A growing cluster of Facebook specialists in the Seattle area are working at the cutting edge of virtual and augmented reality. The company’s investments are helping to turn the area into a hub for research and development in the new technologies.
There are AR Apps, Hololense and its ability to increase productivity and now toys... lots of toys. There are still a lot of people playing Pokemon Go... but that was just the first test... Lots of toy makers, not a novelty, a major change.
With the best AR display out there-- (I've tried every one that I could get my hands on....) MicroVision will do amazingly well.
And near eye display is only ONE of the businesses... The one thing that every smart phone user wants is a bigger screen... All the auto makers... and tech companies are making self-driving cars.... Microvision is there.
With the rise of AR apps and games, companies like Hasbro and Mattel are following suit by utilizing the same technology in their toys.
Whether AR is integrated with stuffed animals or board games, all it takes is a smartphone to access the tech.
As co-founder of Merge (a company specializing in VR/AR content for kids) Andrew Trickett explains to Wired, AR demands less hardware than a traditional VR headset.
For example, Merge developed its 6DoF Blaster which uses a smartphone to create digital targets kids can run around and shoot at, akin to playing laser tag.
The appeal in AR toys lie in having kids be active and mobile, as opposed to glued to a television.
This has prompted companies to start designing AR gadgets that merge the physical with the virtual, from AR integrated picture books to puzzles.
“There's a certain satisfaction with touching something and physically manipulating it. I don't think that's going to go away,” notes Trickett. "But those physical objects are going to become a lot more interesting.”
Engadget (Thanks T!) PRNEWSwire "You can attach a speaker, charger and, in the future, a projector and drone."
Here's where Bay Area-based startup Vibes Modular comes in, as it has built a smartphone case that turns your non-modular iPhone or Android device into one that is. So far, the company has a made a Bluetooth speaker and an external charger that attaches to its cases (compatible with 30 different phones), and in the future it plans to roll out a small projector and a drone.
I had a number of people contact me directly about my thoughts on the CC.... really busy... so not enough time to respond individually.... so here's what I think. Many seem to look at this looking in the rear-view mirror -- which is fine if the company is huge and stable, not a good way to look at it when you're looking at a bleeding edge company that is transitioning.
They pretty much come out and say they're going to have orders by mid-year, they said in the last conference call that "we may sell this to anyone." I have two that are strong suspects of a lineup of six. (Answer the question "who is a major technology company that isn't primarily a hardware company? They have to be able to get a return on this project through other companies' products. On Ragentek... a delay between first production run and the second production run doesn't surprise me at all.
"We released development kits of our interactive display engine. The feedback we received was that the display needed to be brighter. We are implementing plans to produce a brighter engine, but that change also cost us some time."
Perry Mulligan
"I am encouraged by the progress we are making on our previously announced $24 million development contract with a Tier 1 technology company. As I mentioned in our opening remarks, we are on track with this project and currently expect this project to translate into product revenue in 2019. I am also excited by the interest that prospective Tier 1 customers have expressed about the products we demonstrated last month at CES in Las Vegas. We believe that successful follow on activity over the next six months could position us to reach revenue levels where we can begin to post profits during 2019."
Perry confirms MORE than one tier one company:
Glenn Mattson
Okay, last thing Perry you spoke to building complete solutions that are better easily adaptable so I guess the thing to take away from that is that the next round of orders when they come there wouldn’t be this kind of year -long development agreements type arrangements, it would be more for products that can be built into ready products is that correct?
Perry Mulligan
Yes, the interpretation that you've reflected there is exactly what we are expecting Glenn. What I would caution though is as we work with each of these Tier it becomes interesting to see how they want to make their solutions unique, we are here trusting that the capabilities of the products for providing enable them to unlock the value that we want, that we think they can achieve by using them in as close to standard form as possible but I respect their wishes to have fifth form and function derivatives that allow them to go-to-market with something that's looks a little deep. So, translated loosely, it means I agree with your statement and we expect the commercialization of these things to require minimal amounts or marginal amounts of additional development work and hopefully the time to market comes much more compressed.
Perry Mulligan
Perry Mulligan (I listened to this again and adjusted it.)
It is, so the capability I am describing is perceptive element exist within the context of the 1 meter, 1.5-meter interactive display, the 10-meter display and the 30-meter display. Perhaps the best way to think of these Henry is to think of them as having sort of different levels of vocabulary.
The things that the 1-meter display -- sorry the 1 meter LiDAR will have to recognize will be a relatively small number of things, gestures, point, touch, compressions, squeezing the picture, flipping the page.
