…So how would this new 3D camera technology work in the real world? Well according the patent, it would combine radar, laser, light-detection and ranging (LIDAR) and various other sensors to enhance depth and the intensity of color accuracy. The language also indicates that it would enable cameras to detect facial expressions and gestures ranging from a grin to a grimace. It is being speculated that the detection aspect could work by detecting parts of the face such as a person’s eyes, nose, and mouth, and then matching it with a range of expressions and gestures stored in a database.
Marketing potential of 3D camera technology
Should Apple’s 3D camera technology come to life, the marketing potential behind it could be virtually unlimited. We can see it being particularly useful for software and video game developers, companies that provide services to the entertainment industry, and others that exist to create strong visual experiences for end users. Such a concept may sound farfetched, but it isn’t when you consider that the 3D boom has already arrived. In addition to the growing number of 3D-friendly TVs, monitors and mobile devices, the popularity of Hollywood hits like Avatar and Clash of the Titans prove that there is indeed a market for Apple’s concept.
Believe it or not, but a 3D camera-enabled iPhone wouldn’t be the first of its kind in the smartphone space. In fact, that credit actually goes to the HTC Evo 3D, which officially broke the barrier by allowing users to snap pictures, record three dimensional videos, and view the captured content without needing a pair of special glasses. However, what Apple has in store could lend itself to even more exciting possibilities, mainly because of the rich capabilities of its iOS devices. …
This past April, our CEO Peter Weijmarshausen sat on a panel at MIT/Stanford VLAB about the future of 3D printing. They discussed the future of the industry and the impact 3D printing will have on entrepreneurs, design, and personalized production.
As video consumption increases and viewing devices vary, consumers are still using televisions most often to watch video, according to The Evolving Video Landscape study released today by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)(R).
Consumers are watching more video than they have in the past, across a variety of platforms. One-third of U.S. adults online (34 percent) say they watch more video content today than they did a year ago. Viewing of television video programming is up 28 percent, with consumers citing convenience and the appeal/variety of programming as the top factors for increased viewing. Viewing of content on portable devices has also increased, with 40 percent watching more on those devices today than a year ago.
Many consumers (66 percent) who are watching video content on television are simultaneously using other consumer electronics (CE) devices. This behavior is more prevalent among younger consumers, as 85 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds and 70 percent of 25- to 34-year-olds multitask with another device while watching video on a television. U.S. adults online report watching some type of video content an average of 3.2 hours a day, five days per week.
Televisions continue to be the most commonly used device for watching video but other devices are gaining in popularity. HDTVs are the most prevalent devices used for video viewing, used by two-thirds (66 percent) of U.S. adults online. Computers are also commonly used to watch video, with 62 percent using a laptop to watch video and 55 percent using a desktop. One-third (33 percent) of consumers are using their smartphones to watch video content, and 17 percent are using their tablets.
“Consumers are watching more video than they have in years past and they are seeking devices and technologies that deliver a quality video and audio experience,” said Shawn DuBravac, CEA’s chief economist and director of research. “However, younger consumers accustomed to multitasking are defining new video behaviors as they watch video content across multiple platforms, on their own schedule, all while interacting socially on their devices with their friends.”
Televisions have also emerged as a device that can do more than just play video. Among consumers using televisions to watch video content, nearly half (47 percent) also use their sets for other purposes. One in three (34 percent) consumers who use a television to watch video also use their set to listen to music, and one in five (21 percent) uses a television to listen to audio. Usage also varies by age and the type of display owned. Younger consumers, those under age 25, rely on their TVs more for music, social media, going on the Web and communicating. Consumers with Internet-enabled TVs use their displays in a number of ways as well: 47 percent listen to music, 28 percent use social media, 26 percent surf the Web and 23 percent view photos.
Future television purchases will be based on better picture quality and larger screen sizes as consumers will continue to seek the latest innovations in the market. Almost half (48 percent) of consumers planning to purchase a TV in the next 12 months will be replacing an aging, obsolete or broken set. However, half (51 percent) desire improved picture quality in a new display and half (50 percent) want a larger screen size. One in four (24 percent) consumers with intentions to purchase a TV over the next year expect to purchase a 3DTV; 21 percent plan to purchase an OLED display; and a quarter of consumers (25 percent) plan to purchase an Internet-enabled TV. While stated purchase intentions do not always translate to transactions, the study clearly shows many consumers have their eyes fixed on newer TV technologies.
“Easy access to the Web makes TVs more versatile, allowing us to stay connected, informed and entertained,” said DuBravac. “In the future, new technologies, like OLED and 3D, will continue to improve the viewer experience, and Internet-enabled sets will fulfill consumers’ desires to be connected.”
The Evolving Video Landscape Study (April 2012) was conducted between February 22 and March 2, 2012. It was designed and formulated by CEA Market Research, the most comprehensive source of sales data, forecasts, consumer research and historical trends for the consumer electronics industry. Please cite any information to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)(R). The complete study is available free to CEA member companies at members.CE.org. Non-members may purchase the study at the CEA Store.
The old saying that your ears go red when people are talking about you is getting a 21st Century update.
Now your nose can tell you when you are being talked about on social networks thanks to a net-connected robot.
