South Korea-based FXGear, developers of Flux, Qualoth, EZCloth and other software, have posted a video of a virtual fitting application that combines augmented reality with cloth simulation. Watch it on Vimeo. (Note: other developers have been working on similar applications)

Side Effects Software has released a lower priced version of its flagship 3D software aimed at independent artists and studios. Houdini Indie is available at $199 per year and offers the same functionality of Houdini with the following restrictions: it cannot be used in the same pipeline as commercial versions of Houdini (uses its own file format for saving scenes and assets, along with FBX import and export), is restricted to 1920x1080 when rendering animations using Mantra and its commercial use is limited to studios or artists that make less than $100K per year. An Indie version of Houdini Engine is also available at $99 per year. More on .

Blackmagic Design announced that v11 of their editing and color correction software is available, both in its commercial and free Lite versions. New features include dual-monitor support, context-sensitive trim tools, audio crossfades, customizable keyboard mapping, etc. More on Blackmagic Design's website.

Faceware Technologies has updated it software for capturing a live actor's facial performance and transferring to a 3D character in real time. New features include faster calibration, enhanced face tracking, Unity support, etc. A trial version is available. More on Faceware Technologies' website.

Cebas is set to reveal the latest version of their particle toolset at SIGGRAPH 2014 in Vancouver. ThinkingParticles 6 will be shown and will showcase the new developments including procedural fluid and soft body dynamics. For more information on TP6 and its mid-September 2014 release, you can check out the Cebas website.

Chaos Group announced Chaos Group Laboratories, a new collaborative think tank to explore advances in rendering technology. Located in LA's hub of design, visual effects and technology, Chaos Group Labs will serve as a place where artists, industry leaders and academic researchers are invited to contribute to development discussions and help solve key computer graphics challenges. Current Initiatives Include Advances in Digital Filmmaking, Virtual Reality, and the Wikihuman Project. More on Chaos Group's website. (more...)

Next Limit have released a patch for their fluid dynamics software that brings several improvements. Changes include: (more...)

RealtimeUK have posted a new reel with some of their latest work. Watch it on Vimeo.