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  • 9 Key Benefits of AR

    9 Key Benefits of AR

    For the past three years I have been focused on augmented and mixed realities and to a lesser degree on virtual reality. I have conducted scores of demos, spoken at various conferences and immersed myself in these technologies. These experiences have led me to the following observations about the benefits of AR.

    1. Customized Choices: personalization is essential for marketing and media now and AR provides it.

    2. Engagement: AR offers a deep level of engagement visually and interactively. It is a must for retailers since it can provide just in time information at the point of sales.

    3. Real Time: this is not new, but it is different in that we can combine digital and real-world content in real time.

    4. Ability to Visualize Products: for retail and marketing this is essential for the future and growth of electronic content. You can see items you wish to buy in advance and even place them in your home or at the location where they would be used. This opens multiple possibilities for interior design, landscaping, renovation projects, and so much more.

    5. Interactivity: AR offers new choices, users can interact with digital content and the real world at the same time.

    6. Tracking: AR makes it possible for objects and print media to deliver the same or even better analytics than regular apps.

    7. Recognition: the use of visual recognition technologies helps businesses connect in a more personal way with their customers, while reinforcing their brand marks and presence.

    8. Education and Training: learning in general will never be the same. AR provides a high level of engagement; it is also social which is conducive to collaboration and team work or play.

    9. Call for Action: AR is immersive and makes it easy to guide / take a user to a call for action, like making a purchase, learning more about something, etc.

     

    AR and XR will continue to evolve at a fast pace. This means more choices, more features, and amazing possibilities for brands and companies, while delivering a superior engaging experience to end users.

    If you want to learn more about how AR, MR, and VR are impacting the way companies do business please join me at Digital Hollywood this October 16 at 10AM for a fantastic session www.digitalhollywood.com/DHFall2018.html. I will be joined by leading experts from Accenture, MediaMonks, Epson, Ryot, and Holmes Weinberg. We will distribute free to all session attendees a special PowerPoint containing forecasts, data, and information about AR. You can also check my blog for other XR articles and information.

  • Don’t Be Left Behind! 7 Tips to Develop an Extended Reality Strategy

    Don’t Be Left Behind! 7 Tips to Develop an Extended Reality Strategy

    I remember that in the late 90’s everyone realized they needed to have a website. Unfortunately for some of the largest businesses it was too late. Many big retail stores failed to recognize the impact of the web for business. As a result of this lack of vision, chains like Bullocks, The Broadway, Robinsons, etc. closed down while newcomers like Amazon gained momentum every month. We all know the rest of the story.

    We are now once again at one of those key moments in history where a significant leap in technology is happening.  If you don’t believe it just read the news. Apple, Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Microsoft are all investing heavily in augmented and virtual reality. Remaining retail giants like Walmart are also investing in these new technologies. Big brands, like Coca Cola, Pepsi, BMW, Audi, Ikea, Game of Thrones, L’Oréal, The Walking Dead, and many more are already developing AR and VR strategies. It is not a coincidence or a fad.

    So the big question is what are you doing for your brand, products, or services? You don’t want to be the next Bullocks or the IBM that let an unknown Microsoft become one of the most powerful companies in the world, right? Of course not!  But before you enthusiastically dive into XR, you must first determine which option, (AR) augmented reality, (VR) virtual reality, or (MR) mixed reality is the right fit for your business.  It depends on your products and services, and what is most effective with your audience. The answer could even be all three.

    Here are some simple tips you should consider as a starting point:

    1. Review your business goals for the next 3 to 5 years.

    2. Get information on all aspects of XR. If you don’t have someone on staff that can provide this knowledge, partner with a company or consultant that can help guide you. Consider what is possible now and in the future.

    3. Assemble a multi-disciplinary team that includes expertise in your business, competition, marketing, “XR”, creative, and financial business modeling.

    4. Create a plan that addresses current opportunities but allows for growth since  these technologies are going to be evolving over the next few years.

    5. Don’t stop doing what you are doing; just add ‘XR” as part of your comprehensive sales and marketing plan.

    6. Balance current market needs with paving the road for the future.

    7. Execute, measure, analyze, and adapt your strategy to the changing nature of technology.

     

    Take these steps and make sure you not only ensure the longevity of your business, but stake out a future for growth.  Don’t get left behind. Explore what extended reality can do for you!

     

    If you want to learn more about this topic, and get a jump into XR, you can meet me and many other XR experts at Digital Hollywood this coming May 22 through May 24 here is a link to the event http://www.digitalhollywood.com/DHSpring2018.html

    I will be moderating a panel on this very subject May 22, at 10AM. Here is a link to my session http://www.seminar.dhsessions.com/dh18springtuesone.html (Full disclosure, I do have an Augmented Reality company, but I am not at the conference to sell, but to share information and facilitate partnerships. I am always happy to answer questions and to share what I know.)

