Both iOS and Android users can download the amazing IKEA Catalogue app for free(!) to discover all 43 pieces of augmented and activated content when the publication finally hits mail and IKEA stores around the world.
Check out all the great press around this innovative product catalog:
with Augmented Reality increasing its visibility in fields like marketing, mobile and entertainment, applications of the technology in industrial processes help our customers to improve the quality and maintainability of their products on a day-to-day level. We are proud that we have, ever since the inception of metaio, viewed the deployment of the technology in the industrial domain as one of the strongest use-cases.
Our core industrial product metaio Engineer is the only professional Augmented Reality solution on the market to satisfy the needs of industrial users with applications in production planning, virtual prototyping and maintenance of technical products – all based on 10 years of research and development in the industrial domain.
Also – we are very happy to invite you to this year’s insideAR, and to announce the first details about what will be an exciting and illuminating event for the Augmented Reality industry. We would love to have you join us in beautiful Munich for the most professional business-minded event in Augmented Reality and mobile high-tech. More on this: http://www.metaio.com/newsletter/metaio-news/2012/insidear-save-the-date/
With Augmented Reality increasing its visibility in fields like marketing, mobile and entertainment applications of the technology in industrial processes help our customer to improve the quality and maintainability of their products on a day-to-day level. We are proud that we have, ever since the inception of metaio, viewed the deployment of the technology in the industrial domain as one of the strongest use-cases.
Our core industrial product metaio Engineer is the only professional Augmented Reality solution on the market to satisfy the needs of industrial users with applications in production planning, virtual prototyping and maintenance of technical products – all based on 10 years of research and development in the industrial domain. -the metaio team
From Q4/2012 the all new metaio Engineer 5.0 will be available to our customers. We have received more than 150 feature requests from our customers and partners worldwide and have implemented more than 100 features in the new release. Developing the new version we have put special emphasis on the following features:
Integrated high precision camera calibration
New high accuracy off set calibration
Improved handling of CAD files
Support for measuring tasks between real and virtual objects
The flexible design of metaio Engineer allows for the deployment in production planning, logistic planning, verification tasks as well as assembly support.
Shorter product life cycles and the rising complexity in automotive design and prototyping makes virtual engineering a key success factor in the industry. Using Augmented Reality to compare virtual design data with actual prototypes can result in a lower time-to-market and can improve product quality.
Learn how our customers use metaio Engineer in their prototyping environment to support the following tasks:
Superimposition of welding bolts
Visual check of construction status
Validation of flexible parts (tubing and wiring for example)
Virtual correction and assembly analysis
Assembly space analysis
The key benefits in this application domain include:
Reduced training costs
Reduced number of real prototypes
Qualitative improvement of prototyping parts (e.g. vendor parts)
Improved communication with designers, vendors and test engineers
Have look on the case study and learn more about automotive prototyping.
In our latest case-study we are showcasing how MAN Diesel is using Augmented Reality to retrofit a 30 year old ship engine. In order to save time and cost as well as for a reliable project planning, the installation of the new engine is simulated in advance using metaio Engineer.
Based on photos of the current engine compartment Augmented Reality allows for the virtual positioning of the retrofitted engine and its mounting positions.
The key benefits in this application domain include:
Improved estimate on project costs
Virtual evaluation of design options
Identification of savings
Efficient communication between engineering, sales, management and customers
Highly accelerated capturing of spatial limitations
We see a wide field of possible applications for the methodology on all measures of retro-fitting, re-powering and maintenance of ship engines.
This year our famous annual exhibition insideAR – one of the biggest Augmented Reality events worldwide – will be the platform for presenting the brand new metaio Engineer 5.0. With a large number of new features this release takes another step to an all-in-one solution for highly- accurate AR analyses in almost every kind of engineering projects.
All our guests at insideAR will have the opportunity to see metaio Engineer solve day-to-day tasks in virtual engineering on real live use-cases.
Come to insideAR on October 1st and 2nd and take a look!
