Some news about Microsoft HoloLens from Build 2015

At Build 2015, the annual Developer Conference hosted by Microsoft from April 29 to May 1, there was finally some news about HoloLens. Every Augmented Reality fan was for sure waiting something more about Microsoft’s headset, and the company made them happy.

HoloLens was the true star of the conference: since it is in development from some years, big news is always welcome and, hopefully, expected soon, especially since it is strictly linked to Windows 10 launch.

Alex Kipman, the official speaker for the HoloLens project, during the conference made a demonstration of what HoloLens and Windows 10 will look like together and showed some videos of the impact that this project would have on different parts of our lives:

Also, he told something more about the headset, in particular trying to clarify the definition of it:

“The HoloLens has been repeatedly referred to as being holographic. Microsoft has even called its built-in processor a holographic processor. So the very first thing to say is that this is not a holographic display and it has nothing at all to do with holography.

[Instead] it is an augmented reality (AR) headset that … projects a stereo pair of images, one to each eye, just like a virtual reality headset. The difference is that the visor is transparent and you can see the 3D generated image embedded into the natural, real world, view.”

All this news is interesting, and we can’t wait to see it in action. For now, anyway, we have to hope to get our hands on a prototype or to just dream reading the articles of those who tested the device: Microsoft announced that it would offer developers at Build access to “hundreds” of HoloLens devices so that they can experience the technology first-hand, but Augmented Reality fans will still have to wait for a market version of the device. Some rumor going around claims that maybe the headset will be released in September 2015 and it will cost about $500. Will it be true?

Continue to follow us to know more about Microsoft HoloLens will be released and to remain always up to date with Augmented Reality news!

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Google and Luxottica together for the next version of Google Glass

Massimo Vian, CEO of the Italian eyewear colossus Luxottica, announced that soon there will be a new version of Google Glass.

In January, Google stopped the sales of the first version of the Glass eyewear, released in 2013 to users who applied to test the internet-connected device; the reason for this sudden change of mind was explained by Google Glass chief Ivy Ross, who revealed that a new version of the eyewear device would be cheaper and have longer battery life, improved sound quality and a better display, adding that they are working on pairing the device with a wide range of familiar types of eyewear.

This made a lot of users think that the big G was shutting down the Google Glass project, but we already could sense something was moving, since during March 2014, Luxottica’s CEO announced that they were starting a partnership with them.

Massimo Vian told shareholders: “In Google, there are some second thoughts on how to interpret version 3 [of the eyewear]. What you saw was version 1. We’re now working on version 2, which is in preparation.”

This clearly means that, even if he didn’t give a certain time for the release, the second version of Google Glass is on its way. In fact, a press release from Luxottica explained that “the two Corporations will establish a team of experts devoted to working on the design, development, tooling and engineering of Glass products that straddle the line between high-fashion, lifestyle and innovative technology.” Moreover, two of the most famous Luxottica’s brands, Oakley and Ray-Ban, were mentioned to be part of the project.

It seems that Google will not be the only partnership that will take Luxottica in the world of advanced technology and glasses: they made another announcement saying they are collaboranting with Intel on different wearable eyewear products; we’ll see hopefully the first results in February or March of next year.

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It’s almost holidays time: try Experenti’s augmented tourism!

Summer is coming, and it means one thing: holidays, relax and, of course, tourism!

People are going to plan their travels, and to buy guidebooks that will help them getting around not missing a good spot they can see in any place they’ll go. But what if we tell you that you can get more from your travels? More information, more engagement, more fun…more WOW! If you are a museum, a city of art or any reality linked to the cultural heritage, we think you could be interested in our work!

Experenti offers a new way of advertising and exploring art, monuments and interesting places. Thanks to Augmented Reality, we can enhance the experience of traveling and touring making it a real unforgettable event in the life of your visitors: we can give life to paintings and artworks with animations, video guides, interactive guides and art catalogues, that your users will see directly on their phone. All the culture they want is already in their pockets.

Some of Experenti’s offers for tourism:

TOUR GUIDES to present in a simple and direct way complex and abstract concepts.

INTERACTIVE MAPS that allow visitors to explore the exhibition space according to personal criteria.

3D CHARTS presenting the evolution of architectural, historical or conceptual of various artefacts or exhibits.

You want to understand better how Experenti works? Try us, it’s easy: just download our press kit here and the app for iOS or Android. Then scan the related tag with your smartphone and be ready to… WOW! 😉

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Ferrari goes augmented with the new showroom app

We are sure that Ferrari doesn’t have problems selling their super-luxury cars, but, looking also at the news from the automotive market (e.g. MINI goggles), to enhance their customers experience and make it just magical is the big strike point of the moment. This is probably what they thought when they joined forces with developer Zspace to create together an Augmented Reality app to use in their showroom. The company commissioned an app that uses Metaio’s Hybrid 3D tracking technology to augment the cars models and deliver the ultimate showroom experience through technology.

