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With tech titans such as Facebook announcing plans to create their own augmented reality universe, the concept of a ‘metaverse’ has never been more popular. Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, has been especially vocal about the concept, and took the stage at the 2021 Computex Conference to discuss its future. 

Facebook's decision to introduce ads to the VR game was met with criticism, as the founder of the platform, Palmer Luckey, had stated upon Oculus’s acquisition by Facebook that no ads would be run on its consoles: “We are not going to […] flash ads at you, or do anything invasive”.

The future of utilising EMG in wearable hardware is extremely vast. Theoretically, while the user is typing, the device will be able to track nerve signals sent to the brain, thus allowing the user to type on a virtual keyboard and even automatically correct common typing errors.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, Microsoft is closing down its Minecraft Earth mobile game in June. Minecraft Earth was designed around free movement and collaborative play – two things that have become near impossible in the current global situation. Minecraft Earth originally launched for mobile devices in the fall of 2019. Among other tweaks, the update does away with real-money transactions and drastically reduces the time it will take for players to craft and build things within the game.

TikTok has released its first augmented reality filter that can utilize the iPhone 12 Pro’s LIDAR sensor for an enhanced confetti effect that realistically settles on people or objects in your room. Here are some notes on best posting practices to keep in mind. According to TechCrunch, a number of unnamed countries will not get the effect.

The combination of VR and entertainment attractions is not exactly a new thing in our society, with Headrock VR in Singapore providing a VR theme park to the public, and Sandbox VR in several locations worldwide giving a more intimate play VR experience with your friends. What the pandemic has brought on though, is more experimentation in how VR can be further used to entertain us all, despite being a confined medium. 

Microsoft’s plans for Mesh include incorporating larger screens, meeting rooms with eye-level cameras and spatial audio. These will help facilitate face-to-face meetings with life-size colleagues who are working remotely. While Mesh appears to require a whole host of new hardware, a Microsoft spokesperson states that it will be an extension of existing Teams capabilities.

Harvard Business School Online recently surveyed 1,500 people, most of whom felt that working remotely was actually beneficial to their careers. Another survey of 1,800 conducted by The Straits Times in Singapore also had similar findings, with 8 out of 10 supporting work-from-home practices. It seems like the pandemic has brought about a larger number of workers in favour of adopting this new way of working as the ‘norm’.

Hot Hardware reported this June that the Microsoft HoloLens headsets could be used in the US Army as soon as fall 2021. A Microsoft engineer called the development process “eye-opening”, and Microsoft states that they have “acquired nearly 80,000 hours of feedback from soldiers”. Climate testing has also been carried out. On top of this, CEO Nadella retaliated after the employees’ open letter mentioned below, defending the company’s decision to work with the Army on this.

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technology has been used in innovative ways during this time. While ARVR have existed pre-pandemic, their use became ever so important in contributing to the ‘new normal’. Here are two instances in the past year that ARVR has been creatively employed to transform experiences.‍

Recently, rumours have been circulating online thanks to UploadVR’s scoop that Sony has plans to release a new VR headset for their Playstation 5 console, featuring several groundbreaking enhancements that have been generating excitement among the gaming and VR community. 

This June, a patent has been obtained by Apple indicating “an adjustable opacity system” for a new head device - fixing worries about unclear image projection in AR glasses. However, AppleInsider pointed out that a patent does not necessarily guarantee a specific product launch since patent applications are filed as part of the research and development process.

Ever since Apple and Facebook have announced their plans for augmented reality glasses, other tech giants like Samsung have been eager to jump in on the action. With each company racing to release the best AR gadgets, tech enthusiasts can expect many options.

Qualcomm joins tech industry leaders Apple, Facebook, and Samsung in the development of AR smartglasses as a new challenger. In February 2021, the smartphone chip manufacturer announced its own design for an AR smartglasses: Qualcomm XR1 AR Smart Viewer Reference Design. In a video released by the company, the product responds to hand and arm gestures, tracks head movement, and allows users to interact with virtual 3D objects and images around the room. The AR glasses also project digital content onto multiple large virtual screens by connecting the smartglasses with an attached device. 

With AR/VR adoption on the rapid rise, as observed through our trending topic analysis, it is fair to say that more innovative uses of the technology have risen as well. Companies are finding ways and means of using this technology to improve existing processes - to make them better. Or even just creating another platform for user experiences. Below are more companies that are continuing to bring the benefits of AR/VR technology to the general populace. 

VR and AR are transforming the ways in which businesses interact with their clients, potential customers, and even their employees. According to SparkAmplify’s ARVR trending topic analysis, we have observed a sharp increase in wearable technology, including ones from Apple, Samsung and Lenovo. There have also been more corporations utilising AR and VR in their operations - from exhibitions to digital applications.

