by Ian Khan | Oct 10, 2023 | Futurist Blog
Tim Cook – CEO of Apple: Under Cook's leadership, Apple introduced ARKit, a framework that allows developers to easily create augmented reality (AR) experiences for iOS devices. Apple's commitment to AR is a testament to its transformative potential.
Rony Abovitz – Founder of Magic Leap: Abovitz's company, Magic Leap, developed the Magic Leap One, an AR headset that promised to revolutionize the AR space. Though it faced its share of challenges, Magic Leap's vision for AR's future is influential.
Thomas Reardon – Co-founder of CTRL-labs (acquired by Facebook): Reardon's work merges neuroscience with AR. CTRL-labs developed a wristband that translates neural impulses into digital commands, offering a new way to interact with AR environments.
Niantic Labs – Creators of Pokémon GO: Led by CEO John Hanke, Niantic created Pokémon GO, one of the most successful AR games. Their AR platform demonstrates how AR can be integrated into everyday experiences and the potential for AR in gaming.
Digi-Capital's Tim Merel: As the managing director of the advisory firm Digi-Capital, Merel offers deep insights into the AR/VR industry, providing data-driven analysis that many professionals and enthusiasts keenly follow.
Helen Papagiannis – Author of “Augmented Human”: Dr. Papagiannis is a globally recognized AR expert who delves into the ways AR is changing everyday life, exploring both its technological and philosophical implications.
Blippar's Ambarish Mitra: As the CEO of Blippar, one of the pioneering AR companies, Mitra has overseen numerous AR campaigns for major brands, showcasing the technology's potential for advertising and marketing.
Ori Inbar – Co-founder of AWE (Augmented World Expo): Inbar's expo is the world's #1 AR+VR conference and expo. His work has been pivotal in bringing together the most significant AR developers, creators, and enthusiasts globally.
Snap Inc.'s Evan Spiegel: Snapchat, under Spiegel's direction, has been a major player in bringing AR to the masses with its innovative use of AR lenses and filters, making AR a daily experience for millions.
Zappar's Caspar Thykier: As the CEO of Zappar, Thykier has been at the forefront of developing AR experiences for brands, integrating AR into product packaging, advertising campaigns, and more.
by Ian Khan | Oct 10, 2023 | Futurist Blog
Tim Cook: As the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook has been a major proponent of AR, frequently discussing its potential to transform industries. Apple's ARKit, under his leadership, has become one of the most powerful AR platforms available to developers.
Tom Emrich: Recognized as one of the world's leading AR and wearable tech evangelists, Emrich is a partner at Super Ventures, an AR-focused fund, and regularly speaks about the convergence of humans and technology.
Rony Abovitz: The founder of Magic Leap, Abovitz has been one of the most enigmatic figures in AR. Magic Leap's mixed reality glasses have generated much buzz, leading discussions about the future of immersive tech.
Blair MacIntyre: As the principal research scientist at Mozilla and a professor at Georgia Tech, MacIntyre's work largely revolves around web-based AR. He's been pivotal in developing AR standards for the web.
Helen Papagiannis: A renowned AR specialist, Helen is the author of “Augmented Human,” which delves into how AR is changing everyday life. She's known for her thought leadership on the potential and challenges of AR.
Ori Inbar: The co-founder of AWE (Augmented World Expo), the world's #1 AR+VR conference, Ori is deeply involved in showcasing the latest advancements in AR. He's also the co-founder of Super Ventures and has been an active investor in the AR space.
Brian Blau: A research VP at Gartner, Blau's insights on AR, VR, and consumer technology have been influential. He frequently provides forecasts on the growth and challenges of the AR industry.
Niantic Labs: While not an individual, this company, led by CEO John Hanke, has made massive strides in popularizing AR through games like “Pokémon Go” and “Harry Potter: Wizards Unite”. Their work demonstrates AR's potential in the realm of entertainment and social interaction.
Alessandro Sabatelli: As the Director of AR at Apple for several years, Sabatelli played a crucial role in the development and proliferation of ARKit. His insights into AR design and its seamless integration into user experiences are noteworthy.
Mark Billinghurst: A pioneer in AR, Billinghurst's work as a professor and head of the HIT Lab in New Zealand has led to numerous AR innovations. His research provides valuable insights into human-computer interactions in augmented spaces.
by Ian Khan | Oct 10, 2023 | Futurist Blog
Tim Cook: As Apple's CEO, Cook has been vocal about AR's potential, hinting at the company's deep interest and investment in the technology. Under his leadership, Apple launched ARKit, setting a new standard for AR development on mobile devices.
