The Owl: Immersive Telepresence Communication for Hybrid Conferences

Oculus Quest Users

Preparations

  1. Send your Oculus user (email used to create the Oculus account) to redouane.kachach [at] nokia-bell-labs.com so we can grant you access to our Nokia OpenVPN Oculus app
  2. Once we receive your email, we will grant you access to the app so you should be able to install it from your Oculus HMD

Owl Software Installation

  1. Download the Owl app from the Oculus AppLab store. For this, using the Quest2 standard menus in the HMD: search text “owl” and select from the results the one from the AppLab.
  2. Download the Nokia OpenVPN app from the Oculus AppLab

Software Setup

  1. Get both Oculus controllers (Important)
  2. Launch the Owl app in the HMD.
  3. In the Owl menu click on the “Download Cert” button. If everything is OK you will get a message “File downloaded correctly”. This will download the VPN certificate to the HMD.
  4. Exit the Owl app (forcing it with the Oculus menu clicking on the oculus button)
  5. Launch the OpenVPN app and Click on the + sign to add a new certificate. Navigate to Download directory.
  6. In option “Import from file” you will already see a file present with extension “.ovpn”.
  7. Select it and click on import.

Join the conference

  1. Go to main screen of OpenVPN and click on the activation button (owl certificate)
  2. It should connect to our OpenVPN server (button turns green)
  3. Launch the Owl app (wait a little bit until you are in the Owl main hall)
  4. Customize your Avatar, save it and go back to the Owl main hall (using the Owl icon)
  5. In the main menu write your name, uncheck the 3D checkbox and hit Start the session.

Android Users

Owl app Installation

  1. Download and install the owl apk from the http://ismar.distributed-reality.com/securefileshare/owl_android_client_v1.0.044_app-lab.apk
  2. Navigate to the apk (using Android apps menu) and make sure all the required permissions are granted
  3. Open the apk after installation and grant the permissions it asks for (microphone and camera basically)
  4. Hit the Get Cert button to download the certificate (it will leave it in the Phone Downloads directory)
  5. Quit the Owl application

Install OpenVPN app

  1. Install OpenVPN from Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.openvpn.openvpn&hl=es&gl=US
  2. Open the app and hit the big + button
  3. Select File tab and navigate to Download directory
  4. Select the owl.ovpn file and hit Import button
  5. Hit ADD button (upper right corner)

Join the conference

  1. Use wired headphones (otherwise your phone will introduce an annoying echo in the conference)
  2. Open OpenVPN and connect the configured tunnel (it must turn green if everything is OK)
  3. Open Owl app
  4. Introduce your name in the Name field
  5. Hit the Start button to join the conference in 2D mode or
  6. If you have a cardboard HMD compatible with your phone, enable VR (check the VR box) and join the immersive conference.