#AWE2014
Sci-Fi Friday: The Invisible VR Man

Sci-Fi Friday: The Invisible VR Man

In 1897, H.G. Wells published “The Invisible Man”, a science fiction novel about a scientist who successfully invents a way to change a body’s “refractive index” in order to make it invisible. The book went on to inspire The Invisible Man to be a major character in movies, video games and comic books. Now, with the help of VR, the ability to become invisible is somewhat possible. Swedish researchers are using virtual reality to study how effective the use of this technology can be in making people think that their body has disappeared. The study asked participants to put on a HMD and then look down at their body. When they looked down at their body they were either shown a mannequin’s body or shown nothing at all (e.g. invisible). In both scenarios, an object such as a paint brush or knife was run against their body. Researchers found that when the object hit their body when they couldn’t see it, it tricked their minds into believing that they were in fact invisible. This same VR experiment also concluded that social anxiety was reduced when participants felt they were invisible in a setting where they felt threatened. Augmented World Expo (AWE) is the world’s largest conference for professionals focused on making the world more interactive – featuring technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Wearable Computing, Smart Glasses, Gesture and Sensors devices, and The Internet of Things. Now in our sixth year, AWE 2015 is our biggest event yet with over 3,000 tech professionals, 200 demos, 100+ AWE-inspiring talks and over 150 participating companies. Tickets are on sale now....

AWE Recap: From insurance to curing fear of spiders, AR & VR is changing lives

AWE Recap: From insurance to curing fear of spiders, AR & VR is changing lives

The AWE recap is back. We look back at the biggest news in augmented and virtual reality to keep you in the loop. Augmented Reality Zurich Insurance is using augmented reality to train over 10,000 of its managers in over 170 countries. The tech will be used within its in-class training sessions to provide managers with more in-depth information during their training. AR startup Spaceview won $240,000 at Angel Oregon for its AR app that lets salespeople and interior designers place virtual objects in a photo of a room. The 3-year old company beat out two other contenders in this annual competition in Portland. Virtual Reality HTC & Valve opened applications for Vive VR developer kits this week. Those accepted will be given a kit for free to get started on developing for the virtual reality system. Valve is encouraging all developers, big or small, to apply. Those interested need to fill out a form including a description of the project they would work on with the device. Virtual reality goes well beyond gaming and tech site, VentureBeat, recently published a great overview of VR apps that show how HMDs are being used outside of entertainment. The list covers anything from health and fitness solutions that can cure your fear of spiders to the ability to drive “virtually” anywhere. Swedish neuroscientists are using virtual reality to trick people in thinking that their body is invisible as a social study to see how people might be able to handle stressful situations better. The VR-based experiment asked participants to wear a HMD and then look down at their body at which time they were either shown nothing or a mannequin. In both cases, an object was brushed up against their body. In the cases where the user saw nothing (i.e. the body was invisible) the brain reacted as such. Augmented World Expo (AWE) is the world’s largest conference for professionals focused on making the world more interactive – featuring technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Wearable Computing, Smart Glasses, Gesture and Sensors devices, and The Internet of Things. Now in our sixth year, AWE 2015 is our biggest event yet with over 3,000 tech professionals, 200 demos, 100+ AWE-inspiring talks and over 150 participating companies. Tickets are on sale now....

Bringing pictures to life: A look back at 2014 Auggie Award Winner for “Best App”

Bringing pictures to life: A look back at 2014 Auggie Award Winner for “Best App”

Kids artwork is a source of pride for parents and kids alike. Coloring is a fun, creative way to spend time with your child, but just because the drawing has been colored doesn’t mean that it has to end there. Augmented reality app, colAR Mix by Puteko, continues the journey with drawings by bringing them to life with the help of a smartphone or tablet. colAR Mix is a free app for iOS and Android devices. Users print out compatible drawings from the colAR website and then the coloring begins. Once completed, the user opens the app and scans the completed picture to bring the drawing to life. Each picture not only pops off the page to come to life but also offers different actions to interact with the characters such as making a doll dance or bird chirp. Users can also take a screenshot of their colored drawing in 3D which can be shared on social media. colAR Mix took home Best App at last year’s Auggie Awards. The 2015 Auggie Awards nominations are now open. If you have an AR app you’d like to see win this year’s award, head on over to our submission form to get started. Augmented World Expo (AWE) is the world’s largest conference for professionals focused on making the world more interactive – featuring technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Wearable Computing, Smart Glasses, Gesture and Sensors devices, and The Internet of Things. Now in our sixth year, AWE 2015 is our biggest event yet with over 3,000 tech professionals, 200 demos, 100+ AWE-inspiring talks and over 150 participating companies. Tickets are on sale now....

