Have a VR y Merry X-Mas 2017. How Virtual Reality will connect your family this holiday season

by Zen @ ThisIsMeInVR.com

click text links for articles and videos if you are unfamiliar with the tech

This holiday season will be like no other before it. With Virtual Reality devices and 360 cameras now nearly everywhere. Someone at your family get-together will have either one, or the other. This is what you should expect to Learn, See and Do during these upcoming holidays. There are three paths available , and chances are quite high that you will experience all three. Have fun

Console /PC VR path

1. You will try out a complete VR rig, most likely room scale. (which means you can move about) It will either be Playstation VR, Oculus Rift or HTC vive. You will be guided to either sit in a swivel chair or stand in an open space. You will wear a VR headset, you may have controllers. It will be awesome.
2. You will play a few games, maybe watch a few short 360 videos and the experiences will be pleasant if you request to not try the ones with lots of fast motion and movement. (those will get a bit nauseated, so keep these to a minimum) I also recommend you ask your “VR Guide” not to frighten you in any way, or expose you to “fear based” content (as a first experience.) Don’t worry, there’s plenty of other stuff to try. try one of my 360 videos.
3. Your Mind will be BLOWN with the potential applications of this amazing technology. You will start to see how it is about to impact our society, this amazing new tool can alter and improve how people learn, how we communicate and travel over distances, or even how we surf the internet. It will affect your business, it will connect with everything. Incredible.

360 camera path

1. You will be shown a weird camera that captures in all directions. It may be a ball shaped object or have multiple cameras attached together. Like a “black hole of all light” it photographs an entire region (the size of a room ) and makes interesting 360 content. If you record 360 video (some devices also do LIVE streaming) you now have a format that you can “enter into” using Virtual Reality devices. WOW tell everyone. It’s a more passive VR experience, you cant move around too much (but there is gaze and teleporting navigation options)
2. Someone will Take a 360 photograph of the entire family, most likely with everyone all AROUND the camera. Go with it, it’l be fun. Later on, if a VR device is present. you will be able to see what that content is like. You can “enter that image”, BECOME the camera and can suddenly be with your family in VR. Once you have a VR device of your own, those first images will be treasured forever as moments in time you can “re-visit”. You will discuss the positive and negative possibilities and security risks of such a technology.
3. If 360 video recording or Live streaming is taking place then you are in for a treat. Presents are being opened , meals and conversations are being shared and those memories will be forever retrievable and viewable in VR devices. Someday your kids will “revisit” their childhood moments. With live streaming, you can be “present” with your family from anywhere in the world. Ya I know, that’s astounding!

Mobile device path

1. You will learn how to use your Own mobile device to watch 360 videos, like these two : Animal or Travel Experience (mine). Then learn how to view that content in a cardboard VR viewer or Mobile VR device. Yes, its’ true, the mobile device you carry around does both 360 capture and VR viewing.
2. You will install VR apps and probably 360 video player (YouTube) have many incredible experiences. (cardboard is a low level experience, but for 10$ its worth it) Gear VR is a good Step up. both also offers early Augmented reality abilities you can try out.

-bonus activities for non-apple users (at the moment)

1. You will probably install vTime and have a 360 or VR conversation (like a video conference call) with other People Elsewhere in the world.
2. You may also try AltSpace and interact (move about) in a Virtual Environment with family members or other people elsewhere in the world.

Unknown at the time of writing this,

1. Will Daydream VR be in the marketplace? Will it work for iPhones?
2. Will Facebook’s VR social app be released and on all platforms? Which ones?
3. Will PlayStation Pro offer improved abilities to the VR experience?
4. Will haptic feedback devices be more common by Xmas?
5. Will internet Providers be ready for the surge in use?
6. Where is all this technology headed?

Here are 10 more must-read articles about VR

Black Friday 2016 PlayStation 4 / Pro & VR. — What you need to know about Virtual Reality

by Zen @ ThisIsMeInVR.com

First of all, in case you didn’t know it yet. Breaking News: VR is ACTUALLY Here. This year (2016) Virtual Reality devices will be the most in-demand item at Black Friday , Cyber Monday and Christmas as these devices may end up on EVERYONE’s list. The CGI Video games are awesome but there is plenty of non-gaming content for everybody. Just being in a VR environment will be enough to blow your mind! Communication, and access to 360 videos is only the beginning (in case you don’t know, life capture in 360 is also a really BIG deal, being able to relive life moments using VR equipment? Sounds Crazy right? It’s not. It’s Reality… well sort of.

Sony PlayStation VR is about to BLOW UP the Tech market! The demand for PlayStation 4 PlayStation Pro & PSVR this upcoming Black Friday 2016, right through to the end of the year will be insane. If you are buying gifts for this year, for anyone with a pulse but no VR device yet, I would get on that right away, quantities are SEVERELY limited.

Find out what they want to use it for. and how they want to access it. VR is avail for PC, Mobile or Console. Prices range from 15–1500$ You can buy a high end unit for Computer or PlayStation Console, a mid range unit for mobile devices (android only) or even a Google Cardboard VR stocking stuffer (works for 95% mobile devices) But you should get them something for sure. Why? because this holiday season you will be Communicating with each other in VR. Seriously, it will be a VRy Merry XMAS 2017. Be sure to get lots of Google Cardboards as stocking stuffers.

There are some minor risks, (it’s not for children), please use common sense and caution. Please clear a space for gameplay, avoid fireplaces, sharp objects. when possible sit in a swivel chair for the experience and ask to not be subjected to scary experiences or anything with too much motion. (simulations with G-force like movements)

If you enjoyed this or found it helpful, please share it, join this facebook group, add me on Twitter to follow me, and check out our This Is Me In VR-360 videos on VRideo (a PSVR video app)…. another Top ten VR articles on this incredible technology.

Virtual reality devices may be used to measure and modify Gene Expression!

A Virtual Reality company located in Victoria BC Canada, ThisIsMeInVR,specializes in finding innovative new uses for the latest technologies. They combine Virtual Reality, 360 Motion capture cameras and BioSynth genetic technologies to advance their research on Tech and Biology.

