Business Strategy for Immersive Tech
For both producers and users of immersive technologies
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Executive Advisory
We've helped some of the biggest companies in the world succeed in xR. We assist developers and users in optimizing their efforts.
Marketing and Branding
We've helped some of the biggest companies in the world succeed in xR.
Research
We've helped some of the biggest companies in the world succeed in xR.
Presentations and Writing
Professional communicators telling YOUR story
News & Views
The ImmersivEdge Blog. Sharing some of our thoughts and observations. Have an announcement or news we should know about? Send it to News@ImmersivEdge.com.
Brian Blau, a senior executive with over 25 years of experience in technology industry research, management, who is also one of the xR industry's most trusted analysts, has joined ImmersivEdge Advisors.
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Panasonic Corporation today announced that it has developed the world's first High Dynamic Range(HDR) capable ultra-high definition(UHD) virtual reality (VR) eyeglasses which boasts a comfortable fit that makes users feel as if they were wearing eyeglasses.
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Imagination Technologies has announced that it has a new multi-year license agreement under which Apple has access to a wider range of Imagination’s intellectual property.
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North, makers of Focals smart glasses, today announced that its next generation of smart glasses, Focals 2.0, will begin shipping in 2020 North has further miniaturized its technology by 40%; making Focals 2.0 lighter, sleeker and featuring a dramatically sharper 10x improved retinal display.
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At the IAAPA show for theme parks & family entertainment centers, all the proven leisure attractions are doing fine. After 5 years of entertainment VR, the results are in — and bimodal. It seems IAAPA hasn’t yet reached Peak VR.
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With August’s news that they had collateralized a funding round with their patent portfolio, we regret to inform you that this looks like the beginning of the end, or maybe even the middle of the end, for Magic Leap. Having raised approximately $2.6 billion, including April’s Series D round of $280 million, it seems that Magic Leap may soon join a long list of over-hyped and under-delivering xR companies stretching back to VPL Research’s stunning bankruptcy in 1992.
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Varjo™ Technologies, a leader in industrial-quality xR headsets, has announced general availability for its XR-1 Developer Edition HMD.
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Rune Jensen, Microsoft’s General Manager for HoloLens, gave us the opportunity to “crawl around inside the device.” The conversation got deep, literally looking into the construction design constraints and choices and the performance enhancements that HoloLens 2 provides.
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The main problem with virtual reality? It’s almost as humdrum as real life. Just a few years ago, virtual reality (VR) was being showered with very real money. The industry raised an estimated US$900 million in venture capital in 2016, but by 2018 that figure had plummeted to US$280 million.
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Big Data is a big deal these days. With an ever-growing multitude of devices and websites collecting and collating data ever minute, many organizations are looking for better ways to use this data in business decision-making and planning. However, sometimes it still takes a human in the loop to find the insights and revelations that the data promises to provide.
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Trimble announced that it is taking orders for the Trimble® XR10 with HoloLens 2 system, a worksite-ready mixed-reality solution that enables workers to visualize 3D data on project sites for easier and more efficient planning, collaboration and reporting.
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UL, a leading global safety science company, announced today that it will pursue a new Standard, UL 8400, addressing safety for augmented and virtual reality (xR).
Read MoreLexicon & DOA
Know what's what by checking the Lexicon & DOA.
6.6 DoF
Tracking capability wherein both a headset and associated controllers mapped to users’ hands are tracked in a room scale space especially as opposed to static, solely rotational tracking (3 DoF) or partial room scale, where the head-mounted unit is tracked in space, but controller inputs are not (6.3 DoF).
8K
8K resolution or 8K UHD is the current highest ultra high definition television (UHDTV) resolution in digital television and digital cinematography. 8K refers to the horizontal resolution in the order of 8,000 pixels.
Active Matrix LCD Display (AMLCD)
A method of addressing individual LCD elements that provides faster update timing, better color and a wider viewing angle than passive-matrix displays.
Augmented Reality (AR)
The addition of computer-generated imagery (CGI) to real life imagery, in either a see-through or video-based display. Generally, the CGI is registered to the real world through the use of a variety of sensors. These sensors may include video, GPS, and external or internal tracking systems. See Mixed Reality.
Autostereoscopic Display
A display system that provides a stereo 3-dimensional image without the use of eyewear.
Brightness
Amount of light emitted by a display, either via projection, illuminated pixels, or a backlight component. The brightness of a traditional emissive panel is measured in “nits” (a function of candelas per square meter), and in projection-based technology in ANSI (American National Standards Institute) Lumens.
Contrast Ratio
Ratio figure which describes the maximum brightness a display is capable of achieving relative to its maximum darkness. Measurement is typically measured under highly controlled conditions by manufacturers. While it is a measure closely related to brightness in displays, it currently has no universally standardized or agreed upon measurement / evaluative methodology.
