If you read a lot of tech news, you’d think we’re merely months away from being able to hail a robotaxi in Europe. Unfortunately, this will be wrong: because those articles are most likely talking about projects in North America, and the EU’s approach to autonomous ridesharing and ride-hailing is vastly different to the US. So, we had a simple question: when will we be able to catch a robotaxi in Europe? And why can’t we yet? Currently, there are robotaxis (and a small number of roboshuttles) operating in the US, but only roboshuttles in Europe — terms we’ll define…
As much as we need to cut aviation’s emissions, batteries aren’t going to do the trick. To replace turbine-driven airliners with similarly-sized electric aircraft will require a monumental leap in battery technology — and we’re simply not there yet. So how can we make aviation sustainable? According to studies by the UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), aviation can achieve the net-zero 2050 target through the development of both sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and green liquid hydrogen technologies. They also highlight that green liquid hydrogen is the optimum fuel for the first generation of zero-emission aircraft. As per the ATI, targeted…
This article was originally published on .cult by Mikaella C. .cult is a Berlin-based community platform for developers. We write about all things career-related, make original documentaries, and share heaps of other untold developer stories from around the world. Your professional experience is great. You’ve nailed the test problems. But halfway through the interview, they ask you, “What’s your motivation to work here?” and you find yourself rambling, or stammering, or staring blank-faced at them. Motivation is such a complex and nuanced feeling for each person that it can be difficult to sum up neatly in a job interview. Or…
Rakuten Viber and Snap both have packages of AR lenses and interactive experiences to celebrate the FIFA World Cup. Since the two apps joined forces on AR tech last summer, activations like this often go forward for both companies at the same time, ensuring that users of both platforms have access to the quality AR content.
But remember, the AR content on both platforms is never exactly the same. Here, we’ll look at how both companies and their communities are celebrating the world’s most-watched sports event.
Rakuten Viber Experiences
Rakuten Viber is a secure calling and messaging app that last year added support for AR effects and other graphics through a partnership with Snap. However, the company takes that technology in its own direction when it comes to the experiences that it provides users.
“We are excited to offer many different rewards and interactive content to our users,” Rakuten Viber Senior Director of Growth Top Markets, Atanas Raykov, said in a release shared with ARPost. “Sharing your predictions, finding out the score of the latest game, or checking the global leaderboard will be as easy as opening the Viber app.”
The World Cup on Viber
Users of Rakuten Viber have access to themed frames for festive photographs, as well as for keeping track of the game score and other features. Users can also augment photographs with a World Cup sticker pack in English as well as eighteen other languages.
Rakuten Viber has also created a series of gamified lenses, allowing users to score goals with a virtual ball, cheer on their favorite team, or make short videos of themselves with soccer balls flying around their heads.
And, those are just the AR experiences. Rakuten also has channels dedicated to the game, and a football-fan AI chatbot that users can interact with, in and around the big game.
Snap Experiences
Snap is excited to celebrate the big game too. And, Like Rakuten Viber, they have both AR experiences as well as flat and 3D activations throughout other arms of their app services.
“We’re thrilled to cover the biggest global sporting event of the year across all of Snapchat – with dedicated custom AR experiences and comprehensive content coverage that will include localized highlights from every game in over 30 countries,” Snap Inc. Head of Sports Partnerships, Anmol Malhotra, said in a release shared with ARPost.
AR Experiences
Snap’s AR offerings include both official and “organic” Lenses and filters representing 13 national teams from around the world. There are also new World Cup-themed Cameos that help to put you in the action as well.
“Live Garment Transfer” Lenses also allow AR try-ons of the official team kit for five teams – USMNT, France, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, and Qatar. This activation also marks the tool’s availability for Lens creators after having spent the last few months in internal development.
Other Experiences Across the Snap Universe
Not all of Snap’s World Cup adventures are in AR either. There are also official and organic stickers, themed content on Spotlight and Discover, and special Bitmoji outfits.
