VNCCII Debates Web3 Creativity at IGS 2022 Europ

Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Demond Cureton.

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Digital content creation has led to many questions over the distribution of wealth for artists and companies working in the future Metaverse, with current technologies requiring clear definitions for paying creatives and promoting immersive artworks across the rising spatial communications platform.

Speakers included Sami Tauber, Founder, Multimedia Artist, and Chief Metaverse Officer for VNCCII, João Miguel Caldeira Monsanto Fonseca, Chief Executive for LarM Publicidade, and Pip Brignall, Co-Founder and Chief Comms Officer for The Round.

Maxim Jago, London-based Futurist, Keynote Speaker, and Founder of the Creativity Conference moderated the panel discussion on the future of creative artists in the Metaverse.

The Art of (Content) Creation

When asked about specific barriers to entry to content and NFT creation, Tauber explained that creators would need more education accessibility, adding the state of the music industry would shift dramatically.

She explained that she did not believe artists had much choice and needed to “educate themselves about web3 and the power of NFT smart contracts.”

She continued,

“It is a major unlock for how you can have this peer-to-peer relationship with your fans and your community. Traditionally with major record labels, they offer you in advance a million dollars and additionally, you’d make a few albums and have to recoup that cost. Then, obviously the pandemic happened and live touring floored for artists. So you know, all these models don’t really work”

She added that new technologies in the Metaverse and virtual performance experiences had rapidly grown, leading to a new concept that was “a bit nebulous” but eventually developed a “complex financial interplay” between tokenised fungibility, NFTs, and derivatives, among other incentives.

Explaining further, she said,

“It’s a whole new world because all of a sudden, we had co-creation in web2, but it’s still on a whole new stratosphere when we look at joint value creation in web3, and then the Metaverse because as you said, I’m the artist. I’ve got the seed idea and the seed intellectual property (IP) rights”

She explained her upcoming novel would feature her character VNCCII, with the online community as the population. Activating the immersive experience with the music and metaverse landscape in web3 could spark additional “financial incentives with derivatives as well, let alone the culture, which is what I really do for it, and the mission of elevating the consciousnesses of humanity” she told the audience.

Teamwork Makes a Cybersecurity Dream Work

When challenged about the potential security risks of NFTs, the Blockchain, Web3, and the Metaverse for artists, she said “it’s not perfect” and addressed hacking and data breach risks to the technologies.

 Artists unfamiliar with the technology could move to partnerships and stakeholders in the music industry to take on the role of a traditional label or manager to develop such tech stacks.

Relationships in the music industry would “redefine a little,” she said, adding,

“I don’t believe it’s about getting rid of the middlemen and agents, because you need a team, especially if you’re going to scale. In terms of job responsibilities, they’re going to shift a bit and the relationship [will become] more like artists [and] entrepreneurs in order to navigate this landscape. So [becoming] an entrepreneur is a risky pursuit, but you know, I think it’s worth it if you want to be at the forefront of innovation”

The Metaverse Has Got Talent

When asked about the longevity of an artist’s career on new platforms such as the Metaverse, Monsanto replied that all artists and great creators needed talent in terms of quality.

Reputation was important to build for artists of any medium, whether in architecture, writing, and fashion, among others, he explained to the panel.

“Recognition of the quality of someone is something that goes upstairs in any cases. I believe that nobody will be [left] out of the system because he’s growing up and creating new things. If [the artist] is really good, invested in his career, and is working to maintain his relationship with the quality and he has all these three… when they start [earning] their reputation, it is very difficult, but afterwards, I think there’s no problem”

He concluded that artists could rise and become great in any field, no matter the medium.

Metaverse Payment Plans?

Adding to the discussion, Brignall explore how the Metaverse would function with content creation, stating that artist would should avoid platform models similar to popular streaming services.

He continued that such platforms drained revenues “away from creators” rather than middlemen such as managers and A&R representatives, he said also

Speaking on the subject, he said,

“I think it needs to be rethought, and I think web3 offers us an opportunity to actually address that and put the value of the artwork and the artist’s work at the centre of our engagement with content”

The IGS 2022 Europe has gathered some of the global tech communities leading firms, including Google, Lenovo, PwC, Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, Meta Platforms, Qualcomm, and many others for a three-day event complete with roundtable discussions, workshops, networking luncheons, and technology showcases. Representatives, experts, and companies from around the world joined the VR/AR Association (VRARA) to outline the next stages of development for the Metaverse and web3 solutions.

Virtualware Offers Huge Updates at the IGS 2022 Europe

Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Demond Cureton.

Our next Summit is in Miami Dec 5-7 Apply to Speak, Exhibit, Sponsor and Get Tickets here http://immerseglobalsummit.com

XR Today's David Dungay hosts David Moreno, Chief Marketing Officer for Virtualware at the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) 2022 Europe in Madeira, Portugal. 

In this session we discuss the following:

1) Building standards in the extended reality (XR) industry and global ecosystem
2) Updates on Virtualware and its partnerships with numerous global XR manufacturers
3) The company’s work with the energy sector and other partnerships

If you’re looking for more information on this topic visit their website.

Snapdragon Spaces Redefines XR at IGS Europe 2022

Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Rory Greener.

