AWE USA 2025 Quicklook #1

For full disclosure, due to a number of competing commitments in and beyond the US, the Halldale staff was unable to attend this week’s Augmented World Expo USA 2025 (AWE). What did catch our attention and generated these brief comments and observations about this AWE, was the scope of new content throughout the AR and XR spaces – new products, new use cases and such.

Here are some representative trends and developments that delegates at the Long Beach, California event had the opportunity to view, test and enjoy for themselves.

Haptics remain an evolving technology and a work in progress with good reasons. High-risk industries, from manufacturers to healthcare to aircraft maintenance envision glove-based systems for wearers to navigate a variety of skill sets – from the simple to precise and exacting. These products continue to evolve with technology advancements in haptic feedback, immersion and other attributes.

Several suppliers’ haptic gloves we wore at I/ITSEC 2024 revealed this technology space is advancing with products moving beyond clunky and challenging to operate, to lighter and more capable versions. At AWE the evolution continues. WEART unveiled its TouchDIVER Pro glove reportedly with six actuation points, full-hand tracking, low-latency connectivity and other attributes for XR training. SenseGlove was at the event to demonstrate a surgical VR simulation using haptic gloves and a robotic partner for an enhanced tactile experience.

The technology envelope is expanding for XR headsets and glasses – lighter, and with improved resolution and other capabilities to best support customers. Maradin highlighted its XR Laser-Based Scanning lighting platform using its proprietary MEMS-based laser lighting. The product was said to be lightweight (1.4cc), all-day wearable with high visual performance (720 p resolution) and low power consumption to support XR glasses and other smart glass designs. Safety = training and training = safety. Enter VIRNECT, which introduced its AR safety goggles – VisionX – an industrial headset enabled by AR, AI and real-time assistance and safety insights in high-risk environments.

The metaverse is not dead. RP1 revealed what was reported to be the world’s first metaverse browser and said to be designed to connect users to limitless 3-D content and third-party services.

AI, yes, here, there and seemingly everywhere at AWE. First enter VORTEX, ForgeFX Simulations’AI-powered VR training platform with LIDAR-scanned environments, AI-guided sensors, GIS-planning tools and other capabilities. Of no surprise, envisioned customer verticals include military, emergency response and heavy industry – for starters. Niantic Spatial was present to discuss its partnership with Snap for the build of a shared, AI-powered map of the real world, and other advancements in spatial technology.