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Lytro Immerge conceptual rendering

When light field pioneer Lytro tipped that it was going to switch gears from yet cameras to VR video creation, I expected something along the lines of Samsung'due south Project Across. Instead, it has announced that it is building what is probable the world'due south nigh expensive, and most sophisticated, end-to-end VR video capture, storage, and processing organisation.

Lytro'south new Immerge has the ambitious goal of capturing all the low-cal rays visible from its photographic camera location — including both their color and direction — essentially an entire light field inbound a spherical volume somewhat larger than a basketball game. This is then much data that the Immerge comes with its ain custom server calculator that needs to be moved on a tether along with the photographic camera rig and can store near an hour of unprocessed content.

The photographic camera rig itself is designed to be controlled remotely while mounted on a tripod or dolly. Because it captures light from many positions, and every angle, Immerge can simulate what a viewer would see as they await effectually, and even move effectually, within a volume of about one cubic meter — six degrees of freedom. The design provides a more-realistic viewing experience than other VR capture rigs by allowing for visual parallax, maintaining stereo perception even after caput move, and eliminating stitch lines. The organisation can even adapt to each user's personal inter-ocular distance.

Immerge is not for the faint of eye

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

Conspicuously both companies believe that adding the power to motion around a bit in live-activeness video will make information technology much easier to create blended VR experiences. Specifically, Lytro'due south server tools are beingness designed to allow integration with existing 3D content creation tools similar Nuke past projecting the captured Light Field Volume into virtual space — where information technology tin can be combined with computer-generated elements.

Like previous Lytro efforts, Immerge content volition require a run-time component for full-fidelity rendering. Lytro describes this as its Low-cal Field video playback engine. Every bit content is increasingly streamed from the deject, this may not be every bit large a stumbling block equally information technology was for Lytro'due south withal image 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 grade be rendered into a traditional stereo VR experience for offline viewing.

Lytro Immerge conceptual rendering of filming a busy city sceneLytro expects Immerge to exist available for purchase or rent in the commencement quarter of 2016. Components of the system will include the camera rig, capture server, extra storage units, portable rendering farm, VFX plug-ins, an operator, and streaming services. Without a doubt, similar Lytro's original camera and newer Illum, Immerge breaks new footing, and volition help early adopters create some amazing content. Whether the market is large enough to help justify the boosted $50 one thousand thousand Lytro raised to fund this effort remains to be seen.