We are very happy to invite you to this year’s insideAR, and to announce the first details about what will be an exciting and illuminating event for the Augmented Reality industry. We would love to have you join us in beautiful Munich for the most professional business-minded event in Augmented Reality and mobile high-tech. The metaio team
In the last 12 months the outlook for Augmented Reality as a mass technology has changed dramatically.
In August of 2011 metaio CTO Peter Meier introduced the first-ever optical recognition and tracking of a real world object on a consumer mobile device, as well as a dedicated technological and professional roadmap to make accessing digital information in the real world a more natural experience.
metaio later integrated 3-D object tracking into the free version of the metaio Mobile Software Development Kit (SDK) and released it to the mobile developer community to enable and empower the next generation of mobile AR apps.
This year you will witness the next steps that will change the Augmented City from an idealized model into the real digital environment around you. metaio will show how a city, like Munich, can become truly augmented bringing digital information around you in an intuitive and natural interface. The real Augmented City will be created using more powerful but easier-to-use tools like junaio, or drag and drop AR creation tools such as the metaio Creator, which enables everyone to create Augmented Reality experiences with little or no technical knowledge.
Enter the future of the Augmented City at insideAR 2012 and learn how the digital world becomes natural experience.
metaio will give an exclusive first look at upcoming products, as well as insight into the latest advancements in the popular metaio Mobile SDK. Since its inception, insideAR has had the reputation for unveiling and announcing new technology and advances that have always been the cutting edge of vision based interactions. insideAR has always been the event to attend to see state-of-the-art Augmented Reality technology applied in real-world environments and situations.
As the technology leading AR company, metaio will present the results of European research projects VENTURI, EFA 2014 and CRUMBS, which show future scenarios of integrated Augmented Reality use.
metaio and its certified partners deliver hundreds of AR applications every year. Each use-case provides a specific solution for a specific problem. The exhibition at insideAR 2012 will give attendees a hands-on learning experience for integrated AR applications. The companies behind these projects will assist you on the implementation of potential AR projects into your business.
Take the opportunity to present your business and your recent innovations at insideAR, one of the most important Augmented Reality conferences worldwide. Meet the pioneers and leaders in the field of Augmented Reality. The high-level interaction and the direct contact with visiting professionals give you the opportunity to experience and discuss solutions in practical environments. From potential customers to experienced service providers and technology specialists, insideAR is the only event that brings together all aspects of the Augmented Reality industry.
Present your products and services to top decision-makers and opinion leaders increasing the visibility of your company within the international Augmented Reality community. Learn more about the options to present your business by contacting us atinsideAR [at] metaio [dot] com.
As every year, the leaders and visionaries of the AR industry will be on stage to present current achievements in technology, business, implementation and integration of Augmented Reality.
Past years speakers and presenters have included luminaries from world-renowned hardware companies like Nokia, ST-Ericsson, NVIDIA, ARM, Sony, as well as representatives from industry-proven agencies like Porter Novelli and Resource Interactive.
We are still searching and evaluating lists of potential speakers and keynotes to ensure we have a quality, curated list for all of our attendees. If you’d like to nominate a speaker or submit a speaking proposal, please contact us atinsideAR [at] metaio [dot] com.
Part 1 of an Interview with metaio’s Trak Lord on Augmented Reality Dirt- listen as he gives insight into metaio’s research, vision and roadmap [podcast]
The newest version of junaio is now available for iOS and Android- read more and download it today! [newsletter]
“Testing Out Augmented Reality” – Adi documents playing around with the metaio Creator and junaio [blog]
“Augmented Reality coming to the pages of the Atlantic”, QR Code Press [article]
XYQ Named Official Augmented Technology and New Media Partner of INDYCAR [press release]
Interview with metaio on NTV (German, but great clip) [video]
Metaio Announces Brand-New Pricing Model for Web SDK [blog]
mediagrand: 3D Object Tracking Augmented Reality [blog]
insideAR 2012: Save the Date, and contact us for speaking proposals and sponsorship information [Early Bird registration good until July 31st! [newsletter]
there are things happening
New patent shows Apple’s interest in its own “Project Glass” [article]
Japanese guy takes Pop Star Hatsune Miku out on [abusive] Augmented Reality Date [video]
Google demonstrates Project Glass whilst Skydiving [video]
Completely free for development, the deployment cost of only 3.000€ (3,750$) per application allows for the integration of Augmented Reality applications even in websites of small companies with tight budgets. Developers and service providers can promote their services to new and interesting target groups, who may not have wanted to invest in AR technology previously.
