Various initiatives for tourism x digital transformation (DX) are being undertaken these days, and XR technology is attracting attention as one of these directions.
In the Corona Disaster, virtual travel using smartphones and virtual reality (VR) goggles has become a hot topic, but the dilemma is that the greater the satisfaction, the less motivation there is to visit the site.
AR (Augmented Reality) and MR (Mixed Reality) technologies, which are also positioned as XR-type technologies, can provide new experiences by overlaying images on top of the actual space, so there is a necessity to visit the site to use them, and they are considered more compatible with tourism than VR.
In this issue, we interviewed Mr. Joshua Yeo, Vice President of Nreal and Representative Director of Nreal Japan, and Ms. Sayaka Shimotakahara, Marketing Manager of Nreal, who have developed and marketed “Nreal Air,” AR glasses that allow users to easily experience such AR contents, about the current status and challenges of tourism x AR.
–First of all, can you give us an overview of the Nreal Air product?
Mr. Shimotakahara
Our predecessor, Nreal Light, was designed for companies and developers, but Nreal Air was designed to blend in with the lifestyle of the general public so that it can be used in private life, and was made with a narrow focus on functions so that anyone can use it easily. Nreal Air is a product that has been designed to blend in with the lifestyle of the general public so that it can be used in private life.
In terms of functionality, the new product is as portable and lightweight as a pair of sunglasses, while maintaining the same high image quality as a regular display. We have been able to achieve such a lightweight design by using it with a smartphone.
The most popular use scenario is to enjoy content on a large screen, so the most distinctive feature is the ability to watch videos and movies while sleeping or in any other posture you like. The freedom of posture is also in demand from people who are bedridden or hospitalized.
In the office environment, if you have an Android smartphone that can use our Nebula application, you can launch multiple screens at the same time, allowing you to work on multiple screens at the same time. Nebula for macOS (released at the end of September, supports MacBooks with M-series chips and macOS version 12.0 or later installed. It is a beta version and may cause unintended problems) will allow users to expand their PC screen up to three screens, making multi-screen use possible without the need for a monitor.
AR is also used in the medical industry to simulate surgery, and in stadiums to display information about players and scores at sports games.
–I can easily imagine how to use Nreal Air to enjoy various contents when traveling by plane or train, but what about the possibility of further applications?
Lu Dynasty (of China)
As a B2B customer in Japan, various companies and local governments are considering various things to boost tourism. In fact, if we include overseas, about 80% of the cases are related to tourism.
When you go to a sightseeing spot and put on AR glasses, you can see what it was like 100 or 1000 years ago superimposed on the real scenery, wear historical clothes, live an ancient life, and achieve other things that are not possible today. This is being done in Japan, Korea, Europe, and other tourist destinations.
In Japan, there are examples of applications such as visual guides in which characters appear to provide guidance, which are especially popular among children. Last year, AR Sightseeing Navi was implemented in Kansai through Carrier, and moving 3D contents were exhibited at zoos, museums, and art museums. You can also watch fireworks anytime, anywhere, and the good thing is that you can experience things you can’t do now with the Corona Disaster.
There are also keywords such as smart travel and smart tourism, which aim to provide more new experiences by combining digital technology and tourism content. Research is underway in China and Europe, and various applications and contents will be coming out in the future.
-I personally bought a Nreal Air and use it with lenses for myopia, but if I were to rent it out in a tourist area, I would have to figure out what to do with the corrective lenses.
Lu Dynasty (of China)
Indeed, that is one of the challenges. In our past collaborations with companies, we have utilized lens kits that allow people to use the glasses according to their eyesight. In a few years, when people start using their own smart glasses, they will be able to enjoy content using them.
Although research is now being conducted at universities and other institutions to combine various technologies to enable people to see without corrective lenses, it may still take some time before commercialization.
–Telework has recently become more popular, and ways to spend time such as workcations are also attracting attention. It would be nice to be able to comfortably operate a multi-screen system when working while traveling.
Lu Dynasty (of China)
We will also continue to focus on solutions for office workers, as they can take their Nebula-enabled smartphones and Nreal Air with them on their travels and work on the big screen, which is very convenient.
Not only while traveling or on the move, but also in call centers where people want to use multiple screens but have limited space, Nreal Air makes it very convenient to use three screens on a single Mac. We are also developing an application that will allow users to hold meetings while sharing documents in the same conference room, even when they are in remote locations. These things will be coming out gradually.
–Please let us know if you have any interesting ideas on how to use it in this way.
Mr. Shimotakahara
In the tourism field, we often receive requests for information and directions while walking, but many other things can be done as well. We think it would also be interesting to use it to convey a sense of the future.
Lu Dynasty (of China)
There was also an overseas example in which enemy characters appeared in tourist spots, and if you killed them, you received points that could be exchanged for drinks and other items.
–it will be fun to see the various contents that will appear. Thank you for your time today.
© Source travel watch
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