VR – Airport Benchmarking

AI Guest Imagining a future where AR, VR, and chatbots converge

Karima Kouidri — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 13:43:00 +0000

Few emerging technologies generate as much buzz as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR),

and chatbots. Even so, it seems like these new technologies explode onto the public radar, then vanish as quickly as they arrive. Behind the scenes, though, companies and researchers are making ongoing breakthroughs in all three of these areas. And when AR and VR combine with AI-powered chatbots, magic happens.

A brief history of AR and VR

Augmented reality has been around for a few years, notably in games such as Pokémon Go. It didn’t really grab the public’s attention on a large scale until the last generation of iPhones was released, though. The iPhone 8, iPhone 8+, and iPhone X were all billed as having special chips designed to make AR a better experience. A few apps were showcased, a few hit the App Store, and it’s been mostly crickets since.

Virtual reality has been a science fiction staple for decades, with its origins traceable as far back as the 1950s. In recent years, it’s become a reality, with headsets available at major electronics stores. VR in the mainstream seemed to peak with Facebook’s purchase of Oculus and the release of Samsung’s Gear VR, but there are some exciting new headsets coming soon.

Chatbots are getting smarter

Virtual assistants are gaining in popularity as more businesses adopt them, especially in voice communication. Amazon, for example, opened up its voice-based chatbot tools to developers. Called Amazon Lex, these tools are part of the intense competition between Apple, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft to gain a lead in the voice assistant space.

These accelerating technologies could help chatbots move beyond text-only functions to voice communication. Businesses could then more easily provide an automated phone system that can answer questions without needing to involve human representatives. This could be a more natural and convenient way to communicate with bots than typing in a chat interface.

When they come together…

Companies are realizing that these technologies are complementary. Facebook, in particular, is in a unique position to capitalize on the convergence of AR, VR, and chatbots. The company’s Messenger chatbot platform boasts over one billion users. Meanwhile, Facebook also owns Oculus, one of the biggest names in VR. As mentioned above, the Oculus headsets were some of the first to enter the public consciousness.

With these two platforms operating under the same roof, there’s a ton of potential for unique solutions. And since the Facebook Messenger chatbot platform is open to third parties, almost any company could get in on the action.

…Big things happen

Chatbots, AR, and VR have potential outside the traditional business setting. Airports around the world already use chatbots to provide customer service to passengers. Airports have also employed VR since 2011, starting with Copenhagen Airport’s smartphone app. It wouldn’t be a stretch for the two technologies to merge and enhance every traveler’s experience.

A mix of AR and chatbots has a lot of possibility in the retail space as well, especially if something like Google Glass ever takes off. Someone could walk into a store and have a digital overlay automatically pop up with a chatbot on hand to assist them. This could work with a smartphone, but the need to pull the phone out constantly is inconvenient. This inconvenience is part of the reason augmented reality never took off in airports. Wearable technology could help solve this problem.

Virtual reality and chatbots could also come together in the travel industry to provide interactive travel agency services. Customers could browse vacation destinations and hotels by visiting them through VR, with a chatbot available to answer questions and book trips. The same could happen with AR to a lesser degree.

Potential privacy concerns

These technologies involve the collection and use of data. Chatbots need to understand typing and speech patterns, AR requires location awareness, and VR could involve any of these factors. VR could also bring in fine levels of detail, like what an individual looks at during the experience. What will companies do with all this data? Will they violate user privacy in these situations?

It’s not so much a question of whether these concerns are valid — companies already collect a lot of data on users for targeted advertising. The question is how seriously these businesses will take privacy concerns.

While AR, VR, and chatbots are exciting technologies on their own, the possibilities opened up by merging them are really worth looking forward to. It’s still a little early to tell how they’ll work together, but this is definitely a space to watch over the next few years.

RaShea Drake is a digital journalist who writes for Glassdoor, Socialnomics, and Business2Community.

source : https://tinyurl.com/ycqq5ev5

Virtual reality game offers Sydney Airport travellers

Karima Kouidri — Sat, 22 Apr 2017 09:07:40 +0000

Fun before flight: oOh!media virtual reality game offers Sydney Airport travellers an immersive Parisian experience.

