Today is my last one in Japan and I will head back to Salt Lake this evening. This morning I walked from my hotel to my office and noticed the large crowds on the path from the train station to the office buildings in the area. I thought about how much foot traffic could be reduced by simply allowing all of these office workers to work from home one day per week. Unfortunately that is a near impossibility here in Japan.
Japan has a very strong work culture that will take a lot to break down. Employees are expected to arrive at the office before their boss and remain there until after he has left. When people do leave, the literal translation of their goodbye includes an apology for leaving before those still at the office. Interestingly if you look at what all of those workers are doing while waiting around for the boss to go home, there is a lot of social media and non-work being done.
The same is true in the United States. There are a lot of people who could work from home but are not trusted to do so. It is not because of anything they have done, it is just a general mistrust by those in management. Therefore they come into the office each day so someone can supervise their work even though they might not actually be working.
With all of the advances in virtual and augmented reality, I don't see why we can't create effective remote work environments. I would love the option of putting on a virtual reality headset and save myself a commute. If it could be accomplished for 20% of the workforce, think of how much traffic that would remove from our crowded roads, trains, and buses. We could also reduce the amount of office space and replace it with larger living spaces, especially in places like Japan where there is not a lot of space to begin with. Furthermore we could probably reduce the crowded cities as it would give some the option of moving out to less populated areas.
While telecommuting is something that could help solve a lot of problems, there are a lot of fears associated with it. That is too bad as I think it would result in an overall improvement in quality of life. Isn't that something we are all looking for?
Showing posts with label Virtual Reality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Virtual Reality. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Future Technology
One of my work colleagues and I shared a ride from downtown San Francisco back to our office and we had a nice discussion about the future of technology. We started with the discussion about how certain high-tech celebrities happened to be in the right place at the right time. That coupled with a bit of luck propelled them into technological lore. My colleague is trying to help his sons figure out how they can be in the right place at the right time when it comes to future technology and how to increase their chances of becoming technological leaders.
I think if it was easy to predict where technology will be in five to ten years then everyone would be doing it. That didn't stop us from trying to figure it out for ourselves though. During my somewhat lengthy career in computers and high-tech, I have learned that people don't by technology, they buy solutions to problems. One of those problems is figuring out a way to streamline daily tasks. If you look at something as simple as cooking, think how the microwave has reduced the preparation effort of food. While not all food can be microwaved, a lot can and that has dramatically reduced the time it takes to cook a snack or meal.
As my friend and I drove, we applied the streamlining principle to our drive. We kept having to slow down for certain areas of traffic congestion. If all of the cars on the road could talk to each other and had the smarts to coordinate lane changes, we would have made it back to the office in half the time it took us. Based on that part of our discussion, my friend's boys should focus on self-driving cars. Then I threw out the idea of creating a virtual work environment that could eliminate the need to travel from your home to an office. It would immediately wipe out a significant portion of the traffic on the road. Following that logic, my friend's boys should look at virtual technologies and how to improve them.
As I mentioned, predicting the future of technology is incredibly difficult. This is because there are so many variables and unknowns. You could start moving towards one technology only to have it become irrelevant because of a significant shift caused by another. That is why it is important to always look at trends and constantly be updating your technical skills. Unfortunately that takes a lot of effort.
I think if it was easy to predict where technology will be in five to ten years then everyone would be doing it. That didn't stop us from trying to figure it out for ourselves though. During my somewhat lengthy career in computers and high-tech, I have learned that people don't by technology, they buy solutions to problems. One of those problems is figuring out a way to streamline daily tasks. If you look at something as simple as cooking, think how the microwave has reduced the preparation effort of food. While not all food can be microwaved, a lot can and that has dramatically reduced the time it takes to cook a snack or meal.
As my friend and I drove, we applied the streamlining principle to our drive. We kept having to slow down for certain areas of traffic congestion. If all of the cars on the road could talk to each other and had the smarts to coordinate lane changes, we would have made it back to the office in half the time it took us. Based on that part of our discussion, my friend's boys should focus on self-driving cars. Then I threw out the idea of creating a virtual work environment that could eliminate the need to travel from your home to an office. It would immediately wipe out a significant portion of the traffic on the road. Following that logic, my friend's boys should look at virtual technologies and how to improve them.
