Press Release

metaio Introduces Augmented City Platform at Mobile World Congress

3D Object Tracking and Visual Search technology will empower a new generation of Augmented Reality experiences

BARCELONA, February 24, 2012 - metaio today unveiled plans to add 3D Object Tracking and Visual Search to its free mobile Augmented Reality (AR) Software Development Kit (SDK), part of the Augmented City platform. Available for download on its website March 14, and optimized by major chipset providers, version 3.1 of the metaio Mobile SDK will assemble core technologies necessary for creating the most interactive and immersive AR experiences, such as the overlay of virtual information on building facades, city streets and almost any 3D real world object or device.

"At metaio, we are providing software at no charge to developers to build AR experiences that border on the science fiction" said Dr. Thomas Alt, CEO and Co-founder of metaio. "Developers have the opportunity to work with software that has been optimized by companies like ARM, ST-Ericsson and Texas Instruments to start building the next generation of AR applications, today."

Unmatched Hardware

Major mobile chipset providers like ARM, ST-Ericsson and Texas Instruments are working with metaio to jointly optimize the metaio Mobile SDK for the most important chipset platforms. AR software running on major chipsets means stronger and faster experiences for the user and more reliable tools for developers. 

From ST-Ericsson: We are proud to announce that our cooperation with metaio has reached yet another milestone in supporting their new 3D object tracking technology," said Björn Ekelund, ST-Ericsson's head of Ecosystems and Research. "Our continued collaboration with metaio is going beyond simple 2-D planar tracking to more advanced topics. Together with metaio we plan to take mobile AR to entirely new dimensions, with the Augmented City being just one example."

From Texas Instruments: "The OMAP 4460 / 4470 platform is a proud part of the latest and most advanced developments from metaio. Combining metaio's software with our AR capable hardware will change how people access digital content in the near future, especially with mobile devices becoming the go-to resource for sharing and accessing information about our surroundings." 

Unparalleled Software Technology

Announced at metaio's insideAR technology conference, the metaio Augmented City platform consists of a diverse and powerful selection of software across mobile, web and offline experiences that use industry-proven computer vision technology to insert 3D and digital information into the real world. Many existing AR platforms limit experiences to GPS mapping and the anchoring of graphics to simple, 2D surfaces; the platform offered by metaio is the only one commercially available that builds on these capabilities to deliver real-time tracking and recognition of entire 3D objects as well as a robust client-based Visual Search. 

Version 3.1 of the metaio Mobile SDK gives developers access to award-winning computer vision technology that can go beyond simple product packaging. More than 10 years in development, metaio's technology can overlay information on city structures like buildings and billboards and complex 3D objects like printers, mechanical parts, and the product itself. Users will be able to interact with the everyday world like never before in experiences developed with metaio's software. 

Simplified Content Creation

With its powerful mobile software metaio will offer two new support technologies to make AR content production easier and more cost-effective. The Augmented Reality Experience Language (AREL) will expand development opportunities by bringing HTML5 and JavasScript to mobile AR experiences. AREL will support advanced AR gaming logic along with a higher level of interaction and customization, ensuring there are even more creative opportunities for developers. In addition, metaio will offer the metaio Creator, a point-and-click content authoring tool that will allow developers to publish AR experiences to mobile, web or browser clients. 

 "It's not as simple as merely providing a mobile SDK or AR browser at no charge to developers," said Peter Meier, CTO and Co-Founder of metaio. "We're supporting the next generation of AR applications with an entire platform, from the best software and creation tools to the chips in the phones themselves."

• 3D Object Tracking will be available on the metaio website March 14, 2012 for free download. 
• The latest version of the metaio Mobile SDK is available for immediate download today: http://metaio.com/software/mobile-sdk

• Watch the complete interview with metaio CTO, Peter Meier, describing the leading AR platform

• Learn more about metaio at MWC 2012: http://metaio.com/mwc2012

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About Metaio

The worldwide leader in Augmented Reality (AR) research and technology, Metaio develops software products for visually interactive solutions between the real and the virtual world. Based on the Metaio Augmented Reality platform, digital and 3-D content can be integrated seamlessly into the user’s camera view looking upon the real world. Powering over 1,000 apps for enterprise, marketing, retail, publishing and industrial cases, over 30 Million consumers use Metaio’s AR software. Learn more at www.metaio.com