Immerse yourself with Shark Week in VR...well 360° video actually.

This year, SHARK WEEK celebrates its 28th anniversary and will keep viewers on the edge of their seat with all-new jaw-dropping and compelling shark stories and, for the first time ever, offering an immersive virtual reality experience. Working with nearly two dozen of the most respected marine biologists and science institutions, SHARK WEEK will also highlight some of the most recent breakthroughs and developments to reveal remarkable new insights into these magnificent creatures.

http://www.discoveryvr.com/

Shark Week programming will be available via the Discovery VR app for viewing with Samsung GearVR and Oculus Rift. So YEA!!!!

Cats And VR

Honor Everywhere-a 360° Memorial Day video from Jaunt

Cinematic virtual reality represents a totally new medium that instantly gives the viewer a sense of being transported to an entirely different location, as if they were actually there.  Many ailing and disabled Veterans are physically unable to visit memorials made in their honor.  Through the new medium of cinematic virtual reality these Veterans were given the experience of being present, alongside their comrades who actually visited the Memorials in Washington DC earlier in the year. Through the use of a Google Cardboard headset, even veterans that are unfamiliar with VR technology are able to easily access this unique experience from wherever they are in the world.

Captured with proprietary Jaunt cameras and advanced 3D sound-field microphones , the VR experience places viewers right alongside their fellow Veterans as they visit US War Memorials in Washington DC. This virtual “Honor Flight” was made possible through  donations by Veterans United Foundation, Jaunt, Google, Central Missouri Honor Flight, Ghost Machine and Story Up Studios. 

“Watching a Veteran experience an Honor Flight is something everyone should witness,” said Greg Steinhoff, director of Veterans United Foundation. “The memories in their eyes, the flood of emotions, it’s a special time to get to share. And, we knew not every Veteran was getting their chance to travel to their memorial. That’s why we teamed up with the pioneers in VR so we could get every Veteran their earned right to be a part of their memorial. Honor Everywhere 360 is the future, each Veteran will turn his or her head left or right, up or down and really be at his or her memorial.”

“I felt like I was there,” said Dale Garrett, WWII Veteran. “It’s personal and close up and you feel like you could be walking with those people...it’s moving.”

Honor Everywhere 360 VR experience is available free to anyone with a smartphone and a Google Cardboard viewing device. To view the experience , download the JauntVR app on iTunes or Google Play. 

Cats And VR

Review: Reggie Watts-Live In Virtual Reality

Last night over 1200 people came to watch musician, singer, beatboxer, actor, and comedian Reggie Watts give an incredible show in virtual reality. This is the first time that many people got together in VR for a live event. 

I actually went to a pop up event put on by WeLens and Upload VR to experience this. First of all there were some technical difficulties that caused the show to start a bit later than scheduled. Some even had trouble getting in or actually getting a chance to see the show. I do have do give lots of credit for the AltspaceVR team for keeping people in the loop as well as sending an email this morning addressing the difficulties. While waiting to jump in the event , WeLens showed people at the Upload VR space some great VR experiences on GearVR in order to keep people excited. 

Personally I understood that AltspaceVR was trying to push the limit of their tech and once I got in it was a very enjoyable experience. The technical difficulties actually reminded me of when I was a Twitch streamer. When you are on the bleeding edge technology unfortunately challenges happen.

Rather than a felling of seeing Reggie in a huge setting, the show gave off more of an intimate feel of seeing Reggie Watts as a performer just starting out. The difficulties actually made me feel like it was an independent show at a small hole in the wall stand up joint. For me this made it an enjoyable experience. 

Though the AltspaceVR Frontrow tech is supposed to give any one the chance to see a show front and center I would have liked if there was perhaps some sort of virtual crowd in the back to give off that intended feeling a little better.

Technical difficulties aside I had a really good time and I felt like I was at one of Reggie's first ever shows and experience something that is about to blow. If you were there last night you can look back in a few years once VR is out of it's current palm pilot era and say remember when shows like this were underground. 