For a truly global celebration, open your Snap Map. Posters everywhere that select to share their celebrations publicly can have their content appear at their real-world location so you can see what celebrations look like around the world.
I want a Good, Clean Game
No matter which platform you use or how you use it, it’s fun to see these social platforms showing their colors for the world’s biggest game. See you at the World Cup!
When people turned to the virtual world to connect with each other at the height of the pandemic, MMOs and other multiplayer games got a boost in popularity. Multiplayer XR games also began growing as a new genre of immersive cooperative play. While these games have the same basic goal of allowing multiple players to share experiences in the same virtual environment, they continue to evolve and develop into games that go beyond entertainment.
Enhancing Shared Experiences in the Physical World
Most multiplayer AR/VR games today bring different players from different geographical locations into a shared virtual environment where they engage in cooperative play. The players use wearables and controllers to make the experience immersive. This type of game enabled people to have some form of social interaction during pandemic lockdowns.
As restrictions eased, other types of multiplayer AR/VR games that could be enjoyed together in the same physical space also became increasingly popular. One example is Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, a co-op party game where one player gets trapped, virtually of course, in a room with a ticking bomb. Other players in the same physical room give verbal cues to help diffuse the bomb. There’s also Reiko’s Fragments where one player has to escape a haunted house and other players in the room play as spirits who control the haunted house. Players engage in these games together in the same room.
When amusement parks and entertainment centers opened again, they also began to offer more multiplayer AR/VR games. Just this summer, several VR arcade games were launched including Sega’s VR Agent, Far Cry VR at Zero Latency, and Transformers: Decepticon Invasion at Dave and Buster’s.
Taking Multiplayer XR Games Beyond the Boundaries of Physical Space
ValoArena takes multiplayer XR games further to another level. This mixed reality playground that can accommodate up to six players requires no wearables and no controllers. Players are not tethered by wires and can interact freely with each other in the same physical space that gets transformed into a hyper-realistic virtual environment.
In ValoArena, players can choose from a variety of games that encourage physical activity and social interaction. Players jump, run, dodge, and help each other through challenging obstacles in the arena-like stage. Since there are no wearables and wires, players can hold hands, carry each other, give high fives, and laugh together. Spectators can watch live and cheer for them too.
“For me, the best thing about ValoArena is to observe groups and how they have fun together,” said Steffen Brunckhorst, CEO of the German family entertainment center Abenteuerland, in a press release shared with ARPost. “They compete with each other or cooperate, and they are laughing. People are completely immersed in the game, and they are visibly having fun playing.”
Aside from providing players with a more socially interactive way to play XR games, ValoArena also offers operators ease of operation. The system has high throughput, requires no employee supervision, and is easy to play. With the rising popularity of ValoArena, some operators are reporting utilization rates as high as 86%, according to Valo Motion
Valo Motion Brings ValoArena to the US
After its successful launch in Europe, ValoArena is now ready to make waves in the United States. Its Finland-based maker, Valo Motion, has announced the first two installations of the immersive arena at the RPM Raceway in New York and at Air Madness in South Dakota. According to Dr. Raine Kajastila, CEO of Valo Motion, the US launch of ValoArena brings a fresh alternative to passive play in out-of-home amusement locations.
“ValoArena is much more than just a revolutionary concept; it’s an evolutionary step forward,” Kajastila said. “We have taken the best from our ValoClimb and ValoJump attractions and built a truly social group gaming experience where active fun and laughs can be shared by groups and families.”
Additional units of ValoArena will be available for installation soon and will be an exciting addition to over one thousand Valo Motion products (ValoClimb and ValoJump) currently located in family entertainment centers in over 30 American states.
Multiplayer XR Games in Shared Environments
As immersive technologies mature, shared experiences in shared environments—both physical and virtual—will become richer and more exciting. Multiplayer XR games will become increasingly accessible on various platforms and on multiple devices. They will transform family game nights, weekend gatherings, arcade trips, and other events by offering highly engaging experiences that encourage social interaction.
