The 10 most innovative AR/VR solution providers 2018

www.insightssuccess.com April 2018

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Expert's Thought Cinematic Virtual Reality for Visual Storytelling: Transitioning between Worlds with Nothing but a Headset

Tech Talk Most Promising Applications of Wearable Technologies in Enterprise

Counsel's insight The Status of the Enterprise Augmented Reality Ecosystem

Todd Brown Co-founder, Managing Partner

Screwtop Media Navigator of Business Solutions and Casting AR

Editor’s Note

AR and VR: the most 'Sought-After' tool in Business

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tanding on the cusp of a transformation unlike seen before, the world is being dominated by high end technologies. The advancements in technologies like Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality has unearthed a wide range of opportunities for tech world, fuelled a massive disruption in the market and resulted in the evolution of customers. These technologies have changed every aspect of business, including how it is being perceived and performed. With everything changing in business the values of yesteryears are getting analyzed every now and then. This has resulted in redeďŹ ning the fundamentals of business.

Having found the possibilities beyond the realm of games, AR and VR is now the part of a bigger world. Starting from retail, real estate, fashion, tourism, medicine, education, marketing, military, and IT etc., there is no sector, which has not been inuenced by the pervasive power of these technologies. Unleashing the yet hidden powers of AR and VR into business has helped companies to stand out among the competitors, manage and develop a larger customer base and a new and improved way of showcasing services.

Making its way into solutions these technologies are impacting the lives of humans both at home and work. This is one of the reasons why solution provider companies are trying to change their method of providing service while also introducing these technologies to its clients through which the larger possibilities of these technologies can be envisioned. However, with the passing time, humans have witnessed the evolution of AR and VR into their lives and how it is changing constantly. The swift pace of advancement and the omnipresence of these technologies have heralded a new dynamics in

the arena of business. It has also created a challenge to make sure the solutions are serviceable and provide real utility features. Thus, industries in general have to move beyond the “Wow” factor to the real value. Henceforth, one who adapts to these changes constantly and innovatively will lead.

Looking at the larger and growing possibilities of AR and VR we have decided to go for this issue which has been entitled as, ‘The 10 Most Innovative AR/VR Solution Providers 2018’.

Highlighting the most innovative and inventive way of adapting these cutting-edge technologies in business, we have featured Screwtop Media on the cover. Despite the fact that any business is tricky and digital marketing is the trickier part of it, Screwtop Media has chosen to follow the path less travelled and has developed quality web development and email marketing services which are incorporated by AR and VR. Screwtop media is leading the market of digital marketing with its AR edged platform and undertakes all business related issues and provides solutions like reaching out to new markets and attracting new customers. Screwtop has developed an AR platform, Mobile-Eyes®, which now is recognized as its brand. This platform represents the most cutting edge, highly adaptive, and customizable technology to allow a customer’s end user to immerse themselves fully into a brand. The innate function of this platform is to foster brand interaction and better customer engagements.

We have also enlisted Augmently; for delivering an exceptional AR experience, Champagne Soda;for reforming the world of real estate, Cthrough; for its unique approach in navigation, Creote Studio; for exhibiting user friendly business applications powered with AR and VR, Jawstrow; for its unique tactic towards transforming retail business, WaveOptics;who are improving the AR experience with its waveguides and zSpace; for revolutionizing the learning experience.

This issue also includes few Experts’ Insights on ‘Most Promising Applications of Wearable Technologies in Enterprise’, ‘The Status of the Enterprise Augmented Reality Ecosystem’ and ‘Cinematic Virtual Reality for Visual Storytelling: Transitioning between Worlds with Nothing but a Headset’. Also take a look into the Editor’s Pick wherein you can find articles that discuss about the emerging trends in the arena of AR and VR. So, do flip pages and enjoy reading.

Suhel Mashayak

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Screwtop Media: Navigator of Business Solutions and Casting AR

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Innovation Archives

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Reaching out to every possibility of Augmented and Virtual Reality Optimization

Tech Insights How Immense Augmented Reality can be?

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Augmently, Inc.:

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Champagne Soda:

Delivering The Exceptional AR Experience

A Global Disruptor in the Realm of Real Estate

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Creote Studio:

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Cthrough:

Innovative Designers, Galvanized by AR and VR

The AR-Enabled Navigator to Amusement Arcades

Expert's Thought Cinematic Virtual Reality for Visual Storytelling: Transitioning between Worlds with Nothing but a Headset

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Tech Talk Most Promising Applications of Wearable Technologies in Enterprise

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Counsel's insight The Status of the Enterprise Augmented Reality Ecosystem

Jawstrow: Reforming the Retail Business while Incorporating AR

WaveOptics: Enhancing Your Experience of Augmented Reality

zSpace: Transforming Learning Through AR/VR Experiences

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Pooja M. Bansal Anish Miller Suhel Mashayak Jenny Fernandes Crescent CU Assistant Editors Brian Smith Kaustav Roy Visualiser David King Art & Design Director Amol Kamble Associate Designer Aparna Vanzul Co-designer Sapana, Karan Art & Picture Editor Paul Belin Jayant Khanna Senior Sales Manager Passi D. Business Development Manager Peter Collins Marketing Manager Urvi Sharma Business Development Executives Josh, Sophie, George, Abhijeet Sales Executives David, Kevin, Nick, Mark Technical Head Jacob Smile Technical Specialist Amar, Pratiksha Digital Marketing Manager Marry D’Souza Online Marketing Strategist Alina Sege, Shubham Mahadik, Vaibhav K SME-SMO Executives Prashant Chauhan, Uma Dhenge, Gemson, Irfan Research Analyst Chidiebere Moses Circulation Manager Robert, Tanaji Database Management Stella Andrew Technology Consultant David Stokes Editor-in-Chief Senior Editor Managing Editor Executive Editors

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April, 2018 Corporate Ofces: Insights Success Media Tech LLC 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100, Dublin, OH 43017, United States Phone - (614)-602-1754 Email: info@insightssuccess.com For Subscription: www.insightssuccess.com

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COVER STORY

Todd Brown Co-founder Managing Partner

10 Most Innovative

The

AR VR SOLUTION PROVIDERS 2018

Screwtop Media Navigator of Business Solutions and Casting AR “Screwtop Media- the technology service business partner that you can trust.”

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he game ‘Pokémon Go’ can be considered as one of the well-defined example of Augmented Reality as in this game one can actually see a ‘Pokémon’ in front of them. AR does not start and end with only games. AR is being implemented in day to day life. Augmented Reality has been used in the armed forces since a long time now. This technology that has been overlaying digital elements has now paved its way into business. Let it be manufacturing or retail, AR has created new ways to engage with the world.

Digital marketing is one of the flourishing arenas of business. Advertising delivered through digital channels such as emails, search engines, websites and mobile apps are now changing the face of advertising. There is a new business, start up or idea that is always digging its roots in the world. With the endless competitions one should be very much prepared to enter into the market.

For any business or idea to succeed, one must market it uniquely. Digital marketing being the most adaptable tool is now playing a great role in the success of many businesses. However, the drifting ways how customers react to internet finding success through digital media might be challenging. Screwtop Media has accepted this

challenge and managed to successfully outshine.

Established with the motive to develop quality web development and email marketing services at an affordable price, Screwtop Media has managed to place themselves amongst few of the best digital marketing service providers.

Leading the path of Digital Marketing Established by a small group of marketing and technology professionals, Screwtop Media is a media and digital marketing company which provide web based marketing solutions. This company undertakes all business related issues and provides solution like reaching out to new markets and attracting new customers. The company’s goal is to assist its clients with brand development, market share expansion and increased marketing ROI. It has succeeded in accomplishing this by providing technology solutions necessary to increase customer engagement with their brands in a way that delivers efficiency and profitability seamlessly.

However, during the initial days the company had only focused on the traditional website development and email marketing. But soon as the traditional ways started

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We are not just another

technology service provider, nor are we

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being outdated; Screwtop Media took a major step by engulfing the technology and infusing it with their method.