Simply using a tablet in front of the car inside the showroom, it’s possible to choose some features of the vehicle we want to buy: as first thing, the Metaio tracking technology recognizes the car as the client stands in front of it; then it’s possible to try different colors and accessories. Of course, this allows frontline sales people from Ferrari to provide for more in depth information about the care they are selling, and there’s no more vivid factor than to see it in front of our eyes.

There’s more: “Most high end supercar showrooms such as Lamborghini, McLaren, Ferrari et al, can come across a bit intimidating experience for a potential customer, this technology not only connects the Ferrari brand in an innovative way, but it is a friendly, engaging way to lead the customer from the showroom floor to the showroom’s configurator where they can ‘spec’ up and customize further their dream Ferrari,” said Tim Jardine, executive produce at Zspace.

The app currently features five vehicles, the 458 Speciale and Spider, the FF, the F12 Berlinetta and the California T., but it’s designed in a manner that makes easy to add other vehicles in the future and to adapt to all the news of the company. At the moment it is available only in Australasia, but will be introduced to the American market soon.

See more in the official video above:

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Will Augmented Reality help USPS deliver a better service?

In a world in which the communication is every day more digital and virtual, you would say that the traditional Postal Service is going to slow down its service. This is not the opinion of the USPS Inspector General, who thinks actually the opposite: even if the traditional postal services are required less often, a virtual world is making us used to faster services to be plenty satisfied.

From here the idea of using Augmented Reality to improve mail processing, delivery and customer experience. Some of you, reading this, will be very surprised: how to use one of the most avant-garde technologies to do one of the oldest jobs? In the report that the Inspector General presented, there are ten answers to your question, ten ways that Augmented Reality can be used to deliver a better experience to the USPS clients:

  1. Provide more accurate spatial information and assist with visualization when placing processing equipment in a plant.
  2. Direct employees to needed items in a stockroom, reducing employee training and work time.
  3. Direct employees to stored items ready for shipment, as DHL recently piloted with positive results.
  4. Guide letter carriers to pack trucks in a way that maximizes capacity while also protecting fragile items.
  5. Assist postal employees when performing maintenance on unfamiliar or new vehicles by displaying step-by-step instructions.
  6. Provide driving directions to letter carriers, helping them avoid traffic congestion or other hazards.
  7. Provide critical route information to new or substitute carriers about the location of hazards, hard-to-find mailboxes, or interior offices.
  8. Confirm the identity of recipients using AR facial recognition technology.
  9. Help customers determine what size box they need.
  10. Allow recipients to estimate when their carrier will arrive.

As you can read, the advantages will be for both the Postal Service employees and the clients: the first ones saving time in the process of loading, unloading and searching for mail and packages, the second ones having more information while preparing and sending their mail and during the delivery.

uspsaugmentedrealitystory

Now the project has been presented: the next step will be the evaluation by USPS of the “operational feasibility and financial viability” of the introduction of Augmented Reality in the service.

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MINI presents their new “Augmented Vision” goggles

At the next Shanghai Motor Show, that will take place from 22th to 29th April 2015, among the other surprises there is a very interesting one, that is not just only for motors’ lovers: MINI announced their new Augmented Reality goggles prototype, called Augmented Vision.

The first thing that we can notice is the bizarre look of the headset: they seem a mix between vintage aviator goggles and Google glass. Then, reading the press release, we know the other features, proper of the Augmented Reality.

The car and the goggles will be always connected and the eyewear will show relevant information in the driver’s direct field of vision but without concealing other road users, thereby serving to increase safety and comfort while driving.

Inside the driver’s field of vision, there will be these functions:

  • Destination entry for navigation and transfer to vehicle: Selecting destination points when outside the vehicle, then transferring them to the vehicle.
  • First Mile / Last Mile: Navigation display from the current location to the vehicle or from the vehicle to the final destination.
  • Head-up display functions: Display of speed, speed limits etc. in the eyewear so the information is in the driver’s primary field of view, with data always shown in same place above steering wheel to make sure that no road users are concealed from sight.
  • Contact-analogue navigation and points of interest: Reality is enhanced by contact-analogue navigation arrows “on” the road, as well as display of points of interest along the route, such as open parking spaces. The driver´s attention can always stay focused on the traffic.
  • Messaging: A small icon is shown in the eyewear when a message is received. The SMS/message can then be read out by the car while driving for safety.
  • X-Ray View / transparent vehicle parts: A virtual view through parts of the vehicle (such as A-pillars and doors) serves to render external areas or objects concealed by the car visible.
  • Augmented Parking: This facilitates parking by projecting the images from a camera housed in the (farside) mirror into the eyewear. In this way, the distance from the curb can be clearly and easily ascertained.

Of course, we don’t have yet a release date or many other information. We’ll keep you informed as MINI will say something more.

See more in this video:

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New research: VR and AR to reach $150 billion by 2020

Are Virtual and Augmented Reality for you still Sci-fi? It’s better you become part of the future: pursuant to a research by Digi-Capital, the market related to these new technologies will continue to raise until reaching the significant amount of $150 billion by 2020.

