Categoría: Uncategorized

Embracing Creative Freedom: The Art of Experimentation in #XR

In the realm of #XR, there are still windows of unlimited possibilities waiting to be explored. As creators, we often find ourselves captivated by the allure of this immersive technology, eager to push the boundaries of our imagination.

Carlos J. Ochoa FernándezDeja un comentario

In the realm of #XR, there are still windows of unlimited possibilities waiting to be explored. As creators, we often find ourselves captivated by the allure of this immersive technology, eager to push the boundaries of our imagination.

However, to truly harness the transformative power of XR, we must first grant ourselves the freedom to experiment without fear.

Experimentation is the cornerstone of creativity, serving as the catalyst for innovation and discovery. It is through experimentation that we uncover new techniques, refine our skills, and ultimately, forge new paths in the world of XR.

From my perspective and experience, it’s time to cast aside apprehensions and embrace experimentation wholeheartedly. «Experiment Freely» becomes a new mantra, an opportunity for creative liberation in the XR landscape. This mantra urges us to shed inhibitions, to break free from the chains of self-doubt, and to immerse ourselves fully in the vast array of creative possibilities that XR offers.

What can we understand by «Experiment Freely» in XR?

It means taking risks in experimentation, pushing beyond technological limitations and barriers, and using past learnings to explore, play, and innovate without restrictions. It means daring to dream big, challenging conventions, and exceeding expectations.

At the heart of this ethos lies a simple truth: the beauty of creative work lies in exploration, experimentation, collaboration, and empathy. It is through our willingness to push the boundaries of what is possible that we truly reach our full potential as creators. In the world of XR, this sentiment rings truer than ever.

Every new experiment is a learning opportunity, a chance to broaden our horizons and refine our art. With each new challenge, we come closer to mastering XR and unlocking its full potential for our creative careers. But this is just a fleeting step in a new direction, one that we cannot be certain where it leads, but it’s exciting.

Embracing uncertainty and venturing into the unknown is a risky and demanding path. A journey into the unknown alongside elements not necessarily prepared for this journey.

The world of XR awaits a new milestone yet to be discovered, ready to be shaped by our limitless imagination and unwavering determination. Let’s embark on a new journey, now.

You can visit some amazing references: #Music5Senses, #VIVALDI30, #MagicalandMysteryTour, and many more to come…

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández ©

VIVALDI 3.0 THE JOURNEY. III

«Journey Through the Immersive Universe of Four Seasons» is an interactive xr experience that immerses viewers into the realm of Antonio Vivaldi’s musical masterpieces. Through visually compelling storytelling, participants will delve into Vivaldi’s creative journey as he breathes life into his renowned concerto «The Four Seasons.» Each season unfolds in a distinct and captivating environment, seamlessly blending natural elements and music to deliver a multisensory and enchanting encounter.

Carlos J. Ochoa FernándezDeja un comentario

«Journey Through the Immersive Universe of Four Seasons» is an interactive xr experience that immerses viewers into the realm of Antonio Vivaldi’s musical masterpieces. Through visually compelling storytelling, participants will delve into Vivaldi’s creative journey as he breathes life into his renowned concerto «The Four Seasons.» Each season unfolds in a distinct and captivating environment, seamlessly blending natural elements and music to deliver a multisensory and enchanting encounter.

As artists, musicians, and creatives, we find ourselves at a true crossroads—a junction where making the right choices is neither easy nor singular. Beyond the numerous apparent opportunities before us, we must navigate financial survival and address the sustainability of teams, technicians, and the myriad fellow travelers who render our projects minimally viable and appealing to an ever-changing society hungry for new, distinct, and increasingly participatory experiences.

Our journey began over a decade ago with our first forays into immersive 360º recordings, collaborating with artists, musicians, and music classrooms. Here, we began to experiment and learn from the sensations and perceptions conveyed by users, students, and teachers.

One of the pivotal moments in our journey was the first live performance featuring renowned artists like Ouka Leele, where we embarked on an interactive interpretation inspired by the sounds of the Concerto de Aranjuez. It was a fascinating experience, devoid of prior rehearsals or experiential training, executed on a digital stage using Oculus Rift equipment and Tilt Brush from Google, and recorded in 360º stereo with Vuze 360º cameras. This opportunity to recreate Digital Ephemeral Art raised initial doubts regarding feasibility, sustainability, and monetization in more straightforward and economically accessible spaces, as we spared no means or resources for this performance. Crucially, this experience was made possible through the indispensable collaboration of CEV‘s technical team.

Later on, we delved into the world of reconstructing the virtual museum of the Arab Kunka (Cuenca ancient city)—a collaborative, immersive space within the Frame VR platform. Here, we established a connection between the virtual reconstructions of the Ancient Kunka during the Arab era and the music of the great musician and composer Chema Vílchez, particularly his work «The Land of the Three Cultures».

As visitors strolled through the ancient Arab fortress, its mosques, baths, buildings, markets, and streets, they were enveloped in the sound of music that transported them to bygone eras, while also being able to explore current spaces through 360º videos. This interconnection between virtual reconstructions, current videos, and music elevated the experience to a higher level, almost teleporting participants to that magical bygone time.

Years later, the Reina Sofia Higher School of Music presented us with a truly intriguing challenge. We were tasked with creating an experience using recordings from a classical music concert to reach students in their educational program who, due to pandemic-related time constraints, were unable to participate in workshops and concerts. This concert was recorded in the Sony auditorium of the school, utilizing 360º 4K cameras and ambisonic microphone technology. The acoustical characteristics of the auditorium are truly exceptional, enabling us to produce recordings of the utmost quality. We utilized Vuze and Zoom equipment, as well as VR devices from Pico, with technological support from HP.

