Robots and robo people roamed the convention floor at the Augmented World Expo — the largest conference dedicated exclusively to virtual reality — and many of the devices were powered by San Diego’s Qualcomm. During the Long Beach conference this week, hundreds of companies and creators showcased their latest tech developments — most seem straight out of science fiction.
Surgeons are using augmented reality glasses to streamline knee replacements. Firefighters can send robots into burning buildings instead of risking their own lives. And by year’s end, you may not even have to show up to a meeting as yourself anymore.
Here are a few developments that illustrate how mixed reality and the metaverse stand to change our world.
Be there without being there: Humanoid robots can replace first responders
On one side of the convention floor, a robot was meandering through the crowd, waving hello to — and sometimes chasing — passersby.
But it wasn’t the robot acting on its own volition. A student at the University of Central Florida was on a treadmill, equipped with sensors on his hands and feet, controlling every action.
It’s easy to think that this robot is replacing people, but creator Carolina Cruz-Neira said the technology actually enables “more human control.”
“These humanoid robots are an extension of our own bodies,” she said. “To take us to places that are, for whatever reason, not possible.”
These robots have the potential to go into nuclear facilities, fires or faraway locations. “With these humanoids, humans can be present,” she said.
But right now, they are still in their experimental stage. Some humanoids that are currently being deployed in pilot programs across defense sectors and enterprise facilities, said Cruz-Neira.
XREAL Aura: Mixed reality glasses powered by Android
These glasses can do almost everything a smartphone can do, but instead of tapping a device, users swipe at the air. Wearers can immerse themselves in a front-row view of an NBA game or read a nutrition label at the grocery store without picking up the box.
The glasses can give directions, play music and even recognize people nearby. Can’t remember your wife’s friend’s name? These glasses will tell you and remind you of your last conversation together.
But what spooked users most was probably the holographic AI agent.
AI agents have become a buzzy term in the tech community, but with Aura glasses, these agents literally come to life. Upload a few photos of yourself, a character or even a friend or family member, and they will become your new assistant.
Powered by Qualcomm’s new Elite Reality chip, the virtual and augmented reality glasses are sleek — considering they are equipped with a microphone, two cameras, a binocular screen and four compute modules.
The glasses will ship in the fall for $300.
ARVIS by Enovis: A high-tech headset for orthopedic surgical navigation
Imagine a patient with severe osteoarthritis. The bone-on-bone grinding has caused chronic pain and limited mobility, and their surgeon decides a total knee replacement is the right treatment.
Instead of ordering expensive imaging, the doctor can begin the procedure using glasses equipped with an augmented reality and information system (ARVIS) that offer all of the necessary information to operate, according to Enovis, a medical technology company that makes the devices.
Think of these glasses like a surgical navigation system, helping doctors visualize where to cut and mend during the operation, streamlining the entire process.
Because this FDA-cleared device offers greater precision, there is often less trauma to the tissues, helping patients recover faster, said Dr. Kevin McCarthy, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon in Hollywood, Fla., who uses the glasses in his practice.
KIWEAR: The universal remote control
The KIWEAR ring is a universal remote. By tapping your fingers or swiping the air, users can control up to eight devices, including a car.
Qualcomm debuted this universal remote ring during the conference, signaling it may be one of Qualcomm’s bigger bets.
“People are going to buy it as a health ring, but then realize they can use it for everything else,” said Chris Shi, founder and CEO of KIWEAR.
For the past decade, Shi worked on research and development with Samsung and Lenovo in China as an engineer, but after seeing the Oura health ring take off, he wanted to bring his own ring to market.
Shi put on one of his universal remote rings to demonstrate what one onlooker called “the black magic.”
Swiping the air a few feet from his tablet, he was nearing a high score on the popular mobile game, Fruit Ninja. Then he knocked on the table, and the ring connected to his phone. He twirled his finger, and the volume rose. One more knock and he was back to playing Fruit Ninja.
Shi showed how he programmed the ring to adapt to different technologies and played a video of his Tesla’s trunk opening as he motioned a check in the air.
Chinese automaker BYD recently bought his rings to connect to their cars, he said.
In July, KIWEAR is launching a campaign in the U.S. and will begin shipping its product for $299 in the fall.