Connection in the Age of Loneliness through Experiential Design

Connection in the Age of Loneliness through Experiential Design

Have you ever found yourself in a bustling public space, yet felt a profound sense of disconnection from the people around you? In our digital age, it’s ironic that despite being more connected than ever, many of us still grapple with feelings of loneliness. Even more so in the wake of a pandemic, this ‘loneliness epidemic’ has grown into a pressing issue, prompting us to rethink how we forge meaningful connections in our day-to-day lives. Enter experiential design – an innovative approach that’s emerging as a powerful tool in bridging the social gap.


The
Experiential Design Difference: Beyond Aesthetics and Functionality

Experiential design goes beyond the traditional focus on aesthetics or functionality. It dives deep into creating shared experiences that resonate with people on a profound level. By integrating elements of play, interaction, and community, it transforms ordinary spaces into extraordinary destinations that encourage genuine human connection. This isn’t merely about having fun or being entertained; it’s about nurturing a sense of belonging, the kind that combats feelings of loneliness and isolation.


Connection
Hotspots: How Alt Ethos is Transforming Public Spaces

At Alt Ethos, we’ve long recognized the transformative power of experiential design in public spaces. Our installations aim not just to entertain, but to create destinations that foster togetherness. Take our permanent interactive projection mapping projects, for instance. They do more than just illuminate buildings – they transform them into vibrant, interactive community hubs. These installations invigorate public spaces, making them safer, more engaging, and ultimately boosting local business revenue.

Similarly, projects like the Singing Tree and Robot Gaming Table foster play and interaction, breaking down social barriers and encouraging community engagement. They invite people of all ages to participate, creating shared experiences that leave lasting impressions.


The
Ripple Effect: Experiential Design’s Impact on Public Health and Social Fabric
The implications of experiential design go beyond addressing loneliness. By shaping spaces that foster social interaction, we can help mend the social fabric that’s been wearing thin over the years. Experts, including U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, have raised concerns about the public health implications of declining social connections, equating the impact to that of smoking or obesity.

Through our work at Alt Ethos, we strive to tackle these challenges head-on. From public art installations to immersive museum exhibits and interactive urban interventions, we leverage design as a tool for fostering community, enhancing quality of life, and ultimately, sparking joy.


Conclusion:
Shaping a More Connected Future, Together
As we look to the future, the significance of designing for togetherness cannot be overstated. The loneliness epidemic is complex, but with thoughtful and innovative experiential design, we can begin bridging the gap and cultivating
environments that promote connection and community.
Join us at Alt Ethos in reimagining the role of public spaces in fostering togetherness. We invite you to share your experiences with experiential design and explore opportunities for collaboration. Let’s work together to create a more connected, vibrant, and joyful world – one immersive experience at a time.

Transformational Growth with XR Consulting: Empowering Your Business for Success

Transformational Growth with XR Consulting: Empowering Your Business for Success

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, businesses must stay ahead of technological advancements to maintain a competitive edge. XR (Extended Reality) consulting, which encompasses augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), immersive experiences, and the metaverse, provides a powerful toolset to help businesses enhance their services, engage their audience, and drive remarkable transformations. Here’s how XR consulting can transform your business:

1. Strategic Expertise and Guidance

Navigating the complexities of XR technology requires specialized knowledge. XR consultants bring valuable expertise, helping businesses develop tailored strategies that align with their goals. They provide insights into the latest technological trends and best practices, ensuring your XR initiatives are strategically sound and future-proof. This strategic guidance can significantly enhance your decision-making process and maximize the impact of your XR investments.

2. Efficient Implementation and Cost Savings

Implementing XR solutions can be resource-intensive and complex. XR consultants streamline the process, minimizing the risk of errors and ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget. By selecting the right tools and technologies, they optimize resource allocation and manage the implementation process efficiently. This results in significant cost savings and ensures that your XR projects are executed smoothly and effectively.

3. Enhanced Customer Engagement

XR technologies, including AR, VR, MR, and metaverse experiences, offer immersive and interactive engagements that captivate and deeply engage clients. Transformational companies can use VR environments for immersive workshops, AR applications for interactive learning, MR for blended physical and digital experiences, and metaverse platforms for expansive virtual interactions. Alt Ethos specializes in human-centered design, creating impactful engagements that resonate with clients and enhance their journey toward growth and transformation.