In the 10-meter LiDAR you can see how that number of things that would have to be recognized will increase. For the device to be able to send the message that says it’s your child walking towards an open door versus your dog running through a dog port, with the example of how those differences made it. It’s you walking down the hall, pass the bookcase, so don’t turn the lights on for the bookshelf or your wife walking towards to the bouquet to get a book, turn the lights on here and illuminate it. So those you can see that the language or the vocabulary perhaps of the device would increase and then within the automotive space would increase the gap.
Perry Mulligan Think about our display imaging embedded in your voice only device so that as you shave in the morning not only do you listen to the music to see it display on the washroom wall, that becomes a little bit more meaningful experience as you walk down the hall towards the kitchen I assume the device knows it's you that’s walking down that hall, adjust the coffee and just turn slice appropriately and then interactive display that’s invisible but when you call it up, comes out of an Alexa type device so there is something of that nature that allows you to interact with it, because of the sensing capabilities just to recognition and then disappears when it's not required. So, we really see this as sort of a suite of solution that helps AI platform with their user interface. Recent Post: At WPG
You can stop about halfway through...
Another Pull of significance.
Perry Mulligan (I adjusted from transcript with recording)
What we've uncovered Henry as we look at the product is what if perhaps if I can put this in context for you. There are solutions out there today that do 3D scanning perhaps as an example for facial recognition. They require high energy and use approximately 30,000 points to do that calculation. Our range of solutions will provide between 5 million and 20 million points per second of resolution in the 10-meter space. So, the density of the information we have at the sensor allows us to mix simple messaging analytics or messaging content that enables users to do so much more with the device, they’re simply trying to flood them with this plethora of data. It is almost diametrically close to the way those entities are solving sensing applications today, almost everybody is trying diligently to get more information from the sensor, pass it down the pipe to a centralized processor that allows it do a calculation and figure out what’s going on.
We have so much information as the sensor. We have the luxury of sending messaging which just makes it much easier for the entire system to be responsive.
YOU might think you can’t live without your smartphone, but tech companies like Apple, Google and Facebook expect you to do just that in the not-too-distant future.
The titans of the tech industry are pouring billions into developing the device they think will replace our beloved smartphones — and the race is on to usher in the new age of connectivity.
So what is the device, you ask?
They are glasses capable of sophisticated augmented reality (AR) that will take the screen from your hand and fix it permanently in front of your face.
Sure, Google Glass was a major flop but Microsoft, Apple, Facebook and Google are all working on the new wearable product that, if embraced by consumers, will take us a big step down the path of cyborg consumers.
It's important to note: that there will be multiple players involved. There are multiple problems to solve in the space. Software, hardware & interface. There will be sensors, displays, processors and other components to consider.
A company to do very well for its shareholders isn't going to have to dominate the space, but I think Microvision will dominate the market in displays. While I haven't tried Magic Leap, I have tried everything else out there, and Microvision's display is better.
So, I'm trying to get some chili in the slow-cooker this morning, when my phone blew up with a couple of people asking what I think of the SONY teaser.
Hit google with SONY and "Teaser" Just got done with the cooking and sit down to look. Digging in a few places.
to start with, there's WAY more that I don't know than what I do know.
The headlines on you tube: "Hints at big changes." "Curved phones" "Looks to steal Samsung's limelight with curved phones"
Apparently the consensus is "curved." My impression from looking at the video? Could mean almost anything. SONY has had notoriously boxy phones in the past, who knows. maybe they're going to round off the corners. In the current market for smartphones (until PicoP arrives) that will be considered a HUGE innovation.
However.....
* I've always thought Qualper was a smokescreen, and I have no reason to change that opinion.
* I think that from the positive reviews of Ragentek's Phone that a "fast follower" would be on deck.
* I'm reasonably sure SONY has the ability to do a limited release of a PicoP powered phone without even telling Microvision about it.
* I did have an interesting traffic spike in the last few days... mostly curious because the hits to the site came from specific internet searches. (yeah, sometimes I watch that stuff for clues.) I even did a post about that Notable Traffic Spike. * And Walt reminded me of this SONY FIRST NEW Phone factory in 20 years Concluding this little chapter....
There isn't enough to draw any conclusions, or even speculate much based on a SONY teaser. Something could happen there at any time however, as could happen from a number of other directions.
From Wired... ......... “Their eyes pop,” he says. “They always ask me, ‘Where can you buy this?’” Many companies see that reaction—the immediate "wow" factor—as proof that augmented reality is the future of play. It’s what legacy toymakers like Disney and Lego are banking on to keep their brands relevant; it's what Toys R Us hopes will keep its stores open. At Toy Fair, which kicks off Saturday in New York City, it's what many toymakers hope will make their products relevant in 2018 and beyond. Whether layered on top of teddy bears, board games, coloring books, or action fictions, augmented reality promises to make last year's toys feel new again. And all it takes is a phone. Time to Play
For a glimpse of that future, look to the world's largest toymaker, Hasbro. The company is showing off its new Iron Man mask this weekend at Toy Fair, which uses augmented reality to stage a battle against Thanos. Slip on Iron Man's red helmet and gauntlet, set up the three AR markers around the room, and watch Thanos and his armies surround you. The suit is Hasbro's first foray into augmented reality, but follows the work of companies like Disney, which introduced its Star Wars Jedi Challenges AR experience last year. The consumer appeal of this stuff is obvious: In AR, you’re not playing as Iron Man. You are Iron Man.
