Agenda

Description

On their own, text-based LLM interfaces like ChatGPT can’t deliver exchanges that are akin to one person chatting with another person in the real world. They lack a face, a personality, and a physical presence with which to connect. But very soon, we won’t just be interacting with LLMs through a text prompt.The AIs that we will chat with will have a physical form. Will that form be built of real-world holograms or physical robots? Just as iPhones were the “container” for the mobile revolution, the race between holograms and emotional robots as the “containers” for the conversational AI revolution is heating up. This talk will touch on the early commercial examples of each.

Speakers

Shawn Frayne

Chief Executive Officer , Looking Glass

Description

The Gateway to the Future is an AR project that aims to "enrich cultural heritage through the power of technology". It consists of two AR experiences centered around the Wasserschloss - an iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Hamburg. HONOR partnered with ARLOOPA to bring the concept to life and tasked two visual artists - Yunuene and Timo Helgert, to creatively transform the Wasserschloss using AR.

Yunuene's "Sailing Through Time" project takes viewers on a journey through the port city of Hamburg's marine logistics history.

You can enjoy both experiences for free using the ARLOOPA app. Users lucky enough to be in Hamburg can use AR from the Poggenmühlen-Brücke bridge on the side of the Wasserschloss landmark as a vantage point. Everybody else can just use a flat surface to project the entire visual ensemble on a flat surface.

We can see how the metaverse is colliding with physical reality.

Speakers

YUNUENE

Artist , Creator

Arman Atoyan

Chief Wizard , ARLOOPA

Description

Join the "Grandfather of Virtual Reality" and Virtual World Society founder Tom Furness + China President at HTC and VWS board member Alvin Graylin as we discuss the next stage of the XR industry's growth. Sharing their thoughts on the views and learnings from key industry leaders of the VWS' "XR Round Table", find out where Tom's untethered optimism and Alvin's seasoned global business experience intersect.

Moderated by Linda Ricci, this promises to be a lively and action-provoking session featuring leading thinkers in the space.

Speakers

Linda Ricci

Business / Emerging Tech Strategy Consultant , Consultant

Angelina Dayton

Executive Director , Virtual World Society

Tom Furness

Founder & Chairman , Virtual World Society

Alvin Graylin

Global VP of Corporate Development , HTC

Description

Does the idea of making tabletop holograms excite you? Well, it should! The Tilt Five Augmented Reality System offers a new way to develop and play. Jeri breaks down her latest AR projects and how she approaches developing new games and experiences. With a low-friction path to making AR content–even if it’s your first time–the system provides you everything you need to engage, entertain, and educate your users. Find out how you can create the ultimate experience for family game night or even develop a plugin to increase your team’s productivity–the possibilities are endless!

Speakers

Jeri Ellsworth

CEO , Tilt Five

Description

Incorporating compassion and empathy in metaversive learning can be an effective strategy for increasing the retention of discipline-specific lessons in immersive XR learning environments. Morehouse College is exploring the use of emotive experiences to increase student engagement in their Metaversity. By integrating virtual reality simulations, storytelling, and perspective-taking exercises, students are able to connect with the learning material on a deeper, emotional level.

Virtual reality simulations allow students to experience real-world scenarios that demonstrate the importance of the lesson in a more tangible way. The storytelling aspect engages students' emotions and helps them to retain the material better. Perspective-taking exercises encourage students to think outside of their own perspective and see issues from multiple angles, fostering empathy and understanding. These emotive experiences have resulted in increased student engagement and a deeper understanding of the material, which can be applied in real-world settings.

Morehouse College's approach to incorporating emotive experiences in their Metaversity has the potential to improve student outcomes and better prepare them for future success. Take a walk around their digital twin campus, journey back in time on the La Amistad slave ship and World War II, and discover life of others from the lens of storytelling.

Speakers

Mikki Harris

Associate Professor , Morehouse College

Muhsinah Morris

Metaversity Director and Professor , Morehouse College

Description

Join us for an enlightening fireside chat featuring Paul Raphael, Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of the Emmy-winning Felix & Paul Studios.

