augmented reality

Zugara - Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

What’s New in Mobile Marketing – 3/10/10

Zugara - Friday, March 5th, 2010

ARWire: Zugara’s iPhone App for Augmented Reality News

Like us, many of you are passionate about Augmented Reality. And since news waits for no man/woman, we decided to create an iPhone app so you can always get real-time access to the latest AR related news and conversations.

Currently, ARWire has 4 main sections:

  • BLOGS: Access to all of the top blogs that focus their coverage on AR.
  • FACEBOOK AR: Access to all the items posted to the wall of Facebook’s largest AR group.
  • AR PEEPS: Tracks the tweets of people and companies involved in AR (via @ChrisGrayson).
  • AR TWEETS: Searches Twitter for “Augmented Reality” to show you what people are talking about right now.

Additionally, you can share the content above via whichever channel is right for you. Email, Twitter and Facebook are all integrated into ARWire and only one touch away.

Check it out (we’d love to hear your thoughts below), and please spread the word.  Currently, there’s a free version up in the iTunes store, but a premium version (with ads removed) should be going live soon.

UPDATE:  ARWire Premium is live, and can be found here.

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matt - Monday, March 1st, 2010

Did Chatroulette Just Launch The Interactive Video Conferencing Boom?

Note: This originally ran on 2/25/10  as an Op-Ed in AdAge.  You can view that article here.

The numbers don’t lie.  Live Video Conferencing / Streaming is on an explosive growth trajectory.  Consider some recent stats below:

So the numbers above show that there is avid consumer interest for broadcasts that happen over the net, in realtime and streamed.  But what of Interactive Video Conferencing? Though the events above offer social media integration they aren’t ‘true’ interactive video conferencing events.  To date, most of these livestream broadcasts allow people to chat with one another about the event as it’s happening or to pose questions that a moderator will ask the subject of the livestream itself.  But is this true ‘interactivity’? I would argue a definitive no.

Skype and live 1-to-1 video conferencing systems offer interaction between connected hosts in a live, connected video feed.  So there’s already an inherent difference between the current examples of  ‘livestreams’ and the systems in place for ‘video conferences’.  Conferences being the keyword that implies basic live video interaction between stream members.  But, apart from making headlines on Techcrunch or Mashable, most videoconferencing and livestreaming hasn’t achieved a level of critical mass adoption yet.

Twitter was the catalyst to help microblogging explode onto the scene and even went so far as to create an ecosystem around it – url shorteners, service clients (Tweetdeck, Seesmic) and so on.  Similar patterns are emerging with the recent massive growth Chatroulette is experiencing.  Part of this is due to curiosity (like every new trend) but I would wager that Chatroulette itself has just become the catalyst for interactive video conferencing and will accelerate adoption of video conferencing  by the masses.

Here in no particular order are a few stats on the webcam and videoconferencing ecosystem:

Note: Chatroulette is a new video chat service that can be very NSFW (Not Safe For Work).  It is suggested you read here before going to the site so you know what to expect.

So these are ‘official stats’ but what of Chatroulette?  Since the service has only been out a few months, there’s not much in way of official stats but here’s what I’ve been able to dig up or have seen after using the service:

  • Traffic has almost doubled in a week from 20,000 concurrent users on 2/13 to almost 40,000 on 2/20
  • Approximately 75% of users seem to fall into the 18-24 age group.
  • Though there is still quite a bit of obscene content, it seems to have diminished ratio wise with the larger traffic numbers.  Maybe more ‘normal’ people are starting to use the service :-)
  • An ecosystem around Chatroulette is already developing.  The 1st out of the gate – software that allows you to modify your live video stream.  Manycam is one such system which allows for Augmented Reality-like features such as applying animations to your face through facial tracking.
  • The most important observation – clones of the service are already appearing in record time – Redditroulette, Tinychat and others.

So what Chatroulette has shown is that there is definitely consumer interest in and a market for interactive video conferencing – especially with the Gen Y demographic.  This is not surprising as both Gen Y and Gen Z are demographic sets that will be growing up with these types of interactive systems in place (similar to initial text based chat systems that were in place for Gen X.)

