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[Industry Direct] Varjo Celebrates Best Headworn Device Nomination with $300 Discount on Varjo Aero

Sponsored Newsletter / Rejus Almole / May 19, 2023

Industry Direct by Varjo

Industry Direct is our program for sponsors who want to speak directly to the Road to VR newsletter audience. Industry Direct posts are written by sponsors with no involvement from the Road to VR editorial team. Links to these posts appear only in our newsletter and do not intermix with our on-site editorial feed. Industry Direct sponsors help make Road to VR possible.

Augmented World Expo (AWE) showcases the best of the best in augmented, virtual, and mixed reality with their esteemed Auggie Awards. Last year, Varjo took home the ‘Best Headworn Device’ award with the Varjo Aero headset, and this spring, Varjo XR-3 Focal Edition is one of the finalists in the same category.

To celebrate the nomination for Best Headworn Device, we’ve also launched a special spring promotion available to all Road to VR readers. People who order a Varjo Aero headset online before May 24 now get $300 off the price.

If you’re hesitant about whether the Varjo Aero is the right choice for you, we’ve collected some of the industry feedback below on why it’s one of the best VR headsets out there.

Why People Love Varjo Aero

Varjo Aero has made waves among professionals and advanced VR users, especially VR pilots and racing drivers. The ultra-high visual clarity of up to 35 pixels per-degree is an eye opening-experience, showing the true potential of VR for gamers and professionals. With dual mini-LED displays, crystal-clear aspheric lenses, and a 115° field-of-view for stunning edge-to-edge clarity, the device offers a massive step up in visual fidelity over consumer-grade virtual reality headsets.

A review of Varjo Aero by Pie in the Sky Tours, a flight sim YouTuber

Varjo Aero offers a generational leap in visual fidelity. The headset has received rave reviews from tech media and VR enthusiasts alike. As Pocketlint stated after testing Aero with experiences like Half-Life: Alyx, “if you want the very best VR experiences then you need a headset like this.”

With a future-proofed optical design, stunning dual mini-LED displays, and automatic interpupillary adjustment powered by built-in eye tracking, Varjo Aero is the lightest & brightest professional-grade headset ever made. The visual clarity and comfort of Aero ensure VR users can enjoy excellent immersion—even for hours on end.

As mentioned by VR Flight Sim Guy, a flight sim YouTuber who has used Varjo Aero for more than 1,000 hours, in one of his videos, “literally, for a moment, I actually thought I was there—I think I was in some sort of flow state with VR, and the aircraft, and the headset, and I just felt like I was there—I was just in disbelief. I have never had that moment in any other headset before.”

Varjo Aero Feature Highlights

Varjo Aero has several best-in-class features that make it an excellent choice for all demanding VR users. Here are just a few key characteristics that make Varjo Aero one of the best VR headsets you can buy.

Dual mini-LED displays with 35 PPD peak fidelity, 150 nits of brightness, and a 115° field-of-view for stunning edge-to-edge clarity.
Crystal-clear, variable resolution, aspheric lenses offering a massive step-up in visual fidelity over consumer-grade Fresnel optics.
Automatic IPD adjustment and ultra-fast, built-in eye-tracking at 200 Hz for a tailored, optimal experience to every user, every time.
Premium lightweight comfort with a 3-point precision fit headband, active cooling, and optimized ergonomics for long-duration usage.
Full access to Varjo Base software updates, including a high-definition virtual desktop with Varjo Workspace, as well as premium Varjo support.

Varjo Aero is the Headset of Choice for Even the Most Demanding VR Users

Sim racing is one of the most demanding applications for a VR headset as it requires excellent visual clarity and performance from the device. Varjo partners with several players in the sim racing industry.

For example, we are an official VR Partner of Alpine who uses Varjo Aero headsets to offer immersive experiences to fans and drivers. We also partner with several leading sim racing equipment providers such as Next Level Racing and Simucube.

Dare to race to the finish line? Claim our spring offer now to upgrade your sim racing setup with Varjo Aero.

Explore the Future of Mixed and Virtual Reality at AWE 2023

If you’re attending AWE 2023, you’ll also have a chance to attend a keynote by Varjo and NVIDIA where we explore real-time ray tracing, the holy grail of 3D visualization. This technological breakthrough will make mixed reality experiences look and feel even more real than ever before. While aimed at business users, this is a great panel to watch if you want to see what the future beholds for advanced XR visualization.