Rony Abovitz: Founder of Magic Leap, Abovitz has been a significant figure in the AR space. Despite early hype and challenges, Magic Leap's efforts under Abovitz's guidance continue to influence AR hardware and content creation.
Niantic Labs: While not a single person, this team, led by John Hanke, deserves mention for Pokémon GO, which brought AR into mainstream consciousness. Niantic's ongoing ventures push AR's boundaries, blending the digital and physical worlds seamlessly.
Helen Papagiannis: A renowned AR designer and author of “Augmented Human,” Papagiannis explores how AR impacts our lives and shapes our interactions. Her insights delve deep into AR's design, storytelling, and transformative potential.
Tom Emrich: Often dubbed the “man from the future,” Emrich is a leading voice in AR, VR, and wearables. His passion lies in how emerging technologies transform human experiences. As a partner at Super Ventures, he invests and nurtures the AR ecosystem.
Blippar: Another team entry, but essential. Under Ambarish Mitra's leadership, Blippar became one of the first global AR browsers, allowing users to get instant information from objects by merely pointing their phones.
Brian Mullins: A former CEO of DAQRI, Mullins was behind smart helmets that introduced AR to industrial applications, enhancing productivity and safety in sectors like manufacturing and construction.
Ori Inbar: As the co-founder of Augmented World Expo (AWE) and Super Ventures, Inbar has been fostering the global AR community. His work revolves around connecting startups, developers, and creators in the AR sphere.
Cathy Hackl: An AR/VR strategist and Futurist, Hackl frequently speaks at conferences and is known for her insights into how AR intersects with commerce, branding, and content creation.
Valentin Lefevre: Co-founder of AugmenteDev, Lefevre is instrumental in creating AR solutions for marketing, bridging the gap between brands and immersive technology, enhancing user engagement and experience.
by Ian Khan | Apr 5, 2023 | Ian Khan Blog
Virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) are all forms of technology that allow people to experience and interact with digital content in a way that feels immersive and real. However, each of these technologies has its own unique characteristics and capabilities.
Virtual reality is a fully immersive experience in which a person is completely surrounded by a computer-generated environment. VR devices, such as headset, typically include sensors and a display screen that track the user's movements and display the virtual environment in real-time. VR is often used for gaming, entertainment, and training purposes.
Augmented reality, on the other hand, involves the overlay of digital information on the real world. This can be done through the use of a smartphone or specialized AR glasses, which display the digital content on top of the user's view of the physical world. AR is often used for educational and informational purposes, as well as for enhancing the customer experience in retail and other industries.
Mixed reality is a hybrid of VR and AR, in which digital elements are seamlessly integrated into the real world. This allows users to interact with both the virtual and physical world in a single, cohesive environment. MR technology is still in the early stages of development, but it has the potential to revolutionize a wide range of industries, from education and training to entertainment and design.
In summary, the main differences between VR, AR, and MR are the level of immersion and the relationship between the virtual and physical worlds. VR is fully immersive and takes the user into a completely digital environment, while AR adds digital elements to the real world and MR combines the two in a seamless, interactive environment. Each of these technologies has its own unique capabilities and applications, and they are all constantly evolving as technology advances.
by Ian Khan | Dec 26, 2022 | Ian Khan Blog
Virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) are all forms of technology that allow people to experience and interact with digital content in a way that feels immersive and real. However, each of these technologies has its own unique characteristics and capabilities.
Virtual reality is a fully immersive experience in which a person is completely surrounded by a computer-generated environment. VR devices, such as headset, typically include sensors and a display screen that track the user's movements and display the virtual environment in real-time. VR is often used for gaming, entertainment, and training purposes.
Augmented reality, on the other hand, involves the overlay of digital information on the real world. This can be done through the use of a smartphone or specialized AR glasses, which display the digital content on top of the user's view of the physical world. AR is often used for educational and informational purposes, as well as for enhancing the customer experience in retail and other industries.
Mixed reality is a hybrid of VR and AR, in which digital elements are seamlessly integrated into the real world. This allows users to interact with both the virtual and physical world in a single, cohesive environment. MR technology is still in the early stages of development, but it has the potential to revolutionize a wide range of industries, from education and training to entertainment and design.
In summary, the main differences between VR, AR, and MR are the level of immersion and the relationship between the virtual and physical worlds. VR is fully immersive and takes the user into a completely digital environment, while AR adds digital elements to the real world and MR combines the two in a seamless, interactive environment. Each of these technologies has its own unique capabilities and applications, and they are all constantly evolving as technology advances.