Furthermore, Chatroulette has shown that a simple UI and Flash based video conferencing system can work – efficiently and effectively.  This probably isn’t good news for startups and tech companies that have been trying to sell 5-6 figure teleconferencing platforms and systems to businesses. Expect to start seeing ‘generated backlash’ against the Flash-based technology even though the genie is already out of the bottle.

Finally, this recent surge in traffic with Chatroulette shows that desktop based video conferencing only has room for growth.  As adoption grows, we’ll also see more advanced uses of video conferencing which include more advanced interactivity.  This is the main reason we developed ZugSTAR technology to allow Augmented Reality based interactivity between video streams.

In summary, it remains to be seen if Chatroulette itself is a fad or the next Twitter.  However, what is has shown is that interactive video conferencing is here to stay and is positioning itself to be the de facto method of communication very soon.

Any comments, hit me up on Twitter @kobrakai or leave comments below.

Zugara - Thursday, February 25th, 2010

What’s New in Mobile Marketing – 2/25/10

Zugara - Friday, February 12th, 2010

Augmented Reality Facebook Page’s Top 3 Links of the Week- 2/8/10

You can find all of this week’s Augmented Reality news on the Facebook page we manage (http://www.facebook.com/augmentedreality), but to follow are the three most popular stories of the week:

  1. Concept Video for Future of Education…
  2. The Future of Augmented Reality Gaming
  3. The Future of User Interfaces
Zugara - Thursday, February 4th, 2010

Zugara’s Newest Technology Enables Augmented Reality To Be A Social And Collaborative Experience

ZugSTAR Combines The Interactivity Of Augmented Reality With The Immediacy Of Live Video Conferencing

For all press inquiries, please contact: press(at)zugara(dot)com

February 4, 2010, Los Angeles – Today Zugara is introducing “ZugSTAR” (Zugara STreaming Augmented Reality), a technology that allows people in different locations to have shared Augmented Reality experiences from within their video feeds. Picture a web based video conferencing system similar to Skype*, but with the added functionality of being able to see one another’s “augmented” experience in real time.  With ZugSTAR, Augmented Reality becomes a technology that facilitates collaboration, and physical distance becomes less of a barrier.

As a proof of concept, Zugara has already integrated this prototype within their Webcam Social Shopper to create a more engaging, and social, online retail experience. Whether its two lifelong friends attending different Universities, or a mother in NY who wants some quality time with her daughter in Dallas, online shopping can now be a more emotionally satisfying experience. And with the effectiveness of traditional forms of advertising in steep decline, what brand wouldn’t want to facilitate that type of branded experience for their consumers?

The video below demonstrates both the Webcam Social Shopper integration, and a few potential use cases that are currently in development:

“While integrating ZugSTAR into the Webcam Social Shopper is a natural extension of the tech, it’s certainly not the full extent of our vision.” said Matt Szymczyk, CEO, Zugara. “Gartner predicts that by 2015 200 million people will be paying for desktop video conferencing. Now, I don’t want to sound hyperbolic, but this tech has the potential to impact virtually every single industry. Anywhere distance is a barrier to real-time collaboration, ZugSTAR has the potential to provide a tremendous amount of value.”

To illustrate Matt’s point, here are a few potential use cases for ZugSTAR:

  • EDUCATION (DISTANCE LEARNING): A science teacher can field questions and twist and turn a DNA helix as he/she explains their answers.
  • MEDICINE: 3D models of an fMRI will allow a Dr. to either consult with other Dr.’s, or explain the test’s results directly to a patient.
  • PUBLISHING: Augmented Reality Pop-Up Books can enable a parent that’s on the road to help their child to learn how to read.
  • PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: A 3D model (e.g. of a shoe or a building being developed) can be shared, and discussed, with colleagues, clients, vendors, and partners.
  • CASUAL GAMING: Augmented Reality based casual games can now be multiplayer.

