XRSI Releases Report on the Dangers of XR Data Collection

vrcoin on February 23, 2022

The metaverse is composed of virtual worlds. However, those virtual worlds are built and occupied by real people. While they offer real utility, they also pose real risks, particularly given the capacity of XR hardware to collect data and the inability of regulators to keep up. XR Safety Initiative held a roundtable event, The XR Data Classification Roundtable, on International Human Rights Day last year, and a detailed report of their findings and positions has recently been made available. Where Does XR Data Go? “People relinquish their data without realizing the risks or consequences. While this is not new, the difference today is we are moving towards an era of constant reality capture, especially with increased adoption of immersive technologies and a strong push to build the next iteration of the internet, also known as the Metaverse,” reads the “Virtual Worlds, Real Risks and Challenges” report. These strong words from

The XR Week Peek (2022.02.12): Altspace VR to introduce safety measures, Horizon audience is growing, and more!

vrcoin on February 21, 2022

This Monday, before digging into the news, let me announce to you two things: I have added a new section to this newsletter, called “Other news”. There I will just put a description and a link of those pieces of news I find interesting, but a bit less relevant than the others. These are articles I would have probably not shared with you in the previous editions of the newsletter, but with this new format, I can at least acknowledge that these things have happened. Please tell me if you find this new approach useful so that I can decide if keep going with it or not;We of New Technology Walkers (me and my partner Massimiliano Ariani) have been featured on the local news section of an important Italian newspaper! We are pretty happy about it and I wanted to share this with you. Since “pics or it didn’t happen”

Niantic And Sony Are Partnering On Audio AR Technology

vrcoin on February 16, 2022

LinkBuds will immerse you in an incredible audio experience while keeping you connected to the real world.Niantic flipped the mobile gaming world upside down back in 2016 when they launched their AR mobile app Pokémon GO and started a global craze that still maintains a loyal player base to this very day. But did you know that before there wasPokémon GO, Niantic launched a sci-fi-based AR game called Ingress Prime that used OpenStreetMap and Google Maps to create a citywide geocaching game of capture the flag?Ingress Prime is now getting a serious update thanks to an amazing new partnership with Niantic and Sony that will blend Niantic’s real-world AR technology with Sony’s latest audio hardware, a wireless headphone called “LinkBuds,” to immerse players even deeper into a game that uses both the real world and a virtual world as a playing field. [embed]https://youtube.com/watch?v=RJ52YyG4BJQ&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent[/embed] LinkBuds have an odd donut shape

OVR’s Take on World-Scale Metaverse

vrcoin on February 16, 2022

The world mapped and sold as NFTs to create an AR “metaverse” layer over the physical world. You’ve heard this song before. But, not like this. “Anybody can build a digital layer over the world… the point is, what is the service that you provide?” OVR COO and co-founder, Diego Di Tommaso, told ARPost. “Is it a stand-alone thing, or something that adds value?” Squares Are for Squares. Hexagons Are the Future. Mapping the world and selling the platts is becoming a relatively common practice, as is the “world-scale metaverse” trope in general. Before we get around to what OVR does with that map, let’s talk about how they divvy it up. For one thing, they’ve divided the world into hexagons instead of squares. This may seem like a small difference, but the team is passionate that hexagons make for a more accurate and just portioning of the globe. There’s

Create Your Own VR Avatar For The Web-Based Metaverse

vrcoin on February 15, 2022

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 design WebAR experiences compatible with Ready Player Me avatars using a Ready Player Me sample project that is now available via 8th Wall’s impressive Project Library that is continuously growing. Developers will be able to use the sample project to create Face Effects that will take advantage of the front-facing camera on most smartphones and computers to transform your face into a custom avatar. The software is even capable of tracking facial expressions. Credit: 8th Wall x Ready Player MeThe technology can also be used to create interesting World Effects that will let you place your avatar in