They’ve done some remarkable things already, such as turning a webpage into a virtual world that you can Teleport around in,( this innovation has the potential to redefine how people surf the internet)and creating some unique 360 VR experiences such as being licked by a 60ft tall puppy, or being shrunken down to miniature size

.

These experiences that can be found on their web Portal or YouTube Channel with over 250 videos filmed in 360 format for viewing in VR devices. (click here if that’s new info to you to you)

Frankly, the best is yet to come.

BIOHACKING

Through a collaborative 5 year research project, on Environmental Immersion, a book has been completed and is now being produced as an amateur virtual reality tv (360vr) series on YouTube called Spheres of Influence.) During this process, they’ve figured out how use 360VR technology as a tool to measure and perhaps even modify gene expression. (this effect is known as epigenetic modification, and now combined with vr may evolve into yet another field : Percepigenetics or or SynthBioTech )

With funding and more research headed in this area, together as a species, we are about to take the next step in human evolution. Giving humanity yet another tool to modify our own adaptation to this rapidly changing world.

When funded ThisIsMeInVR will use rapid genetic testing and 360VR technology to map the DNA methylation process by which methyl groups are added to DNA by perceived environmental triggers. This is similar to the mapping of the human genome, but instead they hope to map the epigenetic effects of environmental influence.

“Virtual reality being used as a tool to suppress or activate Genes within the human body. That’s like Crispr gene modification, without the splicing!” — random person

Another benefit of this project is that it would also help to develop an understanding of the unintended consequences of Virtual reality immersion on the human body. Psychological and physiological preventative measures can start to be developed to minimize risks. In this brave new world.

This Is Me In VR is working on developing a framework for measuring these effects and making that database available to biologists and developers to enable the modification of genetic expression by choice, and provide safe and low risk Virtual Reality experiences.

for more info on epigenetic influence please read

Epigenetics - how the environment influences our genes
The science behind a rapid paradigm shift When the first human genome was decoded, popular thinking went: "If we know…www.lindau-nobel.org

Why PlayStation VR is about to blow the VR market WIDE OPEN.

If you haven’t been keeping track there’s been lots of BREAKING TECH NEWS. One of which is that PlayStation VR is here. It’s cheaper than it’s competitors and it runs on PlayStation 4 (and there are a lot of them out there) but that’s not the only reason they are going to BLOW the VR market wide open.

What they’ve done is enable their VR viewers to work on other devices. That means you can plug the VR goggles into XBox, wii, PC or dvd players and access regular content in VR. Sure there’s some glitches and tweaks required to get it right. (and cinematic mode should be a 360 video theater etc…) all of that and more is arriving daily as word spreads about GLSM and Web VR.

The key feature here is cross platform compatibility. Sony is ALREADY working on allowing PS4VR to access mobile device games. That’s right you heard me, PlayStation goggles may soon function with your mobile device. Allowing your PSVR goggles to be the device of choice to access your (mobile) VR games and apps.

Relationships are key for businesses in the VR marketplace. YouTube has the 360 video content that can really drive adoption forward, vTime , AltSpace (and soon Facebook) will have the social spaces apps, Samsung , Ricoh ,GoPro and Nikon have great capture devices that would bee a boon as additional peripherals (for live feeds). As soon as PlayStation VR has access to even some of these…. BOOM!

Black Friday and Xmas 2016 will see a huge surge in VR sales. This Xmas Holiday season You should expect to Everyone to get a chance to Experience a Virtual Reality Demo by a family member. Have a VRy Merry Xmas 2016.

Are internet providers ready for the surge that PSVR will bring? Read about it here. If you want to see where this amazing Technology is ultimately headed, Read this. If you use Facebook join this group.

Be sure to be sure to install the VRideo app on your PSVR and watch our This Is Me In VR -360 video collection.

Watch this DEMO OF SPORTS BAR VR ON PSVRPRO LIVE STREAMING

Google Daydream needs to evolve. Faster.

by Zen @ ThisIsMeInVR.com

Google launched Daydream today, a new integrated line of phones, Virtual Reality devices and personal mobile computing assistants. It will improve how you connect to your your friends, your home, your data, the internet and you can also take better pictures blah blah blah. Yet another Smartphone brand hitting the market with minor improvements over its competitors. That was my initial impression from Today’s Big Google Event, that I live streamed and nodded along with, as they discussed how rapidly technology is evolving I felt like they weren’t evolving fast enough with it. (aside from my phone also nodding along ; it reacted every time someone said “OK GOOGLE” *I’m eager for when more people realize the potential of Audio-triggered phone engagement) The presentations were good, and though I thoroughly enjoyed them, I feel they missed a few important points and in some ways, missed the big picture. So I thought i’d make some notes about my first impressions.

Our world is becoming increasingly complex, technology has the challenge of trying to simplify how we engage with it and each other. Don’t get me wrong, the new devices Google are offering are a step in the right direction (click here to see where we are headed). They are gonna be cool, have better graphics, better voice recognition and improved integration with other systems. I just think that with a few simple tweaks the devices they are launching could’ve done so much more, right out of the box.

Google clearly intends to position themselves to be the “go to” for technology. They want to be the device that u carry with you everywhere that acts as your phone, your computer and personal assistant. It is also how you to surf the net, communicate, and entertain yourself. You can use it as a Virtual Reality device to teleport around the world , experiencing “virtually” anything, oh and and play games and socialize on it too.