Computer Assisted Virtual Environment (CAVE)
Room-sized display system comprised of three to six walls. Often built with stereo-optic displays. Typically images are projected, but systems can also be built from video display panels. Sizes are typically 3-4 meters on each side. Valued for collaboration in virtual environments. First demonstrated by the University of Illinois, Chicago in early 1990’s.
Cylinder
Cylindrical projection surface. Typically, 3 meter or greater diameter. Provides a seamless 360° visual field and can show stereo imagery. Useful for groups. A more compact form factor than a dome.
Dome
Semi-spherical projection surface. Typically, 3 meter or greater diameter. Provides a seamless 360° visual field and can show stereo imagery. Useful for collaborative work.
Emissive Display
A display that emits light, as opposed to a display that reflects light. Paper is a reflective display. Television is an emissive display. Most computer displays not using projectors are emissive.
Entertainment Center
Entertainment Centers are facilities with a wide vari[1] ety of entertainment experiences or systems within a single out-of-home entertainment center or FEC, much like a small indoor amusement park. These locations are not dedicated to a specific type of experience can house entertainment experiences ranging bowling to gaming arcade cabinets to slot machines.
Eye Tracking
The use of specialized hardware positioned towards a display’s user to record the orientation and activity of the eyes. Distinct from “gaze-based” tracking (which often refers to IMU-driven 3 DoF rotational tracking, which follows the orientation of a user’s head), eye-tracking is measured independent of the rest of the head, and can be used to supplement of replace other forms of tracking or input, especially in service of goals related to accessibility.
Family entertainment center (FEC)
A family entertainment center is an entertainment center that is marketed towards families See Entertainment Center.
Force Display
A system that provides a simulation of resistant or active forces to parts of the body. Often called force feedback.
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
A form of discrete or integrated processing component specifically designed to perform graphical rendering tasks, as opposed to a traditional processor. Required to operate a tethered HMD.
Haptic Display
A display that provides proprioceptive stimulation to the user. This includes force and tactile displays.
Head Mounted Display (HMD, Headset)
A device, which is fastened to the head, and used to display a computer-generated scene. A Head Mounted Display typically provides a stereo-optic (3D) view through the use of two displays placed directly in front of the eyes. Typically, HMDs include a tracking device to convey the direction of gaze to the graphics engine.
Head-Up Display (HUD)
A display presented in the line of sight of the user, which overlays computer generated information over the real world by presenting it on a transparent display surface. A HUD may present Augmented Reality but it also may present data that is not registered to the environment. Typical applications are in vehicles and near-eye displays. Non-AR data often includes vehicle status data (speed, orientation, navigation, systems status, etc.), text or graphic information used for maintenance, and manuals and other information regarding specific tasks.
Large-Format Display (LFD)
Large, flat-screen display panel, used individually, or as a sub-display in a video wall. Often used to provide stereo-optic display.
Location-Based Entertainment (LBE)
Refers to various forms of entertainment in destination locations and specialized venues, such as amusement parks and entertainment centers. LBE is comprised of des a wide variety of experiences offering various levels of immersion and sometimes can incorporate multiple participants simultaneously.
Lenticular Display
A display using an array of long, narrow lenses placed side by side and which are placed over a multiplexed display image in such a way that each eye receives a different, parallax-adjusted image. Lenticular displays are common as novelties that provide changing or stereoscopic images printed on paper. They have also been used with active displays to provide stereoscopic images. In such displays, the lenses are placed vertically, and the display behind them consists of pairs of right-left slices of the complete image.
Light Field Display
A display that fills a space with focused light, creating an image in space. Projected holograms are one type of lightfield display. Light field display make use of multiple dimensions of light, as created or captured by specialized devices. Lightfield displays make use of the plenoptic illumination function to express an image of a scene from any possible viewing position at any viewing angle.
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
A display technology consisting of triads of Red, Green, and Blue liquid crystals. Used in many displays across a wide variety of form factors, including phones, laptop computers, HMDs, projectors and LFDs. LCD displays require a backlight.
Light Emitting Diode (LED)
A display using LEDs for the lightsource behind an LCD display panel. This has succeeded fluorescent lighting sources , and is preferred for its lower power requirement and more even light distribution.
Mixed Reality (MR)
The addition of computer-generated imagery to real life imagery, either in a see-through or video-based display. See Augmented Reality, the preferred descriptive term.
Note: This is primarily a marketing term put into common use by Microsoft in 2018.
Note: This is primarily a marketing term put into common use by Microsoft in 2018.
Mobile-Driven HMD
A type of VR HMD characterized by its reliance on a smartphone to display, control, and store VR or AR content. The most common example is Google Cardboard.
Neural Interface
A form of brain-computer interaction which typically employs electroencephalography (EEG) readings using non-invasive sensors to determine user intent in certain immersive display applications.
Olfactory Display
The use of specialty chemicals/agents to reproduce specific scents, usually in an immersive/experiential capacity.
Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED)
An LED technology that adds an organic emissive electroluminescent layer to the LED. This reduces the component count in a display be combining the display and lighting in one module. OLEDs can provide higher contrast than LCD/LED panels.
Pixel Density
A direct measure of the number of pixels per 1 in². This is sometimes referred to as Points or pixels per inch (PPI) or dots per inch (DPI).
Pixel Dimensions
Direct measure of the width and height dimensions of a rectangular display, in pixel width by pixel length. This is often referred to as display resolution.
Pixel Spacing/Pixel Pitch
Amount of space between dot clusters on an emissive large format display, most often discussed within the context of optimal viewing distances. This specification is analogous to pixels-per-inch but is primarily used for larger form factors, such as digital signage.
Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diode (QLED)
Semiconductor nanocrystals which can produce pure monochromatic red, green, and blue light. LED displays built with quantum dot technology (QLED) entered the marketplace in the mid-20-teens. This technology may replace LED and OLED displays, due to QLED’s physical flexibility, wide color gamut, high color purity, high brightness with low turn-on voltage, and ultrathin form factor. It is possible to build transparent displays using QLED technology.
Ray Tracing
A 3D rendering technique which traces the paths travelled by light in a scene and simulates their interaction with surfaces, enabling highly accurate and photorealistic reflections, shadows, and other visual effects, at significant cost to computing load and rendering time.
Refresh Rate
The number of times an image display changes, measured in hertz. A faster refresh rate results in smoother animation, and reduces motion artifacts in the image.
Screen Size
The physical dimensions of a rectangular display, usually measured in inches or meters, often as a single diagonal figure.
Smartglasses
A class of headworn AR display device in the form factor of traditional eyeglasses.
Spatialized Sound
Sound that comes from, or is perceived to come from, a sphere around the listener. Sometimes referred to as 3D sound.
Standalone VR
Standalone VR
Entirely self-contained VR hardware with no tether or removable computer or display components.
Entirely self-contained VR hardware with no tether or removable computer or display components.
Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM)
A group of complex computational tasks which constructs or updates a map of an unknown environment while simultaneously keeping track of an agent's location within it. This is used for tracking by inside-out HMDs and augmented reality applications.
Stereoscopic (3D) Display
A flat display that provides the illusion of depth by providing slightly different images to each of the viewer’s eyes, enabling the brain’s understanding of parallax to create a 3-dimensional visual perception. There are several methods of 3D illusion, including using active glasses that alternately obscure vision on each eye (shutter glasses), using polarized light to separate right and left images, and using different colored lenses (anaglyph) to provide separate images to each eye.
System-on-Chip (SoC)
A specialized form of computer processor manufactured for use in compact electronic devices such as smartphones, named for its inclusion of several different computing systems, including CPU, GPU, I/O, Networking, and Security.
Tactile Display
A system that provides a sense of touch, such as temperature, friction, texture, etc.
Video Wall
An array of traditional hardware using any given display technology (including those not commonly found in consumer-grade displays, such as laser projection) but designed with particular attention to thickness and bezel size, in order to give the impression of a single, large display.
Virtual Mirror
An AR system comprised of a display with a camera facing the viewer. The software reverses the image to create a mirror image, as opposed to a TV-like image. Virtual mirrors are popular in retail environments.
Virtual Reality (VR)
A synthetic environment comprised of computer-generated, three-dimensional objects with which random interaction is possible. An experience may be considered Virtual Reality (VR) if it meets these three criteria:
- VR is an interactive experience created and mediated by a computer.
- VR is comprised of worlds which are made up of 3D objects.
- VR provides random interactivity.
Visual Simulation
A computer-based simulation displayed as graphics. See Virtual Reality.
Volumetric Display
A display that provides three-dimensional images that occupy real 3D space and may be viewed from any angle. There are a number of ways to create real or apparent volumetric displays, including multi-planar displays, holographic displays, lightfield displays, and spinning display surfaces.
Waveguide
Broadly describes any structure which guides waves of energy, as in acoustics or electromagnetism. Within xR, waveguides represent a complex component commonly employed in the construction of transparent displays for fixed and near-eye augmented reality displays.1
xR
A general term to indicate any of Augmented, Mixed, or Virtual Reality.
2D
Two dimensional.
3D
Three dimensional.
3G
Third Generation. Often describing the third generation of cell-phone technology.
4D
Four dimensional. Usually refers to the three spatial dimensions plus time. Also infers animated or moving 3D images.
4K
A display and television standard of approximately twice as many pixels as HDTV (see).
802.11
A wireless networking standard, typically called WiFi (Wireless Fidelity). Common varieties include A, B, G, N, and AC. Connections may be open or encrypted.
WiFi is typically used in homes, commercial establishments, and in public spaces, as it provides connections at a distance of up to 100 meters. Many devices connect to WiFi, including computers, mobile devices, printers, and cameras.
