TheBlu is a digital media franchise that utilizes virtual reality technology to create 3D-rendered, interactive simulations of underwater environments in the world's oceans. Iterations of TheBlu have appeared as applications for the Samsung Gear VR and HTC Viveheadsets and on the Steam and Oculus stores. In 2018, the most recent project in the franchise (TheBlu: Deep Rescue) was launched using the Dreamscape Immersive platform, allowing up to six users to engage in a location-based experience. TheBlu was initially released as an interactive web application and screensaver by Wevr in 2011.
TheBlu was originally conceived in 2010 by Neville Spiteri and Scott Yara, co-founders of Wemo Media (now known as Wevr).[1][2] It was launched as a web application and interactive screensaver in 2011.[3] The application allowed users to explore a virtual ocean that contained thousands of species of fish and other aquatic animals.[1] In May 2012, a version of TheBlu was featured on the large Nasdaq and Reuters screens in Times Square in New York City.[4] With TheBlu's companion mobile app, visitors could see fish swim from the screens to their phones.[5] The creators of TheBlu won the 2012 SXSW Accelerator Award for best entertainment startup.[6] In 2014, Wevr developed a virtual reality version of TheBlu app known as TheBluVR. It was among the first apps made available at the product launch of the Samsung Gear VR headset.[2][7]TheBluVR won the Proto Award for Best Educational VR Experience in 2015.[8]
In March 2015, a new virtual reality experience known as TheBlu: Encounter, which was co-created and directed by Jake Rowell, was unveiled at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. Exclusive to the HTC Vive headset at the time, TheBlu: Encounter allowed users to explore a shipwreck and eventually encounter a blue whale.[9]TheBlu: Encounter experience was a 2016 Sundance New Frontier selection.[10] It was later renamed TheBlu: Whale Encounter and packaged as part of a three-episode collection known as TheBlu: Season 1 in 2016.[11]Season 1 was awarded the Proto Award for Most Transportive Experience.[12]
In 2017, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHMLA) opened its first virtual reality program featuring TheBlu: An Underwater VR Experience.[13] In 2018, Wevr partnered with Dreamscape Immersive on its first story and location-based virtual reality experience known as TheBlu: Deep Rescue. First made available at the Westfield Century City mall in Los Angeles in December 2018, Deep Rescue allows up to six participants to engage in a 10-minute rescue mission to retrieve a baby whale.[14][15]
Education, Conservation, and Scienceedit
TheBlu has been recognized as a platform for ocean education and conservation and earned collaborations with organizations including Mission Blue. Dr. Sylvia Earle, National Geographic Explorer and Time Magazine’s Hero of the Planet, joined TheBlu advisory board in 2011.[16] At the Wild Aid 2012 annual gala a single virtual 3D blue whale from TheBlu was auctioned for $10,000 with proceeds going towards raising awareness for ocean conservation.[17] Dr. Luana Colloca of the University of Maryland conducts research on pain perception in the brain using virtual reality and TheBlu as a platform.[18][19]
Referencesedit
^ abVerrier, Richard (November 12, 2011). "Exploring the ocean in a new interactive medium". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
^ abFeltham, Jamie (March 2, 2015). "WEVR Bringing TheBluVR: Encounter To HTC Vive". VRFocus. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
^Schaefer, Samantha (November 24, 2011). "Diving into a digital ocean — literally". Southern California Public Radio. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
^Volpe, J. (February 19, 2016). "Wevr: The virtual reality studio you need to know". Engadget. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
^Watercutter, Angela (May 4, 2012). "Virtual Ocean theBlu Takes Social Interaction to New Depths". Wired. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
^. National Geographic Society Newsroom. 2012-05-03. Archived from the original on May 22, 2021. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
^Stark, Leigh D. (February 18, 2015). "A future on your face: Samsung's Gear VR reviewed". Gadget Guy. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