Historically, race cars have had a tremendous impact on the evolution of the consumer automobile. Nearly every element incorporated into modern vehicles, from aerodynamics, steering wheels and suspension to transmissions and turbochargers – was born from innovations on the racetrack.
So when French startup MACA unveils their revolutionary Hybrid Carcopter S Eleven Flying Vehicle from Booth #61244 in the Eureka Park Marketplace at CES next month, It should come as no surprise that this new flying race car has its roots in the world’s fastest sport.
“The racing industry has enabled us to build and evolve our product faster than our competitors because we apply existing requirements and certifications to our craft beginning with our initial design phase, allowing us to overcome all regulatory hurdles before conceptual development ever began,” says MACA Chief Operating Officer Thierry de Boisvilliers. “Plus the Carcopter S Eleven will be powered by ecofriendly Hydrogen-based fuel cells, which leaves no impact on the environment while delivering greater time-in-the-sky autonomy than vehicles using electricity or fossil fuels.” What’s more, de Boisvilliers says, the company’s relationship with the world of auto racing allows MACA to fly their vehicle at low altitudes at local racetracks within a closed environment, thus enabling the company to gauge, monitor and support the vehicle through every phase of product testing.
“During trial flights, MACA will place sensors all around the tests-tracks, ensuring that even unmanned sessions will prevent vehicles from hitting walls or – in the case of multiple vehicles testing simultaneously – one another,” he says.
A retired French fighter pilot, de Boisvilliers founded MACA in 2020 with former Airbus executive Michael Krollak, after three years of R&D. The concept launched as the direct result of an internal Airbus engineering competition, where the duo’s Formula One Flying Car Concept earned top honors, garnering the support of all major Airbus divisions. Now equipped with a Carcopter S Eleven flying prototype, MACA intends to unveil their creation to the world next month in Vegas.
“Like our overall flying car concept, our booth won’t be your normal run of the mill trade show exhibit,” de Boisvilliers says. “Through the power of Augmented Reality, visitors to our booth will feel the power and excitement of autonomous flight over a broad variety of landscapes and terrains. They will truly experience exactly how it will feel to fly aboard an S Eleven.” MACA’s exhibit booth at CES will also feature a 1/3rd-sized scale model of the vehicle.
In addition to their booth in Eureka Park, MACA will also exhibit at CES Unveiled. The media-only showcase event will take place Monday, January 3, from 5: 00 until 8: 30 p.m. in the Shorelines Exhibit Hall at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.
Blockchain and gaming start-up Haste has announced that it will be exhibiting the Haste Arcade at CES 2022. The recently funded startup will be part of the Bitcoin SV booth at the world’s leading technology conference and will be displaying its revolutionary Instant Leaderboard Payout (ILP) technology.
Says co-founder Keith LaForce, “We were extremely excited when the Bitcoin Association invited us to be a part of the BSV booth. CES is the best tech conference in the world and we can’t wait to introduce our platforms to the mainstream.”
Haste uses blockchain technology to give gamers the ability to earn micropayments by placing on leaderboards for games within the Haste Arcade, the company’s first product. For example, a gamer can spend $0.01 in Bitcoin SV (BSV) to play a game, and if they make the game’s leaderboard, the gamer then earns a percentage of every subsequent gameplay until they are no longer on the leaderboard. Gamers can choose game levels that range from a fraction of a cent to hundreds of dollars per play depending on their spending appetite.
The Haste Arcade’s ILPs offer a new form of “Play to Earn”, in the sense that all games within the arcade are skill-based and allow gamers to get better with practice. The arcade also includes a Software Developer Kit (SDK) that allows third-party game developers to implement ILPs into their games. The benefit for the developers is that they get an output from each gameplay, thus introducing a new revenue stream. Add LaForce, “Our team has built several of the games in the arcade, but our long-term goal is to have experienced game developers and studios using our SDK within their games. From what we’ve seen so far, ILPs are an incredible engagement tool and they generate a lot of extra revenue for the game devs.”