Google also wants you to add a set of devices in your work and home, some larger ones that may seem like an early version of a voice activated robot droid. Smaller devices like their “WiFi” units are meant to spread out in the rooms and extend your home network, all while they link to your other devices. This seems reasonable to me, but with a few tweaks, those could do so much more. I’m perfectly fine placing a small “room unit” devices in every room that links to my main device “home unit” but each of those devices needs to serve a wider variety of functions. Not only are they a range booster , they need to each be a mobile device docking/charging station, a Cast functional external speaker, contain a host of sensors; motion, fire, temperature, audio mic, and much more. Apps that help with connecting and sharing WiFi with trusted neighbors could extend WiFi ranges for buildings and neighborhoods (public/limited). The devices should come with a couple of WiFi controlled power-bars and light switch adapters so that “right out of the box” you can turn your home into a full “smart home”. Sensors and controls this is what will convert existing items into smart devices and give easy access to them with programmable macro commands. This is where Direct action integration and voice recognition will really start to shine and should drive us into an era of vastly improved energy efficiency. Exciting times ahead.

Daydream as a VR device, awesome. It plays 360 videos from YouTube, Excellent. and now onto something else…… wait a sec, what was that? GOOGLE is STILL downplaying the greatest thing to happen in our societyEVER. How is this possible?360 cameras can record a moment of time that can be re-lived when watched in VR devices, Even Live Streams such as weddings, concerts, sporting events, political debates. This merits much more press than it is currently receiving (which is none). It should be plastered on the www.Google.com home page and shouted from every Media outlet in the world. Not only is it a good way to kickstart the VR industry but it is also one of the greatest technological wonders of OUR TIME.

The ability to watch a gyroscopic video in landscape split screen mode is by far the most underrated achievement I have ever come across. It is the catalyst for change the likes of which this world may have never seen before. This will affect health, safety,security, education, travel and how businesses operate. It’s the formation of the Metaverse it is the next iteration of MEDIA. G.L.S.M. is even more important when applied to pass-through cameras on mobile V.R. devices! It allows ease of access to cheap Augmented reality, available Today. (think of Snapchat filters, in Landscape split-screen mode in google CardboardVR. Puppy faces on everyone! QR codes that become animated advertising) It would spur the launch of the Daydream A.R. platform for apps using the pass-through cam. and usher back in Google Glass etc.. . Where did google mess up? The pass-through camera on the Daydream V.R. unit is covered! Luckily this one is a Simple fix, poke a hole.

Cast (formerly Chromecast) is a nifty way to send to a video or audio signal from your mobile device (including V.R. view) but still, they missed the greatest use of video signal sending. Casting to each other. Our current methods of sending video files and links to a person in the same room are archaic, time to evolve. If i’m watching an awesome video, why cant I share my screen (experience) with the person beside me or even to someone across the planet? I want both of us to be able to watch it together, in real time, and hearing each others comments. We can do this to a big TV or in some V.R. apps already (altSpaceVR). Yet we can’t do this in real life yet? Video signal sending is not new. We have the technology, we just don’t use it to it’s full potential, yet. Cast can fix this. Daydream announced that now you can say, “OK GOOGLE show my photos on my TV”. but what I really want is “show my mom my most recent trip “ and cast that content (360 of course) to her devices . “Take us to Paris” should load up that V.R. content to both our V.R. devices regardless of where we are. This is how social Experiences will occur. Cast needs to rapidly evolve into SimulCast. Sharing Videos, sharing Experiences and virtual communication can become much more user friendly with a few little tweaks. (also being able to send audio and video to seperate devices would be convenient , 360 live video feeds and my Electric guitar signal too, if you please, that’d be great)

I get what Google, Samsung, Sony and Facebook are doing, becoming a more integral part of my life. Becoming the “middle man” between me and the world. Using technology to improve my abilities as a human, (I’m starting to feel like a cyborg). It’s experimentation on a massive scale with human culture and behavior. Though it’s risky and being done without any real testing first. I love being a part of this weird wacky system of human guinea pig trials with tech to (ideally) improve quality of life and free up more time. I love to tinker and play with the devices to see what you can do with them. All in all, I’m a fan, keep it coming, I’m just fairly surprised at how poorly the news releases about these devices are rolling out and the rate of innovation taking place through cross-system integration. There is so much potential floating around right now, but it seems like too many conversations are spent on the three color choices of the next model and not what they can do for us.

It may be Virtual, but the risks are reality

by JM & TC @ ThisIsMeInVR.com

Entering into digital environments using virtual reality viewers can be an intense, emotional experience. Technology has progressed so rapidly that near-complete immersion can be achieved. Many of our senses can now be “hijacked” sufficiently enough to fool the mind into believing the reality that we are presented with. V.R. programs are designed to do just that, to enhance the immersiveness of the experience via vivid visual graphics, surround audio, and haptic feedback. Despite the many opportunities these innovations may bring, such immersive technology is not without its own set of concerns.

People are embracing Virtual Reality experiences like swimming with sharks, riding roller coasters, and skydiving because they are convinced that Virtual Reality is a way of experiencing those things risk free. Skydiving without having to risk the hard landing, swimming with sharks without the risks of being eaten or drowning etc. It’s the thrill without the threat. In real life, costs, travel, and safety are factors that limit how frequently these experiences can be had and who has access to them. These limitations no longer apply in VR. Age restrictions and star ratings for VR experiences and games do not consider these factors. Nor do they consider that when real life restrictions (such as height and weight on a roller coaster) become irrelevant, safety concerns should not be ignored. At the moment, seemingly, the only concerns being addressed before entering a virtual reality world (via VR goggles) is to establish a clear area so that participants can move around freely without knocking anything or anyone over (ex, HTC Vive). These are the only basic measures taken to protect you from accidental harm. We should also be taking steps to protect the mind from harm.

As a certified clinical Hypnotherapist I, (TC) have noticed important similarities between a person’s virtual experience and their experience during a hypnotherapy session. In a hypnotherapy session the client’s imagination is used to create an immersive experience that is ultimately facilitated by a trained professional. Hypnotherapy is effective because it uses guided visualizations and directed meditation to help an individual reach a goal, or overcome fears, anxieties, or trauma. Before beginning any “intervention” in a session, a hypnotherapist creates a safe and comfortable physical, mental and emotional environment for the client. Reminding them that they are in control, that they can accept or decline suggestions provided, and they can establish distance in the session at any time if they feel the need to do so. These similarities brought me to consider how virtual reality is a vivid simulation that is comparable to our imagination, and that V.R. may benefit from existing methods for creating safe mental and emotional environments. Emotional states should be considered of paramount importance when it comes to virtual reality, as intense experiences can have lasting impacts on consumer adoption.