This experience allowed us to craft 12 virtual musical stories centered around artists such as Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and Respighi, where musical compositions intertwined with natural spaces, sensory explosions, and magical worlds, transporting visitors through 12 unique historical narratives. As a result of this endeavor, we developed «Music with the Five Senses,» which was implemented on a Virtual Reality platform and Pico devices, visiting hundreds of schools and educational centers nationwide over the years. Thousands of visitors have immersed themselves in this wonderful and experiential world, making it a true milestone and international benchmark as an immersive educational project centered around classical music.

The next stop on this journey is Vivaldi 3.0. The Journey to the Universe of Antonio Vivaldi and the Four Seasons, led by Ara Malikian and the Camerata of the Reina Sofia School, has been a mystical experience, with a predetermined start date and script, and a long journey through the forests of magical seasonal music. Along the way, we’ve encountered numerous passages and experiences that ultimately culminated in an absolutely magical work. This journey, based on Vivaldi’s original sonnets, reinterpreted by a team of writers and Ara himself, allowed us to rediscover the connections between music, nature, and the cycle of life. Throughout this process, we’ve painted on a virtual canvas, initially blurry passages gradually taking shape into a metaphorical interpretive tableau. Throughout this process, we’ve immersed ourselves in music and creativity, repeatedly playing with the tools offered by generative artificial intelligence, which helped us reinterpret passages and scenarios through Vivaldi’s sonnets and words, Ara’s interpretations, and our own way of composing this tableau, ultimately giving it a cohesive and coherent form. We aimed for it to be timeless, appealing to various types of audiences, inviting them to return to a childlike state and be carried away by the creative spirit of the compositions and the intersection with the cycle of life, both human and natural. And all this, with a commitment to sustainability, balance, equality, and educational vision through values inspired by the emotions and sensations we’ve gathered in the project. This is our way of contributing to the awareness of the need to accelerate societal transformation.

The first test to visualize the outcome of this initial step of the project was the concert held on January 29th at the Sony auditorium of the Reina Sofia School. It was a real trial by fire, where we had to present this new proposal for an interactive multimedia concert live to a select audience: students and teachers from various schools in the Community of Madrid. It was a multimedia experience where interactivity through monitors and screens, interactions among musicians on stage, Ara Malikian’s performance, his introductory messages for each movement, and images, passages, and videos related to the movements were put to the test.

More than 600 students from a dozen public and private schools in the Community of Madrid, accompanied by their teachers in two sessions, were able to enjoy this experiential session, with an extremely high level of satisfaction. And all this was made possible thanks to the perfect coordination between the ONE team and the production, audio, and video team of the School. We had top-of-the-line equipment and professionals of the highest caliber. The journey has only just begun, and this experience has allowed us to analyze and evaluate the initial results, and to envision how we can continue advancing and projecting new immersive experiences in the immediate future. We aim to enhance the experience by integrating 3D multimedia elements more extensively, as well as enhancing the pre- and post-concert experience.

Welcome to the interactive immersive world of Vivaldi 3.0. Step into a space where reality merges with imagination, where every corner is filled with magic, and music awaits you at every turn. As you enter the world of the four seasons, you’ll find yourself surrounded by vibrant landscapes pulsating with energy and creativity. Feel the thrill of immersing yourself in a world where the boundaries of reality blur, and your senses awaken like never before. Interact with the environment around you: touch, explore, listen, and engage with the elements inhabiting this fascinating world. Whether you get lost in enchanted forests or dive into the depths of the unknown, each experience is yours to discover and shape. Prepare to be captivated by the sights, sounds, and sensations enveloping you as you delve deeper into this immersive universe throughout the cycle of life.

So, welcome to a world where dreams come to life, and the extraordinary awaits you around every corner! Let your curiosity guide you as you embark on an exciting and unforgettable journey through the Interactive Immersive Universe of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

Here are some figures reflecting and highlighting the extraordinary effort involved in this journey: An experience recorded and produced in 6 months, many locations, involving more than 50 professionals and over 4,000 hours of work, recording 4 live concerts with the attendance of over 1,000 people (students & teachers) from 20 schools. An immersive experience available on VR devices and the Web XR immersive platform, featuring 4 spaces, or «stations,» with interactive games, integration of 3D volumetrics, hundreds of photographic images, 10 hours of concert recordings in 8k, several terabytes of video and sound files, hundreds of hours of processing and post-production, hundreds of hours of editing and format integration…hundreds of images generated by AI to create virtual spaces and environments, artificial intelligence and image processing, 8K 360º cameras, ambisonic sound, creation of countless 3D assets…

8K Enables Immersive Vivaldi 3.0 Project

By Bob Raikes

…and this is just one of the stops on this magical and unique journey.

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández ©

VIVALDI 3.0 THE PROJECT. II

Carlos J. Ochoa FernándezDeja un comentario

«In the immersive universe of Vivaldi 3.0, we explore the Four Seasons from an innovative and unique perspective. In each season, you can discover the values of nature and how they are endangered by climate change, in a painting that gradually unfolds as we uncover the passage through each one of them. Water, air, earth, and fire blend with the music and sonnets of Vivaldi. The adventure ultimately leads us to discover these elements, revealing the mysteries of the seasons, immersing us in an interactive and visually stunning musical experience.

