Highlights from our Education Committee on 2018 Accomplishments and Outlook on 2019

At the end of 2018  we are extremely happy to highlight the activities released from the VRARA Education Committee in the past year.

As a committee we have come together globally sharing our Education best practices, reflections, experiences, case studies, meetings, failures, and celebrating our wins where collectively we are working together to build global standards using VR and AR Technology to Educate the lessons needed for todays world.

We have completed our VR & AR Education guides, Ecosystem report, case studies, and best practices white paper. 

We have had several webinars in 2018 and our first Live Education Webinar has been planned for February 2019 that will be influenced from VR/AR Professionals from around the world.

We have made a heroic effort reaching out to people from many schools, platform providers and content curators with the global VR/AR Educational Community to lead our ecosystem for the millions of people who will all use VR/AR technology to Educate others.   

Our VR/AR Education Committee is becoming a strong resource for educators, students and professionals to learn how to use the resources to build the Future of Education.

We look forward to 2019 and welcome you to join our VR/AR Education Committee to help us build a stronger ecosystem that will be influenced globally for everyone to use. 

XR and Healthcare Recap from our VRARA Pittsburgh Chapter Event

Our Pittsburgh Chapter had a great turnout at the RISE Center at Robert Morris University for the XR and Healthcare event. Thank you to Robert Morris University, the RISE Center, and Pocket Nurse for sponsoring the event! And another thank you to the organizations and people who had demos for the attendees to try. There is so much going on in XR and Healthcare, and we are just scratching the surface of its potential.

Watch the video of the Panel discussion, moderated by VRARA Pittsburgh Co-Chapter President, Karen Alexander.

Watch the recording of Kyle Roche of Amazon from our VR/AR Global Summit (Video)

Sign up for our upcoming VR/AR Global Summit in Europe here

Kyle Roche is the General Manager of Amazon Sumerian. Kyle was the founder of 2lemetry which was acquired by Amazon in 2015 and became AWS IoT. He is a regular speaker at industry events for IoT, AR, and VR. He has authored numerous technical publications on subjects ranging from cloud computing to augmented reality.

VRARA Vancouver Chapter: Our 2018 in Review

Written by Faye Maidment

As a fast-growing chapter of budding creators, developers and industry leaders in VR/AR, we’ve had quite the year. We thought we’d steal a look back to the conferences and delegations of 2018, and in turn look forward to the events of the new year! We’ve helped turn Vancouver into the second largest ecosystem in the world for VR/AR and we look to continue that growth for 2019!

January 2018

We started the year off strong with organizing a delegation with the Consulate General of Canada in LA for a visit to Virgin Hyperloop One (the future of transportation) and Warner Brothers with top VR/AR companies like Cognitive3D, Archiact and Ziva Dynamics, while also bringing down BCIT and companies ranging from AI and IOT technologies.

February 2018

Our first event of the year was our real estate and architecture event called “Formation” where we invited the top real estate developer, architects and designers to see how VR/AR is transforming the building world. It was held at Deloitte and it was a packed house!

March 2018

SXSW - 2018 VRARA BC Delegation

In Spring, several Vancouver board members travelled to Texas, in partnership with Trade and Invest BC, to attend the highly acclaimed SXSW conference. Alongside supporting 7 companies, we also hosted a panel and mixer events throughout the event.

April 2018

TED - ‘The Age of Amazement’

‘The Age of Amazement’ event was spectacular and consisted of an inspiring set of days full of talks by innovators and change makers. Members Shape Immersive, LlamaZOO, Archiact, Finger Food, Cognitive3D, Ziva Dynamics and Precision OS were amongst those companies selected to present to attendees.

May 2018

AWE - Augmented World Expo

AWE this year was a blast! Our time at the expo included an organized dinner with the VRARA Vancouver, Trade and Invest BC and top VC’s and enterprises.

June 2018

AR Everywhere: The Spatial Era is Here

In June we were lucky to have Marco De Miroz of ‘The VR Fund’ deliver an insightful keynote on the future of AR and the AR cloud.

September 2018

The VR/AR Global Summit

As the host city for this year’s VR/AR Global Summit, it was an honour to have been a part of such an event. Organized by Vancouver Chapter Board Director Anne Marie Enns, and with presentations from international experts in VR/AR and networking events throughout the weekend, the Summit proved to be an inspiring and engaging event for industry and community alike!

October 2018

The VR/AR Hub at Launch Academy

In October we partnered with Launch Academy to support our new VR/AR Hub in Downtown Vancouver. Since then, the Hub has hosted several AR community events in collaboration with Circuit Stream and AWE Nites.

November 2018

VRTL Summit in LA (Paramount Studios)

In November we organized a delegation of 8 top Vancouver VR/AR companies to travel to the ‘VRTL Summit’. Delegate companies benefited from a booth at the conference with Trade and Invest BC!

December 2018

VFS has partnership with the VR/AR Association and Launch Academy to offer members $2,500 off of their tuition for this 8 month program! The VR/AR Design & Development program.

We would like this time to thank our members, community and industry sponsors and to all of the Vancouver VR/AR community for the collaborative support this year. Vancouver is truly a global leader of emerging technologies and we can’t wait to see what opportunities the new year brings!

XR's 2018 Lessons, 2019 Predictions (New Report)

This post is adapted from ARtillry Intelligence’s latest report. To access the report and full XR intelligence library, subscribe here (VRARA members receive a discount).

2018 was a reflective year for XR. After an exuberant 2016, followed by a corrective 2017, XR industries settled into a moderate pace. This includes reset expectations on the size and timing of AR & VR markets, as well as acceptance that aspirations will take longer to materialize.

But we saw deep-pocketed tech giants charge ahead with XR. With strong contention that XR represents the next computing shift, they’re investing in the future of their platforms by gaining early market share and technological edge. And they’re each attacking XR from different angles.

Apple is investing in AR to fertilize the ground for its future hardware: AR glasses. Google is cultivating visual search, a close cousin of AR, as a search modality. Amazon is embracing AR to boost e-commerce, and Facebook is spending billions to position a VR powerhouse.