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Qualcomm’s extended reality (XR) software development ecosystem, Snapdragon Spaces, is gaining significant traction as a tool for professional-grade immersive content creation.

On Wednesday, Senior Director of Qualcomm’s Product and Partnership Team Martin Herdina hosted a keynote at the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) Europe to highlight Snapdragon Spaces’ keys to successfully scaling XR solutions. Herdina previously worked at Clay AIR, a hand-tracking and spatial mapping technology firm Qualcomm acquired in 2021.

The Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Association (VRARA) is hosting the IGS 2022 Europe from September 28 to 30 in Savoy Palace At Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal, marking the VRARA’s return to in-person events in the EU, along with an accompanying online event portal for at-home attendees.

Investing in XR

According to Herdina, Qualcomm is heavily investing in XR’s foundational technologies such as passthrough, hand-tracking, and 3D reconstruction. Qualcomm provides insightful research and development (R&D) to optimize related XR technology for supported AR/VR devices.

Additionally, the multinational technology company applies its experience in designing smartphone components toward XR R&D. Qualcomm invests in reference XR devices like smartglasses or headsets, providing a “perfect blueprint” for building leading immersive experiences.

A key point of investment and energy for Qualcomm is its Snapdragon Spaces XR software development kit (SDK). Herdina noted that, over the past year, Snapdragon Spaces has moved from a developer-focused AR SDK, and the platform is now an ecosystem to engage with XR developers directly.

He explained that Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon Spaces initiative puts developers first and feeds an XR design ecosystem via a series of investments.

Partners and Scaling XR

Qualcomm is working with XR partners and clients to scale its Snapdragon Spaces ecosystem to best suit vertical use cases.

Qualcomm is taking its knowledge of working with major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and operators, but with a refocused approach specifically for XR so the firm get closer to developers to ensure client success.

One of Qualcomm’s OEM partners is Lenovo, working with the firm to collect design feedback and trial the Snapdragon spaces SDK to ensure inoperable application optimization.

He added that working with operators like T Mobile and Telefónica enables Qualcomm to scale XR software. The Senior Director said that operators are key because “they understand the end users much better than we do.”

During the session, Herdina explained that Qualcomm would update the Snapdragon Spaces SDK roughly every six weeks based on developer and community feedback, allowing the firm to deploy an XR design platform suitable for all immersive content development.


The Snapdragon team also communicates with end customers daily to understand the emerging role of enterprise XR and where the technology can provide business value.

The executive explains that Qualcomm employs a strategy of talking directly to partners and providing developers with resources, integrated growth, and investment. The firm is also scaling its internal XR team in regions such as North America, Europe, India, and China.

Snapdragon Spaces for Universal Immersive Design

Herdina continued the keynote, noting how Qualcomm designed Snapdragon Spaces as an open, universal SDK, adding,

“What’s important to state is, Snapdragon Spaces is not designed for a specific vertical, it’s universal”

Snapdragon Spaces is an openXR ecosystem, meaning Qualcomm contributes to an openXR standard. The firm is also part of the Khronos Group, that champions openXR standards and practices.

Qualcomm also works with real-time 3D (RT3D) engine providers like Epic and Unity to distribute openXR plugins on each platform and encourage inoperable immersive design.

What’s Next?

The Snapdragon Spaces team looks to continue its upward trajectory by working with its OEM, operator, and developer client list for direct access to XR innovation.

Qualcomm will also continue its investment in its developer community through its Pathfinder programme, which funds startups working on Snapdragon Spaces.

Qualcomm provides immersive developers with lesser capital to motivate and incentivize startups to participate in other networking and funding opportunities via its Pathfinder programme.

Additionally, next week Qualcomm will announce a line-up of 30 new startups joining its Metaverse fund to support developers creating boundary-pushing immersive experiences.

Auki Labs Exec Discusses AR Privacy at IGS 2022

Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Rory Greener.

Our next Summit is in Miami Dec 5-7 Apply to Speak, Exhibit, Sponsor and Get Tickets here http://immerseglobalsummit.com.

Augmented Reality (AR) privacy will be a big issue very soon, Johannes Davidsson, the Head of Business Development at Auki Labs, said on Thursday at the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) 2022 in Madeira, Portugal.

Davidsson took centre stage at Summit to explore how Auki Labs approaches emerging security concerns led by immersive hardware like smart glasses and virtual reality (VR) headsets.

The Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Association (VRARA) is hosting IGS 2022 between September 28 to 30 in Savoy Palace At Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal.

Auki Labs is an immersive technology firm designing a collaborative spatial computing platform that creates highly-accurate peer-to-peer positioning frameworks to support shared AR experiences for smartphones, VR headsets, and smart glasses.

The firm uses hardware like the iPhone’s powerful SLAM (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping) technology to accurately and securely track a device’s positioning without impeding user privacy.

Auki Labs are experts in shared AR experiences, although the firm recognises emerging security concerns stemming from always-on tracking cameras.

Transforming Security to Emerging Immersive Technology

At the event, Davidsson explained that soon people would have cameras on their faces at all times, adding,

“I have spoken to a lot of women who just don’t like the fact they will be filmed all the time”


Following this comment, Davidsson explained that emerging eye-tracking technology on upcoming VR headsets could even track pupil dilation to monitor a user’s focus.

