I have been fascinated with virtual characters ever since reading science-fiction novels that featured sentient personas that provided guidance to captains of starships on intergalactic missions. Those concepts migrated to television and cinema, from Star Trek’s holodeck simulations in the ’60s, to Max Headroom in the ’80s, to the holographic virtual companion Joi in the film Blade Runner 2049. Although the idea of virtual humans has been around in pop culture, anime, and
Since its inception, 360 video has given us a glimpse of what was possible with a panoramic view of video that created a new paradigm of experiential media. It was interesting in the beginning, but I have realized its limitations, and I am now looking to take it to the next level. One major limitation of 360 video is that it is an overall flat experience, since it positions the
Many things have transpired since my previous Streaming Media article, Is Virtual Reality Streaming Ready for Primetime?, appeared last November. In that article, I predicted that when YouTube provided a platform for virtual reality (VR) content, VR would be poised to enter the mainstream. Eight months later, with YouTube allowing users to livestream 360° VR videos, we can see a path to mass consumer adoption. VR remains a niche market at
Virtual Reality (VR) has recently caught the attention of the press, inspired the creativity of a multitude of content producers, and captivated the imaginations of the public. Many companies are entering the VR arena and are throwing their hats in the ring with their own Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs), cameras, hardware, and software for the consumer market. While the biggest market to date for VR has been in the gaming world,