LIVING FOREVER
Inside the eerie VR app that shows you flashbacks of the past like something out of Black Mirror
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A BRAND new virtual reality (VR) app can take users back in time to relive some of their most precious memories.
The app, called Wist, has been branded 'dystopian' and likened to hit thriller show Black Mirror by onlookers for giving humans the unnatural ability to relive the past.
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"Step inside your memories," is the tagline Wist is promoting to tech fans.
Users can capture a video inside the app, where it uses the sensory technology inside smartphones to create a 3D version of the clip.
Wist utilises artificial intelligence (AI) technology, an innovative form of machine learning which has been adopted by a growing number of apps.
As it learns more about its environment, the AI can continuously make improvements to video captures over time.
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While users can't currently upload any existing videos into the app, the company is working on a feature which can 'upconvert' old videos into the app.
A multiplayer version is also coming soon, according to Wist, so users can experience not only their memories but the ones of their family and friends.
"I love this, imagine your kids getting your [point of view] from recordings or experiences," said one Instagram user.
"But this also gave me Black Mirror vibes."
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Another said: "Just because we can, should we? A question we should ask as tech evolves."
Onlookers have showed concern for people possibly becoming addicted to 'living in the past'.
Cofounder and CEO of Wist, Andrew McHugh, told The Sun: "Dystopian narratives are cautionary tales – they are not proof of what will happen.
"We are building conscientiously. Wist can be used to remember all of our moments, good and bad."
It's still early days for the tech.
The app first launched at the end of January of this year, having been in the works since 2021.
Wist is currently still in a private beta phase, meaning only a handful of users are able to access it after applying to the waitlist.
It's not clear how long the waiting list is.
But waiting lists for beta versions of other AI-based apps, such as Midjourney and Dall-E2, have been known grow to months long.
The app, which is available via mobile-based augmented reality (AR) or inside a VR headset, is free - for now.
The company expects to roll out a paid-for tier at a later date.
The app is currently only compatible with iPhone 14 Pro & Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro & Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro & Pro Max, a Meta Quest or Quest Pro devices.
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But the company hasn't completely forgotten about Android owners.
The app will eventually be supported on Android devices, but the timeline for this remains unclear.
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