Things are about to get a little stranger later this year as Meta’s Quest Gaming Showcase today included a new look atStranger Things VR, the upcoming psychological horror title coming to major VR headsets. It’s also coming a little earlier than the Winter 2023 release date previously mentioned at last year’s debut.
Stranger Things VR is being developed and published by Tender Claws, the studio behind VR titles Virtual Virtual Reality and The Under Presents.
Here’s how the studio describes the upcoming single player horror-action game:
Experience the world of Stranger Things from the never-before-seen perspective of Vecna as he explores unknown realities, forms the hive mind, and enacts his plan for revenge against Eleven and Hawkins. Players will invade the dreams and memories of fan-favorite characters and harness telekinetic powers to possess minds and battle creatures, as Henry Creel’s transformation into Vecna and his influence on the events of prior seasons is revealed.
● Grab, crush and throw your opponents using telekinesis
● Relive memories from Henry’s time at Hawkins Lab with Dr. Brenner as you explore an otherworldly, interconnected hive mind
● Inhabit the dreams and memories of fan-favorite characters like Will Byers and Billy Hargrove as you manipulate them to do your bidding
● Wielding powers that subvert and defy Vecna’s own, make a final stand to save your friends in a climactic finale
● Open and close portals between worlds and realities… at your peril
The studio says it’s bringing the game to Quest 2 and Quest Pro at some point this Fall, although it’s also hitting “major VR platforms” too, which nowadays typically means PSVR 2, Pico, and SteamVR headsets.
Stranger Things VR was previously projected to arrive in Winter 2023, so it seems to be anticipating a glut of other games announced today which are slated to launch this winter.
Stranger Things VR is set to cost $30. While we wait on a more precise launch date, you can wishlist the game here.
Vertigo Games, the VR pioneers behind the Arizona Sunshine franchise and After the Fall, announced a new VR game during Meta’s Quest Gaming Showcase that takes you to a haunted house for some eerily lifelike encounters with the paranormal. Well, not exactly new.
Called The 7th Guest, the single player VR adventure is actually based on the classic ’90s CD-ROM title that tosses you into a haunted mansion for puzzles and full-motion video (FMV) characters spirits who bring the early adventure game to life.
Instead of flat video though, the new 7th Guest is being built with volumetric video capture alongside a complete overhaul of everything, top to bottom. Here’s how Fast Travel Games describes it:
The team is using volumetric video capture to recreate the FMV (full-motion video) storytelling of the original game, bringing the classic adventure to life like never before. And for the first time ever, the iconic mansion is being recreated in full 3D—though don’t be surprised if it starts shifting around you. After all, it’s haunted. Spooky but never gory, The 7th Guest is like a thrilling amusement park ride you can experience at home, packed with puzzles that pay homage to the original point-and-click adventure while taking full advantage of VR.
The 7th Guest is being developed by Vertigo Studios Rotterdam, a division of Vertigo Games based in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
There’s no exact release date yet, however the studio says it’s coming to Quest 2 and Quest Pro sometime this year.
During Meta’s Quest Gaming Showcase today VR pioneers Fast Travel Games unveiled a new VR game set in the ‘World of Darkness’ universe called Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice.
Billed as a single player adventure RPG, Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice puts you in the role of a vampire who must strike from the shadows and drink the blood of both mortal and vampire prey.
Fast Travel Games, which is also known for its other ‘World of Darkness’ VR game Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife (2021), says its new title features a “gritty main narrative that includes several side missions and dialogue options,” all of which is set in a dark and mysterious Venice.
Here’s how Fast Travel describes some features of Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice:
● BE A STEALTHY VAMPIRE: Hide from the guilty in plain sight with Cloak of Shadows, boil the insides of your victims with Cauldron of Blood, or place a Shadow Trap to drag them into Oblivion. Drink the blood of mortals and other vampires to keep your Hunger at bay. The crossbow attached to your arm can be used for both puzzle solving and combat. ● BECOME THE APEX PREDATOR: You start off as a strong vampire, but can grow even more powerful by upgrading and purchasing new disciplines in skill trees for stealth, combat, and high speed traversal. Explore, complete missions and optional objectives to gain XP and become the ultimate arbiter of Justice. ● A DARK & MYSTERIOUS VENICE: Uncover a conspiracy in a Venice you don’t see in the tourist guides… Explore dark alleyways, blood-soaked canals, forgotten catacombs, and opulent palazzos in your quest to bring your sire’s murderer to justice. Play a gritty main narrative with several side missions, where your dialogues with NPCs and choices you make bring you closer to the truth.
You can wishlist the game on Quest here. When it launches at some point in late 2023, it will be priced at $30. Notably, the trailer says it’s targeting Quest 2 and Quest 3, one of the first games to officially say so; that could mean Fast Travel is working closely with Meta.