Animation is a field that is exponentially growing, with more animated series and movies than ever. With industry leaders like Disney and Netflix planning many more live-action adaptations of animated movies/series for the future, could there be a surge of these adaptations in the 2020’s?

NFT has grown in popularity, and with such prevalence, it’s no wonder that NFT has spread to several industries: with the most notable example being the gaming industry, where NFTs range from virtual clothing for avatars to medals from winning games. Now, the trending product is spilling over to the animation industry, at the perfect time, as the NFT market reaches $2.5 billion in sales volume during the first half of 2021. As two major players in the animation industry utilize NFTs, we are seeing the beginnings of a new monetization stream in the animation industry.

As a genre, adventure is most often described as one that is geared towards inciting excitement and eliciting a reaction from audiences. In the field of animation, adventure-themed content is typically presented in two forms: film and series. One of the most significant trends in animated adventure series currently is unusual storytelling which is utilized strategically to capture the dynamic beauty of adventure animations.

On August 15, 2021, at this year’s G Camp Global Accelerator Program a total of 10 outstanding startups from various industries were showcased and selected as finalists. The winners will receive international business matchmaking and guidance for marketing projects, in an effort to prepare them for entry into the global startup scene. This year, 17 startup companies were exclusively selected to participate in the 5th annual G Camp Boot camp. 

AR smartglasses have long been discussed and teased at, with one-fifth of the topics identified by SparkAmplify’s AR/VR trending topic analysis model addressing AR/VR smart glasses, but few concrete and successful results have emerged and prevailed. Since Google Glass was released almost a decade ago, tech companies have had ample time to head back to the drawing board and continue the research and development process for the industry’s next best AR smartglasses. 

As principal in Deloitte’s Health Care practice Jennifer Radin best puts it, “if you consider the future is healthcare being delivered anywhere the individual is, there are so many use cases for VR and AR technology.” Here are four ways in which VR has been adopted by the healthcare industry that have been useful and will continue to be post-pandemic.

G Camp, a prestigious startup accelerator program based in Asia, announced today the ten startups selected for its Taiwan Startup Pitch Night. The virtual event will be held on October 22.

The Small and Medium Enterprise Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs, have announced the winners of the 4th “G Camp”. A total of 5 outstanding teams were named finalists for the “ G Camp Global Accelerator Program”.

Come join us at WiSE24, one of the world's largest online pitch events for women entrepreneurs on June 18 (Asia June 19).

Experience 10 days of unparalleled discovery, learning, and networking with creatives across tech, film, and music industries at the 2020 SXSW Conference & Festivals from March 13-22, 2020 in Austin, Texas.

Taiwan’s Small and Medium Enterprise Administration and the Institute for Information Industry announced today the 5-team Taiwanese startup delegation (G Camp) for the upcoming 2020 SXSW Conference & Festivals from March 15-18, 2020 in Austin, Texas (booth #1515).

MWC is the largest mobile event in the world, assembling the latest innovations and leading-edge technology alongside today's most influential visionaries. MWC Barcelona 2020 takes place Monday, 24 February – Thursday, 27 February, 2020 at Fira Gran Via.

As a key player in the overall technology ecosystem, many Taiwan companies will be exhibiting at CES2020, showcasing the latest technology on the global stage.

Over the years, Slush has grown from a local Nordic Tech Conference to one of the top startup events in the world and this year was no exception. With over 25,000 startup enthusiasts, including 3,500 startups and 2,000 investors no wonder Slush is listed as a “must attend” startup event every single year.

To kickstart the upcoming Slush Helsinki 2019, Taiwan’s Small and Medium Enterprise Administration and the Institute for Information Industry have partnered with Maria 01, a premier startup campus in Finland, to host an exclusive Taiwan x Finland Demo Day.

As one of the biggest startup event in Asia, Meet Taipei Startup Festival 2019 will again be held at the Taipei Expo Dome between November 14 and 16, with 70,000 attendees and over 1,500 startups participating!

As “the best technology conference on the planet,”Web Summit brings together all the key players redefining the global tech industry. This year, Web Summit will take place in Lisbon between November 4 and 7, with over 70,000 attendees and 2,000 journalists participating.

As the North America's leading event for the tech industry, MWC19' themes include 5G, Immersive Content, IOT, and Disruptive Innovation. The third annual MWC Los Angeles will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, from October 22 to October 24.

“Disrupt is where the startup world gathers to see the present and the future of tech in one place.” As the world's leading startup event, Disrupt continues to thrive since it was first held in 2011. This year Disrupt SF will take place in Moscone North Convention Center, San Francisco from October 2 to October 4.

