Monthly Archives: March 2021

The business hosts 10 VR stations, each with a full library of over 90 video game titles.

PORT CLINTON, Ohio If you're looking for a chance to play laser tag, swim in the ocean, work at a convenience store or maybe survive a zombie apocalypse, there's one location that has it all.

Visions VR opened in the second half of 2020 in the Port Clinton Plaza shopping center.

After retiring from a career as a first responder, Kassie Anderson wanted to startup a new business idea that northwest Ohio had never seen.

What began as a proposed laser tag business quickly transformed in a virtual reality arcade.

"We went to Fort Wayne where there is a very large area that has a lot of different gaming things and we found VR and we just fell in love with it." said Anderson

Visitors can pay for blocks time, either alone or with a group.

Then the state of the art HTC Vive PRO headsets and controllers transport you into fully-immersive video game worlds.

Regardless of which of the 10 VR station you're assigned, you will still have access to their entire library of games of over 90 titles.

After every session, each headset is cleaned and then sanitized in a medical grade UV cleaner.

With the VR stations already needing to be 10-feet apart, social distancing is already built into the experience.

The intuitive nature of the games means the fun is for everybody.

"From 8 to 80. I mean, we have a chair that you can sit in so you don't have to walk around if you don't want to," said Anderson.

Visions VR can also host parties, corporate events and even full-facility rentals.

With all the VR stations connected by the same Local Area Network (LAN), you can even play multiplayer games with the other people in the room.

"You're talking through the headset with each other, you're seeing each other in the game playing the same game together. We have several multilayer games," said Anderson

Visions VR is currently operating in their winter hours of Monday through Thursday, 4-8 p.m., and Friday through Sunday, 2-8 p.m.

They are planning on expanding to full operating hours sometime before Memorial Day.

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Visions VR offers a fun, safe and immersive virtual reality experience - WTOL

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AEXLAB, Inc. is thrilled to announce it has raised over $700,000 on StartEngine in just three weeks. The virtual reality (VR) technology company is raising capital to continue developing an unparalleled VR experience using cutting-edge technology to create socially immersive gaming experiences.

Founded in 2015, AEXLABs proprietary systems include solutions for haptics, audio spatialization, firearm simulation, virtual reality human interfaces, and real-time social and gaming networking technology. As AEXLABs first gaming franchise, the closed alpha of the upcoming VAIL franchise has attracted everyone from professional esports competitors, experienced amateur players, and those who are completely new to the VR scene.

Virtual reality should be a first class socially immersive experience available to a wide array of consumers. Up until now, those who wanted to engage in a VR experience had to spend thousands of dollars to obtain the necessary equipment. AEXLAB offers an all-encompassing VR experience at a fraction of the price, all without the need to connect to a desktop, said Jonathan Ovadia, AEXLAB CEO.

With VAIL, players load into an interactive space and invite friends to socialize before queuing up for matches. With a PC virtual reality headset, players download the game and click play. AEXLABs product is compatible with all major headset manufacturers, including Lenovo, Hewlett Packard, Oculus, Valve, HTC, Windows Mixed Reality, and more.

AEXLABs Leadership Team consists of Elizabeth Ann Clark, Chief Creative Officer, who possesses an extensive background in communication & film and has been featured on Vice and Gaming.net. Albert Ovadia, Chief Technology Officer, is a member of the Audio Engineering Society. As a lifelong gamer, he heads programming and systems architecture. Jonathan Ovadia, Chief Executive Officer, comes with a background in finance, entrepreneurship, and business development and works within the tech and startup community to progress this niche space. Jonathan and the AEXLAB team will host Miami Mayor Francis Suarez on Tuesday, March 23 for a special edition of the Mayors Cafecito Tech talk.

About AEXLABFounded in 2015, AEXLAB is a virtual reality (VR) technology company based in Miami, FL. AEXLAB has created highly-tailored, customizable experiences for companies like Red Bull, American Institute of Architects, Epic Games, and Valve, and also participated in the Oculus Start Program. For more information, please visit aexlab.com or find us on social media at @aexlab and @playvailvr. Additional investor information can be found at http://www.startengine.com/aexlab.