^Giardina, Carolyn (September 22, 2015). "Virtual Reality Spy Game 'I Expect You To Die' Tops Second Annual Proto Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
^Brewster, Signe (March 7, 2015). "Hands on with the HTC Valve Vive virtual reality headset". GigaOM. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
^"Sundance Institute Celebrates New Frontier 10th Anniversary at 2016 Festival". www.sundance.org. December 3, 2015. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
^Volpe, J. (April 5, 2016). "Got an HTC Vive? Now's your chance to swim with a blue whale". Engadget. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
^Giardina, Carolyn (October 8, 2016). "Proto Virtual Reality Awards Winners Revealed". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
^"L.A.'s Natural History Museum Takes Virtual Reality Plunge Into 'theBlu'". The Hollywood Reporter. 2017-03-03. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
^Roettgers, Janko (November 28, 2018). "AMC-Backed VR Startup Dreamscape Immersive Opens Los Angeles Location". Variety. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
^Roettgers, Janko (December 14, 2018). "How Wevr & Dreamscape Immersive Reinvented 'The Blu' for Location-Based VR". Variety. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
^"Sylvia Earle 'Delighted' To Join Board Of Advisors Of Ocean-Themed Web Media Property Theblu.com". Mission Blue. 2011-12-08. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
^"What's Big, Blue, Hopes To Save Our Planet And Is Not Facebook?". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
^. Magazine. 2019-12-17. Archived from the original on February 19, 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
External linksedit
Official website
Wevr official website
May 09, 2024
theblu, digital, media, franchise, that, utilizes, virtual, reality, technology, create, rendered, interactive, simulations, underwater, environments, world, oceans, iterations, have, appeared, applications, samsung, gear, vive, headsets, steam, oculus, stores. TheBlu is a digital media franchise that utilizes virtual reality technology to create 3D rendered interactive simulations of underwater environments in the world s oceans Iterations of TheBlu have appeared as applications for the Samsung Gear VR and HTC Vive headsets and on the Steam and Oculus stores In 2018 the most recent project in the franchise TheBlu Deep Rescue was launched using the Dreamscape Immersive platform allowing up to six users to engage in a location based experience TheBlu was initially released as an interactive web application and screensaver by Wevr in 2011 TheBluCreated byNeville Spiteri Scott Yara Jake Rowell Scott ReeserOriginal workTheBlu 2011 web application OwnerWevrYears2011 presentMiscellaneousWeb mobile appsTheBlu 2011 Virtual realityTheBluVR 2014 TheBlu Whale Encounter 2015 TheBlu Season 1 2016 TheBlu Deep Rescue 2018 Official websitewevr wbr com wbr theblu Contents 1 History 2 Education Conservation and Science 3 References 4 External linksHistory editTheBlu was originally conceived in 2010 by Neville Spiteri and Scott Yara co founders of Wemo Media now known as Wevr 1 2 It was launched as a web application and interactive screensaver in 2011 3 The application allowed users to explore a virtual ocean that contained thousands of species of fish and other aquatic animals 1 In May 2012 a version of TheBlu was featured on the large Nasdaq and Reuters screens in Times Square in New York City 4 With TheBlu s companion mobile app visitors could see fish swim from the screens to their phones 5 The creators of TheBlu won the 2012 SXSW Accelerator Award for best entertainment startup 6 In 2014 Wevr developed a virtual reality version of TheBlu app known as TheBluVR It was among the first apps made available at the product launch of the Samsung Gear VR headset 2 7 TheBluVR won the Proto Award for Best Educational VR Experience in 2015 8 In March 2015 a new virtual reality experience known as TheBlu Encounter which was co created and directed by Jake Rowell was unveiled at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco Exclusive to the HTC Vive headset at the time TheBlu Encounter allowed users to explore a shipwreck and eventually