The team at Screwtop Media then realized the need and demand just another of interactive marketing that utilizes augmented reality technology to promote various business industries including travel/tourism, marketing partner, mobile telecommunications, and the retail sector. In this process they have set themselves apart from other digital media companies by leveraging or media and combining cutting-edge technologies of augmented reality. Screwtop Media has built a powerful suite of technology-based solutions for businesses provider, spanning nearly all industries, including tools for design and development, e-mail and social media campaigns, and interactive mobile brand engagement through or analytics augmented reality.

partner

The Vigorous Leader who Aids the Company

This digital marketing platform is steered by Todd Brown, who is the Co-founder and also serves as the Managing Partner of Screwtop Media. Before entering business, Todd was a third-generation veteran of the US Army and a graduate of Texas Tech University. Todd decided to enter the world of technology in the year 1996, during which he worked for a local Dallas interactive marketing company.

After gaining experience for multiple interactive marketing and advertising companies, Todd along with his colleagues, Brady Tinker and Matt Ferrell, established Screwtop Media, LLC. Outshining the Competitors Screwtop Media is not any regular technology service provider or marketing partner, it has the capacity to pinpoint solutions for any industry type, and has specialized in the development of technology-centric marketing opportunities that increase user engagement levels, expand application adoption rates, and has the innate ability to track all analytics associated with its service as a holistic business partner for any company. Todd Brown, the CEO has quoted that, “By fostering an environment of collaboration, we can build and deliver the comprehensive solutions necessary to overcome challenges with customization and flexibility in mind ”.

While many of the agencies are viewing Augmented Reality in a traditional way, the team at Screwtop Media has positioned itself in a way that they expand the understanding of what AR can be used for and how it can be integrated into marketing. The firm developed an AR platform, Mobile-Eyes®, which now is recognized as their brand. This platform represents the most cutting edge, highly adaptive, and customizable technology to allow a customer’s end user to immerse themselves fully into a brand. The innate function of this platform is to foster brand interaction and better customer engagements. The Mobile-Eyes®; which is Screwtop Media’s “White Label” content delivery platform, is designed in a way to provide companies with a website, mobile site and native mobile application- all from one single code base. This platform is extensible and scalable software which works for all digital needs. Mobile Eyes is profoundly compatible with functions including geo-targeting,

We have the capacity to identify technical marketing solutions; we will continue to focus on developing technology-centric marketing ecommerce and social media as well as augmented reality technology. For example, this platform can be utilized in the retail industry, providing its customers a customized, immersive experience, highlighting various actions provided across all one’s business’s marketing touch points at once. The only limitations placed before it is the imagination of the retailer. The uses of this immersive experience do not end with just brick-andmortar facilities. Mobile Eyes has been used at festivals and other large events, as well as with off-site engagement opportunities.

expansion of the services the company offers, Screwtop Media also has included additional services which include email marketing, ecommerce development and interactive content production.

Strategic Method of Work Screwtop Media’s sole purpose and aim is to help its customers with its business. To succeed in their goal they have set few procedures which include steps like PreDiscovery, Discovery, Design, Development and Deployment.

Exceptional Services Provided Being a digital marketing consultant, it offers all kinds of marketing solutions including designing websites. The team undertakes the designing task with great caution and everything they design is done with keeping the needs of the retailer’s customers. Irrespective of the medium they provide thoughtful, researched and intelligent design concepts that will draw your customers in, and keep them engaged. Using one of the fascinating technologies is an upper hand, with the help of AR, Screwtop Media helps in creating a customized reality mobile app that helps in promoting the products and services of one’s business. This firm also offers the most refined, vibrant and real-time targeted email messaging that is completely automated, taking advantage of powerful segmentation, automation, and predictive capabilities, along with powerful reporting tools to understand campaign and program performance.

The company also conducts a social media program evaluation for prospective which provides the clients with feedback regarding their existing program as well as how well their social media efforts fit into their overall marketing strategy. With the help of this approach they make few recommendations using the Mobile-Eyes® which helps in fostering brand interaction and better customer engagements. With the increasing number of media and technology industries and the

Under the first phase; Pre- discovery, the team learns about the goals of their customers and aspirations to develop a thorough understanding on how to best serve their company and their customers. At the second phase comes the Discovery, a custom architecture and project plan to make absolutely certain that their customers are receiving exactly what they need, perfectly tailored to the company’s digital goals. The third phase includes the Design, under which the talented team of designers at Screwtop Media will work to understand every detail of their customer’s brand, voice and mission and how they combine to communicate to their customers and a site is built. Under the fourth phase Development, the web development professionals will tirelessly test the site to identify and eliminate any flaws to ensure complete functionality. The last phase which is the Deployment, which includes help in monitoring the new developed site and also the market experts at Screwtop Media, would train its customers how to maintain the website.

The company monitors the overall function of the projects of their clients.

Success Stories and Client Satisfaction Employees play a major role in the success of Screwtop Media and Todd adds, “At Screwtop Media, the level of character and integrity of our employees is paramount”.

Screwtop Media has been crowned as one of the Top

“We will continue to market Mobile Eyes to any company that has a library of content that can be leveraged and monetized through pass-through functionality.”

Interactive Marketing Agencies in Dallas for the year 2017. The greatest accomplishment of Screwtop Media was its involvement with WinStar World Casino and Resort. Using the Mobile Eye, Screwtop Media developed a native mobile app that provides a digital experience based on the same functionalities found on their website and other functional options. They also helped in creating a more comprehensive email program that would provide attractive and track-able emails for entertainment events, hotel and casino operations. Collaborating with WinStar, Screwtop Media has created several custom templates that coincided perfectly with other marketing efforts for consistent brand messaging. As a result at present, WinStar has a reliable email marketing campaign with full analytical capabilities which has boosted open and click-through rates, helping to produce consistently profitable ROI figures. Among many other satisfied clients, Samsung, Shermco Industries, Metro PCS, Purus Labs and Ag Power are some of the beneficiaries.

Advice for the Growing Startups from the CEO’s Desk “Stay persistent and never give up. You must be relentless in everything you do and remember that quality is found in the details. Finally, never forget that your integrity is non-negotiable…Always do what is right, even when it hurts,” adds Todd.

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10 Most Innovative

The

AR VR SOLUTION PROVIDERS 2018

Company Name

Management

Brief

Augmently getaugmently.com

Ziggy Kormandel CEO & Co-founder

Augmently is an LA-based new kind of “Augmented Realism” technology company which specializes in manipulating and molding it into an authentic augmented experience.

Champagne Soda champagnesoda.com.au

Brooke Smith CEO

Champagne Soda is a Virtual & Augmented Reality Marketing Firm (VAR) working in partnership with Developers, Real Estate Agents, Project Marketing Agents and Architects to add value to the design and development of any project.

Creote Studio creote.com

Roy Lo Co-founder

Creote Studio is a team of professional designers that strive to create intuitive experiences through adopting new technologies into our design philosophy.

Cthrough cthroughmap.com

Elaine Wang CEO

Cthrough is a technology company that focuses on providing outdoor/indoor navigation solutions through interactive Augmented Reality.

Jawstrow jawstrow.com

Charles Wong Founder

Jawstrow is a SaaS provider that leverages the power of VR/AR to empower traditional retail.

Kagiso Interactive kagisointeractive.com

Priven Reddy CEO & Founder

Kagiso Interactive is a leading, Durban based, web and mobile applications development agency.

Screwtop Media screwtopmedia.com

Todd Brown CEO & Managing Partner

Screwtop Media is a full service digital marketing and media production company that specializes in Marketing Technology Integration that includes traditional web development, mobile application development, augmented reality technology and data-driven email marketing solutions.

ThirdEye Gen thirdeyegen.com

Nick Cherukuri President

ThirdEye Gen is a technological company which is developing the next generation of Augmented Reality for both the Commercial and Consumer worlds.

WaveOptics enhancedworld.com

Sumanta Talukdar CEO & Co-founder

WaveOptics is a global provider of pioneering Augmented Reality waveguides offering exceptional picture quality in flexible form factors.

zSpace zspace.com

Paul Kellenberger CMO

zSpace is a technology firm based in Sunnyvale, California that creates mixed reality systems that combine elements of virtual and augmented reality in a computer.

Augmently, Inc.: Delivering The Exceptional AR Experience

A

ugmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) have been the hot topics among tech developers for several years. During that time, consumers living in the digital world have made the journey from two dimensions to three-dimensional realism. At present, there are frequent demonstrations of AR in our daily lives. It is both surprising and exciting to witness what engineers and designers are capable of doing with this technology. A group of creative designers at Augmently, Inc. are transforming the virtual world and taking it to an entirely new level.

