Arcturus Adds Depthkit Support to HoloSuite, Streamlining the Volumetric Video Pipeline

Fall 2021 HoloSuite Update Includes Advanced Audio Support and an Improved User Interface; Free to Subscribers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.
November 9, 2021

Today at Augmented World Expo (AWE) 2021, volumetric video pioneer Arcturus unveils the latest update for its industry leading HoloSuite tools, adding full support for Scatter’s 3D capture software, Depthkit Studio. Now, content creators of all sizes — from established commercial production studios, to artists and researchers prototyping in volumetric capture for the first time — can capture, edit and distribute their volumetric projects using one pipeline, making it easier than ever to create holograms for augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), framed media, 360-degree spatial videos and more.

 

“Volumetric video is changing the very nature of how we consume media, and the faster we can get the right tools into the hands of the next generation of creators, the faster everyone will benefit,” said Kamal Mistry, CEO of Arcturus. “By working with companies like Scatter, our goal is to bring humans into the metaverse by streamlining the creation and distribution process. That starts with building a powerful end-to-end pipeline from capture to post-production and streaming.”

 

With the volumetric video market expected to surpass the $5 billion mark in the next few years, content creators need a simplified method for capturing, editing and distributing volumetric video. Thanks to this new partnership, Depthkit Studio users can now upload their volumetric video footage into HoloEdit, where it can be refined and polished, and users can add additional touches, including interactive cues. The video can then be compressed and exported for direct distribution, or uploaded to game engines for further integration into existing projects and environments.

Once the project is ready for the public, the completed file can be imported into HoloStream for distribution. Content creators can then stream their work straight to any web browser, while Arcturus’ proprietary algorithms ensure a consistent, high-quality stream, regardless of bandwidth stability. That gives consumers the ability to view AR holograms directly on their mobile devices, and explore videos without the need for additional hardware or software, while VR users can experience a new level of immersion.

 

“Volumetric video is expanding at an exponential pace and through a significant diversity of applications. Interoperability is important to ensuring creators have access to the tools they need to be leaders in the field,” said James George, co-founder and CEO of Scatter. “HoloSuite is the most feature-rich volumetric video editing and distribution tool on the market, so our collaboration with Arcturus was a natural fit.”

 

Along with the Depthkit plugin, the update to HoloSuite also introduces a new level of audio support, vastly simplifying the process of adding audio tracks to volumetric video. Users can now import audio files — including mp3, wav and mp4 — directly into HoloEdit, then align them with an existing project. The completed file can then be exported with the audio intact, all without requiring any additional software.

 

The update also includes several improvements to the user interface, beginning with a new visual feedback display for the composition panel, added to improve clarity in complex compositions. The task manager has also been improved to provide the status of background tasks, such as imports, exports and uploads. Users will also find a new “Manage Workspace” tool to help share their workspaces, and clean up unused data to manage disk space. The update also includes support for Unreal Engine 4.27.

 

AWE 2021 Details

The latest version of HoloSuite, including the Depthkit integration and new audio functionality, will be on display at AWE. Demonstrations and press interviews will be available at Arcturus’ booth, #839.

 

Pricing/Availability

HoloEdit, the first non-linear editor and post-production tool for volumetric video, and HoloStream, a tool that offers streaming options for volumetric video, are both available now. Annual and monthly subscriptions for HoloSuite are available for $3,750 per year, and $450 per month. Educational pricing is also available, with students and select faculty receiving discounts of up to 50%. The Fall 2021 Update is available to subscribers at no additional cost.

About Arcturus

Arcturus is the global leader in authoring, editing and distributing volumetric videos. Founded in 2016 by innovators with deep backgrounds in storytelling and technology from Pixar, Dreamworks, Autodesk, Google and YouTube, Arcturus was ideally suited to create “HoloSuite,” a SAAS post-production platform, offering tools for editing and distributing volumetric video. HoloSuite consists of “HoloEdit,” an optimized pipeline for the editing and compression of volumetric video, and “HoloStream,” an adaptive streaming solution that streams polygons directly to the viewer.

Arcturus also helps others navigate the volumetric video ecosystem. Consulting work includes Hulu’s Emmy nominated “Light as a Feather” Magic Leap activation, and Madonna’s volumetric holograms at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards, the first ever live broadcast of a volumetric performance and the winner of the Advanced Imaging Society Lumiere award.