Along with the Haste Arcade, Haste has also released an alpha NFT auction platform Take It, which adds a fun and engaging element to traditional NFT auctions.
Here’s how it works:
Artist lists a collection of NFTs and sets the floor price
A bidder “takes it” and pays the floor price to hold the NFT
Once the NFT has been taken, the price automatically increases by 30%
If another bidder takes the NFT from the current holder, the current holder gets what they paid back, plus an additional amount from the 30% price increase
Once a bidder holds onto the NFT for an allotted amount of time, without any new takers, the NFT is sent to their wallet and can no longer be taken by other bidders
The beauty of Take It is that a bidder either earns more than they spent to take the NFT, or wins the NFT, which creates an additional incentive to bid on items. The original artist earns a percentage of every bid, thus increasing the amount of potential revenue their NFT generates them.
Haste launched the Haste Arcade in October and Take It in November. The company is backed by gaming industry experts Thomas Vu, the co-head of franchise development at Riot Games, as well as Anthony Borquez, a director of the clinical entrepreneurship program at USC as well as the founder of several gaming companies. Other prominent investors include San Diego-based startup accelerator LogicBoost Labs, and blockchain experts Jack Liu and Unbounded Capital. The company will be part of the Bitcoin SV booth and will be exhibiting alongside renowned esports organization Built By Gamers.
Haste is the parent company of the Haste Arcade and Take It, two platforms that utilize blockchain technology to enable people to earn from activities they are already doing. The company is focused on developing additional blockchain-related products with a key focus on utility as opposed to speculative trading.
Thinking bigger to improve the quality of life in our cities
There is no doubt that electric bikes are the most reliable and efficient alternative to cars. But, despite the significant uptake of cycling in affluent areas, it hasn’t yet developed enough in the areas where it’s needed the most.
According to an internal study of major French cities outside Paris, less than half of inhabitants live a 10-minute walk away from a self-service bike station. Additionally, ADEME and Indiggo find that three quarters of all self-service bike systems are in cities with over 50,000 inhabitants. We must accelerate the adoption of bicycles to all urban and suburban areas – to reduce transport- related CO2 emissions and noise pollution, to improve health and, ultimately, to make our cities more peaceful places to live.
“The key to the mass-adoption of cycling lies in a city’s ability to offer their citizens equitable access to efficient active mobility services that are always available, whatever the time, place and need. Smoove and Zoov intend to support cities and their elected officials in their mobility transformation, for the benefit of the lives of their inhabitants” – Benoît Yameundjeu, CEO of Smoove.
An all-inclusive electric bike «as a service» offer – from short to long-term use
Smoove and Zoov are advocating the implementation of Augmented Bike Networks that connect entire cities, and are interlaced with public transport to facilitate multimodal journeys. These bikes can be rented on an ad hoc basis or can be privatised at any time for more frequent use. With this in mind, the group is unveiling the first self-service electric bike that is perfectly suited for long-term rental.
Fusion has a 65-kilometre range and, when being operated in self-service, can be recharged through the world’s most compact charging station. Each station accommodates up to 10 bikes, locked together with electromagnets – which also allows for the transfer of energy from one bike to the next. For long- term rental, the removable battery is secured by an electronic lock, giving the user the freedom to recharge when necessary and total peace of mind when leaving the battery in the bike. The custom-designed luggage rack ensures comfortable home-to-work journeys, and can also accommodate a baby seat.
The electric bike is controlled by a mobile app, allowing the user to:
Sign up to, manage or cancel their subscription at any time
Locate their own bike or a nearby self-service bike
Unlock and lock the bike
Unlock and recharge the battery (long-term leasing)
Follow an integrated GPS route
Receive theft or low battery alerts (long-term leasing)
Speak to customer service
And much more.
When operated in a fleet or shared bikes, Fusion can be unlocked from a payment kiosk or with a transport card thanks to RFID compatibility.
From the design of the bike and compact smart station, to the built-in intelligence and the mobile app, a high-quality user experience is at the heart of the mission to create long-term, committed cyclists.
