The HEAT Project has unveiled the preliminary results of its XRBlues pre-pilot during two key events dedicated to technological innovation:
- “Towards an Immersive Future: VR, AR & Metaverse”, organized by the University of Cagliari and held on January 29, 2025, at the Event Halls – Ex Distilleria, Pirri. This event explored the latest advancements in immersive technologies, including virtual reality, augmented reality, and the metaverse.
- “World Radio Day 2025: Innovation, AI, and the Future of Radio”, celebrated on February 13, 2025, at the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture in Cagliari, in collaboration with Unica Radio. This event focused on the evolution of radio in the AI and digital era, providing an ideal platform to discuss new frontiers in extended reality (XR) applications for music and live performances.
The showcased module represents a crucial component of an XR application designed to offer users a groundbreaking musical experience. In the final version, users will not only attend a concert but also interact in real time with an ultra-realistic representation of the event environment. This includes engaging with musicians through gestures like clapping and experiencing advanced spatialization techniques for both audio and video, allowing users to step onto the stage and move closer to individual band members. This feature aims to replicate the acoustic perception of the performing artists themselves.
The demo, developed using Unity, integrates 360-degree video footage captured by drone with multichannel audio recorded from the venue’s mixer during a Blues festival concert at Rockstadt Club, Brașov, Romania last year. This combination creates a fully immersive experience that pushes the boundaries of virtual concert engagement.
By participating in these events, the HEAT Project continues to advance its research on immersive experiences, highlighting the transformative potential of XR technology in both live music and digital broadcasting.
