Come See us at VRLA
For discounted passes, contact us
VRLA is one of the VR industry's biggest trade shows, and its flagship spring event is coming up fast (April 14-15).
VRARA has aligned with VRLA as a media partner -- both the global organization and the San Francisco chapter. That means discounts for members among other things.
VRARA will also host an afterparty on the first night of the show. It will take place at UploadVR's new LA space, and feature industry leaders, tech demos, food and music.
Contact us for info on VRLA, discount codes or to let us know you'll be there. We'll be in full force: covering the show, taking the pulse of the industry and meeting with top leaders.
Learn more about the VR/AR Association, San Francisco Chapter here.
SF VRARA: Talking About VR... While In VR
There's a saying internally at Google: "We like to eat our own dogfood." Used to describe the corporate culture of using its own devices -- for both solidarity and beta testing -- we invoked the term this week to "walk the walk" with VR.
At Wednesday's ARVR MunchnLearn in Palo Alto we presented data and insights on the VR sector...live in VR. This essentially involved me presenting 2D slides just like any other presentation, but in front of a green screen.
The on-site audience saw just that. But the remote live audience got to see slides that animated and filled the parameters of the 360 viewscape. This involved some software and optical wizardry, care of 3D production company Spinor.
Though rudimentary, admitted MunchnLearn founder Mohammad Musa, the format will evolve to be more "native" to VR. In other words it won't use rectangular slides -- a vestige of 2D media -- but immersive 3D graphics that sync with presentations.
In the meantime it remains a step forward, and brings an additional layer of fun and immersion to an otherwise 2D presentation. Look for more presentations like this from ARVR MunchnLearn, including our involvement.
The entire presentation can be seen below. View it in a comatible browser to pan with your mouse or finger. Or preferably, use any VR headset that has the YouTube app, including mobile VR (YouTube cardboard mode).
Learn more about the VR/AR Association, San Francisco Chapter here.
Why InContext Solutions Joined the VRARA
By Patrick Niersbach, InContext
“VRARA is important because as an industry we need to commit to the long game for VR and AR. Right now those seeds are starting to sprout but it’s going to take a concentrated effort from corporations, solutions providers, universities, students, studios, etc. Without this it will stay in first gear as an enthusiast platform.”
At one time, not that long ago, virtual reality technology was a futuristic, hypothetical concept for the most part—there were gamers who were very much into the advancement of VR, but it wasn’t something people saw potential in beyond entertainment. Until it was. The past decade has shown us that VR has a multitude of important uses far beyond gaming—it has infiltrated the business world, and created advancements in health and education.
That’s why we were so excited when InContext was giving the opportunity to join the VR/AR Association and lead the Chicago/Milwaukee chapter. The VRARA, as it’s known, is an “international organization designed to foster collaboration between innovative companies and people in the virtual reality and augmented reality ecosystem that accelerates growth, fosters research and education, helps develop industry standards, connects member organizations and promotes the services of member companies.”
As chapter president, InContext CTO Tracey Wiedmeyer is looking to help bring together the Midwest VR and AR communities to further establish the technology’s long term value by setting up a foundation to build upon.
“VRARA is important because as an industry we need to commit to the long game for VR and AR,” he said. “Right now those seeds are starting to sprout but it’s going to take a concentrated effort from corporations, solutions providers, universities, students, studios, etc. Without this it will stay in first gear as an enthusiast platform.”
As members, InContext will be able to participate in Industry Committees and will organize bi-monthly events that will help connect and introduce VRARA members to the local community. The Midwest is quickly becoming a technology hotspot, and Tracey hopes that through the VRARA he can help facilitate conversations that have been isolated in the past.
“In typical humble Midwest fashion, there is actually a lot going on in the space, but no one talks about it,” he said. “If we can share ideas, approaches, best practices, and knowledge, the community can start to build upon itself like any other evolutionary technology.”