    It is really important that you develop a sound strategy in order to take full advantage of this amazing leap in technology. I’ll be posting other information about XR on my blog every other week. Hope to see you at the conference!

  • Augmented Reality: Don’t Forget Audio!

    Augmented Reality: Don’t Forget Audio!

    When you attend a conference, a launch, or perhaps just a private demonstration of augmented reality (AR), a new mobile app, or the latest game, you are often wowed by the amazing graphics, and how realistically sports, battle scenes, or information is presented. You leave the presentation jazzed, thinking about what you may be able to accomplish with the service or product you just saw. But remember not to overlook the importance of audio. Even the flashiest visuals would not have the same dramatic impact they have on us without quality audio. Whether it is music, effects, dialogue, or a combination of all three, audio is a key ingredient to build emotional responses. Would Star Wars be the same without the masterful scoring provided by John Williams? Of course not. Audio creates mood, anticipation, joy, sadness, etc.

    So for AR, audio is just as important as it has been in the past for movies, theater, and games. To learn more about how audio is being used for augmented reality I spoke with Tom Wesselman Sr. Director of the software group at Plantronics. Plantronics is one the leaders in audio products.  You probably know them from their earbuds or other listening devices. But Tom and Plantronics are engaged in much more than that. Tom shared with me some of the ways Plantronics is looking to innovate in digital media and how they are positioned to be a great partner for AR hardware manufacturers, as well as those of us who are involved in the process of creating AR experiences.

    For example Plantronics is able to collect and analyze data just by listening. Imagine you are in a distance collaboration meeting, like a GoToMeeting, or WebEx session, or a 3D meeting room, or maybe you manage a support center. With Plantronics’ technology you can measure decibel levels in a sound wave, and analyze inflection, tone, and more. Let’s suppose you need to solve a problem with a support situation. With this type of data you could quickly know how communication was handled.  Was the customer upset? Was the support team frustrated? This is important to know since the idea behind a support center is to solve problems. But solving problems can bring a great deal of frustration, so keeping a team fresh, knowing when to give someone a break, is key to optimal performance.

    For AR, audio is not only necessary to bring an experience alive, it is also essential to provide immersion. Imagine if you will that we launch an event at a public park. We are going to set you up with an HMD, and you are going to walk around and see dinosaurs around you. Without hearing the roar of T-Rex, the experience would not be the same. In addition, audio plays an even bigger role. Audio frequencies can be captured by outward facing microphones, analyzed and if needed, canceled by other frequencies so that you don’t hear them. In this example we would probably aim at canceling traffic noise.

    If you want to learn more about this topic, and get a jump into AR and what audio can do for your projects, you can meet Tom in person. Just join us at my panel at Digital Hollywood this coming October 10, at 12 Noon http://www.dhsessions4.com/Tuesday17Fl6.html . Other panelists include Leon Laroue (Epson Moverio), Eric Trabold (Avegant), Michael Leventhal (Holmes Weinberg, PC), Soulaiman Itani (Atheer), and Mike Hildebrandt (DAQRI). Come and learn how your company can be part of this technological revolution and tremendous business opportunity.

  • Augmented Reality: AR Anywhere!

    Augmented Reality: AR Anywhere!

    One of the very first augmented reality (AR) companies I learned about was DAQRI, which is located here in Los Angeles. Years ago I met with them because I wanted to use the ARToolkit, an open source platform they had acquired. I was immediately impressed with their vision for AR and what they had already accomplished with their human body and chemistry applications, which were featured just a few years ago at Apple’s main event. Over the years I have worked with Roy Ashok Chief Product Officer at DAQRI, and more recently, with Mike Hildebrandt, VP of Corporate Development, and Strategic Partnerships at DAQRI. They are both top leaders in the growing AR market place.

    One of the company’s key products is and has been DAQRI Smart Helmet. Designed to bring digital technology and interaction right into the workplace, it delivers real-time data based on the environment, direct to users, enabling them to visualize and understand the workplace in ways never before imagined.  In short, it makes workers more productive, safer and more proficient.

    Augmented Reality: AR Anywhere!

    Today Smart Helmet is just one of DAQRI’s impressive product line up.  They are now launching DAQRI Smart Glasses, which will be on the market this quarter. Smart Glasses are a significantly smaller form factor than Smart Helmet, and should have a big impact on vertical markets like architecture, 3D printing, blueprint models, and more.

