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Category: Platform

  • Qualcomm announces Snapdragon Spaces XR Developer Platform for creation of headworn AR experiences

    Qualcomm announces Snapdragon Spaces XR Developer Platform for creation of headworn AR experiences

    In Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality News

    November 9, 2021 – Global semiconductor company Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., has today introduced Snapdragon Spaces XR Developer Platform, a headworn Augmented Reality (AR) developer kit designed to enable the creation of immersive experiences that blur the lines between physical and digital realities. Snapdragon Spaces is in early access with select developers and is expected to be generally available in the Spring of 2022.

    According to Qualcomm, Snapdragon Spaces enables developers to build 3D applications for AR glasses from scratch or simply add headworn AR features to existing Android smartphone applications to drive a unified, multi-screen experience between the smartphone screen in 2D and the real world in 3D.

    Through Snapdragon Spaces, developers will be provided with machine perception technology that the company states is optimized for performance and low power for the next generation of AR glasses. The platform provides environmental and user understanding capabilities that give developers the tools to create headworn AR experiences that can sense and intelligently interact with the user and adapt to their physical indoor spaces.

    The platform’s environmental understanding features include spatial mapping and meshing, occlusion, plane detection, object and image recognition and tracking, local anchors and persistence, and scene understanding. The user understanding machine perception features include positional tracking and hand tracking. Developers will also receive a resource library that includes documentation, sample code, tutorials, knowledge bases, and tools to help accelerate their development.

    Snapdragon Spaces is in early access with select AR developers and launching today is the Snapdragon Spaces Pathfinder Program, designed to support AR innovators through early access to platform technology, project funding, co-marketing and promotion, and hardware development kits to help grow an active community of Snapdragon Spaces developers.

    Open Cross-device Platform and Ecosystem

    Qualcomm stated that reducing development and commercialization friction for developers is at the heart of Snapdragon Spaces. The platform takes a direct-to-consumer approach that allows developers to build immersive applications for AR glasses and make them accessible to end users leveraging existing smartphone digital distribution stores globally. Snapdragon Spaces includes software developer kits (SDKs) for leading 3D Engines, including Unreal Engine and Unity. Furthermore, Niantic Inc.’s Lightship developer platform, launched this week, will integrate with Snapdragon Spaces to enable developers to create planet-scale AR experiences, thus expanding reach to outdoor headworn use cases.

    The Snapdragon Spaces platform also supports app portability and unified workflows with Unity AR Foundation and Unity MARS, enabling developers on the platform to create experiences that fully integrate with the real world. Snapdragon Spaces is based on the Khronos OpenXR specification to enable application portability and is the first headworn AR platform optimized for AR Glasses tethered to smartphones with an OpenXR conformant runtime, according to Qualcomm.


    “The Snapdragon SpacesXR Developer Platform underscores our commitment to empowering developers to explore bravely and create confidently, paving the way to a new frontier of spatial computing,” said Hugo Swart, Vice President and General Manager of XR, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Snapdragon Spaces is designed to support the democratization of XR by taking a horizontal, open channel approach so developers can rapidly bring their ideas to life and reach a wide range of end users. We welcome developers to join us in this journey to reimagine reality.”

    In addition to announcing the new Snapdragon Spaces platform, Qualcomm has also announced that it has acquired the team and certain technology assets from HINS SAS and its wholly owned subsidiary, Clay AIR, Inc., a provider of hand tracking and gesture recognition solutions. The acquisition of Clay AIR, Inc., along with the acquisition of Wikitude, which the company confirmed in September, combined with the launch of Snapdragon Spaces, will help Qualcomm and developers to accelerate the transition from smartphone to headworn AR, according to the company.

    Finally, Qualcomm added that leading smartphone and AR hardware OEMs including Lenovo, Motorola, OPPO, and Xiaomi are initial partners to support Snapdragon Spaces in 2022, with the Lenovo ThinkReality A3 smart glasses paired with a Motorola Smartphone as the first to commercialize Snapdragon Spaces. Qualcomm is also working with an ecosystem of global mobile network operators, to help scale and bring AR glasses tethered to smartphones supporting Snapdragon Spaces to commercialization starting next year. 

    Developers interested in taking advantage of the Snapdragon Spaces platform can learn more and apply to the Pathfinder program by visiting Qualcomm’s website.

    Image / video credit: Qualcomm

  • Charles River Analytics awarded US Army contract to create 3D AR and VR system for mission planning

    Charles River Analytics awarded US Army contract to create 3D AR and VR system for mission planning

    In Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality News

    November 5, 2021 – Charles River Analytics Inc., a developer of intelligent systems solutions, has this week announced that it has received funding from the US Army to create an advanced research prototype of Virtual Environment Collaboration Tools for Operational Readiness (VECTOR) augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) system.

    According to the company, VECTOR uses synchronized virtual collaboration environments so that dispersed Mission Command personnel can collaboratively plan, rehearse, and execute missions. VECTOR helps to solve several problems faced by the US Army—Mission Command tasks are increasingly more difficult as global threats become more distributed, agile, and technologically advanced. Traditional and stationary command posts often suffer from degraded connectivity that limits communication and collaboration with distributed Mission Command personnel.