So, what do you think? What other industries can this technology impact? We’d love to get your thoughts in the comments below.

About Zugara’s Proprietary Augmented Reality Technologies

The Webcam Social Shopper


For more information on the Webcam Social Shopper, click here.

Cannonballz, A Casual Game Using ZugMO Motion Capture Technology


For more information on Cannonballz, click here.

About Zugara

Zugara, a member of the Augmented Reality Industry guiding “AR Consortium”, is an interactive marketing company focused on emerging media and technology. Zugara’s main areas of expertise include interactive video, social media, mobile marketing and website / application development. In addition to the strategic marketing based services we provide for our clients, Zugara also creates proprietary Augmented Reality technologies and products, including The Webcam Social Shopper, and a web based motion capture interface, ZugMO. Founded in 2001, and based in Los Angeles, Zugara is currently in the process of expanding and opening a second office in New York.

www.zugara.com

www.zugarastudios.com

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Copyright 2010 ZugSTAR Technology

Copyright 2009 ZugMO Technology

Copyright 2009 Zugara Inc.

Patent Pending

*Skype is not affiliated in any way with ZugSTAR, and was just used to give readers a frame of reference.

Zugara - Friday, January 29th, 2010

Augmented Reality Facebook Page’s Top 4 Links of the Week – 1/29/10

You can find all of this week’s Augmented Reality news on the Facebook page we manage (http://www.facebook.com/augmentedreality). Normally we post the top three most popular stories of the week, but there is a tie, so this week, we are posting the top four:

  1. Jiim Immersive Image-Based Modeling: Create 3D Models While Capturing Video
  2. Spatial Computing Part II: Shopping
  3. Augmented Reality Event Is Coming in June 2010!
  4. Hungry Hungry Eat Head: Outdoor Billboard AR Experience
matt - Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Augmented Reality Examples For Storefront Displays, Event Marketing, Point Of Purchase And More…

About a month ago, I wrote an op-ed for Adweek entitled “2010: The Year of Augmented Reality“.  What I was trying to convey in the op-ed is that while Mobile will be the key component of AR in the future, right now there are many different advertising and marketing channels that can actually utilize AR in creative and innovative ways.  Though I won’t republish the article here (you can read it on Adweek’s site), I did want to include embedded video examples below of how channels such as Interactive Storefront Displays, Digital Billboards, Event Marketing and Point Of Purchase are currently using AR.  Web, Mobile and Print get all the press but these examples show how brands should think of AR as being adaptable to pretty much any marketing or advertising channel.  If interested in even more examples than below, check out the Facebook Augmented Reality Page which has just about every recent AR example out there.  So, without further adieu…

POINT OF PURCHASE

POP might be the most advantageous channel for AR given that a well-planned and executed AR initiative can easily turn consumer purchase interest to intent in a matter of seconds.  Kiosk format provides little to no barrier of entry for consumer.

Developed by Metaio

INTERACTIVE DIGITAL BILLBOARDS

Numerous brands could leverage the unique participatory interaction of an interactive billboard.

Developed by Chris O’Shea

EVENT MARKETING

Event Marketing, like point of purchase, is also a great channel for AR, given most consumers will likely already have interest in your brand. Though most of these executions are gimmicks, this channel is maturing.

Developed by Total Immersion

Developed by Metaio

INTERACTIVE STOREFRONT DISPLAYS

AR-based storefront displays can be used in myriad ways to help drive consumers into your store.

Developed by Simon & John

Developed by Jim George & Karolina Sobecka

MUSEUM / PUBLIC WORKS

The binoculars or viewing mechanism mimic how optical AR can function in the future.  For now though, AR helps museums become interactive by making history come alive.

Developed by Mindpsace Solutions

matt - Monday, January 25th, 2010

Augmented Reality Event Is Coming in June 2010!

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Save the date now – June 2nd and 3rd in Santa Clara, California.  More info can be found on the ARE hompage here.

This is sure to be a great event  focusing on all aspects of the Augmented Reality industry including technical, financial and marketing.

Zugara on Facebook