Reforming the ‘Immersive’ World Transformations in the world of AR and VR have changed our outlook on the future. Augmently is one such change agent which has opened the gates to this brave new virtual world. Known as “the Augmented Realism Agency,” Augmently has thrived for the last three and-a-half years by delivering quality creative and successful implementation of the augmented reality experience for its customers and their brands.

In particular, Augmently has developed a patented augmented reality technology that allows mobile device users to virtually place and set at any angle a celebrity, character or product in a 360°environment of their choice. It seamlessly delivers matching lighting, color, and focus to make the finished image or product look strikingly real. While offering a quixotic experience and introducing customers to a new and advanced virtual world, Augmently has built custom campaigns for companies that not only deliver strong ROI, but most importantly, drive truly memorable brand engagement.

The Innovator CEO The man behind the company is Ziggy Kormandel.

Having founded Augmently, Ziggy also currently serves

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as its CEO. He began his career in visual entertainment as an art director during the “dotcom boom,” and is considered an expert in brand marketing.

Prior to establishing Augmently, Ziggy was the Founder and CEO of 3DX, where he leveraged 18 years of experience to assemble a dream team of 3D experts.

Inspired by the Kim Kardashian app when it reportedly was generating $800k daily, Ziggy found an opportunity to take fan-driven mobile apps and personalizing them in ways that were never before imaginable. Leveraging the power and largely untapped capabilities of augmented reality, Ziggy then proposed a platform that would put lifelike video renderings of the world’s foremost celebrities in a fan’s living room or a company’s retail location.

Incomparable Advocacy Another defining feature of the company is Augmently’s dedication to solving any AR-related tech and creative challenge. According to Ziggy: “We’re a diverse team that boasts twenty-five years of technology, branding, and marketing experience. Our core strength is a unique ability to solve problems that most AR companies can’t.”

Augmently provides AR technology and campaign expertise for global brands who are looking to stand out from the competition. Its patented technology uses real video and photo images to create hyper realistic AR experiences for clients and partners rather than relying on traditional 3D computer generated objects. The technology created by the team of elite designers at Augmently is also enabled with video-on-video recording features that allow users to walk into their mobile device frame and record real-time video or upload a previously taken photo from any angle. Users can also add a celebrity, character or object to their scene and share it with their peers online and via social media.

| April 2018 |

10 Most Innovative

The

AR VR SOLUTION PROVIDERS 2018

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We are a team of creative designers and engineers boasting over twenty-ve years of technology, branding, and marketing experience while our core strength is the ability to solve problems that most AR companies can't.

“

A recent trailblazing service provided by Augmently allows customers to present 3D models in AR that have an endless number of polygons. Augmently has developed the patented software which allows for 3D cinematic models (with hundreds of millions of polygons), to be used on AR for mobile phones.

Ziggy Kormandel, Founder & CEO

Most recently, Augmently has entered the healthcare sector in a partnership with stayhealthy.com, a leading healthcare lifestyle, engagement, and technology business. Already collaborating with global celebrities to launch unique AR consumer products and hardware/software devices, Augmently is continuing to innovate the kind of patented solutions that distinguish the company in the crowded AR marketplace. Ziggy speaks to this ongoing commitment: “Augmently’s mission is to provide the best and most realistic AR experiences possible with the devices of yesterday, today and the future”.

Having a team with robust experience is the biggest advantage of Augmently. The company is not only a service provider, but a creative agency that creates winning campaigns for global brands. Augmently takes pride in supporting its clients with unique, engaging campaigns that drive sales, increase ROI, produce www. getaugmently.com shareable content and help them stand out above the noise. Ziggy adds, “When done right, AR can be one of the single most powerful marketing tools wielded by any brand large or small.”

Overstepping Competitors Augmently is proud to have partnered with ISBX as its development partner with its stellar team of over 50 expert developers. As Southern California’s leading mobile app developer, ISBX has done hundreds of successful apps for brands ranging from Nike and Sony to Lexus and Red Bull.

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Champagne Soda: A Global Disruptor in the Realm of Real Estate

D

igital disruption is the new buzzword that has gained popularity with the rise of Virtual and Augmented Reality. In true sense of the term, VR and AR have disrupted the traditional formula of the world, changing our way of living with its smart appearance in almost every aspect of our life and society.

Like all other industries, virtual reality has made its way into the global real estate market as well.

Champagne Soda is Australia’s leading Virtual and Augmented Reality Marketing Firm working in partnership with Property Developers, Real Estate Agents, Project Marketing Agents and Architects to add value to the design and development of any project. With the use of virtual and augmented reality technology, the company enables property developers a unique selling tool to offer their potential buyers an amazing experience. With the help of this technology, a prospective buyer can view and walkthrough any property virtually, at any time, from anywhere in the world. This smart service can build up the confidence in the end buyer and reassure them, so that purchasing property off the plan becomes faster and more effective than ever before.

The Passionate and Enthusiastic Leader Brooke Smith is the Co-founder and CEO of Champagne Soda. Brooke has given her fascination and passion for Real Estate a new dimension, transforming them into a global disruptor. She tried to visualize how her next investment property would look like prior to build and this was what eventually led to the creation of Champagne Soda.

Unable to comprehend or understand dimensions from a floor map and given some color swatches to go off, she began to research how she could develop a way to view

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any property, from anywhere in the world at any time prior to construction.

Brooke applied her creative vibes to pave a way that leads to an immersive buying experience through virtual reality. Champagne soda allows the buyer to visually experience how the buyer’s future purchase will look like, while making it easier to customize the interior- the wall colors, the designs, decorations, and even can choose the furniture as per their own choice.

The Unique Qualities and Services Quality is in fact the element that sets the company apart from its competitors. From the time of its initiation, the company wanted to represent the market. It was the time when the market and the technology themselves were not up to the standard. As the technology improved and evolved with time, the leadership was finally in a position where they could decide to launch Champagne Soda and be proud of the intricate detail they were finally able to create with VR. Challenges along the Way AR/VR being a new technology in the Real Estate Industry, educating the industry about the technology and its benefits, has been proved to be a major challenge for the team from the time of its establishment.

Champagne Soda wants to excel in the real estate industry with the help of this technology. The leaders have a firm belief that they possess all the positive vibes to make those waves occur.

“The improvement we are seeing with VR/AR is the tech itself. With new headsets coming onto the market with

| April 2018 |

10 Most Innovative

The

AR VR SOLUTION PROVIDERS 2018

“

Virtual reality allows the buye r to visually experience and to create an emotional connection to their purchase

“

higher resolution, cable free and easier to use it’s a joy to be able to evolve as the tech does”, asserts Brooke.

Brooke Smith, Co-Founder & CEO

everyone in the organization to have a voice of their own and to explore opportunities that might never have been looked at if this process was left solely to the leaders.

A Disruption worth Embracing Future Perspective The company came into existence with an aim of disrupting the industry. The leaders want to change the way people buy property with the smart usage of virtual and augmented reality technology. In addition to saving time and money of clients, it helps the clients by increasing efficiency and engagement, shortening property cycles, cutting marketing budgets, helping agents winning more listings and decreasing barriers to sale for off-plan properties.

Currently, the company has its presence in Australia and Europe. However, the ambitious team is planning to expand the business into the U.S in near future.

Champagne Soda is also looking forward to explore other sectors with its virtual reality technology such as VR Travel and the team is working on some projects currently in this space.

Maintaining an Employee friendly Environment Regular ideation sessions are conducted for every employee in the business which helps the entire team to stay motivated and be at their creative best. This allows

| April 2018 |

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Expert's Thought

Cinematic Virtual Reality for Visual Storytelling: Transitioning between Worlds with Nothing but a Headset

H

ave you ever been inside a human hamster ball?

Imagine standing still in that sphere. You can see the inside, every angle, as you move your head around, right?

That’s precisely how a 360-degree image is. A panorama that extends in every direction, as if the pictures were sprawled on the insides of a sphere.

Cinematic Virtual Reality is an improvement upon this concept, as it lets you feel how the movie unfolds. You strap the gear to your head, and everything looks real, sounds real.

What Does Cinematic VR Bring to the Table?

