Premium ARTS: Fusing AR in the Gaming Spectrum

Katsunori Yamaji, CEO

The gaming sphere embraced a quantified experience when Pokemon Go was released on 6th July, 2016. It gave users a real-time simulation of environment using GPS to locate, capture, battle, and train virtual creatures. The advent of Pokemon Go seems to be an apt instance of how augmented reality (AR) is changing the gaming spectrum. The capabilities of AR are endless and when integrated with mobile devices, it can produce a gaming platform, the world has never seen before. While the world has witnessed a multitude of businesses creating a buzz in the augment reality space, Japan-based Premium ARTS is making ripple effect in this sector for a decade. The company deploys state-of-the-art development technology for content creation for several industries and majorly entertainment sector.

Premium ARTS with an extensive experience in 3D gaming plays a pivotal role in shaping the gaming arena with rich investment in AR/VR technology. Katsunori Yamaji, CEO of Premium ARTS explains, “Real-time AR/VR analysis is currently the most innovative technology platform as it enables the movement of Character Generator (CG) in real time. We even support customers who are leveraging 3DCG for the first time.” The firm with specialization in rendering AR/VR solution confers a gamut of applications such as television broadcasting, events, concerts, digital signage, advertisement and promotion activities, visual manuals, simulation, and teaching materials.

The company is assisted by a team of competent engineers and holds a deep understanding of real-time 3D drawing technology. Their system is capable of synthesizing the CG and live-action images. The images are captured from a camera deployed at the venue where CGs are synthesized in real time. The company currently deploys three major 3D rendering machines—Chidori, Unreal engine, and Unity 3D.

These engines are implemented in a system according to the customers’ demands and assist in accelerating their R&D program.

Premium ARTS plays a pivotal role in shaping the gaming arena with rich investment in AR/VR technology

Yamaji further exclaims that ‘LIVE technology’ is the latest vertical that can drive value in the AR space with real-time publishing of animated contents. Making the most of this LIVE technology, Premium ARTS offers a real-time augmented reality solution— LiveAR. This solution is developed with Chidori and renders multiple high quality platforms for live television broadcasting or through the internet.

In one of the projects managed by the company, this solution empowered ‘Vocafarre live performance’ to deliver a multi-sensory experience and increase the field of view. The concert showcased integrated CG characters with visuals effects and live footage of the venue. Then it tracks the live camera’s position of the concert to embed AR effects with live footage and add directional sound effects to it. In one of the other projects, LiveAR was used by Yunika Vision Live Performance to showcase three interlinked 100 sq. meter displays. The solution created an augmented reality “live performance” featuring Yamaha’s VOCALOID3 virtual pop idols. The AR effects also incorporated a virtual billboard, an airship, and other visual effects that gave the viewers a ‘haptics’ experience throughout. The firm’s competency in AR Live Event, AR Cloud Event, VR System, and 3D Data solutions has mapped the consumer experience of many other clients such as Namco-Bandai Gundam and 6 Room Virtual Idol.

Premium ARTS, since its inception, has optimized the capabilities of AR/VR to new heights in the entertainment field. In the future, the company, with expertise in creating contents on a one-stop basis from planning to graphic production and programming, intends to utilize the power of AR and VR in new industrial fields such as factory, health, security, tourism, and others. The firm is planning to collaborate with PTC to leverage new front-end technologies such as IoT and AI.

Furthermore, the firm envisions incorporating drone simulator with 3D mapping technology in its portfolio and introducing new solution for construction industry. To achieve this, Premium ARTS is planning to use intelligent 3D models in its armory such as building information modeling, computer-integrated manufacturing, and a real-time interactive communication platform. The company, however, has already implemented the technology for one of its clients. “We developed BMW’s showroom drive simulator and drone operation practice simulator for domestic drone makers of Japan,” concludes Yamaji.