Category: Inglobe Technologies

Investment in the Metaverse and the sectors most affected

In the first months of 2022, $120 billion was invested in the ‘wide field’ of the Metaverse (more than twice as much as in 2021). 

Investors in the Metaverse fall into three categories: large technology companies (Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, Apple, Alphabet), venture capitalists and brands pioneering innovative projects.

The sectors that show real interest and investment in the Metaverse are: energy (18%), automotive (17%), hi-tech (17%), tourism (15%) and entertainment (15%). 

According to a McKensey survey of 3,400 people worldwide, already 59% of respondents prefer to have a digital experience as an alternative to a physical one. In particular, shopping, attending events or games, fitness, dating and education are mentioned.

Ever since Facebook became Meta, there has been a lot of talk about terms such as: Metaverse, Virtual Reality, Visors, Avatars. This article will discuss Avatars, when they were created, what they are and their function in the Metaverse. 

Avatars were created and designed to be a kind of personalized representation.  But what exactly is an Avatar in the Metaverse?

What is the meaning of the word Avatar?

The word Avatar has the meaning of ‘incarnation’ and was first used by Neal Stephenson in the 1992 science fiction novel ‘Snow Crash’. 

Avatars, for instance, are the images chosen to indicate who we are in virtual communities, social networks and online video games. In recent years they have taken various forms with precise declinations depending on the contexts in which they are used.  For example, according to the social platform, users upload photos for their profile or create a 2D or 3D model of themselves. In simple words, an Avatar is an online representation of a user that is used by the latter within the web to present him/herself to others and can have either the real characteristics of its creator or be a figment of his/her imagination. The emoji created by Apple in 2017 are the first successful case in point. 

How to use an Avatar in the Metaverse?

The Avatar in the Metaverse is defined as our digital version occupying a three-dimensional space in the virtual world. The first step to be able to enter the Metaverse is to create an avatar: a very important moment for users, not only from a technical point of view but also from a psychological one, because they have the possibility to freely choose their digital identity.

In fact, the Metaverse represents a new means of communication that radically evolves social interactions between users, overcoming the limitations of 2D technology and thus offering the possibility of relating in a totally innovative and immersive way.  The avatar creates the first impression others have of us, so we choose how to present ourselves.

In the world of the Metaverse, the user has ‘carte blanche’ to create an avatar: it is the user himself who chooses who and how he wants to be, and this is precisely one of the main reasons why he captures and attracts the attention and curiosity of users.

When Metaverse was announced, the highlights were new and improved. An Avatar in the Metaverse is essentially based on the same principle as other online avatars, just like the 2D avatars on other platforms: the user will be able to create and use an avatar in the Metaverse at will and through an avatar will be able to traverse different experiences within the virtual world. 

The avatar then becomes the official identity in the Metaverse, replicating exactly the person as he or she is in the real world, body movements, facial expressions to give the user the feeling of really being there.  

The most important advantage of creating an avatar in the Metaverse is that the user can change his or her avatar at any time. For example, we can create one version for social relations and one for business relations. Or, a different version for each activity we perform or person we meet. Moreover, depending on the platform we want to inhabit, our avatars will have different characteristics. The psychological aspects of each individual definitely play a key role in the creation of one’s avatar: the choice of the virtual character conveys personality traits and can immediately suggest something about the person behind the avatar. In the construction of an avatar, some personality traits of the individual may emerge, while others may remain hidden or difficult to understand.

How to create your own Avatar in the Metaverse?

Versatility is what characterizes avatars. There are many ways to create an avatar: on some platforms, such as the one used by Meta Presence, it is possible to upload a photograph into the system from which the corresponding avatar is generated, or, with imagination and fantasy, one can create an unedited and original version of one’s personality. 

