treadmill

Gadgets, Robotics & AI

“Revolutionary Innovations: Disney’s Virtual Reality Treadmill, OpenAI’s Resolution for ‘Lazy’ GPT-4, and Apple’s Stolen Device Safeguard”

On the agenda for this edition is Disney’s innovative VR treadmill, OpenAI fixing its “lazy” AI and MIT’s high-capacity, fast-charging organic battery tech. We also cover Apple’s new stolen device protection feature, AI startup Rabbit’s nifty hardware and app makers debating launching apps tailor-made for Apple’s Vision Pro headset. Apple’s new device protection: Romain writes about Apple’s new stolen device protection feature, which, when turned on, requires Face ID or Touch ID biometric authentication for some actions, like accessing stored passwords and credit cards. Vision Pro apps a maybe: After Netflix said it wouldn’t release a dedicated app for the Apple Vision Pro, other app makers, including YouTube, are following in its footsteps. Bonus roundLamborghini licenses MIT battery tech: Writing for TechCrunch+, Tim reports that Lamborghini has licensed new battery tech from MIT that could overcome the limitations of the lithium-ion batteries in wide use today.

Max Chen
January 27, 2024

Media & Entertainment

“Disney Presents a Sophisticated Answer to VR’s Movement Issue”

Disney Imagineer Makes History Disney Parks

I’ll never forget trying out an early version of the virtual reality treadmill in a hotel suite many E3s ago. The system, which features a concave platform and slippery shoes, was clever enough to influence Ready Player One’s take on the space. HoloTile — which recently made its YouTube debut at the end of a video honoring Disney Research fellow, Larry Smoot – is an extremely clever and honestly quite elegant solution to some of these issues. “I can walk on this omni directional floor in any direction I want,” Smoot says in the video. If it’s going to see the light of day, it seems likely that it will be as part of a Disney Parks VR experience.