Event description

Audience members are seated in a conference room, attentively following a presentation. Some have drinks and notepads in front of them as they listen to the speaker at the front. In the background, a large poster with a motivational slogan is visible.

News • Interactive Experience Day

Ever since Pokémon Go appeared on our smartphones, everyone has been talking about reality-enhancing technologies - be it virtual reality, augmented reality or mixed reality. But what do these buzzwords mean in practice? At the first "Interactive Experience Day" organised by the KreativInstitut.OWL, interested parties from universities, business and society had the opportunity to gain first-hand insights into the latest developments.

Speaker

Prof. Dr. Alexander Kutter (KreativInstitut.OWL)
Alexander Watolla (STRABAG AG)
Nico Uthe (freeroam.ar)
Jonas Happ (Spherie GmbH)
Prof. Ralph Heinsohn (Hochschule Aalen)

Date

Thursday, 7. September 2023

Location

Industrie- und Handelskammer Lippe zu Detmold

EXPERIENCE MIXED REALITIES

"Mixed reality" is the generic term for a wide range of immersive technologies that enable people to digitally enhance their everyday lives or immerse themselves in computer-generated worlds. While game developers are already utilising this potential in the gaming sector, it is now also being used in other industries. From virtual city tours through historical versions of our cities to 360° surveying for current construction projects - we are encountering mixed realities more and more frequently.

Interactive Experience Day opened its doors for the first time on 7 September 2023. The event was initiated by Prof Dr Alexander Kutter, Professor at the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences.

Alexander Kutter, researcher in the field of digital media production at the Kreativ Institute OWL (KIO)

One of our research focuses at the KreativInstitut.OWL is precisely these mixed realities. With the Interactive Experience Day, we want to invite people from all kinds of application areas to get involved and discover added value for their everyday professional or private lives. That's why the focus of the day is on trying things out for yourself.

Prof. Dr. Alexander Kutter

And there was plenty to try out: People played, tested and learnt at six different stands. Representatives of companies from all over Germany had travelled to the event to present and explain their application examples. The interdisciplinary composition impressively illustrated the diversity of possible applications of mixed reality today. The participants included STRABAG AG, VUTURIA, freeroam.ar, Spherie GmbH and Prof Dr Ralph Heinsohn from Aalen University.

In short presentations, they shared their experiences with the visitors, provided inspiration for their own use and conveyed a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Who would have thought, for example, that an early form of virtual reality was introduced in Munich a hundred years ago? Back then, the planetarium enabled larger groups of people to have an immersive experience at the same time. Nowadays, we associate VR, AR and MR primarily with individual experiences through special glasses, but the trend may be moving back towards group activities.

We cordially invite you to come and see this and other trends in the world of mixed realities for yourself at the Interactive Experience Day 2024!

The KreativInstitut.OWL is an association of the University of Paderborn, the Detmold University of Music and the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences.The project, which is subsidised by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, brings together creative skills from various disciplines.While the first edition of the event took place on the premises of the Lippe Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Detmold, the next event will be held in the new KreativInstitut.OWL building on Bielefelder Straße in Detmold.

A day full of impressions and fun

A young man is sitting on a chair, holding a virtual reality headset in his hand while smiling. He’s wearing a black T-shirt with the text

A man is standing in a room equipped with virtual reality gear. He is wearing a VR headset and holding controllers in both hands as he explores a virtual environment. The room is well-lit by large windows, and a blurred screen can be seen in the foreground. The scene gives the impression that the man is deeply immersed in the VR experience.

A man is wearing a large, modern 3D scanning device on his shoulders, equipped with multiple sensors and cameras. He appears to be standing in an office space, which is well-lit by large windows. The device gives off a futuristic impression.

Five men are sitting on a stage, participating in a panel discussion. They are dressed casually, and behind them is a wall with green decorations, suggesting the letters “KiO.” They appear relaxed and attentive as they follow the conversation.

A man is standing at a lectern, giving a presentation. The screen behind him shows technical graphics displaying different types of 3D models. He is explaining the content using a laptop positioned in front of him.

A group of attendees is seated in a lecture room, watching a presentation displayed on a large screen. The presentation title is

Alexander Kutter is giving a presentation titled

A man stands in front of a computer monitor, which displays a virtual environment. On the screen, the word

Visitors were able to try out and test at six different stations. Short keynote speeches and a panel discussion rounded off the event.

Interactive Experiences

Construction

Alexander Watolla (STRABAG)

Try the portable Navvis VLX laser scanner, scan the surroundings and use it to create a 3D model or play the VR game “Jackhammer-Jam” - chase gold nuggets on the surface of the moon with a jackhammer. A team game in which your teammate's clues will lead you to the gold.

More information about STRABAG

STRABAG AG has been successful for almost 100 years and is the No. 1 in German road construction. We plan and build projects in partnership and ensure sustainability through long life cycles, moderate construction costs and efficient operation - in road construction and beyond. Climate neutrality by 2040, across our entire value chain - we are pursuing this goal with all our might.

Arts / Culture

Prof. Ralph Heinsohn (Aalen University)

From “100 Jahren Planetarium” to the breathtaking MSG Sphere in Las Vegas: Media events in spectacular domed buildings have an exciting history and enjoy special attention. Immerse yourself in a small selection of virtual “fulldome experiences” with VR glasses.

More information about Aalen university

Five faculties, 60 degree programs, 5,000 students and more than 130 collaborations worldwide: Aalen University is one of the strongest research universities for applied sciences in Germany. A special feature is the “Explorhino” Science Center attached to the campus, which supports knowledge transfer and science communication. A pioneering, immersive dome installation is currently being planned as an addition.

VR-Gaming

Michael Schramm (VUTURIA)

Run your own virtual snack bar together with up to 15 other players in the VR game “Cookastrophe”. Prepare burgers, pizza and other delicacies as a team.

More information about VUTURIA

VUTURIA creates immersive VR applications with a simple goal: VR for everyone. Our VR applications are characterized by being completely beginner-friendly. Our goal is to provide instant VR gaming fun for everyone, regardless of their technical background and experience level, with minimal explanation required.

AR-Gaming

Nico Uthe (freeroam.ar)

“Laser Limbo” is a fun laser tag game with augmented reality glasses. Prove your skills by carefully moving around the laser beam traps and collect items to defeat the opposing team.

More information about freeroam.ar

Freeroam.ar has dedicated itself to the creation of room-independent augmented and mixed reality applications. The first product of the young start-up from Berlin, which is still in development, is called “Laser Limbo”.

Tourism

Jonas Happ (Spherie GmbH)

“SkyTrip” is a unique virtual journey in which guests fly together virtually over real destinations and experience a curated sightseeing flight, with experiences ranging from wildlife in Africa to cultural highlights in Europe

More information aboout Spherie GmbH

Spherie is a DeepTech startup that has developed a technical solution for capturing immersive media and spatial data. The patented drone sensor technology enables unique solutions in the areas of VR entertainment and tourism, among others.

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