11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
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.
11:10 AM - 11:35 AM
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.
11:00 AM - 11:35 AM
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.
11:30 AM - 11:55 AM
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!
03:30 PM - 03:55 PM
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.
03:30 PM - 04:00 PM
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.
11:35 AM - 12:30 PM
Coming Soon!
12:45 PM - 01:10 PM
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.
04:10 PM - 05:00 PM
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.
04:05 PM - 04:30 PM
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.
04:20 PM - 05:15 PM
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
11:45 AM - 12:40 PM
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.
05:05 PM - 05:55 PM
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.
01:25 PM - 02:20 PM
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?
02:05 PM - 02:20 PM
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!
03:15 PM - 03:40 PM
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.
09:30 AM - 09:55 AM
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.
01:35 PM - 02:00 PM
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.
01:05 PM - 02:00 PM
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
02:00 PM - 02:25 PM
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.