encounter a blue whale 9 TheBlu Encounter experience was a 2016 Sundance New Frontier selection 10 It was later renamed TheBlu Whale Encounter and packaged as part of a three episode collection known as TheBlu Season 1 in 2016 11 Season 1 was awarded the Proto Award for Most Transportive Experience 12 In 2017 the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County NHMLA opened its first virtual reality program featuring TheBlu An Underwater VR Experience 13 In 2018 Wevr partnered with Dreamscape Immersive on its first story and location based virtual reality experience known as TheBlu Deep Rescue First made available at the Westfield Century City mall in Los Angeles in December 2018 Deep Rescue allows up to six participants to engage in a 10 minute rescue mission to retrieve a baby whale 14 15 Education Conservation and Science editTheBlu has been recognized as a platform for ocean education and conservation and earned collaborations with organizations including Mission Blue Dr Sylvia Earle National Geographic Explorer and Time Magazine s Hero of the Planet joined TheBlu advisory board in 2011 16 At the Wild Aid 2012 annual gala a single virtual 3D blue whale from TheBlu was auctioned for 10 000 with proceeds going towards raising awareness for ocean conservation 17 Dr Luana Colloca of the University of Maryland conducts research on pain perception in the brain using virtual reality and TheBlu as a platform 18 19 References edit a b Verrier Richard November 12 2011 Exploring the ocean in a new interactive medium Los Angeles Times Retrieved February 8 2021 a b Feltham Jamie March 2 2015 WEVR Bringing TheBluVR Encounter To HTC Vive VRFocus Retrieved February 8 2021 Schaefer Samantha November 24 2011 Diving into a digital ocean literally Southern California Public Radio Retrieved February 8 2021 Volpe J February 19 2016 Wevr The virtual reality studio you need to know Engadget Retrieved February 8 2021 Watercutter Angela May 4 2012 Virtual Ocean theBlu Takes Social Interaction to New Depths Wired Retrieved February 8 2021 Write a Love Letter to the Ocean Get Your Tweet Shown in Times Square National Geographic Society Newsroom 2012 05 03 Archived from the original on May 22 2021 Retrieved 2021 04 05 Stark Leigh D February 18 2015 A future on your face Samsung s Gear VR reviewed Gadget Guy Retrieved February 8 2021 Giardina Carolyn September 22 2015 Virtual Reality Spy Game I Expect You To Die Tops Second Annual Proto Awards The Hollywood Reporter Retrieved February 8 2021 Brewster Signe March 7 2015 Hands on with the HTC Valve Vive virtual reality headset GigaOM Retrieved February 8 2021 Sundance Institute Celebrates New Frontier 10th Anniversary at 2016 Festival www sundance org December 3 2015 Retrieved 2021 04 06 Volpe J April 5 2016 Got an HTC Vive Now s your chance to swim with a blue whale Engadget Retrieved February 8 2021 Giardina Carolyn October 8 2016 Proto Virtual Reality Awards Winners Revealed The Hollywood Reporter Retrieved February 8 2021 L A s Natural History Museum Takes Virtual Reality Plunge Into theBlu The Hollywood Reporter 2017 03 03 Retrieved 2021 04 05 Roettgers Janko November 28 2018 AMC Backed VR Startup Dreamscape Immersive Opens Los Angeles Location Variety Retrieved February 8 2021 Roettgers Janko December 14 2018 How Wevr amp Dreamscape Immersive Reinvented The Blu for Location Based VR Variety Retrieved February 8 2021 Sylvia Earle Delighted To Join Board Of Advisors Of Ocean Themed Web Media Property Theblu com Mission Blue 2011 12 08 Retrieved 2021 12 10 What s Big Blue Hopes To Save Our Planet And Is Not Facebook TechCrunch Retrieved 2021 12 10 Colloca Luana Raghuraman Nandini Wang Yang Akintola Titilola Brawn Cinani Barbara Colloca GianCarlo Kier Craig Varshney Amitabh Murthi Sarah 2020 09 01 Virtual reality physiological and behavioral mechanisms to increase individual pain tolerance limits Pain 161 9 2010 2021 doi 10 1097 j pain 0000000000001900 ISSN 1872 6623 PMC 7584744 PMID 32345915 Scientists are unraveling the mysteries of pain Magazine 2019 12 17 Archived from the original on February 19 2021 Retrieved 2021 12 10 External links editOfficial website Wevr official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title TheBlu amp oldid 1186576295, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
