BATTEN Girls release volumetric video-based dance video

BATTEN Records, the private music label of the BATTEN Girls, has released a new dance video called OiSa Volumetric Video ver..

This video is created using a high-resolution 3D space created from image data that comes from 100 specialised 4K cameras and Canon's volumetric technology. The result can be enjoyed from different 3D perspectives. 

Instead of stitching together multiple images from different cameras, volumetric video creates a 3D space using data from captured images. This enables video to be generated from any viewpoint within the space.

Canon created a dedicated studio for the technology in Kawasaki in July 2020.

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View OiSa Volumetric Video ver. - the making of and the original BATTEN Girls OiSa music video.

Fuji Xerox delivers primer on 3D printing in Singapore

Ying asking for a show of hands on familiarity with additive manufacturing.

Those who would like to get on board with 3D printing can easily find resources to help them in Singapore, said Eugene Ying, 3D Sales Manager, Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific during Fuji Xerox DocuWorld in Singapore.

The technology is fast becoming commercialised, Ying noted. He said that Airbus is already using 3D printed parts, for example. The company said in September 2017 that it installed a titanium 3D-printed bracket on an in-series production A350 XWB aircraft. Prior to that, 3D-printed parts like metal printed cabin brackets and bleed pipes had been in use on Airbus A320neo and A350 XWB test aircraft. 

The 4 'C's of 3D printing.

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is taking off as it can cut costs and lead time in manufacturing applications, Ying explained. He introduced the four 'C's of 3D printing benefits, namely cost of error, compression of time, creativity, and confidentiality. Fewer errors are made with a 3D prototype in hand, as opposed to a virtual model viewed on-screen; any errors can also be rectified quickly by reprinting the model and checking if the model works. The manufacturing and design process is shortened as a result, and everything is kept confidential as the 3D printer is normally on-premise, Ying elaborated.

"Once you've spotted that something is wrong with the design, you can change it straight away," he said. "You can test it immediately."

In Singapore, various institutions are offering help with 3D printing, Ying shared:

The National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (Namic)

"All the big guns are coming in to support Namic," Ying said. "You can attend their annual summit to get much more information about additive manufacturing and trends."

Additive Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC)

This is a centre of excellence set up jointly by the Singapore EDB and Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP). It is located within Nanyang Polytechnic, and offers training for additive manufacturing, Ying said.

Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre (ARTC)

An A*Star initiative, the ARTC covers all aspects of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) in the supply chain for the aviation space.

Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech)

Another A*Star initiative, this organisation helps companies to adopt additive manufacturing.

Singapore Centre of 3D Printing (SC3DP)

This organisation will secure funding to buy new technology so that Singapore organisations can gain experience on it. Nanyang Technological University (NTU) students have designed drones with 3D printing from SC3DP for final year projects, Ying said.

The technology has clear use cases in many industries, such as in healthcare, where relatively high-value items which are small and require a lot of customisation can be 3D-printed. Ying listed hearing aids and dental crowns as ideal candidates for 3D-printing, as well as facsimiles of body parts to help surgeons plan operations. A hearing aid that takes nine steps to manufacture traditionally can be done in three steps with 3D printing, he said, with the entire weeks-long process compressed into a day. 

"You can't duplicate the part. Everybody's ear is different. Everybody is different," Ying said.

In manufacturing, 3D printing is used for rapid prototyping, as well as parts for various stages in the manufacturing cycle, such as machining and assembly. "The 3D printer gets the job because it cuts manufacturing and design time down," he said.

For the automotive industry, companies such as BMW have switched to 3D-printed parts as they can be customised easily and are lighter, Ying said. BMW stated online that 3D printing has become the absolute standard for prototypes. BMW's website introduces the new BMW i8 Roadster and shares that the mounting for the top cover "would not have been possible using a traditional casting process". "Now the 3D printed car part is stronger and weighs less," BMW said online.

The jewellery industry has also embraced 3D printing as time-consuming, labour-intensive processes can be eliminated, while higher-tolerance variations and more complex geometries can be introduced. "You can keep changing your design," Ying said.

