In today’s rapidly advancing technological landscape, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) have emerged as prominent players, revolutionizing the way we interact with digital content. These two technologies can be confusing to most. While both AR and VR offer immersive experiences, they differ significantly in their approach and application. In this blog post, we will delve into the contrasting characteristics of AR and VR, providing clear examples to help you understand their unique features and use cases.
AR: Bridging the Gap between Real and Digital Worlds Augmented Reality (AR) enhances our perception of reality by overlaying digital content onto the physical environment. By blending virtual elements with the real world, AR provides an interactive and contextually enriched experience. Imagine a tourism company using AR to create an immersive experience for visitors exploring a historical site. Through a mobile app, users can point their devices at different landmarks, and AR overlays historical information, virtual characters, and interactive elements onto real-world surroundings. This not only enhances visitors’ engagement but also provides educational and entertaining content, making the experience memorable and captivating. AR offers immense potential in the tourism, government, and entertainment sectors, allowing them to create unique and compelling experiences for their audiences.
VR: Immersion into Virtual Environments Virtual Reality (VR) transports users to entirely simulated environments, offering a fully immersive and often interactive experience. With the help of headsets and motion-tracking technology, VR creates a sense of presence, allowing users to explore and interact with computer-generated worlds. Here’s an example that illustrates how VR can be leveraged to benefit those in the entertainment and tourism sectors. Imagine an entertainment venue seeking to enhance its experience. By incorporating VR technology, the company can offer thrilling additional threads to its storylines, taking visitors through fantastical landscapes and breathtaking scenarios that continue even after they leave. VR enables unique and memorable experiences while also optimizing the use of physical space and resources.
Comparing AR and VR While both AR and VR offer immersive experiences, they differ primarily in their level of immersion and interaction. AR enhances the real world by overlaying virtual elements, allowing users to maintain a connection with their physical surroundings. VR, on the other hand, fully immerses users in a virtual environment, providing a sense of presence and enabling them to explore and interact within that environment. Depending on the specific goals and requirements, AR and VR can be strategically employed to deliver engaging and impactful experiences.
To discover how Alt Ethos can unlock the potential of AR, VR, and other immersive technologies for your organization, click the button below to schedule a free consultation with our experts. Our team of award-winning professionals will provide personalized recommendations tailored to your specific industry and objectives. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to tap into the future of experiences and transform your organization. Schedule your free consultation today!
In this week’s episodes, we will discuss the race between AR and VR and its impact on smartphone
market and there is a major disruptor this week with new technology from Humane that will blow your mind!
Hi there! I’m Ethan Bach, and I’m thrilled to be coming to you from Alt Ethos, a Metaverse, and Experiential Design Studio in our weekly roundup. In under 5 minutes, we’ll be giving you the latest Metaverse, XR, and Web3 news to keep you ahead of the curve.
Today we’re talking about the ultimate showdown between AR and VR. These cutting-edge technologies are changing the way we interact with the world. Although the influence has been slow due to hardware and technology development for wearables, with the help of ai we are sure to see the technology and designs change significantly in the near future.
Alright, so, VR has been owning the market so far in this race, with big hitters like Sony, HTC, and Meta with Oculus dominating the market. But headset sales still pale to comparison of other tech adoption such as smartwatches. But the tables may turn soon, as AR is expected to see the highest growth rate over the forecast period. Plus, Apple is gearing up to release AR glasses that could shake up the market later on this year.
The race for AR is that it’s predicted to disrupt the smartphone market and in smartphone adoption of over 1 Billion sold in just 2022 in a USD $485 billion industry. At a time when Oculus has sold 20 million headsets total, Moving into the smartphone market is currently the big race.
Mixed reality or MX is the best of both worlds, seamlessly blending the real and virtual worlds. It’s getting more and more popular, with devices like the Oculus Quest Pro and Microsoft HoloLens taking the lead. Other companies like Magic Leap, HTC, and Varjo are also making waves in the mixed-reality space.
While all three technologies have their place, we predict that AR and mixed reality will have more use cases and be more widely adopted among the general public than VR. We see VR for more specific cases such as medical and surgery and gaming. The future of VR, AR, and mixed reality is still unknown, and we can’t wait to see what happens over the next few years
OR in the next few months!
Check this out,
if you have not seen this – holy cow – this is a game changer! we’re going to talk about a newer company getting attention this week called Humane and their innovative approach to technology.
