Visceral Mobile XR Interactions By Pantomime

With extended reality(XR) headsets becoming increasingly popular and mobile devices with strong computing capabilities, XR developers have been on the mission to create techniques for visceral XR interactions. Early interactions in mobile XR expriences, used either a capacitive button on a cardboard VR headset or flat controls panel in the scene itself. When the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift first arrived, they came with their own haptic solutions. But as time past and more people began to see the impact of XR technology, more techniques for visceral XR interactions were formed.

Pantomime Everywhere

XR studio propelling visceral mobile XR interactions

The Pantomime Corporation has been at the forefront of the XR user-interface. Before the release of the pioneering XR headsets, Pantomime has been developing techniques to incorporate users devices to be used as an object that interacts with the scene. To put the device in the action. Essentially, “mobile user visit shared worlds, reach in and interact.”

Dr. David Levitt and Don Hopkins founded Pantomime in 2014, quickly achieving the Silicon Valley Launch Cup for Digital Media and Mobile. Dr. Levitt holds a MIT doctorate in AI, a B.S. from Yale and have patents for next-level XR environment interactions. If you ever played The Sims, then you have experienced the work of the founder and Chief Software Architect Core developer of the recognized game franchise, Don Hopkins. Eric Hedman is the Key Content Developer for the Sim’s franchise and its expansion packs, who is now the Content Lead for Pantomime. There is also a expert group of advisors assisting in Pantomime’s endeavors. A testament to their dedication for advancing XR tech.

Pantomime’s Creatures- Real-Time Augmented Reality

Pantomime has a fun way of showcasing visceral mobile XR interactions

They have XR games that showcases visceral XR interactions. Pantomime Creatues AR is one experience where people can feed, capture, scoop up and play with dinosaurs, right on their tabletop or a flat surface. The game incorporates shared gameplay through a shared Wi-Fi network. Players can see each other’s movements within the game. The actually framework of the game is practically flawless, making for seamless real-time virtual interactions. The dinosaurs can be scooped up, pushed and paddled with the smart-device itself. And they are quite alive, chasing food, flying and making noises.

When playing Creatures AR, players tilt, turn and swing their devices for in-game motions. If want to paddle a dinosaur, then simply paddle them with the tablet of smartphone rather than pressing button on screen to initiate the maneuver. Though there is a flat UI that provides players additional options for gameplay. Using either 1, 2 or 3 fingers, players can tap the screen, sending either food or snowballs at the dinos. The same combination of fingers can be used to navigate within the scene through swipe gestures. The combination of a flat UI and in-game smart-device makes for seamless intuitive gameplay. This implementation of the smart device enables players deeper interactions within the XR scene.

Lenovo Y50 in Pantomime’s Virtual Worlds

Continuing to optimize augmented reality features

Pantomime’s device-tracking tech can replicate the shape and size of the users device in the game. As stated by them, people “can accurately reach into first person 3D worlds with most any mobile device, join other people in them, and see into them through… flawless screens that increasingly surround us.” And indeed they’ve accomplished this objective. With their propelling effort for more visceral XR interactions, they are undoubtedly pushing what’s possible for immersive mobile experiences. It true, they are showing us all what’s possible from Around Your Screen.

Thank you for reading!

P.S.- Possibly Legacy Studio

Is Being “Connected” Making Us Less Sensitive to Our Environment?

We are living in a age were we rely on online connectivity to fulfill our social and business needs. We enjoy the pings and alerts of social updates and new deals from our installed apps. A good portion of our days are spent performing activities on our phones and or researching subjects of interests on our computers. For young generations, it is hard for them to imagine a day when newspapers was how news was delivered or using the mailbox was a way to deliver a written message. Now in modern times a message can be delivered at the speed of light in the palm of your hands. Heck, even a picture can be delivered instantaneously. Young generations use the web to find jobs, research topics, and provide updates on their daily activities and thoughts through online sites. But now in a age were being “connected” is commonplace, are we becoming less sensitive to the environment around us?

I love video games and it would hard not to find someone who is or who knows someone who is a avid player of games. The main reason I love playing video games, is it provides me another form of social entertainment. Before the proliferation of the internet, I remember my brother and I sitting in front the same television, trying to show off who’s better in Mortal Kombat. We would be at other people’s houses, and the gaming system was the social connection for us young kids. We did not bother, going outside to for physical competition, unless our mother told us to. The gaming system was way much better. There were new places to be explored and new abilities to unlock and new bosses to be defeated and a journey to be completed. There was no time for outside fun until our gaming responsibilities were complete. The digital world, was way better than actual reality.

This obsession with video games, led to interacting with the world like a virtual world. Now being past childhood, I still have a obsession with games, but what really keeps me coming back to the virtual worlds, is social connection. The ability to test out skills, talk about random topics, and make social connections with distant people. This makes being out in the real world for social activities less relevant. Which in turn, less sensitive to physical social interactions. So when I think about whether being “connected” has made us less sensitive to the environment around, videogames is how I stay “connected” and what desensitizes me.

The phone, with its big screen and sound alerts, it’s hard not to provide this device our full attention. With friends and friends of friends constantly updating their social pages, fiending for a online comment, it’s hard not to tune into the profile. And shouldn’t your friends know what you’re doing throughout the day, or a funny meme you’ve come across, or a cause you feel worth supporting. Shouldn’t they see you in your new outfit or a selfie of you standing in front of your resturant you just went to. You have to be connected. Honestly, you probably do not want to call your friend to see how their days going and just look on their online social page. So when I think about how games keep me sucked into playing through new dlc’s or new updates, it makes me think of how social media, through it’s constant new updates from friends and families(and sometimes random people) can keep sucking us into these “connected” virtual environments, desensitizing us from physical social interactions.

This is still my opinion. Do you believe being “connected” is making us less sensitive to the environment around us?