For the viewers, a suspension of disbelief via a sense of presence. For the makers, a chance to create compelling stories in a medium that can deliver authentic familiarity to the audience.

Cinematic paradigms are shifting. Film festivals like Cannes, Sundance, and Tribeca are showcasing virtual reality cinema. Industry trade shows are putting weight on 360-degree cameras and gears. The technology, as well as its dimensions, are being explored, recognised, appreciated.

In May 2016, for the first time in India, a specially made 360-degree video for his psychological thriller movie Phobia was made. Created by Meraki VR, this wasn’t the only example of using immersive video to put forth a point.

The Oscars organisation presented a special award to director Alejandro Iñárritu in 2017 for his direction of CARNE y ARENA, a simulated experience. An immersive tour of Palava, another documentary about the first literate generation of the tribals of Keonjhar, Orissa, are two other similar examples, both produced by Meraki VR. It’s an abundance of evidence that right now, every creator wants to try, test, and work with this technology, not just because it’s innovation at its current best but also because it is a mighty weapon for storytellers.

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But, Creating Virtual Cinema Involves a Good Amount of Trial and Error The Lumiere brothers shot and released the first film in 1895 in Paris. It was a fresh change of perspective and technique from the theatre. The director was in charge of not just what the artists would perform but how the audience would see it, from which angles, with which effects, thus empowering the storytelling.

With VR, the control goes to the audience. Every component of an environment becomes the frame. It’s immersive but requires a strong narrative and subtle clues to convey the story in all intended meanings. Both your technique and tools need to be up to the mark.

The Perfect Camera Rig, and VR Video Issues The rig used here is a sphere, with many cameras mounted on each side, with their specific field of view, who record at the same time. The market offers you different shooting gears, each with a set of pros and cons.

Ricoh Theta S It’s probably the cheapest point and shoot camera for 360degree videos. It comes with HD live streaming, prolonged exposure, live view via a dedicated application, and 8 GB memory.

Insta 360 Pro Version 2.0 With its recent firmware update, it is excellent for colour accurate, good quality images. You get 12K superresolution pictures, optimised dynamic range, white balance, and clarity, and manual frame rate adjustment. You can also accelerate image stitching by using Pro’s processor.

Obsidian S It comes with a stitching software and companion app, and it’s a Meraki VR favourite, because it’s optimised for higher frame rates, 6K stereoscopic video along with depth mapping.

However, as different lenses capture different angles of any

| April 2018 |

Sairam Sagiraju (Co-Founder), Balaji (Associate VR Specialist), Parth Choksi (Co-Founder), Agam Garg (Co-Founder)

environment, they have to be stitched together while editing to provide a sense of continuity. Poor stitching can wreck a VR video. While shooting motion shots, average work can be downright sickening if the movements are unexpected, rough, and hence, often nauseous.

VR Filmmaking Has Begun Walking; It’s yet to Break into a Run Steven Spielberg calls virtual reality a dangerous medium because it allows the viewer to ignore the storyteller’s perspective and determine their direction themselves. And, without a threaded narrative, Spielberg fears the story could be lost among the effects.

About the Author

Simply put, there’s a lot that cinematic virtual reality has to figure out before you can create or witness a movie that you empathise with in every sense.

Parth Choksi is an IIT Bombay alumnus with Masters in Mechanical Engineering, who holds great passion about work in the areas of branding and marketing. Parth had previously co-founded LevoDrive, an intra-city public bus transport system. He has also worked with ITC, where he worked on projects based on renewal energy, having commissioned a 1MW solar power plant and designed a 10MW solar power pack. He has also commissioned a complete storage facility for Finished Goods for the group.

He currently heads the technical and marketing function at Meraki, one of India's rst Virtual Reality Studios. | April 2018 |

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Innovation Archives

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| April 2018 |

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ith every second passing, the advancements in technologies are insanely surprising the world.

Unorthodoxly, the digital world has given us the glimpse of bringing the virtual world into reality. Over the past few years, the world has seen a sudden upliftment in virtual and augmented reality technologies which are dominating the new era of digitalization. As it is a growing entity, many giants in enterprise world have already implemented AR in their numerous sectors. Meanwhile, small businesses are also planning to invest into AR/VR in order to catch-up with the big league enterprises.

AR and VR are probable to get cheaper with time. In order to meet-up with the demand of enterprises, there has been a tremendous growth in the production of technological devices. Hence, as the production rises; cheaper will be its price—Reverse Inflation. Considering both AR and VR separately, VR has very much benefited the gaming industries while AR has dug its roots in specific sectors of the enterprises.

Outlook on such implementations are followed as…

Handy Estimation in Retail Augmented Reality will be very beneficial to the retailing industry, as it will be offering a customer perceptual context of the product before purchasing process. In retailing business, customer satisfaction is most prior thing than others, thus, implementing AR will assist customers to choose product according to the area acquired by it. In other words, AR will generate an augmented image of the product into the real-world so that, a customer can easily estimate the

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size and shape as per its residing place. Also, it will help customers to choose the edible products as well as other grocery products. This practice will reduce the chances of wrong product arrival, damage product arrival, miss sized and others. Big giants in retailing business are planning to implement AR technology, as it will reduce time consumption as well as be able to provide a better transparency, resulting in maintain good relationships between customers and enterprise.

Digitally visualizing Supply Chain Maintaining a proper supply chain is considered as a tough work, as it requires more number of manpower for different mid-segments; such as data management, transportation management, and others. Considering the data management, it’s really necessary for an enterprise to get notified with the data regarding the goods exchange.

Here, AR could play a crucial role in visualizing the data faster and comfort-ease. AR will help an enterprise to visualize data or process without transporting from one place to another. This technology is considered to be portable and more adaptable as it can ease-up the process by providing 360º visualization of the processes. In accordance to that, Mixed Reality (i.e. the collaboration of both augmented and virtual reality) has been a better option than just an AR. In upcoming years, AR and MR will be dominating the industries into more compact and digital enterprise resulting in more efficiency.

Training through VR Before becoming a part of an enterprise, every personnel go through a training period in order to comprehend crucial processes of the company and work accordingly. This training period helps employees to implement innovative ideas without disturbing the earlier methodology. Many enterprises are planning to implement virtual reality VR in order to set-up better training programs for the trainees of the company. This practice will benefit both trainee as well as enterprise; as the training is virtually-oriented, it helps a trainee to attempt multiple times even after the failure. Also, it prevents from any injuries occurrence to trainees during the machine-handling process. Whereas, in some sectors, which are totally subjected to nano-technology generally requires lab with certain conditions which are quite hard to attain. Hence, implementing VR or MR in such sectors it will make the learning process much easier and cheaper as well. Meanwhile, some processes are extremely expensive to facilitate in training program so, to ensure that all the employees should be enlightened with the new industrial machineries; VR stands to be the best and cost-reducing methodology. Hopefully, it is estimated that the future of VR is nowhere to saturate in up-coming years.

Inside-out Technology Tracking Until now, many VR/AR headsets are based on outside-in technology—a system which allows users to utilize AR by bringing the virtual imaging into real life. While it has some natural limitations that a user can only be able to experience all the benefits of AR under strictly defined space controlled by AR sensors. Unlike this technology, Inside-out is far much advanced and consists fewer limitations. Inside-out sensors are placed on the device itself so that it can easily scan the environment and provide a better VR/AR experience to the user. As Inside Out technology can generate a virtual image according to the surroundings of the user, it clarifies the idea that VR can be used infinitely.

In the future, there’s a possibility of a substantial rise in demand AR, VR and MR as immersive technologies are already at its verge to abundantly hold its feet strongly in the industrial world. Soon in up-coming years, more implementations of such technologies could be seen in commercial as well as in enterprises. But, as it’s the age of technological disruption; the innovations and advancements of technologies will never stop. AR and VR are very much in the race to surpass other technological competitors.

