Reshaping future with Disruptive Technologies
It may not be Tupac on stage, but this virtual character will bounce back and forth, interacting with its surroundings using the latest technology and the Xbox Kinect system.
Built at the University of Tokyo, the applications are likely best used in the interactive marketing world. Here’s the video:
Well, I guess it would be only a matter of time before Hollywood got their hands dirty in the virtual world; as if the “real-life” Hollywood world wasn’t fake and scripted enough already.
Virtual 3D Hollywood is the new project by GBK, a luxury lifestyle gifting and special events company. The premise is to allow players, that’s you, into the world of glitz and glamor as only Hollywood can deliver. The whole thing looks pretty similar to Second Life, which was fun for like a day if you ask me (call me old-fashioned but I would rather have conversations and deal with drama face to face and not through avatars).
But if Second Life is something you consider a worthwhile way to spend your time and you can’t get enough of celebrity break/hook-ups, new inductees into celebrity rehab, or Brangelina’s new African baby adoption this could be perfect for you.
The first event on the docket is the 2010 MTV Movie Awards, allowing users to mix and mingle with stars in a virtual recreation of the event that will run along side the real life awards show. A live performance by Katharine McPhee is planned. Quinton Aaron (somebody tell me why this is someone to be excited about), nominated as Best Break Out Actor at the MTV Movie Awards, will have his own 3D avatar for the event.
When there are no events, users can kick it in their own penthouse (complete with speedboat or helicopter), or travel the “Virtual Celebrity Islands”, which are going to be gifted out to celebrities as the social network grows (it would be pretty cool if I could virtually egg Meryl Streep’s lodge).
It all looks to free at the moment; at least to sign up, get an avatar, and get on the guest list for the MTV Movie Awards event.
Take a look at their website and sign up here.
Are virtual sex changes on the horizon? It’s doubtful, but scientists have seemingly taken their first step towards such a thing recently when they used virtual reality to study how visually attached we are to our bodies and specifically our gender.
Researchers at the University of Barcelona in Spain placed 24 men in a virtual world where they became, for a short time, women. Of course, in reality nothing changed for the men other than the fact that they were now wearing a virtual reality headset. Depending on the subject, what they saw was a first-person perspective from a woman’s body or a more voyeuristic view of seeing their virtual body in third-person.
As soon as the men got comfortable in their virtual bodies another woman in the program would show up. At fist she played nice, only touching and caressing their arms (which was accompanied by a real touch placed on the headset-wearing man in the corresponding spot). As soon as the formalities were over the woman would turn on the men and begin to slap them (no one was slapped in reality).
The researchers found that the men really became attached to their virtual bodies, even moving accordingly to what was happening in the construct. The virtual impact was often marked by flinches and even raised heartbeats.
One more step closer to Total Recall – it can’t come fast enough people.
Source: Dvice, The Guardian
Recall Jonathan Mostow’s Surrogates or James Cameron’s Avatar? Well, apparently the business world isn’t satisfied with their humanoid selves either.
Enter Venugen. This Web-based software seeks to satisfy these businesses’ avatar-envy by providing them with the tools necessary to hold virtual meetings. Oh, and did we mention that it looks like fun?