Hasbro's Iron Man set-up relies on a phone, placed inside of the mask, which captures the real world through the camera and overlays the digital objects from Iron Man's world. As phone-based AR improves—especially with recent pushes from Apple, Google, and seemingly everyone else in Silicon Valley—those experiences will feel ever-more lifelike. That makes augmented reality something of a golden goose for toymakers. Take a well-designed app, pair it with a simple costume or a plastic toy, and you can create an immersive, interactive experience that kids love.
**** Plus, unlike virtual reality or even videogames, augmented reality toys bring kids back into the real world. Kids can run around the house playing AR laser tag, or pretending to be a character from their favorite movie, rather than sitting slack-jawed in front of a screen all day. “There's a certain satisfaction with touching something and physically manipulating it. I don't think that's going to go away,” says Trickett. "But those physical objects are going to become a lot more interesting.”
MicroVision, Inc. (NASDAQ: MVIS) is a pioneer in laser beam scanning (LBS) technology that we market under our brand name PicoP®. Founded in 1993 and based in Redmond, WA, we have developed our proprietary PicoP® scanning technology that can be adopted by our customers to create high-resolution miniature projection and three-dimensional sensing and image capture solutions. Our PicoP scanning technology incorporates our patented expertise in two-dimensional Micro-Electrical Mechanical Systems (MEMS), lasers, optics, and electronics to create a small form factor scanning engine with lower power needs than many other technologies that projects high-quality video and still image and/or uses depth sensing to capture three-dimensional data.
Our business strategy is to commercialize our PicoP® scanning technology by enabling ODMs and OEMs to produce scanning engines by licensing our technology. We also sell key scanning engine components to licensees, as needed. ODMs and OEMs can integrate and embed our technology across a broad range of display and image capture product applications. We create product concept reference designs to enable ODMs and OEMs to develop and rapidly build products that capitalize on the benefits of our PicoP scanning technology. We are also developing value-added applications intended to help our customers differentiate their potential products.
We have an extensive patent portfolio that we believe is the largest, broadest, and earliest filed LBS technology portfolio and includes applications such as automotive HUD, augmented reality, range finding, portable media devices, image capture, and projection applications. We have over 500 issued patents, pending patents and licensed patents worldwide.
Streaming and web-based as an advertiser advantage. Large format will have an advantage. I'll go out on a limb and predict that Netflix will soon have a "with ads' package. (or they will start streaming ads for heavy users.)
The decline in TV viewership is accelerating as online rivals Google and Facebook have increased their investments in video, capturing almost every new advertising dollar entering the marketplace.
***
“Facebook and Google are cleaning our clocks because they have targeting,’’ said Peter Rice, head of Fox’s TV networks group. “I don’t think the advertising product is as good,’’ adding that TV will take a bigger slice of ad sales as it implements better targeting.
Media companies have tried to use Facebook’s admission of poor audience accounting and the proliferation of inappropriate content on both Facebook and YouTube to persuade advertisers to slow spending online. A few diverted spending to TV from digital in recent years, but no scandal has slowed the growth in advertising sales at Facebook or Alphabet.
“TV doesn’t have fraud or viewability problems, but the prices are just so high now,’’ Leszega said. “We’re at a tipping point.’’ Producer leaves TV for Netflix
"Fast followers" is an important concept when watching consumer electronics.
New products happen usually this way: Someone sticks their neck out and takes a chance...