Auki Labs is dedicating serious consideration to AR and VR privacy. Davidsson maintains that Auki Labs will never operate in what Davidsson calls surveillance capitalism.

Auki Labs is developing a new immersive security solution to improve the future of XR privacy. The firm’s latest solution is a decentralised network for broadcasting messages.

Users can set up a private server on their home computer or router, enabling an individual to be part of a decentralised network where Auki Labs processes positioning calculations securely on a private network.

What is ConjureKit?

Davidsson also used his stage time to introduce Auki Labs’ ConjureKit, an AR software development kit (SDK), this Friday, enabling immersive content creators to design shared experiences on Unity.

In an accompanying video showcase, Nils Pihl, the CEO & Founder of Auki Labs, introduced ConjureKit in a tech demo. During the featured showcase, Pihl used a sister toolkit from Matterless called Floor Craft, enabling users to spawn interactable AR assets.

Any application built using ConjureKit allows end users to invite others into their experience via a QR code. Once another user joins, the host can place new AR assets within each other’s environment to enjoy immersive online experiences.

Auki Labs calls its connective user tools “Instant Calibration.” Starting this Friday, interested individuals can download the ConjureKit SDK for Unity to build shared AR experiences.

The CEO notes that while his firm showcased an AR gaming experience, immersive content creators can useConjureKit for anything, hinting at marketing and enterprise use cases.


XR to Retell Tale of Saudi Arabia, Midwam CEO Says

Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Demond Cureton.

Our next Summit is in Miami Dec 5-7 Apply to Speak, Exhibit, Sponsor and Get Tickets here http://immerseglobalsummit.com.

Midwam, an experience design company from Saudi Arabia, joined the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) 2022 Europe on Thursday to discuss how the Middle Eastern nation facilitated digital storytelling by tapping innovative, immersive technologies.

Khalid al-Muawad, Company Co-Founder and Chief Executive, spoke in a keynote speech at the event in Madeira Island, Portugal about how his enterprise designs and tailors bespoke immersive experiences for some of the world’s top organisations and institutions.

He explained in his keynote speech how extended reality (XR) firms could reshape businesses across verticals, including education, healthcare, and others to engage customers and incorporate emerging technologies.

Speaking to audiences, he stated how immersive experiences could act as a huge catalyst, adding human-centric interactive technologies could offer cutting-edge solutions and unforgettable memories for users.

Sectors that could greatly benefit from such technologies included the global entertainment and tourism industries by driving diversity in the global economy, he said.

Ahead of the IGS 2022 Europe, he said in a statement,

“The digital revolution has disrupted and changed the way the public engages with events and destinations at home and abroad”

He added he was “delighted” to join the Summit with other major tech firms, namely as “companies look to the next phase of business development ” by adopting immersive solutions to engage with customers.

Call for a Human-Centric History

In his keynote speech, Al-Muawad outlined to audiences that maximum engagement for retail and supermarket adverts was roughly six to nine seconds, but immersive experiences could boost figures to “minutes, not seconds,” which he said was a “revolution when it comes to the business impact.”

He explained that his homeland of Saudi Arabia had been perceived by many as a nation of “camels and oil,” prompting leaders in Riyadh and around the country to “take a call for action and go digital” with engaging experiences and stories.


The creative content and experiences were later exported to the United States, United Kingdom, and France at national museums in the respective countries.

Doing so required a “human-centric approach” by designing experiences, stories, and content, using a bespoke journey where audiences could experience what the country had to offer, including tourism, heritage, culture, and history, among others.

Speaking on Saudi’s numerous UNESCO heritage sites, he said,

“We’ve also explored and experienced culture within an immersive setup and experience. We’re talking about that setup of 400 by 500 square metre of a space that you turn into an immersive experience with the right digital layout and content. […] We were capable of designing an immersive experience that took people from where we were, like a time-lapsed experience, [to] where we were 20 years ago”

The immersive experience was successful as Midwam could measure engagement and behaviours with the content, leading many to greater interest and visa requests to visit the country.

“I would see someone getting into an experience and coming out crying just because they never expected to see such a thing, and I’ve seen someone come out extremely happy and motivated, feeling that power of ambition that place had”

Saudi Arabia Transforms as Global Metaverse Hub

His speech comes amid the country’s massive shift to emerging technologies as outlined in its Vision 2030 plan, which aims to reach targets in artificial intelligence (AI), sustainability, construction, and others, as proposed by HRH Prince Mohammad bin Salman and his government.

Additional measures to boost its technological footprint include efforts from the nation’s Ithra Center, which launched its Creative Solutions accelerator programme with support from some of the top tech leadership in the United Kingdom.

The boot camp develops cohorts of immersive storytellers, many of who have used Unity Technology’s gaming engine and Meta Quest headsets for VR experiences in storytelling, science, and history.

 



Cleanbox Shares Rapid VR Cleaning Tech at IGS 2022 Europe

Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Demond Cureton.

Our next Summit is in Miami Dec 5-7 Apply to Speak, Exhibit, Sponsor and Get Tickets here http://immerseglobalsummit.com.

XR Today's David Dungay hosts Amy Hedrick, CEO and Co-Founder at Cleanbox Technology, at the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) 2022 Europe in Madeira, Portugal.