Don’t forget, if you want to get $300 off the price of Varjo Aero, order yours by May 24. Visit the campaign page to learn more.

[Industry Direct] Varjo Celebrates Best Headworn Device Nomination with $300 Discount on Varjo Aero Read More »

Quest’s Favorite Rocket League-style Sport ‘NOCK’ Coming to PSVR 2 Soon, Trailer Here

News, nock, nock psvr, nock psvr 2, Quest 2, quest 2 games, rocket league, rocket league vr, VR Game / Rejus Almole / May 19, 2023

NOCK, the Rocket League-inspired VR sport that arms you with bow and arrow, is coming to PSVR 2 next week, bringing its fast-paced action to cross-platform online play.

First launched on Quest 2 in in early 2022, developing studio Normal says Nock will arrive on PSVR 2 on May 25th.

The studio says in a PS blog post that Nock will run at 90hz on the highest resolution with no foveation or reprojection. To boot, the team says there was enough leftover compute to render a second camera, letting live observers watch a match in progress, or stream to other platforms.

Nock on PSVR 2 is set to arrive with a free season pass, letting you unlock over 30 skins, bows, and blocks as you progress through the game.

The studio says its supporting cross-platform play with all major platforms. The game is currently available on Quest and Pico headsets, and is marked as ‘coming soon’ on Steam for PC VR.

You can wishlist the game on the PS Store here.

Quest’s Favorite Rocket League-style Sport ‘NOCK’ Coming to PSVR 2 Soon, Trailer Here Read More »

Quest Update Includes More Home Customization, In-headset App Notifications & More

hom environment, News, oculus home, Oculus Quest, Oculus Quest 2, quest, Quest 2, quest 2 home, Quest Pro, quest pro controllers, quest update v54, quest v54 / Rejus Almole / May 19, 2023

The latest software update for Meta Quest, version v54, is now rolling out, bringing with it a few new quality-of-life features, such as new customization options for Home environments, in-headset app notifications, and better tracking for Quest Pro’s controller.

Customizable skyboxes let you change the sky above your head in your Home space, so you can choose from a number of presets, or even upload your own skybox to get the perfect atmosphere. Meta says its goal is to make Home Environments more personalized and customizable in the future.

The update also introduces in-headset notifications for 2D apps, such as Messenger, letting users interact with these apps without leaving their current game or app.

Meta says you’ll also be able to consolidate messages from the same source to streamline your notification feed, toggle a ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode, or disable notifications entirely for specific 2D apps. App notification are an opt-in feature that should prompt the first time you open a compatible app, so you won’t just start randomly receiving stuff, which is reassuring.

Additionally, Meta says v54 has improved Quest Touch Pro controller to enhance positional accuracy. Meta says these updates are gradually rolling out to all headsets.

Quest Update Includes More Home Customization, In-headset App Notifications & More Read More »

Build Wild Contraptions in ‘Rube Goldberg Workshop’, Now Available on Quest

free range games, News, rube goldberg, rube goldberg vr, rube goldberg workshop, VR Game / Rejus Almole / May 19, 2023

Rube Goldberg Workshop is now available on Quest, letting you make tons of different crazy—dare we say—Rube Goldbergian machines.

Built on Quest’s Presence platform, users can choose to play either in virtual reality or mixed reality, the latter allowing you to use your own room and surfaces to build your creations.

The game includes over 80 different components, including toy cars, gears, books, rubber balls, bowling pins, and cannons. There’s no time limit or scores, only your own imagination to build whatever your please.

The game was developed by Free Range Games in association with the Rube Goldberg Institute, which helped the team pattern their components off Rube Goldberg’s actual drawings—illustrating contraptions intentionally designed to perform a simple task in an indirect and overly complicated way.

“Certain objects [Goldberg] loved to draw, like the extending boxing glove, are iconic. We have a fun update coming very shortly after launch with a bunch of new objects inspired directly from his cartoons,” Free Range Games Producer Stephen Scholz says in a Meta blog post.

You can find it on Quest 2 and Quest Pro today on the Meta Store, priced at $10. As you’d imagine, only the Quest Pro packs colored passthrough, which is featured in the trailer above.