Cats And VR

REVEALiO looks to bring augmented reality emotional experiences to greeting cards.

At XTech 2016 Ori Inbar co founder of AugmentedReality.org made a statement on stage that AR is alive and well today in our pockets and in our hands. Ori said this in relation to the adoption of VR and AR, he also was letting us know that we already have AR available to us via our smart devices. 

Everyone from graffiti artists to Nintendo have been trying to figure out how we can incorporate Augmented Reality into our mobile device lifestyle. One company has caught my eye as well as my heart with their mix of familiarity and family as a use case. Enter REVEALiO

Tradition meets technology with these new hybrid greeting cards, announcements, and invitations. REVEALiO cards utilize mobile augmented reality technology. After creating a personalized card within the app, users are able to  “attach” a personal video message and virtual call-to-action buttons to the printed card. The cards are then printed and delivered as part of the REVEALiO service. 

Wife and Husband Dynamic Duo Michelle Calloway and Jerry Bowden are looking to disrupt the greeting card industry and offer an emotional experience rather than just a decorated piece of paper. "People are craving connection, and a personalized, physical card that plays video could shorten the emotional distance between a soldier overseas and his sweetheart, for example, or a grandmother and grandchild" said Michelle during a recent session at The Batchery, a bay area tech space and incubator. 

I have been able to use several VR HMD's and have tried some amazing Augment Reality but I look at REVEALiO as an experience that may be just as emotionally compelling for some. Recently Mothers Day came and went and I would have used REVEALiO if I had known about it before, I know my Moms eyes would have lit up not only at the novelty but also at the connection and care. We live in a web of digital information bombardment but people still enjoy physical items. REVEALiO could be a way of bringing real emotional gifting to a cyber world. There are quite a few applications I see for REVEALiO and wish the team the best. Check out more on REVEALiO: http://revealio.com/

CATS AND VR

AltspaceVR and Comedian Reggie Watts to debut new FrontRow VR event technology.

One of the things I really enjoy about AltspaceVR is the fact that it turns VR into a community focused non isolation filled experience. Today AltspaceVR continued to push social VR as well as the boundaries of their product with the announcement of FrontRow, new technology that gives everyone a front row seat to events in VR and gives hosts limitless capacity at their events. With FrontRow, thousands of people can attend an event together despite their geographic location and feel like they are there in person

The technology will debut on May 26th at 8:00 PM PT when musician, singer, beatboxer, actor, and comedian Reggie Watts will perform live to what AltspaceVR is saying may be one of the largest events ever attended inside VR. Register at altvr.com/reggie to attend.

"Working with AltspaceVR has allowed us to create a digital stage, bringing our favorite comedians to an audience that was unimaginable even a few months ago,” said Brett Kushner, Director of JASH VR Studio. “Taking shows that might normally play in a 100-seat theater in Los Angeles and bringing them to an infinite-seat theater with a worldwide audience is proof that there's a global appetite for quality comedic experiences."

JASH has brought comics including Reggie Watts, Baron Vaughn, Brandon Wardell, Heather Campbell and Miles Stroth to perform in VR. JASH, among the pioneers in bringing comedy to VR, is now the first entertainment company to open a VR comedy stage, and is featuring Reggie Watts as it kicks off a new series of VR comedy programs.

“FrontRow allows everyone who attends to have a front row seat. Do you want to have a private party and attend the show with just your friends? You can do that,” said Eric Romo, CEO of AltspaceVR. “Do you want to enjoy the show just by yourself? You can do that. Do you want to have the traditional public event experience with 50 new friends? You can do that, too.“

With the VR Call feature, included when AltspaceVR is downloaded from Google Play, users can invite just their friends to enjoy an event in a private space. Users can join FrontRow experiences from a variety of VR platforms including Facebook’s Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and on mobile with Samsung Gear VR. AltspaceVR delivers a front row experience regardless if 40 or 40,000 people attend. 

