You can experience Obama's last speech live in 360 degrees

2025-04-28 11:34:51admin

UPDATE: Jan. 10, 2017, 5 p.m. EST: President Obama's final farewell address will broadcast live in 360 video and in virtual reality headsets. Viewers can tune in on desktop or mobile on VRScout's pages on Facebook, Twitter's Periscope and YouTube.

The live footage also will be available on PlayStation VR and on Google Daydream through YouTube and on Samsung Gear VR through Facebook.

The address begins at 9 p.m. EST.

___

Barack Obama's legacy as the social media and tech president will be cemented right through his final moments in office.

His farewell address will be broadcast in live 360 video thanks to a partnership between virtual reality media company VRScout and the White House.

SEE ALSO: President Obama's goodbye tour gets an official 'farewell address'

Those who cannot attend the event on Jan. 10 can still feel like a part of the audience at McCormick Place in Chicago through these immersive videos.

"People will have differing opinions [regarding Obama's political legacy], but for future generations, for the first time, they’ll be able to go and sit and stand next to a president as he delivers his farewell. Not only will we be doing it live, but we’ll also have a 4K version of this that will be forever accessible," Eric Chevalier, the cofounder of VRScout, told Mashable.

"For us to be able to have a hand, to do things that matter, it’s an ongoing humbling experience," he continued.

Credit: the white house

"Just like the live broadcast we’ll be able to switch between viewpoints throughout the speech," Chevalier said.

Mashable Top Stories Stay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news. Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

In partnership with VRScout, equipment rental agency Radiant Images and tech company vantage.tv are providing the equipment and software set-up, which is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to Chevalier.

"We know where we’d like to place the cameras," Chevalier said.

VRScout is hoping to broadcast in live 360 from Facebook, Twitter's Periscope and YouTube. Discussions are ongoing. YouTube's live 360 format is accessible to anyone, but Facebook's and Twitter's are invite-only, for now.

The live 360 videos will be available on VRScout's official accounts. The White House's official account will also be broadcasting live on Facebook and its website, but VRScout has exclusive access to the 360-degree experience.

That experience also will be accessible on VR headsets, about which VRScout will provide details closer to the event via its website.

This event is a long time coming for VRScout. Ryan Bell, the company's head of studios, said he's been in conversations with the White House about creating an immersive experience for Obama's farewell address since last October, if not earlier.

"We brought a menu of options to the table," Chevalier said.

One of the other pitches was creating a hologram of Obama, but it was turned down due to the complexity of requiring a separate location.

It will be the biggest event VRScout has ever coordinated. The Los Angeles-based company, which was founded as passion project in early 2015 by Chevalier and his friend Jonathan Nafarrete, has also worked with music festivals and publishers on creating virtual reality and mixed reality experiences.

Credit: vrscouT

Out of a studio, VRScout plans and produces immersive experiences.

For the next week, the team will be using the studio to plan Obama's farewell address. Bell and three technicians are scheduled to travel to Chicago to produce the event.

"Being able to be a part of his history makes it part of our history and a huge step for live and social VR. It's probably one of the most important things I've done in my life other than support my family," Bell said.

"With virtual, you're able to really feel like you're there. You're able to feel the surroundings of the crowd. You're able to see the people around you crying because he touched you," he continued.

Featured Video For You

Obama congratulates his successor, Donald Trump