Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), once a figment of our imaginations, have seen a rapid rise in interest and development during the pandemic. An IDC report found that in the first quarter of 2022 shipments for virtual reality headsets alone hiked 241%. As we operate more remotely, AR/VR innovations have made it easier to connect and collaborate with our peers virtually.
Technology innovations in this sector promise exciting uses across all industries, ranging all the way from e-commerce to healthcare. New VR applications can train employees to start closing the skill gap, reduce time in R&D with better design tools, and help companies show off product features. As we learned with Pokemon Go, possibilities for gaming are endless, and can even be applied in education to make learning more engaging and interactive.
In a 2018 Jabil survey, 69% of technology and business stakeholders predicted that AR/VR will be mainstream in the next five years. With AR/VR primed to take off, we’re proud to showcase alumni AR/VR companies in our Startup of the Year community:
echo3D is a 3D cloud platform that provides tools and network infrastructure to help developers and companies quickly build and deploy 3D/AR/VR games, apps, and content. You can build real-time AR/VR apps and deliver across apps and devices anywhere. echo3D is backed by Konvoy Ventures, Remagine Ventures, Space Capital, and Techstars and received grants from Y Combinator, Verizon, and NYC Media Lab.
They were named AR/VR finalists for SXSW 2020, won the DevProject Award 2019, named among the 2019 Most Fundable Companies, and were named one of the Top 25 finalists in Sir Richard Branson's Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) 2019.
UBQFIT is a wellness and fitness platform using face and body sensing technology. They created an interactive gamified fitness space, where you can live-stream 1-on-1 and class sessions with your favorite personal trainer, join competitions to push yourself, win prizes, or have fun in group events. At their core, UBQFIT is transforming fitness into an engaging and social experience, so you can successfully stay healthy. They are also a marketplace where fitness trainers and trainees can easily match up, making a healthy lifestyle more accessible.
Neuro Rehab VR is changing lives through virtual reality rehabilitation for stroke and brain injured patients. Their cognitive and physical neurological therapy training exercises use VR/AR in their innovative headset and controllers, the XR Therapy System. Each exercise is tailored for patient needs. Developed through clinician and patient feedback, the system offers fun and engaging exercise for patients, and intuitive software and tablet control for clinicians. Neuro Rehab VR has been featured on Forbes and CNBC, was a top 10 finalist in the AWS Healthcare Accelerator program, and won the Capital Factory’s First Virtual ‘Women in Tech’ Summit.
Fuser.AR is an AR platform allowing content creators and fans to integrate themselves into branded video content. Their social AR filter lets users repurpose their existing content with new filters, driving engagement and reducing time and effort. Fuse.AR is all about engagement: using AR, fans and creators can co-create content and interact. This technology was used by Nick Jonas during the 2021 Super Bowl and has been featured on CNN, Bloomberg, Forbes, and more.
MyndVR strives to improve quality of life by using VR to reduce anxiety and depression, stimulate memory and cognition, create fun therapy sessions, and offer connections to friends and family for an aging population. They also strive to continue research into the health benefits of VR and impact on age. Their technology has been seen on CNN, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, and many more. MyndVR also won the Startup of the Year’s People’s Choice Award and the 2020 Sharecare Awards Innovation Category.
The options for AR/VR application are endless, with technology entering the marketplace at a rapid pace. To take your AR/VR technology to the next level, check out our free Startup of the Year community!
________________________
Author: Miriam Attal | Miriam is receiving her M.S in Communication with an eye on social media for social good. She is inspired to build connections and promote justice online through creative strategies.