Honor, a major tech brand for smartphones, tablets, computers, and accessories, announced its Gateway to the Future initiative to leverage augmented reality (AR) to preserve cultural heritage.
The Shenzhen-based firm revealed the new programme at the 2022 Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) Berlin, where two artists recreated Hamberg’s Wasserschloss landmark with AR technologies.
VR/AR firm ARLOOPA and creatives Yunuene and Timo Helgert recreated Hamburg’s Warehouse District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site selected in 2015, in the historic partnership.
With the magic of AR technology, and a little imagination, anything is possible in our #HONORConnectedFuture. Be sure to join us for the #IFA2022 KEYNOTES, as #HONOR announces new innovations for the future. The livestream begins at 5pm (CEST) on September 2 – see you there! pic.twitter.com/Zy7NEQe7Pv
— HONOR (@Honorglobal) September 2, 2022
Yunuene and Timo designed the ‘Sailing through Time’ and ‘Blooming Future’ to conceptualise the past and future of the world-famous location, respectively, with Honor’s AI Space Identification, AR, and spatial audio tools aimed at boosting the firm’s immersive experience capabilities.
The tech firm, formerly linked to Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies, also promoted a partnership with the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in Beijing for its INFINITY AR masterpiece.
In Honor of our History: Execs Comment on AR Project
George Zhao, Chief Executive for Honor, explained his company was committed to developing smart device technologies that allowed people to “celebrate and experience cultural treasures from the past while also discovering the possibilities of the future.”
Speaking on the project’s AR potential, he added,
“We predict the rise of AR and AI technologies being used to create even more [phygital] experiences for smartphone users around the world, contributing to the hybrid tourism boom. Beyond tourism, this technology has the potential to benefit a number of other industries and communities”
Bernd Paulowitz, Head of UNESCO World Heritage Hamburg, added that with AR and other emerging technologies, it was possible to “educate and engage future generations about cultural heritage in new and exciting ways.”
He concluded,
“We were therefore proud to be able to help HONOR’s Gateway to the Future initiative, which not only offers a celebration of the district’s significance to Germany, but also its exciting future as a global metropolis”
HONOR’s AR project comes amid a surge in hybrid tourism after a massive rebound in the tourism industry, following the COVID-19 pandemic, which shuttered borders due to national-level restrictions.
The #HONOR #IFA2022 KEYNOTES livestream begins at 5pm (CEST) on September 2, are you ready to embrace the #HONORConnectedFuture? #HONOR70 https://t.co/8oZiMLtUAQ
— HONOR (@Honorglobal) August 30, 2022
The Gateways to the Future initiative also launched as part of the company’s Talents Global Design Awards aimed at attracting global creatives amid the rise of the Metaverse. The firm has opened an AR Interactive Artwork Design category for its prestigious prize as content creators and designers envision their most celebrated public spaces with immersive, digital overlays.
Honor executives will also deliver a major keynote speech at the IFA Berlin at 17:00 CET on Friday, which will update the global tech community on vital updates from the tech innovator. The event takes place from 2 to 6 September at the Messe Berlin Exhibition Grounds, where global tech enterprises will gather at the iconic German capital for panel talks, demos, and trade across the industry.