For InContext, specifically, being a VRARA member will give us access to the Retail & eCommerce Committee, which gives us the ability to share our knowledge of VR solutions for retail, and learn from others within the space. We're always looking to advance our VR capabilities for clients, and the VRARA offers us a unique chance to establish a supportive community to do just that.
Contact Tracey for more information or to become a member of the VR/AR Association!
Original article here
SF VRARA: VR/AR's State of the Union (video)
What's the current snapshot of VR and AR; and where do the biggest near-term opportunities lie? VRARA SF tackled these questions in a guest speaking slot at ARVR MunchnLearn.
Though we're excited for a VR future where headsets are the ubiquitous hardware standard, alternative formats will bridge that gap and scale more effectively to mainstream audiences.
With roughly 17 million VR headsets sold to date, The sector's momentum is clear but it pales in comparison to current ubiquitous hardware: $2.6 billion global smartphones.
That points to a nearer-term opportunity for mobile VR (Daydream, GearVR, etc.). It also points to temporal VR experiences that don't require upfront hardware purchases, such as VRCades.
The same goes for AR: We're not technologically (nor culturally) there yet for smart glasses ubiquity. So mobile is showing the way for a nearer-term scalable opportunity for AR.
The full presentation from this week's appearance is replicated below (slides and voiceover). Stay tuned for the on-site presentation video, including a 360-degree version.
Learn more about the VR/AR Association, San Francisco Chapter here.
Recap of Vancouver Chapter event, VR/MR Beyond Gaming
Another sold out Vancouver chapter event took place on February 23rd at the TELUS Garden Flex Space, provided by TELUS PureFibre Team.
This event, VR & Mixed Reality: Beyond Gaming, was focused around the practical usage of the technology and the ways we expect it to disrupt wide range of industries and in our daily lives. Kharis O’Connell, author of Designing For Mixed Reality, led the keynote speech on Practical MR/VR and Designing for the Future. He explored the possibilities of integrating mixed reality in businesses and our daily lives, as well as potential limitations and ethical boundaries.
Following the keynote, Kharis moderated the Fireside Discussion with five virtual and mixed reality experts including James Rout (Associate Vice-President of Education Support and Innovation at BCIT), Charla Pereira (Senior Interaction Designer at Microsoft), Wren Handman (Future Scribe at Hammer & Tusk), and David Gratton (CEO at Work at Play).
The rest of the night consisted of networking, bites and sips, and demos. Our attendees were immersed in four different demos from CognitiveVR, LNG Studios, LlamaZoo, and Build Direct. CognitiveVR showcased eye tracking VR analytics compatible with the new FOVE headset, and LNG Studios showcased GoogleEarth view for HTC Vive. LlamaZoo and BuildDirect showcased their demos on Microsoft HoloLens. LlamaZoo demonstrated mixed reality anatomy of a canine heart, whereas BuildDirect showcased a demo for interior designs.
We're proving that Vancouver has a huge appetite for VR/MR and is only growing. The chapter is excited about upcoming events as well as other initiatives that will help us to continue to cultivate Vancouver as a global VR/AR/MR hub.
A special thank-you to all of our sponsors who made this event possible: Entax Consulting, TELUS PureFibre, BCIT, Voyer Law.
Written by Laura Ryu
Photo Credits to Josue Pacheco @josuedev
ISG Insights: Business Value of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
Executive Insights: Research created by ISG InsightsTM and Reprinted courtesy of Kris Kolo, Global Executive Director of the VR/AR Association, On Business Value of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
Summary and Key Insight
As part of our ongoing Executive Insights research program, ISG’s Ron Exler and Alex Bakker recently caught up with Kris Kolo, Global Executive Director of the VR/AR Association. In this two-part interview, Kolo provides business use cases, insights, and guidance on the value of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) investments. He also shares and how applications of the technologies translate to improved business outcomes. The interview wraps up with his view on the challenges and misconceptions the industry faces for reaching broader adoption of VR and AR applications. Learning first-hand from industry leaders who are regularly in the field with customers and vendors provides valuable insight into current and future trends. This interview, with an experienced leader in VR/AR projects, illustrates the opportunities and challenges – both business and technical - in the emerging VR/AR sector.