    “Mission Commands are running into major issues when they try to plan complicated maneuvers without a shared workspace,” said Susan Latiff, Scientist at Charles River Analytics and Principal Investigator on the VECTOR effort. “VECTOR provides a cutting-edge environment where multiple officers can collaborate efficiently from different locations.”

    Recently, Charles River Analytics led a demonstration and evaluation of a VECTOR prototype with the US Mission Command Battle Lab (MBCL), wherein more than 55 concurrent users were able to connect to a virtual collaboration environment and interact across a virtualized 3D battlefield sand table. The company stated that users felt positively about VECTOR and were able to work with all of its features, even with purely remote instruction. Charles River Analytics added that participants reported VECTOR would be helpful in Mission Command and provided insights that the team at Charles River Analytics will use to polish the prototype’s features.

    VECTOR offers Commanders and Soldiers an open and extensible network and application architecture that supports dispersed Mission Command through synchronized virtual collaboration environments. As a result, with VECTOR Army Commanders will be able to clearly communicate their intent and objectives to empower subordinates to achieve mission objectives. Commanders and Soldiers can both join VECTOR’s virtual environments through XR, mobile, and desktop applications. Once connected to a session, personnel can access a suite of collaboration tools that center on a 3D geospatial battlefield common operating picture.

    Pictured above: VECTOR prototype concept gallery.

    Charles River Analytics stated that the VECTOR system has helped to advance the company’s understanding of virtual collaboration and data visualization in mixed reality. Overall, the VECTOR platform is able to augment Commanders’ situational understanding, allowing them to support Mission Command across networks and co-locations.

    The company did not disclose the contract value. For more information on Charles River Analytics and its XR solutions for virtual collaboration, please visit the company’s website.

    Image credit: Charles River Analytics

  • Blippar announces integration of SLAM technology into its no-code Blippbuilder AR content creation platform

    Blippar announces integration of SLAM technology into its no-code Blippbuilder AR content creation platform

    In Augmented Reality News

    November 4, 2021 – Blippar, a provider of augmented reality (AR) products and services for brands, has today announced the integration of Simultaneous Location and Mapping (SLAM) into its Blippbuilder no-code AR platform, to further empower its users to create for the metaverse.

    Blippbuilder, the company’s no-code, drag and drop-based platform, will now allow creators at any level – even those with no coding experience – to create immersive AR experiences grounded with SLAM technology; meaning that AR objects placed in experiences will stay firmly in place using surface detection. Blippar added that these experiences will serve as the foundation of the shared, immersive, and interactive content that will make up the metaverse.

    Blippbuilder includes access to tutorials and best practice guides to familiarise users with AR creation, taking them from concept to content. Experiences are built to be engaged with via browser – known as WebAR – removing the friction of the need for dedicated apps or hardware. WebAR experiences can be accessed through a wide range of platforms, including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, WeChat, WhatsApp, and conventional web and mobile browsers.

    This announcement comes on the heels of the recent launch of Blippar’s WebAR SDK, a SLAM-enabled AR toolkit for developers with HTML and Javascript experience to build bespoke, professional-grade AR experiences. With these two offerings, Blippar states that it is “positioned to become the ‘physics layer’ of the metaverse”, where it will be providing developers and creatives with a foundation on which to build their shared AR experiences. 

    “Blippar’s mission is to ensure AR and the metaverse are for everyone – and our world first of bringing SLAM into Blippbuilder is the next step in that commitment,” said Faisal Galaria, Blippar CEO. “If the metaverse is to be the next evolution of the internet, it needs to be developed in the spirit of openness, creativity, interoperability, and collaboration that the internet was founded on, not tied to a single developer or tech-giant monopoly.”

    Galaria added, “Whatever work is being done to lay the foundation for the metaverse, users need to be the first consideration. It’s users who will inhabit the virtual, shared reality of the metaverse, and experience it, interact with it socially, and power its digital economy and marketplaces. By putting creative power in their hands, and empowering them to be part of building the metaverse from the very beginning, Blippar is making sure that users are an integral part of the metaverse’s development.”

    Preet Prasannan, Blippar’s CTO, also commented: “To truly democratise AR and the metaverse, we need to  make complex technologies like SLAM widely accessible. Integrating SLAM into Blippbuilder will change AR for the better, allowing anyone to create immersive AR experiences and contribute to the metaverse – without a million dollar budget.” 

    Blippar will be demonstrating Blippbuilder’s new SLAM integration at AWE in Santa Clara, USA, on the 10th November. For more information on Blippar and its AR creation platform, please visit the company’s website.

    Image credit: Blippar

  • rooom’s eventCloud platform to power this year’s Augmented World Expo for virtual attendees

    rooom’s eventCloud platform to power this year’s Augmented World Expo for virtual attendees

    In Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality News

    November 4, 2021 – rooom, a provider of solutions for 3D virtual environments, has recently announced that its eventCloud platform has been chosen by XR technology event Augmented World Expo (AWE), to provide a unique 24/7/365 3D environment for the benefit of virtual attendees and the worldwide XR community.

    Accessible on any device and through standard Web browsers, eventCloud offers a 3D virtual environment where users will be able to view live streaming video of the keynote speakers, visit a virtual expo hall featuring the event’s major sponsors, and gather at a 3D stage where the 2021 Auggie Awards will be celebrated with a ceremony.