To boot, there’s no word on whether it’s coming to other headsets, such as PSVR 2 or SteamVR, however we’ll be keeping an eye on Fast Travel’s Twitter in the meantime.
Resolution Games, the studio behind Blaston (2020) and Demeo (2021), showed off its upcoming VR sports game Racket Club for the first time during Meta’s Quest Gaming Showcase.
Taking inspiration from many of the world’s most popular racket games, such as Tennis, Padel, Pickleball, and Squash, the new trailer released today shows off what Resolution Games calls “the first real look at how Racket Club is played.”
Here’s how the describes the action:
When players step onto the court, they’ll find the play area for their matches surrounded by four clear walls — each providing a surface for the ball to bounce off to keep it in play and provide a new dimension for strategic gameplay. The more times players can hit the ball back and forth during each rally, the higher the points value for the player that takes it. This “points rally” mechanic introduces a unique blend of risk and reward that’s not typically found in racket sports. Players will need to read their opponent’s behavior to determine just the right time to break their reluctant cooperation on any given rally and win the points for themselves.
The court size in Racket Club has been designed with living rooms in mind, giving players the ability to fully immerse themselves in racket sport VR play while keeping their footwork within a safe boundary. This allows for natural movement in all its forms, from traversing the court to taking big swings at just the right angles.
The built-for-VR racket sport is set to include both single player and online multiplayer, which at launch will include singles (1v1) and doubles (2v2) multiplayer in addition to single player career mode. You can wishlist the game today on the Quest Store.
Ioanna is a writer at TNW. She covers the full spectrum of the European tech ecosystem, with a particular interest in startups, sustainabili Ioanna is a writer at TNW. She covers the full spectrum of the European tech ecosystem, with a particular interest in startups, sustainability, green tech, AI, and EU policy. With a background in the humanities, she has a soft spot for social impact-enabling technologies.
This article features an interview with Alberto Prado, Head of R&D Digital and Partnerships at Unilever. Prado will be speaking at TNW Conference, which takes place on June 15 & 16 in Amsterdam. If you want to experience the event (and say hi to our editorial team!), we’ve got something special for our loyal readers. Use the promo code READ-TNW-25 and get a 25% discount on your business pass for TNW Conference. See you in Amsterdam!
From microbiome-protecting skincare to a vegan bee-saving lipstick, Unilever is transforming how it innovates its portfolio products by harnessing the power of AI.
Alberto Prado, Head of Unilever’s R&D Digital and Partnerships, is leading this transformation. According to Prado, leveraging digital technologies enables the R&D department to innovate “better, faster, and more effectively.” And that’s where artificial intelligence comes in.
“It starts with helping us understand the external world much better and in a much more predictive way,” Prado tells TNW. Innovating in our fast-paced and rapidly evolving world has become more complex, he adds.
It’s not simply about responding to consumer trends and addressing consumer needs — which are changing faster than ever before. It’s also about embracing sustainability and reacting to supply disruptions caused by the climate crisis and the volatile geopolitical environment. For instance, think of the sunflower oil shortage following Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“The only way to deal with that complexity and the speed at which things change is through the more widespread use of artificial intelligence,” Prado notes. But how exactly does AI help?
First off, artificial intelligence tools accelerate scientific discovery by taking on multiple tasks that previously required laborious work in a physical lab.
Thanks to access to large-scale data, machine learning and high-performance computing, Unilever’s R&D team has been able to make significant discoveries about human biology and new material use that would have otherwise been inconceivable. For example, the company is close to commercialising plant-based, sustainable palm oil alternatives for use in everyday cleaning and personal care products.
“The ability for us to leverage experimental data to create virtual models that can simulate parameters — which would normally have happened in the physical lab — is speeding up a lot of our work, but also solving problems that may have not been solvable,” Prado notes.
This product design method, also known as “in-silico,” can not only shed light on the interaction of molecular compounds faster and more effectively, but also replace animal testing.
The benefits of this technology have already gone into everyday products such as Dove and Vaseline. Through AI-powered analysis of 12 terabytes of data, Unilever has researched the microbiome (the 100 trillion+ microorganisms living in and on our body), and discovered how to combine it with skin ceramides for products that address issues in skin quality and hydration.
Beyond discovery and design, AI is also used to simulate the manufacturing process, Prado tells TNW. “We need to define the best ways of manufacturing a product,” he explains. “That particular formula, for example, that is energy efficient, reduces waste, and carbon emissions, and that is optimised to enter the development process in our manufacturing plants — which may have very different configurations and setups, depending on the market.”
At the same time, artificial intelligence helps improve Unilever’s supply chain and reaction to shortages. It can uncover alternative ingredients, or simplify products by reducing the number of components without impacting their quality or effectiveness.