Download the full report here.
Dr. Brandon Birckhead talks about Distraction Therapy
Dr. Brandon Birckhead of Immergence Tech joins the podcast to talk about distraction therapy and the benefits of virtual and augmented reality technology in the medical and dental industries.
Also learn more about his new company, Immergence Tech, as well as cold pressor immersion testing as it relates to distraction therapy. We also learn why Dr. Birckhead made the decision to join the VR/AR Association Digital Healthcare Committee.
Listen here
Come See VRARA SF at Chief Learning Officer Week
For discounted passes, contact us
VRARA San Francisco has partnered with CLO Week which will focus on emerging technologies such as VR/AR. Come see us or let us know if you'll be there. For discounted passes, contact us.
Chief Learning Officer Week: Silicon Valley will focus on powerful new tools and capabilities to help you transform your learning organization to align with your organization’s core needs and core values, to strike the balance between best practices and next practices that will engage today’s dynamic workforce.
In the age of digital disruption and new learning expectations, discover new ways to keep pace with the speed of organizational change and competitive needs:
- reinforcing a culture of innovation
- clearly aligning with business goals
- exploring emerging models in leadership development
- mentoring millennials in the workforce
- integrating new learning channels
- proving/improving the impact of L&D
Learn more about the VR/AR Association, San Francisco Chapter here.
InContext Solutions Puts Midwest on the Map for VR, Launches Chicago Chapter
CHICAGO - March 7, 2017 - InContext Solutions, the global leader in virtual reality (VR) solutions for retailers and manufacturers, today announced that it has joined the VR/AR Association and will launch the new Chicago/Milwaukee chapter.
The VR/AR Association is an international organization that fosters collaboration between innovative companies and people in the VR and AR ecosystems. Its primary goals are to accelerate growth, promote research and education, develop industry standards and connect organizations while promoting the services of its members, which include Walgreens and Lowe’s.
“InContext Solutions is proud to be the leader in VR solutions for retailers and CPG manufacturers,” said Tracey Wiedmeyer, co-founder and CTO of InContext Solutions. “As a company, we have played a major role in transforming the retail industry. With our flagship platform, ShopperMX™, retailers can take new ideas from concept to store while significantly reducing the cost and time associated with the traditional innovation process. We are thrilled to collaborate with other VR/AR leaders who are revolutionizing the world with VR technology.”
In addition to joining the VR/AR Association, InContext is also launching the new Chicago/Milwaukee chapter. Wiedmeyer will serve as chapter president, and represent InContext in leading the Midwest VR ecosystem to drive mass adoption and to forge new VR innovations. This will include facilitating communication between members, organizing quarterly chapter events, and representing the Chicago/Milwaukee chapter at VR/AR Association national gatherings.
“The launch of the Chicago/Milwaukee VR/AR Association chapter creates a much-needed opportunity to fuel excitement and further promote the Midwest as a hotbed for tech innovation,” said Kris Kolo, Global Executive Director of the VR/AR Association. “We are thrilled to have InContext lead that charge--their commitment to VR software development is impressive, and we look forward to working together to continue advancing the VR and AR communities.”
“Hosting the Chicago/Milwaukee VR/AR Association chapter shines a light on the Midwest as a hub for transformative technology,” Wiedmeyer, continued. “As the chapter leader, I look forward to educating companies on the power of VR, building a deeper connection to the technology and further engaging the community.”
For more information about the VR/AR Chicago/Milwaukee chapter, please visit http://www.thevrara.com/chicago.