Despite XR market softness, it was these moves from tech giants that provided confidence in 2018 for the eventual market arrival. Indeed, there’s no bigger vote of confidence in a technology and a market than billions of dollars in long-term bets. We believe this will continue into 2019.

One of those investments will be Facebook’s continued subsidization of VR headsets, through aggressive pricing. It’s executing a classic loss-leader approach to gain early market share and build up the installed base of Oculus headsets. This is already accelerating consumer adoption.

We also learned important lessons in 2018 about AR adoption and behavior. Mobile AR, despite its potential scale, is gated by consumer AR interest and app quality. And these factors need more time in the oven. The quality of many ARkit apps hasn’t sold the masses on AR just yet.

But though the scale is relatively low, mobile AR users are showing strong engagement in terms of frequency and other behavior. In formats where engagement is measured heavily, such as AR ads(branded AR lenses), performance indicators and advertiser ROI are already quite strong.

Meanwhile, there were wild cards played in 2018. Magic Leap One finally launched, coupled with even more ambitious promises. Apple’s acquisition spree and patent filings point to its AR glasses circa 2021. And the AR Cloud’s importance emerged into the collective consciousness.

So the question is, where are we now with these and other XR sub-sectors? And what can we expect in 2019? Drawing from ARtillry Intelligence’s deep XR coverage, we ventured to answer these questions. We’ll look back at 2018 to extract measurable lessons, and predict XR’s directions in 2019.

This post is adapted from ARtillry Intelligence’s latest report. To access the report and full XR intelligence library, subscribe here (VRARA members receive a discount).

VR/AR Startup Growing Pains - A Guide to Choosing the Right Office Space for Your Business

By Alain Rivere of CBRE

Choosing the right office space for your business is an incredibly important decision. Location, size, style, price and features all play a part in determining whether a commercial space complements your day-to-day operations, your company’s future roadmap and most importantly your brand and culture. The VRARA Vancouver has teamed up with Alain Rivere from The High Technology Facilities Group of CBRE, to offer advice to companies in the tech, production and VR/AR industry of the available commercial real estate options in Vancouver. With coworking spaces growing in our booming technology ecosystem, finding a suitable spot can seem daunting, so we’ve broken down the key differentiators to help you find your perfect match!

In today’s Deep Dive we’ll be delving into Vancouver’s space opportunities for StartUp companies that not only provide ample space for a growing company, and that also promote incubation, education, community and support.  

Coworking: Global Vs Local Spaces - Which will best suit my business goals?

Global Co-Working Space

An explosion of co-working spaces in the Vancouver downtown core now gives small (and large) tenants a wide range of options of flexible, pay-as-you go, think-tank work environments. These options include larger international brands like WeWork, Spaces, Regus, which have large spaces in large office buildings and provide full-service amenities in today’s leading office design. They offer private offices for single individuals, up to 20 people or up to a full floor, basically no maximum size. The spaces are built and furnished and the snacks, coffee machines and kegs are stocked. However these beautifully designed, furnished, turn-key solutions do come at a premium price tag.

Source: WeWork Burrard Station

Local Co-Working Spaces

The local co-working companies are also benefiting from the growing demand for flexible workspace solutions. They vary in size, location, amenities and price. There are larger spaces run by companies like The Profile and The Network Hub, who cater to all businesses, with a focus on the startup community. Other co-working spaces are operated by incubator companies that have a specific focus on what types of companies they cater to, for example Launch Academy is focused on incubating local startups in tech, and recently put space aside specifically for the VR/AR sector and another area for cannabis-tech. This type of focus will continue to evolve as new industries and technologies emerge. In addition, The Cube in Railtown opened in 2017 to provide a user friendly space for VR/AR companies. These are great spaces in character boutique office buildings, offering a plug-and-play, furnished and flexible workspace solution, at a price well below what the bigger players charge.

Source: Launch Academy

Key Benefits to Co-Working:

• Flexible lease terms (month to month, 6 month, 12 month and longer).

• Community and networking

• Events, Workshops and Investor relations

• Additional membership benefits: meeting spaces, access to other locations (globally and locally), beer and wine on tap, snacks and more.

While co-working offers amazing benefits that a private office does not, they do have their challenges. Here are a few things to consider:

• More noise, interruptions and overall distractions.  

• Challenge in booking meeting rooms and call rooms.

• Lack of privacy

• Branding and culture challenges, lack of ability to create your own identity

Pricing Table

Overall, there are many co-working options to choose from, and a company should carefully audit its immediate, short term and long term needs as best it can. As your team is still small, your board, management, senior staff or even your full company team should be consulted to understand what your needs are and then compare to what is offered in the market that best meets those needs. We also recommend that any company evaluate their needs with a broker, as they can also assist in negotiating better terms with co-working options.

Private Office Spaces

If co-working is not the option you are looking for and you prefer your own Private Office suite, there are a broad range of options that can be summarized in two: Short-Term and Long-Term lease commitments. The pros/cons of each are listed below to help you make sense of what is most appropriate for you.  

Before digging into this, it is important to understand the state of the Vancouver Office Leasing Market:

• Demand and Vacancy: Vancouver has witnessed strong tenant demand for office space for the past 2 years, bringing vacancy to a near all-time low of 4.5% in the downtown core, 1.5% in Yaletown and 3% in Gastown.

• Rental Rates: Few available spaces means landlords have the upper hand and they have been steadily increasing rents throughout 2018. This is expected to continue into 2019.

• New supply: New buildings are under construction, however the next few buildings are not expected to have any significant impact on availability until late 2020 and 2021.

• Tips to a successful lease negotiations: start your search early, hire an experienced broker, evaluate all aspects of your needs, plan for future growth (if able), be “market-ready” so when the right space comes along you can secure it quickly.  Be prepared for competition and to step-up (if needed), as multiple offer scenarios can occur.