4. Advanced Training and Collaboration

XR can revolutionize training and collaboration within organizations. VR training modules simulate real-world scenarios, providing employees with hands-on experience in a safe environment. AR applications facilitate remote collaboration by overlaying digital information onto physical spaces. XR consultants develop and implement these solutions, boosting workforce skills, productivity, and collaboration. This can lead to more effective training programs and improved team collaboration.

5. Data-Driven Insights

XR technologies generate valuable data that can inform decision-making. XR consultants help businesses harness this data, using advanced analytics to gain insights into customer behavior, product performance, and operational efficiency. This data-driven approach enables continuous improvement and refinement of XR strategies, ensuring that your XR initiatives are always aligned with your business goals and market demands.

6. Scalability and Flexibility

As your business grows, your XR solutions need to scale. XR consultants design scalable solutions that can adapt to changing needs, ensuring your XR infrastructure remains flexible and capable of integrating new technologies seamlessly. This scalability and flexibility allow your business to respond quickly to market changes and new opportunities, maintaining a competitive edge.

Why Transformational Companies Should Partner with Alt Ethos

Investing in XR consulting with Alt Ethos is about more than just adopting new technologies; it’s about empowering your business to deliver unparalleled value and impact. With expert guidance, transformational companies can leverage XR to drive innovation, enhance efficiency, and create profound, immersive experiences for their clients. By partnering with Alt Ethos, businesses unlock new opportunities for growth and gain a significant advantage in the ever-evolving landscape of personal and professional development.

At Alt Ethos, our long-standing commitment to personal transformation and human-centered design ensures that we understand what consumers are looking for. Our founder, Ethan Bach, has over three decades of experience in digital storytelling and self-transformation, along with two decades of expertise in extended reality. Together with our team of experts, we bring unique insights and expertise to every project. We specialize in creating experiences that not only engage and delight but also drive meaningful growth and transformation.

Embrace the future of transformational growth with XR consulting from Alt Ethos. Discover the limitless possibilities that await your business and take the first step towards revolutionizing your offerings and achieving extraordinary success.

 

The Future of Grand Entrances: The LED and Projection Tunnel Experience

The Future of Grand Entrances: The LED and Projection Tunnel Experience

In today’s fast-paced world of events and experiences, the saying “First impressions matter” has never been more relevant. Whether you’re hosting a tech conference or a high-end gala, the entrance you craft sets the tone for the entire event. It’s the very first interaction attendees have with the atmosphere you’ve meticulously created, and it’s an opportunity to sweep them off their feet from the get-go.

One of the most immersive and breathtaking ways to welcome guests is by enveloping them in a world of light and imagery. Enter the LED and Projection Tunnel.

Why LED Tunnels?

Setting up a grand entranceway doesn’t just act as a portal to your event, it’s an avenue to tell a story. LED tunnels, with their capacity to display brand colors, dazzling effects, and even pulse with the music, capture the imagination of all who walk through them. They’re not just pathways, they’re experiences. LED walls, which have seen a significant resurgence over the past couple of years, can be synced perfectly to the theme of your event, enhancing its ambiance.

The Magic of Projection Tunnels

While LED tunnels offer a vivid and bright entrance, projection tunnels elevate the experience by adding layers of depth, movement, and storytelling. Imagine walking through a tunnel where the walls come alive with a narrative, where every step takes you deeper into the world you’re about to immerse yourself in.

At Alt Ethos, we’ve been at the forefront of experiential design. Our expertise in projection mapping and our innovative LED tunnels have been hallmarks of our work. Recognizing the potential of combining these two immersive technologies, we’re excited to debute the projection tunnel. It’s our latest offering in crafting unforgettable entrances for events.

Extending Themes Right from the Entrance

It’s essential to remember that the theme of your event shouldn’t just be confined to the main area. Extending these themes right from the entrance sets the mood immediately. Whether it’s the mysterious allure of a jungle, complete with trees, vines, and ambient sounds, or the vibrant festivity of a Hawaiian luau with Hula dancers welcoming guests, the entrance plays a pivotal role in setting the stage.