In this session, we discuss the following:

1) How Cleanbox provides enterprises with rapid headset cleaning solutions
2) The Cleanbox solution and specifications for cleaning head-mounted displays (HMDs)
3) Thoughts on the IGS 2022 Europe and its significance for the tech industry

If you’re looking for more information on this topic visit Cleanbox Technology at https://cleanboxtech.com/

Mojo Vision, Adidas Address AR Contact Lenses at IGS 2022 Europe

Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Rory Greener.

Our next Summit is in Miami Dec 5-7 Apply to Speak, Exhibit, Sponsor and Get Tickets here http://immerseglobalsummit.com

On Friday, Nathan Pettyjohn, CEO of the Immerse Growth Network and the (Virtual and Augmented Reality Association (VRARA), hosted a panel on the potential benefits of using AR smart contact lenses during sports as well as emerging safety concerns.

Eric Johnsen, VP of Business Development at Mojo Vision, a company developing smart AR contact lenses and Robert Hellwagner, Director of Product Innovation Adidas Runtastic, joined the panel to provide expert insights.

Speakers discussed use cases for Mojo Vision’s unique immersive wearable, focusing on immersive navigation for outdoor sports. The firm partnered with Adidas to discover the best opportunities for professional athletes and consumers.

Johnson explained that Mojo Vision wants to present information to a wearer during an activity. He noted how people already use smartphones to access information about their chosen sport, like looking at a digital map or tracking calories burned after a workout. Mojo Vision is filling in the gap.

He added,

“It’s that during moment. It’s that during an activity, when you’re actually engaged in the sport, that’s where we’re missing the information we need and that’s the problem. That’s the part we want to solve is during moment”

Understanding User Saftey

The group immediately expressed the importance of the wearer’s safety when discussing real-world use cases. As Mojo Vision develops its AR contact lenses, the firm is working with Adidas to understand and solve potential risks.


Johnsen added,

“We’re the experts in the hardware. And Robert’s team are the experts in what users really want to do and what the use cases are”

Hellwagner stated safety was a big concern when creating AR navigational systems for outdoor use such as cycling, hiking, or running. He added that developers must consider the context around a user, including people and objects.

The Adidas executive continued, explaining that occlusion, the process of obstructing virtual assets behind real-world objects like street lights, was essential to AR application development and to keep people safe.

Johnson also said how his team developed an API and SDK containing primary user safety and privacy considerations. Mojo Vision ensures its lens is safe to wear by working closely with the US FDA regarding the regulatory process of producing contact lenses.

“It’s got batteries in it. It’s got a radio in it. It’s got a display that lights up and we’re working very, very hard to to ensure that that the lens is completely safe to wear and the FDA will hold us accountable to that”

The session took place at The VRARA’s Immerse Global Summit (IGS) 2022 Europe event, which took place from September 28 to 30 in Savoy Palace At Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal.

Magic Leap to Launch in 19 Countries, Exec Says

Post originally appearing in xrtoday.com by Demond Cureton.

AR tech firm Magic Leap is set to launch in 19 countries across the world, Lisa Watts, Vice President of Product Marketing and Developer Programs for Magic Leap announced at the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) 2022 Europe on Madeira Island, Portugal.

The high-level exec made the comments amid a major discussion panel with some of the world’s largest tech giants.

Watts was joined by Pearly Chen, Vice-President of HTC VIVE, Brian Vogelsang, Senior Director of Product Management for Qualcomm Technologies, and Maria Pace, Head of XR Hardware, Global Partnerships and Strategies for Google.

Kris Kolo, Global Executive Director of the Virtual and Augmented Reality Association (VRARA) moderated the panel.

Announcing the news, she said,

“It’s been a journey to get here. Magic Leap 2 stands on the shoulders of giants and the force of the entire industry”

She mentioned Magic Leap manufactures in Florida, United States, and that the industry realised the difficulty and complexity of producing such devices.

Watts broke the news amid a major discussion on extended hardware (XR) hardware and the key components of creating a stellar immersive device for enterprises and consumers.

Speaking to Kolo about how major tech firms could push immersive technologies for mass adoption, the four representatives responded with expertise from their respective industries.

Smaller, Lighter, Comfortable, Compelling

According to Chen, VR devices were getting “smaller, lighter, more compact, more comfortable, and more compelling” due to advancements in hardware development.

Headsets had shifted from focusing on outside-in and laser position tracking to “more inside-out, where you can be much more portable,” namely with all-in-one computing platforms.

Rapidly developing ecosystems were “fastly evolving and thriving,” Chen said, adding,

“Consumers are finding more reasons to engage with VR first, usually as entertainment to get in the door. But then, of course, we hear all great advocates for VR and immersive applications in enterprise training in productivity learning spaces, where people will start to have much more touch points with this amazing, life-changing technology”

From AR Games to Remote Guidance

Starting with mobile phones, AR technologies had gradually transitioned to head-worn devices, Watts explained while speaking to the panel on enterprise and consumer adoption of AR.

Explaining further, she said,

“I think that is something that is on everyone’s minds [is that] focusing on the enterprise is great for all of us, because we learned so much in high-intense environments that have a lot of demands. So those sorts of things are going to only help the consumer market at the end of the day, but you know what, we’re all forever grateful [for] Pokemon Go because that was really the breakthrough moment where we were like, ‘Oh, I can really see digital content in my real world space,'”

She added that work from companies such as Google, who worked with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Spaces, would become “critical for us to be able to have a spectrum of experiences.”