Build Wild Contraptions in ‘Rube Goldberg Workshop’, Now Available on Quest Read More »

Emerging with $61M in Funding, This “AR laptop” Aims to Close the Loop on Virtual Desktop Productivity

ar laptop, AR News, augmented reality laptop, News, sightful, sightful funding, sightful investment, spacetop / Rejus Almole / May 19, 2023

First it was the desktop. Then the laptop. And now, the… spacetop? That’s the category that Sightful hopes to carve out with its new “augmented reality laptop” which combines a pair of augmented reality glasses with a keyboard, allowing you to put a huge virtual desktop in your backpack.

Stealth startup Sightful today revealed Spacetop, an “augmented reality laptop” that turns a pair of AR goggles into a large virtual desktop computing environment. The company announced that it is soliciting interest for those who would like to be part of the product’s early access launch, which will cost $2,000 for the complete Spacetop computer. Purportedly only 1,000 units will be available at the outset, with shipments beginning this July.

Sightful, which was previously called Multinarity, says it has raised $61 million in funding to date, with its lead investors being Corner Ventures and Aleph Capital.

While we’ve seen many other ‘virtual desktop’ applications in the PC VR and standalone space, Sightful is trying to close the loop on making virtual desktop productivity… well, actually productive.

The company is hoping its all-in-one product—which essentially consists of the bottom half of a laptop, a pair of tethered AR goggles, and a custom software environment—will make for a streamlined virtual desktop experience that’s easy to use. Spacetop has a sort of dock in which to stow the glasses, and a ‘lid’, allowing the entire unit to be portable.

Sightful says Spacetop uses a pair of customized Nreal Light AR goggles with 6DOF head-tracking, a 53° field-of-view, and 1,920 × 1,080 resolution per-eye.

Inside the Spacetop base (which includes a full keyboard, trackpad, and USB & DisplayPort ports) is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, along with enough battery for a claimed 5 hours of work. There’s even a built-in webcam for video calls (though you might look a little strange wearing sunglasses with a cord coming out of them while you’re on video).

And yes, you read that right; with a Snapdragon processor this won’t be running Windows but rather the company’s own ‘Spacetop OS’, which we presume is built atop Android, though the company hasn’t said anything about compatibility with Android applications; instead it seems the first version of Spacetop will run almost exclusively on web apps, providing an essentially unlimited virtual desktop upon which to place them.

If you’ve ever used a Chromebook, you’ll know that you can actually get quite a bit done these days operating purely on web apps, but anyone hoping for serious desktop productivity and applications like Photoshop, Illustrator, or Blender, you won’t see them on Spacetop any time soon.

For what it’s worth, the company isn’t trying to hide that fact.

“Sightful is encouraging people who love to be first and look into the future, who work on the go, who live largely in Web apps to come and purchase […] Spacetop,” the company says in its announcement. “Potential customers looking for a hard-core gaming rig or a video-editing monster machine would be better served to wait for a future generation.”

The company also says at this point it isn’t focused on leveraging the unique 3D or spatial capabilities that come with AR (no 3D models floating in the air in front of you), nor are they working on any novel inputs (no special gestures to move windows with your hands); all of which is a good idea in my book—its good to walk before you run.

While Spacetop’s focused features and all-in-one design may have some benefits for virtual desktop productivity, the key challenges to unlocking this use-case are about more than just about creating a dedicated software environment and packaging everything together.

Over the years I’ve tried countless variations of XR headsets and virtual desktop software, including using them with a dedicated keyboard, mouse, and even a full Mac and Windows environments. Despite having all of the actual computing power and features I need for my daily workflow, core issues relating to the displays remain; notably: field-of-view, resolution, sweet spot, and comfort.

While the Nreal goggles aren’t terribly heavy, their relatively tiny field-of-view is in direct conflict with the idea of having a massive virtual desktop ready whenever you go. Instead of rotating your head and eyes just a bit to see one monitor or the other with real side-by-side monitors, you’ll need to move your head way more to bring a comparatively sized virtual window ‘into frame’, which can become uncomfortable quickly.

This issue is often amplified by a small sweet spot on many headsets which means that as you rotate your eyes the display becomes blurrier at the edges, meaning you need to nearly center your entire head on any window you want to see at maximum fidelity.

And considering the Nreal goggles use transparent displays, this makes resolution and legibility a challenge because the windows floating in front of you will always have some level of transparency.

As someone who has tried many similar solutions over the years, the pros have yet to outweigh the cons. I don’t personally see Spacetop (or for that matter, any virtual desktop application) catching on in a big way until it’s capable of essentially a perfect replication of a basic 1080p laptop display as it would look in real life right in front of you, let alone an unlimited virtual desktop with a plethora of application windows floating around you.