For more information please visit altvr.com/frontrow.

Cats And VR

Cerevrum brings Neurogaming to GearVR & XTECH 2016. They also brought really cute stickers!

Cerevrum Inc. is a software development group with a focus on progressive social and educational VR projects. CEO Natasha Floksy would say that means to make people happy as well as smarter. CatsAndVR had the chance to learn more about Cerevrum the company as well as Cerevrum the game during XTECH 2016. 

Cerevrum the game left an interesting impression on me. The first thing I noticed was the calming voice that prepared me for my Cerevrum experience. From the voice tutorial I got an understanding of the simple memory training and matching that make up the game mechanics. One thing to understand is simple does not equate to easy or ineffective in this case. The simple concepts get rather complex in application as the game progresses and as I learned from CAO Olga Peshé is that Cerevrum has been tested on college level students to gauge the effectiveness as a brain training tool. 

The second thing that really took me back with Cerevrum the game is the beautiful fluid art style. The use of colors as well as scene transitions make for a very flowing and non aggressive style of gaming. That style created a place where I was comfortable learning and wanted to continue the process of brain training. The themes of alien worlds and space exploration almost bring to mind a child like view of space travel and in turn bring that wide eyed amazement to a VR educational experience.  CEO Natasha Floksy views herself as an artist first then a CEO and this shows in the game. Check out not only the screenshots but also the super cute stickers that they gave out during XTech 2016, I grabbed a few so I can give away to readers. 

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The advances in VR has made the possibility of using the technology in unique ways. Virtual reality is a game-changer for brain training. That feeling of presence you can achieve in VR allows you to challenge cognitive abilities in a way that more closely matches the real world. Pressing buttons on a smartphone screen only goes so far, but natural inputs like head rotation and hand tracking allow players to interact intuitively with VR environments.

I do think Cerevrum the game is fascinating and I am interested in what the company can create in VR for people who suffer from learning disabilities. Cerevrum INC already has an innovative VR tool to help with public speaking available for GearVR.   http://speechcentervr.com/

Cerevrum Inc is not only trying to innovate brain training and learning in the VR space but are looking to innovate for Augmented Reality as well. I would be very excited to see what they bring to Meta. 

Check out Cerevrum and check out a 360° video I shot at their XTech 2016 booth. 

The Cerevrum Inc team.

Cats and VR

Oculus launches VR for Good Program.

Virtual reality has unlimited potential for gaming and entertainment, but it’s also a powerful way to drive important social change. Filmmakers everywhere see this and are pushing the boundaries of cinematic VR to tell stories with an impact. There’s also a large community of nonprofit organizations eager to embrace VR as a tool to raise awareness for causes in need of a voice.

Today Oculus kicked off a new initiative today called VR for Good by launching two pilot VR film programs to inspire the next generation of VR creators – starting with high school students, rising VR filmmakers, and nonprofit organizations.

The first program, the 360 Filmmakers Challenge, partners nine San Francisco Bay Area high schools with professional filmmakers to create 3-5 minute 360 films about their communities. Students will receive everything they need to create 360 videos for VR, including a Samsung Gear VR, a Galaxy S6, Ricoh Theta S 360 cameras, access to editing software, and VR film mentors.

The second program, 360 Bootcamp for Nonprofits, kicks off this summer and teams up 10 rising filmmakers with 10 nonprofits to bring a variety of social missions to life through unique 360 videos designed for VR. Teams will start their filmmaking journey at a two-day bootcamp at Facebook HQ, July 26-27. Oculus will supply the film teams with everything they need to create professional 360 videos, including Nokia OZO cameras, post production support, travel budget, and one-on-one mentorship with industry veterans. The first videos will be showcased at Sundance 2017.

Nonprofits can nominate their organizations and filmmakers can apply to be part of the program on May 30.

