8 Dec 2023 | Mike Boland

AWE Talks: Are Contact Lenses XR's Endgame

AWE EU 2023

Key Takeaways
– As seen from high-profile players like MojoVision, contact lenses could be AR's endgame.
– XPANCEO is working on a similar vision, including ample IP and $40m in fresh funding. 
– The idea is that AR's value is heightened when the obtrusive hardware goes away.
– Backing up, we've seen consumer tech evolution go from the PC to the smartwatch.
   – But through that journey, we're now left with so many purpose-built devices. 
   – We're talking headphones, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and portable gaming. 
   – Though these are all advancements, they take a step back in convenience. 
– In that light, could the holy grail be immersive tech whose hardware slims down?
– Not only is this a compelling vision from a UX perspective, but it opens new use cases. 
   – Entertainment and news/information can be more persistent and easy to activate. 
   – The same goes for gaming in terms of mobility: the next evolution in mobile gaming.
   – In-situ and geographically-relevant social signals can become more intuitive and discreet.
   – Shopping and commerce likewise become more line of sight, empowering consumers. 
   – Health tracking and "quantified self" signals also become more persistent and intelligent.
– Of course, it's easy to get caught up in blue-sky scenarios... the question is viability. 
   – XPANCEO has prototypes that can demonstrate the vision today and legit underlying tech.
   – Once those challenges are solved, others await, such as cultural acclimation and distribution.
–Meanwhile, the vision is compelling for augmenting and empowering everyone. 

For more color from XPANCEO, including a deep dive into the underlying tech, see the full video below...    

  Want more XR insights and multimedia? ARtillery Intelligence offers an indexed and searchable library of XR intelligence known as ARtillery Pro. See more here.