Samsung's MR headset leaked, ZTX attract $13 million, & Aphex Twin launches AR app.
Samsung's MR headset leaked, ZTX attract $13 million, & Aphex Twin launches AR app.
Also this week...The 7th International VR Awards judges are announced, Google begin testing DeepMind AI life coach, and German Youtuber revolutionises XR device trials.
Good morning Metaverse Business Brief readers. Let’s jump into the most relevant news from the immersive world in our weekly roundup.
Top Stories
Images of Samsung’s forthcoming headset leak. Images of the mixed reality headset reveal a prototype which is said to boast four tracking cameras and dual cameras for passthrough, powered by a Samsung Exynos 2200 processor. The headset is not designed with hand controllers in mind, but will apparently use similar eye and hand tracking to the Apple Vision Pro. Samsung's mobile experience president TM Roh suggested the headset was "not too far away”.
Google’s DeepMind wing test AI life coach. DeepMind is testing a generative AI tool in a bid to create a personal life coach. The project will use generative AI to perform at least 21 tasks, including life advice, ideas, planning instructions, and tutoring tips. It is being tested for its ability to answer intimate questions about people's lives, with user suggestions based on personalised situations. For instance, the tool could teach skills, or provide meal and workout plans.
7th International VR Awards finalists are revealed. The VR Awards have announced the finalists for their 2023 edition. AIXR, in collaboration with Immersive Tech Week, will host the event in Rotterdam on November 30th. Amongst the finalists were Maze Theory, Sony, and Out Blue Games competing for VR Game of the Year while The Pico 4, Meta Quest Pro, and PlayStation®VR2 are amongst those battling for the title of VR Hardware of the Year.
MRTV launches ‘trymytech’ XR device trials. The German YouTuber’s platform will operate similarly to Airbnb, allowing users to try out XR devices in private homes. These devices will include VR headsets, AR headsets, haptic accessories, and treadmills from manufacturers like Pimax, Varjo, BHaptics, Xreal, and DPVR. An initial launch in Germany will support plans to expand to the US and the UK in the near future.
In Funding
ZTX close $13 million round. The Singapore based Web3 virtual world platform has closed its $13 million seed round, led by Jump Crypto. The platform, grown from a legacy Web2 business ZEPETO which has over 400 million lifetime users, plans to build on existing resources to contribute to a wider adoption of Web3 by global audiences.
Curiious take $1 million. The Sydney based virtual reality startup has raised $1 million, led by seed VC Galileo Ventures and existing backers. The funding will be used to accelerate product development, sales, and global expansion, with the company focusing on 3D worlds for customer engagement, job training, and marketing.
Sportsvisio raise $3 million. Founded in 2021, Sportsvisio are a Miami based AI-powered software company focused on bringing image-based and deep learning to all levels of sport in the analytics space. They raised the capital in a seed funding round led by Sapphire Sport, with the funds aimed at expanding operations and business reach.
Keep an eye on
Aphex Twin releases new AR app. Popular electronic musician Aphex Twin has released the app alongside his new EP. The app, called “YXBoZXh0d2lu” has been created by Japanese studio KALKUL and artist Weirdcore. By scanning the packaging of the physical release, fans can experience the tracks in 3 Dimensions. The app is available for download on Google Play and the Apple App Store.
PETA tour VR ‘Abduction’ experience through UK. The animal rights group have launched the virtual reality experience, called ‘Abduction’, which is touring the UK in August. Participants are placed in the position of an abducted person and witness human experiments. The VR experience intends to encourage empathy for animals suffering in UK labs.Abduction is also available at the Meta Quest store for free.
BMW launch MR experience to promote M4 Coupé. The German car manufacturer have introduced a mixed reality experience for its $86,000 M4 Competition Coupé, allowing drivers to control a real car on a racetrack while wearing a VR headset. The project, designed for use on the company's M test track, was developed for the M2 in 2022. The brand states there is potential for use in training courses and competitions.
Metal Band promote upcoming album with VR Game. War Of Being is a sci-fi game inspired by TesseracT's soon to be released album of the same name. Set on the fictional surreal planet ‘The Strangeland’ and created in Unreal Engine 5, it is available in virtual reality and desktop mode. Players must free ‘obsidian statues’ of the band's members. The game aims to incorporate the entire album, with both releases set to land on September 13.
Events to be at
August 30 Singapore | AWE Asia 2023
September 23 Online | Insights Live: How can CEOs stop feeling alone?
October 24-26 Houston | The 10th Augmented Enterprise Summit
November 30 Rotterdam | The 7th International VR Awards
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news and comments to team@aixr.org.
August 21 2023 Edition - Issue 33