    The company’s experienceCloud platform is an all-in-one platform for creating, managing and promoting engaging 2D, 3D, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) experiences that work across all desktop and mobile devices. The platform is web-based, available anytime without restrictions and is designed to cover the marketing and visualization needs of different industries through a comprehensive product portfolio. These include: 

    • eventCloud: a platform for virtual and hybrid events;
    • spaceCloud: interactive 3D and VR spaces, e.g. for real estate or museums;
    • productCloud: a platform for 3D and AR product visualization, e.g. for online shops;
    • immerseCloud: AR content and apps for tourism, culture, books/print and digital learning.

    Andrew J. Nash, CEO, Americas for rooom, said: “The opportunity to share the rooom experience with the world’s finest XR developers, companies and media is truly a watershed moment for our company and we are extremely grateful to have this opportunity with AWE. We will be showcasing many different rooom 3D environments at our booth 935 and hope that we can wildly exceed attendee expectations of what is truly possible in XR without the need for a headset and running on a mobile phone, tablet or desktop.”

    Also commenting on rooom’s offering and on joining forces for the upcoming AWE 2021 event, Augmented World Expo co-founder, Ori Inbar, said: “rooom will be featuring a special experience for virtual attendees of the event – the typical virtual event is flat, and many attempts to make it 3D are either clunky or not accessible to a wide audience. The key highlights of the rooom experience for AWE include a welcome hall and access to the main stage with live streaming of the keynotes, a futuristic expo hall with the main sponsors, the AWE Playground hall with snippets of the AR and VR experiences and the Auggie Awards stage with a ceremony showcasing the finalists. I really can’t wait to see the reaction of our virtual attendees to this striking spectacle.”

    rooom’s experienceCloud, which includes eventCloud and other tools for 3D integration, has also been selected as a finalist for an Auggie Award in the Best Enterprise Solution category. The company will be present at this year’s AWE event in booth 935. To learn more about rooom, click here.

    Image credit: rooom / AWE

  • Oculus announces v34 software update that brings improved voice commands, Android notifications, and updated Guardian system to Quest

    Oculus announces v34 software update that brings improved voice commands, Android notifications, and updated Guardian system to Quest

    In Virtual Reality News

    November 3, 2021 – Oculus has this week announced that it is going to begin rolling out a new software update for its Quest line of virtual reality (VR) devices. Highlights of the v34 update include more versatile Voice Commands, a major upgrade the the Quest’s Guardian system with a new feature called ‘Space Sense’, plus, Android users will now be able to see their phone notifications in VR.

    Voice Commands

    With v34, Voice Commands on Quest are being improved to make them more capable of handling everyday tasks, according to Oculus. Users can now pause and play media in Oculus TV and other select apps using their voice. Voice Commands can also now be used to show or hide stats in Oculus Move, open Settings tabs (e.g. jumping straight to WiFi options), and even to answer simple questions such as checking the weather for example.

    A full list of Voice Commands that users can now utilize can be found here.

    Android Phone Notifications

    With Oculus’ v29 software update released in May, iOS users were able to see their phone notifications in VR. Now, the company is rolling out the same capabilities to Android users with v34. Users simply need to set-up Phone Notifications via the Oculus App, and then enable them via the Oculus App or their headset’s Settings menu. In-VR notifications will then appear for any mobile app that currently displays notifications on a user’s phone’s lock screen.

    Furthermore, for users who share their devices and have set up Multi-User Accounts, notifications will be kept separate and secure from any secondary accounts on the same Quest device. Alternatively, users can always change the settings on either the Oculus App or in the headset and disable notification sharing.

    Android notifications can now appear at the top of a user’s view whilst in VR.

    Space Sense

    Space Sense is an update to Quest’s Guardian system that enables users to see when objects or people intrude within their Guardian boundary. Other people, large pets, or objects that have been moved out of their usual spots will now be highlighted in users’ headsets, surrounded by a pink-ish glow.

    According to Oculus, this feature has been much-requested, and the company is still actively working on and improving Space Sense. It is therefore being rolled out in v34 under the Experimental Features tab in the Quest’s settings. 

    Passthrough API

    Earlier this year, Oculus offered an experimental Passthrough API to developers, enabling them to create new mixed-reality experiences that incorporate virtual content into a user’s physical surroundings. Now, with the upcoming SDK release, developers will be able to ship their mixed-reality apps to both the Oculus Store and App Lab. Experiences from Unity Labs, Spatial, YouTube VR, and more will be available soon. 

    Oculus added that it is already working on the next generation of related technologies, including spatial anchors, scene understanding, and the rest of its Presence Platform’s capabilities that will put the company’s technology more in line with its metaverse vision.

    Finally, Oculus added that it is hoping to have one more software update out before the end of 2021, with more details on that to follow.

    Image / video credit: Oculus / YouTube

  • Threedium secures $2.1M in pre-series A funding to accellerate development of its 3D and AR software

    Threedium secures $2.1M in pre-series A funding to accellerate development of its 3D and AR software

    In Augmented Reality News 

    November 2, 2021 – Threedium, a provider of software for the creation and distribution of 3D and augmented reality (AR) experiences, has today announced the completion of a pre-series A funding round of USD $2.1 million, bringing the company’s total fundraising to USD $3.6 million. 

