Looking Glass XR had the opportunity to attend the AWE 2023 in San Jose, California. Since COVID the last few years have been rough and we did not know what to expect. But our fears were put to rest as soon as we walked in the doors. AWE is back!
The focus this year was on AR and virtual reality training and simulations. There was a diverse range of activities, including keynote presentations, panel discussions, workshops, hands-on demonstrations, and an expo showcasing the latest products and solutions from leading companies and startups in the industry.
Notable Standouts:
CReal – https://creal.com/ – CREAL was at the show demonstrating their unique light field technology with transparent lenses, that provide for natural depth, eliminating eye strain, nausea, and fatigue.
The Exit Suit – https://exitsuit.com/ – Similar to an exoskeleton, The Exit Suit is a full-body support that lets you move in amazing ways. The suit is constructed from sustainable materials like composite wood and leather. It uses cables to aid with movement & support. The Exit Suit’s plans are open source. The developer told us that he flew into the Conference Center early and had the materials sourced locally, then a local 3D printer cut out the patterns, and the suit was built right there in the Hotel!
PixoVR – https://pixovr.com/ – PixoVR showed their expanding platform for enterpirse VR training for construction, manufacturing, first responders & more.
Spacetop – https://www.sightful.com/ – Sightful was there to demonstrate their AR Laptop – Spacetop. Spacetop takes full advantage of Augmented Reality and does away with a traditional laptop screen, opting for AR to transform the world around users into a portable home office. With a more than 100” virtual canvas,
Ultraleap – https://www.ultraleap.com/ – unveiled their 2nd generation hand tracking solution for all standalone headsets doing away with clunky VR controllers.
Wonderland Engine – https://wonderlandengine.com/ – With the Wonderland Engine, you can build highly optimized web-based XR apps that run on any device. Web-based XR apps built with Wonderland Engine on any device. From standalone-VR to mobile AR and even desktop, if there is a browser, your app supports it!
XReality Academy – https://xrealityacademy.com/ – Want to get started creating XR experiences? Whether you are a beginner or an experienced developer, XReality can expand your skills through self-paced XR courses.
The Augmented World Expo (AWE) is an annual conference and expo dedicated to augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) technologies. It serves as a platform for industry professionals, innovators, developers, researchers, and enthusiasts to come together and explore the latest advancements, trends, and applications in the field of immersive technologies.
The first Augmented World Expo took place in 2010, organized by Ori Inbar and Tish Shute. The event was initially called “Augmented Reality Event” (ARE), but it was later rebranded as AWE to reflect the broader scope of immersive technologies beyond just AR.
AWE has become a platform for industry leaders to share their insights and experiences, as well as a breeding ground for innovation and collaboration. It has been a catalyst for new product launches, partnerships, and investments in the AR/VR/MR ecosystem.
It was so great to see everybody – thank you again and we look forward to the next one! Sunny and John from Looking Glass XR with Alan Smithson from the XR for Business podcast.
Over the years, AWE has witnessed the evolution of immersive technologies and their increasing impact on various fields. It has showcased groundbreaking developments such as advanced headsets, smart glasses, haptic feedback systems, spatial computing platforms, and immersive content creation tools.
Since its inception, AWE has grown significantly and has become one of the world’s largest and most influential conferences in the AR/VR/MR space. It has been held annually in various cities across the United States, including Santa Clara, California, and Munich, Germany.
Visit the AWE’s website to learn more about upcoming events.
