Technical Notes | About the Metaverse (3)

International technology giants are currently developing VR/AR-related technologies and services. According to the level of investment and the information disclosed by the leadership, the more well-known enterprising technology companies are as follows.

Facebook

Facebook changed its name to "Meta" to cooperate with the Metaverse development plan of the Metaverse. In addition, it established "Facebook Reality Labs" (FRL), which integrated the AR and VR R&D departments of the original Oculus team, to strengthen product functions, focusing on The software platform is converted to the hardware device . .

Oculus is a maker of AR/VR headsets acquired by Facebook in 2014. Facebook had conceived of an immersive social VR model a long time ago, but adoption of VR has been slower than expected due to technology and privacy concerns. Slowly, by building the Oculus brand and product, Facebook and VR are united, and the Quest VR installation is one piece of the puzzle to create a unique monetization model different from other VR companies.

Beginning in early 2022 , the Oculus Quest will be sold on the shelves under the name Meta Quest, and the Oculus App will also be changed to the Meta Quest App. This is to make consumers better understand that Quest is a Meta product. I believe it is also to highlight that this is a metaverse device. Facebook has also decided that it will change the login method of the Oculus device. The goal is to start using a new way to log in next year instead of the current Facebook account.

Key Products

Horizon Workroom

Allow users to participate in "face-to-face" virtual conference discussions in a virtual reality way. In addition to interacting in a virtual conference room that can accommodate up to 16 people at the same time, users can also use the virtual desktop linked with personal Windows PCs and Macs. , keyboards, and virtual whiteboards add a deeper sense of meeting participation. You can even raise your hand to ask questions in the meeting room by enabling gesture recognition, or express personal feelings with gestures.

Project Cambria

At the Connect 2021 event held in the early morning of October 29, 2021, Facebook (Meta) first revealed that it is building a next-generation all-in-one high-end VR headset codenamed "Project Cambria", which is expected to be officially launched next year, Project Cambria It will be an advanced product of the Quest 2, and the price will also be higher than $299.

Another big selling point for Project Cambria is the mixed reality experience. With the help of new sensors and reconstruction algorithms, Meta claims that Cambria will be able to render real-world objects with a sense of depth and perspective.

original link

Facebook announces its name change to Meta! Focus on "Metaverse" to welcome the new generation of virtual reality, look at the reason for the name change and the development direction

https://www.storm.mg/lifestyle/4018233

FB enters the metaverse, the first step is not a game, nor is it making friends? but "workers"

https://www.businessweekly.com.tw/business/blog/3008178

Microsoft

Microsoft's imagination of the Metaverse is more focused on the commercial field . Microsoft is adjusting its signature software products to create a Metaverse that makes it easier for enterprises to enter. The company's first Metaverse product is to provide digital Teams, a new chat and meeting program with avatar functionality, is scheduled to launch in the first half of next year. Customers will be able to share Office files and features such as PowerPoint in the virtual world.

Microsoft's Enterprise Metaverse concept is realized through the integration of Hololens, Microsoft Mesh, Azure cloud, Azure digital twins headsets and cloud.

Although there have been many rumors in the past that Microsoft plans to let the Xbox game console support virtual reality headsets, Phil Spencer, head of the Xbox department, denied this, emphasizing that Xbox will continue to focus on game content with a more immersive gaming experience, virtual reality. The environment content experience will use Windows as the main development platform.

However, Microsoft officially announced on January 18, 2022 that it has reached an acquisition agreement, and will acquire "StarCraft", "World of Warcraft", "StarCraft", "World of Warcraft", Activision Blizzards, a video game giant with a large number of classic game IPs and players such as "Diablo", "Call of Duty" and "Candy Crush", has made Microsoft a challenging two game industry leaders Tencent and Sony With the scale and strength of the company, Microsoft has declared that it will seize the "Metaverse" business opportunities with game entertainment, showing a strong ambition to attack the Metaverse market.

Before the acquisition of Blizzard, Microsoft's game business was already the 4th largest in the world, and Activision Blizzard was the 7th in the world. If Soft really can pass the anti-monopoly scrutiny in Europe and the United States, it will become the "third largest" game in the world. Industry monster.

Key Products

Windows Mixed Reality headset

Windows Mixed Reality, formerly known as Windows Holographic, was introduced when the Windows 10 operating system was released in 2015. It is a mixed reality platform developed by Microsoft that allows users to interact with virtual objects in an environment where real and virtual objects coexist. Interactive, OEM third-party hardware manufacturers produce equipment, while Microsoft focuses on building the Windows Mixed Reality platform, ecosystem, and experience. Microsoft does not produce hardware, but only provides platform services for hardware developers , as long as it is paired with Windows Mixed Reality headsets The device can then be used to execute various mixed reality applications or games.

Microsoft HoloLens 2

HoloLens is a Windows 10 smart glasses product. It features advanced sensors, high-resolution 3D optical head-mounted full-angle lens displays, and surround sound. It allows the user interface to communicate with the user through gaze, voice and gestures in augmented reality.

The main target of HoloLens 2 is still enterprises, and the usage scenarios are still remote meetings, engineering/maintenance guidance, workplace training, etc. HoloLens 2 Industrial Edition has been specially designed, manufactured and tested to support use in demanding environments and meet ISO requirements 14644-1 Class 5 cleanroom particle standard and UL Class I, Division 2 certified, the Microsoft HoloLens 2 is only available to commercial establishments.

Microsoft Mesh

Microsoft Mesh is a cloud service created by Microsoft for virtual-real integration and interaction. It is based on Microsoft Azure and can support mixed-reality virtual meetings , remote assistance, learning or gatherings and other applications, allowing users to chat as if they were there , sharing space and collaboration. Two MR applications, such as HoloLens Mesh and AltspaceVR, will be provided initially. In the future, in addition to supporting Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Dynamics 365, third-party MR applications will also be opened.

In 2022, Mesh for Microsoft Teams is expected to be launched as an entrance for users to enter the metaverse. In Mesh for Teams, enterprises can build their own immersive spaces, and users can design their own avatars to enter the immersive space for communication.

original link

Microsoft launches Mesh for Microsoft Teams in 2022

https://www.pcmarket.com.hk/microsoft-ignite-announce-mesh-for-microsoft-teams-will-launch-in-2022/

NVIDIA

Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang is a believer in the Metaverse, as they are looking for the next wave of growth opportunities that can surpass graphics card sales: One is artificial intelligence, which uses chips to process and solve more difficult tasks, including the Metaverse; The other is Omniverse, Nvidia's software platform for creating virtual spaces. NVIDIA Omniverse™ is Nvidia's purpose-built platform for design collaboration and simulation, a virtual world based on the real world, where robots can live and learn how to be robots.

Key Products

NVIDIA Omniverse™

NVIDIA Omniverse is a digital creation platform based on CUDA and RTX ray tracing technology. In addition to easily building lifelike digital 3D models and simulating physical phenomena in the real world, users benefit from the powerful parallel computing capabilities of CUDA. It is almost instant. In addition to color rendering and simulation, Omniverse also integrates many practical "AI tools" to speed up the process of digital creation. The metaverse will move towards simulation/simulation . At that time, an engine will be needed, which is NVIDIA Omniverse™.

original link

NVIDIA uses powerful computing power to build metaverse infrastructure

https://www.bnext.com.tw/article/66109/Nvidia-mataverse-meta-facebook-accelerated-computing