    Threedium’s aim is to democratize the use of 3D and AR across all channels and the company stated that it will now use the pre-series A funds to accelerate the development of its low code, no code 3D engine that allows anyone to build immersive 3D and AR experiences and distribute them across omnichannel, display ad networks, e-commerce websites, and virtual stores.

    Threedium CEO, Mike Charalambous, said: “Threedium has emerged as a one-stop to build and deploy 3D and AR solutions across any platform. With our 3D engine, teams can create powerful enterprise-level 3D and AR experiences at scale. From 3D and AR product explorers on their websites to interactive configurators on their e-commerce pages to 3D display ads and immersive AR portals—our clients are building the 3D internet and we are honored to be supporting some amazing brands.”

    Threedium’s previous work includes supporting ASICS in the launch of the sports brand’s first NFT drop, as well as partnering with Arcadier Group to enhance customer experiences for its marketplace using 3D and AR technology. The company also states that it was recently selected as the exclusive Amazon Advertising tech provider for 3D display ads. Furthermore, the company has built and launched a rest API that allows brands to upload and publish hundreds of 3D models simultaneously.

    Investors in this latest funding round included EdenBase, Frederic Larmuseau and co-investors, Richard Fourie, Davide Scafuro, Martijn Kinnegim, Richard Walker, Godfried Kinnegim, and Bas Van Exel. According to Threedium, several existing shareholders including Seedrs, Simone Canclini, and Collider Investors will also be following up their pre-emption rights.

    “We see the application of 3D and AR for enterprise markets and as an entry point to the metaverse, and believe that Threedium will continue as a leading force behind the delivery of immersive experiences for brands around the world,” said Daniel Doll-Steinberg, co-founder at EdenBase.

    For more information on Threedium and its 3D and augmented reality software solutions for e-commerce and brands, please visit the company’s website.

    Image credit: Threedium

  • Taqtile announces enhanced support for its Manifest AR work instruction platform on Magic Leap and RealWear devices

    Taqtile announces enhanced support for its Manifest AR work instruction platform on Magic Leap and RealWear devices

    In Augmented Reality News 

    November 2, 2021 – Taqtile, a provider of enterprise software that leverages augmented reality (AR), cloud computing, and LTE/5G networks for knowledge capture and sharing, has today announced that it has enhanced its support of diverse AR headsets with advanced capabilities for Magic Leap’s spatial computing device, as well as for RealWare headsets. 

    Taqtile stated that by optimizing its Manifest work-instruction platform on a broad variety of hardware, including head-mounted displays (HMDs), wearable computers, mobile devices, as well as the Microsoft HoloLens 2 and iPad – the company is able to provide more flexibility to customers, allowing them to outfit frontline workers with the optimal tools to complete complex tasks.

    “Because there are a growing number of excellent headsets, each with unique attributes, it’s essential we deliver the Manifest platform on multiple devices,” said Dirck Schou, CEO, Taqtile. “We’ve made the strategic decision to optimize Manifest for a wide variety of hardware, empowering our customers to deploy the best solution for their businesses and their frontline teams.”

    Manifest for Magic Leap

    Magic Leap’s spatial computing device can support Manifest’s heavy-duty 3D visualizations and collaborative communications with remote experts thanks to the device’s three core processors. The latest version of Manifest is now available in the Magic Leap store. 

    Advanced Magic Leap capabilities include:

    • Shared holograms – Enabling team members to collaborate during a Manifest Connect video chat to provide a greater level of context and guidance supported by AR content;
    • Hologram support in Notes – Holograms embedded in video and photo notes help operators better comprehend guidance and instructions;
    • Gesture support enhancements – Providing users an enhanced hands-free experience when using Manifest and Magic Leap.

    Manifest for RealWear

    RealWear devices provide a rugged, enterprise-ready solution for challenging environments. Taqtile states that it is delivering its Manifest work-instruction platform for deskless workers to select customers operating RealWear devices, enabling frontline staff to access AR-enhanced information and guidance.

    According to the company, Manifest delivers two primary benefits to RealWear users:

    • Remote assistance capabilities – Allowing workers to quickly and easily chat with colleagues and remote experts for assistance from any location with internet access;
    • Step-by-step work instructions – Enabling workers to scan a QR code and access details about specific equipment and any associated procedures, such as a maintenance routine or troubleshooting workflow.

    For more information on Taqtile and its augmented reality solutions for frontline and remote workers, please visit the company’s website.

    Image credit: Taqtile

  • Facebook changes its name to Meta as it goes all-in on its metaverse ambitions

    Facebook changes its name to Meta as it goes all-in on its metaverse ambitions

    In Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality News

    October 28, 2021 – Today at Connect 2021, CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced that Facebook will now be known as ‘Meta’, which will bring together the company’s apps and technologies under one new company brand. Meta’s focus will be “to bring the metaverse to life and help people connect, find communities and grow businesses.”

    This might be seen by some as a bit of a cunning move and it could be argued that this would be like if a company such as AOL had changed its name to ‘Inter’ in the early days of the internet. Now, anyone who does not yet know what the metaverse is, could potentially assume that it is something to do with Facebook/Meta purely by the close association to the name – i.e. “the universe belonging to Meta” perhaps.

    Still, despite now having 50% of the word as its new name, according to Meta, the metaverse will not be created by one company, but will instead be will be built by creators and developers. Again, to clarify, the idea of the metaverse is that of an open and free ecosystem not owned by any one company, just as the internet is. The metaverse will feel like a hybrid of today’s online social experiences, sometimes expanded into three dimensions or projected into the physical world. In the metaverse, users will be able to share immersive experiences with other people even whilst not physically together.

    Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announcing the name change at today’s Connect event.

    The Connect conference held today covered Meta’s augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) ambitions and explored what experiences in the metaverse could feel like over the next decade — from social connection, to entertainment, gaming, fitness, work, education and commerce. Meta also announced new tools to help creators build for the metaverse, including Presence Platform, which will enable new mixed reality experiences on Quest 2, and a USD $150-million investment in immersive learning to train the next generation of creators.

    Meta noted that its corporate structure is not changing, however, how it reports on its financials will. Starting with the company’s results for the fourth quarter of 2021, Meta plans to report on two operating segments: Family of Apps, and Reality Labs. The company also intends to start trading under the new stock ticker “MVRS” on December 1, 2021. Meta also clarified that today’s announcement does not affect how it uses or shares data.

    Image credit: Meta

  • A summary of announcements from Facebook Connect 2021, including the company’s new high-end VR headset ‘Project Cambria’

    A summary of announcements from Facebook Connect 2021, including the company’s new high-end VR headset ‘Project Cambria’

    In Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality News

    October 28, 2021 – Today at Facebook Connect, Facebook’s annual conference on all things augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), it is quite clear that the company is going all-in on its metaverse ambitions, as this was the main theme of today’s event. Described by company CEO Mark Zuckerberg as “An embodied internet where you are in the experience, not just looking at it”, Facebook’s idea of the metaverse is one where almost anything is possible, and interacting with people and experiences in the metaverse is going to be as simple as clicking a link on the internet.

    Zuckerberg stated: “We believe the metaverse will be the successor to the mobile internet. We’ll be able to feel present, like we are right there with people, no matter how apart we actually are. We’ll be able to express ourselves in new, joyful, completely immersive ways, and that is going to unlock a lot of amazing new experiences.”

    So, to summarize how Facebook is working towards these amazing new experiences, we have tried to condense what would otherwise be several separate articles into one, and broken down the highlights of today’s Facebook Connect conference.

    Horizon Home and Horizon Worlds

    Horizon Home is the first thing users will see when they put on their Quest headset. Until now, it has just been referred to as simply ‘Home’. According to Facebook, this is because it has been missing something very important – people. As a result, Facebook will soon be introducing a social version of Home, where users will be able to invite their friends to join them as avatars, hang out, watch videos together, and jump into apps together. Horizon Worlds on the other hand will be where users can build their own worlds and jump into them with other people. Overall, the Horizon platform is designed to make it possible for everyone to create.

    Beyond Horizon, Facebook is also making it easier for users to communicate with their friends across different layers of reality by bringing Messenger calls to VR this year. It will be these sorts of tools that Facebook states will need to be built in order to allow users to jump into the metaverse with their friends from anywhere.

    3D digital objects and Horizon Marketplace

    With SparkAR, Facebook is building tools that creators can use to place digital objects into the physical world and let people interact with them. Furthermore, new creator capabilities will support 3D objects that respond and react realistically, including a realistic sense of depth and occlusion.

    Horizon Marketplace will be where creators can sell and share 3D digital items. The company’s hope is that this will enable a lot more commerce, and will help to grow the overall metaverse economy.

    Gaming

    One of the most important aspects to metaverse gaming is going to be ‘live service games’, which will release new downloadable content regularly, according to Facebook. Games such as Beat Saber and Population: One were highlighted as examples. It’s not just existing titles that were covered though – new launches to the Oculus gaming lineup will include Blade & Sorcery: Nomad, as well as Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which is currently being developed for Quest 2. More gaming updates will be announced in the 2022 Oculus Gaming showcase.

    Working

    Later this year, room customization will be coming to Horizon Workrooms, along with a new office space in Horizon Home. Facebook is also announcing 2D progressive web apps for the Quest store, bringing more of people’s 2D internet services into the metaverse. This means that users will be able to check programs like Dropbox and Slack whilst in VR.

    The company is also working towards allowing users to log into their Quest device with an account other than their personal Facebook account, and will be starting to test support for work accounts soon. Overall, the company believes that working and learning in the metaverse is going to be a huge step forward. As a result, Facebook is also setting aside USD $150 million to train the next generation of creators to build immersive learning content.

    Facebook expects to invest many billions of dollars for years to come before the metaverse reaches scale. The company’s hope though, is that within the next decade, the metaverse will reach one billion people, host hundreds of billions of dollars of digital commerce, and support jobs for millions of creators and developers.

    Presence Platform

    Facebook has announced its ‘Presence Platform’, a suite of machine perception and AI capabilities — including Passthrough, Spatial Anchors, and Scene Understanding — that will let developers build more realistic mixed reality, interaction, and voice experiences that seamlessly blend virtual content with a user’s physical world.

    New high-end Virtual Reality headset with Project Cambria

    Another notable announcement from today’s Connect event was the unveiling of the company’s next-generation all-in-one VR hardware, which it is referring to as ‘Project Cambria’. The new device will be launching next year, however, Facebook pointed out that it won’t be a Quest 2 replacement, or a Quest 3. Instead, Project Cambria will be a high-end device at a higher price point, and will include things such as color passthrough, pancake optics, improved social presence (via natural eye contact and accurate reflection of facial expressions), and more. 