Media Contact: Kaitlin Myers, kaitlin@propllr.com, (913) 220-5292
About InContext Solutions
InContext Solutions is the global leader in enterprise virtual reality (VR) shopping and retail solutions, allowing manufacturers and retailers to simulate real in-store shopping situations to ideate, evaluate and activate all types of merchandising, display, layout and other in-store shopping experiences within a VR store environment. Use of InContext’s ShopperMX™ platform delivers substantial cost savings and reduces capital expenditures by allowing clients to test and evaluate ideas in the VR store environment—as opposed to doing so in physical stores—while reducing competitive visibility.
Visit www.incontextsolutions.com.
About VR/AR Association
The VR/AR Association (The VRARA) is an international organization designed to foster collaboration between innovative companies and people in the virtual reality and augmented reality ecosystem that accelerates growth, fosters research and education, helps develop industry standards, connects member organizations and promotes the services of member companies.
Start Summit Sponsor Program
START Summit is Europe‘s leading student-run entrepreneurship and technology conference, focusing on emerging technologies including Blockchain, AI, AR/VR and the IoT and their application fields. What differentiates the START Summit from other conferences is the unique diversity of its participants. It symbolizes the big gathering of the start-up ecosystem in Europe to enable a deep knowledge transfer, networking and fostering innovation. They provide the platform with more than 15 event formats, satellite activities and networking possibilities such as pitching competitions, workshops, 1-to-1 meetings and more. START Summit 2017 focuses on the event-quality in terms of content, business-relevance and event organization to bring high qualified start-ups, investors and students together.
Platinum $3,500
- Demo your product
- Prominent signage
- Feature sponsor/demos at event of company in VRARA newsletter
- Professional 1 min HD video of users experiencing your demo, 1-2 video testimonials, your logo and set to music.
Gold $1,750
- Platinum but no video
Silver $1,000
- Platinum but no video and no newsletter
VRARA will have HTC Vive set up for VR demo and Lenovo Phab 2 Pro for Tango AR demos.
If interested email info@thevrara.com
Recap of VRARA LA Event - Mardi Gras Mixer
By Natalie Cole
The Fun, Flair & Magic of VR & AR emerged during the VR/AR Mardi Gras Mixer
While the rest of the world came together to celebrate Fat Tuesday aka the last day of Mardi Gras, a unique twist of the celebration took place in Los Angeles - The VR/AR Mardi Gras Mixer. This celebration allowed our guests to be immersed and to celebrate and discuss the “Fun, Flair and Magic of VR and AR in entertaining the masses.”
Attendees were greeted with refreshing glasses of Sangria courtesy of Wikitude who sponsored drinks for the event. They also got a slice of New Orleans from the delicious traditional King Cakes that were flown in directly from New Orleans thanks to Paper Triangles.
As the crowd awaited the main event, they were treated to demos from four rising startups, Storytech Immersive, Milk(vr), VR Ecards and G’Audio Lab.
Each startup provides their own unique contribution to the industry that guests enjoyed in their respective corners. VR Ecards, a member of the Los Angeles chapter of the association showcased their cool way to send cards including their awesome Valentine’s Day Cards. Milk(vr) had guests preview their cinematic virtual reality video that they worked on with The New York Times which meant that attendees definitely had some great choices of VR immersive experiences.
After a brief introduction of the VR AR Association and the LA Chapter from our president, Josephine Munis, the moment we were all waiting for was here. Gracing the stage were the three key players in the creation of the PBS VR Experience “My Brother’s Keeper.” Brian Seth Hurst (Executive Producer), Connor Hair (Co-Writer/Director) and Alex Meader (Co-Writer/Director). Led by Brian Seth Hurst, the crowd got immersed in the creative process for my “My Brother’s Keeper.” with Brian informing the crowd, “if you are VR and AR producers, don’t be discouraged,” said Brian Seth Hurst, “the reward is great.”
To keep the momentum going, Chapter president, Josephine Munis took the stage once again to introduce the panel of chosen experts in augmented reality and virtual reality. This collective brilliant group included none other than Armando Kirwin (Director of VR at Milk(vr), Jen Duong (Director of Virtual Reality at 1215creative), Andrew Couch (CEO of Candy Lab) and Malia Probst (Brand Development Director at VRScout).
