Important Innovations

   D AILY INNOVATION BRIEF                                                                                                          By Journalists Edward Kane & Maryanne Kane CORVETTE's 1st HYBRID & AWD VETTE                                                       Source: Corvette New details are starting to emerge about 2, new Corvettes under development:  the C8 Corvette ZR1 and the even more powerful Zora, which is a combination of the ZR1 and the E-Ray Both are expected to come-out in late 2023 or early 20...

  VR Displays Inside the Autonomous Apple Car                                    Source: Various Creative Concepts Apple Files a Significant Patent For its Long-Anticipated Car The long-awaited Apple car is likely to be windowless and fully autonomous.  Apple has filed a significant patent for a virtual reality (VR) vehicle system that would match virtual views with the real motion of the car.  So, if the car is going downhill, the VR display might show a skier gliding downhill.  VR displays would replace the car's windows, making it an Apple technology showcase on wheels.  The self-driving technology in the vehicle would need to be highly advanced and industry leading because with no windows it would be totally autonomous. Fascinating Technologies Apple has been working on its car very secretly for nearly a decade. There is no definitive word from Apple on w...

  World of Expanding Automotive Infotainment                                                Source: Audi & Holoride For Audi Passengers, New Virtual Reality Experiences The world of automotive infotainment systems just became a lot bigger and more exciting.  Audi is introducing virtual reality technology into many of its top models starting summer 2022.  The VR in-vehicle technology has been developed by Munich-based Holoride, which Audi helped to found. What differentiates this new VR tech is that it merges VR content with the car's driving movements in real-time, for passengers wearing VR glasses in the back of the car.  Audi is the first global automotive company to bring VR entertainment from Holoride into the series production of many of its key vehicle models.  For passengers, it promises to be a brand new, immersi...

  New Tech Education Tools                             Source: Online Class During COVID On-Demand Learning Artificial intelligence and virtual reality are predicted to have a profound impact on how children and adults learn and absorb new information.  New research suggests the big benefit is that the new technologies have the capability to personalize from data analysis the specific educational content and needs for individual students. Experts say with the prevalence of virtual remote learning due to COVID-19,  artificial intelligence and virtual reality have the potential of disrupting the traditional models of both teaching and learning for the greater good. Big Data Driven With the help of big data, these new technologies can track individual and group learning patterns.  And based on the data and analysis, they can create customized tools to solve individual students' learning...

3 Top Performance Shoes Being Introduced in Virtual Reality Source:  ASICS Virtual Reality Innovation Summit Athletic shoe manufacturer ASICS is going to Virtual Reality to announce its three most advanced running shoes yet.  During the global coronavirus pandemic, the Japanese athletic shoe manufacturer is holding its annual Innovation Summit in VR from the virtual innovation lab of the ASICS Institute of Sports Science in Kobe, Japan.  Athletes and consumers around the world can experience the new shoes upfront and personal in virtual reality.  The company is turning to the innovation of VR to showcase its most advanced footwear and avoid the dangers of spreading the highly contagious coronavirus by bringing global crowds together for the ASICS Innovation Summit. Distance Running Jumping and Track The new shoes are METARACER, which the company calls its most advanced long distance racing shoe; METASPRINT, a spikeless track shoe; and ME...

Unique VR Headset Source:  GOOVIS Young Personal Mobile Cinema The GOOVIS Young VR headset has the feel of a gamechanger in the world of Virtual Reality.  First of all, it's not a head mounted computer like other VR systems on the market.  It's a face mounted display that is compatible with just about any device.  It's the creation of Shenzhen NED Optics of China.  The company says this display will make movie theatres obsolete.  They're calling GOOVIS Young the "personal mobile cinema". Big Screen, Big Functionality The 1080 p display projects images on the equivalent of an 800 inch screen.  It works with laptops, cell phones, tablets and more.  And the functionality is incredible. You can browse the internet, work, watch moves, game and even "fly with your drone".  GOOVIS Young is priced at about $1,000.  Shenzen NED Optics calls itself an innovation company focused on VR, AR and MD headsets.  To take a lo...

Walmart Using VR To Spot Great Talent Source:  Walmart VR Goggles Deployed to Promote Employees Walmart, which is the largest private employer in the US and one of the world's biggest companies, is using Virtual Reality headsets to spot and develop managerial talent. It's not their only data tool but it is an important one to see how their employees perform in real-time situations as managers in their retail environment.  This is a great example of how VR is  being deployed to advance global business.  For more information, go to Important Innovations Collection: Walmart HR Using VR : Virtual Reality Helping to Test and Promote Employees Source:  Walmart  Technology At the Hiring Edge America's largest private ...

VR, AI and AR Combining Forces to Advance Medicine Source:  University of Michigan New Tech Enables Doctors to See Patient Pain for Better Treatment New technology that allows doctors to see their patient's pain, including its location and intensity, has just been unveiled by scientists at the University of Michigan.  It combines virtual reality, artificial intelligence and augmented reality and is called the CLARAi VR.  For more details, go to Important Innovations Collection: Virtual Reality Advancing Medicine : VR Seeing Your Pain Source:  University of Michigan VR, AI & AR Showing Doctors Where It Hurts New technologies, including Virtu...

Amazon Testing Make-Up in Virtual Reality VR for MakeUp For millions of women this could be a VR gamechanger.  Test in VR a lipstick you are about to buy for forty dollars plus, to make sure it works for you.  L'Oreal and its virtual reality business ModiFace are providing make-up testing technology to Amazon. They are targeting your smartphone to do this. You can test the lipstick product on Amazon before you buy it for yourself. That's the starting point. Great Idea Amazon customers can test lipsticks on any mobile phone video or image device. And it's not just L'Oreal brands. It's also Maybelline and Lancôme lipsticks to start.  This begins in the US and Japan this summer 2019. It's a great idea to test in VR before you buy. It sounds like technology working for us, before making worthless purchases you just throw away.

