Season 2 Episode 16: Show NotesPioneering medical technology firm, Vivid Vision, aims to do exactly that! Founder and CEO, James Blaha grew up suffering from amblyopia and strabismus and, as an adult, he decided to try and improve his own vision with technology. While building the first prototype of Vivid Vision, he gained stereoscopic vision and went on to start the company, which uses VR software to treat vision conditions such as binocular vision disorders, amblyopia, strabismus, and other conditions that you’ll learn more about in today’s episode. Listen in as James shares some insight into his early experiments with VR and 3D projection mapping, how the software has evolved, and what is next for Vivid Vision, including a direct-to-patient eye wellness app. We also come to understand his entrepreneurial journey, the value of startup accelerator programs, and the process of expanding into global markets, plus so much more! For an in-depth look at how Vivid Vision is changing the world of optometry using VR technology, make sure to tune in today! Key Points From This Episode:The story of how James set out with a desire to understand his own conditions.Insight into some of his early experiments with VR and 3D projection mapping.How Vivid Vision encourages the integration of information between both eyes using VR.The Indiegogo campaign that made James realize he had inadvertently started a business.The early days of Vivid Vision, from prototype to fundraising and commercialization.Why James believes that startup accelerator programs are worthwhile for founders.James outlines the process of creating a clinician-prescribed game-based treatment plan.How the proliferation of standalone VR headsets made at-home treatment possible.Characterizing the differences in regulatory frameworks between the US, Europe, and Asia.What drove James’ decision to go international so early on and what kept him motivated.Find out what is next for Vivid Vision, including a direct-to-patient eye wellness app.The importance of treating your visions the way you treat other aspects of your health.Opportunities to build these kinds of vision treatments into other gameplay experiences.James shares his big-picture goals for Vivid Vision, including earlier detection of eye issues.Tweetables:“[Vivid Vision requires] the integration of information between [both] eyes. An eyepatch just covers up the good eye and forces you to see everything through the weak eye, which works with kids about 60 percent of the time and, with adults, a lot less than that.” — @jamesblaha [0:10:51]“VR was out for years before almost any medical system made any rules regarding it, so the biggest challenge is uncertainty and what the regulatory framework is going to be.” — @jamesblaha [0:25:02]“There are all these really specific use cases. More people want better vision and it doesn't involve an eye problem or eye disease at all. VR is a powerful tool to give people a way to measure and improve some of these specific visual skills.” — @jamesblaha [0:33:19]Links Mentioned in Today’s EpisodeVivid VisionJames Blaha on LinkedInJames Blaha on TwitterSue Barry: Fixing My Gaze (TEDxPioneerValley)Pearly Chen on TwitterVIVE

Season 2 Episode 15 Show Notes For so many, the world of VR feels completely foreign, but Fabien Barati of Emissive has made it his mission to make such experiences more accessible to the public. Through his work with Immersive Expeditions, he is creating free roam experiences with a profoundly emotional link to historical and cultural icons. Fabien joins us to discuss the various projects he’s involved in, from The Enemy - the VR experience bringing you face-to-face with combatants from three different conflict zones - to Scan Pyramids, and, of course, the Eternal Notre Dame experience. In this episode, we discover the thought and design process of Immersive Expeditions, what makes it unique, and the emotional connection it evokes. We learn about the Mona Lisa VR experience as well as some exciting upcoming Immersive Expeditions projects! Tune in for this insightful closed-door conversation to discover the secrets behind the mysterious universe of virtual reality experiences. Key Points From This Episode:Introducing Fabien Barati, CEO of Emissive.The vision to create virtual cultural experiences for a large number of people.Fabien explains The Enemy VR experience and Scan Pyramids VR.What led to the creation and definition of the Immersive Expeditions format.The technical innovation enabling Fabien to expand the scope of the tour.Why the VR tours are 45 minutes in length and how much tickets cost.The process of creating the Eternal Notre Dame experience.The objective to create a perfect digital clone of Notre Dame while raising revenue for the reconstruction of the cathedral.The process from ideation to design of the Mona Lisa VR experience.The emotional link created by Immersive Expeditions. Fabien fills us in on the upcoming Immersive Expeditions project, The Horizon of Khufu.The process of finding suitable working partnerships.The translation of Immersive Expeditions in a home-based environment.Fabien’s ultimate goal for Emissive.Tweetables:“We wanted to define a new format that is multi-user, a really social experience, free-roaming, everything of course, in virtual reality.” — @Fab3DVR [0:05:43]“[Immersive Expeditions] is a whole new way to discover our cultural heritage, our scientific, our natural heritage in the form of a 45-minute adventure.” — @Fab3DVR [0:10:04]“What makes the Immersive Expeditions unique is the flow of visitors.” — @Fab3DVR [0:11:01]“One of the objectives was really to get a perfect digital clone of Notre Dame … The other part was to be able to provide the revenue for the reconstruction of the cathedral.” — @Fab3DVR [0:18:24]“What we're trying to do at the moment is trying to create a new standard for control entertainment.” — @Fab3DVR [0:27:00]Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Fabien Barati on LinkedInFabien Barati on TwitterEmissiveScan Pyramids VRThe EnemyImmersive ExpeditionsEternal Notre DamePearly Chen on TwitterVIVE

