Big XR News from NVIDIA GTC, Apple, LG, and HTC VIVE

What a massive week for spatial computing. At GTC, NVIDIA wowed the world with robotics, digital twins, automatic vehicles, AI processors, and countless more innovations, and behind many, many, many of these innovations, spatial data.

With XR/spatial computing data, whether 3D environmental data or user tracking data, 3D services are working hard behind the scenes to elevate the future of industry and work by using a deep computing understanding of the world around us.

With the rise of emerging technology solutions, spatial and XR data is seemingly the lynchpin holding a segment of the future of work together. Even if a company is not leveraging a VR headset or virtual meeting space, in other ways, XR data is poised to play a significant role in crafting the future of work.

NVIDIA GTC: The Power of Spatial Data

“The future of heavy industries starts as a digital twin,” said Jensen Huang, the CEO of NVIDIA, who also explained that NVIDIA’s digital twin and AI platforms unite to initiate the next generation of industrial workflows, such as helping robots navigate and understand factory environments via virtual simulations.

During the opening keynote of NVIDIA GTC, Huang shared some of the company’s latest developments, including genAI and robotic tools. He also highlighted NVIDIA’s partners working to accelerate the presence of XR/spatial computing solutions in the workplace by leveraging the NVIDIA Omniverse platform. Partners such as Siemens, Microsoft, AWS, Wistron, and others were showcased at the event.

NVIDIA is optimizing the Omniverse platform for its industry partners by providing cloud-based APIs that allow clients to use digital twin workflows. Huang explained that “everything manufactured will have digital twins.” Omniverse is the operating system for “building and operating physically realistic digital twins”, which clients can use for design processes, automation workflows, or even predictive weather solutions.

Huang also announced that NVIDIA’s Omniverse is now available on Apple’s Vision Pro. NVIDIA has also launched Omniverse Cloud APIs, allowing Apple Vision Pro users to customize and distribute high-quality OpenUSD file types on mobile devices without compromising content or performance quality, thanks to cloud-compensated computing processes.

WebXR Debuts on Vision Pro

Speaking on Apple Vision Pro, the device introduced support for WebXR browser-based Safari immersive applications, following a series of hurdles in bringing the platform’s support to the device. Firstly, it was difficult for WebXR’s integration into Vision Pro due to the service requiring controllers and the Vision Pro only using hand tracking.

Vision Pro users can now use WebXR services with integrated hand-tracking input, thanks to a new transient-pointer input mode designed and launched by Apple alongside the W3C standards agency. Apple has introduced the WebXR input system as an early access feature, with broader integration to come.

LG launches Metaverse for HVAC Professionals.

LG Electronics has recently launched its first-ever Metaverse platform, specifically designed for HVAC installers and professionals. Named “LG Air Solution Village”, this Metaverse platform is intended to provide an immersive experience to HVAC professionals for various use cases, including virtual showrooms and functional installation simulation.

LG’s Air Solution Europe division creates the Metaverse platform, and despite the recent partnership with Meta, the Menlo Park-based firm is not involved in the LG Metaverse platform. Instead, Spatial is providing its hardware-agnostic service for the LG Air Solution Village service.

LG plans to host virtual showcase events on its Metaverse platform, where it will conduct product launches, Q&A sessions, and industry talks. Using the Metaverse platform, LG aims to enable its B2B clients to review and explore the new LG Air Solution products, such as THERMA V air-to-water heat pumps and MULTI VVRF systems. The firm claims that the platform’s product digital twins capture accurate data, allowing for a “comprehensive understanding” for its B2B clients.

HTC Boosts Developer VIVEPORT Capital

VIVEPORT, the HTC store for XR games and apps, has increased the revenue share for developers to 90 percent, considered the highest in the XR industry.

This move is a significant step towards supporting the XR developer community. According to VIVEPORT, this new revenue split is a game-changer for the VR and MR industry.

Starting from April 1st, 2024, developers will receive a 90 per cent share of revenue on all new VIVEPORT titles, and from March 1st for existing titles, for one-time purchases of games and apps on VIVEPORT for PCRV or VIVE XR Elite.