Aerospace players have also invested in 3D-printed parts. In November 2017 Boeing has 3D-printed parts for missiles, helicopters and airplanes. Richard Aston, Senior Technical Fellow at Boeing, said in an article on the Boeing website that "Reduction of piece parts and part weight can be achieved through appropriate implementation of additive manufacturing, while simultaneously improving system performance".

"The technology is advancing every day. New applications are identified and new technoloy with new materials for these applications," concluded Ying. "Today it's your idea. Tomorrow you can build it straight away."

The key guiding principle to remember, he said, is to buy a 3D printer from a reputable brand. "Accuracy is very important," he said.

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Ying recommended that interested parties attend the Namic Maritime & Energy Summit on 17 April.

Read the TechTrade Asia blog posts on Fuji Xerox DocuWorld:

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post on why small businesses should look at sustainability

Hashtag: #FXD2018

Your Windows device is going to help you get more creative really soon

Source: Microsoft. The possibilities of Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, sketched on a Microsoft Surface by Michael Mindflyer.

Microsoft has announced that the free Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will start rolling out to Windows 10 users worldwide, starting today. The fourth major update to Windows 10 is all about creativity, and is engineered to bring mixed reality and 3D to Windows users, enhancing gaming, audiovisual content and mixed reality.

Some highlights include:

Windows Ink gets better

With the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, users can now ink directly onto PDFs. Smart Ink also allows users to make squares more easily, or automatically turn doodled boxes into a proper table.

Create in 3D

"3D will offer the next major boost to human productivity, enabling a next generation of computing that moves far beyond the 2D world we’ve been confined to. This is so powerful because 3D is truly representative of the world you live in – improving the way you comprehend, retain, and learn," said Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate VP, Windows and Devices Group, Microsoft in a blog post.

Microsoft Paint users can now migrate to Paint 3D, where they can create and share 3D objects. 3D objects are supported by Microsoft Office - rotate and animate objects within documents and presentations.

Source: Microsoft blog. This is what Windows Mixed Reality can do.

See 3D creations in the real world

With Mixed Reality Viewer, users can view 3D objects in the real world and snap pictures of the virtual 3D objects using the world-facing camera on the PC. This is part of Microsoft's push to introduce the world of Windows Mixed Reality.

For accurate immersion in a virtual world, virtual reality technology often needs to track where a user is looking, for example by mounting cameras around a room. Acer, Dell, HP, and Lenovo are launching the first Windows Mixed Reality headsets, which come bundled with advanced motion controllers. "Windows Mixed Reality headsets are the only headsets that don’t require you to drill holes into your walls and you can take them on the go," said Mehdi.

Acer and HP will offer Windows Mixed Reality Headsets with motion controllers; the Lenovo Explorer headset is ergonomically designed; and the Dell Visor features 1,440 x 1,440 LCD panels for a sharp and smooth 360° panoramic experience. Samsung’s just-launched US$499 mixed reality headset, the Samsung HMD Odyssey, will be available November 6. The Samsung HMD Odyssey has dual AMOLED high-resolution displays, a 110-degree field of view, built-in premium AKG headphones, and integrated six degrees of freedom (DOF) inside-out position tracking.

The headsets will be supported by Windows Mixed Reality PCs and Windows Mixed Reality Ultra PCs. Windows Mixed Reality PCs refer to desktops and laptops with integrated graphics. When plugged into these devices, the new immersive headsets will run at 60 frames per second. 

Windows Mixed Reality Ultra PCs are desktops and laptops with discrete graphics. Discrete graphics is typically more powerful than integrated graphics. When plugged into these devices, the headsets will run at 90 frames per second, which would deliver a smoother experience.

Save disk space

All files in OneDrive can now be accessed On-Demand, whether they have been synched to the PC or not. In essence, the files will appear in the File Explorer window without taking up any storage space on the PC hard disk.

Explore:

The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update can be experienced on a wide variety of Windows 10 PCs and on the new Windows Mixed Reality headsets. The headsets begin at US$399. 

A calendar created in partnership with Singapore-based illustrator Michael Mindflyer provides a painless way to adopt a creative mindset over 21 days while getting to know the Fall Creators Update better. Day 1: start a creative checklist in Microsoft OneNote, and start doodling with Windows Ink's SketchPad on day 2. Download a high-resolution version of the calendar (PDF).