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AEXLAB Closer to Its Goal of Raising $1 Million to Develop Unparalleled Virtual Reality Gaming Experience - Business Wire

Avangrid Substation Training Module

TORONTO (PRWEB) March 19, 2021

VR Vision as a leader in the virtual and augmented reality training space collaborated with AVANGRID to develop an enterprise-focused training platform that uses VR to help educate and train maintenance and repair technicians on Substation Entry and Substation Walk-through. The platform is fully immersive and developed in Unity using the latest in hardware from Oculus VR. VR Vision will then use the data gathered to assess learner performance, enabling AVANGRID to make data-driven decisions about individual technician preparedness for critical situations as well as reduce time to value for training assessments.

We aim to develop cutting-edge training tools that are not only engaging but also will provide real-world value to the end-user, said Lorne Fade, co-founder and COO of VR Vision. We aim to do this by listening to our clients' needs and then optimizing a training solution that is not only immersive but will give organizations a complete experience for learning as well as provide additional ROI in the long term.

VR is being used to streamline processes, enhance learning outcomes, and give learners a unique way to actively learn which has shown to increase competency rates by up to 90%, Lorne continued. We are excited to be working with AVANGRID on this and other immersive training platforms as we feel this is only the beginner for enterprise groups to usher in a new era of training programs that can eliminate risk, standardize processes and overall improve organizations bottom line in a unique and exciting way."

With the Substation Entry walkthrough training platform, users have a 1 to 1 virtual reality recreation that can benefit new as well as existing technicians on power generation, transmission, and distribution systems. The modules currently train technicians on pre-entry authorization with an in-depth FX on power transmission through open-air disconnects, CTs and PTs, breakers, grounding breakers, and transformers while displaying each component on the one-line diagram.

This extremely unique experience not only trains technicians but also visually trains all electrical engineers on the operations of substations, providing virtual access to one. Training new technicians can be dangerous and difficult, but this virtual reality experience avoids this difficulty and danger altogether.

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VR Vision Partners with Avangrid to Develop Custom Virtual Reality Substation Training - PR Web

Bank of America will offer virtual reality training to employees nationwide via its career training program, The Academy, a spokesperson told HR Dive in an email this month.

The Academy supports some 50,000 Bank of America employees across 4,000 of the company's U.S. financial centers. The bank tapped immersive learning company Stridr, known for its work bringing VR headsets to Walmart stores in recent years.

Bank of America is using Stridr's units to train for several functions, from simulators that help workers train on the bank's account opening and servicing systems to AI-powered tools that allow workers to practice having conversations with clients, John Jordan, head of The Academy, said during a recent webinar.

VR is also being used to upskill the bank's employees and help them move to different functions more quickly.The bank received a crash course in upskilling last year as workers pivoted to implement the requirements of the Paycheck Protection Program.

"We did 17 years worth of business loans in 60 days," Jordan said, which required reskilling some 20,000 employees. "What that showed us was the art of the possible if we can move 20,000 people in the blink of an eye practically to do something different, then we need to be thinking about that more proactively on a daily basis."

Jordan also emphasized the importance of VR in training employees to serve clients empathetically and professionally during sensitive transactions, such as buying a home.

"It gives us the ability to really practice the moments of truth with clients, those moments where there's a lot of emotion [and] potentially tension," he said.

Certification and performance monitoring are also key. "It's not just about the individual in the goggles, it's about the coach watching the individual in the goggles," Jordan said. Bank of America already had a coaching program in place that ensures high-performing individuals in every role have the opportunity to teach others, he added.

The Academy supports more than 220 job types and originally piloted VR with some 400 individuals across multiple geographies and job functions. The company relies partly on managers to establish a constant rhythm of training for each employee, but managers do not always have the bandwidth to ensure this.

"We've got to make sure that we're able to provide high-quality practice reps no matter where you're sitting," Jordan said.

Bank of America also surveys employees as they go through training, which can evaluate in real-time their grasp of training material, Jordan noted. This allows for incremental improvements on learning tech on a month-by-month basis.

"It's not just about the individual in the goggles, it's about the coach watching the individual in the goggles." Bank of America already has a coaching program in place that ensures high-performing individuals in every role have the opportunity to teach others, he added.

VR's impact on productivity has proved effective in earning buy-in from leadership on the tech because it shortened processes that might otherwise take several weeks to complete, Jordan said, but there are other potential benefits.

"Years from now, everyone's going to have some sort of VR or AR in their life," he noted. "In the vein of innovation, we know that we're opening up a whole new set of options for engaging our employees and helping them be better at their jobs."