Another popular platform is Ready Player Me. What makes this app unique is that Ready Player Me avatars can be used on over 1,500 metaverse apps, which means that the same avatar can exist on different metaverse platforms. You can explore virtual worlds in VRChat, participate in meetings in MeetinVR, or live stream with fans using LIV – all with your own personal avatar representing you in the virtual worlds. Any developer can integrate Ready Player Me into their app or game using our free SDK (Software Development Kit) for avatars that is compatible with Unity and Unreal Engine and works seamlessly on web, mobile and desktop platforms.

The user can choose in total freedom whether to create a realistic or caricatured avatar; close to his or her real style or like the hero of a fantasy video game; to choose a human or non-human form; a full-body avatar or one with only head and hands; with realistic or unrealistic movements. Of course, these are only a few elements that can be changed in one’s avatar. The Metaverse, in fact, opens up a range of possibilities, from colors to style, a true art.

Many companies have set up the first digital designer clothing shops ‘The Meta Avatars Store’ on Instagram, Facebook and Messenger, where one can buy digital clothes to model and dress avatars. The first brands on this platform are Balenciaga, Prada and Thom Browne! Digital goods will, in the future, be an important way to express oneself in the Metaverse and a major driver of the creative economy.

What are the main apps for creating an Avatar in the Metaverse?

To create your Avatar in the Metaverse, you can choose from these important apps, which are very easy to use and perfect for downloading to iOS and Android mobile devices. 

1. Face Avatar Maker – Creator: This is a very easy-to-use application. Available on Android devices, it is the most effective way to create a perfect manga-style avatar in just a few minutes. You can choose the shape of the face, the shape of the eyes, the hair and other fun accessories so that you can customize your image 100%;

2. Mirror-avatar, gif stickers, sticker and emoji: ideal application for those who are looking for a quick and easy way to share funny cartoon images of themselves with friends and family;

3. Avatoon- Avatar Creator: Avatoon’s app can easily create a custom avatar, true to the real image, in a matter of seconds. Furthermore, once the avatar is created, facial expressions, pose and background can be inserted and changed;

4. Bitmoji: This is one of the most comprehensive apps. With this app you can reproduce the face in simple moves, insert funny cartoons or other characters within a specific location, an original and fun way to recreate real situations. You can use the Bitmoji app on Snapchat and in any other chat. By simply taking a selfie, the app will be able to faithfully reproduce the features and bring the custom avatar to life. After creating the virtual character, the Bitmoji app will show it in different situations and poses. 

With AR & VR in E-commerce we have officially entered the phase of E-commerce 3.0: brands have changed the way they propose and sell their products and services, on the other hand the purchasing process by users has completely evolved. Today’s consumer expects to have a real, personalised, multi-channel browsing and buying experience, wherever they are and whenever they want. Therefore, it is crucial to be able to build a very strong and lasting connection with the customer, so that they continue to choose the brand and encourage other users to do so as well.

E-commerce 3.0 is characterized and differentiated from the past by being flexible and highly customisable. It must be able to accompany the user on the path of choice and purchase, recommending products and services that meet the user’s individual needs and make them feel at the center of interest. Every single product or service must be accompanied by photos, videos, reviews and detailed descriptions and, in case of need, the customer must be able to count on a competent and helpful support service, able to resolve any problems or requests in a short time.

Why use AR&VR in E-commerce?

Thanks to Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, E-commerce is evolving and transforming into virtual shops that look like the real ones, where online shopping is more and more engaging, able to keep the user on the website, simulating a real shopping experience as if you were in the physical shop. 

AR & VR in E-commerce allow breaking the barrier between physical and virtual space through increasingly immersive mediated reality experiences, which are very useful for consumers. These technologies can change the way reality is perceived by the user and the possible applications are many.  The use of virtual and augmented reality in e-commerce is a differentiating element in the optimisation of the shopping experience, going so far as to make this action a moment of entertainment and fun.  