Episode 14: Show Notes.Globally, almost five billion people do not have access to surgical healthcare today. This is a significant problem and one that can only be solved by improving training for medical practitioners. Talking to us about his solution to this issue, is Professor George Papagiannakis, founder, CEO, and CTO of ORamaVR. This company offers an IT software platform called MAGES™ SDK that empowers medical professionals and companies to create their own VR simulations. Join us to hear what MAGES stands for, why clinical trials are so important on product quality control, and why George believes that linking research fields is the key to solving the world’s problems. We also address the issue of patient-specific problems, and how MAGES incorporates a solution. Tune in to find out George's secret master plan (the low-code solution) and so much more.Key Points From This Episode:Welcome to Professor George Papagiannakis, founder, CEO, and CTO of ORamaVR. George’s journey to where he is now, from computational biology to human health. The problem of lack of surgical access we are facing globally, and how ORamaVR aims to address this. Why clinical trials are so important in evaluating a product, and the results George has seen for SDK. What MAGES stands for: Multiplayer, Analytical solution, Geometric algebra, Educational editor, and Semantic simulation. Why linking fields of research is key to solving the world’s problems. Solving the patient-specific problem: the technologies needed, and why it should be automated. Who the target market is for MAGES and what’s needed to start creating content. Why making the metaverse accessible to everyone is key. The hospitals hiring VR developers and how they are creating a marketplace for MAGES.George’s take on the biggest misconceptions around the metaverse. George’s secret master plan: the low-code solution. Tweetables:“Maybe there's another way, maybe we need better offering tools, and maybe the problem of medical VR is not a matter of content. Maybe in general, VR is not a matter of content, but is a matter of tools, and how these tools are being used to create the content that is needed.” — @gpapagian76 [0:06:35]“Simulation-based training was used in medicine for hundreds of years. There's no question about that. The question is, can VR do it better, faster, and lower cost? That's what we are trying to prove.” — @gpapagian76 [0:14:13]“In academia, we're very good at answering questions and finding some answers. But you need, really, the innovation part and startup universe to make the science a product.” — @gpapagian76 [0:27:05]Links Mentioned in Today’s EpisodeGeorge Papagiannakis on LinkedInCollected Publications by George PapagiannakisORamaVRPearly Chen on TwitterVIVEHTC VIVE on InstagramHTC VIVE on TwitterHTC VIVE on YouTube

Season 2 Episode 8 Show NotesToday’s guest, Sly Lee, along with his co-founders/co-CEOs at Emerge are at the bleeding edge of the touch dimension for the metaverse. When most of us think of virtual touch, haptic gloves and external accessories are what come to mind first, but Sly and his partners have conceptualized something completely different. They aren’t just recreating one of the 5 senses; they’re creating a sixth! In today’s episode, Sly shares with us how the ultrasound technology they have developed enables people to connect on a much deeper emotional level, and how they plan to continuously improve upon their product going forward.Key Points From This Episode:•   Sly shares his educational and professional background, and how he ended up in the realm of virtual reality.•   How Sly and his Co-Founders/Co-CEOs at Emerge are changing the way we communicate.•   Why Sly and his partners didn’t want to go the route of haptic gloves and external accessories as a means of enhancing communication.•   An overview of the sound technology that Sly and his partners developed to fulfill their goal of bridging emotional distance.•   How society’s relationship with the virtual world has changed over the past few years.•   Emotional reactions that Sly has seen people have when they engage with the Emerge technology.•   The biggest challenge that Emerge is currently facing.•   Sly and his partners’ commitment to continuous improvement of their product, and the approach they are using to achieve this.•   Advice for entrepreneurs in the fundraising stage.•   What you will be able to do with your Emerge Home device if you are a recipient of one of the initial 200.•   How Emerge’s gameplay differs from other virtual reality gameplay that is already on the market.•   Sly shares his thoughts on the downsides of Web 2.0, and how he hopes that this can be changed in the near future.•   The complementary skill sets and perspectives of Sly and his two Co-Founders/Co-CEOs which have contributed largely to the success of Emerge.•   How the Emerge technology can positively impact accessibility for differently abled people.•   Sly and his partners’ ultimate goal with Emerge. Tweetables:“We conceptualized a company that can build the next few paradigms of how we communicate. And we ended up realizing that it's actually about emotion. It's about emotional distance. And one way to bridge that emotional distance is perhaps through enabling physical touch.” — @slyjacklee [0:06:46]“Emotional disconnection has only increased over time. We see this with some of the downsides of social media 2.0. And we hope that we can add some value.” — @slyjacklee [0:12:48]“There are people out there that believe in your vision. As long as you're willing to persist, you will find those believers.” — @slyjacklee [0:18:34]Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Sly Lee on LinkedInSly Lee on TwitterEmergeEmerge on TwitterHTC VIVE FlowPearly Chen on TwitterVIVE

Season 2 Episode 7 Show Notes  Using Emerging Technologies to Tell the Stories That Matter with Gabo AroraToday’s guest is Gabo Arora, a world renowned multi-award winning immersive artist, professor, entrepreneur, and former UN diplomat who works with the most cutting-edge technologies, including virtual and augmented reality, to tell some of the most important stories of our time. His creative tech and production studio, LIGHTSHED, is based in Brooklyn, New York, and uses the power of emerging technologies and immersive storytelling to create positive social change. In this episode, Gabo joins us to talk about his latest project: Paradise, a two-person, AI-powered immersive audio experience for intimate partners in their own home that he describes as “couples therapy in the future.” Listen in as Gabo shares what drew him to extended reality (XR) as a medium and offers some insight into his films, Clouds Over Sidra and The Last Goodbye, which use VR to tell deeply impactful stories. Key Points From This Episode:Gabo describes Paradise, which was showcased at South by Southwest 2022.How he’s using immersive binaural audio to tell the story of “couples therapy in the future.The mysterious force of creativity that led Gabo to explore virtual reality.The story of his first project, Clouds Over Sidra, and what drew him to XR as a medium.Insight into the process of creating the film in the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan.Learn more about The Last Goodbye, which takes viewers inside a Nazi death camp.How photogrammetry can be used for important educational purposes.What Gabo means when he says “meaning is the new money” and how he continually aims to create meaning through his work.Get a glimpse into the NFT project that Gabo is developing to accompany Paradise.Gabo speaks candidly about the moments of self-doubt that accompany his work.Combining stories with machines to enable new levels of engagement.Blurring the binary between real and virtual to enhance our experience of reality.Why more artists should make products in order to better understand storytelling.Where you can download the Paradise app and experience it for yourself. Tweetables: “It's always the human side. It's not political. It's just shedding light on our collective tragedy of being human sometimes.” — @gaboarora [0:27:08] “[The Paradise NFT project is] realigning incentive structure through Web 3 that can [not only] change how people think about art, but change how people think about what [art] can do to enhance collaboration and impact.” — @gaboarora [0:34:48] “Even though it's coming through new technology, it's really the story that is touching people. Then, the technology is enabling new emotions or engagement with it, that is giving people new insight and perspective.” — @gaboarora [0:46:53]Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Gabo AroraLIGHTSHED.IOParadiseThe Last GoodbyeGabo Arora on TwitterMy Dinner with AndreRealities.ioDarkfieldPearly Chen on Twitter