And by optimising the discovery, design, and manufacturing processes with AI-powered tools, the company is also improving its operational efficiency.
“Think of innovation as a triangle,” Prado says. It needs to be impactful, sustainable, and cost-efficient. But optimising a product across all three vectors is complex, he explains, which is even more challenging when a big firm’s organisational complexity is added to the mix.
This, for Prado, coupled with all the changes happening around us means that to innovate effectively, it’s crucial to deploy AI at a scale that will help companies remain competitive.
Alberto Prado is one of many tech luminaries speaking at TNW Conference on June 15-16. Use the promo code READ-TNW-25 and get a 25% discount on your business pass for TNW Conference.
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DigiLens may not be on every XR user’s mind, but we all owe them a lot. The optical components manufacturer only recently released its first branded wearable, but the organization makes parts for a number of XR companies and products. That’s why it’s so exciting that the company announced a wave of new processes and partnerships over the last few weeks.
SRG+
“Surface Relief Gratings” is one complicated process within the production of the complicated system that is a waveguide – the optical component that put DigiLens on the map. The short of it is that waveguides are the translucent screen on which a feed is cast by an accompanying “light engine” in this particular approach to AR displays.
DigiLens doesn’t make light engines, but the methods that they use to produce lenses can reduce “eye glow” – which is essentially wasted light. The company’s new “SRG+” waveguide process achieves these ends at a lower cost, while also increasing the aspect ratio for an improved field of view on a lighter lens that can be produced more efficiently at a larger scale.
Lens benefits aside, this process improvement also allows for a more efficient light engine. A more efficient light engine translates to less energy consumption and a smaller form factor for the complete device. All of those are good selling points for a head-worn display. Many of those benefits are also true for Micro OLED lenses, a different approach to AR displays.
“I am excited about Digilens’ recent SRG+ developments, which provide a new, low-cost replication technology satisfying such drastic nanostructure requirements,” Dr. Bernard Kress, President of SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, said in a release. “The AR waveguides field is the tip of the iceberg.”
A New Partner in Mojo Vision
The first major partner to take advantage of this new process is Mojo Vision, a Micro-LED manufacturer that became famous in the industry for pursuing AR contact lenses. While that product has yet to materialize, its pursuit has resulted in Mojo Vision holding records for large displays on small tech. And, it can get even larger and lighter thanks to SRG+.
“Bringing our technologies together will raise the bar on display performance, and efficiency in the AR/XR industry,” Mojo Vision CEO Nikhil Balram said in a release shared with ARPost. “Partnering with DigiLens brings AR glasses closer to mass-scale consumer electronics.”
This partnership may also help to solve another one of AR’s persistent challenges: the sunny problem. AR glasses to date are almost always tinted. That’s because, to see AR elements in high ambient light conditions, the display either needs to be exceptionally bright or artificially darkened. Instead of cranking up the brightness, manufacturers opt for tinted lenses.
“The total form factor of the AR glasses can finally be small and light enough for consumers to wear for long periods of time and bright enough to allow them to see the superimposed digital information — even on a sunny day — without needing to darken the lenses,” DigiLens CEO Chris Pickett said in the release.
ARGO Is DigiLens’ Golden Fleece
After years of working backstage for device manufacturers, DigiLens announced ARGO at the beginning of this year, calling it “the first purpose-built stand-alone AR/XR device designed for enterprise and industrial-lite workers.” The glasses use the company’s in-house waveguides and a custom-built Android-based operating system running on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2 chip.
“This is a big milestone for DigiLens at a very high level. We have always been a component manufacturer,” DigiLens VP and GM of Product, Nima Shams told ARPost at the time. “At the same time, we want to push the market and meet the market and it seems like the market is kind of open and waiting.”
“We are excited to support the democratization of the XR industry by offering Snapdragon Spaces through DigiLens’ leading all-in-one AR headset,” Qualcomm Senior Director of Product Management XR, Said Bakadir, said in a release shared with ARPost.
“DigiLens’ high-transparency and sunlight-readable optics combined with the universe of leading XR application developers from Snapdragon Spaces are critical in supporting the needs of the expanding enterprise and industrial markets,” said Bakadir.
Snapdragon Spaces bundles developer tools including hand and position tracking, scene understanding and persistent anchors, spatial mapping, and plane detection. So, while we’re likely to see more partnerships with more existing applications, this strengthened relationship with Qualcomm could mean more native apps on ARGO.
Getting Rugged With Taqtile
“Industrial-lite” might be getting a bit heavier as DigiLens partners with Taqtile on a “rugged AR-enabled solution for industrial and defense customers” – presumably a more durable version of the original ARGO running Manifest, Taqtile’s flagship enterprise AR solution. Taqtile recently released a free version of Manifest to make its capabilities more available to potential clients.
