Education

NASA & Google Partner To Create An AR Solar System

September 14, 2022 From vrscout

Explore the solar system from the comfort of your home.

Google has been using augmented reality (AR) technology for quite some time to bring everything from wild animals to the planets and moons of our solar system to life in your living room. These 3D models are designed primarily for educational purposes, offering users valuable information on each subject.

Today, Google Arts & Culture announced that is has partnered with NASA to further extend its virtual offerings with a new online exhibit featuring a collection of new-and-improved 3D models of our universe brought to life using AR technology.

These 3D models are for more than just entertainment, however. The virtual solar system exhibit features historical annotations that, when selected, display valuable information. Earth’s moon, for example, features landing sites for Apollo 11 and China’s Chang’e-4.

The online exhibit features 3D models of each planet in our solar system as well as a variety of moons and comets. There’s even 3D models for man-made objects such as spacecraft, satellites, and the James Webb Space Telescope.

The aforementioned 3D models are accessible now using Google Search in the web browser. No additional apps are required in order to access the historical annotations.

For more information check out the Google Arts & Culture hub here.

Image Credit: Google

AR App Cupixel Helps You Find Your Inner Artist

August 15, 2022 From vrscout

Access live and on-demand lessons from artists around the world.

Cupixel is a unique smartphone app that removes the barrier around creating art by making it possible for everyone to explore their own unique creative outlet.

The app uses augmented reality (AR) and ‘Smart Trace’ technology to cast outlines of various images over the real world. You can choose from a gallery of preloaded content or project a picture from your own library onto any flat surface.

Cupixel helps you develop the basic skills necessary to start creating art on your own. As you make your way through the app, you will uncover different tips and tricks from official Cupixel artists as they guide you through step-by-step lessons available live or on-demand.

The app has already attracted the attention of one of the biggest retailers of art and craft supplies. JOANN recently announced that they will be investing $5M in seed money to help the company grow.

“JOANN is committed to bringing our customers the best tools and assortment available and has been investing in the latest craft technology over recent years,” said Rob Will, Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer at JOANN in an official press release. “We believe that Cupixel is at the cutting edge and is providing users of all skill levels with the unique and significant rewards that come from creating art.”

In addition to Cupixel’s menu of interactive AR tools, you can also purchase the Cupixel Acrylic Art Set, a physical art set with premium materials such as high-quality paints, brushes, and canvases for paintings.

There’s also a Greeting Card Set filled with art supplies for creating your own personalized greeting cards, including premium blank card stock and envelopes, 12 dual-tipped markers, and a selection of greeting card covers.

In the same press release, Elad Katav, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Cupixel said, “Cupixel offers daily live and on-demand art experiences that continually provide value for our users and their families —whether they are making greeting cards, uploading their own photos and drawing them, or more — everyone can produce their own masterpiece.”

To learn more about Cupixel, just hit the link and check out their website. I would also recommend checking out Cupixel’s YouTube page for some great how-to videos.

The Cupixel app is available on Google Play and the Apple App Store for $12.99/month. Cupixel also offers a limited experience to users for free.

Image Credit: Cupixel

VR Sim Teaches You The Art Of Baggage Handling

July 28, 2022 From vrscout

Immerse yourself in five challenging airport scenarios.

Airport Ground Handling Simulator VR is an upcoming VR simulator for PC VR headsets that puts you in the shoes of a ground handler and tasks you with completing a variety of activities as part of the turnaround process at a busy airport.

The app was developed by AVIAR and is actually based on training software used by real airports around the world. The publicly available version comes with five scenarios in total:

Pre-Arrival Ramp Checks
Aircraft Marshalling
Ground Support Equipment Connections
Aircraft Cargo Doors Operations
Pre-Departure Checks

There are even different weather and lighting conditions as well as random events and hazards designed to trip you up as you work.

Airport Ground Handling Simulator VR will be available next month on PC VR headsets via Steam. Moving forward, the company plans on launching additional paid DLC with new scenarios.

Image Credit: AVIAR