Season 2 Episode 6: Show NotesExciting combinations of the newest tech are starting to bubble up across the market. Today we look at a standout example of such a project as we welcome Nils Wollny, the CEO and Co-Founder of holoride, to talk about what he and his company are doing to transform transit time in cars. Holoride aims to turn transit time into an immersive virtual experience through the collection of real-time data. Their focuses are entertainment, edutainment, relaxation, well-being, and productivity, with the initial inroads made into the world of gaming. Nils talks to us about the three components of their tech; vehicle localization software, Elastic SDK, and their platform, before sharing a whole lot of insider perspectives on what is making the project possible and the route that they envision launching the product. We also talk about the history of the startup and how it grew out of the work that Nils was doing at Audi before holoride officially became independent. Join us to hear about all of this, as well as the project's foundation in the blockchain, how they tackled fundraising, and so much more!Key Points From This Episode:•   Nils' highlights at this year's SXSW•   The initial vision for holoride and the idea for transforming transit time.•   Early demos for new media in cars and the founding of holoride as an independent entity.  •   The process of building a team and developing the technology. •   Challenges in the space right now and confronting the hurdles of the pandemic.  •   The process of fundraising and how holoride had to restart with strategic partners. •   Considering holoride's timing as a passenger experience company. • The three components of holoride's tech stack: vehicle localization software, Elastic SDK, and their platform. •   How Nils and holoride are approaching enabling developers to make Elastic content. •   The exciting possibility of blurring the lines between the physical and digital landscape!•   Nils explains holoride's grounding in the blockchain.•   Looking to the future with the project and the full launch of the product.•   Nils' personal idea of success and the importance of enjoying work.Tweetables:“It's good to be back in real life and have people getting into the car and you see the smiling faces getting out of the car.” — @Nils_Wollny [0:14:09]"The ones we now have on board, they flew in. Whenever there was a time window that they could travel, they flew in and tried our tech, and yeah, were convinced afterward." — @Nils_Wollny [0:17:44]"We have three massive industries we are trying to glue together; automotive, content, and our XR tech." — @Nils_Wollny [0:20:49]Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Nils Wollny on Twitter Pearly Chen on Twitter HolorideSXS

Season 2, Episode 5: Show Notes.The year 2022 is undeniably an interesting time to be a surgeon. Rapidly advancing technology combined with an explosive rate of newer and safer surgical techniques has made it almost impossible for surgeons to stay abreast of all options available. Osso VR CEO and Founder Justin Barad calls this the 'exploration trap' and joins us today to discuss how he has dedicated his career to tackling this problem and revolutionizing how surgeons train and prepare for surgery. In this episode, we explore the challenges surgeons face around the world and how Osso VR is inspiring healthcare professionals at scale through virtual training experiences that accelerate learning and drive adoption. You’ll also hear Justin reflect on his varied career, what it was like pivoting from game design to medical school, and how it all led him to the founding of Osso VR. Make sure you tune in today! Key Points From This Episode:Introducing today’s guest Justin Barad, Founder, and CEO of Osso VR.How rapid changes in medical technology are impacting the way surgeons operate.Some of the challenges that come with specializing as a surgeon and the difficulty practicing different types of surgery.Justin’s history in video game development and how he became interested in healthcare.The potential for accessible and affordable simulations to have a dramatic impact on global healthcare.The risk that patients take on when their surgeon is not yet proficient in a particular method of surgery.The rate of adoption, and patterns of behavior, that Justin has observed in Osso VR users.How repeatedly doing something over time maximizes memory retention and minimizes the ‘forgetting curve’.Osso VR’s exceptional team of medical illustrators and how it sets them apart from other surgical simulators.Some of the challenges Justin faced during the multiple pivots he made in his career, like going from being a game developer to attending medical school.Why startups are lessons in failure and how Justin’s motivation kept him going.How the COVID-19 pandemic helped emphasize the value of Osso VR as a simulator for surgeons.Discover Osso VR’s ambitious goal to reach over 20 million healthcare professionals.Why it was critical for Justin that the efficacy of Osso VR be objectively peer-reviewed by academic institutions.Tweetables: “Training repeatedly over time is a way to maximize retention and minimize what's called ‘the forgetting curve.’” — Justin Barad [0:11:21] “Startups are an exercise in failure. It is daily micro failures, and every now and then a major failure. That is what prunes the tree, and finds product-market fit, and finds this glowing core that is scalable, and that you can use to solve the problem.” — Justin Barad [0:26:15] “I think when it comes to VR it's much less controversial now. It's like we're past the innovation stage. Now we're at the implementation and scale phase. I think some parts of the market and the industry are just crushing it, especially the medical technology industry.” — Justin Barad [0:40:32] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Justin Barad on LinkedInOsso VRPearly Chen on TwitterVIVEHTC VIVE on InstagramHTC VIVE on TwitterHTC VIVE on YouTube

