Ethan Kaplan

Kris Huang, ROG Committee Head and General Manager, Gaming Gear, has published a thoughtful piece, “From Insight to Innovation: ROG’s Design Thinking Approach to Gaming,” on why design thinking plays a decisive role in building gaming experiences that hold up in real life — not just on paper.   What stands out is the consistent player-first discipline behind ROG’s work: deep research across different gamer profiles, a structured loop from empathy to definition and testing, and the willingness to turn engineering constraints into meaningful design outcomes. The article also shares concrete examples — from addressing rigidity, acoustics, and thermals in the Zephyrus program, to rethinking feasibility and aesthetics in the Flow Z13, and building mouse ergonomics with hand-shape development informed by pro players.   If you work in product, design, or engineering, it’s a solid read on how insights become decisions — and decisions become better gameplay. 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: https://lnkd.in/g_kUHMg5

8

1 Comment

From LiDAR prototype to full hand-tracked LED wall we built the Indieverse for Indie 102.3 We created an interactive LED wall experience for Indie 102.3’s Indieverse Concert at Levitt Pavilion Denver. What began as a simple LiDAR + TouchDesigner prototype evolved into a fully hand-tracked immersive installation that highlighted the station’s impact on the Denver community. Hundreds of guests explored the Indieverse, connected with their local radio station, and even caught surprise moments with OK Go. This is just the beginning. We’re developing this technology for future concerts, brand activations, corporate events, weddings, and beyond. Want to create something unforgettable at your event? Let’s talk Colorado Public Radio #InteractiveLED #TouchDesigner #ImmersiveEvents

17

2 Comments

After years of leading engineering teams and developing new-to-the-world products in optics, display, and instrumentation, I’ve learned that innovation thrives where collaboration lives. Magic Leap has shown how bringing together diverse expertise can turn complex challenges into real progress. This new direction of becoming an AR accelerator for technology partners is a powerful way to build on that experience. By combining our deep technical knowledge with the strengths of our partners, we can move the AR ecosystem forward faster and with greater impact. The future of augmented reality isn’t built in isolation. It’s built together. This article reflects that evolution and the shared vision driving it forward.

132

1 Comment

Attending CSUN? If so, come by booth 415 in the exhibit hall to check out the latest updates to Codex, the award-winning multiline braille display. Check out improved compatibility with screen readers, new applications, and, of course, more games! Can you beat Codex in Battleship? Also, come check out our talks to hear more about developments surrounding Codex. Session 1: TITO™: Touch-In/Touch-Out Interaction for Tactile Displays When: Thursday, March 12th, 1:20pm Pacific Our Chief Experience Officer, Dr. Sile O'Modhrain, will be presenting on the latest interaction capabilities of the Codex. In particular, we'll share recent advancements with our touch-in/touch-out (TITO™) interface, where the braille surface becomes a complete interaction canvas for both reading and input — no mode switching required. Session 2: Multi-Line Braille UI Standards: Components & Interactions When: Thursday, March 12th, 2:20pm Pacific How much of your screen reader time is spent working — and how much is spent navigating to find things? Join us for a 20-minute talk on how braille displays can do more than echo what screen readers announce.

26

1 Comment

Meta just released SAM Audio, and the results reveal something fascinating about the music AI landscape. While everyone's focused on ChatGPT and text generation, Meta quietly benchmarked their new audio separation model against commercial tools. The winner? LALAL.AI came closest to matching Meta's research-level performance. Here's why this matters more than you think: → Meta's SAM Audio can isolate any sound using text prompts → It requires NVIDIA A100 GPUs and runs at 0.7x real-time → LALAL.AI achieved similar quality while being production-ready The gap between research and reality is shrinking fast. But here's the deeper insight: This isn't just about vocal removal or karaoke tracks. We're looking at the future of audio content creation. Imagine: • Podcasters isolating perfect voice tracks from noisy recordings • Musicians extracting stems from any song for remixing • Content creators removing background noise with surgical precision The music industry is about to face its "Photoshop moment." Just like image editing democratized visual creativity, AI audio separation will democratize music production. But there's a catch: While Meta's model is impressive, it operates in mono. LALAL.AI preserves stereo imaging and spatial effects, which matters for professional use. This highlights a crucial lesson for AI development: Academic benchmarks don't always reflect real-world needs. Sometimes the "worse" model is actually better for users. For creators and businesses, the message is clear: The tools that win won't necessarily be the most technically advanced. They'll be the ones that solve real problems efficiently. Are you using AI audio tools in your work? What's been your experience? Source: https://buff.ly/svjBllO #AI #MusicTech #AudioAI #Meta #Innovation #ContentCreation

9

2 Comments

What has more impact on listeners: audio or video? We’ve often discussed the growing adoption of in-car video. But Xperi Inc.’s Jeff Jury, SVP and GM of Immersive Entertainment, points out something important: While we anticipate growing interest in in-car video capabilities, it’s important not to lose sight of how consumers interact with media in the car today. In a world where audio and video are both available, the nature of the driving experience still reinforces audio consumption. Additional takeaways from Jeff’s article: - Video is situational: Video is still key, especially when vehicles are parked or charging — but once you’re driving, audio takes over. - The car is uniquely suited for immersive sound: The enclosed vehicle cabin enables high-quality, immersive audio that often outperforms how people listen elsewhere. - The next opportunity is smarter discovery: Pairing great sound with smarter discovery, context, and personalization will define the next generation of in-car experiences. Audio doesn’t just coexist with video in the car — it leads. Its continued evolution will be shaped by how well sound, content, and technology work together. Read Jeff’s full article: https://lnkd.in/guCYhWXy

