RipeConcepts Goes to AWE Asia 2023

The digital geeks at RipeConcepts are always sharpening their skills and looking for the latest trends and innovations to best serve clients. That’s why we are excited to share with you some insights from our esteemed emerging tech team members, Seth and Carmen, who recently attended Augmented World Expo Asia 2023 (AW Asia) in sunny Singapore.

AWE is the foremost expo for the field of extended reality or XR, the catch-all term for virtual, augmented, and mixed reality tech. Each year, AWE holds expos in the USA, EU, Asia, and Tel Aviv in addition to many more events and workshops around the world.

 

1. How was your experience at AWE Asia? What were the highlights for you?

Seth:  AWE Asia 2023 was highly educational and informative. It was captivating to be able to get first-hand knowledge and to physically test the XR devices. The highlights for me were: the presentation of anything.world, a 3D asset creation and animation platform driven by AI and NUHS use of AR in anatomical and surgical visualizations.

Carmen:  I had an amazing time. It was an excellent opportunity to interact with other professionals and XR enthusiasts from all over the world while learning about the newest technologies and trends in the industry. For me, some highlights included: The keynote address by Dr. Mark Billinghurst of the University of Australia giving the keynote address. He discussed how XR might improve interpersonal interaction and teamwork. Another one that stood out was the panel discussion on “XR for Social Good” featured professionals from Meta, Microsoft, Google, HTC, IEEE Standards, and other organizations talking about how they’re using XR to address social and environmental concerns. I also had the opportunity to view and test out some of the most innovative XR products and solutions from over 60 exhibitors in the exhibition hall, including K-Metaverse, Serl.io, AR Holo Lens VR, and Niantic.

2. What industry insights did you gain from the expo? Did anything surprise you or confirm your expectations?

Seth:  That there are concerted efforts by national governments such as Malaysia and South Korea rallying and massively supporting XR-centric companies. As expected, several startups are doing more or less what we are planning to do in RipeConcepts.

Carmen:  The XR market is predicted to grow quickly and reach a market value of USD 47.9 billion by 2028. Major trends in the XR market embrace the emergence of the metaverse, the adoption of digital twins, the development of XR ecosystems, the innovation of holoportation and immersive training, the integration of AI and haptic technology, and the advancement of photorealistic and hyper-realistic graphics. The expo more than confirmed my expectations that XR is a powerful and transformative technology that can enhance various aspects of our lives. Communication, education, entertainment, health, social good—it touches everything. It’s a collaborative and inclusive technology that can connect people across distances and cultures. I believe that XR is the future of human-computer interaction, and I am excited to see what it will bring next.

3. What was the most exciting trend you noticed at the expo? How do you think it will impact the adoption of XR?

Seth:  Two things. First, the use of AI will be a massive enabler and exponential tool in content creation, environment building and XR adoption in general. AI NPCs, for example, can supplant and maintain metaverse worlds 24/7, driving engagement up and costs down. Second, shared AR or social AR will entice and connect people to have more collaborative and fun experiences.

Carmen:  The rise of the metaverse, a virtual shared space that connects people, places and things across various platforms and devices, was one of the most captivating subjects I observed at the expo. It will increase the opportunity for users to connect with one another and with digital information in immersive and interesting ways. I believe it will have a substantial impact on the adoption of XR. It will become more widely used and accessible when new platforms, gadgets and software are integrated into the metaverse ecosystem.

4. Based on what you learned at AWE Asia, how do you think RipeConcepts customers will benefit from virtual and augmented reality technologies?

Seth:  RipeConcepts customers can have more immersive, interactive marketing materials, apps, websites, more personalized “try-before-buy” experiences straight to e-commerce.

Carmen: There are many ways RipeConcepts customers can benefit from VR and AR. From expanding their presence in the metaverse to producing realistic 3D models of products and creating cutting-edge user-friendly websites, apps and software, their own customers will have a more memorable experience when engaging with their brands.

5. How do you think should RipeConcepts adapt its offerings to meet growing business needs related to XR?

Seth:  RipeConcepts should dive deep into immersive technologies and enhance its capabilities. Existing offerings from illustrations, print design, digital content creation services, digital marketing to we be development should be accompanied with XR implementation ideas. XR does not change the original services offered but tremendously enhances and innovates the appeal.

Carmen:  I think RipeConcepts should educate and engage clients on the benefits and potential of XR technology. While we hone our skills and stay on top of the latest trends and developments in the XR space, getting clients about the possibilities is equally important.

6. We heard the orange beanie was a hit in Singapore. Tell us more!

Seth:  The orange beanie was a hit wherever Carmen was! On the streets, food courts, expo halls, lots of people asked about it. It was a good visual engagement tool.

Carmen:  It’s patterned after the RipeConcepts logo and it stood out at AWE Asia! I got to talk to a lot of people about the company and our services because of it.

More than just a trend, we predict XR will be intertwined with more industries moving forward. Businesses and marketers should take note and look into how they can integrate it into their customer experience journey. Interested in XR and other Ripe solutions for your business? Discover our full digital creative suite by sending a message here.

Ar, Design-trends, Metaverse, Vr, Xr