Meta's Oculus Shake-Up, Ford's AR Drive, and AI's Breakthrough for Blind Accessibility
Also, VR is detecting early signs of Alzheimer's and AI is helping retailers boost sales.
Hello readers! Buckle up for our weekly roundup and don’t spill your coffee on the ride. Dive in:
Top Stories
Meta is closing Oculus accounts by March. Users will have to switch to Meta accounts or lose access to content, marking the end of a chapter in the platform's history.
Ford to enter AR market soon. The automobile company has filed patents for AR technology in vehicles, including an augmented reality-powered weight indicator to enhance hauling and towing safety.
AI Tech is helping blind people. OpenAI's GPT-4 expanded accessibility for blind individuals through innovative technologies, sparking ethical discussions and emphasizing the need for inclusivity in AI development.
In Funding
AI2 Incubator secures $200M for startups. The company will offer up to $1 million for early-stage development and revenue generation.
€25 million funding to expand quantum software platform. Multiverse Computing wants to enhance computations across industries.
ChainGPT launches a grant program up to $1 million. Funding for startups in the AI and BlockChain ecosystem to drive Web3 advancements.
Keep an eye on
Entertainment: Twitch is updating its app to be more like TikTok, helping streamers engage with audiences when they're not live.
Media: Meta Horizon Worlds on Quest premieres The Faceless Lady, a VR horror series, blending Irish folklore with modern adaptation.
Retail: Hershey's Reese’s Caramel uses AI and image recognition to boost retail sales.
Health: Researchers at Cambridge used VR to detect early signs of Alzheimer's through navigation impairments.
Hardware: Showee's smart showers help people with disabilities gain independence and support caregivers; Oppo's Air Glass 3 integrates an AI assistant, offering voice interaction and enhanced features.
Events to be at
March 18-19 San Francisco, USA | PGConnects*
March 18 - 22 San Francisco, USA | GDC
March 20-21 Texas, USA | DSS*
April 9 - 17 Morgan Hill, USA | PJFF*
April 29 - May 2 Orlando, USA | WATS*
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March 11 2024 Edition - Issue 39