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Creote Studio: Innovative Designers, Galvanized by AR and VR

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ith the increasing opportunities and the technology at its best every capitalist is trying to stand out in the crowd. Since it has become mandatory for every small or big scale industrialist to mark their presence online, a big deal of time is spent to design websites, apps or any such online platform. With countless service providers and business solution providers choosing the apt one that would satisfy the client’s needs is equally important. The good news is that the search for such a service provider ends here. Creote Studio– an outstanding company has come up with a unique idea that exhibits user friendly business applications while incorporating technologies like AR and VR. Uniqueness and easily noticeable is one of the factors why this technology is acknowledged and thus the team at Creote Studio provides a new and exciting experience to its clients.

incorporation of Design Thinking into Technology Applications.” The architects of this radiant thought are the co-founders of Creote Studio, Roy Lo and Coby Or. Based out in Hong Kong this company today is one of most promising innovative designers using AR/VR technologies. The technologies can be perceived as a gimmick, but “AR/VR can be very practical that helps businesses generate revenue and reduce operation costs.

It is up to us in what we do with the technologies to create real values for the real world”, Or added.

The Road Towards Success Roy and Coby co-founded Creote Studio with an aim to provide professional design services with AR/VR to customers worldwide. Integrating creativity with innovative ideas, the team currently is the leader under making.

The Nimble Creators and the Proud Designers Founded by a team of innovative and creative designers, Creote Studio has specialized in linking technologies like AR and VR into their designs to create a new and improved business application. Unlike any technology service provider, this firm stands out with its exclusivity as a designing company that supplies exceptional business specific applications for its customers. Roy Lo, Co-founder of Creote Studio adds, “We pride ourselves to be innovative designers that create intuitive experiences with the adoption of newest technologies”.

The firm has been focusing on creating new experience using AR and VR technology. Apart from this it also provides various other digital services which help the customers enhance their business.

Creote Studio considers its entire design team a valuable asset for their success. Roy adds saying that, “Majority of our employees comprises of designers. Design is the core value of our business and we strive to create unique and intuitive experiences for our clients with the

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The duo first thought of blending AR in wedding invitation cards. This variant idea was used by Roy and Coby for their own wedding. This unique experience created from the AR effects had gained appreciation and popularity very soon. This distinctive invitation card had a very appealing feature; while the AR wedding card looked similar to any other card but once the guests receives the card, they could scan it using a mobile app, and Coby and Roy would instantly appear standing on top of the card with a 3D castle and animated fireworks in the background. Shortly after this, the vivacious couple started taking offers for producing such AR wedding cards, they realized the importance of design in technology, and founded Creote Studio to promote the value of design in the AR/VR industry.

Unprecedented Service Providers Providing business solutions driven by AR and VR remains the sole purpose and service that Creote Studio provides. Their services include custom designing AR | April 2018 |

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It is not about what the technologies can do for us, but what we could do with the technologies.

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and VR solutions for corporate promotions, exhibitions, trainings, merchandises, entertainment, simulations and more. They have also developed an AR platform called WedCam that targets to help small and medium enterprises to utilize AR within an affordable budget and a short production timeframe. WedCam is one of the most widely used AR platforms in Asia Pacific and had received first runner up for the Qualcomm Vuforia Visions Award in 2015.

Creote Studio had been heavily involved with designing interactive simulations with VR for corporate training purposes. “The engagements generated from VR had been very encouraging in corporate trainings. We have applied VR in areas of health and safety, customer service, operation, engineering and maintenance. The results were out of our expectations”, said Lo. The Creote team is also aggressively pushing VR technologies into the healthcare sector with the objectives to help children with autism and dyslexia, and also utilize VR as a form of ability assessment.

Coby Or, Co-Founder, Creative Director Roy Lo, Co-Founder, Business Director

provide outstanding designed experiences with AR and VR. The Glorious Accomplishments Creote Studio’s dedications in providing high quality and professional design services with AR and VR had been widely recognized by the industry. The company has received global recognition when it was crowned as the first runner up for the Qualcomm Vuforia Vision award in the year 2015. This company was also capped with HSBC Youth Business Award and HKACE Top 10 SME Customer Service Excellence Award in the year 2016, and Bright Future SME’s Youth Creative Entrepreneurship Award in the year 2017.

Roy adds, “The limitation of AR/VR is unimaginable. We are working our hardest to push forward the technologies that could create real values and benefits for different industries.” With Design Thinking as a core value of Creote Studio, the company continues to

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Cthrough: The AR-Enabled Navigator to Amusement Arcades

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another Co-Founder of Cthrough, who also co-founded Plinth Technologies. Trusit has 10 years of experience of software development, with 5 years of experience in the field of wireless sensor network

However, at a place with a more complex layout like a zoo, a museum, or a theme park where Google map often fails, cannot cover the destination in detail, people get stuck and compelled to use a piece of the paper map and get lost.

“I am very bad at directions in general. The only four directions I can respond without trouble is up, down, front and back. I have to react to differentiate left and right. When I sit on the passenger seat in a car and giving instructions, I have to point my fingers and say “this way”. And many people out there are just like me.

The easiest way to navigate to a place is having someone lead you there, and with Augmented Reality, everyone can have a personal guide”, asserts Elaine.

t’s the rapid advancement of technology that our lives have become cozier, more comfortable and full of amazement than ever. It’s the wonder of the technology that has made our every adventure effortless ones. Nowadays one can depend upon GPS technology to get anywhere in the world. With the help of GPS navigation, we can reach any destination without much effort.

Cthrough is an Augmented Reality tech startup that has developed a digital map application that can be used at large event venues and site of attractions, like zoos and museums, to enhance the visitor experience. The map is not only a “walking map” which provides the last-mile solution for people to visit a place, but also an AR platform where many incredible experiences can be built on. For example, imagine you are following the map to the tiger’s exhibit in a zoo, at the same time are also going on a scavenger hunt relating to animal facts. While walking through the zoo, you can also get real-time notifications of the zoo’s education shows, and easily be led there on your phone.

The Innovative Leaders Elaine Wang is the Co-founder and CEO of the company who has obtained an M.S.in Management Science and B.S. in Finance. Being a serial entrepreneur, Elaine also co-founded Venture Academy, which was once the largest afterschool program in Plano, TX. A Ph.D in Computer Science, Trusit Shah is the CTO and

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The Differentiating Factors of Cthrough Differing from the existing map applications out there, Cthrough is a walking map that helps people to reach the places with ease. Comparing with the app development companies who build apps for the attraction sites and event venues, this company is more focused on providing a superior experience. Instead of building 10 apps for 10 companies, Cthrough builds one map platform and add sites to it. Cthrough’s main aim is to provide user-friendly services to the visitors.

Existing AR apps may be able to display location information with AR rendering, but they cannot fully function as a map. Cthrough’s AR map is nonprovisional patent pending, which renovates the way how people use a map.

Opportunities and Challenges in the Process of Implementing AR There’s no denying the fact that AR/VR/MR is going to

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We want to be the Google of AR. When you go on Google, you get on the internet; when you open Cthrough, you enter the AR world

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change our lives and our lifestyles in the upcoming future, and because it is still new to the market and no one knows what exactly will work. Every company has the chance to succeed and make a huge impact in this revolution.

Elaine Wang, CEO

Future Endeavors

Cthrough is currently using smartphones as the medium for the AR map platform. However, once the AR glasses are ready for consumer use, the existing infrastructure will be adapted immediately to the AR glasses or other The opportunity also creates the challenge. As AR is still hardware to further enhance the visitor experience. relatively new to the market, the consumers need more time to adapt it and grow the habit of using AR for better experiences in their life. That’s why it happens a lot that users will download an AR app for curiosity and uninstall it after the fad is gone. That’s why the company get in from a special angle by leveraging a map as a tool to smoothly help the users to transit from using 2D to AR. Attracting Clients with Innovative Work Culture The innovative team of Cthrough has designed a digital map which is cost-efficient and environment- friendly in comparison to the traditional paper maps. The techsavvy millennials and generation Z use their phones for any kind of information. The company helps the attraction sites easily reachable for their visitors and enhances the experience even better than ever with the help of Augmented Reality.

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Tech Insights

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onsidering the fact that, it’s really high time to recognize the potential of the ‘Augmented Reality’.

Past few years were totally subjected to the changes occurred in technologies which has being dominating the digital world to new heights. AR—bringing out the uttermost possibilities of imagination into real-time; visualizing an ideology in the three-planar axis in real world is a way which is stretching the early-technological factors beyond its limits. For the very first time, initiation of such technology had begun with the introduction of virtual reality, where a user can experience the virtual world in real time resulting into opening the gates for its subordinates, Augmented as well as Mixed Reality. Other hand, applications of such technologies are continuously increasing as they are showing more promising positive outcomes in enterprises as well as in commercial use.