Emerging with $61M in Funding, This “AR laptop” Aims to Close the Loop on Virtual Desktop Productivity Read More »

5 ways Europe can reduce the risks of AI replacing jobs

Future of Work, Government and policy, Insider, Next Featured / Rejus Almole / May 19, 2023

Story by

Thomas Macaulay

Senior reporter

Thomas is a senior reporter at TNW. He covers European tech, with a focus on deeptech, startups, and government policy. Thomas is a senior reporter at TNW. He covers European tech, with a focus on deeptech, startups, and government policy.

It seems barely a day goes by without a new report of artificial intelligence replacing jobs. On Thursday, BT added the latest bad news, when the UK telecoms giant announced plans to replace 10,000 staff with AI.

Across Europe, predictions on automation’s effect on jobs vary wildly, but all agree that major changes are inevitable. With the impact already being felt, the need for government action is becoming urgent.

Here are five interventions they can take.

1. Retraining the workforce

The concept of a “job for life,” was disappearing even before AI’s relentless march into the workplace. Increasingly, we’re becoming accustomed to refreshing our skillsets.

Government policies can ease the transition. Italy, for instance, launched a new fund this week to help retrainin workers. The country has allocated €10 million to boost the skills of people whose jobs are at risk of automation.

It’s not the biggest funding pot, but it’s a start.

2. Adapting education systems

As well as upskilling the current workforce, governments need to prepare students for the future of work.

To support them, analysts have recommended a variety of education priorities. They range from STEM skills for jobs in tech to soft skills that will make people adaptable throughout their working lives.

One popular approach is prioritising “21st-century skills,” such as creativity, critical thinking, and communication. Another is creating highly specialised training. Finland, for example, has launched a free online course on AI, because if you can’t beat the robots, you might as well work with them.

3. Wage supplements

Technology doesn’t always replace jobs; it can also cut a sector’s salaries. The rise of Uber, for instance, didn’t reduce the number of taxis on our streets, but it did push down the wages of salaried drivers.

One way to mitigate a loss of earnings is by improving wage supplements. The idea is to “make work pay” for people on low-paid jobs, which can offer little more than subsistence-level welfare benefits. Providing supplements — such as better child care, higher income tax credits, or wage insurance for earnings lost to automation — can make their wages go much further.

It won’t come cheap, but it could still be cheaper than financially supporting unemployed people. It could also provide more fulfilment and societal benefit.

4. “Good job” creation

If workers are displaced by AI, governments could help them get “good jobs” to replace the ones they lost.

Harry Holzer, a former chief economist for the US Department of Labor, argues that “good jobs” should pay well, offer advancement possibilities, and provide some security.

“Tax and subsidy policies for “good job” creation can encourage employers to improve job quality,” Holzer said in a blogpost for the Brookings Institution. “Mandates on employers can be effective as well, though such mandates must not be so severe and costly that they speed up employer incentives to automate (like a $15 minimum wage might do in low-wage regions of the US).”

5. Universal basic income

No list of responses to automation would be complete without a mention of Universal Basic Income (UBI).

At heart, UBI is a simple concept: every citizen gets a fixed payment, paid equally by the government, that’s enough to support their basic names. Proponents argue that it could end poverty, improve well-being, and redistribute wealth, while critics warn that’s too expensive, heightens inequalities, and removes incentives to work.

Love it or hate, the concept is gaining traction across Europe. A recent poll by YouGov found strong support in all seven European countries surveyed. Respondents in Germany, Spain, Italy, and Great Britain were all more in favour of UBI than against it. Sweden was split, while France and Denmark expressed more opposition.

It’s far from the only social welfare option, but it merits a spot on this list. If you have a better idea — or just want to slate ours — let us know via the usual channels.

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UK’s £1BN semiconductor plan branded ‘disappointing’ by chip sector

Deep tech, Investors and funding, Next Featured, Startups and technology / Rejus Almole / May 19, 2023

Story by

Ioanna Lykiardopoulou

Ioanna is a writer at TNW. She covers the full spectrum of the European tech ecosystem, with a particular interest in startups, sustainabili (show all) Ioanna is a writer at TNW. She covers the full spectrum of the European tech ecosystem, with a particular interest in startups, sustainability, green tech, AI, and EU policy. With a background in the humanities, she has a soft spot for social impact-enabling technologies.

