Big news We Are Wearable-ers! We are headed to California to bring the wearable revolution to Silicon Valley! We Are Wearables has partnered with Augmented World Expo, the world’s largest augmented reality event, to add a wearables exhibitor and speaker track to the two-day event in June of 2016.
Now in its seventh year, Augmented World Expo (AWE) has been called “the consumer electronics show of the future, the increasingly near future” (USA Today). AWE explores how a new wave of computing is augmenting the way we live, work and play by showcasing how augmented and virtual reality and wearable technology are giving people real superpowers. The event shares a similar mission to We Are Wearables in bringing people together to discuss, discover and demo these new technologies in an effort to foster adoption and facilitate innovation. In fact, AugmentedReality.org, the producing organization behind AWE, has set a moonshot goal to inspire 1 billion active augmented reality users by 2020.
“AWE is dedicated to exploring tech which is turning ordinary experiences into the extraordinary and empowering people to be better at anything they do in work and life,” said Ori Inbar, CEO & Co-Founder of AugmentedReality.org. “Wearable technology has always been present at AWE, especially in the form of smartglasses, but this year we wanted to emphasize the connection between wearables, VR and AR which are becoming part of a unified ecosystem. It’s a new wave of computing that will drive a big leap for humanity and we feel it is important for all three of these communities to come together, as together we have the power to change the world”.
In 2014, AWE added a VR exhibitor and speaker track to the event, bringing the AR and VR communities together for the first time to strengthen their relationship and showcase the interconnectivity which exists between these two emerging technologies. Continuing this effort, this year AWE is partnering with We Are Wearables to highlight wearable tech’s role in augmenting humanity.
“The world is being transformed by new technologies which integrate our tech as part of ourselves,” said Tom Emrich, Founder of We Are Wearables. “From smartglasses that augment our reality, headmounted displays which teleport us to a virtual one, and body worn sensors that collect data and act as input devices for the smart world, wearable technology, AR and VR are changing what it means to be human. Bringing all three of these ecosystems together at AWE 2016 will give attendees a better understanding of the future being created as we speak.”
AWE 2015 featured keynotes from world renowned thought leaders in the AR and VR space including the grandfather of virtual reality, Tom Furness; the father of wearable technology, Steve Mann; Google’s Project Tango lead, Johnny Lee and best selling Sci-Fi author, David Brin. Last year’s event was also the first year that AWE expanded the focus of its event outside of augmented reality to include virtual reality. In the VR expo, attendees experienced the latest in virtual reality including Air Flow, a 4D flying experience by Mindride; Sixense’s STEM controllers which add your body to VR, and the the eye-tracking headmounted display by FOVE.
This year’s event will bring together over 4,000 attendees, 200 exhibitors and 200 speakers in the heart of Silicon Valley. AWE 2016 takes place on June 1-2 at the Santa Clara convention center so mark your calendars!
Calling all speaker, exhibitors and sponsors! Help us make the wearable tech area at AWE 2016 AWEsome! Submit a talk or become an exhibitor or sponsor. Hit up the links below or contact me directly at tom@wearewearables.com.
