Happy Wednesday!
Virtual Reality for Olympians!
BAE Systems, the geniuses behind the same battleship and combat flight simulators used by the military, are currently developing a virtual reality system for Olympians planning to contend in the Rio de Janeiro games in 2016.
The system essentially acts as a sparring partner for fighters, allowing Olympians to up their game without actually fighting another live human. The system will run on cameras, motion sensors, and even eye-gaze trackers, although BAE Systems is still deciding whether to use a screen, holodeck or headset as the main display piece.
In addition to allowing fighters to test their moves and try out new ones, the system will provide after-fight analyses, allowing Olympians an in-depth look into their current strengths and weaknesses.
So, how long do you think it will take them to release something similar to the general public? Sounds like one heck of a game to us!
Want to Be a Superhero?
Meta is coming out with a brand new product in April 2014 – a virtual reality system that lets you experience what it’s like to be the Iron Man himself. Coined SpaceGlasses, these beauties are looking like they’re going to be something pretty special! Technically, they’re the same concept as Google Glass – but we give the company extra points for the fun comic reference!
The glasses come with a camera and projection capabilities. You can download apps and the glasses also come with virtual chess, facial recognition, 3D model building (which you can upload to a 3D printer and actually make something tangible), a Nerf game and much more.
In addition to what the SpaceGlasses come with, the developer is also allowing for open app development, which means you can customize your Iron Man experience so it works how you want it to.
Right now they’re retailing for $667 if you choose to preorder; hopefully the price goes down just a bit before April. Keep an eye out!
Life-Size Holograms Coming Your Way!
We’re as gung-hoe about virtual reality as any other person, but there’s just something about having to wear clunky headsets, be hooked up to wires, and even hang out on a treadmill that kind of ruins some of the magic. However, Provision has started a Kickstarter to fund a new way to look at virtual reality: HoloVision.
Promising life-sized holograms, this system requires nothing but the projector. The result is a 3D display of another person, right there in front of you. No glasses, no wires, and certainly no treadmills!
The company says that the system runs with a new light source; currently, the projector is kind of big, but Provision is planning to reduce its size later once it receives more money. Unlike other companies that try to develop these things for business-like endeavors, Provision is approaching it from a gamer’s perspective, ultimately striving to create a system that allows players to touch and interact with a hologram of the characters they’re playing with / against.
With the current kickstarter, investors will receive a prototype that projects a 3-inch hologram. Check it out here!
As of this posting, it appears that there may be some dispute regarding intellectual property, and Kickstarter has temporarily suspended the funding. However, if this means that two companies are striving to create the same thing, we’re still pretty stoked!
The Newest Amazon Kindle
Amazon is at it again, this time with a brand new Kindle just in time for the holiday season. This latest offering, dubbed the Kindle Fire HDX, comes in a 7 or 8.9 inch screen. With 2GBs of RAM and a 2.2GHz quad-core processor, this baby is fast and the image quality is simply stunning. In addition, they have also upgraded the camera to an 8 megapixel, capable of taking 1080p HD video and photos, and outfitted with a LED flash.
For the gamers, this new processor is four times faster than last year’s Kindle, and it lets you stream content to your TV (if it’s a compatible Samsung) as well as your PS3 or PS4. The 7-inch comes out first on October 18th for $229, while the 4GB version will be available November 14th for $329. If you fancy a bigger screen, you can get the 8.9-inch Wi-Fi only model on November 7th for $379 or the 4G version for $479 on December 10th.
Yes, all just in time for the holiday season. Well played, Amazon!
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So what do you think of all of this? Let us know in the comments below!
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