Season 2, Episode 4: Show Notes.Our mental health hygiene is just as important as our physical hygiene, and it needs to be supported as such. Healium CEO and Chief Storyteller Sarah Hill joins us today to explain how neurofeedback and biomatrix meditation tools can help us manage our stress and anxiety. In this episode, we discover how our thoughts alter our brain patterns, and how Healium allows us to measure them using neurofeedback and biometrics. We also find out how Healium is reducing the barrier to entry, and why mental health hygiene, in general, needs to be more accessible. Tune in to find out more about this astounding neuro-meditation tool that will support you in reclaiming your power and taking control of your mind.Key Points From This Episode:Sarah Hill’s journey of becoming a health tech entrepreneur after 20 years of TV journalism.How her own healing process led to the creation of Healium.Overview of Healium and its purpose.The impetus to use neurofeedback and biometrics in meditative experiences.The benefits of neuro-meditation and the importance of exercising your mind.The key role of storytelling in the Healium neuro-meditation experience.Sarah explains how to incrementally train your mind.How the visual format of bioinformatics allows the user to learn to self-regulate.The inclusive creative process of building a Healium experience.The similarities and differences between AR and VR, and why AR is more difficult to design, in terms of storytelling and immersion.What Healium is doing to reduce the barrier to entry and be more accessible.Why mental health hygiene needs to be prioritized by employers and institutions.Sarah shares her personal coping mechanisms and routines.The near-term opportunities that Sarah is excited about in the digital therapy space. Tweetables:“What you think about absolutely can change your brain patterns and your heart rate...Just as you’re washing your hands, so too should you be resetting your mind to flush out all of that negativity and toxicity that you had during the day. ” — @SarahMidMO [0:11:01]“Giving the user a visual to learn to self-regulate, and having that bioinformatics from a wearable, not sequestered as a number on your wrist, but set out in a spatial computing environment that you can see it, you can interact with it and you can learn to control it. ” — @SarahMidMO [0:17:00] “We’re just excited about the new data sets as well, with blood pressure, skin conductance, all of those new wearables that are coming out that are going to need content solutions that allow you to do more with that data than just seeing it tracked as a flat number..” — @SarahMidMO [0:36:45] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:HealiumSarah Hill on LinkedInSarah Hill on TwitterPearly Chen on Twitter VIVE

Show NotesDoes meditating in VR really make a difference? Today we are delighted to welcome Nanea Reeves, CEO and Co-Founder of TRIPP, an award-winning, breakthrough wellness platform, based on robust scientific research, which helps its users pursue and implement a daily mindfulness practice. In our conversation, Nanea shares how meditation transformed her life, the incredibly inspiring story behind TRIPP and giving people agency over how they feel.Key Points From This Episode:Introducing today’s guest Nanea Reeves, CEO, and Co-Founder of TRIPP.Nanea’s esteemed career as a gaming industry executive and how she became a wellness and VR entrepreneur.How Nanea first encountered meditation and breathing techniques.How game design, audio, and fantasy featured in the original TRIPP prototype and how it has evolved since then.The concept of open-eye meditation and how it transformed Nanea’s practice.How TRIPP supplements a meditation practice.The promising uses for VR in assisting with the treatment of pain, chemotherapy, and palliative care.How the COVID-19 pandemic affected TRIPP’s place in the market.The concept of collective consciousness and how VR can help to facilitate it.The positive shift that Nanea has noticed in how people treat her as a female founder. Tweetables:“That respite of just dropping in and being present is hugely powerful and impacting on your mood. That was really kind of the magic of what we’ve been doing at TRIPP.” — @nanea [0:12:18] “We don’t want it to replace meditation. But what we can do with the container of virtual reality is allow you to experience what it’s like to have your mind quiet and be fully present. Because VR can capture your awareness in a way that is extremely effective.” — @nanea [0:18:25]“That palpable group energy. The metaverse can really help us explore all that. It’s nourishing. I want to think about how to create nourishing connections for people.” — @nanea [0:32:42]“Being a female founder, I’ve seen a much more positive shift in people being conscientious about how they interact with me. The stuff that I just sucked up and ignored throughout the years, I’m not having to deal with now.” — @nanea [0:39:29]Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Nanea Reeves on LinkedInNanea Reeves on TwitterTRIPPHTC VIVE on InstagramHTC VIVE on TwitterHTC VIVE on YouTubeHTC Vive on FacebookVIVE

Season 2, Episode 2: Show Notes.In this episode, we speak with Tristan Gribbin, founder and CEO of the Icelandic meditation technology company Flow, which aims to help people to reach their flow state, overcome negative thoughts and achieve focus. Tristan shares some of the tools that she has used through the years to manage her stress, the importance of letting go, and what convinced her to integrate technology into her meditation practice. Tune in to hear how Tristan from this inspiring thought leader today! the surprising tool that makes meditation so powerful Key Points From This Episode:What flow state is, Tristan’s history with meditation and how she has come to share it with others.The role that meditation plays to assist us to control and eliminate negative thoughts.Some of the tools Tristan has used through the years to manage stress, including mantra.How letting go is so important in meditation and why modern people need it. What meditation brings up that we need to let go of in order to go deeper.The surprising tool in meditation that deepens your practice.The story of how Tristan first visited Iceland and fell in love with the country, and meditation. What convinced Tristan to introduce technology into her meditation practice.Some of the amazing artists they have been able to collaborate with including Sigur Rós, and Ólafur Arnalds.Flow’s bread and butter thus far: providing subscription programs for companies.Why it is necessary for their to be an HR manager or someone in the company who advocates for meditation in the workplace.How everything happens for a reason to lead us to where we are today! Tweetables: “For me, it’s been meditation. Since the year 2000, I’ve been super dedicated and super passionate about meditation. Not only meditating myself, but also sharing meditation with others.” — Tristan Elizabeth Gribbin [0:04:55] “There’s a deep need. It’s a primal need to be able to just turn the mind off.” — Tristan Elizabeth Gribbin [0:08:45] “The good news is that the negativity isn’t true. Is it like an illusion or a lie that we tell ourselves? It just matters about coming back to what’s true. The truth of the matter is, there’s a tremendous amount of energy and a tremendous amount of love.” — Tristan Elizabeth Gribbin [0:15:08] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Tristan Elizabeth Gribbin on LinkedIn FlowMindvalleyVIVE

