Virtual Reality

Project Skofield by WorldViz: VR business meetings are closer than you might think

Project Skofield by WorldViz: VR business meetings are closer than you might think
WorldViz's project Skofield is poised to offer a cross-platform tool for business communication in VR
WorldViz's project Skofield is poised to offer a cross-platform tool for business communication in VR
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WorldViz's project Skofield is poised to offer a cross-platform tool for business communication in VR
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WorldViz's project Skofield is poised to offer a cross-platform tool for business communication in VR

WorldViz, a behind-the-scenes virtual reality company that's been working on large-scale VR solutions for the enterprise and industrial sectors, just announced its new platform for business communication. The project, codenamed "Skofield", allows remote users to make cross-platform presentations in VR.

WorldViz describes Skofield as a VR version of the popular online video conferencing tool GoToMeeting. Instead of remotely viewing Powerpoint presentations with voiceover and video calling integration, Skofield users virtually interact with the presentation materials and one another. For this reason, it's poised to be particularly effective in presenting complex, interactive objects and settings.

It's no secret that VR is expanding out of the gaming space and into artistic, personal enrichment and business applications. But unlike proprietary measures like improved controllers and platform-specific content (and the demo of the VR world envisioned by Mark Zuckerberg at this year's Oculus Connect conference) WorldViz uses device-agnostic software.

That means users won't be bound to one type of headset. Skofield lets users tune into a 3D meeting using Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, a 3D display, or even a wall-projected CAVE system, and will add further compatibility based on demand. Not only is this cross-compatibility convenient and cost-effective, it also gives developments from WorldViz a greater amount of clout. They aren't representative of just one manufacturer's attempt at realizing incremental VR goals, but are potentially industry-shifting improvements.

Since the system is still in alpha testing, pricing for Skofield has not been announced yet. It will be demoed for the first time at the Autodesk University Conference in Las Vegas this week. Companies interested in becoming beta testers for project Skofield can sign up on the WorldViz website.

Source: WorldViz

2 comments
2 comments
christopher
They should walk before they run. complex presentations are not the problem - *any kind* of presentation *is* the problem.
If you're not there, in person, you can't get taken seriously, you can't interrupt to ask questions, you can't network with everyone else before and after the event, you can't determine body language, and so on...
People get together in person for a reason - the presentation is not the problem.
JPAR
The is massive demand for a product that recreates an effective virtual meeting room. It could drive immense productivity growth by removing travel from the equation. Its just a question of designing something that has no visible lag and 'feels' like a real interactive experience. In 10 years time Im pretty sure we'll all be using Microsoft/Google/a.n.other 'virtual meeting' software as day to day normal business.