Bringing X-Reality to life

To grasp virtual and augmented reality, you have to experience it. At the beginning, at MaibornWolff we were primarily concerned with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) from a development perspective, for example how to write the best code.

However, it quickly became clear to us that VR has to be actively experienced and also how important the right design is in the process. VR in particular only works when it’s immersive, and everything has to be coordinated for that. The objects you see in the virtual world and the interactions need to fit the overall concept. But music and sound also play a part in the immersion process.

To make both the technology, the design, and the X-Reality experience accessible, we decided to build the NextReality Lab.

The NextReality Lab is aimed at all target groups, from beginners to advanced. It’s an experience for people who have never been exposed to VR and/or AR but also people who are already well versed can discover the latest devices and technical developments. These include Microsoft HoloLens, Oculus Quest, HTC Vive & Index, iPad (Marker, DTM Auto), Varjo XR or Valve Index, among others. We always try to be at the cutting edge of technology and have the latest equipment.

With us, for example, it is possible to sit in a BMW in the lab and fly into space – all virtually, of course.
3D objects are created either by using the real CAD data (mostly optimized for XR), or by modeling completely new elements. One example of this is the Wolff-E cleaning robot, which we designed completely ourselves and which serves as a showcase.

The Lab is built like the reality-virtuality continuum: From reality with a few augmentations to a complete virtual world.
Let’s start with augmented reality. With AR, the normal world is enriched by partially interactive 3D elements. We do this, for example, with our Barista showcase. There, the user learns how to use a barista coffee machine with a Hololens. From turning it on, to grinding the beans in the separate grinder, to running the water through.

Moving on to a mix of AR and VR, for example in our BMW mentioned above. In this experience, the user sits in a real seat in the virtual BMW and sees the real environment of the lab through the windowpanes. In the third station, you end up completely in the virtual world. This can be experienced playing a game of basketball with hardly any gravity or in the toy factory assembling a toy excavator.

We are convinced that virtual and augmented reality can be used to create added value – even outside the gaming mindset. Together with our clients we consider what challenges they face, where they want to go, what their vision is, and how we can support them. The NextReality Lab provides exactly the right framework for this. And it allows us as MaibornWolff to research the technology of tomorrow today.