Information provided by the Oculus Blog

Check out Cats And VR's 360° Videos here: http://www.catsandvr.com/360/

The highly anticipated and loved by everyone Ghostbusters remake to get VR tie-in. I ain't afraid of no trolls.

What can I say about the anticipation for the  new Ghostbusters film that director Paul Feig has not said already. The trailer for the new film has received some fairly negative feedback.

My opinion is,  hey give the movie a break and wait till it actually comes out first before dousing it with hate, I mean look how well Michael Bay's TMNT film came out.  But forget about the movies, we are here to talk about VR and looks like there will be a Ghostbusters VR tie in. I may be more excited for a Ghostbusters VR experience than the new movie. I am not knocking the upcoming film at all but I have been dying to play a good Ghostbuster video game for years. One can only hope that there will be Ectoplasm thrown onto participants to create total immersion. 

In advance of the July 15, 2016 release of Ghostbusters, Sony Pictures, Madame Tussauds New York, Ghost Corps and THE VOID have teamed up to bring Ghostbusters to VIRTUAL REALITY! Scheduled to open to the public on July 1, 2016, the VR experience will launch exclusively as part of the Ghostbusters Experience at Madame Tussauds New York in their legendary Times Square attraction. 

In Ghostbusters: Dimension, developed by THE VOID in collaboration with Ivan Reitman, Paul Feig and Sony Pictures, audiences will experience what it is like to be a Ghostbuster, tracking and trapping a supernatural foe through a New York apartment complex in an environment that combines physical props and sets, real-time interactive effects, and virtual reality technology designed by THE VOID.

"Ghostbusters has an incredible, passionate fan following, and now VR technology allows the fans to become a Ghostbuster themselves within Madame Tussauds New York. The technology is breathtaking, the experience is thrilling, and what better way is there to use VR, than to let audiences inhabit the stories they love," said Ghostbusters creator Ivan Reitman.

"Who wouldn't want to answer the call, suit up as a Ghostbuster, and blast their way through a ghost-infested New York apartment with a proton pack?" said Jake Zim, senior VP of digital marketing at Sony Pictures. "We expect this experience will draw fans of all ages to Madame Tussauds and generate a lot of buzz around the release of our new Ghostbusters film this summer."

"Our new collaboration with Sony Pictures and THE VOID has paved the way to delivering an unforgettable experience for our visitors," said Eric Fluet, Head of Marketing and Sales for Madame Tussauds New York. "We believe the Ghostbusters Experience and Ghostbusters: Dimension will propel Madame Tussauds New York into a new era of immersive entertainment."

"Ghostbusters is an amazing property that has kept fans enthralled for decades, so as we roll out immersive VR experiences around the world, we're thrilled to have Sony Pictures on board as our first studio collaboration, working with us to develop a truly memorable experience that will have fans talking for years to come," said Ken Bretschneider, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder at THE VOID.

"We are thrilled to work with Madame Tussauds and THE VOID to bring our iconic franchise to life in the heart of New York City.  Fans of Ghostbusters will have the opportunity to take a walk through an immersive environment with iconic scenes from the film, and bust ghosts using cutting edge virtual reality technology," said Mark Caplan, Senior Vice President, Sony Pictures Consumer Products.

Cats And VR. 

That one time I fought Luke Rockhold and did not die or How SilVRThread videos ROCK!

"Can I jump straight to the MMA", these were my words after trying SilVRThread's Skiing training demo. Don't get me wrong the Skiing demo was super exhilarating and in the real world the first time I went skiing was one of the most "real" experiences I ever had. SilVRThread captured this more that any extreme sports VR video I have experienced yet. That experience was great, the VR experience now that was mind blowing.

Considering CEO Tai Crosby's background in photography I expected a level of quality but the delivery surpassed expectation. I started out in a MMA octagon with an overlaid ad for UFC 199: Rockhold vs. Weidman 2 and I thought that was an excellent use of ad placement. Then the fighter I was training with entered the cage. LUKE ROCKHOLD, UFC MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMP! WTF!

