Google Cardboard
It may seem odd for google to talk about updates to an ultra-cheap VR headset that was announced in passing at the end of last year’s I/O. At the time, it seemed like a fun little thing that Google wouldn’t follow up on and after 6 months and a handful of apps, it seemed like that was exactly the case.
However, towards the end of last year, Google announced a new Unity sdk for writing cardboard apps. Additionally, they added a Cardboard compatible section to Google Play and introduced a Google Cardboard certified program for officially supported, 3rd party viewers. This made it clear that google actually plans to take cardboard further. I wouldn’t be surprised if eventually there were more premium models.
At there were really two interesting things.
A new version of Cardboard
A new camera rig for 360 degree video.
New version of cardboard
Supports phones up to 6"
New input button (not a magnet any more)
iOS support
Nothing here is that groundbreaking. Just more compatibility.
Jump
More interestingly, google announced an open source hardware design for a rig to shoot 360 degree videos.
The whole project, called Jump, has 3 parts
Custom camera rig
Assembler
Viewer
Custom rig
The custom rig consists of 16 cameras arranged in a circle which geometry that google claims is the best for stitching later. The design for the rig will be out there for anyone (but probably mostly companies) to build and play with. Additionally GoPro will be working with google to bulid and eventually sell a Jump ready rig that will handle the synchronization of the streams, exposure control, etc.
Go Pro Rig:
[image: 3pwoKPU.png?1]
Assembler
In order to actually get a 360 degree video, those 16 camera feeds obviously need to be stitched together. This is extremely expensive. “1000s of computers” says google. Google will be making it’s assembler available to a hand picked group of video makers this summer. It sounds like they will eventually make it available more broadly, but it was not entirely clear, although an open camera design seems weird if you need a google-scale assembler that you don’t have access to. We’ll have to wait and see.
Viewer
Lastly, in order to actually watch the videos, you need a viewer. Where would you watch videos related to Google? YouTube, of course.
Youtube has already added a 360 degree video section on at least the Android App. You can watch the video and use your phone as a view port into the center of the scene. It feels a lot like a video version of a photosphere (I guess because it literally is…).
It’s a neat little thing, although it’s not the VR I would expect. However, the keynote seemed hopeful. Clay Bavor kept using the term “VR Video” and talking about “stereoscopic video.” Therefore, we should expect to eventually see Cardboard-enabled video on YouTube, and then we’ll truly be able to step into the scene.