Comfort is Key

Regarding the VR and AR side of the industry, Google’s Pace said that her company had “seen the areas of defence going back decades ago,” as it was a first adopter.

The COVID-19 pandemic also fuelled a surge in its adoption for enterprise use cases, which showcased its “productivity, efficiency, [and] even safety as well.”

Form factors were becoming thinner and would continue to do so going forward leading to greater levels of vision, vestibular, and social comfort, Pace explained. She added immersion rates would require “realistic experiences” to boost presence, namely amid the pandemic.

Hardware required comfortable wearables that improved weight, size, thermals, and other components. Visual comfort involved “reducing a lot of the parasitic [related to] ghosting or even light leakage.”

Components of Great XR Devices

The Santa Clara, California-based firm had a unique position many tech companies depended on its components “multiple years before the devices reach the market,” requiring it to plan two to three years in advance, Vogelsang noted.

Trends in XR noted by the tech giant included smaller VR headsets using new optics systems such as pancake optics, he explained.

Blueprint sensors used to track lips and eyes, as well as smaller form factor controllers from firms such as Magic Leap also incorporated small cameras for hand tracking, boosting the device’s six degrees of freedom (6DoF) capabilities.

New MR technologies included red, green, and blue (RGB) cameras for enabling passthrough on headsets with forward-facing cameras, allowing AR overlays on real-world visuals.

Continuing, the executive told the audience,

“I think that’s where we’ll see lots more experimentation. Some of the challenges that we have in the augmented world, like a reduced field of view, can be resolved with that, but it also introduces new latencies because now you’re viewing the real world through a display, similar to your smartphone’s AR, but it’s on your head”

He concluded that Magic Leap’s Puck module was trending, which the devicemaker tethered to headsets to significantly offload processing, but also smartphones were playing an increasing role in tethered interactions with headset devices to reduce form factors similarly.

He said,

“If you look at the Lenovo A3, then there’s a trend to obviously get these [devices] smaller and lighter weight.”

The IGS 2022 Europe concluded on Friday with a massive lineup of conversations, panel talks, keynote speeches, and product demonstrations at the Savoy Theatre, where the global tech community rallied to highlight the top trends taking shape across the sector.

A future IGS 2022 event is set to take place in Miami from 5 to 7 December, leading to one of the world’s largest platforms for immersive technologies to gather and network for the future of the Metaverse.

Meta Explores Immersive Learning at the IGS 2022 Europe

Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Demond Cureton.

Our next Summit is in Miami Dec 5-7 Apply to Speak, Exhibit, Sponsor and Get Tickets here http://immerseglobalsummit.com

XR Today's David Dungay hosts Monica Arés, Head of Immersive Learning for Meta Platforms at the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) 2022 Europe in Madeira, Portugal.

In this session, we discuss the following:

1) Reasons for the rise of immersive learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic
2) How Meta Platforms is building XR learning solutions for the Metaverse
3) The future of immersive learning and key takeaways from the IGS 2022 Europe

If you’re looking for more information on this topic visit Meta Platform at their Immersive Learning website.

Unity Examines Digital Twins and the Metaverse

Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Demond Cureton.

Our next Summit is in Miami Dec 5-7 Apply to Speak, Exhibit, Sponsor and Get Tickets here http://immerseglobalsummit.com.

XR Today's David Dungay hosts John A Cunningham, Head of Government and Aerospace at Unity, at the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) 2022 Europe in Madeira, Portugal.

In this session, we discuss the following:

1) How digital twins are helping companies to enter the Metaverse
2) Why businesses should focus on digital twins as a primary entry into the Metaverse
3) Biggest takeaways from the IGS 2022 Europe and global tech community

If you’re looking for more information on this topic visit Unity Technologies at their website.


Lenovo Reveals ThinkReality VRX at IGS Europe 2022

Originally posted on xrtoday.com by Demond Cureton.


Our next Summit is in Miami Dec 5-7 Apply to Speak, Exhibit, Sponsor and Get Tickets here http://immerseglobalsummit.com

Lenovo, a global leader in tech solutions, announced at the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) 2022 Europe on Wednesday it had launched its novel all-in-one virtual reality (VR) enterprise solution.

Jason McGuigan, Head of Commercial for Virtual Reality, announced the news at his speech at the premier event in Madeira Island, Portugal’s Savoy Palace, which joined some of the world’s largest tech firms, including Google, Qualcomm, EndeavorXR, Meta Platforms, and many others.

The ThinkReality VRX system offers several key features, including full-colour, high-resolution passthrough for mixed reality (MR) capabilities, three and six degrees of freedom (3DoF-6DoF) tracked by four forward-facing cameras, and a massive suite of end-to-end services, allowing firms to rapidly reach speed-to-solution and optimise return on investment (ROI), the company revealed.


The headset also features class-leading pancake optics for slim profiles to reduce the weight and form factor of the device. Battery positioning also allows a more balanced weight distribution for comfortable ergonomics and easier cleaning between uses.