Season 2, Episode 1: Show Notes.How does a former F-16 pilot become a leader in delivering immersive healthcare applications? XRHealth CEO and Founder Eran Orr is changing the healthcare industry one virtual reality treatment room at a time. In the first episode of Season 2 of Good Vibes with VIVE, HTC Executive Pearly Chen speaks with Eran about his founder story, what inspired him to start XRHealth and improving quality of life for patients around the world. Join us to learn how XRHealth is making healthcare more equitable and accessible for patients and clinicians.Key Points From This Episode:The personal experience that inspired Eran to found XRHealth.Skills that Eran learned as an F-16 pilot which have been invaluable on his entrepreneurial journey. Complexities that Eran and his team have been faced with while transitioning from a tech company to a healthcare provider.Eran’s predictions for the future of healthcare.Major benefits of the VR healthcare model as opposed to the traditional brick-and-mortar model.Conditions that are currently being successfully treated using the XRHealth approach.The mindset shift that has taken place because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how this is working in favor of XRHealth.Eran explains how the process of entering and being treated in a XRHealth VR treatment room works. The surprising age of patients making use of XRHealth’s facilities.Exciting advancements that XRHealth is going to be rolling out in the near future.Examples of situations where using AR rather than VR would improve patient outcomes.Eran’s thoughts about the future of the metaverse. Tweetables:“In the Israeli Air Force, it’s very profound that you need to learn from your mistakes, and then go back out there and try to get better, but you will make mistakes again. I think that’s very, very similar to the entrepreneur life.” — @EranOrr [0:06:41]“Think about how many people worldwide don’t have access to health care. They’re not even close to a place where they can get quality care. Suddenly with this technology, anyone can get amazing care. Anyone, anywhere, anytime.” — @EranOrr [0:14:46]“We as human beings, we need a holistic approach to get better. It’s not a single app, or a single exercise or a single device. You need to look at your recovery, or your process dealing with a chronic condition in a holistic way.” — @EranOrr [0:20:46]Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:XRHealthEran Orr on LinkedInPearly Chen on TwitterVIVE

A warm welcome back to another episode of Good Vibes with Vive! Today we're bringing you something a little different: in honor of the closing of 2021 and the final episode of this season, this installment is dedicated to the nine incredible guests who have previously shared their expertise and wisdom with us. We asked each of them to share their professional and personal takeaways for 2021 and how they predict VR will make an impact on society in 2022! Key Points From This Episode: Hear how Inga Petryaevskaya, founder and CEO of Tvori, sees VR blooming in productivity and daily activity spaces. Dr. Ramses Alcaide of Neurable comments on empathy and harnessing brain signals to interact with the digital world.  Gabriel Jones, co-founder and CEO of Proprio Vision, shares the exciting ways VR will be adopted more into the healthcare sector.  Erica Woolsey, CEO and founder of Hydrous, dives into increasing accessibility and lowering barriers to entry.  What Kyle Jackson, CEO and founder of Tailspin's key learnings are; coming from a people-first perspective. Hear CEO and founder of Prisms of Reality, Anurupa Ganguly's hugely positive results in reimagined math education through VR. Hear from Keita Funakawa, co-founder and COO of Nanome, about how AR technology will soon give society what it wants. Some big predictions from Jonathon Gagne of Masterpiece Studio about demand, content, and acceleration.Chris Brickler, CEO and co-founder of MyndVR, shares exciting insights of a future with continuous advancements in VR. Tweetables: “You're going to see that the metaverse isn't just about living in this virtual game, it's about, how do we digitally connect with one another better? How do we connect with them in a three-dimensional way that feels more natural, and allows us to connect?” — @BrinxSoftware   [0:40:31] “As I reflect on 2021, I think a lot about adaptability and how it's so important to not only accept limitations, but embrace them, and even celebrate them. Because those limitations are incredible inspiration for innovation.” — @ErikaWoolseyPhD  [0:17:35]Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Inga Petryaevskaya on LinkedIn  Tvori  Dr. Ramses Alcaide on LinkedIn  NeurableGabriel Jones on LinkedIn  Proprio Vision Erika Woolsey on LinkedIn  The Hydrous Kyle Jackson on LinkedIn Talespin  Anurupa Ganguly on LinkedIn Prisms of Reality Keita Funakawa on LinkedInNanomeJonathan Gagne on LinkedInMasterpieceVR Chris Brickler on LinkedInMyndVRPearly Chen on TwitterVIVE

Many of us associate virtual reality (VR) with gaming and view it as something from the future. Today's guest is challenging these assumptions with her latest innovation, ShapesXR. Founder and CEO of Tvori, Inga Petryaevskaya, talks to us about how she came up with the idea of ShapesXR, a creation and collaboration platform for XR content and experiences in the metaverse. We discuss the benefits of working in real-time in 3D, sharing the environment with other creators, and why we are all creatives in our own way. Inga demonstrates the ease of use of ShapesXR with anecdotes about her daughters using the platform for their school projects and describes to us how they built the platform to meet your needs as you grow in confidence and skill. We find out what Inga’s goals are for Tvori and ShapesXR, and how they link to other tools currently available. Tune in to find out where the world of VR is going and the stage the metaverse is at now. Don’t miss out on this glimpse into the not-so-distant future with a masterclass in ShapesXR!  Key Points From This Episode: Welcome to Inga Petryaevskaya, founder and CEO of Tvori Inc., and her latest project: ShapesXR. How the slogan “Anyone can tell a story”, drove the development of ShapesXR. Why it’s important to build 3D content in a 3D world.  The focus of ShapesXR at the moment: XR Teams and UI UX. What her family’s support means to Inga and how she manages her job and her family time.  The ease of use of Tvori: how Inga’s older daughter used it for her school projects. Developing ShapesXR for the most efficient use, and the goal of the one-hour limit.  The misconceptions Inga wants to debunk around VR. How 2D tools can be used in combination with ShapesXR to create content. What the metaverse is right now and how it compares to the internet 20 years ago.  Inga's journey to entrepreneurship: it's a marathon, not a sprint, and addressing the use of VR for productivity and not just gaming. The ultimate goal for Tvori: building a tool that is loved by millions.  What tools Inga uses to present her ideas to investors and recruits.  How the name “ShapesXR” was created. Shaping your stories: Inga’s advice to young creators.  Tweetables: “People keep calling us ‘Veterans of VR’. Probably we are indeed veterans because we pushed our very first session on Steam in 2016.” — @ingatvori [0:01:54] “The mission that I'm trying to push is more about VR for productivity, for people who have to do their work more efficiently, have more fun doing that and being more creative than really like this everyday VR.” — @ingatvori [0:18:18] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Inga Petryaevskaya on LinkedIn Inga Petryaevskaya on Twitter Tvori ShapesXR Pearly Chen on Twitter VIVE VIVE Focus 3