After a two-year wait, the UK has finally announced its semiconductor support plan, aiming to grow the domestic sector, increase its competitiveness, and reduce the risk of supply chain disruptions. But while industry players welcomed the strategy, they also criticised its level of support.

Under the new scheme, the government will invest up to £1 (€1.15) billion in the next decade, with an initial £200 million to be deployed in the next couple of years.

This amount, however, is dwarfed by similar initiatives in the West. The US has pledged $52bn in subsidies to boost its domestic semiconductor industry, while the EU’s Chips Act is offering €43bn to attract chip makers to build facilities within the bloc and ensure a European chip supply.

For Amelia Armour, partner at Amadeus Capital Partners, a UK VC firm which invests in semiconductor startups, the government’s funding is insufficient.

“The level of investment announced for the next two-year period is disappointing, especially considering the UK needs to try to keep pace with the investment levels announced as part of the EU and US Chip Acts,” Armour told TNW. “£200m spread over many initiatives won’t achieve much and will need to be allocated in a very targeted way to have an impact.”

Spreading the £1bn investment over a decade is also problematic, according to Amanda Brock, CEO at OpenUK, a non-profit organisation which represents the country’s open technology sector, including leading chip design company Arm.

“It simply won’t build a world-leading semiconductor sector even with the existing world-class R&D experience we have in the UK today. We need to see faster action behind bigger numbers to achieve the goal,” Brock explained.

Unlike the US and the EU, the UK’s plan comes without particular focus on strengthening manufacturing capabilities. Instead, it targets international cooperation and the growth of focus areas where the country already holds a leading position: R&D, design, compound semiconductors, and intellectual property.

The funding will also be used to improve the talent pipeline and enable easier access to necessary infrastructure for British firms, with a special focus on startups and SMEs.

According to Mark Lippett, CEO of Bristol-based semiconductor company XMOS, manufacturing isn’t the only way to ensure competitiveness and a secure supply chain.

“The UK will not be able to develop a full supply chain to fulfill its semiconductor needs — it’s beyond the scope of even the US or Europe,” Lippett told TNW. “The question is, how does the UK secure ‘a seat at the table’ when global allocation is being determined? By having technology that the others want.”

But for OpenUk’s Brock, coupling investment with skills, deep industry knowledge, and a semiconductor manufacturing sector are key elements for the UK’s success.

“Until the UK has all of those building blocks in place, either in-country or as part of established semiconductor supply chains that will involve the UK as a principal supplier, it will not be close to being the global science and technology superpower [Sunak] is seeking,” she said.

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Flix’s big green trains could be en route to the Netherlands

Ecosystems, Government and policy, Next Featured, Startups and technology / Rejus Almole / May 19, 2023

Story by

Siôn Geschwindt

German mobility startup FlixBus is best known for its fleet of big green buses that whisk passengers around mainland Europe at affordable prices — akin to Greyhound in the US.

But there is also a rail-bound version of FlixBus dubbed, you guessed it, FlixTrain. The service began operations in 2018, following the opening of German rail lines to private competition five years earlier.

By mid-2022, the company serviced over 70 stations along many of Germany’s main rail routes. Flix also recently expanded its train network to Sweden.

Now, FlixTrain has its sights set on expanding into the Netherlands. This week, Flix notified the Dutch Consumer and Market Authority (ACM) of its intentions and applied for track capacity at ProRail — essentially asking for permission to run its trains on Dutch lines.

The company is targeting a start date of November 10, 2024, for an open-access connection from Rotterdam to Oberhausen, Germany. The train will also stop at Arnhem, Utrecht, Amsterdam, and The Hague, according to FlixTrain’s application to the ACM.

The applied-for route covers two train pairs per day, with around 500 to 700 seats per train, depending on the season (longer trains will be used in summer than in winter).

FlixTrain is an open-access operator meaning that the company takes full commercial risk, operates on infrastructure owned by a third party, and buys access to chosen routes. This differs from state-owned enterprises like Deutsche Bahn (DB) in Germany and Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) in the Netherlands which own and operate much of the key infrastructure themselves.

FlixTrain has become the main competitor to DB in recent years, partly thanks to its comparatively low fares. The company is often 50% cheaper than DB, with a ticket from Cologne to Berlin costing as little as €9 compared to around €45 from the national provider.