Sci-Fi Fridays: Future Fidos wear LEDs

Sci-Fi Fridays: Future Fidos wear LEDs

There is just something about wearing LEDs that immediately makes you think of a Sci-Fi film. We’ve seen LEDs starting to be played with in high fashion and onstage in concerts from designs from the likes of CuteCircuit but when we saw this doggie vest encrusted with LED lights, we just knew that it had to be our Sci-Fi Friday post! Disco Dog is a smartphone controlled LED vest for your dog. It displays a variety of animated patterns and custom scrolling text in thousands of colors. You can choose an animation or type in a message using our Disco Dog application on your smartphone. The vest definitely gives your pet some flare but its not just all for fun.If your dog runs too far away and the connection is lost, the vest will show an automatic “LOST DOG” message, asking bystanders to help the lost pup find her way back. Disco Dog successfully raised its goal on Kickstarter, earning over $22,000 for its vest it hopes to ship as early as September of this year. We can’t wait to start seeing some lit up dogs on the streets this Fall when we go for a walk. Augmented World Expo (AWE) is the world’s largest conference for professionals focused on making the world more interactive – featuring technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Wearable Computing, Smart Glasses, Gesture and Sensors devices, and The Internet of Things. Now in our sixth year, AWE 2015 is our biggest event yet with over 3,000 tech professionals, 200 demos, 100+ AWE-inspiring talks and over 150 participating companies. Tickets are on sale now....

AWE Recap: Car makers are big on AR & cheap VR solutions rev up their engines

AWE Recap: Car makers are big on AR & cheap VR solutions rev up their engines

The AWE recap is back. We look back at the biggest news in augmented and virtual reality to keep you in the loop. Augmented Reality BMW unveils Augmented Vision eyewear for the Mini: BMW entered the AR & wearables space this week as they unveiled a fashionable pair of smart glasses to be used while driving the BMW Mini at the Shanghai Auto Show. A collaboration with Qualcomm, the AR glasses show relevant driving information, provides drivers with new viewing angles and allows them to see their messages while in transit. Google cuts the price of Project Tango developer kits in half: In an effort to encourage more developers to use its 3D mobile sensing platform, Google has cut the price of the Tango developer kit in half to just $512 from the original $1,024. Interested developers were notified by email which also alluded to a wider release possibly in the near future. Ferrari rolling out AR in showrooms: Ferrari has created an AR app designed by Zspace and powered by Metaio to allow potential buyers to view all of the possible colors and models of its cars in the showroom. The app identifies one vehicle on the showroom floor and then lets the user toggle through additional alternatives via the AR experience. Virtual Reality Tribeca Film Fest makes a big push into VR: New York indie film fest, Tribeca, have made a huge push into VR this year with updating its lineup with talks on technology and VR demos. Some of the experiences include “The Machine to Be Another”, uses VR and a body cameras to give people the impression that they have switched bodies and environments with one another and a 360-degree shot episode of SNL. Google Cardboard grows up: Google announced some major updates for its Cardboard VR headset originally introduced at I/O last year. The announcement included the roll-out of a certification program for both apps and third party companies creating Cardboard, some new developer tools and enhanced search in the Google Play store to find applications that work with the device. Merge’s $129 virtual reality headset goes on sale this week: Texas startup, Merge VR are set to offer a foam-based VR headset this week for only $129. Like other cheaper alternatives, the headset uses a smartphone as the screen but the company wishes to differentiate themselves by bundling a handheld motion controller with the goggles. Augmented World Expo (AWE) is the world’s largest conference for professionals focused on making the world more interactive – featuring technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Wearable Computing, Smart Glasses, Gesture and Sensors devices, and The Internet of Things. Now in our sixth year, AWE 2015 is our biggest event yet with over 3,000 tech professionals, 200 demos, 100+ AWE-inspiring talks and over 150 participating companies. Tickets are on sale now....

“Augmating” the workforce using smart glasses

“Augmating” the workforce using smart glasses

What do mechanics, field workers and vets all have in common? They have to follow a set of procedures which require their hands in order to do their job. Imagine looking through the lens of a pair of smart glasses to be instructed on how to fix a specific mechanical issue in a car, get hands-free step-by-step instructions on how to lay concrete along with setting a timer or scan a dog’s ID tag to be provided valuable information as a vet on medicine to administer and instructions on how to do this effectively – all of these examples are scenarios Augmate is making possible. One burgeoning sector for smart glasses is enterprise. The workforce is ripe for disruption and the use of this hands-free technology to augment our capacity to perform on the job and keep us safe is vast. AWE sponsor and exhibiting company Augmate is leader in industrial smart eyewear applications, providing the necessary building blocks to create smart eyewear business applications to empower the deskless and handsfree worker. Augmate is working with various industry verticals to create smart glasses apps using its cloud-based wearables development platform including agriculture, automotive, aviation, construction and manufacturing. They are partnered with various smart glass manufacturers including Recon Instruments, Epson, Vuzix and Optinvent. As part of our speaker line-up, Augmate CEO Pete Wassel will be talking about how to choose industrial use cases for AR. As an example, Augmate’s video below shows how a Warehouse CMS app developed by Vuzix. The app aims to increase productivity and accuracy by using QR codes and a hands-free, audio guide or order picking. Augmented World Expo (AWE) is the world’s largest conference for professionals focused on making the world more interactive – featuring technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Wearable Computing, Smart Glasses, Gesture and Sensors devices, and The Internet of Things. Now in our sixth year, AWE 2015 is our biggest event yet with over 3,000 tech professionals, 200 demos, 100+ AWE-inspiring talks and over 150 participating companies. Tickets are on sale now....