...the herd watches to see if the pioneer thrives... or is eaten by predators... or falls off a cliff... ... if the pioneer thrives, the rest of the herd follows in a stampede. This happened with cell phones, personal computers, smart phones & tablet computers. (The first smart screens) and with Smart speakers Check out "Smart Speakers." Wikipedia
Release date
November 6, 2014
Amazon had been developing Echo devices inside its Lab126 offices in Silicon Valley and Cambridge, Massachusetts since at least 2010 in confirmed reports. The device was part of Amazon’s first attempts to expand its device portfolio beyond the Kindlee-reader.[3] The Echo was prominently featured in Amazon's first-ever Super Bowl ad in 2016.[4] Wikipedia Google Home is a brand of smart speakers developed by Google. The first device was announced in May 2016 and released in the United States in November 2016, with subsequent releases globally throughout 2017. Now, there are 107 Smart Speakers in Consumer Reports List A quick trip down memory land for "tablet computers." Do you remember the "Grid Pad?" Palm Pilot? Apple Newton? Pocket PC? All these runs at it since the late 1980's and early 1990's before the concept finally got traction -- when the technology was good enough to inspire mass adoption. Early Tablet Computers With the iPad it passed the "anyone can use it" threshold. *********** We have had the first SMART Screens. They are tablet computers. We have had the first smart speakers (voice activated personal assistants.) Combining the technology -- the adoption rate of this is going to be very rapid. It takes something we're used to, (Tablet computers) and combines it with something most of us are getting used to (Smart speakers) to increase the utility dramatically. Google has telegraphed that "smart screens" are coming. With the smart speaker combined with a screen and voice activation. Some of their partners in this are also partners with MicroVision. (Goertek and particularly RockChip -- here) Yes, on the WPG Holdings list of "hottest" items is a MicroVision projector engine combined with the RockChip processor dedicated to voice recognition. (Unfortunately, they close their site for Chinese New year. ) ********* Over the weekend I met someone who carries a Motorola phone with the projector mod. She loves it, uses it at work(for work) and at home and while out and about. However it's use case is a lot like an early tablet computer. It's not convenient technology. It's power hungry, not very bright, and requires playing with a particularly finicky (technical term!) focus wheel. It's not convenient and easy for just anyone to use. Projection in smartphones has now reached that all-important threshold. Ragentek has the "anyone can use it" projector smartphone.
...and a lot of interest in lasers... by some companies playing with near-eye displays.
The Laser Safety Lead partners with Oculus Research, Oculus and User Study teams to establish safe operating procedures for hardware, manufactured systems, and research study protocols for various test conditions and prototype devices across multiple locations. This position will serve as safety representative for protocol design changes involving radiation in research studies including providing expert review of changes relating to hardware devices, software functions, and testing environment. Use of lasers and LEDs are vital in the development of Augmented and Virtual Reality and this role will play a key part in ensuring the safety of research teams. This role serves as laser and radiation safety officer. The ideal candidate collaborates with many research teams, lab managers, legal and site operations in a fast-paced environment to provide sound input to improve the safety of our researchers and study participants.
UPDATED: (Picture of splash screen, and comment.) This robot is cool sure. It uses MicroVision.... but it's not the big story. The Big story is smart displays a couple of posts down. I'm not far out on a limb here to day...Google is going to be producing "smart screen" devices and MicroVision will be part of it.
STM made no secret of how highly they think of MicroVision... check presentation link for a refresher. I attended that presentation, and they think very highly of Microvision's talent, the tech possibilities, and the future of laser projection.
"Starting tomorrow, you can visit the Google Assistant Playground (booth CP-21) at CES to view new products, chipsets, and reference designs by our partners. In addition, these devices are also available for display in other company spaces throughout the conference, including Lenovo, LG, JBL, Qualcomm, MediaTek, NXP, Rockchip, iHome, Goertek, and Tymphany."
CES2018 Rockchip announces Android Things™ Turnkey SOM
2018-01-09
Rockchip announced its new Android Things™ Turnkey Solution - RK3229 System-On-Module (SOM). It will help developers build multiple categories of IoT products and bring them to market more quickly.
Big Pictures on this post --- to give the big picture. This is a place that should be watched closely.
Curious to see what we're listed with... How recent things are, how many questions are asked, and how "Hot" the it is.
This is a screen picture -- Morning PST of 2/3/18, because it's likely to change and there will probably be a lot of change on this site. wpgdadago.com (IOT)
You can see what kind of questions are being asked.... "Mass production? How to install in a cell phone, how to upgrade? resolution? Can we change to USB-C? Life Expectancy?
This is showing the benefit of having a deal with a large distributor. This isn't taking up the company's time.
When sorted on "The Hottest" the "Heat" indicator on the left sorts in order... (it's not the temperature of the device in operation!)
10th Hottest of their devices. (Not going to do another screen capture for this one.) Notice that there are 582 Devices in this list.
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Portable laser projection scheme based on Microvision PSE-0403-101 light machine
This solution is a portable laser projection solution based on the Microvision laser projection module. Compared to traditional DLP and LCOS technologies, Microvision's unique LBS technology is used for ultra-low power consumption, ultra-small size, high contrast, The natural advantage.
At present, people are more and more demanding for outdoor entertainment and mobile office. Due to its characteristics, the traditional projection technology is difficult to be small in size and hard to meet the requirements of portable devices. However, the Microvision laser projection module Its ultra-low power consumption, does not require external fan cooling, and the module size is very small province, so that you can ensure that the finished product size can be very portable size; and, Microvision laser projection technology focus-free, very use In terms of the projection screen can be anytime, anywhere; In addition Microvision's color contrast is better than the traditional projection, can provide a good user experience."