Private - Short-Term Office Lease (6 - 36 months)

These opportunities include those ranging from 6-months to 3-year commitments for a dedicated private office suite. Typically these are short term subleases from tenants with that no longer need their space. Most landlords look for a (minimum) 3 year lease term, so finding a tenant looking to exit their lease early are great opportunities.

Pros: branding and “make-it-your-own” capabilities, security and privacy, limited distractions, controlling your space, positive optics for investors/clients and for hiring. Sublease opportunities may allow for extra savings in free furniture and existing infrastructure to minimize set up costs.

Cons:  Limited number of available spaces to accommodate this size of office spaces (800 - 2,000 SF). Lease term is set, limited flexibility to expand/contract. Upfront set up costs, i.e: renovations and/or furniture. Required to manage day to day office items such as (printers, internet, coffee etc). Limited flexibility/growth potential, however there are some ways to workaround this with the right lease.

Private - Long-Term Office Lease (36 - 60 months or longer)

These types of space opportunities range from 3 to 5 years, and longer (if desired), for your own dedicated office. Typically these are leases negotiated directly with the landlord, however sublease opportunities may be available too (possibly with discounted rents!).

Pros: In addition to most benefits shown above, long-term leases provide security in locking in rental rates for longer, ability to negotiate stronger lease terms, including: free rent, improvement allowances and more. Financial set up costs are spread out over a longer period of your lease.

Cons: long term leases limit growth flexibility, subleasing may be required (this could be an asset, upfront setup costs (i.e: potential renovations and furniture), business goals may not align with long leases (i.e: investors want easy liquidity for potential sale).  That said, there are creative solutions to many of these issues.

Source: A Thinking Ape

As a starting point, if you’re not sure which option is right for you?  Here are some key questions to ask yourself and your team:

• How long before we grow beyond 12 - 15 people?  

• Are we willing to stay in a co-working space long term, does it drive innovation / productivity, does it fit our culture and brand?

• What is the 1 - 2 year goal and what is our budget for space for this period?

• What type of space do we really need? (quiet, private, meeting room space?? And does the co-working solution offer these needs?

• Are clients, investors or other important contacts visiting us?

A thorough analysis of all these questions (and possibly more), should help to give you and your executive team a better understanding of which option is best and give you the confidence to move forward with your decision. It is worth putting in this work upfront to make sure you get it right the first time.  

To get familiar with what’s happening in the office market, which tech companies are moving, and other relevant information on culture, hiring or attracting, startup community and workspace design and innovations, we recommend following Alain Rivere’s Linkedin, visiting The HTFG website, and subscribing to his team’s Quarterly Newsletter here.

The VR/AR Global Summit Europe will take place in Lisbon, Portugal in June 2019

To learn more about the VR/AR Global Summit Europe, see here

Lisbon, December 10, 2018

The VR/AR Association (VRARA) is organizing the VR/AR Global Summit Europe in Lisbon, Portugal, in June 2019.

Checkout the expo floor and conference venue we are using for our VR/AR Global Summit Europe. We can’t wait!! 🙌🙌 #VRARAGSE #portugal #Europe #Lisbon #event pic.twitter.com/jmIVHUWDsu

— VR/AR Association VRARA (@thevrara) December 11, 2018

After organizing the VR/AR Global Summit in Vancouver (see here), the largest global ecosystem of VR/AR companies, brands, and professionals is now focused on hosting in Lisbon the premiere European community and conference for industry leaders in immersive technology content, knowledge, and creation.

The VR/AR Global Summit Europe will take place in June, 2019. The event will feature dynamic keynotes, industry tracks, workshops, creative hubs, demos, exhibits, breakouts and amazing VIP events. It will showcase the best that the industry has to offer.

“The VR/AR Global Summit Europe continues the mission of the VR/AR Association of facilitating growth, knowledge and connections across the globe, and across industry verticals for VR/AR.  The growing VRARA member base and thousands of registered companies & brands have been asking for this type of interactive and innovative conference,” said Nathan Pettyjohn, Founder and President of the VR/AR Association.

Lisbon, sometimes referred to as "The San Francisco of Europe", is #5 in the Startup Ecosystem Globally, and boasts a remarkable growth on the innovation economy in the last 3 years, On the crossroads of Europe, North America and Brazil, more and more big brands are coming to Lisbon in search of tech talent.  

“VR/AR Global Summit Europe is designed to bring together both industry leading solution providers as well as the brands and companies looking to deploy these types of technologies to improve and enhance their business. In addition to enterprise, we also have an exciting gaming and entertainment program planned," says Kris Kolo, Global Executive Director, VRARA.

Lisbon has become a VR/AR startup scene, along with production companies working for big brands. “Lisbon is a global hub for immersive technologies that boasts over 60 companies working directly in the VR/AR space. I am very excited to work with such an amazing organization as the VRARA to produce this event. This will be the largest, and best show of its kind in Europe,” says Anne-Marie Enns, Executive Producer of the VR/AR Global Summit.

As the knowledge-based employment rises in Lisbon and with VR/AR industry gaining momentum, we believe there is no better place to discuss the present and future of this reality. "We are very excited to host VR/AR Global Summit 2019 in Lisbon. We believe this Global Summit will be an important contribution to our vision of making Lisbon one of the most innovative and creative cities in Europe." says Paulo Soeiro Carvalho, General Director for Economy and Innovation at the Lisbon City Council.

To learn more about the VR/AR Global Summit Europe, see here

About VRARA

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

VRARA has the mission & passion for accelerating smart growth at a global scale for the VR AR industry. We are a global team with Chapters in major cities around the world to help you locally and connect you to global opportunities.

In addition, VRARA's initiatives such as Industry Committees, Training Program, University Partner Program, and other Resources connect members cross vertical knowledge, and help members accelerate their go-to-market strategy, and connect organizations with the best solution providers for each use case.