An AR zombiepocalypse: Looking back at 2014 Auggie Awards Winner for “Best Game”

An AR zombiepocalypse: Looking back at 2014 Auggie Awards Winner for “Best Game”

You are in your living room and all of a sudden mini zombies spawn out of the ground. What are you going to do? Send them back to the dust they came from with a flaming robotic ball of course! This is the premise of “The Rolling Dead” a killer augmented reality game for Orbotix’s smartphone controlled robotic ball, Sphero. The Rolling Dead took home “Best Game” at last year’s Auggie Awards and it’s easy to see why. The AR app turns any place into a zombie battle ground. Using Sphero as a fire-ball shooting warrior, you must defeat the zombies by shooting them with fire and rolling away to stay alive. Zombies have always been a popular monster but with the success of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” and movies like last year’s “World War Z” they seem to have reached new heights. The Rolling Dead continues the zombie craze by bringing them into your home, turning your world into a video game, in an augmented reality app unlike any you’ve played before. The app also proves that even mini zombies are pretty scary. Augmented World Expo (AWE) is the world’s largest conference for professionals focused on making the world more interactive – featuring technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Wearable Computing, Smart Glasses, Gesture and Sensors devices, and The Internet of Things. Now in our sixth year, AWE 2015 is our biggest event yet with over 3,000 tech professionals, 200 demos, 100+ AWE-inspiring talks and over 150 participating companies. Tickets are on sale now....

Augmented Reality and Perfect Vision by 2020 Event

Augmented Reality and Perfect Vision by 2020 Event

With the AR/VR market on a consistent growth curve, potentially reaching $150 billion revenue by 2020 according to recent Digi-Capital report, the next five years of AR will be extremely critical. Much of this growth is being accelerated by the onset of wearable technology such as smart glasses which begin to hint at the future of AR in our everyday lives. To explore the “Road to 2020″, engineering user experience design firm, Interact, is hosting a special AR event in Seattle on Friday April 17, 2015 which AWE is proud to support as a sponsor. The event features AR visionary and AugmentedReality.org board member Dave Lorenzini who is best known for helping to create Keyhole.com (Google Earth) and innovative AR & glassware companies. It also features Brian Wassom, a partner at the Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP law firm with particular experience in digital and emerging media. Wassom is also the author of “Augmented Reality Law, Privacy, and Ethics: Law, Society, and Emerging AR Technologies”. Both Lorenzini and Wassom will also be speaking at this year’s Augmented World Expo. The event looks ahead to the future as well as what can be achieved today with augmented reality, exploring topics such as: The Road to 2020 and Perfect Vision: What the Next Five Years Holds Top AR Opportunities Today, Right Before Your Eyes Six Things You Need to Do Now to Get AR Ready What Do You Do First, When You Can Do Anything with AR   In addition to the speaking sessions, Interact has also included an AR/Wearables Device Bar where the audience can go hands-on with the latest and greatest in AR as well as engaging in 1:1 sessions. The event takes place at the Harbor Steps Apartments, Mingle Room in Seattle on April 17 beginning at 6:30PM. Tickets are now on sale.    Augmented World Expo (AWE) is the world’s largest conference for professionals focused on making the world more interactive – featuring technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Wearable Computing, Smart Glasses, Gesture and Sensors devices, and The Internet of Things. Now in our sixth year, AWE 2015 is our biggest event yet with over 3,000 tech professionals, 200 demos, 100+ AWE-inspiring talks and over 150 participating companies. Tickets are on sale now....

Sci-Fi Fridays: Could these giant butterfly drones make “Mothra” a reality?

Sci-Fi Fridays: Could these giant butterfly drones make “Mothra” a reality?