THE VISION:

Vivaldi 3.0 is the missing piece to recreate the puzzle of creativity and innovation in digital media and its projection into the educational and entertainment world, without forgetting the concerts on its multiple platforms.

A concept born from the fusion of ideas based on Vivaldi’s innovative work, the interpretation of the International Musician Ara Malikian, and a group of professionals in search of the natural evolution of the cycle of life. Integrating art, music, interpretation into the digital world, enhancing the values of humanity and nature, has been the fundamental key of this project.

A first step towards a new metaphorical universe, still to be explored, and in which we feel fully committed. Therefore, at the beginning of this journey, we set ourselves very clear objectives:

  • Contributing to the exponential growth of the digital sector in Spain and Europe, by designing and developing new content and interactive media through emerging immersive technologies.
  • Fostering and accelerating innovation in the sector by presenting a program based on the latest technologies with an innovative and cross-cutting hybrid format, focused on both national and international markets, while valuing European artistic heritage.
  • Bringing knowledge of creative arts and music to society, facilitating access, and democratizing their use through a hybrid platform that highlights the ability of creative arts to evoke emotions and bring people together.
  • Encouraging and accelerating the participation of a greater number of young women in the digital industry, promoting the employment of new generations, through promotion and dissemination in their usual channels, and the development of activities focused on them.
  • Promoting entrepreneurship in innovation, in the new professions and skills required throughout the development of this project, by requiring advanced knowledge in disruptive innovative technologies, which will necessitate specific additional training as part of the comprehensive training plan for the project team.

On the other hand, artists and musician’s collectives are demanding new approaches to reach audiences increasingly distant from traditional performance venues. Additionally, the detachment of young people from traditional models of participating in live events is directly impacting the current ecosystem of creators and artists in a significant way.

THE CHALLENGE

Therefore, in close collaboration with the Reina Sofia Superior School of Music, we set out to delve into the world of young people through education, in schools, seeking new approaches and participation in digital environments, such as video games and immersive experiences.

Addressing such a specific issue in the current complex scenario requires experienced partners, with a clear and focused objective at its core: Education.

In collaboration with the Reina Sofia Superior School of Music, we embarked on a journey to engage with young people through education, in schools and educational centers, seeking new approaches and involvement in digital environments, such as video games and immersive experiences.

The experience carried out in previous years by both organizations in schools across Spain, «Music with the 5 Senses”, has served as a reference point for us to continue advancing and improving on this path. The results obtained so far have been truly extraordinary.

Hence, we wanted to tackle this new challenge with a much more ambitious, cross-cutting, international, and multicultural approach, capable of becoming a benchmark icon and growing over time, adapting to technological evolution at every moment. Incorporating cross-cutting values such as equality, sustainability, and planet preservation, and observing their impact on elements through music.

THE PROJECT

Moving this project forward requires working with the best partners, sharing a common vision, and betting on an innovative and disruptive idea capable of exciting and engaging the widest possible audience. After all, we are all students of life, constantly updating and revising. And the pieces of the puzzle fit perfectly. Vivaldi and The Four Seasons allowed us to develop the idea to its fullest extent, the Reina Sofia Superior School of Music, the ideal companion to bring the experience to schools and educational centers, and musician Ara Malikian, a key piece in this picture, capable of painting and interpreting unique scenes around Vivaldi’s work.

Vivaldi 3.0 is not a video game, nor is it a 360º movie; it is a unique experience in which the visitor discovers, explores, plays, and interacts with nature, the work, and the musician in an absolutely immersive way.

A highly complex project that has required an international team of over 50 people, including technicians, designers, producers, editors, programmers… 3 days of recording with 360º 8K cameras, ambisonic surround sound, hundreds of hours of production, editing, and development, the creation of interactive virtual worlds, video editing and animations for live concerts, volumetric capture, etc… representing Vivaldi’s four seasons from a perspective you’ve never imagined before.

Some figures about the project: Over 6 intense months of work, involving an international team with more than 50 professionals, exceeding 4,500 hours of production and development, 3 days of live concert recording, 1 day and two live media concerts with over 600 students from 10 public and private schools, along with international presentations in various media outlets…

Technologies and production software: Insta Pro2 8K 360º cameras, Zoom ambisonic recording equipment, development of interactive virtual worlds, 3D interactive objects, Unity, Blender, Adobe Premiere Pro, ProTools, Tracktion, Bosse, and Pico Neo 3/4, Meta Quest 3 VR devices.

Undoubtedly, an exciting and exponential experience that gives us guidelines for new future evolutions, on which we are already working.

THE JOURNEY

Journey Through the Four Seasons is an immersive interactive virtual reality experience that transports the viewer into the world of Antonio Vivaldi’s musical compositions. Through visually rich storytelling, the viewer will witness Vivaldi’s creative process as he brings his famous concerto «The Four Seasons» to life. Each season is depicted in a unique and captivating environment, where natural elements and music merge to provide a multisensory and magical experience.

Introduction:

The User’s Journey. When experiencing a unique immersive experience, it’s advisable to undergo a prior immersion, to familiarize oneself with the space, how to navigate and manage the devices comfortably and tailored to each individual’s physical characteristics. Only in this way can one fully enjoy the experience. From that moment on, we can embark on the adventure. An adventure that traverses the cycle of life, through the cycle of seasons and day. We’ll feel like a child with a new toy, ready to set off. Upon entering the world, we’ll be in a central position, facing a person… whom we may know, or at least recognize. Represented by a hologram, they’ll address us, proposing a magical journey. And gradually, that dark space where we found ourselves upon arrival, comes back to life.

