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Samsung debuts immersive 4D VR moon mission

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Samsung 4D lunar gravity VR experience NASA

Samsung debuts immersive 4D VR moon mission. The “A Moon for all Mankind” experience has been developed in collaboration with NASA and utilises Samsung Gear VR.

Samsung Electronics America, Inc. has just launched A Moon for all Mankind (AMFAM), a consumer-focused 4D VR experience.

AMFAM uses the Samsung Galaxy S9+ smartphone in tandem with the Oculus-powered Gear VR headset. It allows people to become fully immersed in a both visual and physical VR experience, realistically recreating a fictional mood mission. Consumers will be able to experience exactly how it feels to be in lunar gravity.

Samsung’s rig design team worked with NASA’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston to perfect the experience. They collaborated with the team responsible for the Active Response Gravity Offload System (ARGOS), which is used for training astronauts to work in a low gravity environment. Together they created a VR experience which maps to the partial gravity experience of walking on the moon.

“At Samsung, we are driven to push the boundaries of innovation and inspire consumers to do what they can’t,” said Zach Overton, Vice President of Consumer Experience & General Manager of Samsung 837 and Galaxy Studios. “We are proud to bring to consumers the combination of our powerful mobile VR headset and our innovative work with NASA to launch this lunar experience and bring the sensation of walking on the moon to life.”

The AMFAM experience will be open to the public for the remainder of July at Samsung 837 in New York City. Visitors will first be given a briefing and details about how people move on the moon. They will then get into a flight suit and harness, and put on a Gear VR headset before stepping into the gravity offload rig. The headset employs dedicated sensors and a wide field of view that lets consumers become fully immersed in the moon walk experience. The AMFAM VR content was created by Samsung alongside creatives Iris and Framestore.

“Starting this year, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo programme that landed a dozen Americans on the Moon,” said Sean Carter, Strategic Partnerships at NASA Johnson Space Centre. “With VR experiences like the one Samsung has developed, we are working to make lunar missions accessible to the public and are excited to inspire the next generation of astronauts.”

Heavy investment in VR

Consumer spending on VR is expected to reach $809 million by 2022, according to the latest VR Tracker from Futuresource Consulting.

So it’s not surprising that Samsung is investing heavily in VR. This spring the company debuted six pilot episodes specifically created for VR and showcasing its immersive product line. ‘Pilot Season’ gave grants to independent filmmakers, allowing them to produce VR shows using the Samsung 360 Round camera. The company also announced a roster of live VR content to be produced with sports and entertainment groups available via Samsung’s VR Live Pass.

In 2016 Samsung partnered with Six Flags, becoming its ‘Official Technology Partner’, bringing VR roller coasters to its theme parks.  The parks continue to add more VR content to their rides.

Images: Samsung

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Rachel Reed

Rachel Read

Rachel is co-founder and FD of blooloop. She has a degree in engineering from Cambridge University, is a Chartered Accountant and has a certificate in Sustainability Leadership and Corporate Responsibility from London Business School. Rachel oversees our news, events and sustainability.

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