Sony's gaming division just bought an AI startup that turns photos into 3D volumes
Sony Interactive Entertainment, owner of the PlayStation brand, has acquired Cinemersive Labs , a UK startup developing tools to convert 2D photos and videos into 3D volumes. The startup team will join Sony's Visual Computing Group , a research engineering team focused on graphical technology, including game rendering, video coding and generative AI models. Cinemersive's most recent product is a virtual reality app called Parallax that works as a viewer for parallax photos ā three-dimensional images that you can peer around with natural head movements ā captured using traditional smartphones and professional cameras with stereo lenses. The startup developed custom AI tools to convert 2D images into 3D volumes to make Parallax possible, and Sony apparently wants to apply that expertise to its own projects. "Following the acquisition, the Cinemersive Labs team will join SIEās Visual Computing Group (VCG) and contribute to our broader efforts in advancing state of the art visual computing within games," Sony says. "This includes applying machine learning to enhance gameplay visuals, improve rendering techniques, and unlock new levels of visual fidelity for players." Machine learning has been a major focus of Sony's efforts to improve graphical performance on the PlayStation 5 and future hardware. The PlayStation 5 Pro was designed around a new GPU, faster storage and PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), custom AI upscaling tech that let the console run games at a lower resolution and then upscale them to 4K. The company recently squeezed even more performance out of the Pro with an
Sony Interactive Entertainment, the PlayStation brand's parent company, has recently acquired Cinemersive Labs, a UK-based startup specializing in converting 2D photos and videos into 3D volumes. This acquisition marks a strategic move for Sony to enhance its capabilities in visual computing and graphical technology, particularly within the gaming industry.
Cinemersive Labs, known for its virtual reality app Parallax, has developed cutting-edge AI tools that enable the conversion of 2D images into 3D volumes. Parallax, the startup's most recent product, allows users to experience parallax photosāthree-dimensional images that can be explored with natural head movementsācaptured using traditional smartphones or professional cameras with stereo lenses. Sony aims to leverage Cinemersive's expertise in this area to advance its own projects, particularly in the realm of gaming.
Following the acquisition, the Cinemersive Labs team will integrate into Sony's Visual Computing Group (VCG), a research engineering team focused on graphical technology. This includes game rendering, video coding, and generative AI models. Sony's statement outlines that the Cinemersive team will contribute to broader efforts in advancing state-of-the-art visual computing within games. These efforts encompass applying machine learning to enhance gameplay visuals, improve rendering techniques, and unlock new levels of visual fidelity for players.
Machine learning has been a significant focus for Sony in recent years, particularly in improving graphical performance on the PlayStation 5 and future hardware. The PlayStation 5 Pro was designed with a new GPU, faster storage, and PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), a custom AI upscaling technology that allows the console to run games at a lower resolution and then upscale them to 4K. Sony has continued to optimize the PlayStation 5 Pro's performance, releasing an updated version of PSSR in March that further enhances its capabilities.
In addition to these efforts, Sony is collaborating with AMD on Project Amethyst, a multi-pronged initiative aimed at improving ray tracing and upscaling on future consoles. This partnership underscores Sony's commitment to pushing the boundaries of graphical technology in gaming.
The acquisition of Cinemersive Labs is another step in Sony's ongoing journey to innovate and enhance the gaming experience. By integrating the startup's AI expertise into its Visual Computing Group, Sony is poised to create more immersive and visually stunning games for its PlayStation platform. This strategic move not only strengthens Sony's position in the gaming industry but also showcases its dedication to advancing cutting-edge technologies to deliver unparalleled experiences for players worldwide.