“ARGO represents just the type of head-mounted, hands-free device that Manifest customers have been looking for,” Taqtile CTO John Tomizuka said in a release. “We continue to evaluate hardware solutions that will meet the unique needs of our deskless workers, and the combination of Manifest and ARGO has the ability to deliver performance and functionality.”
Getting Smart With Wisear
Wisear is a neural interface company that uses “smart earphones” to allow users to control connected devices with their thoughts rather than with touch, gesture, or even voice controls.
For the average consumer, that might just be really cool. For consumers with neurological disorders, that might be a new way to connect to the world. For enterprise, it solves another problem.
Headworn devices mean frontline workers aren’t holding the device, but if they need their hands to interact with it, that still means taking their hands off of the job. Voice controls get around this but some environments and circumstances make voice controls inconvenient or difficult to use. Neural inputs solve those problems too. And Wisear is bringing those solutions to ARGO.
“DigiLens and Wisear share a common vision of using cutting-edge technology to revolutionize the way frontline workers work,” Pickett said in a release shared with ARPost. “Our ARGO smart glasses, coupled with Wisear’s neural interface-powered earphones, will provide frontline workers with the tools they need to work seamlessly and safely.”
More Tracking Options With Ultraleap
Ultraleap is another components manufacturer. They make input accessories like tracking cameras, controllers, and haptics. A brief shared with ARPost only mentions “a groundbreaking partnership” between the companies “offering a truly immersive and user-friendly experience across diverse applications, from gaming and education to industrial training and healthcare.”
That sounds a lot like it hints at more wide availability for ARGO, but don’t get your hopes up yet. This is the announcement about which we know the least. Most of this article has come together from releases shared with ARPost in advance of AWE, which is happening now. So, watch our AWE coverage articles as they come out for more concrete information.
So Much More to Come
Announcements from component manufacturers can be tantalizing. We know that they have huge ramifications for the whole industry, but we know that those ramifications aren’t immediate. We’re closely watching DigiLens and its partners to see when some of these announcements might bear tangible fruit but keep in mind that this company also has its own full model out now.
Sarah Geraghty is Head of Careers with The Communications Clinic where she oversees interviewee and interviewer preparation training to hund Sarah Geraghty is Head of Careers with The Communications Clinic where she oversees interviewee and interviewer preparation training to hundreds of individuals at all levels in public and private sector organisations every year. As a senior training consultant, Sarah designs and delivers leadership programmes for clients in multinational companies and industry groups as well as Media Skills and Presentation skills training. Formerly a contributor to The Irish Times, Sarah regularly appears in national print and broadcast media as a careers expert and is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and the University of Edinburgh.
Here’s the thing, it doesn’t take long for an outsized ego to manifest itself in the workplace.
Everything is self-referential. Any topic leads back to wonderful them.
One of my clients was offered a job recently that would pay roughly twice what she’s earning now. She nailed the interview, so I figured all she had to do was read and sign the contract. I was surprised when she said she wasn’t taking the position.
Why not? Because the boss of the new company had led the interview panel.
The HR manager asked relevant, open questions. The external interview panellist probed her skills and listened to examples. That took up maybe 11 minutes out of the 30-minute interview. The rest was occupied by the boss who asked one or maybe two questions, but for the most part, simply talked about himself, his company and its values, his preferences, his triumphs, and so on.
“If he’s that self-absorbed in the recruitment interview, and has so little regard for what the interview should have been finding out about me and the other candidates, I’d be plain stupid to go work for him,” my client told me. “Of course, I could cope. But really, would it be worth it?”
In short, the answer is no, for a myriad of reasons including prioritising your mental health and ensuring you have a healthy work-life balance.
But if you’re already stuck in a position with an egotistical CEO, you’ll need to be tactical and pragmatic in how you deal with them.
Firstly, don’t take it personally (do sums in your head while the egotist talks) and always keep your cool, even in stressful situations where they’re clearly in the wrong. At the same time, that doesn’t mean you have to sit back and become their in-office emotional punching bag. Instead, keep a written record of dates and times your egotistical boss was inappropriate, unprofessional, or took you to task over something menial or outside of your control.
Similarly, keep a paper trail with regard to regular appraisals, so you have a measurable record of your progress and achievements to hand. This can help resolve any conflict that might arise, swiftly and professionally without any emotion.
Getting support from your colleagues can also really help your mental health. As the adage goes, a problem shared is a problem halved. While gossiping at the water cooler (virtual or otherwise) in hushed tones is never a good look, having a trusted circle of colleagues that can lend professional support and advice will not only keep you sane but keep your work and professional progress on track.