The headset also works as a standalone device or tether to PCs and workstations for higher-grade immersive experiences. It can also leverage cloud-based rendering solutions, including NVIDIA’s CloudXR platform, for a graphics-rich XR experience with top graphics processing units (GPU).

The headset also incorporates Qualcomm’s widely-sourced Snapdragon XR platform for quality immersive experiences and optimised virtual environments.

ThinkReality VRX for the Workforce Future

With its latest solution, information technology (IT) professionals can deploy, configure, and manage all XR devices at scale, Lenovo explained, adding the platform supported enterprises with regular updates and analytics to boost performance among workforces.

Lenovo’s ThinkReality VRX solution works for numerous use cases, providing users with XR tools to radically improve employee training efficiency, and facilitating virtual collaboration for design and engineering workflows in 3D virtual environments critical for the modern hybrid employee.

According to company figures, VR has delivered up to a fourfold increase in training and readiness speeds for soft skills compared to traditional methods, along with a 275 percent jump in confidence when applying skills acquired during VR learning modules. Injury risks have also plummeted in the workplace by 43 percent, thanks to VR training and preparedness.

Lenovo’s ThinkReality VRX also aims to serve global workforces as a secure, adaptable conduit to the enterprise metaverse with its suite of services. Enterprises seeking consulting, content creation, cloud deployment, and customer service solutions can all leverage the ThinkReality platform to help companies reach new heights and realities for their operations amid the rise of the Metaverse.

Additionally, Lenovo’s latest product also secures operations with enterprise-grade practices and a rock-solid secure supply chain and manufacturing process for stellar quality control.

Designed for the Enterprise

Companies using Lenovo’s ThinkReality VRX platform can tap Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Spaces XR Developer Platform and OpenXR-based software developer kit (SDK), leading to a multitude of applications for bespoke and startup devices.

Vishal Shah, General Manager of XR and Metaverse at Lenovo, said in a statement,

“Our customers are looking for reliable, flexible and scalable gateways into the growing Enterprise Metaverse. They need business-class solutions for the new realities of working in hybrid scenarios and virtual environments. We engineered the Lenovo ThinkReality VRX to be the VR solution of choice for training and collaborating in immersive 3D”


In addition to global deployments using cloud-based platforms, ThinkReality VRX will also provide vendor-agnostic, end-to-end services.

Lenovo has also made headlines with its ThinkReality A3 augmented reality (AR) smart glasses, arguably one of the most sought-after enterprise solutions.

The North Carolina and Beijing, China-based firm has also teamed up with numerous metaverse platforms such as ENGAGE XR for collaborating, training, and educating users, offering users an ‘always-on’ hub for Lenovo to ‘engage’ with users with product updates and meeting others.

According to Lenovo, the device will open for early access to a select few partners by the end of the year, with general global availability in early 2023.

Lenovo will update audiences on the device’s pricing closer to the launch, with further updates provided on the ThinkReality VRX website in due course.

Only a Matter of Time

Speaking to audiences, McGuigan explained how scepticism on the Metaverse had mirrored previous commentary from media reports on 6 August 1991, a Tuesday, when the Internet had launched globally.

He said there had been numerous iterations of the Internet up to its release date, and that virtual reality (VR), opening with the release of the first commercially-available VR device on 25 March 2016, the Oculus Rift CV1, had launched 2,379 days before his speech.

According to him, the new generation of immersive technologies would lead to the development of viable metaverse solutions capable of building the spatial communications platform, leading to similar successes as the Internet, which faced strong headwinds from global media and analysts amid its rise.

Lenovo’s ThinkReality VRX aimed to create such a future with its innovative technologies, namely for enterprises, as many hoped to empower clients and customers with immersive solutions, he said.

Concluding, McGuigan told the audience,

“To get to the point where we are today with the Internet, just from a chronological sense, we have to get to 2047, or 25 years in the future. We are still in the early days, looking at this down the road, and we absolutely do not know what the future holds. The only thing we do know is that, at least it’s Saturday”

The news comes after Lenovo’s Vishal Shah spoke to XR Today along with representatives from RealWear and Longan Vision at the XR Summit in September, where the high-level exec spoke about the company’s ThinkReality platform and how it leverages the industry’s top-level AR technologies.

Lenovo’s leading XR solution has revealed results where it empowered businesses and workers, namely amid the COVID-19 pandemic and amid the rise of remote guidance business operations, leading to rapid deployments, reduced downtimes, and enhanced learning curves.

The IGS 2022 Europe is taking place from 28 to 30, with the three-day event uniting the global tech world for a series of panel talks, keynote speeches, product announcements, and other major updates.

IGS Europe 2022 to Rally XR at Madeira’s Savoy Palace

By DEMOND CURETON, Senior Journalist, XR Today

The celebrated event will reunite for a stellar and sunny Summit at one of Europe's upcoming tech hubs

The ongoing bid to unite the virtual, augmented, mixed, and extended reality (VR/AR/MR/XR) sectors requires significant joint efforts to develop novel solutions, technologies, platforms, and standards.

Organisations such as the VR/AR Association have responded to the demands of a rapidly changing tech sector since 2015 by providing a platform capable of facilitating such transformative development.