As when working with a client in a hypnotherapy session, first experiences, particularly for children, should include simple audio scripts to introduce the experience. These scripts can also serve as a preparatory measure instilling some safe-guards as well as suggesting a “safety-bubble” to help users filter out moments that may be particularly upsetting. For example, reminding users that this is a virtual experience as opposed to a real one is necessary because there is a part of you (your subconscious) that may believe it to be true unless these precautions are taken. It is also helpful to provide instructions as to what they can do if the experience becomes more intense than what they are comfortable with, so that they can smoothly exit the experience. Recommended, is an Exit script which slowly brings the individual out of the Virtual Experience and debriefs them on what just took place. This may prevent issues that may arise with long term use of this fantastically powerful technology.

Sample scripts for a safe Virtual Experience

For entering the virtual experience: “Welcome to virtual reality. If you move your head around in all directions you will notice this virtual environment is all around you; however real it may seem, keep in mind that you are in fact in a safe space (for example in your living room, or office). You cannot be harmed through this experience and at any time you can exit this environment by closing your eyes or removing the goggles.”

To exit the virtual experience: “I hope…you enjoyed this virtual experience. Give yourself a moment or two to take a few deep breaths in and out as you will shortly be removing the goggles, and as you do so I recommend tapping or touching the chair that you are on and just slowly getting yourself re-acquainted with your real life environment, and other people who may be present. “

Transitions: As you may have noticed the above sample scripts emphasizevirtual, as opposed to real. They also add a level of “padding” and preparation so that entering and exiting virtual reality isn’t a shock in any way to the individual. Abrupt changes in the experience can be shocking and contribute to potential trauma or discomfort. Foreshadowing an event like teleporting and using slow transitions between experiences is ideal, this process is also known as acclimatization, a way of preparing the mind for what is to come to reduce shock. Even the specific “wording” of the sentences is quite important in assisting cognitive transitions, as the programming of the mind is done through language. The fields of N.L.P. and hypnotherapy emphasize language-based tools that can be used effectively in this regard.

Until we know the ramifications and unintended consequences of VR technology, such as the Epigenetic effects, any and all precautions should be taken. Entrance and Exits should be built-in for all VR experiences, especially those designed for children. Currently, the rating system is designed for reducing nausea not long term emotional effects and there are few introductory or debriefing scripts integrated into VR experiences to reduce stress or prevent trauma. If society is going to adopt VR technology, they need to enjoy it and it needs to be safe. They need to know, on some level (subconsciously) that it won’t cause long term harm. It can take only one intensely unpleasant experience to form a powerful negative (conditioned) response. The people doing Virtual Reality demonstrations should be aware this. It is their responsibility to manage these risks. Individuals in this industry are typically specialists in technology, software development, and computer engineering. It would be beneficial if morecounselling psychologists andtherapists were involved, particularly those trained in hypnosis, an area that specializes in the inner workings of the subconscious mind.

The advances of this technology are so rapid that we can expect that soon VR devices will have sensors that monitor brain wave activity, heart rate, and cortisol levels in the blood in order to monitor a user’s stress levels. Perhaps, a built in safety feature that automatically, or on demand, (and slowly) shuts the system off when critical thresholds are reached (for example the warning that already takes place with head phones and dangerously high volume levels). Until then, it is our social responsibility to apply rudimentary preventative measures based on existing knowledge such as the effects of stress on our body and long-term health or our understanding of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD being a state that can occur from repeated or prolonged exposure to a perceived life threatening situation. Currently, VR has been looked at as a treatment for PTSD, but with VR becoming more immersive it is necessary that we take precautions to prevent it from causing PTSD.

This is new and exciting technology. It has the potential to alter the way we interact with, and share experiences in, our world; yet it also has the potential to harm us in ways we do not yet understand. Let’s apply reasonable caution, and ensure it enhances our quality of life rather than endangering it. Virtual Reality can help improve education, therapy, and medicine, but it must be done correctly and with care, or the implications could be devastating despite our good intentions.

T. L. Caruso (TLC). RcH, B.A. Linguistics.

J.M. Communications and Innovation specialist

Both researchers and Writers of subconscious influence, perception, immersion and virtual reality. Both are 360 video Content Creators for www.ThisIsMeInVR.com

References:

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. (2014, September 18). How stress tears us apart: Enzyme attacks synaptic molecule, leading to cognitive impairment.ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 9, 2016 fromhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140918091418.htm

Futurism; Where Technology is headed.

I’ll save you some time and trouble researching, guessing and worrying about where technology is headed, and instead simply just tell you what you can expect. Perhaps even together, we can speed things along.

Soon, the single most important mobile device that you will have, will perform several vital functions and may look similar to this.

With the latest development of flexible screens and circuitry your device becomes a handheld computer tablet when needed by either flipping, folding or stretching it to a full size. It will be fairly tough and rugged, yet light and cheap to replace.

When connected to another device, they seamlessly merge and expand the viewing area, allowing for a few people together to assemble a communal TV.

For convenience it will wrap around your wrist and operate similar to a smartwatch. It will become your contact entry point and cue device using audio, visual and haptic vibrations. It will monitor your biometrics, like your sleep cycles, pulse, temperature and many more.

The device can be inverted and wrapped around your head to provide either Augmented Reality or Virtual Reality experiences, adding to, or replacing your perceived environment. Allowing you access to a global experience database. (similar to how the net provides knowledge) and allows you to surf (navigate) through static and video webpages in 360 VR. All businesses should get on board right away.

It will most likely contains a personal assistant, with the most recent development of Artificial Intelligence which help you be more efficient with your life. It will also control (and monitor for risk assessment) what (biometric) information you share and to whom. It will manage your “If this then that requests” and become your own life coach.

