With news that the much-heralded Oculus Rift has begun shipping, the virtual reality world is already relishing the opportunity to take that next big step. But, what if you could sit on your couch and step not just into a video game, but into a front row seat for tonight’s Dodgers’ game? Or, how about sharing the stage this weekend with Jay Z and Beyoncé? Very soon, thanks to a new cinematic VR platform from Jaunt, you’ll be able to fully experience all that action and more, live from your own living room.
Jaunt, which was recently featured on Forbes.com, describes its JauntVR technology as the world’s first cinematic VR experience. The company’s wrap-around camera uses computational photography to capture live action from every angle, and its software splices the images together to provide a seamless, VR experience.
In addition, the wrap-around sight and sound feature provides the feeling of actually being there, as a VR viewer can enjoy a full, 360-degree experience, such as turning his head to see the scoreboard at one end of the arena or just looking around at the celebrities on the front row.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNR3WwrGPOk
Another benefit of the Jaunt technology is its use of advanced algorithms and computational photography that utilize the same hardware, software, tools and applications currently used by directors and videographers for editing and production. Company officials noted is cross-platform format allows playback on a variety of devices.
While Jaunt representatives weren’t ready to release any video of the JauntVR experience, they did point out that a number of Hollywood heavyweights have already invested in the company. The firm completed $6.8 million of venture funding in April with top investors such as Redpoint Ventures, Peter Gotcher, Blake Kikorian, SV Angel and British Sky Broadcasting (Sky). The latter is the leading pay TV and home communications company in the UK and Ireland. In addition, the company’s Board of Advisors includes actor Jared Leto, Google Glass creator Babak Parviz and iMAX Chairman Brad Wechsler.
The Oculus Rift might just be arriving on the scene but, thanks to JauntVR, live action, cinematic VR is already here. And if you want great seats to live sporting events, concerts and more, JauntVR is just the ticket.
Image credit: Jaunt