    DAQRI Qube, a new development platform that enables robust integration and custom development with the flexibility to leverage existing Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) and applications. The Qube, coupled with DAQRI developer tools, allows for easy prototyping, testing, and measurement by providing more direct access to sensors.

    DAQRI provides DAQRI HUD as a solution for automotive manufacturers looking to incorporate HUDs in their automobiles.

    DAQRI’s advances for AR promise to reshape the way we work, communicate and learn.  You can learn more about DAQRI’s amazing products and AR solutions at their website https://daqri.com/

    If you want to learn more about this topic, you can meet Mike Hildebrandt in person, just join us at my panel at Digital Hollywood this coming October 10, at 12 Noon http://www.dhsessions4.com/Tuesday17Fl6.html . We’ll also be joined there by Leon Laroue (Epson Moverio), Eric Trabold (Avegant), Michael Leventhal (Holmes Weinberg, PC), Soulaiman Itani (Atheer), and Tom Wesselman (Plantronics). Come and learn about how your company can be part of this technological revolution and tremendous business opportunity.

     

  • Augmented Reality: Changing the Way We Work

    Augmented Reality: Changing the Way We Work

    It’s a fact that augmented reality (AR) is reshaping the way we work. And yes, it is happening right now, and it is going to grow faster than anticipated.  Today, I’d like to introduce you to a company called Atheer. I recently met with their SVP of marketing, Amar Dhaliwal, and he introduced me to the amazing vision Soulaiman Itani, their CEO and founder, has for augmented reality in the workplace, and soon in other areas.

    Atheer’s focus is to connect digital and physical workspaces inside enterprises and as a result transform the productivity, accuracy, quality and safety of their workers. Their technologies provide rich AR applications on smart glasses of “your choice,” meaning it is hardware agnostic, enabling enterprises to use the glasses that best suit them. Their approach starts with something I have been preaching for some time now. In order to innovate, and have augmented reality reach its full potential you have to break with old models and paradigms. You have to forget the mouse, the keyboard, and the concept of sitting and staring at a screen for hours.  With this in mind, Atheer developed multi-modal technology, meaning it supports many forms of interactions including gestures, head motion and voice.

    Think about it this way, if you are going to use AR, one of the very first things you need to consider is how the user is going to interact with the digital and real world. This would strongly influence your hardware and software choices (which are many). The new ways to interact that you need to consider are gesture recognition, voice commands, motion, eye interaction, and touch. All of these are different unique technologies that can work alone, or together. But in order to select the correct ones you need to consider the environment, and how the user will perform his/her work.  With Atheer’s technology, businesses (and more importantly their users) can select the interaction mode(s) that works best for them and switch between them seamlessly.

    Another smart move by Atheer is that they have paid careful consideration to the use of existing operating systems by smart glass manufacturers and enterprises. With their open platform and broad OS approach they are able to support the wide variety of IT eco-systems found in use today.

    Another plus is that Atheer provides flexibility for deployment options with a SaaS model. The technology is available now. If you want to learn more about Atheer visit their website at http://atheerair.com/ and get a glimpse of what’s coming.

    If you want to learn more about this topic, and get a jump into AR you can meet Soulaiman in person, just join us at my panel at Digital Hollywood this coming October 10, at 12 Noon http://www.dhsessions4.com/Tuesday17Fl6.html . We’ll also be joined there by Leon Laroue (Epson Moverio), Eric Trabold (Avegant), Michael Leventhal (Holmes Weinberg, PC), Tom Wesselman

     

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    It’s a fact that augmented reality (AR) is reshaping the way we work. And yes, it is happening right now, and it is going to grow faster than anticipated.  Today, I’d like to introduce you to a company called Atheer. I recently met with their SVP of marketing, Amar Dhaliwal, and he introduced me to the amazing vision Soulaiman Itani, their CEO and founder, has for augmented reality in the workplace, and soon in other areas.

    Atheer’s focus is to connect digital and physical workspaces inside enterprises and as a result transform the productivity, accuracy, quality and safety of their workers. Their technologies provide rich AR applications on smart glasses of “your choice,” meaning it is hardware agnostic, enabling enterprises to use the glasses that best suit them. Their approach starts with something I have been preaching for some time now. In order to innovate, and have augmented reality reach its full potential you have to break with old models and paradigms. You have to forget the mouse, the keyboard, and the concept of sitting and staring at a screen for hours.  With this in mind, Atheer developed multi-modal technology, meaning it supports many forms of interactions including gestures, head motion and voice.