    The company anticipates the experiences that developers will create with its Presence Platform (which includes Passthrough API, improved hand and voice interactions, and more), will benefit massively from improved hardware, which is where Project Cambria will come in.

    Augmented Reality with Project Nazare

    ‘Project Nazare’ is the codename for Facebook’s first full augmented reality glasses. Outlining all the complications that come with designing a pair of AR glasses, Zuckerberg stated that the company still has a ways to go with Nazare, but is nonetheless “making good progress”. In a blog post, the company added that Project Nazare is “still a few years out.”

    Looking ahead

    The company has stated that it is going to take about a dozen major technological breakthroughs in order to get to the next generation metaverse, and it is working on all of them. These include: displays, audio, input, haptics, hand tracking, eye tracking, mixed reality, sensors, graphics, computer vision, avatars, perceptual science, artificial intelligence, and more.

    Part of this work includes photorealistic avatars, which are nicely demonstrated in the below video from Facebook Reality Labs. The technology is currently still only research, but it definitely demonstrates the level of extremely high fidelity that virtual avatars are going to be able to reach.

    Overall, LOTS of big news from the company today, and Facebook is clearly the first of the Silicon Valley tech giants to make its metaverse ambitions known. In fact, it is so committed to the metaverse, that Facebook has now changed its name to ‘Meta’. More on that here.

    Image / video credit: Meta (formerly Facebook) / YouTube

  • Cisco announces new Augmented Reality meeting solution with launch of Webex Hologram

    Cisco announces new Augmented Reality meeting solution with launch of Webex Hologram

    In Augmented Reality News 

    October 27, 2021 – Global technology provider Cisco has unveiled today at its WebexOne virtual event a preview of its new hybrid work collaboration product, ‘Webex Hologram’, a real-time meeting solution that takes advantage of augmented reality (AR) headsets to combine Webex meeting functionality with immersive 3D holograms.

    With Webex Hologram’s holographic capabilities, workers will be able to interact in ways previously only possible in-person, according to the company.

    “Our mission at Cisco is to empower the 3 billion digital workers on the planet to participate equally from anywhere in the world,” said Jeetu Patel, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Cisco Security and Collaboration. “Webex Hologram represents a large step toward our mission of delivering a work experience so seamless that there is no gap between virtual and in-person collaboration.”

    The global COVID-19 pandemic has led to a massive increase in remote and flexible working arrangements over the last 18 months, as well as a heightened need for enterprises to offer immersive virtual meetings. For example, in the healthcare industry when a new surgical device is introduced, physicians, technicians, sales and support teams need to be trained quickly. With Webex Hologram, training can now be handled remotely to save time and travel, while providing the ability to see the surgical device from every angle and at its actual size as if a physician were in the room.

    “Webex Hologram is a powerful tool for our design engineers, drivers and crews as we continue to reimagine hybrid sports and supporting our team on tracks around the world,” said Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing. “Rather than flying a technician to the racing team or explaining procedures through flat images, with the Hologram technology we can immediately show an engine component from every angle, convey sizing, and instruct on assembly and usage as if they were in person – all while saving countless hours in travel time.”

    Additional capabilities of Cisco’s Webex Hologram solution include:

    • Enables a feeling of co-presence by delivering photorealistic, real-time holograms of actual people. For users, this means an experience that’s more engaging and realistic, as opposed to using avatars;
    • Gives presenters the ability to share physical and digital content that allows users to co-create and truly collaborate. For example, for auto manufacturers, users can interact with a physical prototype of a vehicle that’s shared in the AR experience to examine and provide feedback on the vehicle’s engine and undercarriage. Design renderings of the car and other digital content can also be shared during the immersive experience;
    • Provides a multi-dimensional experience for multiple users with support for a “1:many” presenter experience that enables remote participation from multiple users.
    • Webex Hologram is also headset agnostic, and is compatible with industry-leading AR headsets, such as Magic Leap and Microsoft HoloLens.

    In the past year, Webex by Cisco has introduced nearly 1,000 new features and devices to market and Webex Hologram will soon further bolster the Webex Suite, enabling remote and hybrid workers to engage in immersive experiences using an AR headset of choice. 

    To learn more about Webex Hologram click here.

    Image / video credit: Cisco / Magic Leap / YouTube

  • DPVR announces strategic partnership with Brazilian XR retailer Beenoculus

    DPVR announces strategic partnership with Brazilian XR retailer Beenoculus

    In Virtual Reality News

    October 26, 2021 – DPVR, a Shanghai-based company specializing in virtual reality (VR) device design and manufacturing, has recently announced that it has reached an agreement with Beenoculus, one of the largest extended reality (XR) retailers in Brazil. As DPVR’s exclusive retailer in Latin America, Beeculous will take charge of the sales, shipping, and after-sales service for DPVR.

    Since its establishment in 2014, DPVR has been working to create affordable VR headsets for enterprises. The company launched its latest generation of modular VR headsets earlier this year with the announcement of its P1 Ultra 4K and P1 Pro Light standalone VR headsets. The modular design of the devices means that functionality such as eye tracking, hand tracking, and brain-computer interface sensors, can be added as necessary in order to better suit its customers’ needs. 