Augmented Reality can be considered as the big thing, as it is single-handedly revolutionizing the modeling language.

Meanwhile, AR has specifically targeted some aspects in different sectors where it offers help to grow enterprise more precisely. Such aspects consist of core process of the company which is totally subjected to the production and management in enterprises. Nowadays, enterprises are expanding according to the norms which are compatible enough with the new technological advancements; due to the technological disruption, it’s really necessary for an enterprise to upgrade their systems and machinery from time to time.

Lightening up some exclusive types of AR

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Project one’s Imagination Projector AR—a projection of arrays on a digital operating canvas virtually which will not only provide instructions but also, assist professionals in the enterprises. As its name suggests, it is utilized to project a digital image on a physical entity three-dimensionally. It is mostly implemented in production sector as; it can assist the technicians/workers to assemble a product by providing guidelines directly on the desk. Though it is mostly implemented in manufacturing process, it is used in various other sectors as well; which regulate the revenue-generating factors of the company. Meanwhile, the best example of implementing AR is of having a projection of virtual keyboards, mobile dialer, and switches on human hands which will be interactive as per the command given by the user. There are some technologies which are integrated to work along with AR so that no further complications like incompatibility should occur. Whereas, the data obtained from this technology stimulate the revenue generation factors by providing a systematic and quality way of working.

Marking the details in objects Imagine an enterprise where information is provided only if a user wishes to see it. In other words, AR devices will help users to look at the detailing on specific object iff, that specific object is imprinted as per the AR marker. AR marker—it works just like a QR code where a device recognizes the marker and the digital picture will emerge on the screen providing all the detailing of that object. This AR marker technology offers benefits to most of the sectors in an enterprise, the most constructive application can be seen | April 2018 |

in the manufacturing process. It will help workers to better identify the assembly parts as, it will provide all the information in front of the eyes. This technology will ease up the process and will increase the productivity rate of the company.

Virtual Outlining The outlining here describes the object recognition providing a proper digitalized 3D graphical structure of the object. For example, in automobile industries, the testing of any automobile takes more time, as it goes through every physical test. In order to reduce some of the physical tests, industries are using augmented reality which helps workers to visualize the 3D image of the product. Testing on such digitalized image gets easier than to set-up the physical testing zones. Meanwhile, it can be also used in the construction industries as it delivers a proper outlined structure of the building. Hopefully, there are more possibilities of outline AR in the upcoming future.

Imposition of AR in various segments Earlier imposing augmented view in the real world was portrayed only in science fiction movies; however, there was a hope of bringing such idea into reality. Currently, this technology seems more likely to get existence as the digital world is outrageously growing with time. Superimposition

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based AR—recognizes the object and completely replaces it with another through AR viewing devices. In other words, this type based-AR will allow users to visualize a digital image which will be imposing on an object according to the requirement of the user. Superimposition AR can be used in various sectors such as in medical field as well as in manufacturing enterprises. Considering the medical sector, AR technology will be a boon to this field, as it will allow doctors and nurses to examine the body by visualizing the augmented view of the body from outside. This will increase the success rate in operations and, surely will reduce the time-taken for the treatment. Whereas, in manufacturing enterprises, AR imposition technology will provide engineers with an access to view inside the objects through creating a digital image with all insights. Hence, implementing such technology will boost up the productivity resulting into more revenue generation.

The future is at verge to experience the beauty of digitalization, such aspects of augmented reality will change every bit of the enterprises soon. Hopefully, disruption of this technology will not be early to experience as., AR has more innovations to offer to the world. While, the demand of AR is increasing in the enterprises and so, are their implementations. Soon, this technology is going to reshape the world at its best.

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Tech Talk

of Wearable Technologies in Enterprise

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earable technologies, including body-worn sensors, Augmented Reality glasses, Virtual Reality headsets, and even exoskeletons, are going to play a key role in the connected workplace of the future. That future is near: The global mobile workforce is set to reach nearly 2 billion by 2022—that’s 2 billion workers who need their hands free to work better and in tandem (not competition) with machines. Moreover, IoTderived business insights won’t be truly transformational without human agents to act upon them in real time on the factory floor and in the field; and that information is best delivered heads-up and hands-free.

Ever since enterprises took control of the fate of Google Glass in 2014, use cases of wearables in the workplace have fallen under six distinct categories. The following are the most promising applications for wearable technology – especially head-worn devices – in business and industry: 1. Heads-up, hands-free information: Easy access to information from an ERP system using gesture, touch or voice; step-by-step instructions for assembling, fixing or inspecting; safety alerts; and hands-free documentation of information.

Paper work orders, tablets, and stationary PCs are not ideal for workers who need their eyes and hands on the job.

Instructions and visual cues for everything from wiring the wing of an airplane to servicing an elevator can be displayed via smart glasses, overlaid on top of the user’s real-world view. Glasses can also be used to record work issues and progress, and smartwatches for short checklist items and haptic feedback.

2. Remote guidance, collaboration and troubleshooting: Using the embedded camera and microphone in smart glasses to share a live, first-person view of a situation with

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an off-site expert or colleague Machine downtime costs businesses in terms of profit and customer satisfaction.

Rather than travel to the worksite (at the company’s expense) to resolve an issue, an SME or seasoned worker could diagnose the problem through an on-site operator’s smart glasses, guiding her through the fix verbally or annotating her field of view. For an inexperienced worker, having a second pair of eyes reduces errors. Other possibilities include collaborating in a 3D world through immersive technologies.

3. Design and asset visualization: Using Augmented and Virtual Reality for design development, collaboration and review; for workspace, financial or operations planning Building projects are notoriously uncoordinated and slow: The process of conceiving a building idea in 3D, translating it into 2D and then executing in the real environment makes it difficult for all stakeholders to work off the same design.

Using one platform like AR or VR from design to construction can help everyone from the client to the drywall contractor visualize the final product, thereby preventing expensive mistakes and rework. Non-AEC professionals can use the same technology to digest complex information, understand complex situations, and plan with moving parts.

4. Training: Just-in-time, on-the-job training via step-bystep instructions, AR content or remote teacher; having experienced workers record first-person videos of best practices; and AR/VR training simulations.

The workforce is changing: Baby boomers are retiring at a faster rate than they can be replaced, creating a skilled labor shortage in many industries. At the same time, automation and robotics are taking over manual labor and repetitive tasks, forcing workers to develop higher skills. AR

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and VR offer new paradigms for learning and capturing knowledge that have proven quicker and more effective than traditional training methods like lectures and demonstrations.

5. Safety: Making sure workers follow proper procedure via remote guidance or in-FOV instruction; wearable sensors for tracking safety-impacting metrics; safety warnings and behavior modiďŹ cation using a wearable; and exoskeletons to augment physical ability and reduce injuries.

Half the job of keeping employees safe is knowing where they are and making sure they do things correctly. Advanced biometric, ergonomic, GPS and environmental sensors can be embedded in a wide variety of wearable form factors, alerting workers to risks in real time and training them to use proper form. Insight gleaned from wearable sensor data can also lead to safety-improving changes to the workplace itself.

6. Sales: Improving customer service by enabling remote shopping, virtual product and service experiences, and contactless payments; allowing employees to view customer information at the point of sale to provide faster, more personalized service; and using AR/VR as a sales and marketing tool.

Wearable tech allows for new, convenient and highly persuasive shopping opportunities. A car buyer using AR glasses to view hundreds of different vehicle options and an architect creating a VR tour of a client’s new home design are two examples. Wearables can also create consumer trust, for instance by allowing workers to stream video from a job to the customer as proof of service.

Wearable technologies can be applied in the above six ways in nearly every industry.

Despite consumer misgivings about wearables, tomorrow’s workers will wear their technology, from glasses to discreet sensors, making them safer and more productive.

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About the Author Emily Friedman is a New York-based enterprise emerging technology advocate, journalist and facilitator. She currently serves as the Head of Content and Lead Writer at BrainXchange, the Manager, Lead Journalist and Senior Editor of EnterpriseWear Blog; the leading resource for new realities and all things wearable in business and industry.

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Jawstrow: Reforming the Retail Business while Incorporating AR

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he cutting-edge technology, Augmented Reality (AR) has changed the vision of the world. AR has already yet to proven its efficiency in many sectors. Retail has always been one of the most trending sectors and with the endless opportunities provided by AR, there is no limitation to how it would be evolved.