41

2 Comments

It's not a abandonment of VR/AR (Meta is still pushing Horizon Worlds toward mobile experiences, courting Roblox-style developers for younger audiences, and investing in related tech), but it's a clear downsizing after years of underwhelming adoption — Horizon Worlds has never exceeded a couple hundred thousand monthly active users, compared to Roblox's 150+ million daily. This move is explicitly tied to Mark Zuckerberg's strategic pivot away from heavy metaverse/VR ambitions toward AI, particularly AI-powered wearables like smart glasses (e.g., the Ray-Ban Meta line, which has seen stronger traction). What are your thoughts on this shift? Do you think AI glasses will succeed where VR headsets struggled, or is this just swapping one expensive hype cycle for another? https://lnkd.in/g549Wnay

2

1 Comment

Viaim' s RecDot earbuds deliver AI-powered note taking, translation and transcription, while also delivering an every-day-carry headphone - making it a better value than those other note taking devices that do nothing else and require carrying a device taking up extra space. Check out why Trusted Reviews dished out their coveted Recommended badge to the RecDot. "Offering a simple means of transcribing calls and meetings in a compact device, the Viaim RecDot are a great pair of all-day earbuds for professionals." https://lnkd.in/gNaSKR-k

1

Why Tech Billionaires Are Betting Big On Data Centers In Space Robinhood cofounder Baiju Bhatt’s space startup Aetherflux plans to launch its first satellite with AI chips by 2027. By Alicia Park

9

The XR Association (XRA), an industry group dedicated to the responsible development and adoption of extended reality (XR), released its latest survey on U.S. high school students' attitudes toward XR The findings are clear: teens not only enjoy XR, but increasingly view it as an important part of their education and entertainment ecosystems Read the full survey insights: https://lnkd.in/geQFk-zY

2

Most music streaming platforms think bigger algorithms solve everything. Qobuz proved the opposite. I recently sat down with Dan Mackta, Managing Director at Qobuz, and what he shared about their approach reminded me why we started Moon Audio. When Qobuz launched lossless streaming, industry skeptics told them "good luck... people don't care about quality." A few years later, Apple and Amazon both launched lossless streaming services. Total vindication. But here's what really stood out: Dan mentioned that people are actually asking for gatekeepers now... experts who know what they're talking about and can suggest music an algorithm would never find. This mirrors exactly what we see with our customers. They don't want another generic recommendation engine. They want someone who understands their listening preferences, their gear, and can make thoughtful suggestions based on real expertise. Qobuz also publishes their per-stream artist payouts... the highest in the industry. When you're small and independent, you can make decisions based on what's right, not just what scales. Quality doesn't require being the biggest player in the market. It requires caring more than anyone else about the details that matter. Watch the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/e-4YRSVg #Audiophile #HighResAudio #MusicStreaming #AudioIndustry #TheFidelityExchange

3

Electronic Arts (EA) is the target of a $55 billion buyout, drawing attention to the growing value of gaming intellectual property in the entertainment and tech sectors. The potential acquisition underscores the strategic importance of franchises like FIFA, Madden, and Apex Legends, as major players seek to expand their digital ecosystems and capitalize on the booming gaming market. #ElectronicArts #GamingIndustry #Gaming #IPValue #Tech #Acquisition #DigitalEntertainment #GameDevelopment #TechnologyNews https://lnkd.in/ddAGh8nw

1

🚀 New AI Filmmaking Experiment! Just released a fully AI-generated video — visuals, voice, and music — created using WAN 2.2, Infinity Talk, Nano Banana, and Qwen Image, all assembled inside ComfyUI. 🎬 🎯 Goal: Achieve long-form video generation with consistent backgrounds, stable characters, and cinematic flow. Every frame, sound, and tone — born from AI. 🤖✨ Early results look incredibly promising! Do you think AI storytelling can soon rival human-made films? #ComfyUI #WAN2 #AIvideo #AIFilmmaking #3DAnimation #InfinityTalk #NanoBanana #QwenImage #AICreativity

24

1 Comment

Static webcams are boring, so I built one that moves with you. It’s an Auto-Framing AI Camera that detects who’s speaking and smoothly reframes the shot in real time. Combines face and voice detection with EMA smoothing, and streams through an OBS virtual camera so it works anywhere. Built in Python with Mediapipe and OpenCV, runs real-time on CPU. Demo below. Thanks also to Ayan Mohideen for helping with the demo. GitHub: https://lnkd.in/eV7QMA2K

163

16 Comments

🎮 This is a powerful real-world example of the true potential of gaming — a medium where interactivity meets multimedia: sound, text, image, video, and human-machine interaction, all wrapped in a carefully crafted user experience. As we enter an era shaped by AI, spatial computing, robotics, and new forms of social platforms, I remain convinced (and it seems I’m not the only one) that gaming, interactive media, and digital entertainment will be both a cornerstone and a launchpad for this technological revolution. It’s not just about play — it’s about future of work, next gen consumers, phygital economy, and beyond. The future is interactive. 🚀 #Gaming #InteractiveMedia #DigitalEntertainment #AI #SpatialComputing #Tech #VC

21

2 Comments