From L-R: Josephine Munis, Andrew Couch, Armando Kirwin, Malia Probst and Jenn Duong
This lively and engaging group of panelists discussed various aspects facing the industry from challenges regarding monetization to their respective contributions to the field, to whether there is any merit to the ongoing question what’s better: VR or AR? Each panelist brought their unique experiences to enlighten the gathered crowd. Malia Probst pointed out “something that we spent a lot of time thinking about, is how do we get this content into people’s hands.” Armando Kirwin shared some insights on how his team created a cinematic VR experience while Andrew Couch shared some great information on how his Augmented Reality company is successful in the fluctuating market. Jenn Duong said it best when she hyped up the crowd by exclaiming “This is an exciting time to be alive! Why are we not celebrating this and being hopeful!?” Thankful for all the information being given, it was clear the crowd had so many more questions they wanted to ask but there was still one more speaker to enthrall the group.
Closing speaker Mike Bonifer, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of BigStory took to the stage and captivated the crowd with his tale of how he got involved in virtual reality and his latest VR venture with a Hollywood director. He was not only honest about his experiences with the industry but inspiring, pushing people to think outside the box and be more creative when tackling and interacting with augmented reality and virtual reality.
The knowledge communicated to the crowd was indispensable and they erupted into applause after each speaker and panel. While the rest of the world partied in the streets, VR and AR enthusiasts connected and understood more about virtual reality and augmented reality and they left inspired to generate thrilling experiences for the masses to be entertained years and years to come.
We can’t wait to see what’s next in VR and AR from the energy created in that room in Santa Monica!
Some quotes from our Mardi Gras Event
“I loved hearing about the perspectives on the future of VR/AR and thinking about it’s growth”
“Thank you for putting on such an awesome event!”
“Another great event by @vrarala!”
The event was so great! Thank you for organizing it!
“I attended your VR/AR mixer this past week. Want to connect and let you know it was really great. The panels/discussions were interesting and entertaining. I made some good connections - and the sangria was a nice touch!”
I wish I would have been able to catch the whole thing instead of just the last hour but like I said just that hour was immensely helpful for a multitude of reasons. Met an industry veteran animation and previs/layout supervisor that knows all of my favorite people and am now actively trying to figure out how we can work together and that was all while being there the last hour of the night.”
Thanks again for hosting an awesome event at ROC!
We hope to see you at the next one!
Snap IPO & Snap Crackle Pop
Wow what a week. We had Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Oculus lowered its’ prices to be more inline with HTC and Snap Inc. went public! Instead of rehashing now old news, I want take this opportunity to talk about how Snap Inc. is making tech fun again. Aside from the speculation that Snap Inc. is pondering making a VR Camera in the likes of Samsung Gear; what is getting me excited and people in the industry is the simple yellow joy of the brand. Despite talking heads saying money was left on the table for the IPO or that Instagram is making headwinds in the core user-base, Snap Inc. has captured something that users have been craving for a while now, fun. With digital becoming a ‘utility,’ it is refreshing to have a nice blend of business and barfing rainbows. Whether it be the advent of silly filters, or the ‘must have’ cool spectacles, happy is always an awesome distraction from the reality of a stress filled life. Obviously I am a fan and can’t wait to see what else the company has on deck for the next year. Congrats Snap.
Read more about why Snap is an AR company to consider seriously:
Snapchat (Snap Inc) is a Camera and Augmented Reality Company
Bay Area: Come See Us Speak at ARVR Munch'nLearn
For discounted tickets, contact us
Where are VR and AR headed from a business and investing perspective? This is a question I'm often asked, and spend a lot of time researching.
The fun and games of VR/AR are just that... lots of fun to experience and discuss. But the business case is equally important, and have become a core focus of VRARA SF.