The Inspiration:

The viewer finds themselves in a space surrounded by mysterious portals inviting them to enter an enchanted forest, enveloped by trees and a gentle breeze. In the center, Vivaldi invites us to immerse ourselves in a magical fantasy, which gradually comes to life as we progress through the experience. Birdsong fills the air as Vivaldi begins to sketch the first musical notes on an imaginary canvas, inviting us to enter the portal representing spring.

Spring:

Upon crossing the portal of spring, the forest comes to life with vibrant colors and blooming flowers. Vivaldi’s «Spring» music begins to play, and the viewer immerses themselves in the sensation of rebirth and growth as they observe how animals and nature shape the melody.

Summer:

Upon crossing the portal of Summer, the atmosphere changes to a warm and sunny day. The viewer can feel the heat of the sun on their skin as they observe nature reclaiming the colors of a hot day. Thunder rumbles in the distance, and the music evolves to reflect the intensity of the heat and the impending storm.

Autumn:

The surroundings transform into an autumnal landscape with leaves gently falling from the trees. Reddish and green hues abound as Vivaldi creates the sensation of «Autumn» through melancholic notes, and the viewer can hear the rustle of leaves and feel the cool breeze in the air.

Winter:

We venture into a cold winter night, illuminated by the moon. The atmosphere becomes icy and snowy as Vivaldi addresses the final season. The viewer is immersed in a snowy forest, experiencing the sensation of cold and hearing the crunch of snow underfoot. The music grows more intense, representing the harshness of winter.

Conclusion:

«The Immersive Universe of Vivaldi, through the Four Seasons» offers a unique interactive experience that combines classical music with visual and sensory elements. Viewers will be transported into Vivaldi’s world and his compositions, experiencing the beauty and magic of the seasons through the eyes and ears of the composer. They can actively participate in the work, interacting with the environment and elements as they please. Discovering the games and challenges offered throughout the experience. This virtual reality project promises to be an exciting fusion of art and technology that will leave a lasting impression on music and visual narrative enthusiasts. Additionally, thanks to its educational and social component, by combining spaces with music, it aims to convey a subtle message of emotional balance and the need to value and respectfully care for the environment over the years.

This is just the first step towards a magical and unpredictable world, where our commitment to the environment, equality, respect for the values of democratic society, and the natural evolution towards a sustainable and better society will set the course for our next steps. Hand in hand with the most innovative and environmentally friendly technology.

«Vivaldi 3.0 has been funded by the Ministry of Culture and the NextGeneration EU Funds, within the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan.»

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández ©

VIVALDI 3.0. The Immersive Universe of Vivaldi´s four Seasons. I.

How to bring creative arts closer to the new generations to transform society, based on the values of education in democracy, human equality, nature, and the mystical convergence through music.

Carlos J. Ochoa FernándezDeja un comentario

How to bring creative arts closer to the new generations to transform society, based on the values of education in democracy, human equality, nature, and the mystical convergence through music.

Over the past few years, artists, creatives, musicians, filmmakers, and other media and entertainment professionals have been increasingly exploring ways to maximize the value of creative work. This enables them to provide their most devoted fans, or new followers yet to be discovered, with new ways to fully immerse themselves in Creative and #MetaphoricalUniverses.

While this concept is not entirely novel, having been explored by artists and creators in past eras, immersive technologies and narratives now offer a new means of communication, engagement, and collaboration that remains largely uncharted even today.

The new trends and innovative ideas uncovered by the younger skills, endowed with extraordinary talent and future vision, are leaving an indelible mark on various industries. Video games, animation, interactivity, participation, and community building are emerging as new forms of expression that are gaining prominence. On the other hand, virtual reality extensions, immersive platforms, and virtual worlds remain hotbeds for spin-offs, with the #Metaverse and #Web3/4 as a prospective amalgamation of these and other virtual technologies.

While mega-productions are making way for new immersive mediums and platforms that are forging ahead in a different direction, yielding results that are still somewhat unremarkable but with high expectations.

When the opportunity arose to develop an idea around Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, involving a prominent international musician and a string orchestra, I felt something truly special deep within me. Immersed in nervousness, passion, and conflicting emotions, I began sketching in images and words everything that came to my imagination, without concern for order.

A myriad of emotions and images flowing freely from my musician’s heart and mind. I would later attempt to organize in my mind, trying to shape it into a project and ultimately a product – an experience capable of being narrated, lived, and experienced like never before. This meant constructing a multisensory, innovative experience where Vivaldi’s innovative magic and the creative magic of the international musician converged.

This was a monumental challenge. While we had previous experiences working on immersive creative performances with artists like #OukaLeele, #Dadri, and integrating #ChemaVilzchez music into virtual worlds or creating the experiential space for #Music5Senses, (around the music of #Mozart, #Tchaikovsky and #Respighi), this new project aimed to be a qualitative leap. We wanted imagination and technology to meet at some possible point, pushing the boundaries of what seemed impossible.
…
to be continued

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández ©

La Frágil Levedad del SER

Carlos J. Ochoa FernándezDeja un comentario

Muerto el #Metaverso, larga vida a la #AI o #ChapGPT,  debiera decir?

En este mundo tan frágil, efímero e inconsistente en el que vivimos últimamente, resulta muy preocupante la fragilidad de los argumentos que soportan grandes decisiones de la vida diaria.

