Press Release

metaio and kooaba: Taking Mobile Augmented Reality to New Levels

Munich, Germany, Zurich, Switzerland, and San Francisco, California, June 1, 2010 - metaio's exciting new "Augmented Reality" browser junaio has extended its capabilities beyond the usual location based internet services. Not only may the user obtain information on nearby POIs like shops, restaurants or train stations, but also the camera's eye is now able to identify objects and to "glue" object specific real-time, dynamic, social and 3D information onto the object itself. This unique feature is now being extended through collaboration with kooaba and its visual object search capability, providing access to kooaba's extensive object databases. Initially available on the Android version, an iPhone release will follow soon.

Using the proven metaio technology of image recognition and object tracking, junaio is able to identify an object through the phone's camera, access object relevant information through visual search and then virtually "glue" such information displays onto the object itself, rendered in a way only metaio's famed Augmented Reality engine can achieve. By moving object or camera the user is able to intuitively interact with the "glued on" Augmented Reality layer in order to navigate through information, rotate 3D displays, issue game commands, provide feedback, etc.

Peter Meier, metaio's CTO, comments: "We are taking AR to a new level. The combination of Visual Search and Object Tracking is an amazing and highly intuitive way of interacting with objects and information."

Make your message stick with junaio glue!

The combination of server based and client based image processing is the next step towards an ever present and highly accurate information overlay on the real things around us. The future prospects of this augmented vision are tremendous. Useful or entertaining information may be called up based on places or objects around you. Images, signs, posters, magazines or newspaper pages, packaging or any other object around the user, can trigger multimedia experiences. Ratings, tips, affiliates and other e-commerce functions can be displayed on real products. Advertisers may "augment" their print ads with games or added displays. Museums may offer a guided tour of their art treasures through "Augmented Reality". The possibilities are endless.

The Talking CD

As a first example users will be able to take any CD cover and access the related online information simply by pointing their smartphone at the CD. This service is available on junaio within the kooaba channel. It allows the CD's specific information to be found through kooaba's advanced visual search capabilities and its extensive CD database. The user will then be able to see band related stuff on eBay, affiliates or customer ratings, the nearby events of the artist and a 3D animation related to the content category. junaio then "glues" this information directly onto the camera image of the CD, thereby allowing the user to interact and navigate through these displays simply by rotating the CD.

Dr. Till Quack, kooaba's CTO, says: "CDs are only the beginning. Our database is constantly growing. The visual search and live-rendering will be accessible for more and more services and products."

How to get your own information onto junaio?

The junaio environment is growing rapidly with exciting content around events, city features, objects, products, and news media. If your company or organization wishes to participate and also make information and messages available on junaio you need to set up and maintain your own public channel. To get started please contact our team.

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About kooaba

kooaba is world leading in the field of image recognition. kooaba's technology upgrades standard digital images with contextual information about the images content to Smart VisualsTM. kooaba's mobile and desktop solutions based on the company's Smart VisualsTM platform allow businesses of all sizes and consumers to get instant information on visual searches, track images, and share, explore, and remember things visually. The Company was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Zurich with partners in North America and Europe. For more information, visit www.kooaba.com

About junaio

junaio is metaio's mobile Augmented Reality platform that allows users and developers the ability to create content channels in the real world. Users can flip through channels like entertainment, nightlife, travel and many others and see information digitally displayed around by simply pointing their phone. With junaio's open API, developers can create state of the art Augmented Reality applications. junaio is available as a version for the iPhone and for Android. The Android version includes natural feature tracking which allows image recognition and thus totally new fields of applications, especially in the consumer market.  For more information, please visit: http://www.junaio.com.

About metaio

As the world-wide leader in Augmented Reality technology, metaio develops software products for visual interactive solutions between the real and the virtual world. Based on the software platform Unifeye, 3D-animations can be integrated seamlessly into live-video streams respectively into pictures of the user's real environment. Founded in February 2003, metaio currently employs 70+ people at two different locations. The company is headquartered in Munich with the subsidiary metaio Inc. located in San Francisco USA. metaio has been working with more than 450 renowned customers from different industries and geographical locations. Among them: BMW, Daimler, Siemens, Toyota, Peugeot, EADS, Bertelsmann, KUKA, LEGO, MINI, Popular Science, Focus Features and Volkswagen.