This would be gateway to many revolutionary changes in the fashion or the retail world.

This advanced technology will now allow the customers to have a more detailed and personalized shopping experience. By now we are very much familiar with the fact that there are no confines placed and hence it wouldn’t come as a surprise if in the near future we would have an electric stylist, or shopping with the help of AR devices.

Jawstrow, a company based out in Los Angeles is on its way to revolutionize the way traditional retail is being viewed. Taking advantage of the AR, the team at Jawstrow has entered the mainstream of retail business while carving its way out of the crowd.

An Innovative Approach towards Fashion Business Running under the trade name, name SneakAR™; Jawstrow Inc is a SaaS solution provider. Powered by the untapped yet the pervasive power of AR, Jawstrow has developed an internal currency, which is being paired with its designed behavioral reward system in order to revitalize the traditional shopping experience. By thus, it has also renewed a quality foot-traffic to local retail.

The Backstage Story of Jawstrow This revolutionary thought is the creation of Charles Wong. After completing his graduation, Charles and his friends decided to go on a backpack trip to Europe.

While his stay in Europe he was accommodated next to

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Koelnmesse, an expo center. Coincidentally, a VR/AR conference was being held by Digility which gained Charles attention. Upon attending this conference, Charles was enlightened with the revolutionary technology, AR and its products. Charles got a glimpse of what this technology can do and what all can be done.

However, the real source of inspiration for Charles that helped him start Jawstrow was his encounter with the locals of that area. While his stay at Europe he had befriended a local girl, who guided him through the city.

Upon being invited to her place for dinner, Charles and his friends learned about their boutique, namely Madamski. The design and the products on sale had grabbed Charles whole attention. Further, he came to know about the hardships of running a boutique and how they might shut down their business as most of the customers have shifted to online shopping. She also added how other boutiques are facing the same challenge.

This made Charles wonder, what if he were to build the same shop but with the help of VR? What if boutique leverages both the immersive realism of VR, novelty experience of AR and online channels to boost sale without having to compromise? Once Charles had returned back from his Europe trip he started thinking about the same. He spent months exploring the opportunities of AR and VR space with the people who shared the same mindset of saving the traditional retail.

Marching Ahead of the Obstacles Despite of the lower adoption rate of VR, Jawstrow has successfully built a SaaS platform that provides endless services to the retailer. It stands out from others in the market or among the competitors as the team at Jawstrow has built a whole reward incentivized system with integrated AR capabilities and gamified it. With the constantly advancing technology and the evolving

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We at Jawstrow believe we can leverage the pervasive power of AR to service brick & mortar and the eventuality of that is to build out your entire store in VR

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challenges, Jawstrow has managed to stay unwavering from its goal. “Though this endeavor has been challenging, we’ve always stayed true to our founding values which is both to revamp traditional retail and also create an initiative for people to value virtual goods” adds, Charles.

Embracing Technology and Racing Ahead “If we were taking the gartner curve into the consideration, I think we are slowly climbing out of the trough of disillusionment”, quotes Charles when asked about the advancements in AR/VR. Charles adds that even if there have been commendable significant strides made in VR there is still a barrier prevalent for the average consumers to reach up to it. “Mobile VR headsets I think are taking people away from truly experiencing a quality immersive experience”, adds Charles. However, Charles is very much optimistic about the advancements in AR. “I am more optimistic with AR. ARkit and ARcore SDKs have made the technology much more accessible, Magic Leap recently released their SDK too. I think we’d be witnessing more use cases coming from AR.”, Charles quoted.

Charles Wong, Founder & CEO

retail market. Taking this into consideration Jawstrow has put forward measures to help the traditional markets to sustain and flourish in the market. Charles commented saying that, “We want our traditional brick & mortar stores to leverage their advantage in their physical locations— don’t play catch up with online retailers.”

The team of innovative thinkers at Jawstrow has realized that these brick & motor stores can’t fill their stores like an inventory warehouse.

Instead it needs to become an immersive environment, a place to both educate and entertain their customers. The technology designed by Jawstrow creates that particular experience for store owners, thereby increasing foottraffic.

The rise of e-commerce added with the advancing in technology has resulted in the downfall of traditional

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WaveOptics: Enhancing Your Experience of Augmented Reality

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ugmented Reality and Virtual Reality gets better as the day passes. Each passing day makes everyone wonder what more can be done with this technology and there are no boundaries to it. Designers, technicians and researchers, scientists everyone is on their own to find new opportunities and the untapped power of AR. While many bright minds have successfully incorporated this technology into business many are working on the unexplored areas of AR. WaveOptics, a company based out in Oxfordshire, England is the global provider of revolutionary AR waveguides, which offers an exceptional service.

WaveOptics is the leading designer and manufacturer of diffractive waveguides, which is a key component that enables the wide adoption of the vast immersive AR experience among all Industrial, Enterprise and Consumer markets. WaveOptics has the manufacturing process, designing flexibility, price, and performance to make wearable AR commercially and technically viable.

Combining the Real and Virtual World WaveOptics precisely helps its clients to see ‘Augmented Reality’. The Waveguides developed by the team at WaveOptics is a widely recognized key technology which enables the working of both augmented and mixed reality.

This task is undergone by guiding waves of light from a projector to the glass in front of the user’s eye so that virtual objects can be viewed comfortably in a compact form factor.

This ‘waveguides’ enables near-eye displays even with small, light form factors, high field of view and large eyebox. Combining all these features, Waveguides delivers stable, crisp text and imagery, seamlessly layered onto the natural view of the outside world. The conventional waveguide has three distinct grating regions, namely the input grating, a turn grating and an output grating which makes it more complex and expensive. However, the waveguides manufactured by WaveOptics have a similar structure with just two gratings: an input grating and an

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output grating. The technology that can be witnessed here is known as the ‘two-dimensional pupil expansion’, it gives WaveOptics the ability to create a large eye-box – the volume of space within which an augmented world is formed. David Hayes, CEO of WaveOptics comments, “In simple terms, WaveOptics technology has a compact form factor which is producing a large eye-box user AR experience.”

WaveOptics develops high-performance, highly manufacturable diffractive waveguides –through which people experience augmented reality. WaveOptics’ revolutionary waveguides successfully combine elements including, the patented diffractive waveguide design with unique material science, enables high performance, versatility and manufacturing scalability for real-world AR applications at a cost that encourages mass market adoption.

Uncharted Tale of WaveOptics Founded by Sumanta Talukdar and David Grey, WaveOptics commenced trading in 2014. David Hayes who is currently serving as the CEO of WaveOptics has set new benchmarks and by thus creating great interest in the industry. His extensive experience in hardware and technology innovation across research, product development and manufacturing and his previous position at DAQRI smart helmet and glasses producers is an added advantage.

However, WaveOptics needed to tackle a key challenge to be successful – how to deliver a great viewing experience and high volume capable manufacturing process. The great part is that WaveOptics has addressed both these problems through their waveguide technology.

The unsung heroes of any company are the employees.

Nevertheless, WaveOptics takes great pride in its pool of experienced team members. WaveOptics’ management team of AR experts spans over seven decades of accumulated experience covering a range of sectors

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We aim our waveguides to be the core ingredient used in all AR wearable devices,driven by its unique technology and expertise, which enable unparalleled scalability, performance and versatilit for real world applications

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including consumer electronics, gaming, and defence, medical and mobile. The expertise at the application sector includes heads-up displays (HUDs) and head mounted displays (HMDs), while the technology expertise is very well represented with deep know-how in refractive and diffractive optical systems, optical design, imaging, illumination and integration into other parts of AR systems.

This vast knowledge along with practical real life experience has enabled WaveOptics to create waveguides with best in class fields of view, cost effective mass production and maximum design versatility.

The Attributes of Growth The innovative and experienced team is the one of the characteristics of success for WaveOptics. WaveOptics attracts talent from all corners of the globe. Being solely focused on waveguides for AR, the team of engineers are very much aware of the end product and its application in the real world. With technology racing at a breakneck speed, the employees at WaveOptics are encouraged to be creative and innovative to constantly push the boundaries of what is possible. This creates a very exciting and rewarding environment to work in, often with a project-based approach.