With augmented and virtual reality, it is not only possible to replace products’ 2D images with 3D models, text, additional information and assistance, but it is also possible to create a real virtual avatar that has the same physical characteristics as the user and can wear clothes as in real life. It is not only in fashion, however, that we see change, but also in different sectors. Augmented reality can make an important contribution to decision-making.

Indeed, this technology allows the user to see objects in different contexts of use before purchase, reducing possible returns and making it easier to choose the product and its characteristics. All this is possible simply by using a smartphone: by pointing the mobile phone’s camera where you want the chosen product to appear, and then view it from different perspectives.

What are the benefits of AR&VR in E-commerce?

The main advantages of AR & VR applied within an E-commerce site are: 

– Improved online shopping and choice experience because it is more interactive, immersive and personalized;

– Faster choice process resulting in more sales in a shorter time frame;

– Online experience as close as possible to the real one with real virtual stores and touch-points;

– More conscious shopping, less margin of error in consumer choices, less number of returns;

– Possibility of simulating the virtual version of the product being worn, such as: clothing, make-up or in one’s own home environment, as in the case of furniture, visualizing even the smallest details from possible different angles.

Why are brands moving closer and closer to AR & VR?

Snapchat has carried out a study called ‘The Future of Shopping’, conducted by Foresight Factory in twelve countries globally, to provide an extensive picture of the shopping landscape at this point in time.  According to the Snapchat report, the use of augmented reality in E-commerce will increase by 2025 and as a consequence it will also directly support sales. From the analysis of the 2021 data, it is predicted that in less than 5 years there will be a 27% increase in the proportion of Generation Z shoppers who will use augmented reality before purchasing a product, leading to a scenario in which almost 3 out of 10 Generation Z will shop using augmented reality.

Specifically, among the main motivations for consumers to use AR & VR in E-commerce is:

– the possibility to see how products might really look (37%)

– seeing them in 360° (34%) and understanding their exact size (34%)

-in the case of furnishings, the possibility of visualizing the products within the chosen environment (28%).

The different brands that integrated AR & VR into their E-commerce had several benefits such as: 

– increasing brand awareness;

– differentiating themselves among competitors;

– perfectly meet the needs of the new generation Z 

– collect more consumer data.

Examples of brands that have integrated AR & VR into their E-commerce

Many brands are giving their space to augmented and virtual reality:

– Nike is experimenting with augmented reality by creating ‘Nike Fit’. Nike Fit is a new feature that will be integrated into the brand’s official app which, by scanning your foot, shows you the most suitable size of the shoe you wish to buy. According to Nike, more than 60 percent of people wear shoes of the wrong size.  The company hopes to solve the problem using a combination of computer vision (which recreates an approximate model of reality), scientific data and artificial intelligence algorithms. The process of identifying the right fit will be carried out in augmented reality directly from the smartphone. All with extreme simplicity.

– Burberry has launched a new augmented reality shopping tool that allows users to get a better idea of a product’s features before buying it. By searching for the Burberry Black Tb bag or Arthur Check trainers on a smartphone, shoppers will be able to see a digital image of the product at scale in comparison with objects in their own reality. 

– Sephora has introduced the ‘live 3D with facial recognition service’ in its ‘Virtual Artist’ app, one of the retail sector’s first experiments in augmented reality. Virtual Artist allows users to upload their own selfie onto the app and “virtually” try out various Sephora products, all by editing the uploaded photograph. The new version, which has been a huge success with the public, allows you to see yourself, as in a mirror, in real time and in motion, observing the effects of cosmetic products from different angles, greatly improving the effectiveness of the tool. Thanks to the development of this new function, Sephora now differentiates itself in the market by being able to show the virtual image in motion and in real time.

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality will forever change the way we interact with technologies and the reality in which we are embedded. This is an important process that every company will have to use to keep up with the times.

Augmented Reality has brought a revolution to the world, especially to the games industry. The video game sector is the main consumer branch for AR technology, as they are now within everyone’s reach, without the need to buy expensive headsets, and they are really immersive thanks to the possibility of being able to explore the world by generating a feeling of adventure.?