But there are also "invisible costs" that VR can help demonstrate as workers move away from traditional click-through training. Jordan said that when Bank of America began to make the switch to experiential learning for one particular process, it noticed a "high fail rate," which in turn created another type of business case for VR that it could help address the cost of errors.

As helpful as the tech has been in improving training efficiency, Jordan said he does not envision that VR will replace all training types; "I never see a day when I say, all of your learning is in virtual reality. I think you could see a day when everyone has a piece of their learning which is done in virtual reality."

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BofA banks on virtual reality to train workers for the 'moments of truth' - CIO Dive

Virtual reality and augmented reality have evolved over the past couple of years and become more accessible, both technologically and financially, for business and learning. Often voiced in the same breath, virtual reality and augmented reality bend whats real to demonstrate, visualize, and impart information.

Here are the differences among them:

Now that the technology is here, its time to refine and expand upon it. We need to think about blending augmented and virtual realities, enabling hybrid learning experiences between virtual and face-to-face environments.

Many companies are interested in using AR and VR for learning and corporate benefits but dont know where to get started. I recently sat down with Matt Donovan, GP Strategies chief learning and innovation officer, and Tom Pizer, director of learning technologies at the same company. We discussed where VR, AR and MR are headed, what software drives them, and how to dip your toe in now that the technology and platforms to support them are more accessible. Here are selected highlights from our discussion. You can watch the interview at the end of this post.

Watch the highlights from the interview.

The future is bright for AR and VR. Weve effectively used it for a variety of needs, from automotive sales training to continuity of business during the COVID-19 pandemic. As developers and users become more accustomed to the technologies, we foresee them as having a huge impact on modern learning.

Learn more about VR and GP Strategies.

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Future Workplace: The Viability of VR and AR for Business and Learning Professionals - ATD

Sony Corporation (NYSE: SNE) has revealed a new virtual reality controller for its PlayStation 5 gaming console, which it claims unlocks a way to tap into the sense of touch.

What Happened: The orb shaped controllers allow for a high degree of freedom while playing, wrote Hideaki Nishino, senior vice president of platform planning and management of Sonys gaming arm, in a blog post Thursday.

Nishino said the company"designed the new controller with great ergonomics in mind, so its well-balanced and comfortable to hold in each of your hands.

We applied learnings from testing users with a range of hand sizes, as well as the decades of insights from controllers across all PlayStation platforms, he said.

The features of the new controllers include adaptive triggers that are similar to Sonys DualSense controller in terms of giving the feel of palpable tension during gameplay. Other features span haptic feedback, finger touch detection, tracking, and action buttons. The left controller also contains one analog stick.

Why It Matters: Sony isnt the only company jumping on the VR product release bandwagon. Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) too is said to be planning a VR headset for 2022, which would come along with a steep price tag.

The Apple headset could cost as much as $3,000 and come equipped with interchangeable headbands, according to Business Insider.

Facebook Inc (NASDAQ: FB) launched its Oculus Quest 2 VR headset in September last year.

The Mark Zuckerberg-led company has nearly 10,000 people or 20% of its workforce dedicated to developing augmented and virtual reality devices, according to The Information.

As for Sony, the company showcased its next-generation VR system for PlayStation 5 in February and said it wont be launching in 2021. In a separate blog, Nishino wrote, theres still a lot of development underway.

Price Action: Sony shares closed nearly 0.6% lower at $105.34 on Thursday.

Photos: Courtesy of Sony

2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Take A Sneak Peak At The Weirdly-Shaped New PlayStation5 Virtual Reality Controller - Benzinga

Debuting in Las Vegas after international stops in Asia, the Middle East and Europe, its arrival at AREA15 marks the first time a digitally immersive andvirtual reality experienceof this magnitude and complexity featuring the art of Vincent Van Gogh will be seen in the United States. In advance of its wider North American release to at least eight cities this year, including Atlanta, New York, and Boston, Van Gogh: The Immersive Experiencewill debut an exclusive preview inside The PORTALAREA15's360-degree projection-mapped room designed for events, performances and digital art installations.

"The PORTAL at AREA15 was created to stage exactly this sort of immersive, 360-degree experience," said Winston Fisher, chief executive officer, AREA15. "We're thrilled to be the first U.S. location to preview this mesmerizing, art-and-technology phenomenon celebrating the life and art of Van Gogh."