AUSTRALIA. oOh!media has created an immersive virtual reality (VR) game for users of Sydney Airport’s Qantas Club Lounge as part of a Samsonite activation.

The Australasian advertising specialist’s experiential agency oOh! Edge developed the game, which challenges players to find five Samsonite suitcases as quickly as possible at three famous Paris landmarks: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe.

Travellers must use Oculus Rift VR headsets to enter the immersive virtual locations

The activation is promoting Samsonite’s new range of suitcases with ‘Curv Technology’ and is running at the lounge throughout April. It was created collaboratively with Posterscope and Dentsu Mitchell.

A Samsonite Curv luggage pack is being awarded to the top player each week, while a return trip to Paris for two and a Samsonite Curv luggage pack will be awarded at the end of the activation.

“This VR game is an ideal way for Samsonite to engage with travellers who are in a positive mindset and willing to have fun while they’re waiting for their flight,” said oOh!media Chief Executive Officer Brendon Cook.

Samsonite suitcases must be found at locations such as the Eiffel Tower in order to win prizes in the activation

oOh!media cited research which had shown that Qantas club members spend around 42 minutes before their flight in the Qantas Club Lounge, which it said “provides an ideal environment for activations that engage more deeply with travellers who like premium products”.

Posterscope Managing Director Bryan Magee noted: “We know from our Out-of-Home Consumer Survey insights tool that the Samsonite audience likes to interact in social environments, so the airport provided the perfect opportunity for the added layer of fun and engagement with the VR game.”

Samsonite National Marketing Manager Dara Tang commented: “We wanted to interact and bring our brand identity to life with potential customers. This virtual reality game perfectly represents Samonite’s focus on innovation and cutting-edge technology.”

source : https://tinyurl.com/marcrhc

Airports and VR

Karima Kouidri — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 12:45:56 +0000

Airports and VR

Upload here the Passenger terminal World book

source : https://tinyurl.com/lb3kl3w

Frankfurt airport uses VR videos for upgrades to premium economy

Karima Kouidri — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 18:26:30 +0000

Lufthansa has used VR glasses in Frankfurt’s Terminal 1

with selected intercontinental flights as a way of offering economy class passengers an upgrade (for an additional charge) to premium economy directly before their departure.

Lufthansa used the two-week promotional period to draw passengers’ attention to the new travel class as well as presenting the airline as “a company which embraces innovation”.

Flights were selected for the promotion on a daily basis, choosing those where there were still enough seats free in premium economy class. Up until 40 minutes before departure, passengers were given the chance to test out Lufthansa’s new travel class in three dimensions by personnel from a promotion agency. Passengers who decided to go for the upgrade could then pay the surcharge directly at the gate via a mobile payment device.

In the US, Lufthansa has already achieved considerable success with upgrading passengers to premium economy through the use of VR.

source : https://tinyurl.com/zuvrbgz

Qantas launches new virtual reality app to passengers

Karima Kouidri — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 19:38:01 +0000

Qantas has launched a new virtual reality app –

Qantas VR – giving customers an interactive new way to discover and explore destinations before physically travelling there.

Available for iPhone, Android, Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive devices, the app showcases Australia’s distinctive landscape through a series of immersive videos, including never before seen aerial footage of Uluru and Kata Tjuta.

The app offers two modes: split screen for those who have a compatible headset or Google Cardboard and 2D landscape for viewing directly on a smartphone.

Users can also book Qantas flights to the featured destinations directly from the app.

Qantas first offered virtual reality to customers last year, trialling an industry-first virtual reality experience with Samsung Gear VR headsets in its First-Class cabin and Lounges

Qantas Group executive brand, marketing, corporate affairs Olivia Wirth said the app is an innovative way for travellers to plan their trip to Australia.

“Our aim with the new virtual reality app is to connect with travellers by showcasing parts of Australia they may not be familiar with.

“Customers loved our trial of VR headsets last year, but we wanted to take it to another level and make it more accessible.

“Anyone with an iPhone or Android phone can take a virtual tour of Kakdu National Park, for instance, then book a flight directly from the app and see it in person,” said Wirth.

The app launches today with thirteen videos with additional content to progressively roll out over the weeks.

source : http://tinyurl.com/gssgxs7