As I mentioned, predicting the future of technology is incredibly difficult. This is because there are so many variables and unknowns. You could start moving towards one technology only to have it become irrelevant because of a significant shift caused by another. That is why it is important to always look at trends and constantly be updating your technical skills. Unfortunately that takes a lot of effort.
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Mixed Reality or MR
Yesterday I participated in a Mixed Reality demo. What is Mixed Reality? It is the intersection of virtual reality and the real world. In Disney's "Mary Poppins" there is a scene where a live human (Dick Van Dyke) dances with animated penguins. That is sort of an example of Mixed Reality.
I can't go into too much detail about the demo I saw yesterday because of non-disclosure agreements but it consisted of a virtual reality headset like the PlayStation VR or Oculus Rift with external cameras added. The demo started in the virtual world where players could interact with simple objects like wooden blocks or bouncing balls. The demo then shifted to mixed reality where the player could see their surroundings with some of the elements of the virtual world included. My favorite part of the demo is when one of the characters from the virtual world interacted with a lamp in the real world and turned it on.
I enjoyed the demo and found the idea of Mixed Reality to be very interesting. Now I wonder what uses it will have in the future. A few days ago I mentioned that it is best to meet work colleagues in person for collaboration. I wonder if mixed reality can be used as a good substitute. Perhaps I should create my own demo and see.
I can't go into too much detail about the demo I saw yesterday because of non-disclosure agreements but it consisted of a virtual reality headset like the PlayStation VR or Oculus Rift with external cameras added. The demo started in the virtual world where players could interact with simple objects like wooden blocks or bouncing balls. The demo then shifted to mixed reality where the player could see their surroundings with some of the elements of the virtual world included. My favorite part of the demo is when one of the characters from the virtual world interacted with a lamp in the real world and turned it on.
I enjoyed the demo and found the idea of Mixed Reality to be very interesting. Now I wonder what uses it will have in the future. A few days ago I mentioned that it is best to meet work colleagues in person for collaboration. I wonder if mixed reality can be used as a good substitute. Perhaps I should create my own demo and see.
Monday, June 5, 2017
Virtual Reality: A New Way to Watch Videos
This past weekend I wanted to do some research on an area that interests me: 360-degree video also known as virtual reality or VR. There are a number of videos on YouTube filmed using 360-degree technology. So I loaded the YouTube application on my PlayStation 4 Pro and put on my PlayStation VR headset. I could have also done the same thing with my Google Cardboard and a smartphone so PlayStation hardware is not required. You can also use an HTC vive or Oculus Rift.
YouTube has a whole section of 360-degree videos with lots to choose from. I like to rock climb in the summer and so I selected a video on one of the USA's toughest climbs. Even though the video is in 2D and VR is capable of 3D, I still felt immersed in the action. Rather than having to scroll around with a mouse to see different perspectives, I could just turn my head. I found it so interesting I had my youngest daughter who is a professional rock climber watch and later my wife. Both found the VR experience significantly better than viewing something similar on a flat TV or computer monitor.
I spent about an hour watching VR videos and have decided that I much prefer a low-quality VR video to a well-made TV documentary. I have to confess that most of the videos I watched were documentaries. I tried watching one Star Wars fan film and while it was put together very well, didn't appreciate it as much as the other real-life experiences I enjoyed.
During my weekend research I could only find one 3D VR video and it documented a fashion shoot. Normally I wouldn't have bothered as I am not interested in watching models parade in front of the camera, however, I discovered something very important. When we take a 3D object like a human being and flatten it into a 2D photograph, we distort the person much more significantly than I realized. This is where we get the phrase, "The camera adds 10 pounds." While I enjoy watching 3D movies and even have a 3D television, a VR experience puts you much closer and I realized how skinny most fashion models are. I actually found them to be much too thin and unattractive.
Another thing I noticed during my hour-long journey through VR videos is that you don't know where viewers will be looking. If you want to put text on the screen, you have to put it in multiple places. One video only placed it where they expected you to be looking. If I looked somewhere else, I had the potential to miss it. Other videos placed the text in 3 different areas so I had a much higher chance of seeing it. I appreciated that as it gave me the freedom to look around all of my surroundings and not have to focus on one area.