It will (obviously) have Tango, be WIFI and Bluetooth Enabled, and be able to broadcast to audio and video to any devices as needed. (360 cameras, headphones, nearby Televisions or other devices) It will also be able to share its view with other smart devices, offering an inter-connectivity tool of unprecedented value, oh and it interacts with your smart devices in the Internet of things)

The most amazing thing about this device is that you Already own the prototype. Its probably in your pocket right now. (you may even be reading this on it)

Your current Device most likely has the ability to do everything mentioned above.

If you watch a 360 video on YouTube and click the mask symbol (bottom right), you can enter your device into a cardboard VR device and experience a form of Virtual Reality entertainment called 360VR. (someday, it will work with all videos, (it will create a theater room for you, so get on this #YouTube)

You can open “full” CGI VR apps and experience “true” VR using navigation by controller or by head direction) (soon it will navigate by tracking your eyes and your gaze. ahem #Samsung)

You can install Apps for augmented reality like Scopic, ( Snapchat or Msqrd. still need to add Landscape Splitscreen mode to view in Cardboard VR viewers) and experience the beginning of the Augmented reality — & Metaverse. (soon QR codes will provide the trigger for the augments )

If you have BlueTooth, Wifi, Siri or Chrome cast, you can already send video to nearby TVs , Headsets and do tons of stuff by voice command interface.

oh, and if you want you, your mobile device can even be attached to your wrist.

So tell everyone, and lets get this product upgraded and delivered A.S.A.P. It has the potential to improve quality of life, ease of access to information and experience. In the long run, it might help us save the planet by disrupting/realigning our travel and resource consumption systems.

(oh, and give me a call, i’d like to be on the team that develops it)

Zen @ ThisIsMeInVR.com

10 Must-read Virtual Reality Futurism articles

by ThisIsMeInVR Your guide to innovation in virtual / augmented reality and 360 Video. We aren’t just “ahead of the curve”, we help Create it. We develop unique uses for the latest AR/360/VR techonologies

1. Breaking News: VR is ACTUALLY HERE — & Back Friday 2016 Madness!!
2. 360 life capture is a really BIG DEAL
3. VR has some risks, use common sense and caution
4. Sony PlayStation VR is about to BLOW UP the Tech market!
5. Communication and gaming ; have a VRy Merry XMAS 2016
6. Google Daydream on the way (what this means and more)
7. Are internet providers ready for VR? They better be……
8. Are there security risks ? If so, how do we manage them?
9. What else can this Technology do? AR, and AVR . What is GLSM ?
10. Where is this all headed? What should I expect during the next few years?

Wtf ?!? Where am I? Waking up in VR

by Zen at This is Me in VR.com

Waking up in VR. Do not try this at home.

I’ve been researching environmental immersion for 5 years, and now, with my own virtual Reality viewers (and 360 recording devices), I’ve been able to experiment.

The first unusual experiment: I took a nap while wearing my Virtual Reality Viewers to learn about how it interacts with the mind upon waking in VR. My first awakening? The avengers mansion. At first I was quite confused. My first thoughts were, “Did I get really drunk last night? Where the hell am I? How did I get here? Is this a dream” In those early stages my first reaction, when presented with an unusual environment upon waking, was to assume it was real, and try to make sense of how I got there. Those first times, when i tried to rub the sleep out of my eyes I immediately feel the goggles and realize fairly quickly that it was a VR experience still running. (The time between was relatively short, measured in seconds, but could be increased using better equipment but overall the effect decreased over time.)

It certainly is an interesting few seconds though, the feeling is hard to describe and certainly isn’t discussed so I thought I’d experiment with this a bit more. I spent the next few months staying up as late as I could, until I could barely stay awake, then would load up a VR experience so that I could see what happens when you wake in VR in various environments. I’m fairly good at waking myself up, if I drift-off, this enabled repeated trials in cgi digital, 360 and 3d360 videos.

I’ve woken in virtual environments of just about every type available. I’ve woken up all over the world and even on mars. I’ve woken up in a website. I’ve woken up Face to face with myself (a recorded 360 message $ even LIVE). I’ve also been recording many of my life’s moments in 360 so that I could try waking in past events, the results? Confusing life with memories.

I learned quite a few things from these experiments, for example: the more senses are used; visual , audio and haptic, when entering into those environments, the more intense the transition experiences are. I must caution you to not try this at home. After a short while, I did noticed quite a few side effects. The first was that when waking on regular non-VR days my brain took a few seconds longer to process where I was, and if it was real. I also noticed a change in how I watch regular TV , I have noticed and an increased aversion to (shaky cam) motion in regular Film. I’ve notice a Stark increase in my ability to visualize and imagine something when asked. I’ve also noticed when watching a regular video on a mobile device my first reaction is to move it around to test if it is a 360 video (that could be because my R.A.S. watches out for opportunities to sample new VR experiences). Even the lens through which I see the world, seems to have changed.

The technology has progressed so rapidly that near-complete immersion can be achieved, because of this, I have memories and dreams of places I’ve only been virtually. How I speak to my friends about my day’s activities often sounds surreal and bizarre. This is because many of our senses can now be “hijacked” sufficiently enough to fool my subconscious mind into believing the reality that we are presented with. I have friends that I remember as avatars in altspace or vtime, because i’ve never seen their real bodies, but i’ve become familiar with their body language. (head movements). I have memories of photographing elephants in Africa, because while in a 360VR app i wandered around taking screenshots. To me, in a way, I was there doing it. My vocabulary expresses my beliefs, its weird trying to explain your activities. “IN VR “ or “IRL” seems to be a necessary corrector for my speech now.

Virtual Reality programs are designed to enhance the impressiveness of the experience via vivid visual graphics and surround audio, low levels of and haptic feedback can be simply achieved by matching the environment. For example: whatever I was on, soft couch, or floor, was set to match the VR environment. For a forest, i placed a bamboo plant nearby, to simulate a beach i sat in a box of sand. I definitely learned that increased immersion has increased effects, on everything from waking state reaction to rate of development of imagination and visualization skills.