Sponsorships with a Twist

For those seeking unique sponsorship opportunities, integrating the entrance as part of a high-value package can be a game-changer. It guarantees that all attendees will witness the branding, seamlessly merging it with the event’s color scheme and themes. A well-crafted sponsored entrance can offer sponsors prime visibility while enhancing the overall aesthetic of the event.

Conclusion

The entrance is more than just a gateway; it’s a narrative tool, a mood setter, and a brand amplifier. As the world of events evolves, so do the techniques we use to make them memorable. At Alt Ethos, we’re passionate about pushing the boundaries of experiential design, and our LED and Projection Tunnels are a testament to that commitment.

If you’re looking to create a grand entrance that leaves an indelible mark, we’re here to light the way.

For more information of our LED Tunnel or Projection Tunnel for your next event,
Contact Us.

Epic Immersive Industry Summit 2021 and interview with Steve Boyle

Epic Immersive Industry Summit 2021 and interview with Steve Boyle

On August 29th and 30th at AREA15 Las Vegas, Epic Immersive welcomed immersive industry luminaries from Secret Cinema, Marshmallow Laser Feast, David Byrne’s Theater of the Mind, Broadway, Swamp Motel, Meow Wolf, Delusion, Mycotoo, AREA15, Boomtown Fair, Les Enfants Terribles, The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and more. As well as international guests from companies in China, India, Singapore, Russia, and Europe.

Epic Immersive is an immersive experience agency that has created 14-acre fictional cities and underground wonderlands. Companies like Apple, Google, and Facebook have commissioned Epic Immersive experiences.

The 2-day event included speakers Mycotoo’s Fri Forjindam, Fifth Wall Forum’s Stephanie Riggs, AREA15’s Michael Beneville, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Nataki Garrett, and the team behind VR theatre experience Welcome to Respite (Tribeca Film Festival 2021 Official Selection), with many more. 

Alt Ethos caught up with Steve Boyle, co-founder of Epic Immersive (co-created with Kimberly Flynn) to discuss event curation, announcements, and exciting future plans. 

  1. The Alt Ethos team really enjoyed The Immersive Industry Homecoming Summit. What was your process for curating the speakers; how did you go about choosing them?

We (Steve Boyle and Kimberly Flynn) worked together to identify the most compelling movers-and-shakers from the global immersive scene across a number of genres and mediums. It was of supreme importance to us that we threw a truly global event, and that our speaker roster reflected the incredible diversity of our field, highlighting femme and BIPOC creators. 

  1. We noticed that there were some announcements made at the event from the speakers. Can you please share some of those?

Two big ones come to mind: Stephanie Riggs announced the creation of Odeon Theatrical, a new platform that delivers AR content for live theatre, and Kim Adams announced the return of Adventure Lab

  1. What was the moment that surprised you the most at the event? Or a “wow” moment that comes to mind?

Steve: The wow moment for me was really just being there — those first moments especially when the energy is so high and the anticipation is there and we’ve really, truly come together for the first time in 18 months, with tons of safety precautions in place, and we’ve made it together safely. That was an amazing moment I’ll never forget.

Kim: Wow moments for me were in all the excitement and enthusiasm throughout the entire process from the speakers to our attendees, the positivity, excitement, support and joy from everyone involved and from everyone that attended was really magical. It was wonderful to feel the community excited to be sharing an experience again after such a long break.

  1. Any shout-outs you would like to share?

Huge, huge thanks to projectionist and technical director Jacob Vorperian, and our tech wiz Christie Casey.

  1. What are the future plans for The Immersive Industry Homecoming Summit?

Stay tuned! We’ll definitely be back in Vegas, and you’re going to want to be a part of a whole circuit of events we are planning in 2022.

  1. What’s next for Epic Immersive?

A return to large-scale immersive experiences in 2022. Once again, stay tuned for big announcements!