Augmented Reality games create a realistic image together with sounds and other sensations to offer imaginary experiences that stimulate the player’s physical presence in the environment. As the user becomes more demanding and looks for ever more immersive gaming adventures, they will discover through AR a complete virtual world that replaces the real one, controlled by body movements. This is, therefore, an extraordinary beginning of AR technology. In recent years, the online games industry has evolved tremendously, reaching a record of $175 billion in revenues with more than 2.7 billion gamers worldwide, and is expected to grow even more in the future.

The relationship between AR and the games industry is one that is destined to grow more and more; according to Newzoo‘s new report, an interesting fact emerges: 69% of PC gamers engage in mobile gaming at least once a week. But that’s not all: since 2016, mobile has accounted for the largest share of the gaming market. And it will continue to grow faster than PC and console, driven by an increase in average spend and the fact that more and more consumers will have access to smartphones in the future.

?For the past three years, this is a trend that has evolved to the point where it is setting record after record. Seventy-nine per cent of the users surveyed said they had tried AR when playing video games in the past six months. Among gamers, 81% of respondents have used AR several times, 67% of those who enjoy AR more than once a month have played Pokemon Go, which remains undoubtedly the most successful and downloaded game of all time. Since its launch (July 2016) it has earned almost $2 trillion in total between iOS and Android platforms ($748 million on Apple and $1.2 trillion on Android).?

How will AR bring revolutionary changes to the world of games?

Augmented Reality games have reached a level of sophistication that truly engages players. Manufacturers in the gaming industry have introduced innovation beyond imagination to offer users a smooth and immersive experience.

The benefits are numerous:

– Real-time interaction: AR technology is known to unite the real and the virtual, creating a dreamlike journey for users. Real-time interaction will enhance the perception of players around the world and encourage the creation of more immersive levels;

– Changing lifestyles: Gaming is not only entertainment, but the evolution of augmented reality has also made its way into lifestyles. Sectors such as medicine, tourism, education and entertainment have turned towards AR interactions to increase user engagement;

– Creative content: AR is only distinguished by their ultimate experience, but also by their versatile and engaging content, well coded by game developers. To better cater to the target market, developers offer superior custom content.

What is Gamification?? What is it for?

Gamification is the process of using game mechanics and game thinking to engage users and to solve problems. It is used to apply game elements in non-game contexts with the aim of influencing user behavior, increasing motivation and encouraging participation.?

There are many fields where Gamification can be applied. The most significant ones are education, in-company training and marketing.?

In the field of education, Gamification enables innovative teaching methods on the part of teachers and learning methods on the part of students. Gamification mechanisms stimulate participation, even in the absence of specific rewards, just to challenge oneself or others and have an engaging learning experience.? Thanks to Gamification, subjects are transformed from passive observers to active participants. In fact, when participants in a game face a challenge and fail to overcome it, their self-esteem, unlike in a normal situation, is not undermined, rather they are stimulated to try again.?

In companies, ‘Workplace Gamification’ is used to create work environments, processes and tasks that stimulate and inspire employees, but also to create systems for their training. In the field of marketing, the integration of gamification logic in advertising campaigns and ‘lead generation’ allows potential buyers to be more engaged with the product and thus increase the conversion rate.

Gamification has the ability to keep the user’s attention high and to constantly challenge him/her.?This mechanism, thus, forces everyone involved, be they students, company employees or workers, to think transversally in order to find a solution, and it has been proven that this enables them to acquire new knowledge, develop new skills and, in some cases, change their behavior.?

What are the best Augmented Reality games on iOS and Android?

Like ‘normal’ video games, Augmented Reality games also fall into different genres. Adventure games are the most popular genre in the world of AR games: thanks to geolocation, the user’s location in the real world becomes the game environment, combining a unique storyline, fantastic creatures and incredible quests. With a GPS-enabled smartphone, the player can move around the real world carrying out the most incredible missions. Even fans of sports games will be able, thanks to the use of AR, to play basketball or go hiking simply by using their smartphone.?