On view from April 6 through July 5 at AREA15, Van Gogh: The Immersive Experiencewill be a timed experience encompassing 35 minutes and mapped specifically to fit the nearly 7,000-square-foot PORTAL. General admission tickets will include lounge seating where guests are enveloped in sensational artistry, while VIP tickets will include VR goggles to experience "A Day in the Life of the Artist in Arles, France," a virtual stroll alongside Van Gogh himself to explore the countryside settings that inspired his artwork.

Captivating a worldwide audience for more than four years in cities such as Brussels, Naples,Tel Aviv, Beijing, and Antwerp, Van Gogh: The Immersive Experienceis an awe inspiring 360-degree experience making visitors feel as though they have stepped into the famous artist's masterpieces. The immersive experience invites guests to revel in a transcendent display of this 19th century artistic genius' life, work and secrets as never before all seen through high-resolution digital projections and an accompanying original VR experience. The uniquely atmospheric light and sound show features dazzling animations of more than 300 of Van Gogh's works set to a custom score and punctuated by voice actors sharing poignant quotes from Van Gogh's letters to his brother,Theo.

The production, brought to life by European entertainment producer,Exhibition Hub, whichhas produced more than 70 experiences around the world, and presented by U.S.-based Immersive Hub, is a culturally enlightening, educational experience appropriate for all ages. All attendees will abide by prevailing public health and safety protocols.

"Having created numerous immersive experiences around the world, I am thrilled to bring Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience to AREA15, which lies at the heart of the city's new entertainment landscape," said Mario Iacampo, CEO of Exhibition Hub. "The innovative storytelling and technology that define Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience make ita perfect fit for AREA15."

Van Gogh: The Immersive Experiencewill be on view Sundays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Monday through Thursday, 3 to 10 p.m.; Fridays, dark; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Adult tickets start at $35 with 20 percent off for military and seniors; children's tickets are $19. Nevada residents receive additional discounts. VIP tickets, which include the VR experience, can be added to the general admission ticket for $10 more. Family-friendly ticket bundles are available at $80 for 2 adults and 2 children.

PUBLIC HEALTH NOTICEAREA15 and all its experiences follow the latest recommendations of leading health experts and government authorities, including theWorld Health Organizationand Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And true to the insatiable hunger for all things inventive and groundbreaking, AREA15 uses cutting-edge, state-of-the-art technology to help implement these recommendations, including an AI-driven thermal scanning platform that screens temperature accurately and non-invasively, detects the absence of a mask, and alerts staff when social distancing thresholds are not being met.

ABOUT AREA15AREA15, located minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, is the world's first purpose-built experiential entertainment district offering live events, immersive activations, monumental art installations, extraordinary design elements, unique retail, ground-breaking technology, bars and eateries and much more. With a growing collection of dynamic destinations including Dueling Axes, Emporium Arcade Bar, Lost Spirits Distillery, Oddwood Bar, "Wink World: Portals Into The Infinite," Museum Fiasco, Rocket Fizz, Five Iron Golf, The Beast by Todd English, OZ Experienceand anchor experience, Meow Wolf's Omega Mart, AREA15 is an ever-changing art, retail and entertainment district attracting locals and tourists of all ages.

AREA15 represents a collaborative venture between real estate development firm Fisher Brothers and creative agency Beneville Studios, both of New York.

ABOUT EXHIBITION HUBSince launching in 2015, Exhibition Hub has produced more than 70 exhibitions and immersive experiences around the world, reaching more than six million visitors. The company curates, producesand distributes a large number of exhibitions across the globe, from Brazil to China, delivering experiences to wide audiences and adapting its productions to numerous types of unique venues: from museums to exhibition centers, galleries to shopping malls, and cathedrals, and historical sites.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: Facebook:@AREA15LasVegas, @VanGogh.Experience Instagram: @AREA15Official, @VanGogh.ExperienceTwitter: @AREA15OfficialYouTube:AREA15

HASHTAG:#AREA15

MEDIA CONTACTS: Desiree Webb/Erika Pope The Vox Agency [emailprotected], [emailprotected] (702) 569-0616, (702) 249-2977

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Global Sensation, "Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience," A Digital And Virtual Reality Exhibition, Coming April 6 To The Portal At AREA15 -...