We'll get to stretch our analytical legs on that topic with a presentation to a business and investing-focused crowd next Wednesday at ARVR Munch'nLearn in Palo Alto.
And just to make sure we're eating our own dog food when it comes to VR, the entire presentation will be presented live in VR for remote viewers.
That includes head tracked 360 video in stereoscopic, including the main speaker a/v feed (read: me in front of a green screen), and immersive slides that surround the viewscape.
We'll have that video available on-demand for 360 viewing in youtube and other channels if you miss the live event or broadcast. And If you are there, come say hi.
Find out more here.
For discounted tickets, contact us
The Future of VR: Discreet Hardware, AR Convergence and Cultural Evolution
We all know that VR will play some major role in the future of media, content, commerce and several other verticals. But its specific trajectory isn't as clear.
The Future of Everything blog tackles the question, including insights from ADVR's CEO & Co-founder Arnaud Dazin. His quote is below, joining a who's who list of VR innovators.
We agree with the outlook: VR and AR's potential will truly be reached when they converge in the form of hardware that's sleek and discreet enough (a la Moore's law) to support all day use.
And of course there will need to be cultural acclimation and legal underpinnings that evolve in step with that technological progression. Read the rest here.
“You are caught on camera about 70 times per day. In 2030, that number will increase exponentially with the prevalence of Reality Capture (volumetric capture). Wearing stylish, lightweight glasses that can do both VR and AR will be as common as wearing jeans, and the ability to film your personal and public highlights for later review in VR will replace selfies as the new favorite pastime. From reviewing your day in third person to improve posture to finding that perfect comeback after being roasted the night before-these are some of the exciting social impacts and future implications of VR. And because any great technological advancement also comes with human behavioral changes, privacy and laws regarding what we capture and share will be a pressing topic of the future.”
ADVR is a member of the San Francisco chapter of the VR/AR Association. To learn more or become a member, contact us.
VRARA Austria Chapter - Erster österreichischer VR/AR-Fachverband „VARAA“ wird offizieller Partner der globalen Industrievertretung
Der globale Dachverband bietet uns nicht nur Zugang zu einem internationalen Netzwerk. Wir profitieren von inhaltlichen Arbeitsgruppen, einer eigenen Jobbörse für VR/AR-Skills oder dem Zugang zu globaler Marktforschung. Dadurch können wir unsere Mitglieder noch besser unterstützen
Dr. Daniela Kraus, Präsidentin des österreichischen Fachverbandes VARAA
Wien (OTS) - Virtual und Augmented Reality Technologien sind derzeit eines der großen Hype-Themen. Mit entsprechender Hard- und Software sind sie im Mainstream angekommen und haben das Potential, ganze Industrien nachhaltig zu verändern. Trotzdem ist über Marktpotentiale oder Einsatzgebiete wenig bekannt und in Unternehmen kaum Know-How vorhanden. Die Virtual und Augmented Reality Association Austria (VARAA) wurde als erster österreichischer Fachverband im Mai 2016 mit Sitz in Wien gegründet, um dieses Problem zu lösen.
Die Erfolgsbilanz in den ersten Monaten ist beachtlich. Das Netzwerk vertritt bereits über 40 Mitglieder und Interessenten und vernetzt dabei Start-Ups mit Konzernen. In Kooperation mit dem Gallup-Institut wurde die erste Studie zum VR-Potential in Österreich durchgeführt und mit dem „Media Innovation Day“ die bisher größte Veranstaltung zum Thema organisiert. Durch die jetzt geschlossene Partnerschaft mit der globalen Industrievertretung „VR/AR Association“ (VRARA) wird der österreichische Markt weiter gestärkt.
„Der globale Dachverband bietet uns nicht nur Zugang zu einem internationalen Netzwerk. Wir profitieren von inhaltlichen Arbeitsgruppen, einer eigenen Jobbörse für VR/AR-Skills oder dem Zugang zu globaler Marktforschung. Dadurch können wir unsere Mitglieder noch besser unterstützen“, so Dr. Daniela Kraus, Präsidentin des österreichischen Fachverbandes VARAA.