I think virtual reality has the ability to change the way we watch videos. While I am not sure I want to watch a full movie in VR, I do think that travel videos and documentaries are much better with the technology. Now if I can only create a huge playlist of skiing videos, I might be able to make it through the summer.
YouTube has a whole section of 360-degree videos with lots to choose from. I like to rock climb in the summer and so I selected a video on one of the USA's toughest climbs. Even though the video is in 2D and VR is capable of 3D, I still felt immersed in the action. Rather than having to scroll around with a mouse to see different perspectives, I could just turn my head. I found it so interesting I had my youngest daughter who is a professional rock climber watch and later my wife. Both found the VR experience significantly better than viewing something similar on a flat TV or computer monitor.
I spent about an hour watching VR videos and have decided that I much prefer a low-quality VR video to a well-made TV documentary. I have to confess that most of the videos I watched were documentaries. I tried watching one Star Wars fan film and while it was put together very well, didn't appreciate it as much as the other real-life experiences I enjoyed.
During my weekend research I could only find one 3D VR video and it documented a fashion shoot. Normally I wouldn't have bothered as I am not interested in watching models parade in front of the camera, however, I discovered something very important. When we take a 3D object like a human being and flatten it into a 2D photograph, we distort the person much more significantly than I realized. This is where we get the phrase, "The camera adds 10 pounds." While I enjoy watching 3D movies and even have a 3D television, a VR experience puts you much closer and I realized how skinny most fashion models are. I actually found them to be much too thin and unattractive.
Another thing I noticed during my hour-long journey through VR videos is that you don't know where viewers will be looking. If you want to put text on the screen, you have to put it in multiple places. One video only placed it where they expected you to be looking. If I looked somewhere else, I had the potential to miss it. Other videos placed the text in 3 different areas so I had a much higher chance of seeing it. I appreciated that as it gave me the freedom to look around all of my surroundings and not have to focus on one area.
I think virtual reality has the ability to change the way we watch videos. While I am not sure I want to watch a full movie in VR, I do think that travel videos and documentaries are much better with the technology. Now if I can only create a huge playlist of skiing videos, I might be able to make it through the summer.
Friday, October 21, 2016
Virtual Reality
Last week Sony PlayStation released their virtual reality (VR) hardware. I ordered one for myself and finally got it set up today. Being in the video game industry I have seen countless VR demos and had the chance to share some of them with my family members today. If you haven't had a demo yet, I understand you can get them at Gamestop and several other retailers. I highly suggest seeing them first-hand as there is no way to do VR justice without a live demo.
It has been interesting to watch VR games evolve over the past several years. A few months ago I participated in a demo and it amazed me how immersive the experience is. I wondered if a game that might be rated for teens (T) suddenly becomes a mature (M) game because you feel so much more a part of the game. Specifically I am thinking about violence. When you have a first person shooter or action adventure where you shoot people but there is not graphic blood, you can get away with a T rating. Take that same game, put it in a VR environment, and suddenly certain elements deserve a much more adult rating.
I know that the adult entertainment industry is eager to adopt VR which is why I opted for the PlayStation VR over the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. Sony can exercise some element of control over what content appears on their platform. While they do allow nudity in their games, they would never allow and adults-only (AO) title to appear on their console. However, this does bring up a good point. God of War, The Order 1886, and several other games from Sony studios do contain nudity. While that has only earned a mature rating in the past, will it now deserve an AO in VR?
It has been interesting to watch VR games evolve over the past several years. A few months ago I participated in a demo and it amazed me how immersive the experience is. I wondered if a game that might be rated for teens (T) suddenly becomes a mature (M) game because you feel so much more a part of the game. Specifically I am thinking about violence. When you have a first person shooter or action adventure where you shoot people but there is not graphic blood, you can get away with a T rating. Take that same game, put it in a VR environment, and suddenly certain elements deserve a much more adult rating.
I know that the adult entertainment industry is eager to adopt VR which is why I opted for the PlayStation VR over the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. Sony can exercise some element of control over what content appears on their platform. While they do allow nudity in their games, they would never allow and adults-only (AO) title to appear on their console. However, this does bring up a good point. God of War, The Order 1886, and several other games from Sony studios do contain nudity. While that has only earned a mature rating in the past, will it now deserve an AO in VR?
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