    Think about it this way, if you are going to use AR, one of the very first things you need to consider is how the user is going to interact with the digital and real world. This would strongly influence your hardware and software choices (which are many). The new ways to interact that you need to consider are gesture recognition, voice commands, motion, eye interaction, and touch. All of these are different unique technologies that can work alone, or together. But in order to select the correct ones you need to consider the environment, and how the user will perform his/her work.  With Atheer’s technology, businesses (and more importantly their users) can select the interaction mode(s) that works best for them and switch between them seamlessly.

    Another smart move by Atheer is that they have paid careful consideration to the use of existing operating systems by smart glass manufacturers and enterprises. With their open platform and broad OS approach they are able to support the wide variety of IT eco-systems found in use today.

    Another plus is that Atheer provides flexibility for deployment options with a SaaS model. The technology is available now. If you want to learn more about Atheer visit their website at http://atheerair.com/ and get a glimpse of what’s coming.

    If you want to learn more about this topic, and get a jump into AR you can meet Soulaiman in person, just join us at my panel at Digital Hollywood this coming October 10, at 12 Noon http://www.dhsessions4.com/Tuesday17Fl6.html . We’ll also be joined there by Leon Laroue (Epson Moverio), Eric Trabold (Avegant), Michael Leventhal (Holmes Weinberg, PC), Tom Wesselman (Plantronics), and Mike Hildebrandt (DAQRI). Come and learn about how your company can be part of this technological revolution and tremendous business opportunity.

  • Augmented Reality: Epson Moverio

    Augmented Reality: Epson Moverio

    Having been talking about the future at different panels for the past three years, and researching, and prototyping, I am excited to write about the present in this post.

    I am preparing for a panel I will moderate October 10, at Digital Hollywood at 12 Noon about AR. the next generation applications. I have always had great panelists and this year is no exception. Today I want to focus on Leon Laroue, Product Manager New Ventures, for the Epson Moverio line of smart eyewear products.

    Yes, Epson. You probably know them for great projectors, printers, and other hardware devices. Well they have also entered the AR arena with the Moverio line. I am excited to learn about their technology since Epson definitely knows hardware.

    My conversation with Leon was really interesting.  The first thing I learned is that Moverio AR smart eyewear products are commercially available today. You can pick them up at Amazon, for example. They have three models that include smart glasses for personal and enterprise/multi-user applications, and smart headsets for industrial applications. I also learned that these products support a wide range of commercial standards. You can learn more about this in their specifications page. This one is for the Moverio BT-300 model https://tech.moverio.epson.com/en/bt-300/

    Besides using Android as their development platform (more to come), some of the highlights include:

    • A long life battery  (up to  6 hours)

    • A light-weight (69g), truly wearable form factor

    • Proprietary Si-OLED display technology, providing bright, HD (720p) picture

    • Camera and various sensors for enabling AR experiences

    • Support for applications that enable FPV for drone piloting

    While the technology is impressive, but perhaps even more exciting, is their ISV program. Epson may have one of the most open ISV programs available in the AR world. This is great news for content developers, publishers, and entrepreneurs looking for opportunities to enter the AR expanding market.

    If you want to learn more about this fantastic technology and meet Leon in person you can join us at my panel at Digital Hollywood this coming October 10, at 12 Noon http://www.dhsessions4.com/Tuesday17Fl6.html , or join the live webcast. We’ll also be joined by Eric Travold (Avegant), Michael Leventhal (Holmes Weinberg PC, Formerly Magic Leap), Soulaiman Itani (Atheer), Tom Wesselman (Plantronics), and Mike Hildebrandt (DAQRI). Come and learn about how your company can be part of this technological revolution and tremendous business opportunity.

  • Augmented Reality: Light Field technology is here!

    Augmented Reality: Light Field technology is here!

    For the past three years I have been researching, prototyping, and developing augmented reality (AR) demos and even some AR products for mobile devices. In parallel I have been fortunate enough to host AR panels for just about the same length of time. This has allowed me to meet with the very top companies in the industry.

    Interestingly one of the first things I wrote about some time ago was Magic Leap. I loved their light field technology approach. My visit to their offices may have been the final push to make me a complete believer in AR as the next mega milestone in technology. But I am still waiting for Magic leap to enter the AR world publicly. But as often happens in life, while you are waiting for one thing, something else develops. I hosted a panel at GTC this past May thanks to my friend David Weinstein from NVIDIA, and I met a panelist from a company I did not know anything about. This company was Avegant, and the panelist was Eric Trabold, Chief Business Officer.