They can offer such low fares because their rolling stock is essentially made up of old DB trains painted green. FlixTrain is also assumably being propped up by its more profitable sister company FlixBus, as it attempts to grow its share of the private rail market. However, it is to be noted that DB still has a 97% market share in Germany.

Competing with NS won’t be easy either. Despite the fact that the Netherlands opened up its rail network to private competition in 2019, NS still has a monopoly on the rail network and benefits from generous concessions and government subsidies.

While FlixTrain would like to operate across Europe in the future, according to Arthur Kamminga, an expert on legal affairs and public affairs at Flix, concessions like the one afforded to NS present a major hurdle. “When you are competing with someone who gets a subsidy and priority on capacity — there is, by definition, no level playing field,” he told industry publication RailTech.

Kamminga is also a representative of AllRail, a lobby group campaigning for the introduction of ‘fair competition’ in Europe’s rail market. According to the group, Europe’s rail sector must become more competitive in order to encourage innovation, lower prices, and ‘create a more attractive low carbon transport option.’

For now, FlixTrain’s application sits with ProRail, who will decide if the private train operator can share the tracks with NS.

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Rolls-Royce completes first tests of ‘game-changing’ greener aircraft engine

Corporates and innovation, Next Featured, Sustainability / Rejus Almole / May 19, 2023

Story by

Ioanna Lykiardopoulou

Rolls-Royce has completed the first tests of its UltraFan demonstrator aircraft engine at its facility in Derby,UK.

The tests were conducted using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) primarily from waste-based feedstock, but the company is also exploring options for hybrid-electric and hydrogen-powered options.

“The UltraFan demonstrator is a game changer.

In the making for nearly a decade, UltraFan has been designed to showcase technologies that can deliver greater fuel efficiency for both existing and future aircraft engines, in turn, lowering their emissions and increasing sustainability.

Specifically, UltraFan’s technology is slated to offer a 25% fuel efficiency improvement compared to the company’s first generation of Trent engines, and a 10% efficiency improvement over the Trent XWB — oneof the world’s most efficient large aircraft engines in service.

Rolls Royce UltraFan aircraft engine — The UltraFan. Credit: Rolls-Royce via Flickr

Other key features of the demonstrator include carbon titanium fan blades and composite casing; a new Advance3 core architecture that achieves maximum fuel burn efficiency; and a gear design that delivers efficient power for future high-thrust, high-bypass ratio engines. Notably, UltraFan’s power gearbox has reached 87,000 horsepower (64MW) during testing — an industry first, according to Rolls-Royce.

UltraFan hasn’t been built as a standalone product to power a particular type of aircraft. Instead, the focus is on the flexibility and scalability of the technology. Correspondingly, Rolls-Royce opted for a massive size (140-inch fan diameter), which enables it to scale down as required by customers and offer power solutions for two-shaft, three-shaft, direct-drive, and gear propulsion systems.

“The UltraFan demonstrator is a game changer — the technologies we are testing as part of this programme have the capability to improve the engines of today as well as the engines of tomorrow,” said Tufan Erginbilgic, Rolls-Royce’s CEO. Combining more efficient gas turbine engines with SAF will be “key” to meeting the industry’s target for net zero by 2050, he added.

In the near term, the company is considering transferring UltraFan’s technologies to current Trent engines. In the long term, the demonstrator’s scalable 25,000 to 110,000lb thrust capabilities could power both new narrowbody and widebody aircraft expected in the 2030s.

“This cutting-edge technology will help the transition towards a greener future for aviation while attracting further investment into the UK’s aerospace industry, helping grow the economy,” Kemi Badenoch, UK Business and Trade Secretary, commented.

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Seeing is believing: Don’t miss the ‘grandfather’ of VR at TNW Conference

Corporates and innovation, Deep tech, Investors and funding, Next Featured, Startups and technology / Rejus Almole / May 19, 2023

Story by

Siôn Geschwindt

Tom Furness will be speaking at TNW Conference, which takes place on June 15 & 16 in Amsterdam. If you want to experience the event (and say hi to our editorial team!), we’ve got something special for our loyal readers. Use the promo code READ-TNW-25 and get a 25% discount on your business pass for TNW Conference. See you in Amsterdam!

Since the world’s first (and rather crude) VR machine was invented in 1956, extended reality (XR) has evolved into some seriously advanced kit and is becoming increasingly common in workplaces and homes across the world.

