FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 29, 2020
PRESS CONTACT
Alexandra Tursi
OVR Technology
802.777.6737 (direct line)
press@ovrtechnology.com
Better Virtual Reality, Better Reality: OVR Technology Brings Scent-Driven VR Solution to VR/AR Global Summit 2020
CEO Aaron Wisniewski Set to Be Featured Speaker
Burlington, Vermont: OVR Technology (ovrtechnology.com), the leader in providing scent solutions for VR, AR, and other digital environments, will bring its newly released technology platform, the Architecture of Scent, to the VRARA Global Summit 2020, at which CEO Aaron Wisniewski will also be a featured speaker on October 1 at 2:30 p.m. EST. The Architecture of Scent (https://ovrtechnology.com/technology/) combines hardware, software, and scentware to precisely replicate complex sensory experiences in the digital world.
Since launching its cornerstone product in May 2020, OVR Technology has signed on to partner with a range of content developers interested in its innovative tool for creating multisensory VR/AR environments. “We have brought together an alliance of researchers, practitioners, and technologists to use scent to stimulate and access memory in ways that transform cognition, emotion, and behavioral responses,” said Wisniewski, who is also co-founder of OVR Technology.
These partners share OVR Technology’s mission to leverage the pioneering possibilities of VR/AR for social good. They include:
Healthcare | University of Vermont Medical Center
David Tomasi, PhD, EdD, director of research at inpatient psychiatry at the University of Vermont Medical Center, is partnering with OVR Technology on a trial study of an olfactory VR intervention for patients with stress and anxiety disorders. “Utilizing multiple sensory elements and neural pathways can enhance the experience itself and the range of possibilities, that is, the spectrum of bio-psychological effects felt by the patient afterward. This is very helpful for a provider who, especially in psychiatry, is often limited in discussing issues with patients via talk therapy,” said Tomasi. The results of the study, anticipated to be released in 2021, have numerous applications for the general population as well as for psychiatry patients with no feasible alternative to traditional, in-person therapeutic interventions.
Education | Global Village Project
Award-winning artist Daniel Stricker and his company DP Immersive (http://dp-immersive.net) now partner with OVR Technology on Global Village Project’s “Shifting Homes” initiative, which uses a fully immersive olfactory VR experience to simulate the impacts of climate change in Samoa, including extreme weather patterns, rising sea levels, and the loss of cultural landmarks. This builds on Stricker’s work on Global Village Project’s Australian Indigenous VR experience “Mirrar World” and his work on the critically acclaimed VR experience “Via Alice.” “Olfactory virtual reality is one of the greatest storytelling tools that has ever been invented,” Stricker said. Shifting Homes will debut at the Venice Biennale 2021.
Training & Simulation | ECS-US Army
ECS, a global leader in engineering and computer simulation, has named OVR Technology as its preferred supplier of olfactory VR platforms to the US Army for training and research. OVR Technology already partners with military training organizations and health professionals on olfactory VR programs for military readiness training as well as resilience treatment for veterans. Those partners include Bravemind, Creative Veteran Productions, JB Management, and American Systems. “Olfactory influences on military missions are undeniable. The application of OVR’s technology to readiness activities is revolutionary and serves to enhance the realism of training environments and end states. This tool can be employed to expose a training audience to stressors not currently found in conventional venues and techniques,” said Andy Vonada, president and chief executive officer of JB Management.
Attendees of the VR/AR Global Summit 2020, please visit OVR Technology to learn more and meet the team: https://ovrtechnology.com/
Listen to a VRARA Association podcast interview with OVR Technology’s CEO, Aaron Wisniewski: https://ovrtechnology.com/blog-vrara_podcast080620/
About OVR Technology
OVR Technology was founded in 2017 and is based in Burlington, Vermont. We combine our most primal sense, scent, with today’s most advanced technology to unlock the potential of virtual reality. Better virtual reality, better reality. Learn more at https://ovrtechnology.com/.
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