MARINA DEL REY, CA — At the Digital Hollywood event, here, Reality Lab presented one of the first live VR broadcasts. The event began with a presentation by founder Halsey Minor, who discussed the future of live immersive video, and followed with live broadcasts throughout the afternoon.
Quantum Leap is the code name for a technology that debuted at Digital Hollywood. A 16-camera device is able to deliver realtime video instantly on a Samsung Gear VR, running Oculus Connect software.
“This breakthrough technology truly connects the artist and audience in an entirely new way,” says Minor. “Imagine seeing a live concert from the alternative 360-degree prospectives of being on the stage, backstage or in the front row or mosh pit.”
Quantum Leap is a camera that’s able to stitch together 16 HD cameras stereoscopically and in realtime. It is a working prototype that is being demonstrated to provide insight into how far along some of the core VR technologies are today within Reality Lab. Quantum Leap points to a future where VR can be easily used for live events, like sports and concerts, without requiring extensive post production techniques.
Reality Lab is focused on the creation of a new, immersive and interactive medium that will replace traditional television viewership. The company is targeting music, sports and theatrical applications through a series of partnerships and the company's own investment. This is in addition to and separate from the recently launched Voxelus (www.voxelus.com), where Minor is co-founder, chairman and majority shareholder.
Prior to starting Reality Lab, Minor has had an iconic journey as a technology entrepreneur, founding and building NASDAQ 100 company CNET Networks, and as founder of Uphold, Google Voice, OpenDNS and NBCi. He was also co-founder of Salesforce.com and the CNET spinout Vignette.