In conversation with Amy Jupiter, a renowned Creative Producer, VFX Supervisor, Experience Designer, and Disney Imagineer. Paul will delve into the theme: "Lessons Learned from Pioneering Presence-Based VR Storytelling." This is an opportunity for anyone eager to learn from the masters of immersive experiences.

Over the past 10 years, Felix & Paul Studios has pushed boundaries and achieved numerous milestones in the VR industry, including the creation of the first-ever VR film, Strangers with Patrick Watson.
Gain a better understanding about the past, present, and future of VR narrative experiences from the studio that has created dozens of productions that have transported audiences to places usually reserved for a select few, such as a limo ride alongside rapper Eminem in Marshall from Detroit, a tour of the White House with the Obamas in The People’s House, and traveling and living in outer space with the award-winning Space Explorers series developed in partnership with NASA.

Their recent venture, the next-generation VR location-based experience, Space Explorers – THE INFINITE, continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in immersive storytelling for a wide audience.

Paul will share insights gleaned from these projects and discuss the creative and technical evolution the studio has undergone over the last decade with a look to the future. Guided by Amy Jupiter's expertise, the conversation will unpack the nuances of VR storytelling and its potential to transform the way we engage with narratives across touchpoints including, immersive installations and events, theme parks, and public spaces.

This talk promises to be a deep dive into the potential of VR, full of practical insights and creative inspiration. Don't miss this chance to learn from the pioneer who continues to be at the forefront of the VR storytelling revolution.

Speakers

Amy Jupiter

Founder/Chief Experience Designer , ByJove: A Collective of Perspective TM

Paul Raphael

Vice-President,Brand and Product Marketing , Félix & Paul Studios

Description

Coming Soon!

Speakers

Louis Rosenberg

CEO and Chief Scientist , Unanimous AI

Gigi Johnson

President , Rethink Next

David Cohn

Chief Strategy Officer & Co-Founder , Subtext

Maya Ackerman

CEO / Co-Founder , WaveAI

Robin Raskin

Founder , Virtual Events Group

Description

Join us for an illuminating fireside chat with Christopher Lafayette and Emmy Award Winning Journalist Lisa Bernard. They will venture into the dynamic world of the Metaverse, more specifically, Christopher’s brainchild, GatherVerse.

As a vanguard of virtual reality and a visionary in emerging technologies, Christopher Lafayette has dedicated his career to building bridges between humanity and the digital universe. His pioneering work with GatherVerse demonstrates a profound commitment to creating inclusive, accessible, and ethically-conscious digital spaces. In this discussion, he will share his thoughts on how we can foster a more equitable Metaverse that respects privacy and promotes wellness.

Renowned for her incisive interviewing style, Lisa Bernard will engage Christopher in a deep dive into the myriad considerations that inform the development of a human-centric Metaverse. Their conversation will explore ethics, AI, and the importance of striking a balance between technological advancement and human values.

In this era of rapid technological evolution, safety, privacy, and accessibility remain paramount. Christopher and Lisa will shed light on these critical issues, drawing on their extensive experience to offer valuable insights for the benefit of our digital community.

Whether you're an educator striving to harness the power of the Metaverse for learning or a technologist keen to ensure the ethical deployment of AI, this fireside chat promises to deliver thought-provoking perspectives and actionable insights.

Join us at AWE to learn how we can shape the Metaverse to uphold the tenets of community development, equity, and education while meeting the technological demands of our future.

Don't miss this opportunity to join the conversation with two industry thought-leaders as they explore the crucial intersection of humanity and emerging technologies in building a human-centric Metaverse.

Speakers

Christopher Lafayette

Founder , GatherVerse

Lisa Bernard

Host/Producer , GatherVerse

Description

The promise of VR as the answer to what ails education has been widely touted. Yes, it's immersive and engaging, but do students retain what they learn, and is it a viable scalable alternative?

Welcome to the great debate. Team VR will feature Steve Grubbs, CEO of Victory XR which has already created digital twins for 12 university campuses. Team No VR features John Katzman as an American Ed-tech pioneer s an American EdTech pioneer. He has established numerous companies which assist students with their studies and career choices, including Princeton Review, 2U, and Noodle Partners. But he is not a fan of VR for education. The audience will be persuaded and vote for one side or another in this important debate. Moderated by Robin Raskin, longtime journalist, educator and events creator.