Few have contributed to the development of this technology more than American inventor, trailblazer, and professor Tom Furness. Celebrated as the ‘grandfather’ of VR and AR, Furness has spent 55 years pioneering the development of human interface technology.

Fascinated with problem-solving from a young age, Furness joined the US Air Force in 1966, spending 23 years developing advanced cockpits and virtual interfaces for the Department of Defence. He later founded the Human Interface Technology Laboratory at the University of Washington, and then the Virtual World Society, an organisation dedicated to solving some of the world’s most pervasive problems using XR.

Now, while I’ve heard of some pretty cool use cases of XR — like for teaching and surgery — I mainly associate the technology with gaming and other ‘fun’ immersive experiences. What I know less about, however, is how XR can be used to save the world.

“We are looking at how to put our art to work on solving some of the most existential problems of our time, such as climate change, disease, and water scarcity,” said Furness, in a video interview. “We need to wake up and become more aware of where our society is heading, and this [XR] is one of the tools we can use to foster that awareness.”

Humans love a good story and seeing is believing, so the idea that XR can be used to create awareness and drive change doesn’t sound far-fetched at all. In fact, it sounds fascinating. Creating a better, more sustainable future is a mammoth task, so if XR can help, I’m here for it.

At TNW Conference on June 15, Furness will deep dive into his journey at the bleeding edge of XR development, and explore how the technology can be harnessed for humanitarian applications, driving social change, and improving lives. See you there!

Furness’ insights on the humanitarian potential of XR are merely one attraction of TNW Conference. You can find more on the event agenda — and remember: for a 25% discount on business passes, use the promo code READ-TNW-25.

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The Expansion of Immersive Therapeutics in Healthcare

featured, Healthcare/Medicine, Immersive Technology, Mental Health, virtual reality / Rejus Almole / May 19, 2023

With better accessibility and affordability, immersive therapeutics is now transforming how patients receive optimal care. Particularly in mental health and physical therapy, it has been instrumental in optimizing treatment outcomes, and helping patients overcome anxiety, discomfort, and other challenges to their recovery.

For several years now, we’ve seen virtual reality at work in healthcare. VR is now widely used in virtual sessions for psychological therapy, training simulations for medical professionals, gamification of exercises for physical therapy, and healthcare marketing.

Today, developments in immersive technologies are widening the applications of immersive treatment options for various healthcare issues. One of these is immersive therapeutics for the treatment of intractable health conditions.

But what exactly is immersive therapeutics and how does it truly impact healthcare? Here, we dissect what this emerging treatment approach is and share feedback from tech experts and users alike.

What Is Immersive Therapeutics?

Immersive therapeutics is an evolving field of medicine that delivers treatment using advanced technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence. It alleviates patient suffering and enhances treatment by placing patients in highly immersive and sensory-rich environments.

Through immersive therapeutics, patients connect with virtual environments at a deep emotional level that can alter the brain’s perception of pain and divert their attention.

According to Gita Barry, President of Immersive Healthcare at Penumbra Inc., “By captivating the patients in a virtual environment, patients can engage with serene beachscapes or play cognition games to cope with the craving feeling and safeguard their path to recovery.”

Being highly effective in distracting patients from pain and cravings, immersive therapeutics has great potential for use in physical rehabilitation and addiction treatment.

“The more immersive an experience is, the more it can be engaging, positively distracting, entertaining, and effective from a therapeutic and clinical standpoint,” says Joel Breton, game designer and president of Immersive Healthcare Studios at REAL System by Penumbra. This is what makes immersive therapeutics effective in addressing challenges in therapeutic treatments.

Advancing Immersive Therapeutics for Better Healthcare

As immersive therapeutics continues to evolve, more companies are looking to increase the accessibility of these therapies, broadening their applications in new treatment options for various healthcare issues.

Some of the most promising clinical uses include treating stress, anxiety, fears, disorders, and phobias. Its applications for pain management, rehabilitation, wellness, and healthcare optimization are also expanding fast.

One company that is at the forefront of advancing the use of immersive therapeutics is Penumbra. Technologies like Penumbra’s REAL System are already showing real impact in the field of immersive therapeutics.

With platforms like the REAL i-Series for VR/mental health and the REAL y-series for VR/physical therapy, patients can access VR-based treatments and self-manage their conditions from the comfort of their own homes.

