MoU signed to enhance AR/VR for mobile services

The MoU covers the development and commercialisation of an augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) use case and proof-of-concept in mobile environments. Users will benefit from highly advanced AR/VR services based on the combined technologies that the two companies bring, through the signature of this agreement. Image above: Inhyok Cha, SK telecom executive VP for IoT BU; Shlomo Gadot, Inuitive CEO; Dr. Alex Jinsung Choi, SK telecom.

NU3000 is a 3D imaging processor that may be used in a broad range of image, computer vision and general purpose processing. The ‘Inuitive Chip’ makes it possible to enhance mobile devices with sensors that respond like humans. These include audio and voice, finger gestures or scene tracking for user interaction. This technology is at the heart of ‘Veronica’, Inuitive’s reference design for AR and VR. Designed for production volumes, Veronica can run customers’ applications on the chip and features a wide field of view (120°) along with a fast frame rate (120fps).

The NU3000 is also available for Google Project Tango smartphones on Twiggy (M3.2T), a small size, and low power consumption reference design optimised for the smartphone environment.

SK Telecom has been developing spatial awareness and tracking technology, standard ARML-based (Augmented Reality Markup Language) content management, and 3D graphic optimisation for AR since 2012. Based on those developments, SK Telecom has created ‘T-real’, a software platform for AR and VR services. The platform consists of an AR/VR browser - equipped with an image recognition/tracking and content rendering engine - and a server that manages AR/VR contents and services. ‘T-real’ allows users to create, test and execute AR and VR services for smartphones and HMDs (Head-Mounted Displays).

Above: Demonstration of Inuitive and SK Telecom AR/VR technologies in progress

Moreover, SK Telecom is making constant efforts to vitalise the ecosystem. The company is providing developers with API and SDK of ‘T-real’ and is sharing its latest technologies through regular forums. SK Telecom is also working actively with diverse companies across the globe to achieve further innovations. In particular, it has worked with Google to jointly develop an AR platform called ‘T-AR for Project Tango.’

By converging/combining Inuitive’s NU3000 and SK Telecom’s AR platform and 3D sensors, the two companies will be able to enhance efficiency in terms of executing gesture, object and space recognition features on a mobile device, and deliver a new level of customer experience through more realistic AR and VR content.

“Twiggy and Veronica’s unique architectures offer the most advanced platform for AR and VR and we are enthusiastic that an industry leader like SK Telecom has chosen Inuitive, and our technology, as their preferred partner to enhance the possibilities offered to mobile devices users,” said Shlomo Gadot, CEO and Founder of Inuitive.

SK Telecom CTO, Alex Jinsung Choi, added: “We are expecting user experience innovation in 5G generation, which enables realistic user experience of media in the AR and VR world. Through the collaboration with Inuitive we aim to provide new services based on high level realistic multi-media techniques.”