In Focus: Immersal - Merging Digital & Physical Worlds
Seamlessly integrating Augmented Reality into your world, Immersal can help elevate your brand with AR that’s ready to transform perception into interaction. CEO, Matias Koski explains to fcbusiness how they do this.
What is the Visual Positioning System (VPS)?
Visual Positioning System (VPS) is what makes Augmented Reality (AR) possible. It works by using computer vision to analyse images in the physical world. This means the device is able to figure out its own location and orientation in the environment. The technology is similar to GPS but is more refined. And it works much better indoors and in densely built-up areas where GPS fails because there’s no signal from the satellites.
What benefit does the technology provide for clubs and fans?
Augmented Reality brings the “WOW” effect! People who experience AR, usually remember it and tell their friends about it. So the stadium experience is completely transformed.
How has Augmented Reality changed the way clubs and fans interact?
I think it’s revolutionised fan engagement and the experience of watching a game. You can get real-time player stats, game analytics and replays directly in your field of view through smartphones or AR glasses. You can have virtual meet-and-greets with players, interactive games during halftime and virtual merchandise stores. You can get personalised 3D navigation guiding you anywhere in the building. I think all this makes a deeper connection between the club and its supporters.
Does using the technology require any specialist knowledge or training for staff?
Not really. Obviously, there’s some initial setup and training, particularly for staff members responsible for managing the system. But it’s very user-friendly and intuitive.
Can it integrate with current digital technologies?
Definitely. Immersive technologies are designed to integrate quite seamlessly with existing digital infrastructures of football clubs. It will work nicely with existing systems, mobile apps and marketing platforms, without the need for big overhauls.
How can clubs monetise the system?
There’s a lot of sponsorship opportunities: clubs can do dynamic advertising – targeted, interactive content directly linked to where they are in the stadium. There could be premium packages that include AR enhanced experiences. Generally, we’ve found that whether it’s at a sports stadium, theme park or zoo, people are happy to have an option to pay a surcharge for special experiences or other enhanced services that go beyond general admission. And Augmented Reality is definitely a special experience.
CASE STUDY: MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Interactive 3D elements tied to specific locations in and around the stadium were showcased in a special use case last year. The MLB Home Run Derby & All-Star Game was taken to new heights with the limited-edition MLB Next app which provided real-time gameplay insights, augmented reality content and statistics accessible via smartphones for the 2023 MLB All- Star Week events at T-Mobile Park.
The app provided 3D visuals such as ball distance and launch angle, an interactive strike zone to replay pitches, a bird’s eye view of the field and 5G-enabled low-latency audio of the live ESPN and FOX broadcasts.
Fans could access these AR features seamlessly through the park’s 5G network and WiFi. This improved the fan experience by enhancing enjoyment of the baseball game and related activities and provided opportunities for sharing on social media.
ABOUT IMMERSAL
The founding of the company in 2015 was largely inspired by the rising interest in augmented reality technology, which was a new buzzword at the time. The founders, intrigued by the potential and allure of AR, did not have a specific goal in mind, but did recognise that smartphones were becoming increasingly powerful, and capable of supporting the demands of mobile AR.
Driven by curiosity, the team’s initial approach was exploratory, focused on pushing the boundaries of what the existing technology could achieve and how it could be applied in daily life. They tinkered with various applications, from simple AR games to complex informational overlays that could provide real-time data about the surrounding world.
As they continued to experiment, their vision for the company began to take shape around the practical applications of location-based AR. They leveraged the growing capabilities of smartphones to create tools that enabled novel immersive experiences that also added value to users’ interactions with the physical world.
This experimental phase was crucial in setting the foundation for what Immersal would eventually become, turning a buzzword into a tangible product that could enhance how people interact with technology in their everyday lives.
Immersal was acquired by Hexagon in 2021, a global leader in sensors, software and autonomous solutions. Hexagon (Nasdaq Stockholm: HEXA B) has approximately 24,000 employees in 50 countries and net sales of approximately 5.2bn EUR.
