Allan lo - Commercial partnership & head of APAC at Niantic & Junji Shiraishi - Senior manager, strategic partner development at Niantic spoke with XROM at the Augmented World Expo- AWE Asia 2023 Singapore
Augmented reality (AR) is becoming increasingly prevalent & Niantic has been at the forefront of innovation. They have captivated audiences with their groundbreaking AR application, Pokémon Go, and are now venturing into new territories with their latest game, Peridot.
As Niantic evolves, they are striving to merge our physical and digital worlds through community mapping strategies with their global Virtual Positioning Systems (VPS) and the Lightship AR Software Development Kit (ARDK).
From Pokémon Go to Peridot: A Transformational Journey
Remember when Pokémon Go took the world by storm in 2016? Niantic was the visionary force behind that phenomenon. They introduced millions of people to the wonders of augmented reality, igniting their imagination and allowing them to embark on adventures to capture virtual Pokémon in the real world. Pokémon Go was a turning point, demonstrating the incredible potential of AR and setting the stage for Niantic's future endeavors.
Mapping Our World: Lightship VPS
Niantic's grand vision involves creating a comprehensive map that enables developers to anchor digital content to real-world locations. To achieve this, they developed the Lightship Visual Positioning System (VPS), a groundbreaking technology that provides developers with precise user positioning and orientation, accurate down to the centimeter, within seconds. This remarkable achievement paves the way for the seamless integration of virtual objects into our physical surroundings.
Lightship VPS
Required a collaborative effort involving Niantic developers, surveyors, and players.
As a Wayfarer Explorer, you can nominate new Wayspots in your community, review others' nominations, and contribute information or edits to existing Wayspots to help the Niantic map evolve in tandem with the real-world.
Together, they collected millions of scans of real-world locations, meticulously mapping out the world we inhabit. This vast mapping initiative has already covered thousands of locations across the globe.
Empowering Immersive AR Experiences: Lightship ARDK
In a field filled with complex frameworks and libraries, the Lightship ARDK stands out as an accessible and user-friendly solution
The Lightship ARDK simplifies the intricacies of AR technology, equipping developers with the necessary tools to build immersive and interactive experiences. With features like precise user localization, the ability to persist AR content across sessions and users, and the freedom to bring dreams of collaborative art installations, scavenger hunts, and historical walking tours to life, the Lightship ARDK unlocks the full potential of the real-world metaverse.
Supporting India's AR Developer Ecosystem
India's vibrant AR developer community possesses immense talent and creativity. Recognizing this, Niantic is committed to supporting and guiding the Indian AR developer ecosystem. During the Augmented World Expo (AWE) Asia 2023 in Singapore, Allan Lo and Junji Shiraishi emphasized Niantic's dedication to expanding their maps and enabling Indian developers to build games and branded AR experiences that anchor and persist in the real world.
By pushing the boundaries of AR, Niantic is blurring the lines between the physical and digital worlds. With initiatives like the Lightship VPS, Lightship ARDK, and their commitment to supporting India's AR developer ecosystem, Niantic is propelling the global adoption of AR experiences. As Niantic continues to evolve and expand their mapping efforts, we can anticipate a future where our physical and digital realities seamlessly converge, offering us immersive and unforgettable experiences.