Google has just announced its new open source VR platform. They are teaming up with GoPro to bring a 16 camera array that is capable of shooting 360 degree 3D videos.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbA4oEHleg8
The camera rig will be available to a small group of people at first and will feature 16 camera that work as one. It relies of very specialized geometry that assembles RAW footage into a Virtual Reality video. It will be watchable on a VR player that will be available within YouTube itself. The video will be stereoscopic and as a result, viewers will be able to enjoy 3D experience from any headset they choose.
Clay Bavor, the man behind Google Cardboard and VP of product management at Google said
It’s about capturing and sharing these real-world experiences, like the great wall, the coral reef, in an entirely new way, one that looks and feels like you’re actually there. Because the world is filled with all these awesome places and events, like Great Barrier Reefs, and Golden Gate Bridges, and birthday parties and mountain tops.
Although currently, GoPro is the only company that has the array setup, Google will soon be making the design available to other players in the market who wish to build one themselves.
Google has also updated the design of cardboard. It is now compatible with devices upto 6 inches in display size and is much easier to assemble as it takes only 3 steps to do so.