Humane is developing a wearable device that utilizes AI that combines a camera, sensor, and projector into one small package and acts as your personal AI assistant. You wear it on your lapel!! This device is designed to enable people to interact with technology in a more natural and intuitive way without constantly staring at a screen or having cramped fingers and horns growing in our necks! This device can capture images and videos, detect a user’s movements and gestures, and project content on any surface.
What makes Humane unique is their approach to design. They focus on creating technology that respects users’ privacy. Not sure we can say the same for Meta’s and Rayban’s Smart Glasses which put privacy at risk.
They are challenging the status quo of tech, design, and AI. and showing that it’s possible to create technology that’s both innovative and responsible. And watch out Apple!, they are here to disrupt in the smartphone industry – so, check this out! This demonstration that happened via a Ted talk given by Co-Founder Imran (EEm-ran) Chaudhri (Ch-AW-da-ri) has this guy answering a phone call from his hand and like the Babblefish of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, it translated languages in real time!
Chaudhri (Ch-AW-da-ri) says
“The future will not be held in your hand and it won’t be on your face either. The future of technology may almost be invisible. ”
We loved his presentation and man, Chaudhri’s (Ch-AW-da-ri) demeanor is so badass. We recommend you keep your eye on him and Humane as the next few years will really get exciting to see what comes next.
Thanks for tuning in to our weekly roundup of the latest in XR, Metaverse, and Web3 news. Before you go, make sure to hit that subscribe button so you never miss an episode. And don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments below!
Next week, we have something special in store for you. We’ll be reviewing this Unreal Engine Metaverse a look at the Reality Innovators Network networking event. Trust us, you won’t want to miss it. See you next week for another exciting episode in under 5 minutes.
On behalf of The Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) and Alt Ethos, we invite you to our virtual presentation “Global Creative Connection through Immersive Virtual Worlds” hosted in our new Pathos Metaverse, a 3D avatar platform, this Friday October 1st, 2021 at 2:00 PM MST
Alt Ethos Presentation: Come explore the future of art, technology, and global connectivity through virtual worlds from top creators and thought leaders in the immersive industry. The pandemic shot us into the future of digital engagement and immersive worlds. As some creatives quickly grasped the change to become known internationally, others were left confused. This talk will walk you through the history, present, and future of virtual worlds and how they will impact the global community, our professional lives, and our collective digital future. Speakers:
Julian Reyes, MC
Eric Dallimore, Moderator Panelists
Carlos Austin
Ethan Bach
Evo (Evonne) Heyning
Celeste Lear
Q&A from audience submitted in writing
Carlos Austin, Real-Time “In World (VR)” Live Multi-cam video switching and still photographer at Austin Photograph
Carlos is passionate about the arts with an emphasis on photography/video “in-world” TV production and emerging drone technology. An XR evangelist as this technology begins to mature. Helping create Broadcast television standards for capturing live events in virtual social platforms. Real-time switching live shows with a multi-camera setup. There are so many opportunities to communicate and educate the world through XR. 3rd Generation photographer and storyteller.
Ethan Bach, CEO Alt Ethos
Ethan Bach is the founding CEO of Alt Ethos: experiential design agency and Founder and Board Member of DATA (Denver Arts + Technology Advancement). Westword calls Ethan, “An entrepreneur with an eye on the future’s future.” Bach holds an MFA in Electronic Arts from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Alt Ethos is an award-winning design company and has been recognized in CodaWorx Magazine; the Young Industry Professionals, and by the Mayor of Fort Collins.
Evo (Evonne) Heyning, Metaverse Media. Creative Executive Producer
Evo Heyning is an award-winning producer, technologist, founder and creator focused on the future of participatory media. Evo focuses on collaborative teams that work across fields, sectors, and platforms to create meaningful global endeavors. Evo has created virtual beings, worlds, and campaigns for 20 years. Evo produced major live streaming concerts and campaigns for the White House including the launch of the Affordable Care Act and virtual worlds for diplomacy, civic engagement, and nonprofit development.
Celeste Lear, Immersive Event Producer & Designer, XR Entertainment Specialist, Music & Sound Director, Host, VR Consultant
DJ Celeste is an entertainment & event industry professional with 15+ years of concert, festival & conference production experience. Immersive technology expert skilled in designing & executing cutting-edge events both physically, virtually, AND in Virtual Reality. First in a new wave of DJs who design their own stages & perform as avatars in VR Festivals and Nightclubs. Executive music direction, production & clearance for International, multi-media installation projects for UN & UNESCO, including a large-scale video mapping experience in Paris.
