RALEIGH – The headsets were out as part RIoT’s Internet of Things (IoT) fifth annual Demo night.

From hanging out in “virtual rooms” to walking through a cloud of Twitter data, tech enthusiasts strapped on some gear and jumped into new realities as part of the Regional Internet of Things (RIoT) users group event held in partnership with All Things Open, the largest “Open” technology festival on the east coast.

More than 40 exhibitors showcasing live IoT demos set up shop on the ground floor corridor of the Raleigh Convention Center on Monday night, drawing  close to a 1,000-strong crowd.

Its main focus: to raise awareness on how artificial and virtual reality (AR/VR) is impacting every industry sector, and changing the way we learn and experience new things.

A CrossComm representative demonstrates augmented reality.

“A lot of this technology feels like Jetsons technology – but a lot of this technology is not just coming, it’s here,” said Sarah Glova, RIoT’s director of Growth and Communication.

“There are already organizations using this technology for training. [The question is now] — when is it going to affect me?”

Changing how we work

Among those exhibiting was Don Shin, 42, president and CEO of CrossComm, a mobile, web and immersive app studio based out of Durham.

At his table, he offered attendees the chance try on his firm’s Oculus Rift headset and be transported into a three-dimensional, computer environment.

CrossComm CEO Don Shin

The platform allows multiple individuals to enter into the same virtual space, even from different physical locations.

“We built this in-house because one of lead AR-VR developers lives in New Orleans, and the rest of our team is in Durham,” he explained. “With this tool, they’re able to enter the same virtual space, ideate, wireframe in three dimensions their ideas together as if they were in the same space, but of course, they’re in different physical locations.”

It could also be used for teleconferencing and training, he added.

“Oftentimes we learn better, not by reading, but by being shown. That’s what virtual reality can allow for as well.”

A $160B industry by 2023

On the other side of the hall, Sas Systems Architect Michael Thomas Thomas set up a stand that demonstrated use cases of AR-VR for Intelligent Realities (IR).

For those not in the know, that’s defined as a technologically enhanced reality that aids human cognitive performance and judgment.

As one attendee sat in a chair with a headset on, it all looked kind of conspicuous – until he explained what she was seeing.

“She’s exploring a cloud of twitter data, and she’s moving data around and finding nodes of interest.”

Sas Systems Architect Michael Thomas Thomas demonstrate AR/VR for Intelligent Realities.

In a work setting, one application this could be used for is fraud detection, he added.

“The idea is, you come in, find some fraud, by looking at network diagrams that you’re immersed in, and then move those cases to your regular work flow.”

Looking ahead, he said there’s a big market for this new kind of technology.

“It’s expected to be overall market $160 billion by 2023. For us, our customers and prospects, we want to be there so we can provide value into our analytics into this new kind of interface.”

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