Speakers

John Katzman

CEO , Noodle

Robin Raskin

Founder , Virtual Events Group

Steve Grubbs

CEO , VictoryXR

Description

With XR emerging as the next computing platform, creators, brands, and media companies are intensifying their efforts to capture audiences' attention in the immersive space.

In this talk, we explore how XR can reinvent the most compelling form of communication in the world—the power of stories.

Through concrete examples of storytelling applied to industries such as entertainment, education, and food, we dive into the capabilities of XR storytelling to engage new audiences and win the attention battle.

Speakers

Victor Agulhon

CEO , TARGO

Description

Experts in WebAR discuss successful marketing and interactive use cases with some of the top brands/IPs.
Adam Sidwell: Founder at Future House Studios
Joe Gabriel: Developer Relations Lead at Niantic
Jason Steinberg: Managing Partner at Pretty Big Monster
Sharon Seitz: Head of Product at Trigger Global

Speakers

Lani Bertino

VP of Production , Trigger XR

Joe Gabriel

Developer Relations Lead , Niantic

Adam Sidwell

Head of Studio , Future House Studios

Jason Steinberg

Managing Partner and Co-Founder , Pretty Big Monster

Description

Extended reality (XR) environments are made possible by multiple sensors and technical processes acting in concert to process a diverse array of data about the user and their surrounding environment. These data flows power the functions that enable immersive experiences, but can raise privacy and data protection concerns for both users and bystanders. In this presentation, we will analyze:

1. What these data flows look like and identity where privacy issues may emerge, such as how applications of artificial intelligence (AI), including generative AI, can contribute to these challenges by enabling manipulation and inferences about sensitive user information; and

2. Draw attention to how existing and future privacy and data protection laws may interact with XR technologies.

To help the audience understand these privacy issues, we will make use of a new FPF infographic that visualizes the kinds of sensors, data types, data processing, and transfers that can enable use cases that XR may support.

Speakers

Brittan Heller

Counsel , Atlantic Council

Daniel Berrick

Policy Counsel , Future of Privacy Forum

Description

Simulation is a critical mainstay of the initial training and maintenance of abilities across the spectrum of healthcare workers. Though healthcare simulation training has historically been dominated by physical manikin-based simulators supplemented by pen-and-paper tabletop scenarios, VR-based approaches have been rapidly adopted over the past few years.

This panel, consisting of healthcare simulation and training leaders from industry (Air Methods, SimX), academia (University of Pennsylvania, University of Nebraska), and government (US Air Force), will discuss their real-world experience in integrating VR-based simulation into their healthcare enterprises. Particular attention will be paid to lessons learned regarding the benefits and challenges of VR in medical training, best practices for both adopters and solution providers, and approaches for facilitating the collaborative generation of VR-based training scenarios in medicine.

Speakers

Karthik Sarma

Chief Technology Officer , SimX

William Belk

Director of Medical Simulation and Innovative Education , Air Methods Corp

John Dorsch

Senior Military Advisor , SimX

Beth Culross

Director, Learning Resource Center , University of Nebraska Medical Center

Ann Marie Brennan

Director, Helene Fuld Pavilion for Innovative Learning and Simulation , University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

Description

Will the next version of World Wide Web be semantic? 3D? decentralized? intelligent? immersive? or a mixture of everything (a.k.a. metaverse)? And how can we get there?

Speakers

Rebecca Barkin

CEO , Lamina1

Thomas Coughlin

President , Coughlin Associates

Tom Furness

Founder & Chairman , Virtual World Society

Neil Trevett

Chair , Khronos Group

Sri Chandrasekaran

Director , IEEE

Yu Yuan

IEEE SA President , IEEE

Ramesh Ramadoss

Chair , IEEE

Description

In this session, we will release the latest data on the Chinese spatial computing market, and provide an overview of the current market landscape. CEOs of leading companies in the region will share their opinions on the latest trends, biggest challenges, and excitement to come. A taste of AWE Asia!