The LG 360 CAM now supports Spatial Audio

Source: LG. The LG 360 CAM now supports Spatial Audio.

The LG 360 CAM, the world’s first compact 360-degree camera, can now provide Spatial Audio through a software update. According to LG, the LG 360 CAM is the world’s first compact 360-degree camera to support both YouTube Spatial Audio and 360-degree video in a single camera solution.

Equipped with three microphones, the LG 360 CAM is one of very few 360-degree cameras providing a horizontal surround sound experience. With the addition of our software update, the sound experience goes even one step further to immersive 3D for 360-degree and virtual reality (VR) videos. 

With Spatial Audio, the sound changes depending upon which direction the viewer of the video turns, just as if he or she were standing in the centre of the video. The sounds will seem to be coming from real physical objects in the viewer’s surroundings.

Interested?

Watch a 360-degree video taken with Spatial Audio by the LG 360 CAM. Videos can be viewed on YouTube (Immersive Videos with Spatial Audio) and Facebook 360 as well as posted without the need for any special editing tools. For best results, use a good pair of headphones rather than stereo speakers.

LG G5 owners using 360 VR must upgrade to Android 7.0 Nougat to experience 360-degree videos with Spatial Audio. For V20 owners, an upcoming software update will provide Spatial Audio functionality.

Find out how to get the software update for the LG 360 CAM

Golden Village Multiplex first in Singapore to launch Auro 11.1 audio technology

Golden Village Multiplex is the first cinema operator in Singapore to support three-dimensional, immersive Auro 11.1 by Barco sound technology.

Long, Long Time Ago depicts
Singapore some 50 years back.

Auro 11.1 will thrill audiences at Golden Village Suntec City in Singapore with the launch of Jack Neo’s latest Chinese New Year comedy/ drama Long, Long Time Ago (我们的故事), which debuts 4 February. The film was natively mixed to take full advantage of the new immersive technology at Galaxy Studios Belgium.

Set in mid-to-late 1960s, just after Singapore gains independence, the story revolves around heroine Zhaodi going back to live with her parents in a kampong after she is widowed. The film charts key milestones in Singapore's history such as Singapore's first elections as Zhaodi (Aileen Tan) struggles for a better life for herself and her children.

Neo explains why he included Auro 11.1 by Barco support. 

Yesteryear has been lovingly reconstructed, down to kampong life, floods, fights and misunderstandings, and the concerns of the multi-ethnic society of the time. This will be a nostalgic journey for those who lived through the first decades of Singapore's independence, and an eyeopener to life then. Mark Lee shines as Zhaodi's strong-willed, straight-talking younger brother Ah Kun while Suhaimi Yusof as Osman provides additional comic relief.

Director Jack Neo highlighted the flood and fight scenes as being particularly evocative due to support for Auro 11.1 by Barco, and the viewer truly does feel in the thick of action.

Whether watched at Golden Village Suntec City or at another cinema, do stay right to the end, where photographs of the cast as children, and then of key business figures in Singapore when they were young are shared as the credits roll.

Graphic displayed on the screens at Golden Village Suntec City, showing how different speakers above and around the audience contribute to the Auro 11.1 by Barco experience.

Auro 11.1 by Barco brings three layers of speakers to convey sound from all around as well as above the viewer to create an impactful experience. Says Sebastian Fong, Manager, Projection Management, Golden Village Multiplex, “Visualisation has grown tremendously in recent years. On the other hand, the evolution of audio technology has been at a gradual pace. This makes Auro 11.1 by Barco a monumental evolution in the history of cinema audio technology. We understand that 50% of the movie experience relies on pitch-perfect audio, which makes it most gratifying for us to be the first cinema operator to launch Auro 11.1 in Singapore.”

Wilfried van Baelen explains how he conceptualised
Auro technology.

