Nokia, after having its phone business acquired by Microsoft, still have a lot which they have been working on. After licensing to Nokia N1 tablet, The Finish technology company has now introduced a virtual reality camera, OZO, for professional content creators.
During an event in Los Angeles, Nokia has introduced this next generation camera which will record both audio and video in 360 degrees making it the first commercially available virtual reality (VR) camera.
The company has plans to have final testing in partnership with industry professionals for refinements to OZO before its commercial release. Final pricing is not yet disclosed (or decided) while full technical specifications will be announced sooner or later along with the price. Company expects to ship the product in Q4 2015 while having a clear stance that OZO will be manufactured in Finland.
OZO captures stereoscopic 3D video through eight (8) synchronized global shutter sensors and spatial audio through eight (8) integrated microphones. Software built for OZO enables real-time 3D viewing, with an innovative playback solution that removes the need to pre-assemble a panoramic image - a time-consuming process with solutions currently in the marketplace.
The content filmed with OZO VR Camera will be able to publish on exist VR viewing hardware e.g. head mounted displays and other professional tools and equipment. This also may include 3D visual output displays.
OZO’s filmed content can be published for commercially available VR viewing hardware such as head mounted displays (HMDs), with immersive, full 360-degree imaging and spatially accurate original sound. OZO also integrates into existing professional workflows and works with third-party tools, dramatically simplifying content production at all stages.
While OZO is in its pre-production phase and having announced the shipment dates, this side of the technology is already approaching its space steadily from different companies in the industry. Including GoPro, Samsung and Google.
Nokia OZO is literally not a consumers level product but intends to professionals in film making. Nokia already has commitments from companies such as VR production company Jaunt Studios based in Palo Alto. Cliff Plumer, President of Jaunt Studios said.
Our mission has always been to provide filmmakers with tools and techniques that fuel their creative process, unlocking the true potential of their vision. Our partnership with Nokia is another big step for us to continue to provide our partners with the most cutting-edge technology to further cater to their creative needs. Jaunt will continue to work with its own line of cameras, as well as the best-of-breed that others have to offer, to ensure content creators have access to the best tool for the job.
We’ll look into this development from Nokia Technologies with an interest and update your accordingly.