    Beenoculus offers extensive VR software and hardware solutions to service providers in Brazil. It also owns two subsidiaries companies, Beetools and JungleBee, which offer a package solution of VR education to schools and organizations. According to DPVR, Beenoculus has served dozens of large enterprise clients, such as Cisco, Intel, and Honda.

    Commenting on the cooperation agreement, Derek Liu, Vice President and Overseas Marketing Director at DPVR, said: “We are very optimistic about the VR hardware markets in Brazil and we are flattered to build this partnership with Beenoculus. This collaboration is the first phase of our wider strategic cooperation plan, and we will continue to work in this field in the near future.”

    For more information on DPVR and its virtual reality solutions for enterprise, click here. To find out more about Beenoculus and its extended reality technology solutions, click here.

    Image credit: DPVR / Beenoculus

  • Taqtile partners with Nokia to deliver AR-enabled work instruction platform in MX Industrial Edge suite

    Taqtile partners with Nokia to deliver AR-enabled work instruction platform in MX Industrial Edge suite

    In Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality News

    October 22, 2021 – Taqtile, a provider of enterprise software that leverages augmented reality (AR), cloud computing, and LTE/5G networks for knowledge capture and sharing, has announced that its Manifest work-instruction platform is now part of the newly announced Nokia MX Industrial Edge suite of enterprise solutions for Nokia customers.

    The collection of applications curated by Nokia is designed to address the digital transformation needs of enterprise users. Within the MX Industrial Edge application catalog, the Manifest platform delivers an AR-enabled training and work instruction environment for frontline, deskless workers, empowering them to get their jobs done more efficiently, accurately, and safely.

    Combined with MX Industrial Edge and Mixed Reality (MR) capable devices connected via private wireless (e.g. AR headsets, tablets, and mobile devices), Manifest provides frontline users with real-time instruction, access to static, audio, and video assets, integration of IoT data, and the ability to communicate in real-time with remote experts when needed. 

    “MX Industrial Edge provides a convenient way for Nokia enterprise customers and their employees to access Manifest and other advanced platforms to complete complex tasks and leverage digital solutions that unlock the inherent value of their operational data,” stated Dirck Schou, CEO of Taqtile. “With Manifest, MX Industrial Edge users will be able to improve their companies’ resiliency, scale their workforces more efficiently, and be better positioned to overcome issues like labor force reductions, supply chain disruptions, and other business challenges.”

    According to Taqtile, Nokia is integrating the capabilities of these applications with technologies such as 4.9G/LTE and 5G private wireless networks. As a result, enterprises will be able to benefit from an entire ecosystem of connected devices, systems, and sensors. Furthermore, because Nokia MX Industrial Edge is on-premises, data is processed on-site, providing optimized compute and networking performance, as well as the data security required by Industry 4.0 use-cases.

    “Nokia is proud to partner with Taqtile to expand Nokia’s MX Industrial Edge ecosystem with applications that create customer value beyond connectivity. With simple and easy to use mixed reality work instructions in real-time and MX Industrial Edge capabilities, we can address the needs of many segments such as manufacturing and logistics,” said Fabian Schlage, Head of Ecosystem Engagement, Nokia Enterprise Solutions.

    For more information on Taqtile and its enterprise AR solutions, click here. For more information on Nokia’s MX Industrial Edge platform, click here.

    Image credit: Taqtile

  • Facebook announces new ‘Group Effects’ feature for multi-user AR experiences on Messenger video calls

    Facebook announces new ‘Group Effects’ feature for multi-user AR experiences on Messenger video calls

    In Augmented Reality News 

    October 22, 2021 – Facebook has recently announced the availability of new ‘Group Effects’ augmented reality (AR) experiences on Messenger video calls and Messenger Rooms. Group Effects are AR experiences that can augment everyone on a video call at the same time, allowing for more fun and immersive ways for users to connect with one another. As well as being introduced to Messenger, Group Effects will also be coming soon to Instagram, according to Facebook.

    Facebook stated that at the end of the month it will be expanding access to the new Spark AR Multipeer API in order to enable more creators and developers to build Group Effects. With the Spark Multipeer API, all creators and developers can build dynamic, real-time interactive effects for larger audiences, which the company hopes will help to transform the way people experience video calling.

    With Group Effects, users can play multiplayer interactions with friends, making video calls a shared experience. Users will be able to choose from a library of over 70 Group Effects, including examples such as a game where all users on a call compete to build the best burger, or an effect with a cat that enters everyone’s screens.

    To try out Group Effects, users can start a video call or create a room in the Messenger app, tap the smiley face to open the effects tray, and then select Group Effects.

    In a post on the announcement, Facebook stated: “Many people rely on video calls to bridge physical distance and interact with the world around them, especially now. With Group Effects, we aim to make those interactions even more exciting and memorable.”

    Until now, many AR effects have been a solo experience, like augmenting a photo or video for Stories or Reels, so it will be interesting to see what creators come up with to produce new, innovative ways for multiple people to connect via a shared augmented reality experience.

    Image credit: Facebook

  • Media Fusion awarded $300K contract to develop Augmented Reality app experience for US National Park Service

    Media Fusion awarded $300K contract to develop Augmented Reality app experience for US National Park Service

    In Augmented Reality News

    October 21, 2021 – Media Fusion, LLC, a provider of media production and support services to federal and commercial customers in the US, has recently been awarded a contract by the US Department of the Interior for the development of an augmented reality (AR) app experience for the country’s National Park Service (NPS).