IFA Berlin is the world's leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances. This year IFA will take place in Messegelände Berlin ExpoCenter City Messedamm 22 from September 6th to September 12th.‍Based on SparkAmplify’s Social Proof Index (SP Index), we identified some of the top trending startups exhibiting at IFA NEXT 2019 by categories.

SIGGRAPH is the fastest-growing computer graphics and interactive techniques conference in North America. Now in its 46th year, the annual conference hosted by ACM SIGGRAPH, will take place from 28 July–1 August at the Los Angeles Convention Center.Based on SparkAmplify’s Social Proof Index (SP Index), we identified some of the top trending startups exhibiting at SIGGRAPH 2019 by countries.

Rise 2019, the largest tech conferences in Asia, attracted over 16,000 attendees from 20+ countries, including 385 speakers, 777 startups and 553 tech investors. With SparkAmplify's Event Page, AI-powered intelligent media outreach platform, and Article-Based Recommendation, research time is saved for both brands and media.

7 innovative startups that will attend RISE 2019 you should not miss

This year, the newly opened Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) in Taiwan brings to us three innovative startups and an accelerator, showcasing diverse VR/AR, biotechnology, and software solutions presented by Spectral Applications, NOMI Biotech, Software Hut, and one of the biggest accelerators in Central and Eastern Europe: Enterprise Forum.

Although some in Taiwan may not naturally see Canada as an innovative country, some of the top Canadian startups here at InnoVEX 2019 just spoke for themselves.

Joining InnoVEX for the fourth consecutive year, La French Tech powered by Business France presents an even more diverse and award-winning delegation of 7 startups, including Energysquare, Adok, Digitsole, Quantmetry, Hoomano, Mapwize and Virtual Room, that provide innovative solutions to all kinds of sectors.

Extending the success from last year, the Holland Startup Lounge at InnoVEX 2019 presented once again an amazing delegation with14 startups and incubators, covering a variety of topics from IoT, Blockchain,Touch Technology to 5G.

Leading to the last day of InnoVEX 2019, one of the most-anticipated events was finally brought to the center stage - the Final Round of the Pitch Contest.

As a relatively young startup ecosystem in Asia and around the world, the Philippines sees InnoVEX as a platform to exchange ideas and gain exposure to become "more well known as a startup country.”

Today at InnoVEX, we got an exclusive look inside Appier's AI solutions and vision for the next generation of AI. There was also a series of keynote sessions on the trends of blockchain technology and how it impacts our lives. We also got a chance to talk to one of the organizers of the French national pavilion to see the success behind inviting this year's splendid delegation.

In May, SparkAmplify spent two weeks at Toronto for Collision which is a biggest startup event in North America. It’s the second time SparkAmplify participating Collision.

This year, 467 startups from 25 countries and regions are participating in the 3-day event, with focus in 7 major industries: AI, Biotech, Blockchain, IoT Application, Smart Machinery, Sports Tech, and Startup Ecosystem. The event presents vibrant startup scenes including exhibitions, forums, pitch contests and more. Here are some interesting highlights from our first day at InnoVEX.

Being the biggest startup event for Asia, Echelon had over 12,000 people coming in from 30+ Countries making it the best startup event to be face to face with people of different profiles, mainly Tech enthusiasts,Top startup founders, Venture Capitalists, Experts from various fields to like-minded people who may turn out to be your potential future partners.

Looking for some inspirations for startups? 13 startups in Asia you should not miss!

In the first Thursday of May, TechDay opened a grand ceremony for startups at Javits Center located in the heart zone of great New York area. Startups seeking for opportunities of user acquisition, funding and press coverage were gathering together in one hall, presenting their best routines and product features each by each to catch people’s eyes.

TechDay New York is the largest startup event in the US. On May 2nd, over 20,000 attendees, media, investors as well as 300+ startups will get together at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.‍

There were more than 500 top startups all over the world participating TechCrunch Disrupt SF. SparkAmplify announces the TC Top Picks for Disrupt SF 2018.

SparkAmplify has collected a list of the most media-worthy startups of South Summit Madrid 2018 according to our SP Index.

Discover top startups from 4YFN @ MWC19 Barcelona that media are paying attention to, according to SparkAmplify's SP Index analysis.

SparkAmplify's CES 2019 highlights: On-demand press conference, press coverage performance analysis, intelligent media outreach, etc.

CES is the largest tech event on earth. As the global stage for innovation, Eureka Park hosts more than 1000 startups from every corner of the globe.

Meet Taipei Startup Festival, one of the largest startup event in Asia. SparkAmplify assessed each startup highlighted a list of startups you should follow.

SparkAmpLab has collected a list of the most media-worthy startups of Web Summit 2018 according to our SP Index.