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No VR for Disney: Iger Backs Augmented Reality (AR) Attractions

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The LA Times reports that Bob Iger does not see Virtual Reality in the future for Disney, preferring to invest in Augmented Reality technology attractions instead.

The idea of clunky VR headsets that take the visitor completely away from the real world is a non-starter for Disney’s chief executive.

Whilst many of Disney’s rivals scramble to add VR to their rides, apparently Iger has told his team not to pursue the technology.

Speaking an event in Santa Monica last week, Iger talked of launching high-tech Augmented Reality attractions.

Some kind of head gear may be necessary.  Iger says he has a weekly visit to the Disney engineering labs to try out a head-worn device that enables him to hold a light-saber and duel with a stormtrooper.  Development is likely to focus on making the equipment lighter and more comfortable to wear.

Talking about other new attractions and technologies, he described the amount of work that has gone into making the expressions of robots representing the Na’vi characters from Avatar as real as possible, ready for the opening of Pandora: World of Avatar.

Iger also hinted that one of the Star Wars attractions at Disney parks would be a simulator that enables guests to take a joyride in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon.

https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-disney-augmented-reality-20170323-story.html

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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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