In this Metaverse interview, Toni speaks with Matthew Wren, co-founder of BUNDLAR and founder of VRAR Chicago, about the current state of adoption of the Metaverse and augmented reality. Wren explains what his company, BUNDLAR, is doing to support companies in the seamless adoption of these technologies.
Highlights
01:22 — For Wren, the Metaverse can be defined as “the next step of the Internet.” The Metaverse is about connectivity and presence in all aspects.
02:38 — The Metaverse is about being able to act on all planes — both digital and physical — simultaneously whenever you need to and wherever you need to. Wren predicts that there will not be a single owner of the Metaverse. Rather, the Metaverse will hold space in many different locations. As the Metaverse develops further, it will fundamentally rely on blockchain technologies, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and augmented reality.
04:24 — Essentially, the Metaverse is a convergence of already existing technologies. Is there a disconnect between business ambitions regarding the Metaverse and technical capability? Wren explains that there is a disconnect, specifically in the world’s understanding of the potential of technologies that actually exist today. From a technologist’s perspective, it is frustrating when users do not truly understand the technology and its power, such as AR.
09:33 — Users are beginning to recognize that technologies like AR and AI are here to stay. Today, these technologies are accepted and normalized; it is only a matter of users understanding how to use and benefit from them.
10:21 — There’s a notable disconnect between business leaders and technologists when it comes to the vision of the Metaverse. What bridges the gap between that vision and today’s current world? Are there applications or product launches that will ultimately change the game?
11:17 — Many individuals’ current vision of the Metaverse is based on the depictions of it in the movie “Ready Player One.” As technology continues to evolve, more products will shift from one medium to another as the capability comes around. The world is still a few years away from total adoption of the Metaverse and AR — especially as it relates to the adoption from consumers and the B2B world.
16:29 — Technology adoption is a trajectory and a process that relies on the slow build-up of infrastructure.
17:24 — How is BUNDLAR helping companies that are considering integrating AR into their strategies? BUNDLAR is an augmented reality content management system that is no-code and web-based. In essence, Wren’s company aims to use AR technology as a communication tool for other users, focused primarily on training, learning, and development. AR is a powerful tool in use cases as it allows people to learn faster, retain quicker, and perform more efficiently. By definition, AR is interactive, making it even more successful as a communication tool.
19:35 — BUNDLAR has taken on the responsibility of handling the heavy lifting associated with AR development. The company has created a seamless, drag-and-drop interface to deploy content in an augmented way. When the content is pertaining to training materials, the company has found that using AR technology for deployment has led to better use of the materials.
24:13 — Ultimately, BUNDLAR wants to make problem-solving easier for companies by offering them a zero lift on using AR as a business solution. With BUNDLAR, companies that want to test out the power of AR can do so by “throwing the technology at 100 different use cases and finding out which one supports it best.”