WiFi is typically used in homes, commercial establishments, and in public spaces, as it provides connections at a distance of up to 100 meters. Many devices connect to WiFi, including computers, mobile devices, printers, and cameras.
8K
A display and television standard of approximately four times as many pixels as HDTV (see).
ACM
Association for Computing Machinery. Sponsor of many computer and computer graphics conferences, including SIGGRAPH. (Special Interest Group; Graphics.
AGP
Accelerated Graphics Port. A bus used to connect image generators in personal computers.
ANSI
American National Standards Institute.
AR
Augmented reality.
ARPA
Advanced Research Projects Agency. Formerly DARPA (DefenseARPA). US DoD agency responsible for funding advanced research projects in many areas. Now again called DARPA (see)
ARL
Army Research Lab (US). Headquartered in Adelphi, MD.
ATC
Air Traffic Control.
CCTT
Close Combat Tactical Trainer. US Army second generation virtual trainer. See SIMNET.
CG/CGI
Computer Graphics/Computer Graphics Imagery.
CHI
Computer Human Interface. ACM group conference on the discipline is SIGCHI.
CPU
Central Processing Unit. The core logic/processing unit of a computer.
CRT
Cathode Ray Tube. The largely obsolete display component of TVs and computer monitors prior to the 2000's.
DARPA
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Formerly ARPA (see). US DoD agency responsible for funding advanced research projects in many areas.
DIS
Distributed Interactive Simulation. Communication protocol for military simulations developed in the 1990's.
DoD
Department of Defense (USA).
DoF
Degrees Of Freedom. Used to discuss motion and tracking capabilities.
DMSCO
Defense Modeling and Simulation Coordination Office
DSP
Digital Signal Processor. Used to process sound, video, and other signal data.
EFF
Electronic Frontiers Foundation. A group lobbying and working for freedom for electronic communications equivalent to that of other forms of communication.
ESA
European Space Agency. The European Union's equivalent to the United State' NASA.
FAA
Federal Aviation Administration (US).
FCC
Federal Communications Commission (US).
FEA
Finite Element Analysis.
FFB
Force Feedback. Also known as a force display.
FLOPS
Floating Point Operations Per Second. A measure of computing speed. Often, MFLOPS, GFLOPS, or TFLOPS (Mega-, Giga-, Tera-FLOPS)
FoV
Field of View. A characteristic measurement of display system image size.
FpS
Frames per Second. A measure of computing and display performance.
GB
GigaByte. One billion bytes, or characters. A measurement of memory and storage capacity.
GIS
Geographical Information Systems. Computerized maps and related programs and databases.
GL
Graphics Language. A standard for specifying 3D objects for computer display.
HDTV
High Definition Television. A standard for broadcast television, often used to describe display system pixel density. True HDTV provides 1920 horizontal pixels and 1020 vertical pixels, for a total of 2,073,600 pixels. (Also called 2K TV – the approximate number of horizontal pixels.)
Newer versions of displays are described as multiples of HDTV. 4K TV provides approximately twice as many Pixels. 8K TV provides roughly four times as many pixels.
Newer versions of displays are described as multiples of HDTV. 4K TV provides approximately twice as many Pixels. 8K TV provides roughly four times as many pixels.
HF
Human Factors.
HIT Lab
Human Interface Technology Laboratory (HITL), at the University of Washington in Seattle, USA. A pioneer location for xR.
HLA
High-level Architecture. A networked simulation standard used primarily in military simulation. Superceded DIS and SIMNET.
HMD
Head Mounted Display. Also, headset, goggles.
HUD
Head-Up Display. A display shown on a transparent surface that allows data to be superimposed on a view of the real world. Typically not attached to the viewer, such as part of an vehicle dashboard.
Hz
Hertz, cycles per second.
IEEE
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineer. An internationally-recognized standards-setting organization.
IST
Institute for Simulation and Training, Orlando, Florida, USA. A program of the University of Central Florida (UCF).
JSC
Johnson Space Center, NASA's Houston, Texas, USA headquarters.
JPL
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA facility based in Pasadena, California (USA).
LBE
Location Based Entertainment.
LCD
Liquid Crystal Display.
LED
Light Emitting Diode.
M&S
Modeling and Simulation.
MgHz
Megahertz: I million cycles per second.
MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface. A technology for controlling instruments, and other devices by computer.
MIPS
Millions of Instructions Per Second. A measure of computing speed and power.
MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
MoD
Ministry of Defense.
MPEG
Motion Pictures Expert Group, A standards setting organization. Deals with the coding of multimedia information. Also MP3, MP4, variations of the original MPEG standard.
NASA
National Aeronautics and Space Agency (USA).
NSF
National Science Foundation (USA).
NPS
Naval Postgraduate School (USA). Located in Monterrey, Califonia.
OLED
Organic Light-Emitting Diode. A flat, flexible display technology.