About Pathos Metaverse
Pathos Metaverse is a browser-based virtual world by Alt Ethos. For this panel, all of the speakers will be avatars in the Pathos Metaverse. Through live-action virtual cinematography, CCI participants will stream the event in real-time. Selected avatar audience members will also be in attendance and watching the entire production in the Pathos Metaverse.
Pathos Metaverse is an easy-to-use, dynamic, and engaging immersive platform. Pathos Metaverse provides exciting meeting places, dynamic events, branded virtual worlds, and future-thinking hybrid-virtual-world solutions, pushing the boundaries of interactivity.
Themed Future-Proofing Museums & New Realities, the New Mexico Association of Museums (NMAM) will offer their annual conference in an innovative, live-streaming format. Alt Ethos experiential design studios hosts NMAM’s 2020 virtual event. Alt Ethos’ CEO, Ethan Bach will present at the conference, as will his 14-year-old daughter who will hold a demonstration in Minecraft. Over 40 talented speakers in the Museum industry will present at this year’s annual conference. The conference is held November 4-6, 2020. Registration for the conference starts at $38 . You can register here.
The conference theme, Future-Proofing Museums & New Realities, will explore the process of anticipating, coping, and preparing for future impacts beyond our immediate control. Changes in our world, including climate change, technological advances, shifting demographics, and a global pandemic are transforming all aspects of museum and cultural work, from marketing and fundraising, policies and procedures, and collections management, to visitor experience. NMAM, a professional interest group for the museum field, isleading by example as they continue to provide their network with professional development and support. Museums are faced with site closures, staff reductions, budget cuts, and even the specter of permanent closure. According to NMAM President Adrienne Trunk Boggs: “We cannot allow this to happen in New Mexico. Museums are key to our social recovery from Coronavirus. The nature of how we serve our communities must evolve to ensure that museums remain relevant for the next seven generations.”
Alt Ethos’s CEO, Ethan Bach will speak on technology, museums, and the future. He has a long history with NMAM and it’s partners. Bach served at the Institute of American Indian Arts for over ten years with his most recent role as the Digital Dome Director where he led 360 research and education at the Digital Dome @ IAIA. Bach also provided media consulting and services for the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs during his time living in Santa Fe.
The featured keynote address will be delivered by noted Chicana writer and cultural activist Denise Chavez and the full program includes half-day workshops, interactive networking opportunities, a variety of streaming multimedia productions, a virtual expo and tech showcase for vendors and sponsors, and live sessions on a variety of themes, including online learning, planning for continued disruption, human rights, and cultural equity. The program will culminate with live virtual exhibit tours. “It’s an honor to collaborate with NMAM to ease them into their first virtual conference.
The New Mexico Association of Museums (NMAM) Annual Conference is held November 4-6, 2020. Basic Registration for the conference is just $38. You can get your registration here.
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CRUSH WALLS Recap
CRUSH WALLS was a huge success! Alt Ethos was setup on the main wall of Denver Central Market in the Rino Arts District using two 14k Christie projectors blended together. Friday and Saturday night we setup and mapped the two large pieces painted by local artist Taste and Australian artist Smug One. Large crowds would come gather and gaze at the animated mural, often hearing phrases like, “omg thats so sick,” and then proceed to share pictures and videos to social media.
We’ll be posting a recap video soon so stay tuned to our social channels Instagram, Facebook and Youtube.
Alt Ethos created multiple holographic installations for Anythink Library’s annual fundraiser Sparkopolis and we are thrilled with how everything was received. Sparkopolis provided an opportunity for us to spend some time in R&D to develop and fabricate new ideas and then share those with all of the attendees. There’s no doubt that holographic displays are the future and Alt Ethos is quickly becoming experts at multiple implementations of holograms. We will be releasing a recap video from Sparkopolis soon so stay tuned as we unveil more of what we’ve been working on.
Holograms are intriguing because it’s a technology straight out of a sci-fi movie and we are excited to recreate them in various ways. Check out this article about how they’re being used currently. Holograms are being implemented in more public locations and events like trade shows, airports, hospitality industries and retail settings. Witnessing something that generates a resounding “WOW” and having it relate to your clients brand increases memorable experiences and engagement. Schedule a short meeting with our producers to see how we can create a WOW factor for your next event.
Alt Ethos’s CEO, Ethan Bach will speak on technology, museums, and the future. He has a long history with NMAM and it’s partners. Bach served at the Institute of American Indian Arts for over ten years with his most recent role as the Digital Dome Director where he led 360 research and education at the Digital Dome @ IAIA. Bach also provided media consulting and services for the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs during his time living in Santa Fe. 