I am really glad Tai warned me whatever I did DON'T punch back. Immediately I felt comfortable in the training environment and bobbed and weaved at a cardio pace that made me feel this was the real deal Evander Holyfield. I even checked a few kicks while being aware that this is just a demo. Legitimately I saw elements of Luke Rockhold's standup game that I did not see in watching his fights. In fact, when I went home I looked into Luke Rockhold's standup technique and analyzed his growth in boxing as well some flaws I noticed. Then I realized I am not a UFC fighter and I didn't really spar with Rockhold. What I also realized is that the SilVRThread demo did leave me with a good training experience that left me wanting to build on it after the fact and is that not what a good training program does for you, VR or otherwise.

After the demo, I immediately responded that Chris Weidman should legit use this before fighting at UFC 199.  So this was my reaction for an MMA training session and this is a great way to get someone excited. As I say Cats And VR really means _____ and VR. It could be Cars and VR, MMA And VR, or Crochet and VR. I truly feel they are opportunities for everyone to experience and enjoy VR. 

See the whole point of what SilVRThread is bringing to the table is training. Training for markets yearning for new methods to talk to consumers. How to help an engineer on an oil rig fix something broken via VR without helicoptering out an engineer, to travel trips taking you step by step up Machu Piccu so you know what the tour will really be like. Tai and I talked for a bit about how this training can be lifesaving such as teaching medical techniques to third world nation doctors or having cops train in real world situations to understand how to react. 

In the end, VR is only now in the palm pilot era and has immense room to grow. What SilVRThread is doing will affect the future of training and I am excited to see what strides they will make. They have already established some great partnerships and are a strong part of the Hulu VR content plan.  Check out the 360° video of my SilVRThread demo. Oh and after that check SilVRThread CEO Tai Crosby showing a VR demo to Daniel Cormier the UFC Light Heavyweight Champ. http://www.silvrthread.com/

Cats And VR

May the 4th be with you. Cats and Star Wars VR!

I really tried to make a 360° May the 4th Star Wars Cat Video but the cats were not having it. Well here is my attempt anyway. 

May The 4th- Me trying to get the cats to use the force. Normally the cats love fried chicken but this time they were just being dark side.

Well since that did not work out that great, check out the trailer for the upcoming Star Wars VR experience for HTC VIVE.

Strap on the VR headset, take a remote in hand. But with the VR gear on, the remote looks more like something from a Coruscant electronics shop. Space and stars surround you. The opening crawl begins — the familiar Star Wars main theme triumphantly blaring — but this is no normal Star Wars prologue. It’s three-dimensional, you’re right on top of it. You learn that Luke Skywalker, having defeated Darth Vader and the Emperor, is looking to rebuild the Jedi Order. One hopeful Padawan is heading to Tatooine. That Padawan is you.

The prologue fades, the camera pans, and you soon find yourself on the desert homeworld of your master. Literally, on Tatooine. Turn 360 degrees, look up, look down. You’re not anywhere else. All you see is desert and sky and Star Wars stuff. Sound — music and wind and and more — surrounds you. Now, the experiment really begins. You encounter the Falcon, watch as it lands right next to you (you might find yourself ducking as it descends, which is totally normal), and get a special gift from Artoo — a lightsaber, which you’ll soon get to use. That’s when Star Wars dreams really come true.

Read More at StarWars.com

Make sure to check out our VR App Of the Day as well since it is Star Wars related as well.

http://www.catsandvr.com/vr-app-of-the-day/

One last thing, here is a collection of Star Wars Cats to get your Star Wars Day started right.

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May the 4th be with you.

Cats And VR

THE UPRISING CREATIVE IS NOW AVAILABLE ON THE HULU VR APP.

The official music video for “Welcome” by Fort Minor, a project by Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park, created and produced by Los Angeles-based integrated creative + production company The Uprising Creative is now available in the Hulu VR app.