Nathan Pettyjohn, Founder and CEO of the Immerse Growth Network and Founder and President of the VR/AR Association (VRARA), discussed with XR Today the Immerse Global Summit 2022 Europe, an industry-leading event set to take place in Madeira Island, Portugal, which will allow tech firms to showcase their efforts to reach such a milestone.

Paradise Hosts the IGS 2022 Europe

When asked what the Summit had to offer compared to previous ones, Pettyjohn explained how the conference aimed to unite the industry by helping attendees “learn and be inspired” with new technologies capable of advancing their businesses. 

According to the executive, he said that the President of Madeira Island and its Government had supported the VRARA amid efforts to attract new technology firms and talent to the region, which currently hosts over 2.5 million tourists annually and hosts 250,000 residents. 

Explaining further, Pettyjohn said, 

“They’re very advanced in terms of technology and incentivizing companies to come and set up there [in Madeira], which was a beautiful [place], especially coming out of [the pandemic] the last few years” 

Pettyjohn also stated the event expected roughly 1,000 people for a more intimate setting, and would cover both small and medium enterprises (SMEs) along with multinational tech giants. 

Great Expectations

When asked what he expected from the IGS 2022 Europe, he stated this year’s iteration would be much different than previous ones, namely as the organisation had pulled in “a lot broader collection of technologies” related to the Metaverse, VR, AR, blockchain, and non-fungible token (NFTs) firms. 

He added such additions were “very critical going forward for decentralised computing,” adding the “increased value propositions of digital assets are creating a very strong need for this.” 

Explaining further, he said the NFT ecosystem had significantly grown, adding, 

“We have some really cool companies coming in that are going to have some NFT collections on display, but they’re also going to be talking about how they fit into business legitimately for enterprise, for gaming, for entertainment” 

The conference’s overall theme, ‘Inspiration Delivered’ aimed to allow attendees to “step out of their comfort zone” and expand their knowledge in emerging technologies, he said, adding: “If you’re in gaming, we want you to come and learn from what Unity is doing with digital twins, aerospace, [and so on].  

The event will also feature a theatre for immersive experiences near the Savoy Palace, a five-star resort hosting providing accommodation for attendees. 

Conference A-List Attendees

When asked about some of the biggest firms exhibiting at the conference, he stated Maria Pace, Google’s Head of XR, Hardware, Global Partnerships, and Strategies and Lisa Watts, Vice-President of Magic Leap would join the event along with many other top executives.

Executives for Nokia, including Leslie Shannon, Head of Ecosystem and Trend Scouting, would also leverage the firm’s metaverse and networking ecosystem technologies. 


Other multinationals such as Adidas’ Runtastic division and Mojo Vision, the groundbreaking tech firm developing wearable AR contact lenses, were set to attend.

Massive tech enterprises such as Lenovo, Sony, Deutsche Telekom, and Vodafone all planned to discuss their respective tech ecosystems, namely in 5G, networking, and metaverse infrastructure.  

Pettyjohn noted,

“[Vodafone] has got a whole division that’s already working on blockchain technologies, so very, very cool stuff that’s happening. I think that all of these companies are contributing in their own unique way, and these are the trailblazers that are literally setting the stage for this whole next wave of technology” 

The IGS 2022 Europe will take place from 28 to 30 September at the Savoy Palace in Funchal, Madeira Island in Portugal. The event aims to step up efforts to rally the global tech industry around immersive and emerging technologies changing the sector, and will host a huge roster of panel discussions, workshops, events, and exhibitions along with networking opportunities and keynote speeches.

Some of the world’s top metaverse firms, including Accenture, Unity Technologies, KIT-AR, Qualcomm, EY, HTC VIVE, Meta Platforms, Adobe, VNCCII, EndeavorVR, Virtualware, and many others will exhibit the latest in their immersive technologies at the celebrated expo, which represents the global XR industry and its collaborative efforts to develop an interoperable ecosystem of immersive solutions.

To register and for more information, kindly visit the event’s website.

World’s biggest tech companies and brands descend on Madeira Island, Portugal for Immerse Global Summit

The Immerse Global Summit is heading to Madeira Island, Portugal and announced today a stellar lineup of speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors for the event.

PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, August 24, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- World’s biggest tech companies and brands descend on Madeira Island, Portugal for Immerse Global Summit.

The Immerse Global Summit Europe will take place on Madeira Island, Portugal from September 28 - 30, 2022. It will welcome speakers and sponsors from around the globe to join them at the Savoy Place in Funchal.


The Immerse Global Summit is heading to Madeira Island, Portugal for the first time in September and announces today a stellar lineup of speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors for the event. The key sponsors of the event are Lenovo, Qualcomm, Midwam, YumeGo, Lusospace, 4D Views, Auki Labs, PWC, Start Up Madeira, Madeira Promotion Bureau, Government of Madeira, and Dimmersions.