1. The Walking Dead: Our World – Best Augmented Reality games on iOS and Android

?The concept of The Walking Dead: Our World is similar to Pok?mon GO. Based on the popular TV show and comic series, this AR survival game will take the player out and explore to accumulate supplies, discover valuables and rescue survivors. New characters can be unlocked throughout the game, each with different abilities and characteristics. In addition, you can team up with friends for co-operative challenges. The Walking Dead: Our World also allows you to record mission highlights and share them on social media.

2. My Tamagotchi Forever

This game revives a fad from the past: the Tamagotchi, the world-famous virtual egg, reintroduced in a completely new form. Colorful to look at, with iconic stylised graphics, and extremely easy to understand.? The objective is to keep the pet alive and happy by feeding it, washing it, and putting it to sleep at the right times. This game is simple and really suitable for everyone.?

3. Harry Potter: Wizards

Also created by Niantic, this is the newest game based on the Harry Potter series, and allows everyone to feel a bit like a wizard or witch. The game has only been available for a very short time but already has millions of downloads on Android and iOS. The camera on your phone will bring wizards, magical objects, creatures and more into your life. As you advance in levels, you can earn rewards that will help you level up and strengthen your wand. In addition, the player can meet his favorite Harry Potter characters in AR.?

With the speed of development of AR technologies for smartphones, there will be many surprises, with new categories of games.

An exciting future for gaming that will touch and exceed its limits.

Technology is now an integral part of our lives, augmented reality and virtual reality experiences are becoming increasingly popular in the beauty industry as well, permanently changing the online shopping landscape for the beauty sector. The aim is to personalize the offer, to listen more and more to a demanding consumer, to collect useful data for the development of future products.  

This is why we are increasingly talking about beauty technology. At the annual event of the Consumer Technology Associations, the importance of AR & VR technologies in personalized beauty emerged. Several innovative technologies for the beauty sector were highlighted. Who would have thought that in 2022 new technologies would allow consumers to watch and take part in the production of their own lipstick?

How is the consumer experience changing with AR in the beauty industry?

Thanks to augmented & virtual reality in the beauty industry, customers can virtually experience products on their face, thus minimising returns. They will know exactly what they are buying and how the product will perform on their skin, reducing the chances of dissatisfaction. They will be happier and in addition to increasing sales, AR can also help brands measure the interest and popularity of a particular product. Because of these numerous benefits and advantages, the adoption of these technologies by beauty brands has increased by 32%, with the aim of going beyond the physical experience customers have in shop.

Although physical stores account for an important part of sales, virtual channels are increasingly a reality to be converted to. The beauty experiences that customers can enjoy through augmented reality are only the beginning of an increasingly tech-savvy beauty world. Even before the pandemic, people were increasingly concerned about testers as a hygiene issue. As global health concerns surrounding the pandemic increase, physical testers are rapidly being replaced by hyper-realistic digital testing experiences.

As early as 2020, some brands, such as MAC and Sephora, took their first steps towards artificial intelligence by installing it within their shops. For example, “magic mirrors” have been introduced: consumers can see themselves in digital mirrors with their chosen cosmetics. The user, after taking a lipstick from a box placed right in front of the mirror, can see herself with the chosen product on her lips or customers can experiment and see themselves with multiple looks and combinations of cosmetics.

Augmented Packaging, Mixed Reality Tour and Virtual Try-on: what are they?

AR & VR in the beauty industry are being used in projects experimenting with new ways of communicating the product to the end user, such as Augmented Packaging, Mixed Reality Tours and Virtual Try-on. Augmented Packaging is the container that, thanks to augmented reality, becomes a link between consumer and brand. Through virtual reality it is possible to bring customers into the company without the need for them to travel.

