Article Image

Explore the sights of Tokyo while in an 8K virtual reality ride in Texas

At this year's South by Southwest, two Japanese companies are letting people tour Tokyo in virtual reality without a headset in a motion VR ride that rocks and shoots air as the video plays in 8K quality.

Touring the world can be expensive and tiresome — until you add virtual reality. At the South by Southwest 2017 (SXSW) festival, Japanese media and entertainment companies NHK Enterprises and NHK Media Technology will allow people to view the sights and sounds of Tokyo in a virtual reality motion ride with 8K quality visuals.

Instead of strapping on a bulky headset to fly over Tokyo in virtual reality, the 8K VR motion ride will project the sights of Tokyo on a large screen. The ride is five minutes and features two hydraulic seats positioned in the center of the screen that simulate motion. The experience features views of famous landmarks such as Tokyo Tower, Shibuya Crossing, and Sensoji Temple.

To immerse people in virtual reality without any headsets, the ride’s employs the Wonder Vision’s Sphere 5.2 immersive screen. The screen is 17 by 11.1 feet with a resolution of 7680 x 4320 pixels that is four times as clear as Ultra HD 4K and will come from an 8K projector. This could be one of the few times you will be able to see video this clear until 8K TVs go from being budget breakers to affordable devices.

The ride could be a glimpse into how Japan’s 2020 Olympic games will look. The companies behind the 8K VR motion ride at SXSW are affiliates of NHK, which has been working with Panasonic and Sony to develop 8K TVs before the 2020 Olympics. NHK also unveiled the world’s first 8K channel in summer 2016.

As companies attempt to unlock the social potential of virtual reality, initiatives similar to the 8K VR motion ride have tried to imagine a VR future without headsets. Last year’s Panorama Music Festival featured an animated film projected on a 70-foot screen that enclosed concertgoers.

SXSW takes place in Austin, Texas and begins on Friday. To catch the 8K VR motion ride, you will need to be at exhibit hall 3 in the Austin Convention Center between Sunday and Wednesday.

When Apple launched the M5 Max and M5 Ultra Mac Studio in August, it quietly mentioned that one configuration would arrive later. Apple listed 512GB of RAM as an option, but you couldn’t actually buy it. That changes today, as Apple has opened pre-orders for the fully loaded M5 Ultra Mac Studio, which might just be the most powerful Mac ever made.

How much does the maxed-out Mac Studio cost?

Reading about complicated subjects can get a little dry, especially when diagrams and textbook explanations leave you scratching your head. Google wants to make that experience more fun and engaging with Immersive Explorations, a new Gemini feature that turns complex topics into interactive visual experiences. You can explore everything from ancient trade routes to jet engines, uncovering details layer by layer.

https://twitter.com/GeminiApp/status/2115507092660289631

OpenAI is bringing its Dot agent into your regular messaging app, so you can assign tasks without opening ChatGPT. The texting feature is rolling out in beta to ChatGPT Pro users in the US, with support for Apple's iMessage and Android's RCS. You can send your Dot text, photos, and voice messages, and also receive proactive texts when it has relevant updates.

https://twitter.com/ChatGPT/status/2115496387613786374?s=19