The ocean provides more than half of the oxygen in our atmosphere, contains 80% of the planet’s biodiversity, and if it were an economy it would be the eighth largest in the world! If you have spent any time in this massive expanse of blue, you’ll know the power and magic that lies within it.  Today’s guest is on a mission to make sure that you get that opportunity. Scientist, divemaster, marine biologist, virtual reality filmmaker, and National Geographic Explorer, Erika Woolsey is the founder of non-profit organization, The Hydrous. The Hydrous uses virtual reality technology to recreate ocean experiences and inspire the next generation of ocean explorers, who will play a vital role in protecting our ocean,  our planet and our species. Join us as we take a dive into the depths of the magnificent and still largely undiscovered underwater world.Key Points From This Episode:●  Sobering learnings that Erika had during the 7 years she spent studying the Great Barrier Reef.●  Goals that Erika hopes to achieve through her non-profit, The Hydrous.●  Physiological changes that occur within us when we are underwater.●  The power of the ocean in shaping our planet and our lives.●  A brief explanation of each of the seven ocean literacy principles. ●  How little we know about the ocean that sustains us.●  Human activities that are severely harming coral reefs.●  Decade of Ocean Empathy; a partnership between The Hydrous and the United Nations. ●  An explanation of Erika’s film project, Immerse. ●  Erika’s experience at National Geographic’s Virtual Reality Theatre. ●  Explore; one of Erika’s recent ventures.●  The augmented reality project that Erika has brought to life through a collaboration with the Smithsonian Institute and Adobe.●  Examples of how virtual/augmented reality ocean immersions can change people’s lives. Tweetables:“If the ocean were an economy, it would be the eighth largest economy in the world. Unfortunately, it’s also very much out of sight, out of mind, as well as under-protected and overexploited.” — @ErikaWoolseyPhD  [0:12:07]“That sense of exploration and pushing limits; that can be done on this planet. You don’t have to go into outer space to make incredible discoveries.” — @ErikaWoolseyPhD [0:19:07]“Not only do corals have climate change to worry about, they are also severely impacted by the effects of overfishing and marine pollution and habitat destruction . . . it’s important to, while we combat climate change, also look at marine protection.” — @ErikaWoolseyPhD  [0:22:54]Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Erika Woolsey and The HydrousImmerseExploreThe Decade of Ocean Empathy Coral Collection21st Century Mermaids Podcast on Instagram and Apple Podcasts Blue Mind by Wallace J. NicholsVirtual Human Interaction LabUnited Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development

Welcome back to Good Vibes with VIVE! Today’s topic is math education, and our guest has  a super compelling story to share. Anurupa Ganguly is the CEO and founder of Prisms of Reality, where she is reimagining math education using VR technology. According to various studies, the interest around careers in STEM is significantly low, and Anurupa attributes this to the lack of application and physical understanding embedded in our education system. She believes that the VR technology Prisms of Reality has created will bridge this gap. It is a mission-driven methodology, where students can learn the abstraction that is often missing in education. During this episode, she weighs in on why problem-based learning was not a feasible method for teachers, how the pandemic has highlighted the need for innovative technology in education, and why now is the best time to take radical steps in VR. She also shares the hands-on process that they have followed to equip teachers to introduce the VR headsets into their classrooms and which channels of support and training they are focusing on, before touching on the Sandbox they are building as a support tool for their existing technology. We hope you join us today to hear all this and more!  Key Points From This Episode:An introduction to today’s guest, Anurupa Ganguly.Some of the staggeringly low statistics around high schoolers’ interest in careers in STEM.What Anurupa observed as a math teacher and interacting with students within that space.Why it is necessary for a child to have a vision for how they will use the knowledge they gain.How Prisms of Reality provides real life scenarios to illustrate application to students.Why she describes the product as being mission-driven rather than game-driven.How they are working to teach children abstraction which is usually missing in education.Why problem-based learning was not a feasible method for teachers.How the pandemic has highlighted the need for technology in learning.Why now is the time to take the radical step towards VR: there is funding for it!Which channels of support and training they are focusing on with the buyer driving the value, district coordinator as leader and manager, and the end user being able to facilitate.What using the headsets looks like operationally and why you don’t need to use it everyday.What teachers have seen: that VR gets non-participating students to engage.Why Anurupa believes that VR is the most efficient way to teach core cognitive processes.Her ultimate vision for Prism: to become the best in class STEM learning program.Challenges and hopes for the future at Prism. Why she believes that being an education company rather than a VR one will lead to success. “If a child feels that my only role is to get the answer, perform on the test, and then that’s the end of the road for what my contribution looks like and I don’t have a vision for what I’m going to do with this afterwards. That’s of course going to be the end of their road.” — @anurupagang“We’re not game driven. We’re mission driven. It’s not a game that kids are playing, they’re solving a mission.” — @anurupaganguly [0:08:28]Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Anurupa Ganguly on TwitterAnurupa Ganguly on LinkedInAnurupa GangulyPrisms of Reality Pearly Chen on TwitterVIVE

