by Dot Cannon
(Image courtesy of VR/AR Global Summit Online, and used with permission.)
Next Wednesday morning, September 30th, our alarm’s going off at 4 am.
The computer’s going on at 4:15.
And at 5 am, we will connect, virtually, to immersive-technology specialists from all over the world.
You can too–as the VR/AR Association hosts its fully virtual Fall 2020 Global Online Summit!
This is the largest and fastest-growing immersive-technology event in the world. But it’s not a “tech show”.
Instead, the VRARA’s Global Summit explores uses of augmented and virtual reality in all areas of life. Transportation, education, art and entrepreneurship were just a few of the areas covered during their summer event in June.
This autumn summit, themed “Adaptabilty”, marks the second time VRARA will host an all-virtual event. Over the three days, September 30th through October 2nd, more than 125 speakers will be featured.
Confirmed speakers so far include Intel Executive Producer Sarah Vick, futurist and author Charlie Fink and Unity Technologies Enterprise Solutions Executive Elizabeth Baron. And according to an email from VRARA, additional new speakers are about to be added!
(Image courtesy of VR/AR Global Summit Online,, and used with permission.)
Listed highlights include a new safety standard for virtual and augmented-reality equipment. Asobo Studios will exhibit their new Microsoft Flight Simulator. Exhibitors will showcase their products in the Virtual Expo booths. Special events include a Women’s Summit and XR Job Fair. Five-minute “Speed Dating” networking will give you a chance to meet with dozens of new contacts, throughout the three days of the summit.
AND–you’ll get a chance to enter King Tut’s tomb!
No–we didn’t throw that in just to see if you were paying attention.
(Royalty-free image by Wren Handman from Pixabay
King Tut, meet 21st Century
VRARA’s Global Summit page lists a special panel entitled, “Tutankhamun: Enter the Tomb” on Wednesday, at 1 pm Eastern (10 am for us Californian attendees!). A special panel, including director and Citylights Co-Founder Joel Newton and Periscope VR Founder/CEO Lynn Rosenthal, will discuss the eight-minute VR experience set to premiere at the Saatchi Gallery in London. “Tutankhamun: Enter the Tomb” takes visitors into the world of the young Egyptian king through a virtual recreation of the artifacts from his tomb, discovered a century ago.
Tickets are still available for the VRARA Global Summit Online. You’ll find more information at this link.
You’ll recall, in June, the pandemic forced VRARA to take their planned event in Lisbon to an all-virtual format for the first time.
Our experience: it was a don’t-miss event.
Sessions were geared to everyone, including first-time VR or AR explorers. Education, art and entrepreneurship, with virtual applications, were major topics of discussion. VRARA says more than 11,000 attendees joined them virtually. Over the three days, more than 250 speakers and exhibitors showcased the latest applications in immersive technology.
One personal favorite: the first VR/AR Global Student Design Competition!
College students from around the world displayed their designs around the theme of “innovative social distancing”. Judges Amy Peck and Aubrey Tucker met with the students virtually, “walking” around their designs and asking questions about their functionality. The young participants had created social-distanced lunch areas, workspaces and collaborative spaces and museums.
The most exciting part? That was only the beginning. VRARA Global Summit Executive Producer Anne-Marie Enns said in an earlier interview that she and her team pulled off this first VRARA Global Summit Online with only six weeks’ lead time.
Imagine what they’re getting ready to do now.