Vuze VR Camera, Software Suite Bolstered By Content Creation Technology Partnerships

HumanEyes announced partnerships with VisiSonics and WakingApp to expand the software suite that comes bundled with the Vuze 360-degree 3D camera.

In late 2015, leading up to CES 2016, a 3D computer vision company called HumanEyes reached out to introduce us to Vuze, its affordable and portable 3D 360-degree camera with an easy to use software solution.

In May, the company opened pre-orders for the Vuze camera, which led us to believe progress was on track for an end-of-2016 launch. Unfortunately, things don’t always go as planned in the world of hardware development. Last November, HumanEyes announced that the delivery date for the Vuze camera would slip into March 2017.

HumanEyes said it delayed the release of the Vuze to improve the product. “We have not taken this decision lightly, and we made it to ensure your experience with the Vuze camera is nothing but the best. We appreciate your continued support and patience,” read the announcement.

The company didn’t elaborate what those improvements might be, but we suspect the delay had something to do with today’s announcement: During CES 2017, HumanEyes revealed two partnerships that bring improved technology to the company’s editing suite.

HumanEyes always had a plan to include a full software suite along with the camera. In fact, the HumanEyes VR Studio video editing software might be more impressive than the camera itself.

The Vuze camera captures the scene with eight cameras. The eight raw feeds must be stitched together to create a 360-degree video, and that’s where HumanEyes’ expertise lies. The company created a technique called Adaptive Blending, which helps stitch videos clips together with as little distortion as possible.

That stitching, though, is but one part of making compelling immersive video content. The sound profile of immersive content is just as important, if not more, as the video quality. To that end, HumanEyes partnered with VisiSonics to “add advanced 3D audio capabilities” to the VR Studio suite. 

VisiSonics licensed the “advanced 3D audio capabilities” of its RealSpace 360 Cinema software to HumanEyes to integrate directly into VR Studio. VisiSonics’ technology generates the “perception of real source direction, distance, depth, and movement relative to the listener” and lets you place the source of the audio anywhere in 3D space. HumanEyes leverages VisiSonics’ technology to convert the audio recordings from Vuze’s multiple microphones into spherical “ambisonic” sound.

HumanEyes also formed a partnership with WakingApp to included WakingApp’s ENTiTi VR/AR creation tools with the Vuze camera bundle. ENTiTi allows “non-programmers” to import 3D objects, sounds, and pictures into HumanEyes' VR Studio. ENTiTi is designed to offer a simple, drag-and-drop interface that lets anyone of any skill level create interactive VR content.

“The influx of user generated VR content, made possible by the Vuze camera, will stimulate adoption of VR headsets across the industry," said Jim Malcolm, General Manager of HumanEyes Technologies. "These new owners of VR headsets can now create immersive 3D-360 VR experiences, complete with advanced 3D audio and AR integration, without having to learn complicated computer programming languages."

HumanEyes wrangled together a pretty compelling software package to go along with the Vuze camera. The company’s VR Studio software with the proprietary stitching algorithms and near one-to-one processing time, combined with VisiSonics' and WakingApp's respective VR technologies give you a great starting point to create immersive video experiences, but the company isn’t stopping there. HumanEyes said there’s more to come for Vuze in 2017.

“The partnership and new capabilities we have announced at CES are just the beginning of an ever-expanding VR ecosystem,” said Malcolm. “Throughout 2017, we will announce new capabilities and services designed to democratize the creation and sharing of 3D-360 VR content, putting true VR creation within reach of prosumers and consumers alike.”

The Vuze camera and software suite are scheduled to ship on March 7, 2017. The company is accepting pre-orders for the $800 device.