We’re super excited that CES is back in Vegas! The tech landscape had a clear focus on the metaverse and the momentum behind it. Our round-up includes AR, VR, Metaverse, NFTs, Web 3, and WebAR, and special announcements from the Geenee team.
Geenee WebAR Full Body Tracking SDK Now Live!
Image Source: Geenee
We also have some news for you! In case you missed it, the SDK will be made available to agency partners and developers. Anyone interested in a first-look can apply for Geenee’s Partner Labs Program HERE).
This is the first time a 3D augmented reality try-on solution is available for the web. Users wear digital garments or avatars that follow their movements in real-time, without the extra step of downloading an app. Welcome to Web 3!
Now for the biggest announcements coming out of CES:
Augmented Reality Hardware Announcements
Panasonic reveals its new Augmented Reality HUD 2.0. The AR HUD system comes with a patented eye-tracking system (ETS) to create a more intuitive and enhanced AR experience via Auganix.
Image Source: Panasonic North America (Youtube)
Microsoft partners with Qualcomm for AR chips. Microsoft already uses Qualcomm chips for their HoloLens headsets, but the companies made things a bit more official this week. At Qualcomm’s keynote they announced the two will work together to develop chips built specifically for use in AR headsets. These chips support each of their augmented reality development platforms (Microsoft Mesh and Snapdragon Spaces) via TechCrunch.
Image Source: Qualcomm
TCL is dabbling in the AR glasses space, pitching something akin to Google Glass, and the package resembles a standard pair of specs. “Holographic optical waveguide technology” pushes visuals onto the lens and into your field of view, and their concept video promises touch-based controls built into the frames via TechCrunch
Image Source: TCL LEINIAO AR (Youtube)
Lenovo launches a new smart glasses product in the A3-targeting enterprise via ABI Research.
Vuzix unveiles their latest product plan which leverages micro-organic light-emitting diode displays. This reduces the form factor of the smart glasses platform via ABI Research.
Kura’s Gallium AR Glasses received the CES Innovation award.
NFTs and Gaming
Samsung gets ahead of the NFT game at CES 2022 by combining TV with the future. “In 2022, Samsung will introduce the world’s first TV-based NFT browser and aggregator,” the company announced via Nenroll
Image Source: SAMSUNG
Samsung partners with Asia’s biggest Metaverse platform Zepeto.The metaverse activation empowers users to experience Samsung products and enhances brand awareness throughout the Metaverse. Visitors can decorate their virtual home with Samsung products and “test” out their products too via CES Samsung newsroom.
Metaverse and Web 3
Disney is working on glasses-free virtual installations.They’ve been granted a patent for a Virtual World Simulator where multiple visitors experience a 3D virtual world from various vantage points without the need of wearing any glasses. This has many advantages for Disney, the first of which is the fact that they don’t have to lose time to provide glasses to the users, fit them, train the users on how to use them, and then clean them up after use. This guarantees higher throughput of visitors through the Web 3 powered park via Los Angeles Daily News.
NVIDIA makes its Web 3 Omniverse platform free to use for all creators without the need to sign up via VRFocus
Image Source: NVIDIA
Fiat-Chrysler showcases a fully AR and VR enabled CES “booth.” The experience has high-quality renderings of 12 vehicles for users to explore and came with a virtual assistant for a guided tour, if desired via Tech Times