Wilfried van Baelen, CEO at Auro Technologies, added that Auro 11.1 by Barco can reproduce elusive "3d reflections" which are what is missing from sound reproduction today. Unlike other technologies where speakers are placed only on a horizontal plane and directly above, the Auro 11.1 by Barco system uses a speaker layout based on three axes (x=width, y=depth, z=height) and three vertical layers (surround, height, top) to provide a natural, true-to-life reproduction of sound.

More than 125 films today leverage on the new technology. Jeffrey Katzenberg, the CEO of DreamWorks Animation, has praised Auro 11.1 for offering the best cinematic experience to movie patrons. DreamWorks Animation’s latest film, Kung Fu Panda 3, is currently playing in theatres in Auro 11.1 by Barco.

Eddie Tan, General Manager, South East Asia Entertainment for Barco said: “Auro 11.1 by Barco is the apex of cinema audio. Every boom, swoop and whisper will be fully experienced, making your movie experience the ultimate adventure. Auro 11.1 gives film fans the biggest reason to watch movies within the theatres and not in the confines of their homes. We thank Golden Village for this partnership and for launching Auro 11.1 in Singapore.”

Interested?

Check the Golden Village website on how to experience Auro 11.1 by Barco at Golden Village Suntec City

View the list of movies which support Auro 11.1 by Barco. The technology can only be experienced in Singapore at Golden Village Suntec City

Watch the trailer for Long, Long Time Ago

Hashtag: #GVAuroBarco

Tinkr offers bespoke calligraphy pendants

Source: Tinkr website.

Tinkr is offering bespoke pendants based on actual handwriting, making them a unique corporate gift. 

From S$78, the company will create a pendant made up of up to two words in handwriting that is provided. Tinkr's own calligrapher Veronica Halim can also provide the calligraphy instead for S$98 and upwards. 

Source: Tinkr newsletter.

The pendants are available in brass, 18k gold plated, rose gold plated, and rhodium (silver tone) versions. 

Want to know more? 

Read a WorkSmart Asia blog post about Tinkr.

itSeez3D updates 3D scanner app for iPad

Source: itSeez3D page on the App Store.

ItSeez3D, a mobile scanning software maker, has updated to its 3D scanner application, also called itSeez3D. Designed to work with the Occipital Structure Sensor 3D sensor for mobile devices, itSeez3D now allows the iPad to create realistic full-body models from 3D scans.

The updated app provides a convenient tool for the 3D printing industry, allowing for the scanning of a colour figurine model in less than two minutes. A new option allows scanning of textures at more than 50% higher resolution.

The iPad app basically works with the Structure Sensor to collect 3D data of a scanned object, using the iPad's RGB camera as an additional source to collect images from multiple viewpoints. It then reconstructs the object's shape online to provide visual feedback and guide the user through the scanning process. Once scanning is complete, the app sends all data over to the cloud, where an algorithm stitches 3D point clouds and RGB images from multiple viewpoints into a single colour 3D model that is then sent back to the iPad. This model can be printed with a colour 3D printer.

According to Victor Erukhimov, CEO, itSeez, there is demand for 3D printing from industries that create figurines, virtual clothing and medical applications, including scanning for plastic surgery.

"itSeez3D provides a fast and easy way to capture a very realistic colour model of a human body," Erukhimov said. "We have invested a lot of thinking into making our cloud service convenient for integration with 3D printing and other practical use cases. We also believe there is a lot of potential for full body scanning in the entertainment industry. Eventually, 3D photos will become as essential as 2D photos are today."

The new version of the itSeez3D app is available for download in the App Store. The app is free for non-commercial use, while businesses are charged per printed model. Comments as of early February note that the scanner does not seem to work with the iPad Air 2.

Kickstarter focus: record direct from your phone to the computer

Recap S2 is a little device that attaches to a smartphone and saves a call to a computer or voice recorder, and its inventor hopes the world will fund its manufacture. 

Source: Kickstarter website

According to inventor Igor Ramos, Recap is easy to use as it works on any device with a combo port* and outputs into any with a standard stereo MIC port. 

"(A) Recap recording will be as good as the phone call quality," said Ramos on the Kickstarter page.

View the associated video here. 

*A combo port inputs sound from a mike and outputs audio. It is where the earphones with mike connects to mobile phones.