Shinoda and The Uprising Creative co-founder and director Jeff Nicholas joined forces to create an experience that would embody the spirit of “Welcome” – a song meant to offer a sense of connection and community to the outcasts and underdogs. Filmed in Venice, CA, the video immerses viewers into the famous boardwalk environment alongside Shinoda as he performs, parties with locals, and spray paints an 80-foot-long canvas mural.

One of the very first 360/VR music videos ever created, “Welcome” is a prime example of how VR can be expertly used as a tool to create much deeper visual, auditory and emotional experiences. The experimental approach resonated with fans, reaching an impressive view count of over 5 million on YouTube 360.

Fort Minor - "Welcome" [360 Version] This 360 Version requires Google Chrome or the YouTube App on Mobile.

Off the success of this VR project and others, The Uprising Creative developed its own virtual reality content studio, VEHICLEvr, to focus on original and branded VR content creation. With VEHICLEvr, the directors, producers, and makers at The Uprising Creative (and their partners) have a focused space to explore this new medium, and to create 360/VR content that doesn’t have to adhere to the rules and structure of traditional content development and production.

The Uprising Creative is amongst the first to provide Hulu with premium original content as they take their first steps into the VR landscape, and will continue to play an integral role in supporting Hulu in their ongoing mission to evolve the art and experience of storytelling.

Originally posted on VRandCats.com

So I pre-ordered a Vuze Camera...now what?

Yesterday I received an email that got me both excited and nervous about the potential future of CatsAndVR.com

Though I am super excited for VR, I am a filmmaker first and foremost. I can write about every thing from Oculus games to adult content on cardboard but eventually I am going to have to make some Cat VR videos. The site is called CatsAndVR.com at the end of the day.

One of the keys to consumer VR success will be stereoscopic panoramic cat videos.

— John Carmack (@ID_AA_Carmack) November 6, 2014

I spend most of my available cash being a loving husband and a good cat dad so my budget is currently very limited and VR is a very expensive hobby. 

Currently there are several options available for a VR filmmaker but the best HD video camera for the average consumer is priced too high for the average consumer. The realm of professional grade setups, like the Nokia OZO or the Freedom360 GoPro Mount with six GoPros is out of my range. I also am not in the financial bracket to build a $30,000 Surround 360 camera, but I do give Facebook credit for making it open source.

Perhaps getting something lower end would work and I thought about a Ricoh Theta but at $350 it seems steep for something that may be obsolete at the end of the year.

Where does that leave me? Enter the Vuze Camera.

Vuze Camera, the world's first consumer 3D 360 VR camera by HumanEyes Technologies. Easy to use, light weight, awesome design and comes with a complete kit which is all you need to be able to relive your moments. 

When I first discovered Vuze Camera I turned to twitter. The social media manager was very engaging and provided some great information. I followed up with my own research and found out that people had some concerns about the product. Engadget ran a story on Vuze and to my surprise Anton the VP R&D of Vuze tried to quell those concerns in the comments of that story.

I am really putting my trust on Anton on this one as I said I already pre-ordered one.

So getting into that pre-order, since I signed up for pre-order information I was offered the launch price as well as a promo code that with the headset, tripod, and software package looked to be a really good deal. In comparison to the Ricoh Theta the price seemed pretty good. I am hoping I made the right choice. 

One thing of note on preordering, when I first tried to order my card was declined. When I asked the card company why they said I was making an international order and they wanted to verify it first. This is probably something the company should be aware of and any one who preorders should be aware of this possibility, but hey I could be an edge case.

I was able to get the pre order processed but now I have to wait until October. That is quite a bit away for someone who wants to go out and create some VR Cat videos right now. The only thing I can do now is hope that HumanEyes Technology does deliver on their promises as well as expected delivery time. I just put my VR filmmaking hopes as well as cash on a product I have yet to try. I hope my cat like intuition is steering me in the right direction.