Ready for e-commerce and the social web
The metaio Web SDK delivers the necessary technology to create online Augmented Reality applications for e-commerce which can also be integrated with social platforms like Facebook, allowing websites to benefit from the power of the word-of-mouth recommendations of their users.
We are very happy to share the great news: our technology has been used for the first time at fairs for official communication! Our Certified Developer Concepteers GmbH has developed the Drupa app based on the junaio Plugin for the Drupa fair, which serves the print and media industry. This is a great example showing that metaio‘s software is a unique tool for bringing extra content to various scenarios and usage models.
In the last year AR rapidly established an interesting and more personal connection between product and end-user. When the reader sees the advertisement via a smartphone or a tablet using the mobile application based on the junaio software, a 3D animation starts up on the screen. This directs the user to the Drupa’s website, which provides extra content to the exhibition.
Although print is still the leading medium, this digital innovation elevates the traditional, well known print to a whole new level by making it helpful and exciting. AR establishes a unique dialog between the company and the user bringing the latest information right into the customer’s hands and providing up-to-dated information just a click away.
Concepteers has many years of experience in the media industry combined with solid experience in the IT business consulting. Concepteers develop cross marketing concepts to successfully target their audience through a multi-channel strategy. They have become metaio’s Certified Developer based on exceptional quality of their work on the metaio’s Augmented Reality junaio Plugin software.
Concepteers Creative Director Michael Sommer at the annual Drupa convention
junaio is software like no other. It is smart and offers brilliant opportunities too. Using junaio developers can create interesting applications like the Drupa app. AR is a great potential for buyers, advertisers and service providers. Thanks to junaio the classic ways of communication are now upgraded to a new level, providing experiences like never before.
Ever since we released the no-charge version of the metaio Mobile SDK in December, we’ve been searching for tech-savvy and creatively driven individuals and organizations that would get as excited as we do about vision-based mobile technology. Turns out no one actually gets as excited about computer-vision as we do, but there are certainly those who come close. Enter Harmony, a UK-based marketing agency who we are proud to announce is our first mobile software Certified Developer.
Founded in 1995, Harmony is an agency known for in-house design and development and expert web and app integration of marketing campaigns for a wide range of clients:
Harmony are a well-established creative agency based north of London, UK and develop clever web based solutions for a wide range of national and international clients. We have a diverse set of in-house skills from 3D and concept design work to database and Java programming which allow us to innovate and produce effective, novel and inspiring campaigns. The agency core has always been based on strong marketing principles and the blending of commercial requirements with technological developments.
Harmony has since put their development skills to the test (and to the proof) in using metaio’s mobile software to develop Onvert, a free mobile application for iOS and Android that combines the speed of QR code reading with the visual awe of Augmented Reality experiences.
2 years ago, we experimented with Augmented Reality concepts as part of our exploration of technologies but it was only when we looked at the combination of AR, QR Codes and parallax 3D that we came up with the model of Onvert. As designers ourselves, we wanted to make AR as accessible, powerful and inspiring as possible so that it is an extension of creativity rather than a boundary. Onvert is a combination of a custom web portal and a freely distributed app and allows designers to overlay virtual content (with or without sound) on any trigger image of choice. The QR codes can be read by any standard QR reader and, conversely, the Onvert viewer can interpret standard QR codes to guide users to the clients website. The Onvert app, however, can project the designers 3D content.