Watch the recording of Joanna Popper of HP from our VR/AR Global Summit (Video)

Sign up for our upcoming VR/AR Global Summit in Europe here

Joanna Popper is a Hollywood and Silicon Valley media executive. She recently became HP’s Global Head of Virtual Reality for Location Based Entertainment. Prior she was EVP of Media & Marketing at Singularity University and VP Marketing at NBCUniversal. Joanna developed a TV show partnership with NBC and Singularity University for “The Awesome Show,” a new TV series on technology and innovation. Joanna was selected as “50 Women Can Change the World in Media and Entertainment,” “Top Women in Digital: Game Changers,” “101 Women Leading the VR Industry”. Her previous experience includes McKinsey, JP Morgan Chase and DHL. She has degrees from Northwestern University and The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Call for Participation: VR/AR in Universities and Colleges

The VRARA Universities and Colleges Committee is currently putting together a Sector Report that will highlight what postsecondary education institutions are doing in the VR/AR space. The report will provide an overview of:

• what VR/AR courses and programs are being offered by each institution;

• how VR/AR technologies are being used to support learning and teaching in other courses and programs;

• VR/AR-related research and/or development activity occurring at the institutions;

• applications of VR/AR to other areas, such as recruitment, marketing, outreach, the library, and student services;

• the institutions’ future plans in the VR/AR space.

Participation is open to postsecondary education institutions worldwide. If your institution would like to have it featured in the report, please contact info@thevrara.com as soon as possible, but no later than Friday, December 21, 2018.

Want to Sponsor this report? Email info@thevrara.com for details!

(Note: While K-12 education does not fall within the scope of this report, plans are also underway for a cross-sector effort on VR/AR curricula that will include K-12, which will be undertaken by jointly the Universities and Colleges Committee and the Education Committee)

VFS launches new VR/AR Design & Development Program in Partnership with the VR/AR Association and Launch Academy

Member Vancouver Film School (VFS) announces this innovative new program, one of the only diploma programs of its kind anywhere in the world. The new 8-month VR/AR Development & Design program will bring a new immersive technologies curriculum in virtual (VR) and augmented (AR) reality to prospective students in April 2019. This exciting new program will allow students to explore and create VR/AR applications in a variety of rapidly evolving sectors including health care, engineering, tech, education, real estate, and entertainment.

VFS has also partnered with the VR AR Association and Launch Academy to ensure that the program is as informed and plugged into industry as possible. The focus of the program is to solve real-world problems in industries where there are needs for immersive technologies. This program will afford students the opportunity to use the Unreal and Unity Game Engines to create VR/AR experiences, from the design and research phase to asset creation, programming, and production.

“Vancouver is at the centre of a booming VR/AR ecosystem that is only getting bigger. As an industry we need to keep the momentum going and part of that is developing top talent. The VR/AR program at VFS will help create the next wave of innovators for the future.”

– Dan Burgar, Vancouver Chapter President, VRARA

In their first term, students will have the opportunity to work on client-led VR/AR initiatives with private and public sector companies and organizations across a broad spectrum of industries. The partnership with VRARA and Launch Academy will help ensure that students are matched with mentors working within the industry of their choice. In their last term, students will be able to create their own projects or continue to work on client-led projects.

“The Launch Academy Team is really excited to partner with VFS and help contribute to the VR/AR Design & Development Program. The opportunities in the VR/AR industry are significant and we have a chance to position Vancouver as a global leader. We are really looking forward to connecting VR/AR companies to top quality talent graduating from Vancouver Film School and also helping the entrepreneurial minded Vancouver Film School students with the execution on their own VR/AR start-ups.”

• Ray Walia, CEO and cofounder of Launch Academy

VFS is very excited to collaborate with the VR/AR Association and Launch Academy. Partnering with such leading-edge organizations devoted to cultivating up-and-coming talent in the VR/AR industry will definitely set students up for success, and we look forward to seeing what comes of the 8-month program.

“With a projected economic impact of almost $16 billion USD by 2020, VFS wants to position the next generation of VR and AR developers and designers to be industry leaders through this innovative new 8 month diploma program.”

• Mary Lim, M.Ed., Program Development Manager, Vancouver Film School

Exclusive pricing has been offered to VR/AR Association members and tech incubator Launch Academy for the new VFS VR/AR Design & Development program. This is an early opportunity to become established in this rapidly expanding field. As such, VFS is offering an exclusive price to VRARA members of $19.5k for this 8 month program, saving $2.5k off the standard domestic tuition!

If you have questions, please reach out directly to:

Gija Williams, Director of Admissions

Phone: 604.685.5808 Ext. 3074

Email: gija@vfs.com

To learn more about this program and see full course details, please go to https://vfs.edu/programs/vrar.

New Online Classes Start Soon - RSVP now to get your seat!

These classes are for both developers and managers, and include VR & AR development, healthcare, Unity, Immersive Sound, and many more. Offered to our Members for free or discounted. Our instructors have delivered more than 30 courses, and taught over 1000 professionals and enthusiasts how to begin creating VR & AR apps. RSVP here

New Examples of VR/AR Training Solutions

RSVP for our next webinar with a live Q&A!

“The Impact and ROI of VR/AR in Training”

Expert Panel Moderated by Raj Puran, Intel

Jan 16, 2019
RSVP here

Participate in our Training Committee here

Co-Authors:

• Carlos J. Ochoa  carlos.ochoa@onedigitalconsulting.eu   

• Jeff Meador jeff@portico.ai

• Shai Newman newmans@compedia.net (Skill Real)

• Marlo Brooke mbrooke@avatarpartners.com

Examples featured in this publication include:

1. INNVESTION is a VR/AR Platform for Industry Base Training Simulation by ONE Digital

2. Electrical Safety Certification In Virtual Reality by SkillReal

3. Hotel Customer Service Training by Portico

4. Augmented Reality Maintenance Aid (ARMA) by AVATAR Partners

Introduction

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” Albert Einstein

New technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence are rapidly changing people's jobs and lives. Technology will likely change many of the existing jobs, requiring workers and companies to adjust. While maybe only one in seven jobs may be lost to automation, many others will change significantly. OECD suggests in their study (2018), that around 14% of all jobs across 32 countries analyzed have a high risk of automation, 32% of existing jobs may experiment significant changes to how they are carried out.