And while it might pain you to do so, sometimes leaning into their ego, complimenting them and even poking a little bit of fun at their personality can make the egotist feel even more important and acknowledged. I know someone who used judicious teasing to manage a sibling’s ego. Little raised-eyebrow digs while saying things like, “given our sister’s outsized humility…” Sometimes she would laugh, but even when she didn’t, the reference would tend to comfort the other family members.
However, knowing how to cope with a big ego boss doesn’t necessarily make that coping worthwhile. There comes a point when exercising the skills required comes close to pandering, and where too much of your time is going towards the inflation of an already oversized ego. So, is it worth it?
Is a CEO who’s built their success — deserved or not — on such outdated behaviour likely to change? They’ve got this far leading in a way they believe to be productive, warranted, and necessary. Why change now?
If the answer is no — and with an egoistical boss at the helm, this is likely — that’s the point when you need to quietly start looking for another job (while continuing to maintain good relationships in your current one).
A leader lacking in emotional intelligence — and particularly self-awareness — is potentially disastrous for the culture of a company. And this type of work environment isn’t sustainable long-term.
According to Herminia Ibarra and Anne Scoular, excellent leaders, “ask questions instead of providing answers, support employees instead of judging them, and facilitate their development instead of dictating what has to be done.”
Looking for a role in a company whose senior management understands that effective, sustainable leadership is about you, not them? Check out these new roles:
The Dock, Accenture, Dublin
Established in 2017, The Dock is Accenture’s flagship R&D and global innovation centre based in Dublin. Over 250 designers, developers, researchers, and experts bring design, business, and technology together to help solve complex problems facing their clients in industries ranging from Financial Services to Public Services. If you’re interested in joining a team that “takes people development really seriously,” explore open roles at Accenture today.
Binance, Paris
Paris-based Binance is the blockchain company behind the world’s largest digital asset exchange by trading volume and users. Its mission is to accelerate cryptocurrency adoption and increase the freedom of money and it offers “great career development opportunities in a growing company.” Check out opportunities for a role that suits you at Binance here.
Delivery Hero, Berlin
Delivery Hero is a German multinational online food ordering and food delivery based in Berlin, operating in over 70 countries. Its open roles highlight that it wants “to empower our Heroes and that means caring about all aspects of their wellbeing, such as career, community, social, physical, and financial.” If this sounds like the kind of place you’d thrive in, explore some of the positions currently up for grabs at Delivery Hero here.
Linnea is the senior editor at TNW, having joined in April 2023. She has a background in international relations and covers clean and climat Linnea is the senior editor at TNW, having joined in April 2023. She has a background in international relations and covers clean and climate tech, AI and quantum computing. But first, coffee.
Italy is the latest country looking to quickly shore up domestic development of an AI ecosystem. As part of its Strategic Program for Artificial Intelligence, the government will “soon” launch a €150 million fund to support startups in the field, backed by development bank Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP).
As reported by Corriere Communazione, Alessio Butti, Italy’s cabinet undersecretary in charge of technological innovation, relayed the news of the state-backed fund yesterday. While he didn’t provide specific details on the amount to be made available, government sources subsequently told Reuters the figure being discussed in Rome was in the vicinity of €150 million.
“Our goal is to increase the independence of Italian industry and cultivate our national capacity to develop skills and research in the sector,” Butti said. “This is why we are working with CDP on the creation of an investment fund for the most innovative startups, so that study, research, and programming on AI can be promoted in Italy.”
Navigating regulation and support
Indeed, the AI boom is here in earnest. Yesterday, Nvidia became the first chipmaker to hit $1 trillion in valuation. The boost to stocks followed a prediction of sales reaching $11 billion in Q2 off the back of the company’s chips powering OpenAI’s ChatGPT (which, coincidentally got off on a bit of a bad foot with Italy).
Those who do not yet have their hands in the (generative) AI pie are now racing to be part of the algorithm-driven gold rush of the 21st Century.
While intent on regulatory oversight, governments are also, for various reasons, keen on supporting domestic developers in the field of artificial intelligence. Last month, the UK made £100 million in funding available for a task force to help build and adopt the “next generation of safe AI.”
Italy is also looking to set up its own “ad hoc” task force. Butti stated, “In Italy we must update the strategy of the sector, and therefore the Department for Digital Transformation is working on the establishment of an authoritative group of Italian experts and scholars.”
Part of national AI strategy
Italy adopted the Strategic Program for Artificial Intelligence 2022-2024 in 2021 but, of course, the industry is evolving at breakneck speed. The strategy is a joint project between the ministries for university and research, economic development, and technological innovation and digital transition. Additionally, it is guided by a working group on the national strategy for AI.
The program outlines 24 policies the government will have implemented over the course of the three years. Beyond measures to support the domestic development of AI, these include promotion of STEM subjects, and increasing the number of doctorates to attract international researchers. Furthermore, they target the creation of data infrastructure for public administration and specific support for startups working in GovTech and looking to solve critical problems in the public sector.