Happy Sci-Fi Friday where we highlight some incredible tech that feels as though it is coming straight out of a science fiction flick. This week we caught a story about giant butterfly drones being created by robotics firm, Festo. Most drones look like futuristic helicopters so it’s interesting to see a company play with the form factor to create something that we would normally see in nature. The eMotion Butterflies are ultra-light flying devices which mimic the insect’s coordinated flying patterns. The butterflies leverage an intelligent mechanical system and are made out of ultra-light materials and the smallest possible power units to give them a more true-to-nature flying behaviour. As butterflies usually fly in a group, Festo used cameras and infrared technology to create a guidance and monitoring system that allowed each butterfly to fly with precision within a collective without collision. From far away the butterflies look quite elegant and beautiful, but up close the butterfly drones are gargantuous compared to their biological counterparts. Seeing them in flight reminded us of the 1962 film Mothra which saw a monstrous Moth attack the world, causing hurricanes and smashing into bridges and buildings and terrifying civilians like only a movie-monster can. Of course the current Festo butterflies look far less menacing than Mothra and don’t have the same destructive powers. But we are sure that baby Mothra started off cute at some point as well. Image Source: Turner Classic Films Augmented World Expo (AWE) is the world’s largest conference for professionals focused on making the world more interactive – featuring technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Wearable Computing, Smart Glasses, Gesture and Sensors devices, and The Internet of Things. Now in our sixth year, AWE 2015 is our biggest event yet with over 3,000 tech professionals, 200 demos, 100+ AWE-inspiring talks and over 150 participating companies. Tickets are on sale now....

Augmented World Expo announces call for nominations for 6th annual Auggie Awards

Augmented World Expo announces call for nominations for 6th annual Auggie Awards

Augmented World Expo has opened nominations for its annual Auggie Awards. Now in its sixth year, the Auggie Awards are back to celebrate excellence in augmented reality. Every year, the best of the best in the Augmented World compete for the one-of-a-kind Auggie Trophy and sponsored prizes in numerous categories for both hardware and software. Winners of the 2015 Auggie Awards will be announced at Augmented World Expo on June 9, 2015 at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, CA. Nominations may be submitted on the Augmented World Expo website. The Auggies promote excellence in augmented reality across various platforms and categories worldwide. The awards are consistent with AugmentedReality.org’s mission to educate, connect, and hatch new initiatives in the augmented world, and AugmentedReality.org’s global goal to inspire adoption towards the goal of 1 billion active AR users by 2020, AugmentedReality.org is co-sponsoring this competition, offering award trophies and additional prizes. “In 2014, over one hundred nominations were submitted to the Auggies and ten products were awarded the prestigious trophy,” said CEO of AugmentedReality.org and Augmented World Expo producer, Ori Inbar. “With the accelerated growth and maturity of the industry we expect a new record in quantity and quality in 2015.” This year’s Auggies is made-up of ten categories, including Best Smart Glasses, Best AR Application, Best AR Enterprise Solution, Best Hardware, Best Game or Toy, and Best Sci-Fi-to-Reality. Nominations are open now until April 30. Public voting will begin May 1 through to the end of May to help select the finalists that will move on to the judging by our esteemed panel. In addition to kicking off the sixth annual Auggie Awards, Augmented World Expo is pleased to announce the addition of Google’s Project Tango Lead Johnny Lee as a keynote speaker at this year’s event. Lee will be present some of the underlying technologies that are making Project Tango possible such as hardware sensors and software algorithms. Project Tango is set to change computer vision and robotics by concentrating this technology into a mobile device. The Google team is developing smartphones and tablets that can track 3D motion and create 3D models of the environment around it allowing you to map the world around you in real-time. In doing so, Tango unlocks some unique opportunities in directions, dimensions and environmental maps as well as the creation of immersive augmented reality experiences that merge the digital and the physical world. Before Project Tango, Lee helped Google X explore new projects as Rapid Evaluator and was a core algorithms contributor to the original Xbox Kinect. His YouTube videos demonstrating Wii remote hacks have surpassed over 15 million views and became one of the most popular TED talk videos. In 2008, he received his PhD in Human-Computer Interaction from Carnegie Mellon University and has been recognized in MIT Technology Review’s TR35. “3D-fying the world, or creating 3D maps of everything, is key to the future of the Augmented World and Johnny Lee’s charismatic personality has been instrumental in rallying the troops towards this vision,” said Inbar “I can’t wait to see inspire us all at Augmented World Expo.” Augmented World Expo, now in its sixth year, is the world’s largest international event for AWE 2015 will be held June 8-10, 2015 at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Tickets can be purchased at www.augmentedworldexpo.com.   Augmented World Expo (AWE) is the world’s largest conference for professionals focused on making the world more interactive – featuring technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Wearable Computing, Smart Glasses, Gesture and Sensors devices, and The Internet of Things. Now in our sixth year, AWE 2015 is our biggest event yet with over 3,000 tech professionals, 200 demos, 100+ AWE-inspiring talks and over 150 participating companies. Tickets are on sale now....

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