Artificial Intelligence

You Can Soon Talk To Holograms Thanks To AI

May 23, 2023 From vrscout

AI-powered “conversational” holographic characters are on the way from Looking Glass.

Hologram technology company Looking Glass today unveiled the latest addition to its 3D holographic platform: Looking Glass Liteforms. Powered by the company’s headset-free 3D holographic display technology, these “conversational” holographic characters are capable of chatting naturally with users, similar to popular text-based chatbots (minus the text).

Credit: Looking Glass

According to the company, the Liteform platform will feature a number of characters to choose from, including Andi the Robot, Little Inu, and Uncle Rabbit. Each character is brought to life using the popular AI chatbot, ChaptGPT, promising more natural conversations with the user.

“Looking Glass is well-known for developing the most realistic holographic solutions that breathe life into 3D digital content, all without the need for headsets,” said Shawn Frayne, co-founder and CEO of Looking Glass, in an official release.

“But over the past few years, we’ve been prototyping new ways to not only create and view holograms but to communicate with them,” he added. “With all the major leaps made with large language models like ChatGPT, now you can! We couldn’t be more excited to see how brands around the world use Liteforms to connect their fans to the magic of talking, ‘living’ holograms.”

Looking Glass states that its Liteform technology serves multiple use cases, from retail and out-of-advertising to location-based entertainment and individual use. Personally, I could see this sort of technology taking off with brick-and-mortar stores looking to inject a bit of fun into their customer’s shopping experience.

The platform will be available through a standard subscription model, which will include enterprise tiers for those interested in creating their own original Liteform characters. There’s also a basic subscription that will unlock access to the pre-designed characters mentioned above.

More information regarding the pricing model will be revealed later this summer, according to the company. Those interested can sign up for the beta program over at lookingglassfactory.com/liteforms. You can also go hands-on with the device at AWE 2023 in Santa Clara, CA on June 1-2 (Booth 1139).

Last year, we had the chance to go hands-on with Looking Glass Portrait, a desktop version of the company’s holographic display that’s designed for artists, designers, developers, filmmakers, photographers, and various other creative professionals.

The device plugs easily into a standard PC, allowing you to upload roughly 1,000 holographic photos and videos. You can even use it as a secondary 3D monitor.

You can check out our full coverage of Looking Glass Portrait here.

Feature Image Credit: Looking Glass Factory

Is Google’s ‘Magic Window’ The Future Of Video Calls?

May 15, 2023 From vrscout

Google’s Project Starline is back and looking better than ever.

It was back in 2021 that we first learned about Project Starline, an ambitious technology project from Google aimed at improving remote teleconferencing through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and light field display technology. Instead of a standard 2D image, Project Starline offers a “lifelike” 3D image of the person you’re conversing with, allowing for more natural and engaging interactions, regardless of your physical location.

Today, Google unveiled a new-and-improved version of its Project Starline system. Whereas the original took up roughly the same size as a restaurant booth and required a complex system of cameras and infrared light emitters, this latest prototype has been scaled down to the size of a standard flatscreen monitor.

Credit: Google

AI-powered 3D visuals

According to Google, this sleek new form factor was achievable through the use of new AI techniques. The prototype device is still capable of generating a live 3D model of the subject, but instead of the aforementioned hardware, only a handful of standard cameras are needed in order for the system to function.

“With Project Starline, we’re getting closer to a world where distance is no longer a barrier to connection. Our newest prototype is our latest step toward this goal — allowing us to help more people feel connected, no matter where they are,” said Andrew Nartke, GM of Project Starline, in an official blog post.

Credit: Google

Testing the virtual waters

Google has already begun testing its system with a handful of select companies as part of its early access program. This includes everyone from the popular cloud-based software company Salesforce to US mobile provider T-Mobile and office-space leasing company WeWork. According to Google, they’re already seeing “promising” results.

“Trust and innovation are at the heart of Salesforce’s values,” said Andy White, SVP of Business Technology at Salesforce. “Project Starline has the potential to help create authentic and immersive connections that foster deeper relationships with both our employees and customers, enhance trust and transparency, and drive productivity and efficiency.”

No word yet on when (or if) this prototype will become available as a consumer product. However, with recent data suggesting that remote work is likely here to stay, we could definitely see this technology taking off in multiple sectors, especially in its current slimmed-down form factor.

For more information on Google’s Project Starline check out the full blog post here.

Feature Image Credit: Google

These AR Glasses Use AI To Make You More Likable

April 7, 2023 From vrscout

ChatGPT and augmented reality technology could save your butt during your next job interview.

Those who’ve seen their fair share of romantic comedies are no doubt familiar with the classic earpiece conversation trope where one character, usually the romantic lead, is coached through an intimate conversation with their love interest by another character who feeds them lines through some sort of hidden communication device.

Wouldn’t it be neat if you had access to such a useful service at a moment’s notice, like during an uncomfortable date or stressful job interview? The technology may be coming sooner than you think.

A group of student researchers based out of Stanford University have developed what they call “rizzGPT,” a real-time Charisma as a Service (CaaS) powered by a combination of augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

First spotted by XR Today, the unique communication assistance device uses a relatively straightforward design to deliver some pretty incredible results. The glasses listen to your conversations using OpenAI’s automatic speech recognition tool, Whisper, and generate natural responses in real time using another piece of AI software from OpenAI, the ChatGPT-4 chatbot.