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Siôn is a reporter at TNW. With a background in environmental science, he loves to write about climate tech, policy, and the built environme Siôn is a reporter at TNW. With a background in environmental science, he loves to write about climate tech, policy, and the built environment.
Dutch architecture firm MVRDV has completed Matrix One — a 6-storey, energy-efficient, office and laboratory block constructed using over 120,000 reusable components.
The building is the largest of seven that make up the Matrix Innovation Center in the Amsterdam Science Park, which serves as a hub for scientists and entrepreneurs developing solutions to some of the world’s toughest challenges.
Matrix One has been designed for disassembly: almost everything from the doors and windows to ceilings and furniture is fully detachable and reusable. Even the floors are made from prefabricated concrete slabs with no fixed connections — they can simply be unscrewed and removed.
MVRDV teamed up with Dutch startup Madaster to create ‘material passports’ for the building. These digital IDs store key information about each component — like weight, dimensions, and material characteristics — which aids efficient reuse further down the line.
Once the building reaches the end of its useful life or gets renovated, these components could be available for purchase on a second-hand marketplace (think eBay for buildings). According to MVRDV, 90% of the building’s materials can be used again.
“In the future, we hope this is how all buildings will work,” said MVRDV partner Frans de Witte.
The interior of Matrix ONE. Credit: MVRDV/Daria Scagliola
Construction and demolition is currently responsible for a third of all waste generated in the EU. Making the sector more circular — that is, to minimise waste to the furthest extent possible — has been identified as a key priority for the Dutch government, in line with its commitment to transition to a fully circular economy by 2050.
Parallel to the push toward circularity is cutting down the carbon footprint of buildings and infrastructure, which account for a whopping 37% global CO₂ emissions. Projects like Matrix ONE act as a testbed for many of the technologies needed to minimise these impacts.
“Matrix ONE offered an excellent opportunity for us to test a number of carbon-reduction strategies we have been investigating for a long time,” said de Witte.
The rooftop of Matrix One is covered with a 1,000 sq.m solar array, with the rest given over to greenery, helping improve insulation. Lighting and heating are controlled by sensors and via a phone app, to reduce energy consumption.
Matrix One also has a restaurant on the ground floor, a bar at the top of the staircase, a 100-seat auditorium, and storage space for bikes.
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Andrea is TNW’s Branded Content Editor and, as a writer, she’s covered a wide range of topics from ClimateTech to AI and gender bias. She’s Andrea is TNW’s Branded Content Editor and, as a writer, she’s covered a wide range of topics from ClimateTech to AI and gender bias. She’s always on the lookout for stories that explore the social and political impact of emerging technology.
No matter who your favourite character was, The Office (both the UK or US versions, let’s not get into a fight here) became an iconic series because it played on one thing we all know to be true: offices are boring.
The tech industry tried to change all that by infusing some ‘fun’ into the office. Their plan was to attract adults to the workplace with bright colours, slides, rock walls, and a relaxed dress code, echoing kid’s jungle gyms. They did away with the cubicles of the 90s and introduced open office plans, assuming that having people from different teams rubbing shoulders would surely boost collaboration, camaraderie, and innovation.
The pandemic proved they were wrong. After getting a taste of the comforts of working from home, many employees haven’t had the inclination to return. Employers have either tried to wrestle employees back to the office, or given in and let them stay home. Those opting for the latter have faced waves of employees turning in their notices in favour of employers who offer flexible work options.
Is the office finally dead?
Why it’s impossible to design the perfect office
One of the main challenges offices face is that they’re filled with people. People who all expect something different from their workplace.
While for analysts on your team, data security is a top priority, for the digital marketing team, broadcasting the cool new innovations the team is coming up with may be more important.
Likewise, it’s a well-known fact that some people need peace and quiet to do their best work, while others need people to bounce ideas off of. A recent study into personalities in the workplace by experts from the University of Arizona and California State found that extroverted workers focus better and are happier in open office plans. Meanwhile, those who are high on neuroticism struggle with open floor plans.
There’s not just a difference in personalities but also circumstances: a father of two young kids may have different needs than his colleague who’s a single dog parent.
Aside from these differences, new workplace and technology trends are continuously cropping up and shifting attitudes. Mental health, diversity and inclusion, and data protection are just a few issues that are top of managers’ minds.
So can you actually build a workplace that’s flexible enough to work for everybody?
I visited Miele X’s new home in Amsterdam’s modern new office building “The Valley” to find out.
Photo: Miele X
A digital approach to office design
When you first step out of the elevator onto Miele X’s floor, you encounter a display case of curiosities: an early prototype of a washer that oddly resembles a butter churner and a 1950s vacuum, all part of the company’s history.
