XR’s Time to Shine

Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Make STEAM Work For You

As the VR/AR Global Summit Online is just about to demonstrate, now is an exciting time for XR. From Wednesday, June 2nd through Friday, June 4th, speakers from all over the world will explore new applications of augmented, virtual and extended reality. And there's never been a time when immersive technology is more relevant to daily life. Even as the pandemic ebbs, both consumers and businesses are using VR, AR and extended reality--XR--in new ways. Accordingly, this summer's all-virtual show is themed, "The Time is Now". Sessions start at 7 am, Pacific time, on Wednesday, June 2, and run through the next two days. Roundtable discussions, networking, interactive activities, and a track designed to introduce newcomers to the use of AR and VR, will all be a part of the event. "It really is the time for this industry to shine," says VR/AR Global Summit Executive Producer Anne-Marie Enns. "With everything that's happened in the past year...it's really been revolutionary, " says Natascha French, Los Angeles Chapter President of the VRARA. "(It's built consumer and brand adoption of these technologies.) From sports, to retail, to medicine...across the board." Both Anne-Marie and Natascha have considerable experience with the ways the pandemic has forced the XR industry to break new ground. A catalyst for innovation You'll recall, last year, Anne-Marie had six weeks to reinvent the summertime Global Summit. Originally planned as a three-hundred-person intimate event set to happen in Lisbon, she innovated the show into its 11,000-guest-plus all-online edition. Meanwhile, Natascha came on board as Los Angeles Chapter President of the VRARA in July, 2020. The Fall, 2020 Global Summit Online marked her first virtual event in her new position. As explored during our 2020 conversation, her professional background in journalism and marketing puts storytelling at the core of her XR work. Natascha and Anne-Marie previewed the upcoming VR/AR Global Summit, shared some of the new XR trends and technologies and discussed their experiences with XR in the past year. On this edition of Over Coffee®, we cover: Why this year's show has a different energy than previous VR/AR Global Summits; A look at the ways immersive technology has allowed the arts to blossom during the pandemic; What attendees will experience as the VR/AR Global Summit begins; Some of the ethical considerations involved in immersive media; A closer look at the presentations in which Natascha will be participating; Some of the ways in which the VR/AR Global Summit Online will engage virtual attendees through interactive experiences (Hint: these fall under both professional and "fun" categories!); A preview of the show's content tracks; Some of the accessibility considerations involved in making VR and AR available to all users; How the VR/AR Global Summit will introduce newcomers to virtual and augmented reality; The VR/AR Global Summit's new track on diversity and inclusion; A look behind the scenes, as Natascha and Anne-Marie prepare for the 2021 VR/AR Global Summit; The 2021 VR/AR Global Summit starts at 7am, PST, on Wednesday, June 2nd and runs through 1:45 pm, PST, Friday, June 4th. Here's the link for information.