We thank Steve Boyle for taking the time to chat with us and appreciate all of the effort that the Epic Immersive team, speakers, and collaborators put forth to make this Summit such a special event. Bringing together a group of visionaries, technologists, and storytellers is no small feat. Alt Ethos enjoyed the projection mapping within the space, the deep conversation from the speakers, the diversity of the group, and the pace of the presentations. We learned deeply about different companies and artists doing cutting-edge immersive work. Also, let’s not forget about the unique container that the summit took place in. If you’re ever in Las Vegas make sure to visit Area15.

AREA15 is an immersive playground, all rolled into a vast and vibrant space. Throw an axe, wander through a bamboo volcano, race on a zip line, or explore other mesmerizing realms. From the futuristic to the thrill-seeking, there’s an experience for everyone here.

Epic Immersive creates story-driven immersive experiences with explorable, 360-degree worlds. From ticketed experiences to corporate events to marketing activations, they deliver epic, unforgettable journeys.

Perspectives of the Metaverse

Perspectives of the Metaverse

You may have noticed that the term ‘metaverse’ has been buzzing recently. If you’re wondering why that is, as BBC states, “there is a huge amount of excitement about the metaverse among wealthy investors and big tech firms, and no-one wants to be left behind if it turns out to be the future of the internet.”

The metaverse’s powerful decentralizing potential has been a prediction even before Mark Zuckerberg’s recent announcement, and the advent of the pandemic, which also plays its part in it. According to Reuters: “The accelerated interest in the metaverse can be seen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As more people have started working and going to school remotely, there has been increased demand for ways to make online interaction more lifelike.”

The global changed circumstances along with increased demand suggests that the developing metaverse is on the near horizon.

We only need our mobile phones to remind us of technology’s significant strides in a short time. As Adage says: “Hardware is becoming more compact, quicker and more intelligent. Thanks to 5G, almost everywhere now has fast, dependable connectivity. In the metaverse, computer vision is becoming more intelligent, allowing for both visual and audible help. All of this contributes to the immersion of the experience, making the transfer of knowledge and experience more rewarding and human.”

As such, the metaverse goes beyond common associations like gaming…

… and is poised to impact several sectors like education and retail. As WSJ predicts: ”Real-world businesses will be able to participate in the metaverse as well by offering virtual versions of their bricks-and-mortar facilities, Unity’s Mr. Whitten says. With existing online stores, customers can read product descriptions and make purchases. In the metaverse, customers would be able to visit virtual retail outlets and try out products in 3-D and at full scale before buying.”

As any new technology brings with it its own changes, integrating the metaverse will open new avenues for the way both consumers and companies interact. As Forbes states: “Companies will need to transition their marketing strategies from online ad buys to existing in a shared, virtual economy. Companies will need to do market research on their new customers in the metaverse. How people act and what their preferences are in the metaverse could be totally different than how they behave and what they shop for in real life.” 

A useful resource on this promising technology is Jon Radoff’s Building the Metaverse blog.

The blog covers a range of sectors like Business, technology and culture of all the virtual worlds, including: realities and experiences of the Metaverse, 2D, 3D, mobile phones, VR/AR, games, MMORPGs, social networks, digital collectibles, esports; game design, Unity, Unreal, free-to-play (f2p), blockchain, and NFTs. His post ‘What We Talk About When We Talk About the Metaversealso explores the meaning of the term ‘metaverse,’ how it has evolved, and what the future may bring.

Wikipedia Metaverse Definition.

The word “Metaverse” is made up of the prefix “meta” and the stem “verse”; the term is typically used to describe the concept of a future iteration of the Internet, made up of persistent, shared, 3D virtual spaces linked into a perceived virtual universe.

The Pathos Metaverse that Alt Ethos is launching.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this decentralizing technology is that it won’t just be one metaverse, but multiple, reflecting the unlimited creative potential and explorative possibilities of various entities. We’re honored to have been and continue to work with this unique technology through our metaverse design solutions. Our easy-to-use, dynamic, and engaging immersive platform provides exciting meeting places, magnetic events, and future-thinking hybrid-virtual-world solutions, pushing the boundaries of interactivity. To learn more about how your audience can create their own avatars and immerse themselves in your custom Branded World, please visit visit our metaverse branded solutions page.