A friendly receptionist met me at the entrance and brought me through to what looked like a large modern kitchen. Some people were chopping up vegetables or clipping herbs from a mini greenhouse, while others were sitting and chatting at cafe-style tables.
Photo: Miele X
As my host Matea Fogec, External Communications Manager, explained, what they aim to build isn’t an office but a home away from home where people can’t just get a coffee but also wash their clothes, do some yoga, and cook a meal together.
But how do you build a work environment that’s suitable for the wide and varied uses of e-commerce, data & analytics, digital marketing, operations, and other departments? They decided to take an agile approach to the problem.
A team of project managers began breaking up the project into dev-style sprints. To ensure everyone’s voice was included, they collected feedback on the must-haves and nice to haves. During an “architect café,” they recruited interested teammates to vote on the final designs.
Of course, not every suggestion could be taken on board. As the Community Space project manager and Head of Agile PMO, Markus Herfert, explained:
“A treadmill meeting room concept was rejected because there wasn’t enough value for money. In the end, it was always a question if a concept fits the overall approach and design, user/employee centricity, and value for money.”
In the final stages of the project, they had a team of volunteer ‘superusers’ come and test out the space for two weeks.
So what features made the final cut?
As more remote jobs pop up, employers are realising they need to give people a real reason to come to the office (other than “upper management is making me”).
Miele X outfitted their space with tech–backed work gadgets that enhance both the way teams work and how they collaborate.
There’s a device wall which gives Miele X teams and guests insights into the variety of content displayed on different device types including smartphones, tablets, and laptops. A user testing area, including a one-sided mirror, allows teams to invite focus groups to test products on-site.
There’s even a strategy meeting room, where the windows can be fogged up to keep upcoming innovations safe from wandering eyes.
Finally, perhaps the most practical feature for all teams is a 360-degree boardroom that makes dial-in meetings a lot less awkward and a lot more inclusive as everyone appears face to face on screen, and mics are automatically turned off and on based on who’s speaking.
Photo: Miele X
This is great for employees like Tiny Nguyen, CRM Marketing Automation Manager B2B/Professional at Miele X, who’s in a team that’s spread between Amsterdam and Germany.
“People dialling in from Germany don’t feel they’re missing out because they can see everyone’s faces and hear everyone perfectly as if they were in the room,” she says.
All these digital marvels are wonderful, but how do they solve the office personality problem?
Rather than choosing between open office plans and the cubicles of yore, Miele X allows employees to choose a workstation that suits the task at hand.
The layout follows a circular design, snaking around an open central atrium. As you walk along this pathway, you’ll come across a combination of meeting rooms and open office spaces. Those wanting more privacy can take refuge in the private nooks built for one or two, or semi-private workspaces in the shape of ski lifts and a rickshaw.
Photo: Miele X
Most important of all, its circular shape means noise doesn’t travel. So while the operations team may be chattering away in an open camper van, the noise dies off as soon as you turn the corner.
The best part is, the layouts aren’t permanent. Walls can be moved to make new rooms of different sizes, for different purposes.
The challenge offices face today is competing against the comforts of home. That’s why Miele X made sure to include creature comforts that employees won’t miss when deciding to go in to work, like:
A laundry room with Miele devices to wash, dry, and steam clothing
A fully equipped family-style Miele kitchen to cook and share meals together
Fully equipped, dedicated rooms for meditation/prayer, maternity, and recreation/yoga
Japanese-style sleeping pods
A dehumidifier room that drys wet clothes in minutes
Photo: Miele X
The perfect work environment…
So is Miele X’s Community Space a land in the clouds where employees hold hands and sing songs around the indoor caravan? No.
There’s no such thing as perfection, but you can always strive for better, as Miele’s motto “Immer Besser” posits.
People’s needs change as social factors, technology, and the way we work change. Just a few years ago, social distancing was a major need when bringing people back together. In the future, emerging work trends like the use of generative AI may present new needs. The point is, you always need to be rethinking, redesigning, and checking in with your team.
That’s why Miele X is already thinking about the next iterations moving forward.
Aside from running regular satisfaction surveys, they’ve placed QR codes to invite feedback in areas where they see potential for improvement, and they collect data on the usage of call cabins, meeting rooms, desks, and general occupancy.
“It’s in our DNA to challenge the status quo, so it will be an ongoing process to change, update, and upgrade,” says Fogec.
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Finnish game company Valo Motion is rousing the immersive reality industry with two exciting updates. With the remarkable success of RPM Raceway’s ValoArena installations and the introduction of Stomp Squad on ValoJump, Valo Motion is solidifying its position in physically active and fun immersive experiences space.
Let’s dive into these developments and explore the impact they have on the world of interactive entertainment.
