Here Come the Winners of VR NOW Awards 2017
Berlin/Potsdam, November 15, 2017. Tonight at the Schinkelhalle in Potsdam, the winners of the 2nd VR NOW Awards were announced during the international virtual reality conference VR NOW Con & Awards in Potsdam (15 November) and Berlin (16 November). The awards for Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality, Augmented Reality and 360° Video have dedicated themselves exclusively to Virtual Reality Experiences. The English-language conference VR NOW Con in Berlin and Potsdam is dedicated to current developments in the Virtual Reality sector and lets experts from around the globe have their say.
Jury member Rebecca Liu (VR Core, China): „The quality of the VR experiences, nominated for the VR NOW Awards was very high and impressive regarding technology, storytelling and creativity. Therefore, it was not always easy for us to make a decision. The VR NOW Award nominees also reflected the broad spectrum of contexts and industries in which virtual reality, mixed reality, augmented reality applications and 360° videos are used today. Congratulations to all winners!”
These are the winners of the 2017 VR NOW Awards:
VR NOW Grand Prize
honours the best project of the year, based on quality and innovation.
Foren Method by The Vrain, Samsung Gear VR
Foren Method is a pioneer project looking to tap in to a new and revolutionary way for the treatment of neurological injuries. Findings and knowledge from the field of Virtual Reality are applied here to rehab therapies in order to alleviate such physical damage as spinal injuries, strokes, multiple sclerosis and other illnesses and to support the healing process in a sustainable way. http://metodoforen.com/
VR Technology Award
recognises a technically outstanding VR project, with particular attention to the technological progress and innovation.
HolodeckVR by HolodeckVR, multiple platforms
HolodeckVR is a real-time and high-precision VR technology which transforms large areas into virtual environments for playing, exploring and interacting and can also be accessed by a large number of users. This functions with every HMD headset and the Holodeck uses its own so-called sensor fusion technology and operator software to handle a large number of users simultaneously (currently 600 users per hour). www.holodeckvr.co
VR Entertainment Award
shows the most outstanding and entertaining Virtual Reality experiences and projects including interactive, fiction or experimental formats.
HUXLEY by EXIT VR, HTC Vive
It is 3007, life no longer exists on Earth. The player is the last survivor of humanity at a space station when the message news arrives: „My name is HUXLEY and I need your help!“ The goal in HUXLEY, a VR live adventure in Berlin, is to find out what’s happened. The location-based VR Escape Game gives one the opportunity to experience virtual worlds interactively together as a team. www.exit-vr.de
VR Industry Award
honours viable and innovative B2B applications and solutions in the field of Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality and 360 ° Video.
LISIM ® – Simulator for cranes by Stoll von Gáti, Oculus Rift
The crane simulator LISIM has the crane operator sitting in a real cabin attached to a highly sensitive motion base. All of the original controls can be found in the cabin. In combination with a VR headset, the green-coated screens create a projection surface providing the crane operator with a stereoscopic 360 degree experience. He sees the real cabin interior in this Mixed Reality. At the same time, the green screens are replaced by a 200km² large landscape. Three difficulty levels make it possible to carry out exercises in all weather and light conditions. www.stollvongati.com
VR Impact Award (presented by INVR.space)
supports projects wanting to change something, whether it is through journalism, artistic expression or through the socially engaged Experiences of non-profit organisations.
Foren Method by The Vrain, Samsung Gear VR
Foren Method is a pioneer project looking to tap in to a new and revolutionary way for the treatment of neurological injuries. Findings and knowledge from the field of Virtual Reality are applied here to rehab therapies in order to alleviate such physical damage as spinal injuries, strokes, multiple sclerosis and other illnesses and to support the healing process in a sustainable way. http://metodoforen.com/
The main jury of the VR NOW Awards, consisting of Sönke Kirchhof (INVR.space), Kurt Sagatz(Der Tagesspiegel), Matthijs Wouter Knol (European Film Market), Chris Sibley (Phenomena Media, USA), Liu Rebecca (VR Core, China), Istvan Tajnay (Ubisoft Blue Byte) and Christiane Wittebecher (IntoVR), decided on the winners and select the winner of the VR NOW Grand Prize. An expert jury, consisting of Csongor Baranyai (University of Applied Sciences Europe), Ina Göring (Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg), Rangeen Katharina Horami (Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF), Dennis Kogel (VICE / Motherboard), Nicole Laux (Schenker Technologies), Verena Nagel (Berliner Festspiele), Kimo Quaintance (IQ Gemini), Jim Rüggeberg (Winner 2016, Illusion Walk), Sara-Lisa Vogl (VR BASE) and Carl White (VRBB) selected three nominated projects per category.The conference and the award ceremony are staged by the Virtual Reality e.V. Berlin-Brandenburg, produced by Booster Space – Made with Love in Berlin and supported by Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg.
Website: www.vrnowcon.io
Facebook: www.facebook.com/virnowcontualrealitynow
Twitter: www.twitter.com/vrnowcon, @VRnowCon, #VRnowCon, #VRlove
Press contact
Dr. Kathrin Steinbrenner & Kristian Müller
SteinbrennerMüller Kommunikation
Email: mail@steinbrennermueller.de
Tel.: +49 (0)30 4737 2191
About Virtual Reality e.V. Berlin-Brandenburg
Virtual Reality e.V. Berlin-Brandenburg (VRBB) was founded at the beginning of 2016 as an initiative by several companies from Berlin and Potsdam. There are currently more than 50 Berlin and Brandenburg-based technology companies, research institutes and media enterprises involved alongside UFA, the Hasso Plattner Institute, the Film University, SMI, Exozet, Metropolis VR, Fraunhofer HHI, rbb and Illusion Walk. The association bundles all of the existing expertise on Mixed, Virtual and Augmented Reality in the capital region as a way of making this hub internationally competitive position in this field. VRBB is also one of the four initiators of the MediaTech Hub Potsdam, one of 12 national de:hubs selected by the Federal Ministry of Economics, and the only one with a focus on media technology. The board comprises Stephan Schindler (chair), Sven Bliedung and Henry Bauer. Preparations for setting up the association were supported by Brandenburg’s Ministry of Economics, Brandenburg Investand media:net. www.virtualrealitybb.org
About Booster Space – Made with Love in Berlin
The people behind the company Booster Space are the ones managing such events as #gamesweekberlin, the VR NOW Con & Awards, the gamescom congress, Game Cinema, Womenize! and more. Working on the principle of „Connecting Business, Technology and Culture“, they have developed a platform for enthusing about new media by organising conference programmes with international and interdisciplinary speakers. Priority is given to trends rather than hype. Booster Space has also been developing its own VR games (DUEL VR) in Berlin since 2016. Booster supports clients like Kickstarter or Intel Software Europe on building games communities in Europe. www.boosterspace.com