Welcome back to Good Vibes with VIVE! Today’s discussion centers around 3D content creation and democratizing creativity, to allow everyone to create. Here to share his thoughts on the matter is Jonathan Gagne, CEO at Masterpiece Studio. Tune in to hear Jonathan’s explanation of today’s content creation pipeline and how VR makes it possible for everyone to take their creativity to the next level. He shares an example of a client who has created double the content at half the price through Masterpiece Studio, and explains why using the software is much easier than you think; and it’s accessible to everyone! Jonathan introduces us to the thorough process that his company follows to produce the products available to the public and predicts that, in the next five years, everything you see online will integrate a spatial component. We hope you join us today to hear all this and more!  Key Points From This Episode:An introduction to today’s topic: 3D content creation and democratizing creativity. Meet our guest, Jonathan Gagne, CEO at Masterpiece Studio. Jonathan unpacks what today’s creation pipeline looks like.How VR makes it possible to use your hands in a natural way instead of having a team.A recommendation to bring other apps into their software to create a real time asset.Simon Mahoney as a client example who has created double the content at half the price.His target audience: the 152 million creative professionals without 3D modeling skills.How everyone will be able to use this software; and it’s much easier than you think!His prediction that, in the next five years, everything will be online with a spatial component.What he is aiming for: making creativity accessible to everyone.Jonathan’s personal story of how he became interested in democratizing creativity.The process of education, research, prototyping, and product development.Why he has chosen to include a license in the product permissions structure.Moving from sales led to product led growth. Why you’d purchase a headset before investing in VR to take your content to the next level. How 5G enables really quick connections between servers.The future of Masterpiece Studio: new functionality in queue for production development, machine learning, and more!“There’s so much demand for creating 3D content, yet literally about one percent of creatives can actually create this content.” — @BrinxSoftware [0:01:27]“We don’t want you to have to have a whole team together just to make one asset, one 3D object. Let’s do it all yourself. Let’s use your hands in a natural way.” — @BrinxSoftware [0:06:24]“This is the first software in existence that has a full pipeline that’s easy to use, both in VR and not in VR.” — @BrinxSoftware [0:09:43] “You may not realize this at this moment but, in the next five years, all of your work is [still] going to be over the internet like it is today. It’s just going to have that spatial component.” — @BrinxSoftware [0:14:56]Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Jonathan Gagne on LinkedInJonathan Gagne on TwitterMasterpiece StudioPearly Chen on TwitterVIVE

Join us for a conversation about Brain Computer Interface with Dr. Ramses Alcaide of Neurable. He tells us about his mission to create a world without limitations by bringing neurotech to everyone. Dr. Alcaide shares how he developed an interest in using neurotech to allow everybody to participate equally, the differences between invasive and non-invasive methods of BCI, and the importance of understanding a user’s intent. We touch on the fears around BCI, its  shortcomings and the future of BCI. We hope you join us to hear all this and more today.An introduction to Dr. Ramses Alcaide, his work at Neurable, and why it is personal to him.Dr. Alcaide’s studies in control systems and electrical engineering for prosthetics at the University of Washington.The key gap between the brain-mind connection and devices that inspired his PhD at the University of Michigan.Why he created his company: to bring BCI and neurotech to everybody, remove limitations and allow everyone to participate equally.Two key buckets: invasive and non-invasive Brain Computer Interface systems. How brain data is gathered non-invasively: through electroencephalography, infrared, optics and more. Muscle activations as an additional way to gather information from the brain through EMG.Eye trackers, accelerometers, and other tools that can be built if you understand user intent.Enten headphones and the soft fabric electrodes embedded into them. Dr. Alcaide addresses concerns that BCI is outlandish. How human advancement happens: through communicating better, or understanding yourself better.Key aspects of BCI: passive controls and active controls. The goal to create a seamless and invisible interface that’s able to be predictive and help you before you need to reach out for help. Neurable’s aim to integrate neurotech into everyday devices.Five areas that Brain Computer Interfaces have had shortcomings in: function, cost, societal fit, comfort, and user experience.Roadblocks to user experience: calibration, positioning, and response rate.Dr. Alcaide’s thoughts on the future of BCI in education and entertainment.How BCI could be integrated into the future of game design. What businesses should know about leveraging BCI: leveraging the best times to work, creating customized learning for individual learners.“My uncle got into a trucking accident and lost both his legs. I saw him work and struggle through the unnaturalness of his prosthetic systems and that inspired me to develop my time towards creating technology that would help those that are differently abled.” — @RamsesAlcaide [0:02:03]“The short answer is, the people are right, it is crazy, it is outlandish, it is out there, but that’s why we should do it. You need to be able to push those frontiers.”  @RamsesAlcaide [0:12:30]“What we’re doing here at Neurable is helping everybody right now. How do we find really key, critical, non-invasive solutions that can really help an individual either communicate now in their lives or understand themselves better in their lives.” — @RamsesAlcaide [0:13:05]Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Neurable Enten Headphones Dr. Ramses Alcaide on LinkedInDr. Ramses Alcaide on Twitter Pearly Chen on Twitter VIVE

Today’s surgeons must operate with outdated technologies under pressure, which requires a surgeon to constantly switch their focus in order to interpret static 2D information in a dynamic 3D space in high-stake environments that require precision and accurate live data.   In this episode, Pearly Chen talks with Proprio CEO Gabriel Jones about the inspiration behind Proprio and how the company’s tech is leading the way towards a future of better surgical outcomes. Proprio is a surgical navigation company that superpowers surgeons by combining XR, computer vision, machine learning and robotics. Episode 04: Show Notes Today, we’ll cover how XR can transform medicine, specifically surgeries, by giving surgeons the superpower to see and work better for patients.  Tune in to hear how Proprio brings world class medical care to every human. Key Points From This Episode:  An introduction to Proprio and how the company enhances a surgeons’ abilities. Proprio is tackling challenges in the operating rooms with new technological breakthroughs and creating new opportunities.  How Proprio is elevating surgeons so they can actually begin to think about new, innovative treatments and approaches in their work.  Surgeons have begun to grow accustomed to this technology and begin to adapt to this new operating way.  Proprio has brought joyness and delight to many doctors, which is rare in medicine.  Proprio is the only company to apply rendering techniques in the operating room and diminished the use of X-Rays, which subsequently put surgeons at risk for developing cancer.  Proprio gives surgeons more natural interfacing tools to enhance performance, it is also smarter, better, faster and cheaper so  medical operations are as simple and effective as possible.   Gabriel closes with his personal motives behind building a company to address problems in the surgery industry.  Tweetables: “This is similar to the concept of calm design that I think Proprio is really at the forefront of, which is technology at its best where it's designed really, really well and very thoughtfully implemented should just melt away.” - @aGabrielJones [0:09:18] “Overall, we think technology can help bring the physician back to the direct interaction through technology with the patient. I think that should be our overarching goal, not just to implement technology for the sake of selling a product or launching something that's really cool.” - @aGabrielJones [0:10:42] “So if we could reduce the need for surgeries like that and not be over-focused on driving more surgery, that's not the goal. The goal is perfection. If you're going to do surgery, get it as close to perfection as you possibly can. I think the data and computation is really one of the best ways to, over time, achieve a little bit more of that perfection.” - @aGabrielJones [0:25:08] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Proprio website Gabriel Jones on LinkedIn Gabriel Jones on Twitter Pearly Chen on Twitter HTC VIVE website HTC VIVE on LinkedIn HTC VIVE on Twitter HTC VIVE on Instagram HTC VIVE on Facebook

