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Lytro Immerge conceptual rendering

When calorie-free field pioneer Lytro tipped that it was going to switch gears from even so cameras to VR video creation, I expected something along the lines of Samsung's Project Beyond. Instead, it has appear that it is building what is likely the globe'south most expensive, and nigh sophisticated, end-to-end VR video capture, storage, and processing organisation.

Lytro's new Immerge has the ambitious goal of capturing all the light rays visible from its photographic camera location — including both their colour and direction — essentially an entire light field inbound a spherical volume somewhat larger than a basketball game. This is so much data that the Immerge comes with its own custom server computer that needs to be moved on a tether along with the camera rig and can shop almost an 60 minutes of unprocessed content.

The camera rig itself is designed to be controlled remotely while mounted on a tripod or dolly. Because information technology captures light from many positions, and every angle, Immerge tin can simulate what a viewer would see equally they look around, and fifty-fifty move effectually, within a volume of about one cubic meter — six degrees of liberty. The design provides a more-realistic viewing experience than other VR capture rigs past allowing for visual parallax, maintaining stereo perception even after head movement, and eliminating stitch lines. The system can even accommodate to each user's personal inter-ocular distance.

Immerge is non for the faint of middle

Lytro Immerge conceptual rendering of filming a Mountain panorama at sunset with path - Low Tatras ini SlovakiaAt an expected six-figure sales cost, Immerge is intended for loftier-end product companies, like new Lytro partners Vrse, WEVR, and Felix and Paul. Vrse CTO, Aaron Koblin, sees Immerge as a way to mix "CG content with captured content in a convincingly real way that doesn't toll five million dollars." WEVR'south Anthony Batt echoes like sentiments.

Clearly both companies believe that calculation the ability to move around a bit in live-action video volition make it much easier to create composite VR experiences. Specifically, Lytro's server tools are existence designed to permit integration with existing 3D content creation tools like Nuke by projecting the captured Calorie-free Field Volume into virtual space — where information technology tin can be combined with computer-generated elements.

Like previous Lytro efforts, Immerge content volition crave a run-time component for full-allegiance rendering. Lytro describes this every bit its Calorie-free Field video playback engine. As content is increasingly streamed from the cloud, this may non be equally large a stumbling block as it was for Lytro's however prototype cameras, but it does limit the applications of the new system. The rendered content will be able to be played on any of the major VR headsets, including the Oculus Rift, Sony PlayStation VR, Microsoft Hololens, HTC Vive, and others. It can of form be rendered into a traditional stereo VR feel for offline viewing.

Lytro Immerge conceptual rendering of filming a busy city sceneLytro expects Immerge to be available for purchase or rent in the get-go quarter of 2022. Components of the arrangement will include the camera rig, capture server, extra storage units, portable rendering farm, VFX plug-ins, an operator, and streaming services. Without a dubiety, similar Lytro'southward original camera and newer Illum, Immerge breaks new basis, and will help early on adopters create some amazing content. Whether the market is big enough to assistance justify the boosted $50 million Lytro raised to fund this effort remains to be seen.