Speakers and companies participating in the event include Meta, Niantic, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Deutsche Telekom, Google, Sony, Vodaphone, Volvo, Gucci, European Blockchain Association, Magic Leap, Cassini Limited, Visyon - Mediapro, Concordium, The Round, Atomic Digital Design, Satore Studio Ltd, Blippar, Virbe, Departure Lounge Inc., Immersive insiders, The Glimpse Group, FOV Ventures, Startup Wise Guys, Nokia, Mission Impact, VNCCII, RevereXR, SenseGlove, Forbes, EndeavorXR, KIT-AR, VIRTUALWARE, ExplodedView, OneBigWave, Cleanbox Technology, adidas Runtastic, X-Plora, Mojo Vision, Faber Courtial, Maxim (UK), Champalimaud Foundation, FootAR, SenseGlove, HTC VIVE, Perception Codes - The Morpheus Project, MediaCombo, Metanomics, and HoloCap to name a few.

“We are excited to bring the Immerse Global Summit to the gorgeous island of Madeira and to host an incredible event this fall. We have worked endless hours to bring THE best speakers from around the globe to cover all immersive tech topics including metaverse, blockchain, web3, virtual and augmented reality, digital fashion, digital humans, enterprise, and more, says Anne-Marie Enns, Executive Producer of the Immerse Global Summit. “We have curated a show of leading and upcoming voices and are working with incredible sponsors and partners to make this event spectacular.”

The Immerse Global Summit will welcome 100+ speakers, demos, product launches, exhibits, networking, roundtables, VIP programming, island tours, and special events. The event is a fully hybrid event, with live streaming and a fully online program taking place on our virtual event platform. Attendees will be able to join in person or online to view talks, engage with attendees and view exhibitors. The summit expects 500+ on the island and 1000s more attending online.

“Anyone in business today should attend this event and learn how immersive technologies can and will transform their business. Many of the world’s most respected companies and thought leaders will be at Immerse Global Summit, in a setting curated to deliver inspiration, and allow attendees to network with game-changing business connections,” says Nathan Pettyjohn, President of the VR/AR Association, who hosts Immerse Global Summit.

The Immerse Global Summit will feature dynamic keynotes, industry tracks, a startup pitchfest, demos, exhibits, networking, and amazing VIP events. It will showcase the best that the industry has to offer.

Tickets are now on sale for the event - Get tickets here.

To learn more about the Immerse Global Summit see https://www.immerseglobalnetwork.com/igs-europe


Contact:
Anne-Marie Enns
Immerse Global Summit, Executive Producer
Am@thevrara.com

Kris Kolo
Global Executive Director, VR/AR Association (VRARA)
Kris@thevrara.com


About the VR/AR Association

The VR/AR Association (VRARA) is an international organization designed to foster collaboration between innovative companies and people in the VR and AR ecosystem that accelerates growth, fosters research and education, helps develop industry standards, connects member organizations and promotes the services of member companies.

Nathan Pettyjohn
VRAR Association
+1 314-550-3631
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Immerse Global Summit Europe

Lenovo to make an exciting announcement at Immerse Global Summit EUROPE

Lenovo ThinkReality is a proud sponsor of the Immerse Global Summit and looks forward to seeing you there! Stop by the Lenovo booth for an immersive experience with Lenovo’s latest innovations. Join Lenovo keynote session for an exciting announcement as we expand Lenovo solution portfolio to help customer scale into the Metaverse.

For enterprise customers somewhere on a journey to the Metaverse, Lenovo’s ThinkReality is here to help. ThinkReality offers the world’s most powerful and flexible enterprise XR software platform, hardware, and world-class professional services all from the leading global computer manufacturer.

ThinkReality is conceived for today’s world and the future. The ThinkReality platform provides a proven, scalable, and streamlined path from concept to production for enterprise XR applications. Business teams can connect Lenovo XR devices like the ThinkReality A3 Smart Glasses and add third party devices. In addition, the platform allows customers to develop and deploy apps and content remotely throughout the enterprise while managing devices and applications from a single interface.

ThinkReality xR Services provides bespoke, end-to-end services to Lenovo customers, helping them quickly realize the return on their XR investments. ThinkReality is the only complete solution that lets customers focus on problem-solving for their Metaverse real-estate by working across diverse hardware and software and providing the technology and insights needed in the new era of immersive computing.

The Immerse Global Summit Lights Up Miami This December

By Kit Campoy

As Miami recovers from Bitcoin 2022, more conventions are gearing up and getting ready to take over the beautiful coastal city at the Immerse Global Summit .

Miami has quickly become the cryptocurrency and DeFi capital, a mecca for the fintech sector to meet, collaborate, network, and party. Miami has warm weather, white sand beaches, and Cuban coffee. What’s not to love?

The Ultimate Technology and Business Growth Summit

The Immerse Global Summit is back in person from December 5-7, 2022.

This summit is an immersive technology convention featuring revolutionary presentations, exhibits, and events led by companies and organizations leading global industries. These savvy individuals will share practical and valuable real-use cases in this world-class city.

Get Involved Before it’s Too Late.

The Immerse Global Summit is sure to sell out. With past sponsors such as Microsoft, Google, Disney, and the NBA, the Immerse Global Summit is where leaders in the DeFi industry will want to be this December.

The convention features three days of networking, education, and immersive technology shows. Additionally, the summit still has speaking opportunities and room for exhibits.

Don’t miss out.

Miami is one of the fastest-growing tech hubs in North America and home to incredible projects. Read about how BitBasel is bringing Miami’s art scene to life through crypto.

Not only does Miami care about the arts, but it also cares about representing women in tech. Check out how Web3 Equity plans to launch a new NFT project chaired by women.