Virtual Reality

Mother reunites with her deceased daughter through Virtual Reality

Will it be possible in the near future?

Published

February 9, 2020

Vincenz

Image by GadgetMatch

Virtual Reality (or VR) has been around for years. Although it hasn’t offered a lot of practical uses for consumers, the technology has recently made it possible for a mother and her deceased child to meet in a virtual world at the very least.

The nine-minute documentary is titled ‘너를 만났다’ (Neoreul Mannatda) or I Met You by the South Korean TV network MBC. With eight months of production, they’re able to re-create the child’s voice, face, and body through VR and AI. The first episode of the VR Human Documentary series premiered last 7th of February on MBC’s YouTube channel.

It was in 2016 when Jang Jisung lost Nayeon, her seven-year-old daughter. She departed the world due to a rare disease that’s incurable. With Jisung exploring the virtual world, her husband and three children are simultaneously watching what’s happening through a screen.

It started with the appearance of the white butterfly together with a song that they usually play for Nayeon. When she heard Nayeon’s voice saying ‘엄마!’ (eomma!), Jisung bursted into tears and saw her child’s appearance in a surreal environment. She continuously tried to grasp her virtual presence after not seeing her for a long time. They continued to talk and say how bad they missed each other — which made even the production staff emotional.

Of course, it did not end there. After Jisung and Nayeon did a high-five gesture, they slowly elevated towards another world. She saw a grass-filled environment with a wooden bed, a tree, and a picnic table. She was even greeted by Twilight Sparkle, Nayeon’s favorite My Little Pony character.

They also celebrated Nayeon’s birthday with a cake plus 꿀떡 (kkultteok) or honey rice cake and a bowl of 미역국 (miyeokguk) or the seawood soup that’s essential for Korean birthdays. As she counts the number of candles, Nayeon gave another candle and let her mother put it on her cake as a sign that she’s getting a year older. The power of VR made her grab the candle and stick it like it’s a real thing.

Nayeon was able to play for several minutes around the virtual tree until she had to go to bed. Their conversation continued. She told her not to cry, not to fight with her father and siblings, and to take extra care by not getting sick. It ended with the white butterfly’s appearance and Nayeon saying ‘잘가’ (jalga) or goodbye to her mother. Jisung has then transversed to the first virtual world.

Jisung agreed to appear in the show to comfort those people who lost a child, sibling, or parent.

Does the story sound familiar? There’s a Black Mirror episode that resembles how someone can be “reincarnated” through cloning and virtual reality. The TV series is pure science fiction but it gives us a preview of how a tech-driven future might look like.

There’s no guarantee that someone will get over one’s death quickly. The grieving process might even take years before someone’s sorrow fades away. As said by the Princeton Neuroscientist Michael Graziano, there’s nothing wrong or unethical about seeing the virtual equivalent of a dead person as a comforting memory.

Even without proper English subtitles, you’d still feel emotional by watching the full episode.

Related Topics:AI I Met You MBC South Korea virtual reality VR

Computers

Apple Vision Pro gets M5 chip upgrade

And comfortable Dual Knit Band

Published

October 15, 2025

GadgetMatch

Apple has introduced the upgraded Apple Vision Pro, now powered by the M5 chipand equipped with the Dual Knit Band for improved comfort.

This latest version delivers faster performance, sharper display rendering, longer battery life, and new experiences through visionOS 26, which introduces widgets, updated Personas, and new Apple Intelligence features with expanded language support.

M5 chip brings faster AI and sharper visuals

The M5 chip, built on third-generation 3-nanometer technology, introduces a 10-core CPU and GPU that boost performance across the system. Apps launch faster, web browsing feels more responsive, and visuals appear sharper with 10% more pixels rendered on Vision Pro’s micro-OLED displays.

The new GPU supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading. It brings lifelike lighting and reflections to games like Control. Vision Pro now supports refresh rates up to 120Hz. It reduces motion blur and delivering smoother experiences for Mac Virtual Display users.

The high-performance battery extends use to 2.5 hours of general activity or 3 hours of video playback on a single charge. Meanwhile, the 16-core Neural Engine accelerates AI-powered tasks up to 2x faster than before. Developers can now use Apple’s Foundation Models framework to create smarter on-device AI experiences.

Dual Knit Band offers improved comfort

Apple introduces a redesigned Dual Knit Band, crafted from 3D-knitted fabric for a more cushioned and balanced fit. It uses flexible ribs embedded with tungsten inserts for counterweight and stability, while the dual-function Fit Dial enables fine-tuned adjustments.

The Dual Knit Band is available in three sizes (S, M, L), sold separately, and compatible with previous Vision Pro models. Users can find their best fit through the Apple Store app for iPhone.

visionOS 26 expands spatial experiences

With visionOS 26, Vision Pro adds immersive new ways to work and play. Widgets can now stay anchored in your space, Personas look more natural in FaceTime, and spatial photos use AI to add realistic depth.