Today these amounts seem exorbitant: the predictions for 2016 are still showing a one-digit volume, with a hypothesis of 5$ billion. But our skepticism fades if we think to the effort of some big players like Google, with their Glass and $542 billion invested in Magic Leap, Facebook and their $2 billion Oculus Rift, HoloLens by Microsoft and the other products by Samsung and HTC. As Digi-Capital managing director Tim Merel said: “There are amazing early stage platforms and apps, but VR/AR in 2015 feels a bit like the smartphone market before the iPhone. We’re waiting for someone to say ‘One more thing …’ in a way that has everyone thinking ‘so that’s where the market’s going.”

Other surprise: the research illustrates how the real protagonist of the market in some years will be Augmented Reality. In fact, the prevision say that Augmented Reality be dominating Virtual Reality, $120 billion to $30 billion.

digi-capital-arvr-2020-800

Why?

“VR and AR headsets both provide stereo 3D high-definition video and audio, but there’s a big difference,” Merel said. “VR is closed and fully immersive, while AR is open and partly immersive – you can see through and around it. Where VR puts users inside virtual worlds, immersing them, AR puts virtual things into users’ real worlds, augmenting them. You might think this distinction is splitting hairs, but that difference could give AR the edge over not just VR, but the entire smartphone and tablet market.”

Merel thinks that VR is great for games and 3D films, since that’s what it was designed for. However, it is primarily a living room, office or seated experience. On the other hand, Augmented reality doesn’t have the full immersive experience as virtual reality does, “but that possible weakness for gamers is exactly why AR has the potential to play the same role in our lives as mobile phones with hundreds of millions of users.”

We believe in his words and in our job: let’s watch together the rise of AR year after year. Will you be part of it?

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360° videos in social media is the new trend: YouTube and Facebook come first

It seems that the implementation of 360° videos is one of the most popular trends in social media world today.

First came YouTube, that some time ago introduced the 360-degrees navigation function of the videos: essentially, during the visualization of the video, it will be possible to scroll around with the navigation arrows, which will make us explore it as if it was real and all around us. The mode reminds very closely Google Street View.

Just few days after YouTube, comes Facebook announcement: at F8, the annual developers conference, Zuckerberg presented the so-called “spherical videos”; soon 360-degrees videos will appear in the Home Page News Feed. Facebook’s CEO showed a demo of a video that he said used 24 cameras to achieve 360-degree coverage.

sphierical-video

Exactly as in the YouTube case, it will be possible to navigate the video by moving the mouse around the window. The immersive video experience will also eventually support live broadcasts, he said.

The reason is simple: looking at the data, videos are the most enjoyed content on the platform, with numbers like more than 3 billion videos on the service each day; on the other hand, Augmented and Virtual Reality are the new advancing trends. To join these two together could be the next winning move by big F.

This new feature of course will be supported also on Oculus Rift and, how easily can be imagined, it will have a lot more progressions as the project goes ahead. In the while, if you want to be part of it, the company is asking third-party publishers to create their own spherical videos for sharing across Facebook.

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Sony SmartEyeglass: the Developer Edition is now available for 840 dollars

Do you remember Sony SmartEyeglass? If you read our blog in last months, you already know we are talking about a new Augmented Reality headset from this article: Sony SmartEyeglass and Attach: the Developer Edition will arrive in March

They were expected to arrive on the shelves during the last month and, in fact, here they are: March 28 they started to be sold in ten countries around the world, between which Japan, Germany, Italy, UK and United States (for some of the countries you have to be a business client to have them). The price has been set to $ 840, about the price of a laptop, and to work them you’ll have to have an Android device running 4.4 KitKat or higher.

Sony vs Google

With this product, Sony outdone Google: if, on one hand, they are similar to Google Glass in the functionalities, on the other, they are a more developed product and they cost less. The price, in fact, as we said is set to $ 840, while Google Glass beta is $1500.

Unfinished

Sony SmartEyeglass is a good headset to start with, but we don’t have to forget this is just the Developer Edition; this means the product is still far from being perfect, and some sites that tested them said they are “unfinished”. The green text seems to cause headache for some people, many others don’t like that the battery and the remote are in the external box that have to be worn pinned to clothes.

Therefore, it’s clear that, for how much revolutionary this headset could be, a lot of work still has to be done. For now, you can decide to join Sony’s experiment to develop them.

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Augmented Reality by Experenti gives life to Modulblok’s intelligent shelving

Breaking news: the new app by Experenti is here!

We are very happy and proud to announce another company that decided to aim for innovation and experiential marketing to present their products.

We worked for the company Modulblok, groundbreaking entity in research and design of anti-seismic storehouses and shelving, creating for them an app that makes their products WOW, just how we like it.

In Modulblok’s app, available free for iOS and Android, you will find up-to-date contents and new 3D to see the main storehouse solutions offered by the company.

You want to try it? It’s easy:

WOW! The experience begins: thanks to Augmented Reality you will be able to see right in front of your eyes a preview of Modulblok’s work.

There’s no doubt: how they say on their site, this is the starting of a new adventure, made of passion, innovation and…WOW experience!

Watch the video to have more information:

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