First Alert Weather Center expands with augmented and virtual reality

Colorado viewers will now get their First Alert to changing weather in a whole new way through a new multi-dimensional storytelling tool in the First Alert Weather Center on CBS News Colorado.  The technology is called AR/VR, or augmented and virtual reality. First Alert Chief Meteorologist Dave Aguilera debuted it on CBS News Colorado at 6 on Thursday.

"This is a new technology that Colorado has never seen before with a three-dimensional look at the weather headed to your community," Aguilera said. "Colorado's microclimates are so different and we'll literally be able to walk you through the rapid changes to prepare you for your day ahead and keep you safe," he said.

"This took several months of hard work," David Harpe, Director of Broadcast and Engineering said, commending CBS Colorado's engineering manager and operation manager for their leadership on the project.

Engineers, graphic artists, and meteorologists worked together to bring this together.

"We're excited because the new technology will help showcase Colorado's unique weather in a new and modern way," First Alert Meteorologist Lauren Whitney said.

"You won't see this in many places across the country,"  Eric Buckland, Engineering Manager, said.

Buckland worked on the project for more than two years.

"There was great collaboration between CBS Colorado and CBS News and Stations," Buckland said of the corporate commitment to making the technology a reality in local markets.

"They call it 'cyclorama' -- a green screen in panoramic format," Operations Manager Robert Garibay said. "The virtual production is really a leap ahead for local television."

Garibay says the construction of the massive "green screen" was the easy part. It involved coordination between engineers and directors to make the technology work, including weeks of rehearsals.

"Whether you live in the city, foothills, plains, or the mountains we'll be able to get you ready and keep you safe when rough Colorado weather is headed your way," Aguilera said.

How it works:

Harpe explains that there are two key parts to the virtual presentation space.

"The virtual presentation space is created using the same tools used to create video game worlds," Harpe said, "Our artists can create any type of space or virtual objects we'd like to use for presentation: a studio, a room, an outdoor space, display areas for data. Anything we can dream up we can put in the virtual space."

The second part involves cameras that can track your First Alert Meteorologists.

"The tracking technology is extremely precise with accuracy, down to the millimeter," Harpe said.

When those two worlds merge we can bring in real-time weather data from numerous sources and our meteorologists can interact with it in the merged space. It's a great tool for showing the weather of the day in a very compelling, informative manner.

The new AR/VR set technology is part of the First Alert Weather Center. It will complement CBS Colorado's First Alert Weather Trackers, which take you live into a storm, and the First Alert Weather Deck, which showcases a snow board, wind meter and rain gauge.

"I'm impressed. CBS local stations are leading the way on this technology," Harpe said.

CBS News 24/7 also uses the same technology for the daily program that features live reporting from CBS News and Stations' local-to-global newsroom.  You can see that at 8 am MDT and 11 am MDT on the CBS News national stream.