Despite the many opportunities these innovations may bring, such immersive technology is probably not without its own set of concerns. It shares some similarities with over active imagination, hallucinations, and schizophrenic behaviors. These similarities brought me to consider how virtual reality is a vivid simulation that is comparable to our imagination, and that V.R. may benefit from existing methods for creating safe mental and emotional environments of which you can exit from at any time, and can be removed from when necessary. This must be achieved before we intend to create relaxing VR sleeping apps (which may be many years from now.)

For now I believe that first experiences, particularly for children, should be monitored and include simple audio scripts to instill some mental safe-guards as well as suggesting a “safety-bubble” to help users filter out moments that may be particularly upsetting. “You are safe, this isn’t real, you can exit anytime” This may prevent issues that may arise with long term use of this fantastically powerful technology. Until we know the ramifications and unintended consequences of VR technology, such as the Epigenetic effects, any and all precautions should be taken. It would be beneficial if more counselling psychologists and therapists were involved in research and experimentation, particularly those trained in hypnosis, an area that specializes in the inner workings of the subconscious mind.

The advances of this technology are so rapid that we can expect that soon VR devices will have sensors that monitor brain wave activity, heart rate, and cortisol levels in the blood in order to monitor a user’s stress levels. Perhaps, a built in safety feature that automatically, or on demand, (and slowly) shuts the system off when critical thresholds are reached (for example the warning that already takes place with head phones and dangerously high volume levels). A system that shuts down your VR device if it detects that you’ve fallen asleep. Until then, it is our social responsibility to apply rudimentary preventative measures based on existing knowledge such as the effects of stress on our body and long-term health or our understanding of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD being a state that can occur from repeated or prolonged exposure to a perceived life threatening situation. Currently, VR has been looked at as a treatment for PTSD, but with VR becoming more immersive it is necessary that we take precautions to prevent it from causing any type of stress.

This is new and exciting technology. It has the potential to alter the way we interact with, and share experiences in, our world; yet it also has the potential to harm us in ways we do not yet understand. Let’s apply reasonable caution, and ensure it enhances our quality of life rather than endangering it. Virtual Reality can help improve education, therapy, and medicine, but it must be done correctly and with care, or the implications could be devastating despite our good intentions.

For more VR innovations check out my YouTube Channel and Website Beta links.

Is 360 video V.R? No. (but that’s not the point) It’s a match “made in heaven”

(link videos should be opened in YouTube app on mobile device for full effect)

Weiners and buns, together, make something awesome, called a hotdog. When you put one inside the other, something magical happens and the result becomes greater than the sum of its parts. Recently two “modern” technologies just met and I must tell you, there’s a a spark of magic.

Virtual reality devices, and there are too many to list at this point, range in price from 5–2000$ and come in all shapes and colors. They were developed primarily for entering navigable computer generated worlds, (like video games). The tech is good, it’s ready, and if you haven’t tried it, you should. You can move about and roam these designed virtual worlds with a variety of control options : gamepads, treadmills and many more. It will blow your mind.

Elsewhere a new form of video capture and viewing, known as 360 with gyroscopic functionality, (you can move your device around to look anywhere) was developed to be accessed using VR devices. Yup. They work together, the addition of split-screen landscape mode made it so that these spherical images and videos can be viewed in those really cool devices. (even the ones that run on your mobile phone) Now I know, 360 is NOT Virtual Reality. I repeat 360 is NOT V.R. (a weiner is not a hotdog).

(and btw I also know VR is great for therapy, education, telecom so please don’t message me about this) ). What Is important to know about, is what happens, when you put one inside the other and use them together, you see it does incredible things.

360 content can be VIEWED in V.R. devices? That’s pretty damn magical !

When you load up a 360 image or video into your V.R. device you enter into a whole new world. Landscape split screen mode is an amazingly simple development.( snapchat, msqrd should take note). Suddenly environments can be “entered” and mental trickery “hijacks” your senses and fools your brain into believing what you see. (see placebo effect) For the best first experience, be sure to set the resolution to highest, have good internet and sit in a swivel chair. Now, again you CANNOT currently navigate around with a controller, it’s not a Computer Generated Image (cgi). It is best compared to static photo/videography, a 2d Bubble, a “captured recording of a real life event or experience. Its’ powers lie simply, in that you can Look all around you and swivel about. (you become the camera on a, hopefully, tripod, most videos with motion, you should expect to get nauseated)

More recently though, some 360 videos and images have button links within them. Simply looking at one for a short period of time will activate it. If that link opens up another 360 image or video, you just “teleport” to that new place, across the world or simply just a few feet away. its an interesting from of nausea- free “desire” navigation, it may not be ideal, but it does show promise. In fact most don’t know it yet, but it’s about to become the future of web navigation.

Virtual tours aren’t new, neither is 3d mapping or really, any of this tech. What’s new here, is how they’ve all started to come together to create the ultimate hot dog (with lots of fixins’). Mobile devices now have apps that let you capture 360 panoramas or can be used with the latest 360 cameras to capture and create content for VR (aka 360VR like this animal compilation). They can spatially map an environment or person. (checkout project Tango) Even more incredibly those same mobile device can also become your actual VR viewer, which allows you to enter into those VR captures and experience anything, anywhere with anyone. (if it was 360 captured of course). Oh and that VR device? It lets you enter all of those cool navigable CGI gaming worldsand watch animated films.

VR is cool, but its greatest magic may yet be the feature of reliving lifes’ moments (weddings, concerts) or Live 360 streaming. (yes it exists already) You see sharing access to the content of all of our life’s experiences (like the internet did with information) is the technological revolution that will be one of the most disruptive occurrences in our lifetime (since the internet and probably until full AI arrives).

