Ferris named new FIS president Core provider FIS promoted Stephanie Ferris as its new president earlier this month. Ferris previously served as chief operations officer and chief accounting officer at FIS, where she was responsible for leading global strategy and technology transformation, as well as the global integration of Worldpay, an e-commerce and payment solution. […]

This next-generation wearable could have a major impact on VR & AR technology. As the metaverse continues to grow at a rapid pace, having access to a reliable 5G connection is going to become more important to the average user. To help keep people connected, Motorola and Lenovo have partnered to develop the 5G Neckband, […]

The post 5G Neckband Lets You Access The Metaverse Anytime, Anywhere appeared first on VRScout.

Stand out in the metaverse with your very own digital replica. 8th Wall and Ready Player Me are coming together to launch a set of tools that will allow you to build custom, interactive avatars you can use throughout a variety of web-based metaverse experiences. Thanks to these new tools, developers will be able to […]

The post Create Your Own VR Avatar For The Web-Based Metaverse appeared first on VRScout.

Consumer AR glasses in the past have failed because of a lack of content. As part of their safeguard against this fate, Nreal has partnered with Cinedigm.

AR has many useful applications in the workplace. To increase workplace productivity, companies can use AR for training, operations, and remote assistance.

A look at 2021 developments in AR glasses including the companies, market trends, and enterprise developments that could drive a year of mass adoption.

From the company's CES news, to developing use cases, to working with other vendors, Travers has a lot to say about the past, present, and future of smart glasses.

The post Mojo Vision Raises Additional $45M to Put Smart Contacts in the Eyes of Athletes appeared first on Road to VR.

When we think of technology changing our future, it’s easy to slip into an overly dramatized vision of light-saturated high-rises. A...

The application, which was first noted by Variety, proposes a “[VR] floor mat activity region” embedded with sensors to enhance the experience of playing a VR game while also preventing the user from crashing into nearby furniture and walls.

The mat would be integrated into a gaming system, which uses a combination of optical sensors, fiducial markers and “spatially distributed” pressure sensors in the mat to calculate the user’s position in a 3D space and shape a simulated world around them. This could reduce reliance on sensors within the headset.

 “The virtual reality experience for the user is selectively augmented based on the positioning of the physical subject identified relative to the activity region,” the application explained. “For example, a notification of a user's proximity to a boundary of the activity region may be provided to the user through visual, auditory, or haptic feedback.”

The application suggested that the user could receive notifications within their VR session if they approach a boundary of the mat, allowing them to avoid crashing into real-world objects. Small vibrating devices could be inserted into the mat to provide haptic feedback to help the user remain within the boundaries of the mat as well as to provide in-game feedback. The application suggests having different textures towards the outside of the mat, presumably to warn the user that they are reaching its boundaries.

The filing also suggests establishing a set ‘starting point’ at the centre of the mat. When the user stands here, a game begins to run.

Several different designs are suggested, including a modular form which would allow for multiple mats to interlock and cover a large area.

As is usually the case with patent applications, this will not necessarily become a commercial product, but it indicates the possible directions Microsoft’s engineers are exploring. The application does not specify which headset the mat would connect with, and it mentions a range of possible computing devices the mat could be used with, including PCs, smartphones, and wearables.

Microsoft’s mixed-reality ventures are currently focused on business rather than entertainment; the HoloLens smart glasses are designed for business, design, training (including military training) and education, with minimal gaming applications. However, the mat could be intended for use with Microsoft’s gaming-focused Kinect motion sensor controller, which was launched in 2010 and intended for use with the Xbox 360 and Xbox One but discontinued in 2017. One of the diagrams included with the application features a device sitting on of a television which bears a very strong resemblance to the Kinect. In May 2018, Microsoft teased a return for the Kinect, suggesting that the dead device could have applications beyond gaming.