Weekly Insights
Can AR + AI Elevate eCommerce?
One of the ongoing questions and hot topics in AR is how it’s converging with AI. We wrote an entire white paper on it, and were on stage at AWE USA 2024 when Snap announced GenAI suite: a new set of generative AI tools meant to automate and assist AR lens creation.
AR creation workflows are just one of the collision points between AI and AR. Another one will be what we call “generative AR,” which is serendipitous AR experiences that are prompted by users on the fly. This deviates from the highly pre-ordained and produced flavors of AR to date.
Another convergence of these technologies recently crossed our desks: eCommerce. Generative AI is increasingly integrated into eCommerce engines to let retailers and merchants generate their product listings through text prompts, thus saving time to produce product images. (AR Insider)
Tripp launches AI meditation guide Kōkua XR on Meta Quest
Wellness tech company Tripp announced its AI meditation beta experience Kōkua XR is now available on the Tripp app on the Meta Quest virtual reality platform.
Trained across over 11 million global wellness sessions, the beta version of Kōkua XR leverages Tripp‘s mood data to deliver individualized meditative reflections based on user feedback in real-time. (Venture Beat)
AI-Generated Videos: More Real Than Reality
AI is going wild. What is real and unreal is hard to tell, With Flux we can now create reality within 40 seconds. Hands and text are more realistic than ever. Here’s how it’s happening ↓Most people don’t realize Black Forest Labs is behind this breakthrough.They were founded by key members of the original Stable Diffusion team.Their goal: cutting-edge generative deep learning models for images and videos.But with the launch of FLUX.1, they’ve changed the game forever.
Here’s what they did:
→ FLUX.1 Model VariantsThey rolled out three versions: FLUX.1 [pro], FLUX.1 [dev], and FLUX.1 [schnell]. Each model is designed for different uses, from commercial to open-source.
→ Technical BrillianceAll models have 12 billion parameters.They use a hybrid architecture combining transformers and diffusion techniques.This makes them incredibly efficient and powerful. (Dr. Martha Boeckenfeld)
Dior x Harrods summer pop-up elevated with AR lens
Christian Dior Couture’s vibrant Miss Dior & Lady Dior's bags come to life right before your eyes, making Harrods' window display even more fun and interactive with an augmented reality experience on Snapchat. Transforming the iconic facade of Harrods in London, the AR lens adds a whole new layer of fun and interaction. (Atomic Digital Design)
Digital Fashion Designers’ Council Debuts With Fashion Week Connect Events
The buzz around the metaverse might have faded — but the idea of virtual fashion hasn’t and is now ready to take the next step by going deeper into offerings that are both digital and physical. A new nonprofit, the Digital Fashion Designers’ Council, isn’t just looking to keep “phygital” alive, but wants to make it thrive.
Amid ongoing challenges in adapting phygital fashion to various formats, the Council has introduced the Reality Spectrum Matrix (RSM). This innovative tool is designed to display virtual fashion seamlessly across different channels and platforms, including headsets, metaverses, social media, and gaming platforms.
As part of its "Fashion Week Connect" initiative, the Council will present a proof of concept through events and collaborations with fashion brands. (WWD)
Biotherm "Up For Summer" AR mirror activation in Oslo
This Summer 2024, Biotherm launched the "Up for Summer" campaign, bringing a unique phygital experience to their retail space at Oslo Airport. Atomic Digital Design teamed up with DIGITALLI to craft an innovative interactive installation, that combined body tracking and machine learning, creating an engaging series of mini-challenges aligned with Biotherm's wellness and fitness focus. (Atomic Digital Design)
Will Mixed Reality Change the Way We Shop?
ver the past decade, the race for immersive eCommerce has accelerated, and augmented reality has played a key role. At first, AR for retail was pretty simple – static virtual overlays and gimmicky applications that, although conceptually compelling, tended to lack depth and functionality. As AR technology has developed, so have its applications for retail, which are now far more advanced and practical. Today, customers can use AR to see how true-to-size furniture looks in their homes, to try-on clothes virtually while moving in real-time, or to see how makeup products look on their skin, all with a fair degree of accuracy.
With mixed reality (XR) headsets like the Apple Vision Pro now on the market, AR for eCommerce is ready for its next push forward. While it and devices like it have yet to see mainstream adoption, having these devices in the hands of developers has provided valuable insight into potential future use cases. Many apps are currently being developed, and we are sure to see its effects on many industries in the years to come. (AR Insider)
New virtual reality gaming and entertainment venue Mirra opening in Bellevue
Virtual reality entertainment startup Mirra plans to open its first location in Bellevue, Wash. in August. Mirra is a “social entertainment venue” that offers an assortment of unique VR games that attendees can play for an hour at a time. It’s moving into a third-floor, 10,700 square-foot space at Lincoln Square South as part of the Bellevue Collection development.
“Our venue takes the party game concept to new heights,” Mirra founder Sam Wang said in a press release. “We’re merging VR technology with a vibrant social scene to create unforgettable events.”
Wang founded Mirra in 2020 in Bellevue. His previous positions include a stint as a general manager at the visual effects studio Phenom Films and co-founding the VR startup Skylimit Entertainment Group, both located in Beijing. (GeekWire)
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