“The first challenge we confronted was to build a bike that flourished at the crossroads of self-service and long-term rental whilst also remaining accessible, in terms of cost. The second challenge was to use connectivity and software to turn data-driven innovation into a seamless experience and provide a level of service that continually exceeds expectations” – Arnaud Le Rodallec, Chief Product Officer & Co-Founder of Zoov
The all-in-one service created by Smoove and Zoov blurs the boundaries between bike-sharing and personal cycling, which allows cities of all sizes to offer a complete bike solution to all inhabitants – from city centre to suburbs – whatever the nature or duration of their need.
Amira Haberah, Marketing and Sales Director and Co-founder of Zoov, adds: “What completely changes the game is that each city can offer a complete service, addressing all use cases, with the same fleet of bikes. This generates strong operational synergies – from the management of repairs and spare parts to human resources – that drastically reduce the cost of access to the service.”
Subscription-based electric bikes arrive in Bordeaux
This autumn, the company will launch its inaugural long-term rental service in Bordeaux. The subscription includes a personal electric bike, a charger for the battery, insurance against theft and damage – and an on-demand maintenance/repair service (guaranteed within 24 hours).
The company already operates a fleet of 500 self-service electric bikes in the city, with a satisfaction rate of over 95% since its launch.
Early-bird registration for the subscription-based offer in Bordeaux is now open to the general public at www.zoov.eu. The number of places is limited.
About Smoove and Zoov
Smoove and Zoov, two technological leaders in the field of sustainable mobility, joined forces in April 2021. Having already put hundreds of thousands of people on saddles in over twenty cities around the world (including Paris, Moscow, Vancouver and Helsinki), the group’s mission is to offer universal access to cycling in all regions, with a simple promise: whether you need a bike for a short or long period of time, you will always find one nearby, quickly. With comfortable and robust bikes adapted to self-service and private use, compact charging infrastructure, a complete, connected experience for the user, and advanced management tools for the operator, Smoove and Zoov are creating on-demand bike networks. These networks, when deployed on a large scale, become the backbone of mobility in more harmonious and sustainable cities.
Discover the latest advances from Smoove and Zoov throughout September at the following events: Vélo-City (Lisbon, 6-9th September), Sustainable Cities Forum (Paris, 14th September), Rencontres Nationales des Transports Publics (Toulouse, 28-30th September).
Mask-wearing is now part of everyday life for people in urban areas. French start-up R-PUR, a specialist in innovative masks integrating a patented Nano Filtration® system, makes its new range of FiiT masks available to preorder for use as part of routine urban activities. Building on more than four years of research and development, FiiT is a highly breathable mask and pleasant to wear over extended periods. Thanks to its high-performance patented filtering system, people in urban areas can now routinely benefit from purified air. What’s more, the free R-PUR app gives users access to real-time air quality data for their local area. FiiT is the connected mask that sets city-dwellers free again! More than 60,000 people already use this leading-edge technology In 2017, R-PUR sent shockwaves around the world when it launched the first nano-filtering mask for motorcyclists. Its patented Nano Filtration® technology benefits wearers with filtering quality ten times higher than the FFP3-mask standard. This is one of the world’s first technology to block nanoparticles up to twenty nanometres – two ten thousandths of a millimetre – in size. Now this unique technology is available to the general public. After equipping more than 60,000 urban users, including motorcyclists, cyclists and joggers, in the future anybody can breathe easy and make the most of their city thanks to this mask for everyday use. A comfortable fashion accessory that offers effective protection against pollution, viruses and much more Equipped with eight filtering layers, the FiiT mask protects against fine particles, nanoparticles, pollen, bacteria, viruses, gases and even smells. Since FiiT is also the world’s first mask to offer four hundred personalised combinations, wearers don’t need to compromise on style or comfort. They can select the colour of the mask’s components, including the fabric and fasteners, to match their outfit without affecting breathability. Thanks to its quality materials, FiiT is more comfortable than the finest silk mask.