Die VR/AR Association wurde 2015 in den Vereinigten Staaten mit dem Ziel gegründet, die VR/AR-Industrie global zu vernetzen. Mittlerweile umfasst der Verband 25 Regionen auf 4 Kontinenten. Zu den Unterstützern der Organisation gehören unter anderem Google, Samsung, GoPro oder Boeing.
Über die VARAA
Die Virtual and Augmented Reality Association Austria ist der unabhängige Fachverband professioneller VR/AR-Anwender und Unternehmen in Österreich. Als Ansprechpartner für Medien und Öffentlichkeit hat die VARAA die Förderung, Steigerung der Bekanntheit und Bewusstseinsbildung im Umgang mit VR/AR zum Ziel. Der Verein vertritt die Interessen der VR/AR-Industrie und dient der Vernetzung professioneller Anwender und Entwickler. Durch ein starkes Partnernetzwerk und Branchenkontakte ist die VARAA Bindeglied zur internationalen VR/AR-Szene und Dachverbänden. Der Verein ist nicht auf Gewinn ausgerichtet und hat seinen Sitz in Wien. Weitere Informationen auf unserer Website www.varaa.at
Come See VRARA SF at XTech 2017
For discounted passes, contact us
What does the combination of digital technology and neuroscience look like? This is the question that XTech 2017 seeks to answer, including speakers like Jon Favreau and Adam Gazzaley. VRARA San Francisco has partnered with the conference (contact us for a discount).
XTech products, platforms, and services are impacting $100B+ industries including health, wellness, learning, training, sports and entertainment, creating massive new growth opportunities.
XTech is made possible because of the emergence of new digital technologies, including: digital reality systems - virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mix reality (MR), artificial intelligence and deep learning algorithms, advanced robotics, and a wide variety of new sensor technologies. XTech companies are fusing these digital technologies with evolving neuroscience principals to achieve improvements in human performance in fundamentally new ways.
At XTech 2017, we will explore how XTech is creating entirely new markets such as digital therapeutics, validated neurowellness, accelerated learning and experiential entertainment. We are bringing together the leading entrepreneurs, investors and companies in all these new markets to show their XTech and share their journey on the road to success.
We hope to see you there.
Learn more about the VR/AR Association, San Francisco Chapter here.
Recap of VR AR at Mobile World Congress
From the VRARA Executive Dinner in Barcelona
25 executives from Google, Philips and startups participated in a roundtable dinner discussion with keynote speakers that shared their predictions and insights on what's coming up soon in 2017. We can't wait!
We showcased the YuMe and Nielsen VR research inside the VR/AR Association booth at MWC:
From the Expo Floor:
Optics from Carl Zeiss, which can be used in AR glasses. The genius of Carl Zeiss's solution is that it delivers images and words to the eye not with big, bulky hardware, but with a system of clear lens technology that is housed in conventional-looking eyeglass lenses. Subtle lines are visible in the lenses, comparable to the lines you can see on bifocals.
#Apple is allegedly working with @ZEISS_Group on #AR #smartglasses #mwc17 to launch this year pic.twitter.com/ns7CkatZmx
— Kris Kolo VR AR @MWC (@kriskolodziej) February 28, 2017
Samsung released a "teaser" marketing video of their VR + AR smartglasses prototype:
Samsung's #VR #AR smartglasses pic.twitter.com/5gbvTIi4o9 #samsung #gearvr #wearables #mwc17 #mwc
— VRARA Barcelona @MWC (@vrara_barcelona) February 27, 2017
Reality Reboot Hackathon - How did I get there?
By Howard Schargel
Safe Landing
I recently returned from my first visit to Houston Texas, invited by FKP Architects and the VR/AR Association (VRARA). My objective, to judge the forward-thinking, design-inspired, “Reality Reboot Hackathon”.