WaveOptics follows a very friendly and open style of work management, which focuses on two-way communication between the senior management and staff to be clear on the

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David Hayes, CEO

direction of this fast-paced company. The company also invests in staff training and development to ensure every member of staff feels valued and has a clear development plan.

The other characteristic of growth is the waveguides themselves. Waveguides signals the next revolution in AR displays, changing the way we communicate, work and play. David quotes, “In order to achieve successful widespread adoption, AR waveguides need to provide a large field of view with a high quality, persistent, stable image in full color”, when asked about the developments and arising challenges in AR. However, WaveOptics has readily accepted the evolving changes in this technology and have maintained to offer services that help its clients in their business growth. WaveOptics’ patented technology can be adapted to fit any end user’s characteristics for an optimal and fully customized AR experience.

A Peek into Future WaveOptics aims to continue working towards new partnerships, and has announced to launch a module program, that will give early access to waveguide development for faster prototyping. As part of its development cycle, WaveOptics also designs light engines, purely to assist its partners in keeping pace with its waveguide iterations and to accurately present the full potential of its technology.

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zSpace: Transforming Learning Through AR/VR Experiences

I

magine a fifth-grade student holding a human heart in his hands, feeling the beat and discovering how it pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. Or a third-grader building a virtual network of tracks and ramps and exploring how changes in gravity affect movement and velocity. Or thousands of high school students having lifelike learning experiences that help them build skills to earn industry certifications, such as certified medical administrative assistant or automotive technician, even before they graduate.

All of this and more is happening in thousands of classrooms around the world where students are learning with zSpace. zSpace combines elements of augmented and virtual reality to create lifelike experiences that inspire curiosity, create engagement and deepen understanding. zSpace enables experiential learning through student-centered activities that supplement and align with existing K-12 and career and technical education (CTE) curriculum in more than 600 school districts, medical schools and colleges and universities across North America.

Unlike most VR technology, students don’t need to wear headsets because zSpace is screen-based. The “mouse” is a stylus, which students use to pick up and move items right off the screen. Lightweight glasses transform items into 3D objects that can be seen by everyone wearing the glasses, or the student can cast images onto a screen for the entire class to view.

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Moving Beyond the “Wow” Factor for AR/VR zSpace is playing a pivotal role in moving the AR/VR industry beyond the “wow” factor to real value.

Company CEO Paul Kellenberger said, “A students can put on a VR headset and take a field trip, but that is a solo experience. It doesn’t encourage making connections, creativity or collaboration. Our experience is created specifically for learners. It helps both children and adult learners share the experience as they dive deep into educational concepts that can now be explored virtually.” zSpace creates a comfortable, interactive learning experience while allowing the user to see and collaborate with those around them. The all-in-one platform also includes learning apps with hundreds of standards-based activities aligned with Next Generation Science Standards and state standards.

Innovative, Creative – and Fun -- Workplace Under the leadership of CEO Kellenberger, a veteran of the edtech and tech industries, the Sunnyvale, California based company is keenly focused on its mission. The company’s team of more than 120 employees works in an environment where innovation is valued and rewarded. In the spirit of the Silicon Valley, perks include competitive compensation and vacation, holiday and sick time packages; 401(k); and company supported

| April 2018 |

10 Most Innovative

The

AR VR SOLUTION PROVIDERS 2018

“

When students learn with zSpace, the walls of the classroom disappear as they explore new and exciting concepts.

Best of all, our AR/VR technology allows them the opportunity to connect and collaborate while they learn which is crucial to deep understanding Paul Kellenberger, CEO

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benefits including family medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus payment of premiums for life and long/short term disability; flexible spending accounts for dependent care, transit and parking; and a fully stocked kitchen and weekly hot lunch.

The Future The future is bright at zSpace. Every day, educators are finding new and innovative ways to use its technology to transform learning for their students.

The company’s footprint in K-12 schools, colleges and universities is expanding as education leaders recognize the ways that learning with zSpace increases interest an engagement in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and CTE (career technical education) careers, both major government priorities.

Named one of the fastest growing private companies in the United States by the Inc 5000 for two consecutive years, the company continues to grow at a rapid pace. Going forward, zSpace continues to be committed to continuing its history of delivering innovative solutions that improve student outcomes.

| April 2018 |

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Counsel's insight

ENTERPRISE AUGMENTED I

mmersive technology and Mixed, Virtual and Augmented Reality are all terms that have analysts and industry visionaries excited, predicting that billions will be spent in the coming years. Virtual and Augmented Reality alone are forecast by IDC to grow to $162 billion in revenue by 2020.

One sector where actual performance, efficiency and bottom line improvements are already being made is Enterprise Augmented Reality (AR).

Mark Sage, the Executive Director of the Augmented Reality Enterprise Alliance (AREA) explains, “Enterprise AR solutions are providing real benefit to organisations right now.” Sage notes that there are many different business problems that can be solved or improved, including: • Relevant data - presenting only the latest, contextual and useful information to workers, when they need it • Better resource management - making experts available to the entire workforce • Real-time compliance - capturing, recording and certifying processes for policy compliance • Reduced time – improving the efficiency of infrequent and complex tasks • Minimised errors - preventing human error and miscalculation • Lower costs – lowering the impact of task interruption and errors Any new technology requires the ecosystem players to come together. This includes Enterprises (benefiting from AR technology), Providers (developing service, software and hardware AR solutions) and Non-commercial supporting organisations (universities, public research

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institutes and agencies that deliver research and push the boundaries of AR technology).

Many organisations want and need a better understanding of the AR tools available, use cases, methods of implementation and return on investment (ROI) for Enterprise AR. This is the goal of the AREA, according to Mark Sage.

The AREA is the only global, membership-funded nonprofit alliance dedicated to helping accelerate the adoption of Enterprise AR by supporting the growth of a comprehensive ecosystem.

At the highest level, AREA members focus on creating three key benefits: 1. Providing the latest, relevant, neutral and useful information to help Enterprise executives make informed decisions on how to invest in AR 2. Creating a network with opportunities to learn, coinnovate and build partnerships for the long-term adoption of AR technology 3. Identifying barriers to Enterprise AR adoption and working together to find solutions for the benefit of all As the enterprise AR ecosystem continues to develop, many enterprises are prototyping and delivering AR proofs of concept. However, these trials are not always being transferred into full deployments to benefit the wider organisation. AREA members are working on reducing the barriers to adoption by Identifying, classifying and prioritizing AR safety and security risks, developing risk reduction recommendations, and providing useful insight

| April 2018 |

Mark Sage is the Executive Director of the Augmented Reality for Enterprise Alliance (AREA). The AREA is a membership funded alliance, helping to accelerate the adoption of Augmented Reality (AR) through a comprehensive ecosystem. With a focus on creating value and ROI for its members, his goal is to develop a robust and active ecosystem for AR. His background

Mark Sage Executive Director

includes a strong interest in mobile, AR, VR, and IoT and he is excited to work with enterprises, providers and research organizations to the

and tools to help deliver solutions that deliver real benefits.

benefit and growth of the AR within the enterprise.

AREA membership is growing as organisations understand the need to work together to gain tangible benefit.

AREA members include industry heavyweights, such as Boeing, Bosch, Lockheed Martin and Newport News Shipbuilding. To ensure all parts of the ecosystem can benefit from AREA initiatives, the AREA recently created a startup package to allow new companies to benefit from the networking, content and partnership opportunities.

With the ecosystem starting to thrive, the work of the AREA Research Committee is creating thought leadership and valuable content. All members can suggest research projects and all projects are then reviewed and voted upon. The proposal with the most votes is paid for and delivered by the AREA. So far, two memberexclusive research projects have been delivered; • Security risks and management in wearables

| April 2018 |

• Enterprise AR ROI calculator, model and best practices report The third research project is underway and will focus on defining best practices and a framework for wearable AR technology safety and human factors assessment for the Enterprise. Currently there is no consistent approach or methodology to assess or certify how safe a wearable AR system/platform is (or could be) for an operator in a specific use case or industry. This original and member-exclusive research will encourage confidence in the efficient and safe adoption of AR technology as well as aid wearable technology providers/developers in considering specific safety protocols when designing and delivering their AR technology solutions.

The AREA research program is a great way for members to gain exclusive and informative content that can be difficult to source without the AREA.

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