Green, smart and connected Unlike single-use surgical masks, this new mask is not disposable! Users can simply change the filter every six to twelve weeks depending on use. Connected via a free app available on iOS and Android, it delivers real-time air-quality and exposure data and tells the wearer when to replace their filter.
Flavien Hello CEO R-PUR: “The new FiiT range was developed to protect everyone from airborne risks and to fully serve the needs of people in urban areas, whether they walk, take public transport or use a scooter. We wanted to take the hassle out of wearing a mask, which is why we focused on lightness and user-friendliness.”
Matthieu Lecuyer GM R-PUR: “Who hasn’t tugged off their mask after doing something physical just to catch their breath? FiiT is designed with optimal protection and breathability in mind. We made it attractive and pleasant to wear so it’s easier to use every day and more effective as a result.” Availability The new FiiT mask range is available to preorder from 21 September 2021 on the R-PUR website. Available in limited quantities, the range will be sold at the exclusive price of €99 instead of €129. Orders will be delivered at the end of November / early December 2021.
About R-PUR R-PUR was founded in 2016 by Matthieu Lecuyer and Flavien Hello. The two French co-founders met in Seoul in 2014, where they were both struggling with respiratory problems, which gave them the idea to develop a solution against daily air pollution hazards not just for them, but for all populations concerned around the world. Launched in 2017 and manufactured in France, their first R-PUR Nano mask integrated a unique filtration system that was patented the same year. Since then, the company has been enhancing its technologies and developing a string of innovations in response to a whole variety of urban lifestyles, including new mobility and the constraints of virus-related issues. R-PUR is based at the Station F incubator in Paris.
PKvitality, a French company that specialized in Health and Sport bio-wearables today announced the start of a clinical study to determine the accuracy of the K’Watch Glucose. The trial is conducted with the AMCR Institute Inc, a clinical research center focused on diabetes and obesity with worldwide renowned medical device expertise in the metabolic area. Based on a unique SkinTaste technology, the K’Watch Glucose will be the first wearable smartwatch medical device that measures and displays glucose levels continuously, effortlessly, and painlessly. This major milestone is partly financed thanks to grant and equity investment from the European Commission through the EIC (European Innovation Council) fund.
PKvitality has been chosen by the EIC as one of the top innovative companies to offer a unique solution to a major global issue: today, the diabetes population is estimated to be of 463M people and should rise to 700M by 2045. The K’Watch Glucose project aims to facilitate the lives of millions of diabetes patients by offering a painless and discreet continuous glucose monitor.
This investment also demonstrates the renewed trust from public institutions in PKvitality projects, as already supported by European and French public institutions since their recognitions both in EUROSTARS contest, within Horizon 2020 framework, and in Innov’Up Leader PIA, a joined initiative from Region Ile-de-France and Bpifrance.
Heidi Kakko, member of the EIC Fund Investment Committee, says: “We are glad to announce the EIC Fund contribution to this funding round for PKvitality to catalyze early-stage venture investments in the high-risk areas to make larger impact: a European medical company developing a breakthrough technology that is increasingly important for the long-term monitoring of patients in many pathologies. The EIC Fund’s investment shows the EU strong commitment in supporting European innovation champions to develop the technologies for the greater benefit and focusing on the fields of critical importance with long term development cycles.”
Luc Piérart, CEO of PKvitality, adds: “PKvitality is a unique blend of Consumer Electronic and Medtech expertise, bringing the best of both worlds: appealing product, ease of use at the service of the diabetes patients. Since 2017, we conducted thousands of interviews with patients, thousands of in vitro tests to improve the product accuracy. The excellent results enable us to enter clinical trial, a major step towards product availability. This study will confirm the precision and patient-friendly experience of using K’Watch Glucose.”
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Audeze, the leading premium headphone manufacturer, today announced its first ever non-headphone product, the FILTER portable personal conference speaker. Aren’t you tired of dogs barking, babies crying, and vacuums screaming during …
