Lesson 09: 6DoF & Volumtric Video

In this lesson students will engage with 6 degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) virtual reality and volumetric video. These mediums allow for the viewer to not only change their point of view, but to move through a virtual world. Recording and playing back these virtual reality experiences tends to require more high-powered hardware, but the payoff is the potential for an experience that is highly immersive and that closely matches the way we move through the world. The bright side is that these tools are evolving quickly to become more affordable and easier to use.

Learning Outcomes
    • Compare 3 and 6 degrees of Freedom
    • Define volumetric video
    • Propose stories that would make effective Volumetric  Video
Lesson Outline

What is 6DoF?

What is volumetric video? 

Example: Xbox and the Kinect (announcement video from 2013)

Shorter version

RGB+D cameras

Intel RealSense

Azure Kinect

Volumetric Studios: David Attenborough

Frontline “Greenland Melting”

But this is from a single point of view… better to see in a headset

Ferenji: A graphic Memoir in VR, dreamy USA, Ethiopia

Ferenji is a visual dialogue between memory, reality, and the digital in an immersive memoir about Ethiopian-American mixed-race identity. Playing in Cinema360: Kinfolk. Director: Ainslee A. Robson

1st step …about Apollo 11, very realistic, very powerful:

1st Step is equal parts documentary and fairy tale, telling the magical story of a dream come true: the Apollo missions. Follow the missions from launch all the way through to return, and find yourself gazing at lunar panoramas re-created from NASA’s archival photos. Germany. Project Creator: Joerg Courtial, Maria Courtial

Depth Kit 

Reach

In-class Exercise/Activity for Small Groups

If a headset that supports 6DoF is available, let students try some examples of 6DoF storytelling. 

Otherwise, have students watch this volumetric augmented reality piece from the New York Times.

NYT Ashley Graham  https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/09/04/style/ashley-graham-body-positive-movement-ar-ul.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/insider/ashley-graham-hologram-augmented-reality-video.html

Discussion Prompts

What are 3DoF and 6DoF?

What’s unique about 6DoF virtual reality? 

When would you use 3DoF vs 6DoF?

End of lesson feedback

3-2-1 (3 takeaways, 2 questions, 1 thing they enjoyed)