Nokia may not be making smartphones at the moment, but it is still trying out some very interesting hardware. The Nokia OZO Virtual Reality camera is the latest device from the Finnish company, aimed at professional content creators who want to get in on the VR trend.
The OZO is a ball fitted with eight cameras, although Nokia has no offered any specifics on what kind of sensors are in the cameras. The device will also mount eight microphones for 360-degree sound capture. Nokia is developing software that will allow users with VR headsets to view input from the OZO in real time, removing the need for the pre-assembling of panoramic images for 3D viewing.
Nokia has signed a deal for Paolo Alto-based Jaunt Inc, a VR production company that will offer the use of the OZO in its studios. The company will also offer post-production services for the 3D video as part of its support the platform.
A few companies have been rolling out their solutions for panoramic video solutions over the last few months. GoPro recently announced a rig for its popular action camera, although that requires the users to also own six extra GoPros to make use of it.
There is no word on how much the Nokia OZO will cost, but it looks like it might be a substantial amount considering that Nokia is aiming it at professionals.
[Source: Nokia]