El duro mundo del influencer, del bloguero, del metaversado, en busca de la última novedad, o al menos así lo piensan ellos, los lleva a ensalzar ídolos y convertirlos en villanos en apenas unos meses. El poder del marketing, y su influencia en tomas de decisiones rápidas, en aquellos que actúan sin pensar (proactivos dicen ellos, desinformados, pienso yo) es realmente brutal. El numero de impactos en este breve espacio de tiempo, supera con creces las expectativas que se podría alcanzar por cualquier otro medio. Una caza sin piedad de desinformados, ignorantes habidos de ser, sin ser.

Nuevas generaciones que buscan respuestas rápidas a problemas complejos, sin importarles la consistencia ni la transcendencia de las decisiones o el alcance de estas.

¿Resultado? lo tenemos a la vista. El presente se nos cruza y abofetea cada día con temas tan trascendentes y relevantes como la canción de Shakira y las historias de Pique. Algo que no se produce como fruto de la casualidad, o ¿ piensas que si?.

Hoy a nadie le extraña que escritores, blogueros o revistas técnicas internacionales, lleven haciendo trampas con sus artículos firmados, y elaborados por una máquina. Por no hablar de grandes ídolos musicales de un solo tema, elaborados íntegramente por ordenador.

El nuevo «Tsunami» golpea nuestras desoladas costas de la educación. Aparecen nuevas voces en el horizonte, cantos de sirena, intentando convencernos de los milagros de la «Inteligenia Artificial» y los chats inteligentes, bla, bla, bla.

En 1988, durante mi etapa de formación en la Escuela de Informática de Siemens en Alemania, llegó a mis manos un libro verdaderamente apasionante: Sistemas Expertos, editado por Siemens y Dieter Nebendahl. Se convirtió en mi libro de cabecera durante algún tiempo y apoyó los desarrollos que llevamos a cabo en los días de los Sistemas de Información Geográfica.

A lo largo de los últimos 5 años, como Co-Chair del Comité de Educación de la Asociación (VRARA), hemos venido realizando una incesante labor de sensibilización, liderazgo y colaboración, con instituciones de primer nivel, en el estudio de implementación de metodologías, tecnologías inmersivas en la educación, tratando de avanzar en el desarrollo de un nuevo ecosistema educativo.

Humildemente creo que, en muchas ocasiones nos hemos anticipado a los tiempos, elaborando trabajos y estudios: El estudio de la VR/AR en Educación, Immersive Learning, Adcanced Simulations, Virtual Worlds and Metaeducation, Augmented Education for Augmented Soceity…

A lo largo de la interesante sesión de la semana pasada «Are we ready for #AI in #Education», se pusieron de manifiesto por un importante panel de expertos internacionales, algunos puntos esenciales, como que uno de los propósitos centrales de la educación es desarrollar pensadores críticos. También que la educación se ve comprometida cuando tratamos de impartirla a grupos grandes. Y cuando la discusión se lleva a grupos pequeños es donde se logra el verdadero aprendizaje. Otro de los problemas que se pusieron encima de la mesa, es que estemos demasiado centrados en hacer trampa en algunos aspectos del desarrollo de nuestras habilidades, lo cual nos puede llevar a un triste escenario de futuros lideres, en donde la sociedad en su conjunto puede verse afectada. ¿Como vamos a permitirnos esta falta de integridad académica y su transcendencia en el desarrollo de los futuros lideres de esta sociedad?.

Es necesario poner el foco en incorporar el pensamiento crítico y el pensamiento basado en la aplicación en el sistema educativo con mayor peso, en lugar de escribir la información aprendida a través de libros (digital/papel) a los que se les puede dar un peso más bajo. En la actualidad podemos decir sin lugar a duda, que la perspectiva desde el punto de vista de los estudiantes, justo la opuesta.

Esto es, «Augmented Education» es un salto cualitativo, en donde metodologías y tecnologías inmersivas en entornos disruptivos, nos hacen visualizar y definir un espacio de educación y formación más práctica, colaborativa, avanzado, adaptado a las necesidades de la sociedad actual y futura. Centrándose en algo más práctico, innovador, basado en experiencias, trabajo colaborativo, etc… algo que está en el polo opuesto a la formación tradicional basada en la lectura, el aprendizaje escrito, etc…

Hace ya seis años, con motivo del congreso internacional #Expolearning, tuve la oportunidad de presentar: La rebelión de las máquinas y la formación disruptiva. Una visión futuristica de la Educación Inmersiva y Experiencial y su posible evolución…y parece que fué ayer.

Y en menos de tres semanas, es cuando aparece la novedad «para algunos» de herramientas como #ChatGPT. Y creen descubrir el nuevo santo grial, saltando inmediatamente a un nuevo futuro… olvidando todos los paradigmas, visiones y avances realizados en estos últimos años.

En realidad, estamos ante un escenario muy similar al inicio de la Robotica. Cuando empezaron a invadir nuestras vidas hace más de 50 años, con orígenes similares y en muchos casos paralelos a la IA… lástima que la memoria sea frágil, la ignorancia tan atrevida y el marketing de las grandes multinacionales tan potente. Alimentando la maquinaria paralela de los blogueros, que necesitan cada día para sus blogs novedades, noticias únicas, aunque no lo sean, y no se procuren de estudiar las cosas, su evolución, orígenes, etc…baste con copiar y traducir un artículo de una prestigiosa revista americana, y publicarlo como propio, o filtarlo por ChatGPT?.