Penumbra REAL y-Series immersive therapeutics — Penumbra REAL y-Series

Of the 40 million US adults with substance abuse disorders, about 40 to 60% relapse at some point in their lives. While contact with drugs is the most obvious cause for relapse, stress cues linked to substance abuse are also common triggers.

This is where immersive therapeutics becomes most helpful. By helping counteract disruptive effects on the brain and behavior, immersive experiences help those in recovery regain control of their lives.

Real Impact of the REAL System

Barry believes that immersive experiences have the potential to impact millions of patients across a range of conditions. Developed using clinical evidence, Penumbra’s REAL System effectively supports the physical rehabilitation, cognitive, and wellness needs of patients in recovery.

The REAL i-Series, for instance, is currently in use at the Chemical Dependency unit of Hoag Health. The VR-based solution has been incorporated into group therapy sessions to create positive shared experiences and boost communal engagement.

Penumbra REAL i-Series immersive therapeutics — *Penumbra REAL i-Series*

The use of the system helps patients feel at ease and more open to participating in group therapy. Seeing the benefits of the i-Series, Hoag Health is now also using it to support staff well-being and retention.

As REAL System President, Breton explains that REAL’s VR experiences are designed to address physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language rehab as well as general mental wellness. According to Breton, the sense of immersion VR provides distracts patients from pain and fatigue. By keeping them engaged and entertained, the patients are more likely to adhere to their treatment programs.

Transforming the Future of Health

Immersive therapeutics is undoubtedly transforming the future of healthcare by providing patients with a higher level and quality of care.

“With greater awareness of the benefits VR-based tools can provide in addiction treatment and broader healthcare, we anticipate that clinicians will identify both new applications and also new patient populations who can benefit from the immersive experience VR provides,” says Barry.

The goal of immersive therapeutics is to widen access to transformative care. Whether patients are in health facilities or at home, immersive solutions can help them overcome health challenges and ensure optimal recovery. Through the continued collaboration of tech experts and health practitioners, immersive therapeutics has the potential to transform the entire healthcare industry.

The Expansion of Immersive Therapeutics in Healthcare Read More »

Samsung Acquires eMagin Microdisplay Maker, Citing ‘significant potential growth’ of XR Devices

AR display, emagin, mico oled display, micodisplays, micoOLED, News, VR displays / Rejus Almole / May 18, 2023

eMagin, the US-based developer and manufacturer of OLED microdisplays for AR/VR headsets, announced a merger agreement with Samsung Display, a subsidiary of the Korean tech giant. Samsung says it anticipates “significant potential growth” of XR devices.

The company announced in a press statement that Samsung will acquire all outstanding shares of eMagin common stock on a fully diluted basis for $2.08 per share in cash, totaling approximately $218 million.

Founded in 2001, eMagin has created head-mounted displays to showcase its OLED technology since the release of Z800, which launched in mid-2005. Since then, the company has focused on creating VR headset prototypes to further showcase its high-density OLED microdisplays while also providing its displays for integration into aircraft helmets, heads-up display systems, AR/VR headsets, thermal scopes, night vision goggles, and future weapon systems.

President & CEO of Samsung Display, Joo Sun Choi, says the acquisition comes along with expectations that XR devices will have “significant potential of growth in the future.”

“This agreement is a validation of our technical achievements to date including our proprietary direct patterning (dPd) technology, provides a significant premium for our shareholders, and represents a win for our customers and employees,” said Andrew G. Sculley, eMagin’s CEO. “By teaming with Samsung Display, we will be able to achieve the full potential of our next-generation microdisplay technology with a partner that can provide the resources and expertise we will need to scale production. Moreover, our customers will benefit from resulting improvements to our production capabilities in terms of yield, efficiency, and quality control.”

The merger will very likely allow Samsung to exclusively manufacture micro-OLED displays using eMagin’s direct patterning display (dPd) technology, which boasts higher efficiencies and brightness since its displays use RGB emitters instead of traditional displays, which typically use a white OLED with a RGB color filter.

The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2023, whereby eMagin will continue to maintain its operations and facilities in Hopewell Junction, NY. The merger agreement has received unanimous approval from eMagin’s Board of Directors, and stockholders holding around 98% of eMagin’s total voting power have committed to voting in favor of the transaction.

Samsung Acquires eMagin Microdisplay Maker, Citing ‘significant potential growth’ of XR Devices Read More »

Author name: Rejus Almole

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Advancing Immersive Therapeutics for Better Healthcare

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