Vision Pro also supports 180° and 360° video playback from Canon, Insta360, and GoPro. This lets creators and users relive footage the way it was captured. Later this year, the Vision Pro app for iPad will launch. It will give users another way to browse and manage spatial content.

Expanding apps, games, and immersive content

Vision Pro users can explore over 1 million apps, with 3,000+ made specifically for visionOS. Lifestyle and design apps like HomeByMe, Balenciaga, and Christie’s Select join entertainment titles like Epic Earth and Space Vision.

Apple Immersive continues to push storytelling boundaries with new titles from Audi F1 Project, BBC, HYBE, and Red Bull. There are also 3D movie hits like Jurassic World Rebirth and Wicked on the Apple TV app.

Gaming also levels up with support for PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers. It unlocks tactile gameplay with six degrees of freedom and haptic feedback.

Built for creators and professionals

Pro users can use Vision Pro for advanced workflows — from 3D design and photography to film production and live collaboration. The new Logitech Muse stylus offers pixel-level precision in apps like Crayon and Sketch Pro. Enterprises such as CAE, Porsche, and UC San Diego Health are already adopting Vision Pro to power simulation, visualization, and healthcare innovation.

Pricing and availability

The upgraded Apple Vision Pro with M5 chip and Dual Knit Band starts at SGD 4,999, available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options.

Pre-orders in Singapore begin October 17, with availability in Apple Stores starting October 22.

The Dual Knit Band can be purchased separately for SGD 149, the Vision Pro Travel Case for SGD 299, and ZEISS Optical Inserts for SGD 149 (Readers) or SGD 219 (Prescription). The Logitech Muse stylus is priced at SGD 179 and will be available alongside the new Vision Pro.

Customers can book demos online, featuring the new Vision Pro and its latest features, including Genmoji, Writing Tools, and new Apple Immersive experiences like Tour De Force and MotoGP.

News

vivo Vision undoubtedly wants to take over Apple’s Vision Pro

Also went first against the upcoming Samsung XR Headset

Published

August 22, 2025

GadgetMatch

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

While MR (Mixed Reality) headsets aren’t the next big thing, vivo has still managed to make a direct rival of Apple’s Vision Pro.

vivo has unveiled its first ever mixed reality headset, the vivo Vision Discovery Edition, during its 30th anniversary event in Dongguan, China.

The vivo Vision marks a significant milestone in vivo’s exploration of spatial computing and immersive technology.

The device’s introduction also makes vivo the first Chinese smartphone manufacturer to come up with such MR offering, expanding its niche.

A new lightweight, immersive experience

Four years in the making, the vivo Vision Discovery Edition advances vivo’s long-term home robotics strategy and bringing mixed reality from the lab into everyday life.

The cutting-edge device weighs just 398 grams and measures 83mm by 40mm — 26% smaller than the industry average. This means improved overall comfort.

The design also offers four sizes of light seal, and eight foam padding options to ensure an optimal fit even during extended use.

The headset is powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ platform for up to 2.5x GPU performance and up to 8x AI performance.

It runs on OriginOS Vision for natural and intuitive interactions. Information appears seamlessly in the surrounding space.

Users can shift from traditional “tap-through-screen” interactions to “move-and-pinch” gestures with:

1.5° high-precision eye-tracking
26 degrees of freedom in fingertip gesture recognition
175° vertical tracking range

vivo Vision Discovery Edition micro OLED

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Moreover, the headset has dual micro-OLED screens for 8K binocular resolution, 94% DCI-P3 color coverage, and DeltaE<2 color accuracy.

Such visuals are comparable to professional cinema monitors. Brightness and color consistency calibration was also performed to reduce discomfort caused by binocular visual differences.

All in all, the headset serves as a seamless entryway for users into digital lives. Scenarios include gaming, entertainment, and even productivity.

For example, panoramic viewing capabilities can benefit sports fans when watching live events. For media consumption, the headset can generate the equivalent of a 120-foot theater screen.

vivo elevates imaging strategy

In addition, the company has also announced a comprehensive upgrade to its imaging technology strategy and imaging culture ecosystem.

This upgrade aims to strengthen vivo’s long-standing capabilities in night photography, portraits, telephoto, and video, while responding to shifting user demands.

With its new strategy, vivo aims to make professional imaging capabilities accessible to a broader audience.

Among the aspects to be covered are imaging security, health applications, and cross-device experiences.

In health imaging, vivo aims to combine the Telephoto Macro capability of the vivo X200 series with medical-grade optics to develop a portable slit lamp to make ophthalmic diagnostics more accessible.

Furthermore, vivo and ZEISS have entered a new era of global imaging partnership. Fans can expect vivo to continue refining its self-developed imaging technology to deliver user experiences.

Among vivo’s recent highlights when it comes to smartphone photography-related advancements and technologies are:

the VS1 pre-processing chip and V3+ imaging chip work in tandem for efficiency in complex scenarios for portrait and low-light
first smartphone company to apply a 200MP sensor to a telephoto camera (BlueImage x Samsung HP9 200MP
debuted the Blueprint x Sony LYT-828 sensor