Rewind
A little over a month ago, I read a headline pushed to my phone. “VR/AR Association surpasses over 1,000 VR/AR organization listings in the Directory”. Huh? I never heard of this collective. Researching deeper, I saw names. Really. Big. Names. Google, Samsung, NYU, Lowes, and a bevy of other big-time players in their respective industries. Moving on to their chapter page, I understood the reason this association wasn't on my radar. No representation in the Greater Seattle region. That had to change, stat.
Having shared values and visions, I reached out and connected with the Global Executive Director, based out of their headquarters in NY. Familiar territory. After a long, enriching conversation and a few days to think it through, I took on the role of President of the Seattle Chapter of the VRARA...and then thy floodgates opened.
Bammm!
After getting set up on the mail system, an introduction is made to the President of the Houston Chapter, Jonathan Banks. Over an hour long conversation, I hear the impassioned voice of a serial entrepreneur, hungry to learn more and spread the gospel of the tech.
A day or two before reaching out to me, Jonathan (by way of VRARA), had partnered with architecture firm FKP, to host the Hackathon event over the weekend of Feb 17-19. FKP Architects were specifically looking for someone with working knowledge in Mixed Reality (MxR/MR); a technology that digitizes your real environment, so digital 3D objects can interact with your physical world. Think of Pokémon GO on steroids.
With a rich background in 3D, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with Microsoft’s R&D team on the initial development of their Mixed Reality device, HoloLens. There, I created some of the first “holograms” and later worked with partners including Lowes, Stanford School of Medicine and Paccar, creating some of the world's first enterprise-based solutions and experiences.
Houston...we have contact
Fast forward to last weekend. Day of event, I meet with the two main coordinators of the event, Aaron and Hampton. With shared backgrounds and interests, it wasn’t hard to get into deep conversations on architecture/design, and even deeper on how the emerging tech of mixed, virtual and augmented realities will play a huge role both today and in the not too distant future.
I set up some demos for them and other architects in the firm to experience, and then started mingling as the Hackathon guests started arriving.
It was a very nice, diversified crowd, with people ranging in age from impassioned high schoolers to seasoned professionals of 25 years or more. The gamut of professionals was represented from architecture to engineering, healthcare, education, construction, and even refinery.
I later gave a presentation titled, “The State of MR, VR, AR”, a basic introduction informing individuals who have limited exposure or understanding of the technologies individually and as a whole. I followed with a few Hololens demos to the crowd, projecting live video directly from the device's viewpoint onto the two larger screens. The next day I returned to give 1-on-1 VR and MR demos of my current work to the principals of the firm and a few lucky individuals, always happy to answer any questions I could.
Now to our regularly scheduled program
4 teams. 4 -7 people per team. 15 minute presentations. Really great presentations.
The Hackathon revolved around rebooting and re-imagining healthcare, design or whatever you thought appropriate for the greater good. Judging was tough, because every team gave very unique solutions to very different problems.
Out of respect for the teams, I won’t go into specifics about the projects, but rather a 10,000 foot level. Team One presented a unique solution, using cognitive brain waves for rehabilitation purposes, Team Two leveraged Autodesk Forge (a sponsor of the event) and Revit to create some unique architectural and construction based tool-sets, the third team created a location-based wearable device with a very interesting twist, and Team Four, a brilliant solution that solves a very real and immediate problem in the healthcare and hospital environment.
The panel judging was composed of a CEO of an esteemed architectural firm, a distinguished Venture Capitalist, and Professor from Rice University, and myself.
The winner is…
In the end it was the team that had the simplest solution and proved that out to be scalable across multiple industries; with a great road-map for strategic staging and deployment.
While the winning team came away with a generous cash prize and interest from the VC, I felt I benefited the most, having built incredible relationships in such a few short weeks.
The global networking I have been able to achieve through VRARA blows my mind. It’s not just the number of people, but rather the diversity, quality and passion of each individual wanting to know and be exposed to more.