I personally took the plunge to pre-order but go check out the product and do the research to see for your self.  http://vuze.camera/

For me the VUZE camera has the potential to do for VR filmmaking what the Panasonic DVX100a did for independent digital filmmaking. 

Cats And VR

CatsAndVR.com sat down with Ian Paul-CIO of Naughty America to discuss the future of VR & Adult Content.

Recently CatsAndVR.com had the opportunity to discuss VR with the CIO of Naughty America Ian Paul. Over some great beers and some rad 90's punk rock we found out we both had a mutual liking of the band Throbbing Gristle. We also decide to talk about how the adult industry just as it did with home video, DVD, and the internet, is helping to innovate the VR industry. I have decided to create some industry acronyms and will be using NA to refer to Naughty America, VRP for Virtual Reality Porn, and VR for Virtual Reality. Now to the interview. 

Disclaimer: This blog post is rated MA for mature audiences and is full of some great insights into both VR and adult content. There is no nudity on this page because people still have issues with sexual expression. Go figure.

Me: What Is bringing NA into VR and how long have you been thinking about it?

Ian: I think we all have been fantasizing about VR over drinks since the 80's and 90's. Every few years a film would come out glamorizing it. The 90's had a whole tech movement around it that fizzled due to the tech not being there yet as well as the expenses involved. When NA got their hands on an Oculus dev kit, suddenly the fantasy was within reach. VR was handed to us on a silver platter, we locked ourselves in a room, got as much equipment as we could, and spent the time figuring how can we do this.

We figured it out and published our first scene in July of 2015! 

We now have around 40 scenes!

We support Gear VR! We support Rift! We support every device out there!

Me: Why 180° videos over 360° videos?

Ian: Who wants to turn their neck around while watching porn?

Me: I Do and I think I could make some very visually interesting stuff.

Me: What is the difference between NA vs any other VRP provider? Lets say Pornhub. Cause you know people like VS. comparisons. I blame Street Fighter.

Ian: We get thousands of sign ups every day from a class of consumers that is different from Pornhub's. Our customers are the ultimate fan, they want to make sure they are supporting the performers that are enriching their lives. The ads on tube sites do not go back to the performer. With NA you are getting a high quality product that looks good on a 4K TV, a VR headset, and a mobile device. Plus you are giving back to the performers. Pornhub is sort of the default setting for people looking for adult content. Naughty America is looking to bring adult content out of the small box in your browser.

Me: How are the performers reaction to VR porn?

Ian: All of the performers we work with are ecstatic by VR. When you show them their own scenes they get to see how much the VR experience shows off their body in ways 2D just can't. They end up being enamored by it. Most of the performers are clamoring to get a VR scene done. We are looking to see how we can develop the methods to accommodate them.

Me: Will the AVN's have a VR award for their next show?

Ian: They should have had one this year! The show this year had VR everywhere, just not the awards.

Me: What techniques and innovations is NA bringing to the VRP world?

Ian: We were very conservative in our first videos and now that we have an understanding of the product we want to try some new things. We just put out Randy's Roadstop, this is our first experience in seeing if the avatar you are talks does it break the immersive experience. We want to see if this adds or detracts from the experience. The next step is seeing how we can bring 3rd person perspectives into it. 

The big innovation is here already with VR! Now it is down to who will take the creative and artistic challenge to push the medium to the best of it's ability. We want to constantly be innovating on shooting and delivering the content.

In reality VR brings us to a future retro situation. It brings us to almost a 70's era where the technicality, the execution, and the story suddenly become very important. You are not watching some amateur content in a 2x2 box, instead it is immersive and capturing you.

Me: I agree. I watched the Santa Claus scene and though I have seen something like this is 2D, it created a very different feeling and I had to giggle. Things that have been done before some how feel like they have not.

Ian then proceed to show me an assortment of VR adult content that Naughty America has available. One of the things that was very interesting was watching VR from the women's perspective. I have to say that was an experience I will never forget and opens up a lot of questions.