Speakers

David Weeks

Producer & COO , AWE Asia, Sunrise International

Description

Unlike some people's perception, AI is not stealing the spotlight of metaverse. Instead, the synergistic acceleration of metaverse and AI development is the real trend that is happening, and we are facing the opportunity to make the metaverse industry really take off. Metaverse will lead the next stage of digital transformation, and will provide an effective path to address climate change and other global challenges. We share a vision for accelerating the development of metaverse related technologies, ecosystems and markets in a sustainable manner and contributing to greater sustainability.

Speakers

Yu Yuan

IEEE SA President , IEEE

Ramesh Ramadoss

Chair , IEEE

Description

The technology of virtual worlds is constantly evolving, and one of the most significant changes in recent years has been the rise of spatial chat allowing participants to communicate in a three-dimensional virtual space. But spatial chat is more than just a tool for enhancing immersion. In this talk, we will explore how spatial chat is changing the way participants communicate and collaborate. We will discuss the benefits of spatial chat, including its ability to facilitate teamwork, improve experiences, foster social connections, and the potential for future innovation in this area.

Speakers

Angelik Laboy Torres

Developer Advocate , Dolby.io

Description

In 2000, Motorola launched its first touchscreen mobile phone. Over the next decade, that PDA phone evolved and informed what we all now know as the smartphone. The ensuing apps and app stores formed an ecosystem that has contributed to the transformation of the internet into the mobile internet.

Today's Augmented Reality (AR) glasses is following a similar market adoption and growth trajectory. Meanwhile, recent display and processing advancements are bringing AR solutions that consumers desire. XREAL is leading the charge with a goal of making AR glasses available to all.

Speakers

Jon Li

Head of US Market , XREAL

Description

As new technologies evolve, so do the ways we live, work, play, shop and explore the world around us.

Hear how gaming and play are influencing our everyday experiences. Learn how global brands and up-and-coming startups are creating connected experiences and merging mixed worlds through gaming, the metaverse, web3, emerging technologies such as augmented reality, AI, voice, sound, senses, and beyond.

This session will share an overview of the current market landscape with real-world examples and discuss how innovators are changing the way we interact with the world.

Take Away 1: Provide an understanding of how gaming and play are influencing our everyday experiences.

Take Away 2: Outline specific examples of how companies are creating mixed and merged experiences through gaming, the metaverse, web3, emerging technologies.

Take Away 3: Key trends, future thinking and the opportunities ahead for gamifying the world around us.

This session is for….
This session is for brands, technologists, innovators and creators who are looking to learn more about how gaming and play are influencing our everyday experiences.

Consumer Brand Leaders, Digital Executives, CIOs, CTOs, CDOs, CXOs, Technologists, Product Leaders, Product Managers, Product Owners, Digital Transformation Leads, Cultural Transformation, Consulting

Speakers

Adam Shlachter

Strategic Partnerships Marketing , Niantic

Matt Fleckenstein

Executive Product Leader , The Walt Disney Company

Val Vacante

VP, Solutions Innovation , dentsu

Eve Weston

CEO/Creator of Realities , Exelauno

Description

First responders (FR) need every advantage during critical moments of fleeting life, and SMART cyber-physical systems (CPS) provide crucial information for time-sensitive events. Wireless real-time convergence of building information modeling, interfacing of 3D data through machine-to-machine and machine-to-human analytics exchange, and bio-telemetry monitoring of victims and responders will save lives.

Auto-populated, legacy, and real-time remote sensed point clouds would allow FR personnel and their commanders to intelligently and visually understand their environments during response. Mixed physics computational fluid dynamic programs allow for predictive outputs in structure and wildland fires, hazardous materials releases, and other natural and human-initiated events. Technical rescues and high-life hazards will benefit from SMART Cities, IoT, remote sensing, virtual, augmented, and mixed realities. The unconscious patient will be treated via facial recognition software, allowing responders to know medical history, and complimentary real-time field communications will be transmitted to base hospital trauma surgeons-in 3D.

The SMART FR- during the response, mitigation, and post-incident analysis, will view emergencies through 3D projected light and holographic displays and immersive HUD lenses. The multi-sensor fusion-enabled technology is focused on saving civilian lives and empowering responders.

Speakers

Kirk McKinzie

President , McKinzie Smart Technologies

Dan Munsey

Fire Chief , San Bernardino County Fire Department