So, for you early adopters, rather than shouting out “360 isn’t VR” . Why not just relax a bit, and see that labels aren’t as important as consumer adoptionand safety. It’s still a bit early to define everything. For now, let’s use 360 content to promote VR devices for non gamers and help Grow the entire industry. It will very soon improve many peoples’ lives and has the potential to actually shape us and our world for the better. I for one, enjoy all types of VR experiences, Recorded life, Live, CGI, Digital, Augmented, Green screen, or any combination of them all.

I say, just “Take me out to the Ballgame” …. virtually of course.

ZEN

-360 content creator and founder of ThisIsMeInVR innovations

Are Internet Providers Ready for VR?

by Zen @ ThisIsMeInVR.com

Virtual Reality is here. Its’s awesome and you access it through the internet. Whether you are on your phone, your PC or a standalone you need to download games to play, videos to watch and maybe even want access to live streams. (yes they exist) There is a fast growing collection of recorded (or live): Classrooms, concerts, sporting events, weddings, music videos, movies, scenic travel locations, adventures, excitement, relaxation, therapy, sensory illusions., training lessons, or just plain social media communication. . Are internet providers ready for VR? Not really.

Here’s “the Rub”, for you to be immersed in these VR and 360VR experiences an entire environment is create or captured for you. It is 360, meaning there is data for everywhere you could possibly look. (this is the type of camera you use to capture VR video content) so the content files are HUGE. 1 gig/ per minute for a 4k resolution video. That’s 3–5 times what the internet networks are prepared to process and they are going to have to make some adjustments to handle these changes. Efforts are already being made to reduce the file transfer sizes. But with minimum quality being around 4k resolution and 60+ fps there is only so much that can be done.

“Last mile” broadband infrastructure need to be upgraded (preferably with emphasis on Wifi). This has been accomplished already in many places with wifi routers, and public wifi hotspots being accessed by a single account. Wifi is not necessary for VR , but it certainly has benefits. Especially when VR is used as Augmented reality devices.

Broadband networks need node splits, full sweep, noise hardening and amp upgrades throughout all their systems. This means to simply do some plumbing to the system to eliminate leaks caused by weather and squirrels (they love chewing cables) and upgrade the capacity. Fiber backbones needs to be extended, (currently they cover only the main roads of a city), their coverage will need to be doubled at the very least.

There will also be a need to improve Head End (central office) equipment with the latest color laser technology. That’s a lot of work to do before the network will be able to handle the 360VR content that is about to hit the world like a wildfire. . With the current trend of “cord cutting” internet profit margins are tighter than ever. So it should come as no surprise that you should expect pay-per-gig costs to make a comeback as internet speeds begin to lag in response to VR consumer adoption.

Entertainment Evolution ; TV to AR360VR

by Zen @ ThisIsMeInVR.com

The evolution of Communication and entertainment technology. It started long ago when humans first spoke, then began to draw art on walls, and acting out stories for each other to share information. This was rather limited information transition. Fast forward a few thousand years and we have Radio, Digital photography, and YouTube Videos viewable in VR, we’ve come a long way.

As communication technology evolves, so too does the level of complexity. If a picture is worth a thousand words, and a video is made up of thousands of image frames, how much information your brain can absorb is simply staggering.

When Radio hit the world, it had a huge impact. People the world over would “tune in” to their favorite radio show or news event. This was paired with landline audio communication (phones). The arrival of TV into the general public’s home also was very disruptive, it enabled visual displays of commercial products, and live streamed events (such as the moon landing). When the audio system (copper phone lines) adopted image and video transmission it helped build the framework of the internet. This amalgamation of the technologies allowed video to evolve into online platforms like YouTube and live streaming communication programs like Facetime and Skype.

What we are discussing here is MEDIUMS. Methods to distribute and digest MEDIA. Where we are now with Virtual Reality and augmented reality is that world changing moment again. Several things have happened that together will drive this technological push forward. Gyroscopic landscape split-screenmode for one allows a 360 video to be viewed in virtual reality devices. using 360 cameras this allows general content consumers and creators to capture and relive their own moments in time. GLSM enables access to Computer generated (cgi) environments for VR navigation and as GLSM is integrated into standard augmented reality apps, we will see Full Augmented reality become mainstream and available to the masses.

The only limitation to mass consumer adoption at this point, is awareness. This is BREAKING NEWS. The technology is capable of producing the results we want TODAY, and very soon will be able to do much more.

When AR360VR is paired with BioTech, and BioSynth the results may forever change us and the world. There is potential to do great good, I just hope that as we move forward with these new innovations we use caution, and invest a great deal into research and developing safety precautions.

VR ; Putting doctors INTO people with micro 360 cameras.

by Zen @ ThisIsMeInVR.com

Everyone who experiences Virtual Reality sees that it is a “game changer”. They quickly understand that it will revolutionize the world in countless ways. Travel, Tele-Communication , Entertainment, Education, Therapy, Gamingand so on.

One of things I’m suddenly most excited about is the how it will be applied to the field of medicine. Doctors use VR to perform remote surgery from across the world with robotics. Med Students can study and practice procedures over and over in simulations using Virtual Reality. I’ve even written about how VR may be used for epigenetic manipulation. The future is looking bright.

What piqued my interest enough to want to write about it was that I recently had an amazing CGI Virtual Reality experience where I was in a womb with a growing baby. It was a video on VRideo (avail on GearVR, PSVR, Oculus and VIVE etc…)

It got me thinking… There’s another VR technology on the horizon, 360 photography/ videography. The act of capturing environments in full 360 pano for the purpose of viewing in Virtual Reality goggles. This offers viewers a unique glimpse into another world , as the camera position relative to ground the viewer determines the scale. ( filmed at 7 ft, you are tall, filmed at 6 inches high you are a miniature).

Technology is so amazing that placing a 360 camera (and light source) internally into a human being is now possible. Putting Doctors and FACE TO “FACE” with internal organs! This will offer doctors a whole new way to view internal workings “first hand”. (in these situations, relative scale is governed by the camera size.)

What to expect….. well , one day very soon. (hopefully after some testing and research.) You may be required to undergo a procedure where a camera is placed into you. (endoscopy) On that day, your doctor may be wearing a VR device and be describing what he sees from “inside you”. My suggestion? Ask to take a look yourself, and see yourself from the inside.

