There are no distractions from colleagues wandering around the office or from ringing phones. Whatever thoughts you have, such as your to-do list or grocery list, your brain does not have space to think about it, he says.

Virtual reality training programmes are expensive, but the investment pays off when companies need to train large numbers of people.

Helmerhorst calculates the project will save half a days training, equivalent to 50,000 to 75,000 for 300 engineers. Using conventional training techniques, it would take a year to find gaps in the schedule to train all 300 engineers now it can be done in a morning.

KLMs engineers can request the virtual reality headsets from the parts store, and spend 10 minutes going through the simulation when they have dead time, such as when a plane is delayed on the way to the hangar. This allows them to keep their skills constantly up to date.

Compare that with current training, when there is a spike in learning and you forget what you have learned, says Helmerhorst, speaking ahead of anHR technology conference.

The project started when Helmerhorst began evaluating the potential of computer games techniques for learning at KLM around three years ago.

He worked with Dutch startup Warp Industries to try out the techniques. In one team-building exercise, the trainees were asked to run around the building, against the clock, to recruit members for their team from departments they would not normally work with.

The project helped the company identify talented employees who had previously been overlooked, saysThijs de Vries, designer and gamification expert at Warp Industries.

People who were previously sitting in their corner were able to show their skills and talent, he says.

Helmerhorst and de Vries began developing the idea of virtual reality training after the manager at KLM Engineering and Maintenance asked them if there was a better way to train engineers on how to evacuate the maintenance hangar safely.

He said, I have 300 maintenance engineers wandering around. When there is a fire drill, they just go outside, talk for an hour, smoke and come back in. They dont learn anything, says Helmerhorst, who will describe the project at the HR Tech World conference in London.

The team developed a pilot virtual reality training programme in which people had to find the safety equipment, including the water sprinklers, fire extinguishers and fire alarms in their workplace.

We learned that we could do a lot with a limited amount of resources. We used video instead of a computer-rendered environment and we learned we could create VR video games without disturbing the work going on in the hangar, and we can do it fairly quickly, says de Vries.

The finished training programme allows engineers to choose their exit path from the building once a computer-simulated fire starts.

Engineers can decide to fight the fire, but they must first find the fire extinguishers and choose which one of the six types of extinguishers to use, depending on the type of fire not an easy task when the room is filled with fire and smoke.

You get a flight or freeze mechanism, your blood goes to your heart, so you cant think so clearly, says Helmerhorst.

Engineers can also decide to make their way to the nearest exit. Those who choose to make a quick exit in the lift are in for a surprise, however, when smoke starts pouring in and their colleagues start screaming and panicking.

The programme awards the engineers up to five stars, depending on how well they complete the simulated evacuation. Walking under a plane to reach the exit more quickly a major health and safety risk is a sure way to lose points.

We had some subjective feedback from employees and we did a questionnaire. They said the experience with VR is pretty emotional because they are going into situations they would normally not see, says de Vries.

KLMs first step was to create a scenario tree that shows the different routes and actions that engineers could take and the consequences of each decision. The tree offers the engineers 1,200 different choices.

Persuading health and safety specialists to agree to give the employees the freedom to make mistakes was a challenge, at first.

But when training and occupational safety specialists met to create the training programme, they realised that engineers could learn effectively if they were able to learn from their mistakes.

Warp used special cameras, with lenses pointing in 360 degrees to film the hangar, and took footage at 30 strategic points. The company was able to complete the work in one day.

Its not possible for the director to stand behind the camera, as there is no such thing as behind the camera, says Helmerhorst. When the film was shot, everybody had to get out.

The technique is more cost effective and realistic than creating a computer model of the hangar, which would have taken months of work and would have required powerful computers to run.

Warp was able to transform the 3D film into an interactive mobile app that was compact enough to run on a Samsung mobile phone, and doubles as the screen in a Samsung virtual reality headset.

One concern was that many of KLMs engineering workforce are older workers, who may have found virtual reality difficult to use, or might have experienced nausea, but early trials showed they took to the technology.

KLM has chosen to make four headsets available to its engineers, which they can order from the parts store. However, with future virtual reality projects, it may make sense to allow employees to download the apps on their own phones.

If you have a smartphone, then potentially you can download the app from an app store and press play, says Helmerhorst.