Gracias a dios, no es el caso de los eruditos mortales, sino de los metaignorantes, que cada vez ocupan más la superficie de este maltratado planeta.

Es curioso ver cómo, año tras año, encaminados hacia la transformación digital en la educación, simuladores inmersivos, trabajo en equipo, herramientas avanzadas, mayor interactividad, realidad aumentada en tiempo real… alejándonos de libros, textos, mensajes literales, y apoyándose en el mundo gráfico e interactivo, y ahora…. we go back again?.

No tengo la bola de cristal, pero los tiempos están cambiando en una dirección, en la que necesitamos mas «Human Touch», «Etica», «Honestidad», «Sentido de Sacrificio, del esfuerzo», «Sentido Solidario» y «Educación en Valores».

Estas de acuerdo?…y Tu, que piensas?.

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández ©

Reimagining Business Performance with Industry XTR

Carlos J. Ochoa FernándezDeja un comentario

Industry XTR, are we facing the new paradigm?

Never give up on your dreams. John Ford

It is true that Covid has been a serious blow in the advance towards Industry 4.0 in those companies in transition. Being seriously affected the processes of digital transformation, production, logistics, dependence on raw materials, etc., increased by the lockdown of a large number of organizations. Accepting that 4 key pillars of Industry 4.0 are digitization processes, including standardization, development of new skills and workforce, disruptive innovation processes and investments, it is clear that COVID has paralyzed industrial activity worldwide. And we continue to suffer from its impact today …

After participating in the first face-to-face events and conferences during the last weeks, we meet again and discuss the «state of the art» of our companies, markets and new challenges that we will face in this new scenario.

And it is true, that even today, many are not able to assimilate, that nothing is going to be as before. Although the changes do not occur at the speed that some want us to see, it is true that many activation and acceleration mechanisms have already been put in place in some organizations. Strengthening them in leadership positions and others are being left behind, hopelessly.

If we analyze some of the pillars of Industry 4.0, it is in investments, standardization, skills development and disruptive innovation where the greatest imbalances have occurred. Clearly marking a before and after among some companies, which have been able to adapt to the new situation quickly and activate very solid innovation mechanisms. While others continue to try to compose themselves and return to a pre-pandemic scenario, as a valid point of reference.

Reimagining Business Performance with Industry XTR, are we facing the new paradigm?

Perhaps it is time to take a step further, seeking «exponential acceleration» and trying to find solutions to new problems that we would never have thought before would intercept our society in this way. So, continuing with the transition to Industry 4.0 again, today, no longer makes sense.

From my perspective, today, it is absolutely necessary to rethink the industry model, without trying to return to pre-pandemic scenarios, which would be a long delay and would take us back to 2019.

Rethinking Industry 4.0, facing a new Business Performance process, accelerating the digitization processes, through the integration of disruptive technologies, with the training of new skills, incorporating new forms of more efficient and remote collaborative work, developing assessment platforms, empowerment and loyalty of high-performance teams and decentralizing networks of supply and manufacturing in several poles and suppliers, seeking value in competition in efficiency and innovation, and not only in price, not so dependent on a single country.

Anticipate foreseeable future crisis situations, minimizing the risks and impacts of technological threats, lack of talent to lead change, cybersecurity and virtual transactions, new pandemics, energy crises, climate change, shortage of raw materials and logistics. Just to list a small series of them.

Those who have the new vision of Industry XTR, will be able to lead the transformation of society to a safer and more sustainable planet.

These are some reflections, while I have my cup of coffee and listening my jazz session. Today with Kenny Burrel, enjoy.

Thoughts and ideas are always welcome. Good afternoon and good luck from the RealVerse.

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández ©

The New «Immersive Learning Experience» Paradigm.

Carlos J. Ochoa FernándezDeja un comentario

Personal highlights from the “Immersive Learning Research Network 2020 Conference” #iLRN2020

Last June, I had the honor of participating in the Immersive Learning Research Network International Virtual Conference held in the VR collaboration platform VirBELA, and through live streams on iLRN’s Youtube channel.

During the 5 days Virtual Event, hundreds of speakers from all continents, conferences, panel discussions, networking meetings, poster sessions, showcases, live demos, and many other social events were organized by an amazing team of professionals and volunteers.

It is evident, that due to the #Covid and its impact worldwide, the spread of virtual events has been exponential, and with it, the opportunity to participate in global events around the world, without having to move from one place to another, suffer the terrible jet-lags and the consequent savings for the pocket. But if there is something that, especially for me, has special relevance, it is the opportunity to share experiences with experts from all over the world, which would otherwise be materially impossible. Having this wide spectrum of professionals in the same setting, event, campus, or networking activity is a unique opportunity that not everyone knows how to take advantage of and organize properly.

The organization of a global event like that is something really complex. But if this is virtual, and you have to coordinate equipment, rooms, people, and technology in real-time and at a distance … this is much more complex and is not available to everyone. This requires planning, resources, teamwork, and good technology partners. And all of this was brilliantly accomplished during Immersive Learning Research Network. So, my first words are of recognition, gratitude, and congratulations to the whole team.

Personally, it was a magnificent experience, and having the opportunity to meet great friends and colleagues was very refreshing and healthy for the mind. There is always that moment, in which you see someone, you approach to greet him … and you realize that you are an avatar, talking to another avatar … but it is you and it is him. That is really mind-blowing and fantastic at the same time. But I’m counting the days when I can really come up in person and give my friend a real hug … congratulations on that. Very good work.

