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Greetings from Finland! I’m currently making my way across this beautiful country, traveling between Helsinki and Lapland. As usual, I’m having an incredible time here. I’ve had the chance to meet Santa Claus, spend some time with reindeer, and indulge in the local cuisine. In the near future, I’ll be attending MatchXR, a significant XR event in the Nordic region, and I can’t wait to share those adventures with you.
Before diving into this week’s news, I want to pause for a moment to dedicate this newsletter edition to Daniel Dyboski-Bryant, who sadly passed away recently. I had the privilege of meeting Daniel on numerous occasions, both in person at events like AWE US and virtually during gatherings on ENGAGE. He was genuinely kind and invested in utilizing VR to benefit humanity, particularly in the educational sector. Those of us fortunate enough to have known him will greatly miss him. Goodbye, Daniel—your legacy continues with us.
Top News of the Week
Meta Opens Applications for Project Aria Research Kits
A few years back, Meta introduced Project Aria, a set of glasses designed as a precursor to their future AR spectacles. While these glasses lacked displays, they were equipped with numerous sensors, including cameras and microphones, for internal use by Meta and its close partners to track actions and capture data, akin to what future AR glasses would do. This data was crucial for training AI/ML systems. However, there’s been a shift—Meta announced the launch of the Project Aria Research Kit. Now, research centers from universities or companies can apply through a dedicated webpage to get their hands on a Project Aria devkit from Meta. Those selected will receive not just the glasses but also the complete development environment, including a companion app, SDK, and cloud services. The cloud offerings cover storage for recordings and advanced services such as environmental reconstructions and privacy features like face and license plate blurring in videos. This initiative offers a significant chance to innovate in AR glasses research, and Meta has showcased some inspiring case studies from renowned institutions like the University of Bristol and Carnegie Mellon University on its website.
Other Relevant News
A New Wave of Smartglasses from China (and Beyond)
This week was bustling with smartglasses announcements. The Ray-Ban Meta’s success seems to have sparked a flurry of activity, with three new Chinese AI-powered smartglasses revealed. According to 36kr, Xiaomi might be developing a device to compete with the Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses, potentially debuting in Q2 2025. Meanwhile, Baidu has released the Xiaodu AI Glasses, boasting features like a 16MP camera and six primary functions, all priced at around $290. Rokid also announced the Rokid Glasses, integrating Alipay for easy payments and digital assistant features. Even Amazon is reportedly working on glasses under the codename "Amelia" for delivery drivers, hinting at a comprehensive evolution in smartglasses technology.
Meta for Education Launched in Beta
Meta has finally unveiled its educational program, Meta For Education, in beta. Designed for universities, it aims to provide education-specific resources and a means to manage multiple Quest devices in an educational setting. Noteworthy institutions like Arizona State University are already testing it, with Meta continuously refining the program based on university feedback. Additionally, Meta is partnering with VictoryXR to develop metaversities at European universities.
Meta Teases Orion Operating System
Meta recently shared a video teasing the UI for Orion glasses, highlighting various potential interface designs, suggesting that the final layout is still under development. Given the unique nature of AR interfaces as opposed to VR and MR, experimenting with the UI makes complete sense.
News Worth a Mention
bHaptics Updates Its Devices
bHaptics has revamped its product lineup, revealing their new flagship haptic vest, the TactSuit Pro, alongside more budget-friendly options like the TactSuit Air and TactSleeve. These are compatible with over 270 VR titles, offering immersive feedback in compatible games.
Horizon Worlds Introduces In-Game Currency
Horizon Worlds is gradually rolling out Meta Credits, enabling a virtual economy within the platform where users can transact for digital goods made by creators. This is a pivotal development for any social platform enthusiast.
Ekto VR Debuts Its First Shoes
Ekto VR is finally ready to distribute its first batch of Genesis shoes for virtual reality enthusiasts, marking a significant step in VR locomotion technology with early-adopter pricing between $2000 and $3000.
Other Exciting Developments
- The global XR Design Challenge, offering a $10,000 prize pool, aims to inspire new XR design concepts.
- On the consumer side, several games and immersive experiences are being released, from Ember Souls on Quest to spatial content creation apps on Vision Pro.
Final Thoughts
Before I wrap up, I want to extend my gratitude to all the patrons supporting this blog. Instead of focusing on donations for the blog, this week, consider contributing to humanitarian efforts with a donation to the Red Cross in Ukraine. Your help can make a real difference in these challenging times.
(Header image by Meta)
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