Early research by Warp, along with Amsterdam University, on a medical VR simulation used to train medical staff in CPR resuscitation, has shown people learn faster using immersive virtual reality training than with 2D video.

The results were overwhelming; they had the feeling of being there, seeing the man lying on the floor, and a really emotional response. It helps them to be in the best position for CPR, says de Vries.

KLM plans to carry out its own research over the next 12 months to compare the effectiveness of the virtual reality version of its training with a two-dimensional version of the training programme.

The airline has plans to develop other virtual reality training programmes. Helmerhorst is working with Warp to create VR leadership training programmes for KLMs managers.

The idea will be to confront leaders with employees who have tricky dilemmas, and to allow leaders to try a variety of responses to the problem and test what the impact is for the employee and for themselves.

If managers know they have a difficult conversation with an employee tomorrow, they will be able to use the virtual reality app to practice the conversation, so they will be more at ease, says Helmerhorst.

Another idea is to use VR for training sales staff and cabin crew in handling aggressive passengers.

As cabin crew, we fly all the way around the world. An American who gets angry is very different from a Chinese person who gets angry. That is very hard to train right now, says Helmerhorst.

The same technology could be used to train staff who check-in luggage, to help them take a firmer line on which bags are or are not allowed on board.

Hand luggage can also be a problem. Some people take nothing, while other people attempt to take their entire wardrobe. That can put pressure on check-in staff to accept larger items than they should, causing problems further down the line.

Its not a nice place to be for check-in staff. They dont understand why its important, but if I can put them in an aeroplane, where they can see someone with big suitcases, making a lot of noise, trying to get a big suitcase into the luggage rack, they can see how they can help their colleagues gain a better experience, he says.

Helmerhorst believes virtual reality could have benefits for training staff to spot cyber security risks. In one scenario, for example, employees could be confronted with a visitor who is intent on stealing data from the company.

The policy is dont leave your visitor alone. But they will say, I will see myself out, or I will go to the toilet, and they will disappear for a short period of time, insert a USB stick into a computer and start hacking. We know that on paper, but the learning is much greater if you can experience it, he says.

Warp is seeing a growing demand for VR training from other organisations.

One project under development will train executives how to deal with reporters, allowing them to gauge the response of the reporter if they say things their company doesnt want them to say, and teaching them to stay on message.

The company has also developed a training programme that helps people make sure their house is safe before they go to sleep. That means turning off electric devices, removing phone chargers from plug sockets and closing the bedroom door which gives an extra 10 minutes of safety in the event of a fire.

Guido Helmerhorst is speaking at HR Tech World, London, 21-22 March 2017.

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Virtual reality simulation helps KLM engineers escape in an emergency - ComputerWeekly.com

RBC Capital marketers released a research note Monday that sets up some challenges and a timeline for the mass adoption of augmented and virtual reality, based on a hosted conversation with author and reporter Reed Albergotti.

"We likely remain 3-5 years away from the mass market consumer being able to go into a Best Buy and pick up a VR/AR headset for easy use most users today remain early-adopters (and largely gamers)," RBC analyst Mark Mahaney wrote in a research note published Monday.

Google hopes mass adoption will come a lot sooner. At the Mobile World Congress, Amit Singh, VP of virtual reality at Google, announced that Google's VR platform Daydream will soon become available to hundreds of millions of smartphones, with Project Tango soon to follow.

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There are several challenges along the path to mass adoption. Mahaney notes that today VR and AR headsets require lots of computing power. VR remains immersive and can cause motion sickness if the device doesn't track exterior environments correctly. And setup remains somewhat extensive.

Google is not the only search company focusing on AI. The new wave of experiences built on augmented and visual search put more than $54 million in Blippar's coffers last year to further develop its search engine.

Gaming is only one reason to use AR and VR. Marketers may want to look at VR and AR to create content to create extensive how-to videos when fixing a car or a leaky faucet. Homeowners with plumbing problems can put on a headset and the brand can guide the consumer through fixing the problem, as in one example provided by Albergotti during RBC's conversation.

Some of the major and minor players that Albergotti keeps an eye on include Microsoft's HoloLens; Google's investment in Magic Leap; and Apple when it comes to AR and Osterhout Design Group, which primarily does work for the military. Others include Sony, Facebook, NVidia and HTC.

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Augmented, Virtual Reality Mass Adoption 3 To 5 Years Away - MediaPost Communications