In the other hand, and according the OECD study, It is now essential to ensure that schools prepare students for a world in which they will constantly be adjusting to new technologies, new business models, and new ways of working. People, including young people, need to be equipped with the type of skills that will allow on average 25 job changes throughout their lives.

Therefore, learning systems will need to adapt to the changes brought about by automation and teach students that allow them to take full advantage of the current wave of technology adoption. This includes skills such as cognitive and social intelligence but also extends to the skills needed to work effectively in a digital context, both as specialists and users of digital technologies.

INNVESTION is a VR/AR Platform for Industry Base Training Simulation.

Carlos J. Ochoa (ONE Digital Consulting) carlos.ochoa@onedigitalconsulting.eu

The Problem

New technologies are an emerging industry creating employment opportunities and entrepreneurial possibilities. According to projections set out by the European Commission, market demands for qualified information and communications technology (ICT) specialists will not be met, seeing a shortfall of up to 500,000 ICT professionals in 2020. Virtual and augmented reality solutions are amongst those with some of the highest market demand in the ICT sector.

Skills, and skills development, are an essential component of all efforts in this challenging society. Too many workers are simply unprepared to meet the needs of firms, particularly in more competitive economic environments.

New skills development for more complex jobs. Technicians need to be proficient and continue to change rapidly as tasks become more complex. Find the right info at the right moment. Technicians need fast access to all info to take fast and complex decisions.

• High Training cost. Time, resources, maintaining and quality standards.

• High Digitalization cost (paper, no automatization processes, decisión taking.

• Data integration and maintenance. Manuals, documents, files…

• Data visualization. Format, devices, availability, usability

• Risk and performance. New complex and unpredictable situations. Actions based training methodology.

• Quality, standards and sustainability

• Expensive or difficult hand on practice (no experimental, no real world scenarios…)

• Difficult assessment process.

• Most of existing solutions are isolated, expensive and not VRAR designed. Also have a gap about learning processes, methodology and instructional approach.

Industry 4.0 Demands

Industry 4.0 is the of automation information and data exchange in manufacturing technologies.

• Enhanced productivity through optimization and automation

• Provide real-time data and information for real-time decision makers

• Business continuity through advanced maintenance and monitoring possibilities

• Higher quality products as a result of real-time monitoring and technology convergence

• Better working conditions and superior sustainability

The Solution

Engineers with the right skills, with excellent experience and experimental training, are the demands in the industry worldwide has become acute.

The need for efficient and effective workforce training and operation in the industry worldwide has become acute. VR/AR technology is the most efficient and fastest way to educate new employees and prepare them for their daily work. In the other hand, thanks to VR/AR and digital information, technicians can focus in operation & maintenance task enables them to cut down on time spent on administrative tasks, significantly increasing productivity.

VR/AR and Simulation-based training also helps increase professionals confidence because they can practice procedures until they master them. Further, trainees become more aware of safety procedures because they have to follow them in the simulations.

• Reducing Training cost. Experiential training based on VRAR give real-time feedback and improve the efficiency of skills transfer, increased knowledge retention.

• Reducing delays & mistakes. Using collaborative VR/AR and digital documentation, we can integrate “all in one”. Minimizing time to action in decisión taking providing technicians the complete background on an asset, detailing all historical data and repairs to quickly perform the task in hand.

• Improving Safety. Dangerous or difficult to replicate scenarios can be safely simulated with VRAR. This allows monitors to repeatedly practice critical or unpredictable scenarios while preventing damage to equipment and persons.

• Improving quality, and standards. Experiential Training through VRAR actively participation in the activities obtaining higher retention rates. VRAR training allows employees to receive hands on training, in a virtual environment. This prevents expensive down time and disruptions in normal operations

• Improving assessment process. Monitors can create specific complex situations to be resolved, where Technicians will deal with different task according their role or responsibility. They will be evaluated based on their performance on the relevant work items. This information can be integrated with the company’s internal record keeping systems for certification and/or administrative action.

• Improving preventive maintenance. Integrating applications such as electronic job sheets and work orders, on-site workers are now able to focus on the task in hand while using VRAR with tablets or smartphones. This enables them to cut down on time spent at the end of each day on administrative tasks, significantly increasing productive-time.

• Faster and better decisions. Decision-making processes are shortened and problems, as well as defects, can be resolved quickly and efficiently

Imagine a solution, that deploy an intelligent VR/AR ecosystem with the specialized know-how to turn unstructured data into value-adding information, e.g. when providing services such as preventive maintenance, security management or operational management.

INNVESTION is an innovative platform for training, operation and maintenance of plant services, which includes advanced reality technologies in immersive environments (extened reality, 360º video), methodologies in a modular architecture (on/off line).

A cloud platform will allow users to download the different modules. For a full INNVESTION experience, the user only needs a mobile device and VR glasses that fit the device. The training centre will need an internet connection to download modules, and these can be accessed offline, only needing a connection to update new content.

INNVESTION can be used from a single “low cost” VR device based on Samsung Gear Mobile VR, through the most advanced VR Oculus Rift, HTC Vive configuration.

The Results

Simulation-based training, prefaced with traditional training methods on process fundamentals, is the most efficient and fastest way to train new employees and prepare them for their daily work providing huge added value and benefits:

• Faster project execution, commissioning and ”time to market“ through improved collaboration

• Cost savings through consistent plant information available at all times

• Higher plant availability, integrating real time data and 3d visualization

• Safe and efficient plant operations

Electrical Safety Certification In Virtual Reality (by SkillReal)

The Problem

Creating a lasting impact on people’s behavior:
A fortune 100 company has asked SkillReal to provide a Virtual Reality experience to certify and drive thousands of employees around the world to safe conduct in a critical electrical work.