8th Wall Partners With Ready Player Me to Reality-Bending Effect

vrcoin on February 15, 2022

XR developer platform 8th Wall has just announced a partnership with cross-platform avatar builder Ready Player Me. To be fair, the list of companies compatible with Ready Player Me is growing all the time. However, there are a few things about the two companies that make this partnership particularly special. I Want to Talk About Ready Player Me To really understand the importance of this announcement, we have to make sure that we’re on the same page regarding Ready Player Me. The outfit allows users to make a 3D avatar starting from a photo. From there, they can change the avatar as well as its outfits. Ready Player Me avatars If this sounds familiar, it could be because you’ve probably done it quite a few times already – making an avatar is a common first step when stepping into a new VR platform. But, this isn’t a VR platform. This

The XR Week Peek (2022.02.14): SteamVR headsets go beyond 3M, body-tracking leaked for Quest SDK, and more!

vrcoin on February 14, 2022

Happy San Valentine’s Day everyone! We are all in love with XR, so this is our day… and I also wish you celebrate it with other meaty humans that you love. So much love and hugs from me: I send you good vibes, hoping for your bright future! Remember that I root for you ❤ Top news of the week (Image by Valve)Steam VR headsets reach an all-time high Despite the rumors about PCVR being dead, the number of monthly connected headsets on SteamVR reached an all-time high. According to the estimates by Road To VR, the number could be as big as 3.4 million.  I think this is a great stat because it shows that PCVR is not dead, but more like in a complicated transitional situation. There are many sides to consider of the whole story.  First of all, the market is growing with a good rate of 30% year-over-year, and this

Order Real Food In McDonald’s Metaverse Restaurant

vrcoin on February 10, 2022

Have it your way in the metaverse.The fast-food giant McDonald’s has filed 10 trademark applications that will put McDonald’s restaurants in the metaverse. Not only will you be able to visit a digital version of the golden arches, but you’ll also be able to order popular items such as the Big Mac, a cheeseburger Happy Meal, or a McChicken, and have them delivered directly to your home in the real world. The company, which was founded in 1940 by Richard and Maurice McDonald and then purchased by Ray Kroc in 1961, plans on creating virtual versions of both McDonald’s restaurants and their McCafe’s. These digital locations will deliver an experience impossible to replicate at a physical store.Credit: McDonald’sThe announcement of McDonald’s venture into the metaverse was made on Twitter when trademark attorney Josh Gerben tweeted out that the company has filed ten trademark applications indicating it plans to offer “a virtual

Motion Capture NFTs Are Making Their Way To The Metaverse

vrcoin on February 9, 2022

These aren’t your grandfather’s NFTs.We’ve seen a lot of unique ideas for NFTs over the past year. Due to the overwhelming popularity of digital collections like Bored Ape and CryptoPunks, it’s easy to forget about the wide range of functional and interactive NFTs currently circulating on the market. This includes Jurassic Punks by Meta-Labs, a relatively new 3D NFT collection that answers the question, what if dinosaurs survived the asteroid?pic.twitter.com/vQmnEsZ84D I very rarely buy / get excited about new #NFT’s. But after AdamHODL showed me JPunksNFT & I did some thorough research, I’m genuinely *very* excited about this project. The VR potential is dope AF & if they deliver on their vision & roadmap –— 5DayCrypto (@5DayCryptos1) February 9, 2022 The collection features a lineup of fashion-forward Jurassic creatures each with its own unique style. Stage 1 of the Jurassic Punks ecosystem is centered around the OG-Rex which comes in

The XR Week Peek (2022.02.07): Meta has invested more than $10B on XR, Hololens 3 may have been canceled, and more!

vrcoin on February 7, 2022

I’m exhausted after two weeks of overworking, but I’m keeping thriving.. and so I’m here writing you this roundup of the best AR and VR news to keep you informed about what is happening in our ecosystem. I hope you’ll appreciate that! By the way, this new lunar year has begun in the best way possible for me, with two great people, Eduardo and Alan, joining my Patreon, so I guess that the red socks I bought on AliExpress to bring me luck worked! 😉 Before leaving you to the news of the week, let me just tell you two things that may interest you: If you missed them, don’t forget to read my predictions about augmented reality and virtual reality in 2022;This Thursday at 5 pm CET AWE Nite Florence comes back! Cecilia Lascialfari and I will talk about “digital rights in the metaverse” together with experts from XRSI. It will be