    As part of the contract, Media Fusion will develop a framework for the NPS App’s AR capabilities, which will allow US national parks to add content, such as AR features, to enhance visitors’ experience. The company noted that has also been involved in the back-end development for the NPS website, as well as design for the current NPS App.

    According Media Fusion, the statement of work for the NPS App calls for two different use cases:

    1. The app should allow users to “drop” an object into a park environment while on site. A practical example would be a historic building that used to be at a certain location. A park visitor could then pull out their phone and use AR through the NPS App to see how the environment would have looked when the building was still standing;
    2. The app should also enable users to see geotagged sites through an AR lens built into the NPS App. For example, if a visitor was walking through a particular park and using the app, they would see structures, statues, mountains, etc., labeled by name.

    As part of the process, Media Fusion will pilot both use cases with different parks. Once the pilot is demonstrated to be a viable working product, the technology will integrate into the existing NPS data structure and parks will then be able to create and use their own AR experiences. These experiences and content would be generated by individual parks too, according to the company.

    Media Fusion’s first major public-facing, device-based AR project launched in 2014 when the company created a 3D AR experience for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) – shown above. Users could make the SLS rocket “appear” in their environment using the NASA logo as the marker on their screen. Since then, Media Fusion has developed several AR projects for multiple government and corporate clients. The company added that it uses AR and VR (virtual reality) for everything from on-the-job training, to brand awareness, and product sales and marketing.

    “Our focus is always telling a story—usually involving very technical details or requiring complex development. We nail down the story and then choose the technology that best allows the client to share that story. Sometimes that’s AR, VR, or interactive touch platforms. Other times it’s a video, animation or web/app development. We have all those capabilities under one roof, which makes us unique in this industry,” said Richard Williams, Media Fusion CEO. “The National Park Service is a long standing client and we’re excited to partner with them on this next-level park visitor experience.”

    The contract, which is worth just under USD $300,000, lasts for eight months, and will see Media Fusion design the framework and develop and test the two prototypes. The company noted that a “go live” date for the AR experience has not yet been determined.

    For more information on Media Fusion and its augmented reality offerings, please visit the company’s website.

    Image / video credit: National Park Service / Media Fusion / YouTube

  • Praxis Labs raises $15.5M in Series A financing round to scale its Virtual Reality diversity, equity and inclusion learning platform

    Praxis Labs raises $15.5M in Series A financing round to scale its Virtual Reality diversity, equity and inclusion learning platform

    In Virtual Reality News

    October 20, 2021 – Praxis Labs, a provider of a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) learning platform designed to train employees through virtual reality (VR) experiences, has this week announced that it has raised USD $15.5 million in an oversubscribed Series A financing round co-led by Norwest Venture Partners and Emerson Collective. 

    Praxis Labs stated that it will use the funds to scale its platform, expand its learning journey library, add several key leadership roles and hire more broadly within the company. Other investors included Penny Jar Capital (anchored by Steph Curry), Concrete Rose Capital, SoftBank’s SB Opportunity Fund, Ulu Ventures, Precursor Ventures, and Firework Ventures.

    “Our society is more segregated than ever, and the workplace is often the most diverse space we enter – where we encounter differences of backgrounds and perspectives,” said Praxis Labs co-founder and CEO, Elise Smith. “We want to help employees better work across those differences – to advance inclusion and belonging in their teams through policies, practices, products, and services that produce equitable outcomes. This funding validates our work and will help us deepen our ties with corporate workforces as well as expand to new functions and industries with context-specific learning journeys.”

    Praxis Labs’ platform simulates first-hand incidents of bias and discrimination in the workplace from the perspectives of either an employee encountering bias or discrimination firsthand, or of a co-worker playing the bystander or complicit in the encounter. Employees can practice responding in the moment, reflect on their decisions, apply their learning in the workplace, and provide confidential feedback on their experience.

    Through a dashboard on the platform, employees can set commitments to practice behaviors or interventions, and revisit certain incidents while reviewing their progress to becoming conscious and inclusive leaders. The platform’s Pivotal Insights dashboard also analyzes aggregate data from every participant to deliver administrators actionable insights into equity and inclusion within an organization, including the ability to highlight issues or areas of concern, as well as interventions to improve equitable outcomes.

    “We’re excited to share this journey with our team of diverse, and brilliant individuals who offer their first-hand experiences to bring Praxis Labs to fruition,” said Praxis Labs co-founder and Chief Product Officer, Heather Shen. “So much of this work is about recognizing, validating, and amplifying marginalized experiences, and we’re eager to enter this new phase where we can reach every learner at scale.”

    Jeff Crowe, Managing Partner at Norwest Venture Partners, commented: “Fortune 1000 companies spend billions each year on external DEI training alone, and those budgets are accelerating amid the social justice movements of the past year. Praxis Labs’ differentiated use of virtual reality (VR) creates an immersive experience for the user that builds the empathy so critical to DEI.”

    According to the company, some of its blue chip clients include eBay, Amazon, Google, Target, Etsy, ServiceNow and Uber. For more information on Praxis Labs and its VR diversity, equity and inclusion learning platform, please visit the company’s website.

    Image / video credit: Praxis Labs / YouTube