We assessed several options to achieve the high level of functionality required of the system but it became obvious that the Metaio Mobile SDK was the only real solution for us. With the assistance of the excellent technical department we were able to co-ordinate the development of the app to fit the new release in January 2012 to some amazingly positive feedback. We are now working on the next full release which will include enhanced content and increased object recognition making the most of the latest metaio Mobile SDK to expand the user experience even further.
We’re thrilled that Harmony has taken our SDK out for a spin and come back with such a great app. This is a great example of how developers, organizations, and even existing enterprises can utilize the stellartools metaio has provided to create entire business models. Check out the links above and learn more about how Harmony has taken some of the most advanced computer-vision software and built a great application on top of it.
Are you interested in developing the next-generation of mobile Augmented Reality applications? Contact us and try out for our Certified Developer program- and who knows….maybe you’re next!
Back in September, CEO Dr. Thomas Alt announced that we’d be releasing a free version of the metaio Mobile Software Development Kit (SDK) in an effort to both ensure and encourage the massive development and adoption of mobile augmented reality by 2014.
In that time, we researched and developed like crazy to make sure that our software would be the most advanced mobile solution available. We implemented Gravity Aware Feature Descriptors, a patented technology that makes image recognition and tracking faster and more robust. We benchmarked our technology by winning the 2011 ISMAR Tracking Competition. We integrated Unity3D for hardcore game developers and designers. And most importantly, we embarked on collaborative research partnerships with chipset providers like ARM, ST-Ericcson, and Texas Instruments. It’s been a busy fall.
As a result, we have for the entire mobile development community a powerful, advanced and industry-proven SDK, free of cost right from the start, with unlimited app-deployments for iOS and Android. A built-in advanced 3D rendering engine means you can start developing immediately. And it’s not a watered-down piece of shareware- this 3D rendering engine has been used in over 70 professional mobile apps, including our Augmented City demo.
Following Dr. Alt’s Welcome Address, CTO Peter Meier took the stage to talk about progress, growth, and most importantly, the process of making the experience of accessing digital information more intuitive and convenient.
In his address, “Making the Digital a Natural Experience”, Meier stressed the importance that all digital experiences need to be natural, intuitive, and fun- an interaction that bridges the gap between virtual and physical. Meier added that though there are many that talk about accomplishing this, metaio is making measurable steps to make this a reality.
“It’s important to have a dream- it’s also important to make it come true,” noted Meier.
junaio is one of metaio’s most visible benchmarks- the world’s most advanced AR browser saw tremendous growth in the last year in available content, developers, and channels in development (per developer) of at least 300%. More channels active per developer means more content, and both Meier and metaio believe that great content combined with great technology is the key to utility. Overall usefulness is imperative for AR to become the next mass medium.
Meier detailed some of the advancements we’ve made in the past year:
junaio has incorporated visual search, giving any user instant access to junaio AR content
the German Green Party used metaio technology to develop a political mobile with large potential for change
Meier announced what will eventually be the metaio Creator, a point and click interface for easily and quickly creating AR content for our software. The Creator will start with junaio and eventually be rolled out to all of metaio’s advanced software solutions.
Meier went on to demonstrate cutting-edge research that would eventually be presented at ISMAR in October- inarguable evidence that metaio is looking toward the future. We may be a product company, but no small part of our efforts are devoted to continually research and developing new technologies and interfaces. And as Meier explained, emerging technologies clearly favor AR. NFC, HTML5, and high powered telecom networks all point to enabling richer, smoother AR experiences.
Our CTO closed his presentation with a brief comparison between AR and the gaming industry, which had a gradual climb before ascending to a $65 Billion industry. Some of the gaming industry’s largest advancements came in the form of outside hardware and chipset manufacturers like NVIDIA. metaio has embarked on similar initiatives by entering into collaborative R&D partnerships with mobile chipset and hardware providers.
As Meier said at the close of his presentation, “Let’s go make this a $65 billion industry!” With the right content and hardware providers working with metaio’s technology, anything is possible.
Stay tuned for our next post- a recap of John C Haven’s insideAR keynote, “Virtual Advertising Rights”.
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