Professionally and academically speaking, I found it very inspiring due to the number of conferences and presentations that I was able to attend and in which I was able to see first-hand, the real use cases of VR in academic institutions, its evolution and ongoing projects , as well as its vision and evolution for the coming years.

At this point, an article that I recently reread about «It will be 2016 the year of the definitive takeoff of VR / AR» comes to mind. And every year it seems that we keep asking ourselves the same question, without being really aware that this technology is implanted in those industries where it provides value, competitive advantages, and cost savings. But it is constantly evolving and there are multiple ways of using it and adapting to the environments of use. The truth is that there is still a long way to go and meetings like this allow us to confront experiences, opinions and evaluate the degree of progress and results of these experiences. But we will talk about this later.

My contribution was concentrated in two main activities: a presentation and the presentation of the «Magical and Mistry Tour around the Cultural Heritage» showcase.

The Magical and Mystery Tour around Cultural Heritage of Cuenca, it is a unique project experience that was born with the vision of being a cultural and transmedia platform, as multicultural support where cultural heritage, history, archeology, society, and music are accommodated. In short, a space full of life and spaces for imagination and the discovery of magical worlds, from the Islamic to Christian times to the present day. Crossroads of cultures that can be traveled today thanks to immersive technologies from a unique perspective.

More than ten years of work, from the beginnings of the first Islamic reconstructions to the integration with current 360º videos, or flights around the city from Google Earth to recognize the vestiges of those ancestors who filled the city of Cuenca with magic. Advanced 3d immersive multimedia technologies are a powerful tool to create value around the Cultural Heritage. The Magical and Mystery Tour around the City of Cuenca project is aimed to integrate Virtual Reality technologies and methodological and scientific approaches for the representation of cultures across history.

And last but not least, I want to express my most sincere gratitude to Anna Xygkou for the permanent support, and the amazing intro to my session, and the amazing team with Jonathon Richter, Heather Dodds, Donna McTaggart, Tiago Peres, Mark J. Lee, and all the friends and more I met there…Lorelle Vanfoseen, Karen Alexander, Lucia Binotti, Tim Jackson, Julie Andersen Smithson, Daniel Dyboski-Bryant, Amanda Fox, Rob Theriault, and Patrick O’Shea from Versatilist Podcast…;+)

Have a nice and safe day.

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández ©

Empowering the teachers of today, for the citizens of the future

Carlos J. Ochoa FernándezDeja un comentario

Carlos J. Ochoa, Co_Chair VRARA Education Committee. Piacenza (Italy) 24.09.2019

“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination” A. Einstein

New technologies are an emerging industry creating employment opportunities and entrepreneurial possibilities. Virtual reality and augmented reality represent incredible areas of opportunity for future job skills. “VR” failed to live up to the wildest promises when the new VR systems launched in 2015. Nevertheless, the number of job postings for “VR and AR” have risen 93% since 2015, with 17% of that growth happening in the past year. 

According to projections set out by the European Commission, market demands for qualified information and communications technology (ICT) specialists will not be met, seeing a shortfall of up to 500,000 ICT professionals in 2020. Virtual and Augmented Reality solutions are amongst those with some of the highest market demand in the ICT sector by Marketwatch. The global market for augmented reality and virtual reality is estimated to reach USD 766 billion by 2025, registering a 73.7% CAGR during the forecast period of 2018 to 2025

New skills development for more complex jobs is a daily industry demand. Technicians and engineers need to be proficient and continue to change rapidly as tasks become more complex. They need to find the right information at the right moment. Technicians need fast access to all integrated data, to take fast, right and complex decisions.

Education is the driver to sustainability of our economy and functionality of humanity. Educating the individual is the country’s most valuable investment. It represents the foundation for progress and development. Every day we seek to learn new information and the way we take the lessons and apply to our everyday lives, is the core of how we explore we grow and we build futures for ourselves. 

If we wish to prepare a generation of citizens, entrepreneurs and leaders for the 21th. century who can face real-world problems, we must give them real-world problems to solve. Future jobs opportunities around VR/AR.

Through virtual and augmented realities, the technology allows the user to immerse themselves into a virtual experience or location and the immersive lesson is retained at a much quicker time frame with a more impactful lasting memory. VR & Learning, by the National Training Laboratory, advised retention rates for lecture style learning were at 5%, with reading rates at 10%. Meanwhile, the teaching method of VR scored a retention rate of 75%.

Understanding we are moving into a world with exponential growth, there is a necessary requirement to update our education system to support innovative technologies to understand how it will be applied to job creation and support digital support systems and processes.

The demand of the companies in the industry sector, with respect to their future workers, is that they have social skills and competencies such as leadership, motivation, perseverance, flexibility, communication, etc. Focusing on the development of skills and abilities aimed at a specific sector, in this case the Virtual Reality subsector ensures its better assimilation, greater effectiveness of training and a more complete response to what companies demand in profiles of these characteristics. For instance, in the Vocational Training includes subjects oriented to career guidance and orientation, but they lack a transversal skills development approach and these are not addressed directly in the itineraries.

The integration of transversal skills required for the sector, as well as technical competencies related to the latest trends, will comprehensively cover the labour market demands of new technologies and will ensure the best inclusion of VET students in the technological labour market of the future. The Future of Work by EAPN.EU.

It is time to take actions and introduce disruptive elements in our education system. Traditional methodologies and normalization already fail to provide rapid solution to the society needs. Velocity and acceleration are key factor for this unpredictable horizon, where education will play a key role for citizens of the future. Disruptive Innovation in Education?.