The Solution

The solution was built on the foundation of the SkillReal Virtual Reality for Training platform. It’s major components are:

1. Four detailed scenarios: Introduction to the Virtual Reality environment; Standard Electrical Safety procedure scenario; Advanced “what-if” scenario; Infrared scanning scenario.

2. Effective user feedback: real-time feedback to trainees during the mission, and detailed personalized feedback with key critical error highlighting at the end of each scenario.

3. Integration: with client pre-test and post-test activities – to analyze and measure the impact of the practice scenarios.

4. Valuable Analytics: Detailed user performance tracking and analytics, recording all user actions, time taken to perform task and mission, interactions with objects and more.

The Results

Together with the client, we were able to create an unparalleled authentic user experience in Virtual Reality, with a strong sense of realism – changing a standard regulatory training requirement into a game-changing and powerful practice.

Based on SkillReal’s powerful Virtual Reality platform, the project was delivered in a very quick turn-around, with two first content packages being released with just 10 weeks, and two more released 10 weeks later.

The project leveraged SkillReal’s multi-disciplinary capabilities of Instructional Design, UX and UI in Virtual Reality expertise, a world-class 3D studio, and a creative and dedicated team of developers, QA and project management people.

“It’s super exciting work. Breaking new ground is never easy and it’s great to be partnering with you. I have endless respect for your team’s attention to detail and dedication to quality.” Senior client expert on the project

Image from SkillReal’s Electrical Safety Certification in Virtual Reality

Hotel Customer Service Training (Portico)

The Challenge

A major hotel brand didn’t have the bandwidth to provide consistent training for new employees in many customer-focused areas. They wanted to ensure that new employees interacted with guests in way that not only followed correct procedure but also adhered to brand standards. They wanted to provide more interactivity and practice than a mere shadowing experience for new hires, but could not rely on having trainers or senior staff available.

The Solution

Portico recreated select hotel experiences inside Virtual Reality.  Learners spoke directly to digital avatars of hotel guests in order to practice and master their conversational skills. These virtual guests were powered by Portico’s TrueTalk AI, allowing them to respond with natural conversation, creating a truly immersive and realistic experience that was immediately transferrable to the workplace. Furthermore, a Virtual Trainer (also powered by AI) listened in on the conversation, providing immediate feedback if the learner deviated from established procedures or brand messaging.

The Result

The training was considered a success by both the hotel and its employees. Employees were able to practice their skills without the need for any supervision. The hotel noticed a decrease in training time along with an increase of confidence for new hires. As a result, new hires were able to enter the shift rotation faster and did so with fewer hiccups along the way.

One other added benefit was the general level of excitement from the new hires. They exhibited a genuine enthusiasm towards trying the training; the training itself became a fun “water cooler” topic for people to discuss. Some of the existing staff insisted on trying it to see what they were missing out on!

The full results can be seen here:

Coffee Service

Hotel Check In

Augmented Reality Maintenance Aid (ARMA) by AVATAR Partners

Marlo Brooke, President and CEO, Avatar Partners (mbrooke@avatarpartners.com)

The Challenge

Aircraft Readiness is a number one priority for both military and commercial aviation. Maintenance task troubleshooting and execution time and error rates are significant aircraft readiness degraders.

An additional stressor occurs when an organization must extend the life of its equipment; in some cases, 10-20 years beyond an aircraft’s expected life.  This puts unanticipated strain on systems and structures, resulting in excessive down time for repairs. In some cases, 40%-50% of the inventory of a platform are unusable at any point in time.

Maintenance errors are a leading cause of inventory down time. For example, a mistake made on a fuel cell replacement can result in an aircraft being down for 6 months or longer, driving enormous cost, and risk to global safety. Even the best training tools can reduce errors down to 75%, but today’s economic and global situation require something better. Aerospace needs a training solution that can be used on the job, and produce zero errors.

AVATAR Partners was approached by a community of maintainers to address a common issue in one fixed wing aircraft, which was a Wiring issue (specifically, the Left Main Landing Gear Planing Link Proximity Switch Fail).

The problem was complex:

• •          The task required 3 non-integrated sources (IETM, Wire Illuminator, Schematic)

• •          Tasks to gain access to test points was not identified

• •          Wire Illuminator visuals did not include installed components

• •          Poor wire illuminator visuals cause confusion in wiring orientation

• •          Visuals did not show necessary connection points

• •          Time intensive testing and strict time constraints

The Solution

To address the issue, AVATAR Partners used a standard Criticality, Difficulty, Frequency (CDF) analysis model to identify the optimal training solution; clearly, an advanced solution that would allow the maintainer to get assistance without leaving the job itself, was critical.

AVATAR researched all training technologies available, and designed a Mixed Reality solution, which combines both Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. At the time, most Augmented Reality solutions relied on the use of markers or codes to identify the object. AVATAR joined the Vuforia VIP program and developed the Augmented Reality Maintenance Aid (ARMA), and worked with the vendor to develop an advanced object tracking system that would lock on target based on the shape of the object itself (using CAD data). Furthermore, most AR solutions had the issue of drift or jitter when dealing with a large object, such as an aircraft. The maintainer must be able to walk around the aircraft without any shift or jitter; if not, the maintainer loses all confidence in the solution. AVATAR Partners was able to eliminate shift and jitter entirely, regardless of the object size.

The Result

ARMA is a Mixed Reality industrial-grade training and job performance aid, useable under unpredictable environmental conditions. The results are as follows:

• ARMA Reduces Time to Troubleshoot by 75%

• With lock-on Object Tracking and elimination of drift/jitter, ARMA gains 100% confidence of the maintainer

• Because ARMA is configurable, it can be designed to support any aircraft platform type

• ARMA is scalable, allowing the maintainer to train in any environment, with or without the aircraft, or with a scaled down model, through the use of object tracking

• ARMA is “Two for the price of One” - can be used in both training and on the job

• ARMA is a hardware-agnostic and integrates with flight-ready glasses today

• Increases the number of Ready Aircraft

• Modular, extensible, integrates with any backend system, and allows multi-user collaboration

• ARMA offers remote assistance which allows remote Subject Matter Experts to view, guide and record  users remotely through steps and processes.