Pixel
Picture Element. The basic building block of a graphic display, and the unit in which display resolution is usually expressed.
Polys
Polygons, the basic building blocks of 3D models. Graphics performance for VR is sometimes expressed in Polys per second.
PoV
Point Of View.
R&D
Research and development.
SCS
Society for Computer Simulation.
SIGGRAPH
Special Interest Group, Graphics. A sub-group of ACM (see). Also, the annual conference of the same name.
SIMNET
Simulation Networking. A demonstration project and training system of the US DoD, Army and ARPA developed in the mid-1990's.
PEO STRI
Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation. US Army program for simulation and training.
TB
Terabyte: One trillion bytes, or characters. A measurement of memory and storage capacity.
TFB
Tactile Feedback. Also referred to as tactile displays.
USB
Universal Serial Bus. A fast serial bus used in personal computers. For connecting external peripherals. Successor to RS-232 standard for serial data transmission.
UNIX
A computer operating system, originally developed by AT&T. Predecessor to LINUX, which is open source.
VizSim
Visual simulation.
VR, VE, VW
Virtual Reality, Virtual Environments, Virtual Worlds. Collectively, xR (see).
xR
A collective term for augmented, virtual, and mixed reality. Note that the "x" is lower case, denoting an unknown variable.
Books
Here are some of the books written by our team.
Did you ever wonder who built the first head-mounted display? Who first detailed a coherent theory of Cyberspace? Who wrote about cybersex and the challenges it creates? Who worried about addiction to VR? Did anyone ever cure cyber-sickness?From 1991 to 1996, CyberEdge Journal covered these stories and hundreds more.CEJ was read in more than 40 countries by thousands of VR researchers, developers, vendors, and aficionados. Appreciated for its "No VR Hype" attitude, CyberEdge Journal was the publication of record for the VR industry in the 90's. Author Ben Delaney was the Publisher and Editor of CyberEdge Journal, and was one of the most respected commentators and presenters in the field. He went on to publish the industry-defining multi-year market study, The Market for Visual Simulation/Virtual Reality Systems until 2004.
Now that VR is enjoying a renaissance, it's time to understand where it came from, and avoid making the same mistakes that were made in the first golden age of VR, the 1990's. It's also a good time to remember the excitement and sense of adventure that characterized those time.
Virtual Reality 1.0 – the 90's describes not just some of the hot topics of VR, but also the origins, issues, and solutions that were chronicled in the pages of CyberEdge Journal. Complemented by over 100 photos and drawings, there is a surprisingly contemporary feel to these old articles. In addition, more than a dozen VR pioneers have contributed new reminiscences of their work in VR. Another treat, the book is introduced by one of the acknowledged leaders of VR research and industry, Dr. Thomas Furness, Founding Director of the world-famous Human Interface Technology Laboratory at the University of Washington in Seattle.
See a video profiling Dr. Furness by clicking here.
See Ben Delaney explaining VR on Newton's Apple by clicking here.
Click here to read a preview, see the table of contents, and buy the large-format book, author-signed book, or Kindle edition
ISBN: 978-1-5136-1703-9, Pages: 440, Chapters: 85, Illustrations: 88, Indexed
Digital Illusion explains that by combining traditional entertainment skills with advanced tools and methods in computer graphics and image processing, the producers of games, multimedia networks, virtual reality environments, and theme parks are reshaping one of the largest industries in the world. This book details the design and implementation of computer-based entertainment, based on Clark Dodsworth's hands-on experience.Dan Sarto said in his contemporary review, "Digital Illusion - Entertaining the Future with High Technology is a tightly woven compilation of 35 chapters covering critical aspects of what Dodsworth refers to as the 'entertainment beast and its future.' Each chapter is penned by an industry expert, and then edited and crafted by the author into one comprehensive volume like little gems fashioned together into a magnificent tiara. Digital Illusion marries intelligent and descriptive narrative with detailed facts and explanations. This book has something for everybody, and should appeal to a wide audience. Newbies and wannabees can find solid fundamental descriptions about core concepts, tool sets, and practical uses of key technologies. Expert technologists can find fresh perspectives on where this 'stuff' came from, where it is today, and where it's going tomorrow."
Paperback, 545 pages. Digital Illusion may be found on Amazon and eBay.
Published in 1994, Garage Virtual Reality presents and explore information in a whole new way.Linda Jacobson's Garage Virtual Reality captures the enthusiasm and insights of the early virtual reality days and maps the course low-end VR has since taken. It presents a neat and tidy introduction to VR (high- and low-end) and covers all the systems and software available to the home experimenter. It outlines the conceptual steps involved in creating a virtual world, as well as the hardware and software you need to get there. The PC-compatible disk that comes with the book includes a full working version of Virtual Reality Studio 1, a demo version of Vistapro 3, and source code for programming the Power Glove and other devices.