SEE MORE VR ARTICLES by ZEN

Running a 360VR company is fun but slow if you aren’t developing a game.

by : Zen www.ThisIsMeInVR.com

I’ve been the VR industry for nearly 5 years. (the video industry for 15) I’ve been writing about, and researching immersion for 5yrs and have been focused on 360 content creation for the last 11 months. My company This Is Me in VR has over 250 experiences you can view in VR devices (some with navigation), we also have several app prototypes and innovations like our site BETA that may change how you surf the internet (through a Metaverse Portal for VR). Very cool stuff.

It takes passion, persistence and endurance to make it. Research and Development funds are starting to trickle into the VR industry. Current estimates of VR markets are consistently under-reported and underestimated. (with most going to games and not “other uses” like ours) This will change soon but will take some time.

Be passionate about the latest technologies but patient enough to wait (while explaining the technology and converting non-believers) . . Grow your business and patiently wait for the news media to tell the world the Breaking News.

Now, for those of you who grasp the implications of what VR and 360vr will do to our society. If you love experimenting with the technology, doing demos and chasing capital, this is a golden age, I personally love the challenge.

Good luck, have fun.

The video/web setting that’s changing Everything. GLSM aka WebVR

GLSM. Gyroscopic Landscape Split-screen Mode. or “WebVR” Do you know what that is? If you do, then you’re probably not reading this (because you’re out telling everyone), if you don’t, then read on and I’ll explain it to you as best I can in Txt.

360 cameras are devices that record in every direction, like some sort of photonic black hole they capture light from every angle to a single point. Typically placed on a tripod at the center of an activity or scenic location, when you watch this type of video on your PC you can click and drag the screen to rotate your viewing angle. Very cool.

When you watch this type of 360 video on a device that has gyroscopes, like a mobile phone (it measures your movements), you can rotate around and look everywhere as if your device becomes a magic window. Also very cool. I suggest sitting in a swivel chair to try this. (some apps also work like this try Vtime)

Here’s the important part ; LANDSCAPE, SPLIT SCREEN MODE. A new feature popping up in apps and videos everywhere. For example. In YouTube, it’s a mask symbol on the bottom right corner of every 360 video. in Facebook its an oculus symbol on the top left corner of both video AND images, on other sites it may simply be the letters VR. Here’s what it means: If you watch that 360 video on a gyroscopic enabled device (aka ipad or mobile phone) and hit that button while in Landscape mode, it will Split the Screen into two,( two screens, for two eye ). That’s where something magical happens. You can now watch that video or any 360 GLSM Website in Virtual Reality devices or I should say “Enter” because its really immersive. This is the trick for watching VR content on Google Cardboard, Samsung GearVR and all the other VR devices (in some way shape or form). ( it’s also the future of web navigation)

Hold onto your goggles, cause there’s more, much more. GLSM is not simply for converting 360 videos into Virtual reality experiences, (as if that wasnt enough) it’s about to do something way, way cooler. It will help create our Augmented world. Let me explain.

Have you seen Filters? It’s when an app recognizes faces and superimposes an animation over top. To try it, you open up a filter app on your mobile device, such as Snapchat or Msqrd. and choose a filter and move your device around, when the software finds a face it Augments it. Notice how it functions gyroscopically (though technically its simple video streaming) now, imagine using your device in Landscape mode with the Split-Screen function enabled, similarly to a 360 video. You could then put your device in Google Cardboard or GearVR and suddenly your VR device, becomes an AR device. Thanks to facial recognition and the pass through camera you can now have Puppy faces on everyone.

When people realize the full potential of this simple trick, the VR and AR markets will explode!. Already there are apps to filter the world into art or black and white (scopic) and augmented glasses for correcting vision issues like color blindness. Imagine Pokemon Go with this feature, players could wear goggles when chasing pokemon in parks. Museums could use QR codes used as markers to make their exhibits come to life. Logos on packages can come to life. The future of advertising is about to get weird.

watch this video to see the big picture.

Now, I can’t explain to you why YouTube (aka Google) didn’t tell the worldabout this new technological innovation. (It would be quite easy for them to do.) Maybe someone should suggest this too them. ;-)

Google Daydream is awesome and enables access to content using GLSM, I just hope they continue to innovate rapidly. WebVR is becoming the standard for VR access and as more companies embrace it the easier we can move forward.

Anyway, I’m off to capture some more awesome 360 video content for you to view in VR. Be sure to follow my YouTube channel for more news, innovations and experiences.

Zen

ThisIsMeInVR.com

BIG BREAKING TECH NEWS!

by Zen at ThisIsMeInVR.com

If you want to learn about the latest developments in technology, most importantly the implications of GLSM, I suggest you click and read the following short articles I’ve recently written. What’s GLSM? Quite simply, its the video setting that’s going to change EVERYTHING!

Why? Because it enables access to 360 videos in Virtual Reality Devices, and if you capture your own events in 360 then you can re-experience lifes’ best-moments in Virtual reality viewers. (Both the capture and viewing can be done on your existing mobile device) Don’t get me wrong, VR gaming with motion is awesome, but 360VR has the ability to Change the world.

How? This technology also enables websites to rapidly be converted into MetaVerse pages by using 360VR content as the background, and using GLSM allows those webpages to be available to be “entered from within VR”. Like the beginning of the internet, companies will be rushing to create pages for this whole new Medium. The future is calling, will your business answer?

Artificially created (or captured) environments have potential to do great good, and may even be used to measure and modify gene expression!, and alternately, they could cause unintended security health and security concerns. Therefore I suggest as we advance and use this amazing technology (which will be everywhere this Christmas) that we at least use the bare minimum of caution. These new exciting worlds may be virtual but the risks may be reality.

Research and Development into VR, AR, 360, and mixed reality (cognitive) manipulation (placebo and influence) are very important to discuss and research, now, because of where technology is headed.