The World Economic Forum forecasts that over one billion jobs will be radically transformed in the coming decade, and no doubt, Covid has accelerated that. How do we upskill the global workforce in a time defined by such rapid change and technology? HTC Executive Pearly Chen sat down with Kyle Jackson, founder and CEO of Talespin, a skills mobility company that VIVE has been lucky enough to invest in. Tune in to our conversation to hear about Kyle's prolific entrepreneurial journey driven by infinite curiosity and defined by tackling difficult paradigm-shifting problems. You’ll hear the story of how Talespin came into being, using VR simulation as an educational tool, and why the skills mobility problem affects everyone in the workforce -- leaving listeners with some memorable pearls of wisdom.  Key Points From This Episode:An introduction to Kyle Jackson, founder and CEO of skills mobility company Talespin.What led him to work in the re-skilling space after starting in 3D animation.What he learned solving tough problems during that transition: workflow innovation, new business models interrupting the old, leapfrogging technologies, and more.The story of how Talespin came into being, from hypothesis to launch.Kyle gives us a breakdown of the skills mobility concept.Why he believes that the resume system is not fit for purpose anymore.How the participatory nature of Talespin allows you to more accurately assess skills.The complexities that cannot be brought across on a resume.VR simulation as a hugely efficient educational tool and the insights Kyle learned.Why the skills mobility problem affects everyone in the workforce.What he has learnt in hindsight: you have to be relentless on workflow innovation in the early days of content ecosystems.Content scaling and optimization on the soft skill and hard skill sides.Why it is so important that a release is flexible in the hands of the end user. The skills provided by Talespin and how users can track their own development.What they are working on next: a visual language to communicate development.What he is most excited about for the future of Talespin: the ecosystem model with publishers, the subject matter experts that keep involving themselves in it.Kyle’s advice for listeners.Tweetables: “The resume system is not fit for purpose anymore. The jobs underneath us are moving too quickly to use a backwards looking lens of multiple years to prove that we’re the right fit for this opportunity right in front of us.” — @kjplanet [0:06:58]“The idea is, if we can actually prove that people have skills by their participation in this content, then maybe that becomes the new resume.” — @kjplanet [0:07:45]“We all are way more complex than our resume reads and some of that complexity is exactly what companies need, and exactly what projects need, but it never would come through on a resume.” — @kjplanet [0:07:57]“When we’re thinking of the skills mobility problem, it’s not an isolated problem only for young people. It’s something that’s going to affect everyone that’s in the workforce.” — @kjplanet [0:16:10]  Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Kyle Jackson on Twitter Kyle Jackson on LinkedIn Talespin Pearly Chen on Twitter VIVE

Here today to unpack how immersive interfaces support drug research and development is Keita Funakawa, founder and COO of Nanome. Join us to hear about the first application that Nanome set out to mainstream; drug discovery, and how they are bringing their vision to bring science into a collaborative, intuitive, and obvious space. You’ll also learn about Harvard’s study into how VR can support chemistry education, and what it has been like for Keita to work with big pharmaceutical companies with a product he built right out of school. We touch on quantum computing, and discuss the COVID19 supercomputing project Nanome has been involved with, before talking about the AI generated potential therapeutics analyzed by humans in virtual reality. Nanome reaches far and wide, from being used to analyze battery cells, to integrations in the food and beverage industry. Keita shares a bit about these relationships, and reveals the details of his funding journey during the pandemic. We hope you join us to hear all this and more today!  Key Points From This Episode:The first application that Nanome set out to mainstream: drug discovery.An introduction to our guest, Keita Funakawa.Nanome’s vision for what science ought to look like: collaborative, intuitive, and obvious.How education forms part of the vision to lower the barrier to entry to complex data. Harvard’s study into how VR can support chemistry education.What it has been like working with big pharmaceutical companies with a product they built just out of school.Nanome’s role in enabling scientists to make mistakes early and virtually.How they are starting to integrate with quantum computers and quantum results.The COVID19 supercomputing project that simulates what would happen with different drugs.The AI-generated potential therapeutics for COVID19 analyzed by humans in virtual reality.How Nanome is being used to analyze battery cells.The food and beverage industry’s relationship with Nanome’s technology.What vision they are building for: a world where everyone has a VR or AR headset.Nanome’s investor and funding journey during the pandemic.How seeing Google Hardboard for the first time changed everything for Keita.“We’re very mission-driven about what science ought to look like, and we know that science ought to look collaborative, it ought to look intuitive, it ought to look obvious. These are some of the problems, a lot of science isn’t like that right now.” — @KeitaWF [0:04:37]“It is very much within our vision and passion to lower the barrier to entry to these types of complex data and science, as a whole. Education has also been a pretty big part of this.” — @KeitaWF [0:05:46]“What does the next generation scientific interface look like when everybody has a VR or AR headset just like they do a smartphone? That’s the vision that we’re building for.” — @KeitaWF [0:25:00]Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Keita Funakawa on TwitterKeita Funakawa on InstagramKeita Funakawa on LinkedInNanomeNanome on YouTubePearly Chen on TwitterVIVE