This book was a big hit when it came out, and a usable VR systems cost close to a million dollars. It's fun to read both as history and as an example of how much people wanted to experience VR in the 1.0 generation.
Paperback, 250 pages. Garage Virtual Reality may be found on Amazon and eBay.
Linda Jacobson edited Cyberarts: Exploring Art and Technology, which described the exciting and mysterious synergy of art and technology that took place in the early '90's. It describes the then-new frontier in creativity, where the worlds of science and art met. Computer technologies, visual design, music and sound, education and entertainment merged to form a new artistic territory of interactive multimedia.This diverse collection of essays, articles, and commentaries investigates the creative dimension where technologists and artists apply emerging interactive, multimedia tools and techniques to: (1) Music; (2) Graphics; (2) Animation; (4) Publishing; (5) Video; (6) Theater; (7) Theme Parks; (8) Toys and Games; and (9) Virtual Reality. Multimedia terminologies are highlighted in the text, with definitions and additional information provided in the margins of the text. A gallery of color images is included. An appendix of sources and resources and an index concludes the text.
Paperback, 312 pages, ISBN: 0879302534, Cyberarts: Exploring Art and Technology may be found on Amazon and eBay.
Contact us today
Contact form, 510 419-0800, info@CyberEdge.pro.
CyberEdge Archive
Some interesting and entertaining articles from the era of VR 1.0.
The bottom line remains the same in software development, or any engineering project. Garbage in, garbage out. Simulation has no immunity. The only way to make good VizSim is to stay on top of the three foils - optimism, ignorance, and laziness.
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It was impossible for me to maintain the journalistic detachment that is a mark of professional reporting as I write this article. For I was one of thousands of New Yorkers crowded on rooftops, staring with disbelief, afraid to keep watching, and unable to look away.
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Perhaps you saw those dancing cars and credit cards in the Shell ad on TV. That was done with MoCap. Or you may have admired those folks strolling on the sun deck in Titanic. That was MoCap, too. In the past few years, as the technology has become less expensive and at the same time more accurate, MoCap helps lessen the rigors of traditional cell animation—especially in highly cost-conscious projects like TV commercials.
Read More
Some people will say VR has gone the way of AI: over-hyped, and then forgotten. I don't think so. At SIGGRAPH, VR was everywhere, being used, valued, and generally celebrated.
Read MoreWhy ImmersivEdge Advisors?
The best team, the most experience, the deepest understanding of the sector.
The ImmersivEdge leadership team, L-R: Ben Delaney, Patti Glovsky, Clark Dodsworth, Linda Jacobson, Brian BlauThe ImmersivEdge MissionTo help business leaders achieve clarity and make the best decisions regarding buying, selling, adopting, understanding and investing in immersive technologies.
Our Vision
That companies developing, investing in, and using immersive technologies get the best ROI, while using these technologies to better the lives of their stakeholders.
Who We Work With
We work with both producers of immersive technologies and the business consumers of those technologies.
- For developers of hardware and software, we provide strategic and tactical assistance in management, marketing, messaging, and market research.
- For organizations evaluating and implementing immersive technologies, we assist with vendor selection, task suitability analysis, ROI evaluation, assistance in choosing technologies, help in evaluating proposals, and project management.
Amid overhyped enthusiasm and misrepresentations of all things xR, key success factors include understanding the marketplace, having a clear and cohesive business plan, and communicating clearly and accurately. We assist in all of these areas. We provide the same services as the big, expensive consulting firms, but with greater expertise and lower overhead.
What We Uniquely Offer You
Very few people or organizations possess the unique talents and broad, deep experience that the ImmersivEdge team has. Having spent years in every aspect of virtual and augmented reality, we have seen the good, the bad, and yes, the truly ugly in xR.
With extensive experience in business leadership, including bottom-line responsibility, we understand what it takes to start, grow, and maintain a successful enterprise. Our awards and testimonials from around the world document our expertise. Our satisfied clients attest to our ability to understand, analyze, and assist in strategic and tactical business operations. We know immersive technologies and we understand your business. ImmersivEdge Advisors helps you succeed in the complex and challenging environment of immersive technologies.
Get in touch today.
Contact form, 510 419-0800, info@ImmersivEdge.com.
How we help you
We start with lots of questions — about you.
We provide the same services as the big, expensive consulting firms. But we have more experience and lower overhead, so you get better results.
When we work with you, we apply our tested processes to address your requirements. We work with you to define the final objectives, deliverables, and milestones. We take the time to answer your questions. We respond quickly.
We help developers and manufacturers perfect their products, strategies, market knowledge, and messaging. We help xR users choose the right solutions and solution providers.
Contact us today to discuss how we can help you maximize your investment in xR or other advanced technologies. Use our CONTACT form, email us, or call +1 510 419-0800.