The AVATAR Team has developed other MR solutions that reduce cost and errors throughout the manufacturing process. Another example is the assembly of large, complex ships, where our team developed a Mixed Reality solution that Quality Assurance Time on Task by 90% while Eliminating Errors to Zero. Our ever-present objective, Simplifying Complex Systems™, is a success story that keeps growing.

AVATAR on Youtube

Participate in our Training Committee here

With over 1B Users, Mobile AR is the Next Frontier for Advertisers‏

VRARA Members - email info@thevrara.com for the discount code for this report

The VR/AR Association has partnered with Nielsen’s New York-based SuperData Research to provide a comprehensive report on AR for marketers and advertisers. Consisting of industry data and insights, this report provides an overview of the mobile AR market and drills down into the consumer segments that use AR, sentiment towards AR ads, and how brands can begin to leverage this exciting new medium.

SuperData’s new report dives into vital information needed for success in the mobile AR market for both developers and advertisers.

Insights include:

• 74% of those that see AR ads share them with their social media followers.

• AR users on average earn $8K more per year than non-users, and are a decade younger.

• The largest AR demographic is women between 18-34.

Drawing on key consumer insights, this report delves into mobile AR market size, user profiles and attitudes, as well as highlights mobile AR advertising trends. Check out the full report here

Look what’s happening in Portugal! The VR/AR Ecosystem is Becoming one of the Strongest in Europe

Sign up for our upcoming VR/AR Global Summit in Europe here

Already 60+ companies, agencies, brands in Portugal now work in VR/AR. Besides the big international players like Accenture and others, Portugal-based companies include:

IT People’s Next Reality has received the award for Developer Experience Partner of the Year Portugal. Microsoft says, “IT People has set themselves apart for their prodigious competence in the field of Augmented Reality and through their work in the platform Micorsoft HoloLens in Portugal, as well as other geographic areas, and was one of the ISVs to publish a HoloLens App on the Micorosoft Store.”

GEMA Digital - Founded in 2007, Gema is an innovative Portuguese company with an extraordinary knowledge of technological creativity designing, creating and installing solutions. Gema is specialized in 3D and 4D Experiences, Holograms, Projections, Video Mapping, VR/AR, Multitouch, Interactive Games, Online Games and Apps. Its major expertise is combining these technologies to build exciting solutions designed for Brand Activation, Short Term Events and Permanent Installations. GEMA has developed hundreds of tailored projects for leading brands such as FIFA, Coca-Cola, Disney, Gant, Samsung, Nike, L’Oreal, BP, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Chevron, Seat, Citroen, Esso, Optimus, Portucel Soporcel Group, Unicer, Sonangol, among others.

Also, we are publishing a Report soon to showcase the VR/AR Ecosystem in Portugal. Email luis@thevrara.com for the report!

Watch this video showcasing some of the top VR/AR innovators and leaders in Portugal:

Look what’s happening in Portugal! The VR/AR ecosystem is becoming one of the strongest in Europe #innovation #tech #simulation #edtech #immersive #social #games #fiva 🙌🙌 @LisbonVrara @ITPeopleInnov @NextRealityNews @Accenture_PT @CollideRocks @o_bravomartins @tiagomploureiro pic.twitter.com/ULQgxmo9ft

— VR/AR Association VRARA (@thevrara) November 24, 2018

Bellow are some videos about GEMA:

GEMA Portfolio on Museums

GEMA VR

GEMA Total Immersion (Gema brand’s for VR, AR)

GEMA VR for Health

GEMA X-PLora Case (an APP guide that has AR and that we have launched for Benfica Football Club last month).

Watch the recording of Cathy Hackl from our VR/AR Global Summit (Video)

Sign up for our upcoming VR/AR Global Summit in Europe here

Agenda and Speakers Announced for VRARA SF Year-end Event

VRARA members can attend free. Register here.

It's been an unreal year for AR & VR in the Bay Area and beyond!

Let's celebrate this victory with one last ecosystem event before the new year. We will be welcoming members of the VRARA Association as well as anyone interested in networking with the local AR and VR community of the Bay Area. Join us on December 18 to celebrate a night at the Unreal Garden, an immersive mixed reality experience where art comes to life all around you. Learn more details about the Unreal Garden here.

Event Details

• The event is free for VRARA members. Register here.

• We're also extending an offer to members to bring a +1 for free

• Networking, food and panel discussion included

• All attendees receive an ARtillry Intelligence report ($499 value)

• There is a Hololens experience ($25 extra), $10-off the regular price

• Prepay and book your time slot for the garden experience here

• We're also looking for sponsors. Please contact us if you're interested!

Evening Agenda

• 6-7pm: Welcome, networking 

• 7-8pm: Presentations and panel discussion (see below)

• 8-9:30: Networking, meet the speakers 

Speakers

Jane Fang, Microsoft

Leila Amirsadeghi, Onedome Global

Amy LaMeyer, WXR

Anjnay Midha, Ubiquity 6

Emily Olman, VRARA SF

Ray Kallmeyer, Enklu

Event Sponsor

Food & Drink sponsored by Enklu

Enklu is a cloud platform for immersive augmented reality for location-based entertainment.  We provide venues with a "just works" solution for deploying and operating compelling first person narratives in AR headsets with stunning visuals and captivating interactivity.  Enklu created the first wave of immersive AR experiences for brands like Mercedes-Benz, and we recently launched our flagship installation "The Unreal Garden" in partnership with Onedome in the heart of San Francisco.  Enklu was founded in 2016 by games industry studio executives in Alameda California to empower artists to blur the lines between physical and digital reality.

Event sponsorship is available, inquire with us at sfmarketing@thevrara.com

VRARA members can attend free. Register here.

