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Zspace created a virtual reality browser
Browsing the web just by clicking a mouse is so 2015. It's the new year now, and to go along with that, zSpace has come up with a new way to browse the web: via virtual reality. The browser is simply called zBrowser, and it's designed specifically for zSpace's new line of all-in-one VR computers, which have so far largely been deployed in schools for educational purposes. These unique Windows PCs come with high-speed head-tracking, a pair of special AR/VR glasses (or clip-ons if you already wear glasses) plus a "virtual reality stylus," which lets you control what's on screen by hovering it above the display. The browser, as you might expect, operates in much the same way.
Ferrari's AR showroom app delves inside your next supercar
Ferrari probably doesn't have a problem selling its line of supercars. But when you're one of the premier automakers in the world, you want to make sure your customers have a magical experience when they enter the showroom. The new Augmented Reality Showroom app developed by Zspace brings that technological sorcery to the buying experience by giving would-be clientele the ability to preview the color and accessories of their next Ferrari. Using Metaio's edge-tracking technology to identify a vehicle, the app presents customers with a seven-step walk around of five Ferrari models. In addition to showcasing the exterior of the cars, the app also delves into the vehicle's innards with exploded views of the braking system and a working model of the drivetrain. The AR experience will initially be available in Australia and Japan with a US launch at the InsideAR event in mid-May.
Budget TV maker TCL has something for everyone, including a curved 4K panel and a 'virtual-holographic' 3DTV
Here at CES 2014, it's all 4K, all the time. Budget TV maker TCL has just revealed a curved, 55-inch 4K model of its own, claiming the arc angle is the same as your retina for a "truer picture that minimizes eye strain." We're not quite sure we follow that logic, but if flat is more your thing, the Chinese company is also flaunting an "ultra-thin" 55-inch OLED model, claiming it has a wider color gamut, better contrast and a faster refresh rate. That model, however, seems to be standard HDTV resolution. The company will also be showing an 85-inch HDTV with a Touch Pen for artists, a virtual-holographic 3D TV using zSpace tech and a 110 inch HD model that uses polarizers to allow simultaneous program viewing. There's no mention of prices or availability, but we're hoping for something less shocking than we've seen so far -- after all, TCL markets a 4k, 50-inch TV for under a grand.
NASA JPL controls rover with Leap Motion, shows faith in consumer hardware (video)
If you think using the Leap Motion controller for playing air guitar and typing without a keyboard was cool, try using it to control a NASA rover. Victor Luo and Jeff Norris from NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab got on stage at the Game Developers Conference here in San Francisco to do just that with the ATHLETE (All-Terrain Hex-Limbed Extra-Terrestrial Explorer), which was located 383 miles away in Pasadena. As Luo waved his hand over the sensor, the robot moved in kind, reacting to the subtle movements of his fingers and wrists, wowing the crowd that watched it over a projected Google+ Hangout. We spoke with Luo and Norris after the panel to gain further insight into the project. As Luo explains, one of JPL's main goals is to build tools to control robots needed for space exploration. Seeing as the gaming industry is already rife with user-friendly controllers ripe for the plucking, it made sense to harness them for the job. "We're very used to the bleeding edge," he said. "From the Kinect to the PlayStation Move, they represent major investments into usability." Hit the jump for our impressions of the simulation software, a look at JPL's grander goal and for video clips of the demo and panel itself.