Our goal is outcomes that exceed your expectations. We're eager to make your experience with us memorable in all the right ways. If you need something we haven’t considered, tell us. If you see a way to improve our services or products, we want to hear about it. And if you have a colleague who needs our help, we appreciate your recommendation.
Get in touch today.
Contact form, 510 419-0800, info@ImmersivEdge.com.
Our Team
Contact us for a no-charge, no-obligation assessment of your opportunities and challenges.
Meet our leadership team.
Ben Delaney, CEO
Ben has been working in computer graphics since the 1980's, and is considered a pioneer in the virtual realty sector. He was editor and publisher of the voice of the industry, CyberEdge Journal, and chief analyst and author of the highly respected annual report, The Market for Visual Simulation/Virtual Reality Systems, which was published annually in the early 2000's. Recently, he held the position of Chief Analyst at a leading market research firm focusing on xR. Ben has hundreds of articles in print and authored the five-star rated book, Virtual Reality 1.0 – the 90's.Ben's knowledge of the xR sector is unrivaled. His years as a serial entrepreneur and business executive enable him to quickly identify opportunities and impediments, and help your executives develop effective plans. He has worked on projects and presented in more than a dozen countries.
Ben has received multiple awards for marketing, design, and writing. In addition to Virtual Reality 1.0, he has written an award-winning book on marketing, Ben Delaney's Nonprofit Marketing Handbook, now in its second edition. He has made dozens of presentation on three continents, has been cited in newspapers and magazines around the world, and makes frequent appearances on television and radio.
Ben talks about the foundations of xR: Watch
Patti Glovsky, Senior Advisor
Patricia Glovsky is a technology investment banker with deep experience in corporate finance investment banking. She began her career at a leading Wall Street investment bank, Kidder Peabody Incorporated. She worked primarily on technology M&A and private placement transactions and developed a unique focus on Visual Computing technologies across industries.Patti was there at the early days of these and related technologies and is an established expert in visual computing and broad range of related technologies. Her clients have been important innovators in visual technologies, including simulation/synthetic environments, video games, VR/AR/xR, AI, Machine Learning, image processing, graphics, CAD software, video editing, GIS (geographic information systems), medical imaging, visualization, displays, and more.
Patti has represented world-class technology leaders who most often sell their companies to some of the world’s largest technology corporations. Patti holds several securities licenses with FINRA/SEC.
Patti’s focus is on:
- Mergers and Acquisitions - buy side, sell side, mergers
- Capital Raising - growth capital, bank debt, private equity, second round of capital raising
- Transaction readiness - market attractiveness, transaction preparations, organization shaping, business and capital strategy, execution
Clark Dodsworth, Senior Advisor
Clark Dodsworth provides strategy, analysis, and definition for AR and xR tools, markets, initiatives, services, products, technologies, interfaces, and design. He works from a user-centered perspective, which is fundamental for efficiency and effectiveness across all industries.Clark expects that the most successful companies in immersive technologies will foresee and prepare proactively for the convergence of context with ubiquitous sensing, realtime analytics, and pervasive A.I.
He speaks frequently at conferences in the US, EU and Asia, and was an invited speaker at the world’s first AR conferences from 2010, on the topic of mobile context awareness. He is the author of Digital Illusions.
Clark has extensive experience in location-based entertainment and specified the first large-scale AR entertainment system in 2007 for Dubailand, including 4 theme parks. His spec was based on a powerful smartphone platform that he predicted would eventually become powerful enough to use by the time Dubailand opened. The iPhone was announced a few months later.
Clark talks about how Reality Augments us, in this talk. Watch.
Linda Jacobson, Senior Advisor
Known for her leadership roles in establishing the global virtual reality industry, Linda Jacobson helps product developers and founders to create and implement cost-effective launches, brand activations, and GTM campaigns.Linda facilitates dynamic, hands-on workshops and offsites that enable teams to streamline sales funnels, gain market traction, and attract revenues and investment. She has a broad, deep background as a tech journalist, and as a marketer, educator, event host and speaker. She helped create Wired magazine and wrote two ground-breaking books about VR.
Recently, Linda provided business development, market research, marketing communications, and PR services, including user feedback on product-market fit, to several seed-stage startups, enabling them to enlist early adopters, close deals, and attract funding.
Linda leads a panel discussing AR and the marketplace it exists in. Watch.
Brian Blau, Senior Advisor
Brian Blau is a personal technology expert and business leader with deep experience in immersive technologies and the business of technology markets.Brian’s roles have included technical and leadership positions in computer graphics, games and social networking at organizations including Autodesk, Silicon Graphics, Double Fusion, Gartner, and vTime. He has made significant contributions in the areas of market analysis and strategy advice, social AR/VR solutions, technology-driven in-game advertising, developer-supported social networks, and visual simulation and animation tools.