Called Olly, the robot watches the millions of messages passing through social networks and spots when its owner is mentioned. …
Olly (short for olfactory) has gone through several versions since its initial design. The latest plans are for a gadget much smaller than the original. …
Once finished, Olly can keep an eye on Twitter, Facebook or almost any other online account. The software that controls Olly can be tuned to emit a puff of perfume for a few different types of online interaction such as a retweet, posting a comment, a mention by name or a specific text search. …
3D Mixing Part 7: Mastering, The Final Chapter (Part 2)
Master EQ
For EQ on the master bus, ‘gentle’ is the word of the day. By the time you are ready to even begin thinking about mastering, your frequency control should be almost, if not completely solid (one of the reasons I went back and did a bit of remixing in the previous chapter). The master bus EQ is meant to be a gentle and wide band EQ which balances overall frequency bands as opposed to individual sounds and instruments. It is a bit of a mental shift from mixing, but a necessary one all the same and a good one to practice. …
Epic is broadening Unreal Engine 3′s stereoscopic 3D capabilities, with RealD technology now available to any users in Epic’s paid licensing program and to users of the Unreal Development Kit, the free version of the Unreal Engine 3 toolkit. The RealD update is included in today’s May 2012 UDK Beta download.
RealD allows developers to render PC and console games in stereoscopic 3D, with camera separation and 3D depth effects rendered in real-time, among other features. The first Unreal Engine 3 title to use RealD is Seamless Entertainment’s SOL: Exodus, which received an update on Steam today to include 3D effects.
RealD is used in many other high-profile 3D endeavors, including films such as The Avengers, and the forthcoming titles Prometheus and The Amazing Spider-Man.
Limitless Computing Inc.®, a leading provider of 3D mobile Augmented Reality, today announced that a “sneak preview” of three new features for SightSpace 3D, the only mobile Augmented Reality application for Google SketchUp™, will be available to press and attendees in booth 1908 at the AIA 2012 National Convention and Design Exposition in Washington DC, May 17-19. These features will be officially launched at a later date.
What: “Sneak preview” of three significant new features for SightSpace 3D, the only mobile Augmented Reality application for Google SketchUp™. SightSpace 3D enables mobile viewing of Google SketchUp designs on mobile devices, offering Augmented Reality capabilities, which overlay digital models over existing physical environments. Stereoscopic 3D is available while using Augmented Reality wearing 3D glasses.
SightSpace 3D is integrated with the Google 3D Warehouse, opening up limitless possibilities. Architects and builders can preview buildings on site and educators can show famous buildings to students. Furniture shoppers can see how pieces would look in their own homes and new countertops, appliances, and more can be viewed as if they were in one’s own kitchen or bath.
In an effort to encourage and recognize 3D filmmakers, the International 3D Society and Autodesk have announced a worldwide 3D short film competition beginning May 15, 2012.
“The Society is committed to honoring 3D excellence, and this competition will allow us to focus industry attention on the best short films and filmmakers,” said Jim Mainard, Head of Digital Strategy for DreamWorks Animation (DWA) and Society Chairman.
Powered by Nvidia and Fordela, the competition is open to any short subject work of 40 minutes or less. Filmmakers can upload their works to a secure 3D website at: 3DindyCompetition.com. Deadline for entries is November 16, 2012. Entries will be judged by a panel of Society voting member professionals.
“The winning filmmaker will be flown to Los Angeles to receive his or her award at our Creative Arts Awards Ceremony in February,” said Society President, Jim Chabin. “This is our chance to shine the spotlight on the star filmmakers of tomorrow.”
The Society was established to advance the arts and sciences of stereoscopic 3D and its professional innovators. The international organization includes committees in China, Japan, Korea, Europe, and members in 19 countries.
Giving sound a tag – for instance a certain distinct noise meaning the movement of an enemy detachment – and giving it context in 3D space enables to a soldier to react immediately without having to read a label, even when the source is behind him. It can also appear to move in accordance with sensors detecting the movement of the tracked item on the battlefield.
During military operation in urban environments, audio is often a more primary sense than vision, providing a soldier with an early warning system. However, sounds like gunshots can bounce off densely-packed buildings, giving an incorrect location, so an artificial 3D cue through headphones could eliminate this.
The research also shows that using audio cues requires little or no training compared with interpreting readouts. By giving a perceived location that matches the actual one, a soldier instinctively knows where to turn and look. …
“We’ve been engineering our tails off to bring you the best personal 3D printer and we rejected the proprietary cartridge model for printing materials which other companies use, because we encourage sharing and iteration,” MakerBot founder Bre Pettis wrote last week on the MakerBot Industries blog.
…
The 3D printing ecosystem is taking off, and more competitors are slipping into the space. The Cube, which starts at a very affordable $1,299, is the tiny, slick, Wifi-enabled printer that has some pundits speculating it may be the first 3D printer to appeal to the mainstream consumer. The Cube uses proprietary printer cartridges, with plastic available in ten colors. “With our EZ load Cartridge changing to a different color or replacing an empty cartridge is a breeze,” Cube says on its site.
It may be EZ, but it’s not open, maker movement purists say. “I know it’s an odd balance between wanting 3D Printing to go mainstream by making it extremely user-friendly and removing barriers, but when you hand me closed up cartridges of filament and everything is ‘pop it in and go, replace through our store using our proprietary fittings and canisters’ it feels really foreign to the whole Maker movement,” user Tim Owens commented on the post. …
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