Hololabs Receives CMF Experimental Stream Production Funding for Papercade

Paperade Arcade Unit Image

Good news everybody!

Hololabs is excited to announce that Papercade has been approved for production funding from the Canada Media Fund Experimental Stream. This is the next big step in the tale of Papercade, and will be used to build on the success of the original demo. To help us build out Papercade we have taken on some new team members and moved into a new office space featuring a spiffy new espresso machine. It’s bona fide! We’ve got more about the team in this other post, by the way.

Anyhow, Papercade. Papercade is a social sandbox game where you, the player, can create and share your own interactive stories using cardboard dioramas right from your smartphone or tablet. Picture this: cardboard dioramas like you used to make back in the old days (but now on your mobile device) + characters and objects from your own photo galleries + your own original story/ game = Papercade. Part of the game also includes the ability to recraft your friends’ games and develop a storyline together. Cool huh? We think so.

Because Papercade is all about you, and creating your own games, we want to hear from you! We are building Papercade with the aim of being both easy and fun to use, so any feedback is definitely appreciated (we like fan mail too though). So, join us on the social media networks and stay in the loop for when we launch into beta testing. In the meantime, share your favourite crafting projects with us on Pinterest, or say hello over on Facebook/ Google+/ Twitter. We’re here to chat!

Until next time,
Everyone here at Hololabs

PS: For a picture of the new espresso machine check out our Facebook page.  

Diyorama gets new name: "Papercade"

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Time for a Diyorama update! We’re renaming it to Papercade.

We believe that to make the best creative social game we can Papercade will likely go through many evolutionary stages.

We want a game where players of all skill and experience levels can express themselves and create their own original mini-games. Papercade reflects that by harkening back to the simplicity and accessible nature of grade school diorama boxes and paper collages.

So, say ‘hello’ to scrap-gaming and join us over on www.papercade.com.

Hololabs Receives Development Funding for Diyorama

We are excited to announce that Hololabs has been selected to receive development funding through the Canada Media Fund (CMF)’s Experimental Stream.

Diyorama is part of the first of two rounds of funding for the 2012 calendar year.

The full list of funded projects for development and marketing can be found here.

Hololabs launches "Hollowfields" installation at the International Digital Arts Biennial

Hololabs was commissioned to create an interactive art installation for the 2012 first edition BIAN Montreal art festival and Maison de la culture Ahuntsic- Cartierville.

Using real-time point-cloud data from a Kinect controller, participants’ bodies and motion were tracked and projected as patterns of 3D computer graphics onto a series of translucent screens. The resulting experience for the audience was the ability to control a large immersive 3D environment with micro-movements of their own bodies.

Hololabs Presents Farrago at ISMAR and ForumMediaVibes

image copyright FunkiMag.nl

Fotograaf: Arjan Kremer

Just returned from our whirlwind European tour. Received great feedback for our presentation on in-situ content authoring at ISMAR, and had a good time discovering the amazing city of Groningen. Special thanks to Quebec’s cultural attache in Brussels and all the folks at Forum Images for the opportunity. We’ll post video of the presentation as soon as it is made available (you won’t want to miss Sander Veenhof’s talk on the wild wild west frontiers of AR).

For lots more on augmented reality give Mike and Paul’s co-authored paper Towards in situ authoring of augmented reality content a read.

Hololabs announces Farrago, a DIY augmented reality (AR) app for iPhone and iPod Touch

Farrago AR FunKit iPhone App

Montreal, CANADA

The Farrago AR FunKit provides a suite of intuitive tools that allow users to take photos and record videos while incorporating 3-D graphics in real time. Users can choose from a library of 3-D objects, including props and costumes, or create their own objects using a built-in editor.

Once an object is selected, it can be placed anywhere within the mobile device’s camera view using the touch screen. An object also can be associated with a fiduciary marker, a printable pattern that can be held or worn. Viewed through the lens of the camera, the marker becomes the object, and the object – a sword, a rocket, the head of your favorite world leader or anything else you can think of – becomes part of the scene. With Farrago, what you see is what you imagine.

Available now on the App Store, Farrago is being developed by Montreal-based Hololabs, a team with decades of combined experience in programming, video-game production and interactive design. Find videos of Farrago in motion at farragoapp.com, and follow us on Twitter @farragoapp.

iTunes

MixAR gets new name: Farrago

What’s in a name? A lot, as it turns out.

The first name we came up with for our augmented reality app was a little too similar to that of an existing property. Hololabs co-founder Paul suggested muscling up and delivering a Montreal-style curb stomp to these creepy people who could see into the future and steal our name. Then Hololabs co-co-founder Mike remembered that none of us has ever punched anyone.

So it was back to the drawing board. Emails were exchanged, hands were wrung and we incorporated Learn to Punch Fridays into the employee wellness program at Hololabs.

And that’s how we arrived at this moment, when we introduce to you The App Formerly Known As MixAR: Farrago.

Derived from the Latin for “mixture,” in English, Farrago means “awesome.”

An augmented reality app that blends 3-D models with photos and videos shot on your iPhone or iPod Touch, Farrago will let you add that third arm you’ve always wanted. Farrago will help you capture documentary evidence of Bigfoot and Bigfoot’s sidekick, the Reverend Jerry. Farrago will give you the tools you need to finally realize your dream of spanking Genghis Khan.

The only limits are your imagination and your capacity for spanking.

Farrago is coming soon. We hope you’re looking forward to it as much as we are.

Hololabs Studio Announce Kickstarter Launch for “MixAR”- World's First 3D Augmented Reality Editor for the iPhone

Hololabs Studio announce the launch of a Kickstarter campaign for MixAR, their second Augmented Reality [AR] iPhone application. MixAR is the first AR editor for use on the iPhone. It allows users to easily create and share custom AR models, movies and experiences using nothing more than their phone. MixAR is in production and expected to be released Q1 2011.

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About Hololabs:

With more than 20 years of combined professional experience in video-game production and interactive media development, Hololabs Studio is a privately owned research & development company based in Montreal. Specializing in interactive new-media solutions featuring mixed-reality technologies, Hololabs’ mission is to develop imaginative and meaningful ways for people to connect through new forms of creative expression.

http://www.hololabs.org

Release of the “Empire ISIS AR” iPhone application

Hololabs Studio, in partnership with Monumental Records, announce the release of “Empire ISIS AR”, an augmented reality (AR) iPhone application promoting “Crack the Code”, the forthcoming album by recording artist, Empire ISIS.

Users can enjoy various interactive AR experiences featuring Empire ISIS and listen to tracks from her new album. The application features two modes: a ‘performance’ mode, where users can switch between different 3D effects and poses by the artist, and a ‘photo shoot’ mode, where users can take photos with Empire ISIS to share with their friends on Facebook. Try it now by downloading “Empire ISIS AR” for free at the iPhone App Store.
App Store link: http://ax.itunes.apple.com/app/empire-isis-ar/id402051575?mt=8

Montreal developers announce formation of interactive new media company, Hololabs Studio

Mike Wozniewski and Paul Warne announce the creation of Hololabs Studio, a privately-owned Montreal research & development company specializing in mixed reality technologies. Their mission is to develop imaginative and meaningful ways for people to connect through creative new forms of expression.

With more than 20 years of combined professional experience in videogame production and interactive new-media development, Mike and Paul’s past works include the tele-presence installation “Breaking the Ice”, created with the Society for Arts and Technology [SAT] and featured at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Their debut mobile Augmented Reality project “Empire ISIS AR” has recently completed production and will be available on Apple’s App Store later this month. They are currently in production on their next mobile AR App, MixAR, which will empower users to create their own AR content using their iPhone.