Best Practices for VR & AR in Education (White Paper)

Our Education Committee has published this best practices white paper. To access the white paper, enter your email here:

Authors:

Carlos J. Ochoa, ONE Digital Consulting

Contributors:

Alan Smithson, MetaVRse

Chad Lewis, Tampa Preparatory School

Dave Room, BALANCE Edutainment

Dave Ternent, HumanEyes

Julie Smithson, MetaVRse

Kris Kolo, VRARA

Mike McCready, Lethbridge College

Mfon Akpan, National Louis University

Steve Bambury, JESS Dubai

Table of Contents

Preface

Opportunity

Introduction

Introduction to the VR/AR Association (VRARA)

The VRARA Education Committee

CHAPTER 1 Future Work Skills, Reimagining Digital Education

CHAPTER 2 VR/AR Educational Ecosystem

2.1 Disruptive Innovation in Education

2.2 VR & AR Definitions

2.4 VR/AR Educational Platforms for Beginners

CHAPTER 3 VR/AR in Education

3.1 Innovation in Education

3.2 Barriers to entry

3.3 Benefits and Values of VR/AR in Education

Chapter 4 VR/AR Educational Content

4.1 Types of VR Content

4.2 Instructional Design and Storytelling in VR Digital Content

4.3 Video 360º as VR Digital Education Content

CHAPTER 5 VR/AR Educational Resources

CHAPTER 6 Case Studies VR/AR in Education

Case Study 1 Learning Resource Centers in MOE Schools (United Arab Emirates).

Case Study 2 How teacher´s use VR to enhance students’ Learning Experience. Stow-Munroe Falls School District (Stow OH).

Case Study 3 Coding in VR. Toronto (Canada). Julie Smithson partner MetaVRse.

Case Study 4 Incorporating VR in the Accounting Classroom. National Louis University (Chicago)

Case Study 5 JESS Dubai. Steve Bambury, Head of Digital Learning and Innovation across JESS Dubai.

Case Study 6 Rutgers Preparatory School in Somerset, New Jersey, United States.

Case Study 7 Implementing a VR creation lab in high school. Chad Lewis (Tampa Preparatory School).

Case Study 8 The Future of Education. Lethbridge College (Alberta, Canada). Mike McCready.

Case Study 9 Alan Smithson (CEO/Co-founder of MetaVRse) in Rumii

Case Study 10 Pacha’s Pajamas. Dave Room (CEO, BALANCE Edutainment)

Case Study 11 Schools of the Future. Miramadrid School. (Spain) Carlos J. Ochoa (CEO ONE Digital Consulting)

CHAPTER 7 Conclusions

Thank you to ONE Digital Consulting and HumanEyes Technologies Ltd., the maker of Vuze cameras, for sponsoring this White Paper. For more information about the sponsors, visit: www.onedigitalconsulting.com and www.humaneyes.com

If you would like to sponsor a future version of this report, email info@thevrara.com

AR Smartglasses in the Works by LusoVU in Portugal

Come meet LusoVU at our upcoming VR/AR Global Summit Europe.

More info and sign up here

Get ready for the VR/AR Global Summit in Europe in 2019 that will highlight top leaders and innovators including Augmented Reality smartglassss #vrarags @esa @thalesgroup @Airbus #lusospace #vrara #tech #innovation #europe pic.twitter.com/8I7zZl6DMt

— VR/AR Association VRARA (@thevrara) November 21, 2018

LusoVU’s mission is improve life by connecting people beyond the human senses and to be the catalyzer of the new human interaction paradigm.

LusoVU develops AR solutions, using a unique and innovative technology. LusoVU continues its work on natural human interfaces; haptic interface (in a very simplistic way, hands movements) or eyetracking (eyes movements). These technologies will allow for a whole new way for humans to interact with the virtual world.

LusoVU is developing AR smartglasses, uniquely elegant with a huge field of view. The smartglasses characteristics include:

• Lightness The hI-DO concept will reduce drastically the overall mass of any head mounted display that will use this technology.

• Comfort With reduced mass comes physical comfort. The larger field of view will also bring eye comfort. The fact that this solution can be embedded into corrective lenses will also bring added comfort to users of prescription glasses. And comfort is a key characteristic for ubiquity.

• Elegance With very thin lenses, head mounted displays using the hI-DO technology will be as elegant as a normal pair of glasses or sunglasses.

• Usefulness The hI-DO will allow AR to become omnipresent in our lives. Head mounted displays, opposed to mobile phones or tablets, are wearable hands-free devices. As such they will unleash all the Augmented Reality potential which in turn will originate a series of new applications and uses for this new breed of eyewear.

• New interactions LusoVU continues its work on natural human interfaces. Be it haptic interface (in a very simplistic way, hands movements) or eyetracking (eyes movements) these technologies will allow for a whole new way for humans to interact with the virtual world.

• Large field of view While using any head mounted display, the sensation of immersion on a virtual or virtually increased world is directly related to the device’s field of view. The major breakthrough coming out of the hI-DO technology is certainly the very large field of view. While initially set to be 70 by 50 degrees, theoretically it can as big as one wants.

LusoVU is a Portuguese startup, founded in 2013 as a spin-off of LusoSpace, a company specialized in satellites components, which operates since 2002. It has prominent clients such as the European Space Agency.

More about LusoSpace

LusoSpace is a private space company composed by multidisciplinary highly qualified engineers on physics, electronics, optics and mechanics. LusoSpace’s vision is to lead the space sector in Portugal. Furthermore, LusoSpace aim to develop terrestrial applications which result from the space experience and its success.

Since its first year of activity, LusoSpace has been in the front line of technological innovation. Being the first Portuguese company to fly critical space hardware, we are proud to be a national reference for the society. Our skills were demonstrated by establishing a high tech company in the space sector, without strong initial investments or corporate support.

Main customers are ESA - European Space Agency, EADS-Astrium and Thales Alenia Space. ESA is the major european entity driving for new developments in the space sector. EADS - Astrium and Thales Alenia Space are the main european satellites manufacturers driving the space sector as a commercial activity.