Visiting Global Heritage Sites with VR Source:  CyArk's 3D VR Image of Ancient Stone Temples in Thailand No Need to Leave Home to Tour This is one of the greatest uses of technology and virtual reality.  Google and a non-profit CyArk have collaborated on a website Open Heritage that allows you to tour global heritage sites via a virtual reality app without ever leaving your home.  You can tour the ruins of Pompei or a 1,000 year old Mayan Temple online and/or enhance it with VR googles right at home.  For a great news blog Important Innovations Collection: Visiting World Sites with VR : Virtual Reality Tours of Global Heritage Sites Source:  CyArk 3D VR image of ancient stone temples in Thailand  Google & CyArk Co...

Smart Mirror Superimposes Outfits on Your Image No Need for Fitting Rooms Artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality are beginning to dramatically change the retail industry and the shopping experience for customers.  An example:  smart, digital mirrors that show you in various outfits in seconds without having to try them on.  Neiman Marcus has deployed the mirrors in 34 stores.  For more details on the future of retail through new technologies, go to Important Innovations Collection: Smart Mirrors Superimpose Outfits on Your Image : Artificial Intelligence Changing the Retail Industry Source:  MemoMi No More Fitting Rooms The retail industry will be dramatically ...

Artificial Intelligence, Augmented & Virtual Reality - Handy Guide Book on the Latest "Important Innovations Collection" by Edward Kane My journalist colleague has authored a great guide to the latest and biggest innovations in AI, AR and VR.  These innovations are impacting every aspect of our lives.  They're exciting and important to know about.  The book is an easy to read, series of news summaries that bottom-line what you need to know.  If you're curious and would like to sample or do a free borrow, check out I mportant Innovations Collection: AI, AR & VR - New Book : "Important Innovations Collection - Latest in AR, VR, AI" Unique, Handy Guide Book on the Latest Innovations If you are fasc...

Disney & Audi Develop Virtual Reality In-Car Entertainment System IMMERSIVE Audi and Disney have teamed up to deliver a virtual reality, in-car entertainment system.  The in-car system for passengers provides VR video games that are in sync with the movements of your car.  It's brand new VR innovation in motion.  For a great news blog on it, go to my journalist colleague Ed Kane's blog at Important Innovations Collection: Disney-Audi VR In-Car Entertainment : Disney-Audi Virtual Reality Combination Source:  Audi IMMERSIVE In-Car Entertainment What a fun combination!  Virtual reality, Disn...

NordicTrack Virtual Reality Exercise Bike Source:  NordicTrack Bike and Headset in Sync NordicTrack just unveiled their VR Bike at the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas.  It's a brand new approach to exercise.  While you're burning off calories on the bike, your mind is engaged in Virtual Reality gameplay coming in on the headset.  And, the bike and headset are in sync, meaning if your watching an object going uphill, the bike will match it and you'll be peddling uphill.  For a great news blog on this new piece of exercise innovation, go to my journalist colleague Ed Kane's blog at Important Innovations Collection: Exercising with Virtual Reality : NordicTrack's VR Bike Source:  NordicTrack VR Cycling This exercise bike was just unveiled by NordicTrack at the Consumer Electr...

IDC Forecasts AR/VR Spending Source:  Stock Augmented vs Virtual Reality Big Escalation through 2022 Global spending on AR/VR will soar at a 5 year CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 72% over 2017-2022.  By the end of 2018 it will hit $27 billion, up 92% year over year.  What's happening to fuel the growth is escalating use across industries, including a number of new industries.  This is the latest tracking by the International Data Corporation, IDC. Industry Use Rising, Along with China's IDC is tracking a number of global industries increasingly using AR/VR. The number of industries is on the rise and is now up to 39 including consumer, education, media and government.  Another big growing user is China. Industry Rankings Consumer industries are the biggest user through 2022, reaching $53 billion by 2022.  This is followed by retail, manufacturing and transportation.  Gaming is the biggest user in 2018.  But by 2022 the bigge...

Breakthru for VR & AR - New Ultra Lite Gloves Source:  ETH Zurich Enables Touching Virtual Objects for Real It's the ultra-lite glove that's less than 8 grams per finger.  The gloves enable you to feel, grasp and manipulate virtual objects.  The system developed by Swiss scientists provides extremely realistic feedback and could run on a tiny battery. That allows unparalleled freedom of movements for VR and AR.  This is a big development in VR, AR tech. Global Quest for This Tech Globally for years, scientists, engineers, and software developers have been trying to achieve what the scientists at ETH Zurich and EPFL have just done.  It's the quest for tech that lets users grasp, touch and manipulate virtual objects while feeling they're touching something real. Swiss Scientific Achievement The gloves are called DextrES.  They've been successfully tested on volunteers and will be presented at  an upcoming international symposium.  ...

Japan's Wearable VR Innovation Taclim VR Gloves & Shoes - Japanese Innovation  They're called the Taclim Virtual Reality shoes and gloves.  They're a global VR first.  They have haptic feedback to enable users to feel the virtual world.  As you can see in the photo, they work in tandem with the VR display. Tactile Devices Built-in tactile devices give the wearer instant haptic interaction.  The shoes and gloves generate the sensation of stepping onto the ground in a virtual space. Come September These products are relatively expensive - $1363 as posted in Japan Trends.  They'll be shipping in mid-September.  They're the creation of Cerevo in collaboration with Nidec Seimitsu Corporation.  This is fun and interesting VR tech I came across while researching Japanese innovation.