Samsung unveils 'Project Beyond,' a new 360-degree camera for recording virtual reality content

Posted:
in General Discussion edited November 2014
Samsung surprised on Wednesday with the unveiling of a new device dubbed "Project Beyond," a unique 360-degree camera that captures the world around it in three dimensions, allowing content to be created for its forthcoming Gear VR virtual reality headset.




Billed as "the world's first true 3D 360-degree camera," Project Beyond can be used to both capture and stream high-resolution video. Project Beyond will allow users of the forthcoming Gear VR accessory to "teleport to the places and events you always wanted to see."

The unique Project Beyond hardware is a disc-shaped accessory with an array of cameras around its edges and on top as well. In all, it has 16 full-HD cameras that capture a gigapixel of data every second.



The device was developed by Samsung's Think Tank Team, a U.S.-based research arm of the South Korean electronics maker.

"We use stereoscopic interleaved capture and 3D-aware stitching technology to capture the scene just like the human eye, but in a form factor that is extremely compact," the research team explained. "Beyond can stream real time events, as well as store the data for future viewing."




Think Tank Team cautioned that Project Beyond is "not a product," but is a project in development. The first operational version of the device is intended to offer "just a taste" of what the final system will offer.

"Once complete, we hope to take Beyond cameras around the world to beautiful and noteworthy locations and events, and allow you to experience those locations as if they were really there," they said.




While the Project Beyond camera won't be available for sale, users who buy the upcoming Gear VR accessory for the Galaxy Note 4 will be able to view content generated from the experimental device.

Along with unveiling Project Beyond, Samsung announced on Wednesday that the "Innovator Edition" of the Gear VR accessory will become available in early December. Though the hardware is essentially a developer preview, it will be available to anyone.




Gear VR requires a Galaxy Note 4 "phablet," which serves as the screen for the virtual reality headset. Plugging in the Note 4 automatically installs applications developed by Facebook-owned Oculus, makers of the Rift virtual reality headset currently available to developers and enthusiasts.

In addition to the Gear VR and Oculus Rift, Sony also plans to get into the virtual reality space with its own Project Morpheus, a game-focused accessory tied to its PlayStation 4 console.

Patent filings made by Apple reveal that the company has also shown some interest in augmented reality applications, though there have been no indications that the iPhone maker is planning to compete in the emerging market.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 34
    More like "Beyond Profit", because this is going to flop harder than their smart watches.
  • Reply 2 of 34
    Interesting !
    Though i hate to say anything good about samdung !
  • Reply 3 of 34

    From the office of:

    Hookum, Crookum and Tookum



    On behalf of:

    Samsung Electronics



    To: Mr. Timothy Cook, CEO, Apple Inc.



    Dear Mr. Cook

     

    Our client, Samsung Electronics, has insisted that you stop laughing or legal action will be forthcoming.

     

    Sincerely

     

    Isaiah Tookum

  • Reply 4 of 34
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,851member
    Pretty old video tech. 16 x4K video cameras would be more 2014. Now that would be some data stream!
  • Reply 5 of 34
    wow. pretty ground breaking. if this is capturing video, it ought to be amazing to ride along with the view via a VR headset. You could look around as you move through space and see people moving around you.

    got to image that this is going to cost at least $1K to build and probably $3K-$5K to purchase when it eventually hits the market. this will not be a consumer device.
  • Reply 6 of 34

    According the reporter at The Verge, quality of the video is pretty bad, however this type of remote viewing should eventually result in the elimination of many security guard jobs. One person could be in 10 locations at once, plus if you attach this kind of camera to an armed robot body...

  • Reply 7 of 34
    elijahgelijahg Posts: 2,852member
    SamsungInsider™
  • Reply 8 of 34
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    People have already been shooting VR video, but it needs to improve. Kudos to anyone who is experimenting in pushing VR and 3D forward. That includes Apple, as shown by years of patent filings.

    There, I connected this story to Apple :)
  • Reply 9 of 34
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,927member
    "Samsung's Think Tank Team". Hahaha!
  • Reply 10 of 34
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,851member
    nagromme wrote: »
    People have already been shooting VR video, but it needs to improve. Kudos to anyone who is experimenting in pushing VR and 3D forward. That includes Apple, as shown by years of patent filings.

    There, I connected this story to Apple :)

    Well done it needed that.
  • Reply 11 of 34
    shsfshsf Posts: 302member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jungmark View Post



    "Samsung's Think Tank Team". Hahaha!



    as in think, tank.

  • Reply 12 of 34

  • Reply 13 of 34

    What is Apple's response to this? I am urging my clients to sell their AAPL shares until Apple has a response to this new product category from Samsung. Apple is obviously slipping in the 360-degree panoramic camera category, which Samsung is obviously leading. 

     

    Richard Cabeça (aka Dick Head)

    Analyst

  • Reply 14 of 34
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    What is Apple's response to this? I am urging my clients to sell their AAPL shares until Apple has a response to this new product category from Samsung. Apple is obviously slipping in the 360-degree panoramic camera category, which Samsung is obviously leading. 

    Richard Cabeça (aka Dick Head)
    Analyst

    You made it too easy. Should have left out the aka.
  • Reply 15 of 34
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member

    Also announced today by Samesung...

     

    “Flow” and “Proximity” the Samesung versions of Continuity and iBeacon... only better of course. What? Us copy Apple? No way.

  • Reply 16 of 34
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jungmark View Post



    "Samsung's Think Tank Team". Hahaha!



    The Samsung Theft Tank.

  • Reply 17 of 34
    WOW! Samsung actually comes up with something NEW AND GROUNDBREAKING!!! They're finally spending money on R&D...oh...wait a minute...oh, yeah, from 2013...

    http://connect.dpreview.com/post/3986260865/ricoh-unveils-360-degree-smart-phone-controlled-theta-camera

    Wait a minute...Ricoh...they own Pentax...didn't Samsung use to make parts for Pentax...oh, yeah...
  • Reply 18 of 34
    idreyidrey Posts: 647member
    cambo wrote: »
    WOW! Samsung actually comes up with something NEW AND GROUNDBREAKING!!! They're finally spending money on R&D...oh...wait a minute...oh, yeah, from 2013...

    http://connect.dpreview.com/post/3986260865/ricoh-unveils-360-degree-smart-phone-controlled-theta-camera

    Wait a minute...Ricoh...they own Pentax...didn't Samsung use to make parts for Pentax...oh, yeah...

    I like that theta camera pretty cool. And it shows how original samesong really is. ????
  • Reply 19 of 34
    idreyidrey Posts: 647member
    nagromme wrote: »
    People have already been shooting VR video, but it needs to improve. Kudos to anyone who is experimenting in pushing VR and 3D forward. That includes Apple, as shown by years of patent filings.

    There, I connected this story to Apple :)

    Good job :) any way every moron will say samsung came up with it first
  • Reply 20 of 34
    According the reporter at The Verge, quality of the video is pretty bad, however this type of remote viewing should eventually result in the elimination of many security guard jobs. One person could be in 10 locations at once, plus if you attach this kind of camera to an armed robot body...

    Ah, yes... so, instead of 10 sleeping guards, you have one "resting his eyes."

    If Samsung is announcing VR that is not yet ready for market, can announcements of Jet Packs and military robots be far behind?? If you think this will ever go anywhere, I have a couple 4-story barges full of shipping containers I want to sell you...

    This feels like Samsung is trying to appear "edgy" and copy Google in throwing money into the wind. If this camera is small enough to fit into the nether regions of an elephant, that would be a virtual reality trip no one has thought about... yet.... :smokey:
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