As Research Vice President and analyst at Gartner, Brian led research on consumer social networks, the video game market, mobile apps, consumer ecosystems, wearable devices and apps, virtual and augmented reality, personal drones, and app, services, technologies and go-to-market strategies. He testified before the US Senate Commerce Committee in 2017 on aspects of the emerging augmented reality market.
Mr. Blau was a VRML pioneer and helped establish early network-based 3D tools and technologies. He has been published and cited extensively and frequently presents on these topics.
Brian testifies before the US Senate Commerce Committee. Watch (Brian's testimony starts at ~29:28)
Get in touch today.
Contact form, 510 419-0800, info@ImmersivEdge.com.
Testimonials
Some unsolicited comments on our work.
I recommend Ben Delaney as an executive, leader and business professional. Ben is one of the hardest working people I know and is committed to doing his very best at all times. He has a great deal of respect in the business community. Ben is highly organized and is very capable of business development, marketing, strategic planning and budgeting. I can’t recommend him too strongly."
Joe McKinleyDirector of Operations, The Stride Center
For 15 years Clark has advised SimEx ! Iwerks on dozens of product opportunities, technologies, and companies. His assessments have been characterized by strong research, balanced judgement and deep insight. Clark took the time to understand who we are, where we want to go, what we can do well, where our talents matched the opportunity (or not), and what could be the obstacles (particularly technical ones) in developing the market. Clark has advised us on four successful acquisitions and on several others we wisely decided to forego. His book on “Digital Illusion in Entertainment” remains a well-thumbed reference for our managers."
Michael NeedhamChairman / CEO, SimEx ! Iwerks Entertainment
As an avid watcher and participant in the real-time immersive 3D / Virtual Reality market, I've relied upon Ben's research and reports for almost a decade. Anyone seriously considering entering into or growing in this or a related market should seriously consider working with him."
Mark FerneauConsulting Director at MarkLogic
I worked with Linda on several projects. She is extremely goal oriented and her enthusiasm is endless. She is very much a people person and her marketing leadership at PARC demonstrated a fundamental understanding of business that still continues to foster positive growth."
Robert TerryCTO / Founder, SmartCatch
You may remember the Virtual Reality Applications Forums that I put together at Arthur D. Little. Your talk, which concentrated on Motorola's experience in pager assembly operations training, was one of the best of the entire series!"
Gordon RichardsonArthur D. Little
Clark thrives in the nascent intersections between industries, where new products, markets and revenue streams are created. He knows the difference between a merely good solution and the right solution at the right time. He understands the power of visionary initiatives combining the impact of scenario-based planning, targeted venture investments, and strategic alliances."
Eli ZelkhaCEO, Palo Alto Ventures
Hi Ben! Well, the press release did it's job wonderfully! Total of 4747 Hits. That's our hit count yesterday. Thanks for the great work!"
Jeffrey DonovanFounder and Chief Technical Officer, InWorld VR, Inc.
Linda is one of the most creative thinkers that I have ever dealt with. Her ability to take complex concepts and translate them into usable and applicable methodology was brilliant. She motivates markets to challenge the innovators until satisfied and then ultimately applies the final output to real world problems and applications. I hope to work with Linda again."
Jim AngelilloVice President, Advanced Visualization Group (AVG)
Your report helped us a lot. Our project is much closer to fruition."
Chris Ward, PresidentLightspeed Design
I want to thank you for the filming session. It really was the first time that I was comfortable in front of a camera. You knew your stuff and how to guide us, but let us be ourselves. Thanks for all your work."
Karen DeVries
I wanted to take the time to commend you on the fantastic article that you penned in the April/May issue (Vol 10 No.9) of Real Time Graphics. I thought it was well researched and well written. I also liked it because it related info to the readers about real time commercial uses of visualization."
Jim Angelillo VP, Strategic RelationsFakespace Systems Inc.
Thanks for another great article on visualization for the oil and gas industry. I read the article in IEEE CG&A, and was really impressed with how accessible you made it. I was especially surprised that you got the Immersive WorkBench name right. Doesn't CG&A have about a six month lead time? I've already alerted people at Fakespace that this is a "must-read!""
Wendy LewisAcocunt Executive, FS Communications
Linda is simply a great person to work with. She is extremely knowledgeable, contagiously enthusiastic, and a great communicator who really understands people and gets them excited about their work. I've known her professionally since we were both active in the wave of virtual reality. At that time, she was one of the most widely recognized spokespersons for that industry, always generating enthusiasm and excitement among insiders and newcomers alike. She has a knack for explaining complex technical concepts in approachable terms, always with a positive human spin."
Christian GreuelProducer, Interactive 3D
Thanks for the perspective. Your drive and presence has been a stabilizing force for VR, and CyberEdge Journal provided the credibility."
Richard Satava, MDUS Army (Ret)
Ben is definitely a technology leader. He's been working in the Virtual Reality (VR) field when most of us were still trying to figure out what VR was."
Nina AdamsCEO, Adams Consulting