Me: How do you feel about VR's potential to humanize porn and create a more intimate perspective. (Disclaimer: CatsAndVR nor Ian look at the current state of adult content as inhumane, this just questions a perspective shift that could potentially be created towards the industry)

Ian: Look when your business model is based on people looking at your ads you are gonna try to produce the most extreme, attention getting content to get clicks on those ads. Content that might have a sensual erotic context is just not going to get the clicks on the ads.

With VR you see that the intimacy is very apparent, you feel the intimacy that you don't feel when you look at a little 2x2 screen. This is going to affect the nature of the content. It is very easy to depersonalize performers when you watch them abstractly. When you are viscerally felling a VR experience you may not be ready for the same things that you are for on a tube site. It may change what types of content you may want. 

Founder Of CatsAndVR.com with sex positive feminist, performer, director, author, and inspiration Nina Hartley.

While developing our own content we asked women how they felt while watching the women's perspective scene. Some of the feedback we received were woman wanting to make sure the performer was actually in pleasure during the scene. Being able to convey that feeling through VR content is something we are striving to create. We are taking into consideration feedback from all members of our community as we work on creating a real intimate and visceral VR experience. 

Me: I want to thank you for your time Ian. If anyone wants more information on Naughty America's VR offerings:  http://www.vrandcats.com/naughtyamerica/

Excedrin Unveils "The Migraine Experience" - World's First Augmented Reality Migraine Simulator.

Excedrin unveils The Migraine Experience, the world's first augmented reality migraine simulator, to unlock a new level of understanding around migraines and the impact they have on the daily lives of the 36 million sufferers in the U.S.

"Migraines are more than bad headaches – the pulsing pain can be debilitating, and the associated symptoms like nausea and extreme sensitivity to light and sound, really impact people's lives," said Dr. Elizabeth Seng, a New York based psychologist. "Migraines interfere with work, with people's social lives, emotional health and relationships. Unfortunately, migraines are largely misunderstood, often leaving sufferers feeling isolated and stigmatized."

Those around migraine sufferers often find themselves wondering what a migraine feels like. Excedrin® built the world's first migraine simulator, so sufferers can now receive the empathy they deserve. 

The Migraine Experience is the first simulator designed to give non-sufferers the chance to safely experience symptoms of a migraine including disorientation, aura, sensitivity to light and blurred vision. By using augmented reality, a non-sufferer experiences his or her everyday scenario while the migraine symptoms alter what they're actually seeing or trying to do.

"We created The Migraine Experience to foster a new level of understanding between migraineurs and non-sufferers," said Scott Yacovino, senior brand manager, U.S. Pain Category. "We're simulating the symptoms of a migraine – everything but the pain – because experiencing is believing. Using technology to drive human emotion to help migraineurs feel better understood – allowing non-sufferers, for the first time, to see what it's like to have a migraine."

As one of the first brands to leverage augmented reality technology to conceptualize a health condition, Excedrin® is proud to be driving the category toward fostering a more understanding, empathetic environment for sufferers.

Excedrin® is partnering with Andy Cohen, NY Times Best-Selling Author, TV personality, producer and expert in navigating relationships from housewives to reality stars, to help spread awareness and discuss the impact migraines can have on relationships with friends, spouses and co-workers.

"Growing up with migraines, I experienced firsthand how debilitating an episode can be and how much it can affect relationships with loved ones," said Andy Cohen. "In my experience, both personal and professional,I've seen how migraines can become a third party in relationships – creating tension in, sometimes, already murky waters."

To bring The Migraine Experience to life, Excedrin® brought together real sufferers in different types of relationships with non-sufferers – mother/daughter, girlfriend/boyfriend, co-workers and friends.

Each migraine sufferer explained the symptoms they most often experience during an episode, including aura, disorientation, and blurred vision. The symptoms were then replicated for their non-sufferer counterpart, conducted in a controlled environment, using augmented reality technology to alter their experience of everyday life – from riding the subway to going to a restaurant.

Cats And VR.