Personal computing is radically evolving to become capable of experiences hardly believable today, and virtual reality’s (VR) highly sensory and immersive nature is central to that evolution. The opportunities for VR content creation are ripe for innovation. As part of Intel’s commitment to bring VR mainstream through areas such as entertainment, the company has a strong presence at VRLA, taking place today and Saturday at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Intel’s general manager for virtual reality and gaming, Frank Soqui, gave a keynote speech this morning that reinforced Intel’s commitment to the creator community – from powering best-in-class PC VR experiences today to the company’s vision for the future with merged reality.
Soqui also unveiled two new content collaborations.
The company will power filmmaker Eliza McNitt’s first episode of her new project, “Pale Blue Dot,” a virtual exploration of the universe inspired by the iconic image in the film’s name. The VR experience brings to life immersive worlds at the fringes of our solar system while also showing the fragility of our own planet. Audiences have the opportunity to find themselves lost together floating through the cosmos. The film comes after the success of McNitt’s “Fistful of Stars,” a VR film that debuted at SXSW and also was powered by Intel.
Additionally, Intel has partnered with Winslow Porter and Mileca Zec to enhance their film “Tree,” immersing audiences in a majestic rainforest where viewers’ arms become the branches and their bodies become the trunks. The highly immersive experience captures the growth (from seeding to tree) at its fullest form, resulting in the unique opportunity to witness firsthand the fate of the rainforest. To date, “Tree” has received official selection at Sundance Film Festival New Frontier and Tribeca Film Festival Immersive 2017, where it will make its premiere.
In partnership with CyberPowerPC, 26 VR systems powered by 7th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processors will be on hand for the learning workshop series at VRLA School. This includes powering the first VR projects made by members of Big Brothers Big Sisters and Girls Who Code. In addition to the hands-on workshops, the Intel booth is hosting chalk talk sessions that explore the intersection of entertainment and technology.
Powerful VR and merged reality experiences dreamed up by creators demand massive computing power, new sensing and capturing technologies in both the PC and the cloud, and huge amounts of data flow. Thanks to Intel’s rich experience, robust portfolio of technological capabilities and longstanding relationships with developers, content creators and industry leaders around the globe, the company has the assets and influence to bring about the promise and possibility of VR and merged reality through exciting new products, market segments and experiences
