Microsoft has a wild hologram that translates HoloLens keynotes into Japanese

Microsoft has created a hologram that will transform someone into a digital speaker of another language. The software giant unveiled the technology during a keynote at the Microsoft Inspire partner conference this morning in Las Vegas. Microsoft recently scanned Julia White, a company executive for Azure, at a Mixed Reality capture studio to transform her into an exact hologram replica. The digital version appeared onstage to translate the keynote into Japanese. Microsoft has used its Azure AI technologies and neural text-to-speech to make this possible. It works by taking recordings of White’s voice, in order to create a personalized voice signature, to make it sound like she’s speaking Japanese.

Virtual reality helps Japan's elderly travel the world

CNN) — Traveling from the canals of Venice to San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, a group of elderly people in Japan is seeing the world -- without even leaving their seats. It's all thanks to virtual reality, as well as a team at the University of Tokyo led by Kenta Toshima. As a therapist, Toshima traveled the globe capturing 360-degree videos to show his senior patients. His aim was to help them find joy and motivation in life, using VR technology to allow those who are unable to travel satisfy their wanderlust and see the world again.

What it’s like to play virtual-reality tennis at Wimbledon

At 29 years old, I’m almost twice the tennis phenom’s age with, generously, one-gazillionth of her skill. That gap became abundantly clear when I tried my forehand at virtual-reality tennis at Wimbledon. It was a not-so-grand slam. The fun game, called Champion’s Rally, is located in the free American Express Fan Experience area and uses an Oculus-like headset that allows you to see 360 degrees of Centre Court, the most famous tennis venue in the world. Glancing around, from t

Corey Seager And A.J. Pollack Are Utilizing Virtual Reality Technology During Injury Rehab Process

When you are 61-30, as are the Los Angeles Dodgers, and have far and away the best record in the National League, it’s easy to get complacent. But the Dodgers are looking ahead for how to gain an edge in their goal of capturing the World Series title that has eluded them since 1988.  They came tantalizingly close in the last two years, but lost each time in the Fall Classic to the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox respectively. Two players that the Dodgers would like to have on the field in October are shortstop Corey Seager and outfielder A.J. Pollack.  Both have been out for significant stretches this year; Seager, since June 11th with a hamstring injury, and Pollack has been out since April 28th due to a bacterial infection and later having elbow surgery. 

Valve Index review: $999 buys you the best VR experience yet — when it works

The Valve Index, Valve’s latest virtual reality offering, is an uneasy mixture of all the good and bad aspects of modern VR. It can be a pain to set up; getting the whole thing calibrated perfectly can take hours. And then you might have to start over when someone else wants to use the headset. Not everything works perfectly all the time, although that aspect of the system is getting better. You still need to set up the external sensors somehow, and mounting them on your wall is likely the easiest solution, although you’ll also need to plug each one into an outlet. Those wires snaking down opposite walls in your VR space aren’t the most attractive decorations. Nothing about Index is easy.

Valve released 3D models so anyone can mod the Index VR headset

Valve has released 3D files to help people build mods and accessories for its new Index virtual reality headset. The gaming company posted high- and low-resolution models — along with other documentation — on GitHub under a Creative Commons license. Anybody can download and use the files to design their own creations, but they can’t sell anything without getting clearance from Valve first. The Index headset, which started shipping last week, is a high-end VR system based on Valve’s SteamVR platform. Valve designed the Index to appeal to modders, adding a USB port for them in a small compartment called the Frunk or “front trunk.”

Virtual reality game simulates experiences with race

Video games that use virtual reality to create immersive experiences have become increasingly popular for entertainment and for research. However, the representation of race in these simulations is often shallow — and fails to go beyond physical appearance attributes like skin color.  For a more lived, embodied experience in the virtual world, MIT researchers have developed a new computational model that captures how individuals might have been taught to think about race in their upbringing. The new model of racial and ethnic socialization, presented at the AAAI 2019 Spring Symposium, has the potential to not only enhance video game simulations, but also to facilitate training for teachers and students who might encounter racial issues in the classroom.

RealWear raises $80 million for AR headset for connected workers

RealWear has raised $80 million for its augmented reality headset and platform for connected workers. The company will use the funds, which are a combination of equity and debt, to continue market expansion and accelerate its platform development. RealWear’s funding and loans were led by industrial automation firm Teradyne, with additional money from Bose Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures, Kopin, and JPMorgan Chase. From its inception, RealWear has focused on products, like the HMT-1 headset, that are specifically designed to improve job satisfaction, productivity, and safety for the connected enterprise workforce.

VR & Sex: How This 27-Year-Old Created One of the Hottest Virtual Reality Franchises

At a time when multiple research reports indicate that people are having less sex globally, 27-year-old Anna Petukhova decided to combine technology, sex toys and good old-fashioned sex appeal to open a sex club in her hometown of Moscow, Russia. Regarded as one of Russia’s leading fashion and fitness models, Petukhova is also a graduate of Russia’s equivalent of Harvard, earning a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree in Russian literature and linguistics (English) from Lomonosov Moscow State University. Upon graduating, Petukhova worked as an English language translator for several consulting firms and businesses, while also modeling and conducting walking tours for tourists throughout Russia.

UI researchers to demonstrate virtual-reality headsets to Congress

Researchers with UI Health Care and the Veterans Administration will demonstrate their virtual-reality headset to Congress today. Michael Wall, a University of Iowa professor of neuro-ophthalmology, will demonstrate to Congress the creation of a virtual-reality headset that will allow access to testing for people with degenerative eye conditions. The Veteran’s Administration gave a grant to the research project four years ago, Wall said. The device will improve veterans’ lives by making visual testing and monitoring available in many different venues, such as waiting rooms, outreach clinics, and in patient’s homes, according to a press release from the VA.