    I immediately enjoyed meeting Eric, and we went on to have a fantastic session at GTC together with other very talented panelists (they will the subject of other posts J). Soon after the panel I went and visited Avegant in Belmont. CA. My visit was, simply put, fantastic. Eric was kind enough to set up a full demo for me. What came next was really impressive.  I was able to walk through the solar system, where I was struck by the clarity of each detail – I could view individual asteroids passing by Jupiter, see the Mars’ Curiosity Rover, and view the weather patterns on the Earth. I spoke to a photorealistic volumetric 3D hologram where I could easily see features like her eyelashes and freckles, and I was able to hold animals in the palm of my hand!

    Augmented Reality: Light Field technology is here!

    It turns out Avegant has been around for a long time, the Founders started out with display research for the US military, evolving their technology over the course of time into a Consumer Product called The Glyph and now providing their Light Field technology to PC and Mobile OEMs that are going to bring Mixed Reality Headsets with Avegant Technology to the market. Other than Lytro, I think they are the only ones with this technology available today.

    Avegant blends the real world with digital images that you can interact with. I think image wise Avegant is in my top two (I go back and forth from one to two and vice versa). My understanding is that more robust interactivity and other features are in the works.

    If you want to learn more about this fantastic technology, and meet Eric in person, you can join us at my panel at Digital Hollywood this coming October 10, at 12 Noon http://www.dhsessions4.com/Tuesday17Fl6.html  We’ll also be joined by Leon Laroue (Epson Moverio), Michael Leventhal, (Holmes Weinberg PC, Formerly Magic Leap), Soulaiman Itani (Atheer), Tom Wesselman (Plantronics), and Mike Hildebrandt (DAQRI). Come and learn about how your company can be part of this technological revolution and tremendous business opportunity.

     

  • Augmented Reality: Working with Licenses and Securing Rights

    Augmented Reality: Working with Licenses and Securing Rights

    After Apple’s keynote just last week, which was preceded by the launch of Apple’s ARKit, and Google’s ARcore, you can safely assume that the avalanche of AR products and services is on!

    So, as we march into our first generation AR enterprise and consumer products, we find ourselves in a new frontier. Figuring out how to secure or assign rights, how to ask for or request royalties, and thinking how to protect your likeness, brand, and IP will be more important than ever. And of course, protecting new IP will be of equal importance.

    I wanted to put my arms around these issues, since I create content and also enable others to create content or services. So I reached out to my friend Michael Leventhal. Michael works at Holmes Weinberg, P.C. He has worked with media, and digital properties for a long time. He was also Magic Leap’s legal counsel. I think his combined experience puts him in a unique position to advise companies engaged in content creation and software development.

    Michael started by reminding me that you need to begin by asking yourself why you want to use AR as a starting point. How you negotiate for rights, how you handle a potential revenue share, or an advance on royalties starts there. You have to know why you are doing something to be able to determine who your audience is, the potential size of your market, and the business opportunity.  Once you have determined these factors, you are ready to approach the question of rights and brand protection with enough information to enable a qualified legal advisor to give you good input.  For many of us, knowing how to identify the right legal advisor is tricky.  I asked Michael for his thoughts on this matter and he suggested that in choosing legal help you should:

     

    • Look for someone who is knowledgeable about the kind of project you are making; you probably don’t want someone learning on your dime.

    • Broad knowledge of intellectual property.  It’s important for your attorney to understand what is protectable in what you are creating, and to be able to negotiate and document both your assignment of IP rights to third parties, and bringing necessary IP to your project from outside owners.

    • Business/corporate knowledge.  Your attorney should be able to understand your corporate structure (or help you create it, if that hasn’t happened yet), and assist you in documenting financing, whether that is from project based or equity investment.  You’ll be bringing on employees and consultants, so, an understanding of the legal issues related to these categories, and the ability to draft and negotiate these agreements is crucial.

    • Connections in the AR/MR/VR world.  Attorneys don’t traditionally play the role of matchmaker, but, if you have an attorney who knows the experts in the fields you’re working in, and can connect you with thought leaders, all the better.

    • Partnerships, licenses, collaborations, etc.  Often, financing, distribution, and marketing, among other areas, can be critical to the growth and success of your project.  Having an attorney who understands how to structure these kinds of deals can be a powerful asset to your company.

     

    If you want to learn more about this topic, how to create an AR experience, and meet Michael in person, you can join us at my panel at Digital Hollywood this coming October 10, at 12 Noon http://www.dhsessions4.com/Tuesday17Fl6.html . We’ll also be joined by Leon Laroue (Epson Moverio), Eric Trabold (Avegant), Soulaiman Itani (Atheer), Tom Wesselman (Plantronics), and Mike Hildebrandt (DAQRI). Come and learn about how your company can be part of this technological revolution and tremendous business opportunity.