Increased studies convey the unique benefits of robotic pets like Sony’s aibo. Companion robots have been with us for over a decade, yet are not that well known. One reason is the misunderstanding of what a robot is and isn’t. And part of that is due to the term robot itself, and its portrayal in film and books. A friendlier term is animatron, android, or social-robot, … [Read more...] about The rise and benefits of companion robots—a white paper
Sony
Sony announces new VR headset for PlayStation 5
Building upon the commitment to virtual reality as a medium for games, Sony has announced its still-under-development, “next-generation” VR system for PlayStation 5. The headset will offer an improved field of view and some of the main features of PSS5’s DualSense. The company says that the headset will connect to PS5 with a single cord. This will be a major improvement … [Read more...] about Sony announces new VR headset for PlayStation 5
Sony continues the tradition of big TVs for CES … who’s watching?
Originally designed for large displays for long distance viewing in a stadium, bar, or gymnasium, 8K TVs aren't exactly designed for the living room. The number of “firsts” Sony has chalked up for TVs is too long to list. An important brand for over 50 years, Sony promises to amaze their customers, especially during CES time. For this virtual CES, they rolled out the big … [Read more...] about Sony continues the tradition of big TVs for CES … who’s watching?
Game console market in temporary lull, says new market report
Jon Peddie Research expects 2017 to be a much better year than 2016 for game console sales. The TV-based gaming console market is in a temporary lull, according to the latest report from Jon Peddie Research. Devices tracked in this market report include Sony PS4, Microsoft Xbox One, Nintendo Wii and others. As a whole, devices in this market saw a slight sales dip in … [Read more...] about Game console market in temporary lull, says new market report
Sony has the advantage in virtual reality headsets
Ease of use, price, and one-stop shopping beats the competition. By Jon Peddie Now that Oculus has revealed its consumer version of the Rift HMD (head mounted display) for virtual reality (VR), consumers can start planning how they might engage with VR, and they have a choice—a do-it-yourself rig with a PC and Rift, or a turnkey system with Sony. Oculus requires the … [Read more...] about Sony has the advantage in virtual reality headsets
Neuro-gaming growing by leaps and bounds and mental truck tosses
This year’s NeuroGaming Conference was four times larger than last year, and four times more interesting. By Jon Peddie Can you control a computer, a car, your appetite, golf swing, or computer game with your brain? Alright, yes maybe, yes some of the time, but not yes all the time, reliably and repeatedly. However, with each product turn and each experience, there’s … [Read more...] about Neuro-gaming growing by leaps and bounds and mental truck tosses
Virtual Reality makes a comeback at Game Developers Conference
Sony demos prototype VR system called Project Morpheus. By Kathleen Maher You didn’t ask for it, you didn’t know you wanted it, but the game developing world thinks you might be ready for another round of virtual reality (VR) products. The breakthrough is made possible by the proliferation of low-cost sensors and small screens enabled by the smart phone explosion; it is … [Read more...] about Virtual Reality makes a comeback at Game Developers Conference
Growth of mobile technology drives game platform proliferation
Traditional console vendors and newcomers are both staking out positions in this new market. By Jon Peddie I’ve predicted for over a year Apple would come out with a game console, only to be disappointed every quarter. Well, maybe The Wall Street Journal knows something. The newspaper reported recently Apple will support unified video game controller specifications in its … [Read more...] about Growth of mobile technology drives game platform proliferation
“Murdered: Soul Suspect” takes gaming visual pathos to a new level
The new game from Square Enix takes excellent advantage of both technology and the human element in game development. By Robert Dow Console hardware was the talk going into this year’s E3 Conference, but at the conference it was non-stop software from beginning to end. Microsoft and Sony barely mentioned the hardware under the hood of their forthcoming consoles and instead … [Read more...] about “Murdered: Soul Suspect” takes gaming visual pathos to a new level
Dolby 3D just might save stereoscopic 3D from extinction
Together with Philips and The Foundry, Dolby is promoting a new approach to 3D video content creation and distribution. By Kathleen Maher At the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention recently, there were still a few companies and individuals who are bullish about 3D, but there were even more asking each other, “What was that about?” In the US, audiences for … [Read more...] about Dolby 3D just might save stereoscopic 3D from extinction