Mixing Realities to Form Our Reality
By: Quantious Team
Tags: Mixed Reality, Tech Marketing, AR, Emerging Technology, Vr Experiences

Emerging Tech Roundup — December 11

The Quantious team’s top picks for timely trending news in the tech world.

This week in tech: Facebook faces antitrust lawsuits, a new remote office app is released, genetic engineering creates liver tissue, PepsiCo uses VR to redesign their bottle, Nreal launches a new product in Europe, VR is used in a sensory study, and VR helps to measure stress levels.

Facebook Must Be Broken up, the US Government Says in a Groundbreaking Lawsuit

(CNN, December 10)

Facebook is being sued by dozens of states, as well as the federal government, in twin antitrust lawsuits that claim the company abused its power in the digital marketplace by engaging in anticompetitive behavior. Parties bothered by Facebook’s “power,” including the Federal Trade Commission, want the social media giant to divert their assets in order to level out the playing field. Facebook currently owns both Whatsapp and Instagram, two major social media players in the industry. According to Ian Conner, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, the maintenance of this monopoly denies “consumers the benefits of competition,” which is why many are calling for the company to be broken up, if necessary.

Arthur Is a New Enterprise-Focused VR Meeting and Remote Office App

(UploadVR, December 08)

Arthur, a new remote office app, has launched in beta and is now available for companies to test out the virtual services. With Arthur, company employees can use the app to meet virtually, hold events, give presentations, and more. Arthur is focused on enterprise clients, and the app is usable through VR headsets and private PC web browsers. Soon, it will become available across iOS and Google.

Genetic Engineering Transformed Stem Cells Into Working Mini-Livers That Extended the Life of Mice With Liver Disease

(The Conversation, December 07)

Lab-grown livers were successfully created and transplanted into mice by medical researchers at the University of Pittsburgh. Using a computational analysis, researchers are looking to apply their findings to similar organ research in order to create better and more mature tissues. The learning system’s replacement liver extends the lives of the mice, and it can also reverse engineer genes required for human liver maturation.

Pepsico Designers Reimagined the Classic 2-Liter Bottle Working From Home Using 3D Printers and VR Headsets

(Business Insider, December 05)

PepsiCo redesigned their two-liter soda bottle using virtual reality and 3D printing. The Oculus VR headset provided creators with an opportunity to meet virtually to share sketches and other ideas. From their homes, company designers were able to create physical molds of the prototypes using 3D printers. The company then used VR to product test the new bottles with consumers. After studying their reactions, PepsiCo is thinking about releasing their new design in the U.S. over the next few years.

Nreal Partners With Vodafone to Launch Mixed Reality Glasses in Europe

(Tech Spot, December 03)

Telecommunications company, Vodafone, announced that it will be providing Nreal’s Light glasses to European consumers around the spring of 2021. The glasses feature new additions that include updates to the visual field. Prices for the European market are still unknown, but a 3D system will become available to those interested by January of next year.

A Dash of Virtual Milk: Altering Product Color in Virtual Reality Influences Flavor Perception of Cold-Brew Coffee

(Frontiers, December 03)

Research from a new study suggests that changing the color of food or beverages in virtual reality can change the way users perceive the flavor. That said, VR could possibly enhance sensory eating experiences and improve how things taste, despite dietary differences like lower sugar and fat. The study evaluated 32 volunteers, providing them with two different cups of cold brew coffee served black in real life. In VR, users had two cups of coffee that were two different shades of brown, indicating that the coffees had different levels of creamer. As they were drinking the black coffee in real life, some perceived it as tasting creamier instead of just black, suggesting that VR can alter our senses.

A New Virtual Reality Test Can Measure Your Vulnerability to Stress

(Forbes, December 02)

Virtual reality is now being used to measure people’s stress levels. Behavioral scientists developed a VR test that studies people’s reactions to sudden loud noises or flashes of light, which indicates the individual’s susceptibility to stressors. The study tested 135 individuals, exposing them to three kinds of VR scenarios. The findings show that heart rate variability (HRV) has a strong connection to an individual’s physiological stress vulnerability. Researchers believe a tool like this could be beneficial for identifying and preventing the development of cardiovascular problems or mental health issues in those at risk in high-stress jobs.