Those responses are then layered over the users’ real-world environment using Brilliant Labs’ Brilliant Monocle, a hackable AR lens that can be clipped onto virtually any pair of consumer glasses. When used in conjunction with one another, rizzGPT can effectively deliver knowledge on virtually any topic (up to 2021) at a moment’s notice.

Credit: Bryan Hau-Ping Chiang

As pointed out by Bryan Hau-Ping Chiang, one of the members of the student research team responsible for the project, the system could prove useful in a number of high-stress scenarios.

“Say goodbye to awkward dates and job interviews,” he said on Twitter. “We made rizzGPT — real-time Charisma as a Service (CaaS) it listens to your conversation and tells you exactly what to say next,” adding, “Thanks to @brilliantlabsAR for providing the Monocle AR gadget — super easy to clip onto any pair of glasses + has a camera, microphone, and high-res display.”

For more information check out Twitter.

Which would be the first scenario you’d use these glasses in? An improv class? A public Q&A? A police interrogation?

Feature Image Credit: Bryan Hau-Ping Chiang

McDonald’s Launches AR Lunar New Year Campaign

January 15, 2023 From vrscout

AR filters, NeRF technology, and VR come together for a futuristic McDonald’s AAPI campaign.

As part of its commitment to serving communities and celebrating culture, McDonald’s is celebrating major cultural events such as Lunar New Year, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Diwali.

To celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, McDonald’s has partnered with Karen X Cheng, a viral content creator who is known for her innovative creative designs, according to an official release. The company behind those famous french fries and Big Macs aims to connect with its consumers through an immersive metaverse experience and a cool augmented reality (AR) filter.

As a long-time fan of the Golden Arches, Cheng is excited to celebrate the rich culture and heritage of Asian Americans through this campaign.

Famous for her amazing viral videos which have gained over 500 million views, Cheng is a talented digital creator who is also known for her collaborations with prominent celebrities. Through her passion for storytelling and innovation, Cheng has found herself on prominent lists such as Inc’s 30 Under 30 and on Adweek’s Creative 100.

Some of her most popular videos include learning to dance in a year, creating the first artificially intelligent magazine cover, and making a VR dance video for the metaverse. This partnership between her and McDonald’s marks Cheng’s first official brand partnership.

“Teaming up with McDonald’s to create a campaign that not only leans into my passions as a creator but also my cultural identity is a dream come true,” said Cheng in an official press release. “As a longtime Golden Arches fan, it’s an honor to be provided with a creative canvas that allows me to share my personal story as well as showcase my expression of the holiday to a wider audience.”

Elizabeth Campbell, Senior Director, Corporate Engagement Strategy at McDonald’s, said that the brand wanted to connect with its fans at the intersection of culture and innovation. “Our collaboration with Karen X Cheng offers new, tech-forward ways to experience the Year of the Rabbit while also honoring the legacy of the holiday and uplifting the AAPI community. The Golden Arches is proud to kickstart the new year with an interactive campaign that invites our fans to become active participants in a global cultural celebration,” said Campbell.

McDonald’s is celebrating the start of the new year with an engaging digital campaign that encourages its fans to get involved in important global celebrations, something that is very important to the global mission of the company.

The campaign, which was conceptualized by IW Group, aims to celebrate the spirit of the Lunar New Year and encourage people to embrace the traditional and unconventional ways of celebrating the holiday. The campaign also features a variety of interactive elements as well as an immersive metaverse experience.

Nita Song, IW Group’s President & Chief Executive Officer, said that the company wanted to use the latest technology to enhance the experience for its fans. “Building on last year’s groundbreaking Lunar New Year campaign, which featured a Golden Arches’ trailblazing event in the metaverse, our goal was to utilize state-of-the-art technology to elevate the virtual and interactive experiences for brand fans.”

Here’s what you can expect with McDonald’s Year of the Rabbit campaign:

Augmented reality (AR) filter – This unique AR Instagram filter allows you to experience the transition from the Year of the Tiger (2022) to the Year of the Rabbit (2023) while enjoying incredible 3D visuals.

Metaverse Experience – Hosted on the virtual platform Spatial and accessible through a VR headset, mobile device, tablet, or PC, this custom 3D space combines traditional Asian influences with a variety of “futuristic elements,” such as 3D sculptures of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals. The platform will host two special events on January 25th and February 2nd respectively.

AI-powered television commercial – This futuristic ad spot utilizes NeRF (neural radiance fields) technology to create a 3D scene. You can use your smartphone to scan an on-screen QR code to enjoy the artwork as an interactive AR filter.

Fans can join in on the fun today via www.McDLunarNewYear.com. This isn’t the first time McDonald’s has created a cool virtual experience around culture and heritage. In 2022, the company created “McDonald’s Hall of Zodiacs: 2022 Lunar New Year by Humberto Leon” gallery in AltspaceVR and in Spatial. The company also filed 10 trademark applications that would allow you to order food from their menu in the metaverse and have it delivered to your real-world home.

For more information visit here.

Image Credit: McDonald’s USA