We recently met Bryan Colin of Virtual Apt at a tech event in NYC. We were blown away by VirtualAPT, who build mobile supercomputers that travel autonomously through a space while capturing 4K content in 360 by 180 degrees. The robots recreate the experience of a person walking through the space, with realistic dimensions and depth. Within minutes the content is processed, and with their custom web-based player can be played in any language, and on any device worldwide.Fortunately Bryan was willing to take time out of his schedule speak with us at Honeysuckle for our tech column. Send your tech related questions to Bryan at honey@honeysucklemag.com
Honeysuckle: What is going to be the future of VR and AR? Will it go the way of 3D-technology, highly promoted as the next big thing but now slowly disappearing or will it be like the internet, growing and expanding globally?BC: I don’t think VR and AR are going to disappear. Looking back at two dominant technology disruptors of this generation: cell phones and the Internet, we can examine why they were successful. Cell phones expanded communication abilities, encouraging conversations across borders from any spot in the world. The Internet was an innovation that disrupted everything from shopping to playing music. The ability to merge cell phones and the Internet allowed people all around the world to connect like never before.When I examine the newly disruptive technologies such as 3D printing, self-driving cars, Machine learning, AR and VR, I think critically about whether some or all of these technologies have the same potential to create worldwide change. I believe most of them do in their own ways.I see that 3D printing has usefulness in enterprise as a solution for making pieces in small quantities with exact dimensions. When we (VirtualAPT) are building different robots we use 3D printed parts from one supplier (prtwd.com). This is a game changer for a company in our position in that we can have a couple pieces of specific materials and designs made for a fraction of the price it would have cost 10 years ago. But is 3D printing going to change everything? Probably not. As Amazon.com and others refine their sales and delivery ability, the “3D print your own forks” model doesn’t save time or money.I believe it is extremely likely that self-driving cars will be THE way for transportation, and in 10 years or less, no one will be in control of their cars. As soon as developers can improve safety and traffic, self-driving cars will be a significantly dominant technology. Robotics, AI, and machine learning will continue to change how businesses operate and will dramatically shift the role of humans. As these technologies advance, improve, and become more cost effective, machines will replace more and more jobs.When we talk about whether VR and AR will change how we act on a day-to-day basis, we need to examine whether it’s a gimmick, a niche improvement, or a complete disruption. Looking at enterprise solutions, having the ability to train in simulated environments rather than expensive or dangerous ones will improve results. Being on stage at a concert with the freedom to look wherever you want while hearing the sounds from that environment is one example of how entertainment will be enhanced by this technology.We strongly believe that these technologies will be THE way for real estate, as it saves time, money, and frustration from what pictures, modeling, and videos offer. Real estate has shifted from a local to a worldwide market because of the Internet, and this offers a better solution. Will we all be wearing headsets or glasses that we interact with constantly? I would say probably not, and definitely not within the next 10 years. Does VR and AR have usefulness and improve the experience for a wide range of applications? Absolutely.Bryan’s professional background is in investments, gaming, hardware, and real estate. He graduated from Skidmore College with a degree in Business Management in 2006. As one of the early innovators of modern VR/AR, he has many notable achievements thus far. He and his team have 18 patents pending, as well as 14 unique algorithms in the VR/AR space. In addition, he created interactive Virtual Reality video, real-time AR in a VR video, streaming VR with mobility in cinema grade quality, a method to watch VR videos in multiple languages, and Field of Vision Stop and Go (FVSG).https://virtualapt.com