Humanity is at the beginning of a Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is building on both VR & AR applications and solutions. The changes to the way we teach, and the curriculum needed to support innovative time is required to support the graduating generations into a workforce rapidly changing and evolving using digital applications not yet taught in our schools’ systems. Day to day operations and day-to-day systems will be using VR and AR systems to be engaged in the operations.

VR & AR for Education is mandated for the following reasons:

  • To engage our current students and future generations in the Digital Age
  • To provide education of the tools, the technology, the applications of VR & AR to be used in future jobs
  • To provide best practices for the classrooms
  • To provide engagement tools for Students, Parents & resources for Teachers & Mentors
  • To be the leader and resource of VR & AR applications that relate to extending knowledge to support the application, build or creation of the technology to use in our everyday lives

At this moment, some relevant topics need to be include in the Disruptive School Environment and new teacher’s agenda for Schools of the Future:

  • Reimagining new Smart Spaces at schools
  • Classroom as a set of devices
  • 5 Senses learning a immersive learning technologies
  • Improve the hierarchy of needs in XR in Education
  • Convergence of technologies with and integrated vision
  • Soft skills integration with IT in the “Teachers Training Program”.
  • Collaboration Platforms. Virtual environments where the educational community can share best practices and experiences in a global and multicultural environment. Videos, presentations and forums integrate education materials from different sources in different formats.

It is in this context where Carlos J. Ochoa, Co_Chair of VR/AR Association Education Committee and Co-Founder of ICICLE ( X-Reality for Learning and Performance Augmentation, collaboration with Acer Education presented “Immersive Realities in Educational 4.0 Ecosystems” in the framework of Scuola e Virtuale in Piacenza.  Scuola e Virtuale, an international event along with Liceo Melchiorre Gioia, Impara Digitale, Indire and Microsoft, to spread awareness about immersive technologies in education, where more than 1000 professionals attendants ( teachers, students, managers and experts from different industries and sectors).

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández ©

A New Vision for Immersive Realities Ecosystems

Carlos J. Ochoa FernándezDeja un comentario

I am really happy to share with you our new vision of ONE Digital Consulting and our mission for the next amazing coming years. Please, feel free to share your thoughts with us, will be great to start great conversations with you.

You know what?, what is our value?…Years of experience, hundreds of projects and happy customers, and building great interpersonal relationships. We provide high value through our experience and knowledge in business development and digital transformation.

Never too old to rock and roll, but too young to die.

Keep in touch and stay connected!!!

ONE Digital Consulting is a global company with more than 25 years of experience in the “New Advanced Technologies” arena. We spent many years leading the development of the knowledge society, with the Best in Class services and solutions, covering the complete value chain of our customers.

ONE VR provide innovating cutting edge XR services and solutions for industry, energy, retail, tourism and smart hospitality, that lead to significant improvements in productivity, performance, collaboration, efficiency, and safety, minimizing the implementation and operation.

The future of Immersive Reality technologies is on the way and “We want to give our customers the power to experience anything, leveraging technology, technical expertise and best practices”.

Carlos J. Ochoa, founding member of ONE, have been working with Advanced Technologies since the mid-1990s working for Siemens, Sagentia and Altran. More than two decades of experience on digital world allows us to have an innovative vision to anticipate our customer’s needs. Our methodology covers the whole business process: from business consultancy to project management, integration, implementation, quality assurance and maintenance.

We grow every single day with our projects, customers and team building. With our vision in Immersive Experiences, we want to provide advanced solutions for smart citizens of the new century focus on 5 senses experiences: Smart Hospitality, Virtual Shopping, Tourism and Culture. Providing best value for money and best solutions for a sustainable planet.

Carlos J. Ochoa

Best Practices in VR in Education. Chapter ONE

Throughout this year, I had the opportunity to write the «White Paper» of «Best practices in VR Education» for the prestigious international VR/AR Association, in collaboration with some reference members of the Education Committee and sponsored by ONE Digital Consulting and Vuze Cameras.

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández1 Comentario

Throughout this year, I had the opportunity to write the «White Paper» of «Best practices in VR Education» for the prestigious international VR/AR Association, in collaboration with some reference members of the Education Committee and sponsored by ONE Digital Consulting and Vuze Cameras.


A reference document that aims to be support for managers, teachers, students and professionals who in one way or another are within the educational ecosystem. Throughout several chapters I analyze the status and evolution of the implementation of IT in Education, current technological trends and the benefits of Virtual Reality in Education today.


This document is only a small part of the entire work, which took me more than two years of study, analysis and editing. So I am in the revision phase of a second edition, much more complete and detailed, where I enter much more in depth and detail in the chapters of creation of immersive content, ecosystems, project orientation, experiential developments, levels of sensory perception and immersion and VR/AR ecosystems adapted to the different levels of education, as well as implementation methodologies and use cases.


This new version will be published throughout the month of June / July and will be presented exclusively at the Míranos y Únete in Madrid, where hundreds of teachers will take the opportunity to evaluate and participate in different live workshops.


Meanwhile, you can download the previous version in this link.


https://www.thevrara.com/blog2/2018/11/27/the-vrar-association-publishes-best-practices-for-vr-amp-ar-in-education


Any questions to this respect, I am at your disposal at carlos.ochoa@onedigitalconsulting.eu.


Good day and good luck.


Carlos J. Ochoa Fernandez (c)