RPM Raceway: A ValoArena Success Story
RPM Raceway, a New York-based Family Entertainment Center chaink, has taken their immersive attractions to new heights with mixed reality playground ValoArena. After experiencing “tremendous” success with the first installation at their Long Island location, RPM Raceway has decided to invest in a second ValoArena for their Stamford, CT venue.
According to Valo Motion, ValoArena has quickly become RPM Raceway’s top attraction, surpassing other VR experiences and even top-tier arcade machines. Players are transported into a realm where their actions and movements become an integral part of the exhilarating gameplay, providing an immersive experience that defies conventional boundaries.
This unattended 6-player mixed reality playground has proven to be a revenue-generating powerhouse, combining physical activity with social gameplay and exciting ROI potential. The success of ValoArena further cements Valo Motion’s commitment to providing physically active and engaging experiences in the FEC industry.
“What’s so impressive about ValoArena is that it generates more than enough revenue to substantiate its large footprint,” said Chris Kimlingen, RPM Operations Manager, in a press release shared with ARPost. “The numbers don’t lie, investing in a second ValoArena was really a no-brainer.”
As RPM Raceway forges ahead in their commitment to deliver unparalleled entertainment experiences, their partnership with Valo Motion continues to thrive, driving the industry forward and fueling the imagination of players seeking extraordinary adventures.
“Stomp Squad”: A Cooperative Trampoline Adventure
Last week Valo Motion unveiled Stomp Squad, an innovative game set in the captivating universe of Super Stomp, one of their most popular ValoJump experiences. In this futuristic world, players must join forces to protect Stomp Lake City from the notorious MegaFrog, a villain with nefarious intentions to destroy the city because of its advanced technology. The players are in for an adrenaline rush as they leap into action and stomp on evil robots.
“Valo Motion is incredibly excited to debut Stomp Squad,” noted Raine Kajastila, Founder and CEO of Valo Motion. “We’re committed to delivering unforgettable experiences that combine physical activity and cutting-edge technology; Stomp Squad does that while also encouraging teamwork. We can’t wait for guests to try it.”
Like other Valo experiences, Stomp Squad is an immersive cooperative game that combines physical activity, fun socialization, and virtual environments. Seamlessly integrating augmented reality and motion tracking, the Stomp Squad experience transcends traditional gaming, providing an opportunity for players to embrace their inner heroes and embark on an unforgettable trampoline adventure. Aside from having fun, players also cultivate skills such as spatial awareness, precise jumping, and teamwork.
Valo Motion: Committed to Continued Innovation That Redefines Gaming and Entertainment
These latest developments from Valo Motion add to their impressive portfolio of immersive entertainment. From the intergalactic adventure of Astro Blade to the thrilling heist in Operation Money Grab, the company has consistently pushed the boundaries of mixed reality gaming. Since the official launch of the ValoArena in the United States, Valo Motion has been capturing the attention of both operators and players seeking unique and thrilling experiences.
Valo Motion is certainly redefining the future of gaming and entertainment. The recently celebrated sale of their 1000th AR gaming system indicates the growing demand for their immersive products. Through their commitment to advanced technology, Valo Motion is transforming the landscape of interactive experiences, captivating audiences and attracting visitors to FECs worldwide.
Thomas is a senior reporter at TNW. He covers European tech, with a focus on deeptech, startups, and government policy. Thomas is a senior reporter at TNW. He covers European tech, with a focus on deeptech, startups, and government policy.
The AI system is the brainchild of Uppbeat, an audio platform based in Leeds. Targeting content creators, the feature finds copyright-free tracks for video soundtracks. Uppbeat claims it’s the first tool that lets people use their own language to find the songs they want.
“Generative AI music is rife with copyright and overall quality issues,” said Lewis Foster, CEO of Uppbeat, in a statement. “Our catalogue is full of incredible artists and AI doesn’t come closet. But, we asked ourselves, ‘What if we can use AI to help creators pinpoint the perfect copyright-free music for their content?’
“This ‘What if?’ moment has evolved into our game-changing AI Playlist Generator and I’m excited to share it with the world. We believe it promises to positively impact the way creators soundtrack their content with AI. Give it a try!”
To use the tool, just enter a description of your video, scene, music vibe, or personality. The system will then return a custom playlist of matches from Uppbeat’s catalogue of tracks.
As the tool is currently available in a freemium version, we tried to give it a whirl.
The system can process a diverse array of prompts. Credit: Uppbeat
We asked for a playlist about an apt scene: “A tech boss uses AI to take over the world.” Within seconds, the machine spat out a mix titled, “Tech Takeover Tunes.”
We were impressed by the selection. Although smash hits were lacking, it was a suitable soundtracking for a cyborg Musk pillaging his way across the planet.