The impossibility of trying out a physical experience in-store will be increasingly compensated for by company websites with strong storytelling, detailed product descriptions, illustrations that evoke the texture and sensory side of the product, and having make-up and hair coloring tried out virtually. Solutions that will have to become more refined and precise to gain the trust of those who want to buy. 

Virtual reality and artificial intelligence will be the new keywords of the cosmetics of the future. The goal for brands is to establish a loyal relationship with customers. For this reason, the virtual entertainment experience given to users seeks to encourage a kind of escape from the classic way of perceiving beauty.

The various proposals from brands are endless to exploit the maximum potential of AR & VR, such as the ‘Virtual Try-On‘, an advanced version of the old APPs that allowed beauty products to be tested virtually. It has been launched in recent months by L’Or?al Paris, Maybelline, NYX Professional Makeup and MAC Cosmetics, some of the world’s best-selling make-up brands. 

With the virtual try-on, the customer can wear new shades and products live to see the effect on the face in a completely realistic way. The virtual try-on is just a click away from smartphones and tablets or from a computer equipped with a webcam. To make the trials even more realistic, you can use the function that allows you to split the screen into two parts, so that the selected product is only applied to half the face. This makes it even easier to see how your look changes. According to data from an analysis carried out by Pambianco Beauty magazine, the virtual try-on increased user engagement by 80%. 

Which are the advantages of AR & VR in the beauty industry?

The advantages of AR & VR in the beauty industry are many:

– It digitizes the experience: a real 3D online fitting of the product anywhere and anytime as if you were in a physical shop.

– Reduces uncertainty: AR removes doubts about the final outcome of the fitting, one of the main barriers to online purchase.

– Increases social engagement: the Virtual Try On in AR can be instantly shared creating a huge explosion of content on social networks.

– Saves time: trying on the product in any location regardless of your location avoids long distance travel and the stress of “fitting” on site.

– Reduces the return rate: Virtual Try On avoids the need for dissatisfied customers to go through long and laborious procedures to return the product.

– Strengthens the relationship between customer and brand: the product “comes to life”, giving it a strong value connotation from the very first moment.

Beauty industry brands that have turned to AR & VR to create memorable experiences

My Beauty Whisper: digital beauty advice for everyone. This idea took shape in the first year of the pandemic and in October 2020 My Beauty Whisper was launched: the innovative app for free personalized beauty advice, accessible to everyone. This project allows users to book their own beauty consultation with a team of experts who will advise them, via chat or call, on the most suitable cosmetics. In addition, the app offers other services such as live streaming with the best professionals or influencers in the sector and make-up, skincare and useful tips classrooms. Many beauty brands have joined the project such as Dior, Elizabeth Arden, Cartier, Elie Saab, Gucci, Biotherm, Olaplex, Aveda and many others.

Charlotte Tilbury’s online shop is launching a new NYX Cosmetics campaign on Snapchat and Triller for the Christmas shopping season, allowing users to enjoy a unique virtual and augmented reality shopping experience. The beauty brand’s debut on Triller, an app that allows users to create short entertainment videos, brings the world of beauty to a new platform. The virtual experience that users can try out on Snapchat immerses them in the world and values of the beauty brand, in a virtual experience where fun is never lacking. Through the internal camera, users can see the make-up created with the new NYX Cosmetics products directly on their face. With the external camera on the other hand, the user is transported to a real digital boutique where he or she can enjoy an A/R shopping experience that allows him or her to purchase products with a simple click.

L’Or?al and Perfect Corporation are collaborating with YouCam Makeup, a beauty app based on augmented reality. This collaboration offers make-up consumers the opportunity to virtually experience L’Or?al brands’ collections, learn about the products and shop through the App or in shops. The collaboration between Perfect Corporation and L’Or?al accelerates the creation of omnichannel services to enhance the consumer experience at every touch point. Virtual make-up, live streaming, augmented reality shopping are key features in a modern beauty journey that integrates online and offline experience.