Epson and SO Sofitel Singapore collaborate to pilot Moverio BT-300 smart glasses to enhance guest experience through augmented reality, the first in Southeast Asia

Epson and SO Sofitel
Singapore collaborate to pilot
Moverio BT-300 smart glasses to enhance guest experience through augmented
reality, the first in Southeast Asia

Innovative software
designed by EON Reality tells design story of hotel

Singapore, 29 March 2017 – Epson, a global leader in projection technology and
visual communications, partners SO Sofitel Singapore for Southeast Asia’s first
augmented reality smart glasses design experience within a hotel. Using Epson’s
latest Moverio BT-300 smart glasses, members of the public can embark on an
audio-visual adventure, SO Augmented, within the French luxury
boutique hotel’s lobby (for public) and So Lofty suite (for guests staying in
the room). The pilot project, which begins from today to end 2017, will see
eight sets of the Moverio BT-300 smart glasses, the world’s lightest binocular
see-through smart glasses on the market with an OLED display, bring graphic
elements within SO Sofitel Singapore’s heritage building to life.

Guests
can look forward to a true see-through immersive experience with the Moverio
BT-300’s HD high-contrast display, which uses Epson’s cutting edge
silicon-based OLED (organic light emitting diode) digital display technology.
Powered by software from EON Reality, a world leader in Virtual and Augmented
Reality-based knowledge transfer, the curated experience transports viewers
into a part-real part-virtual world where informative content and videos blend
seamlessly with real design elements found within the hotel lobby and suite.

“It
is our pleasure to partner leaders in Luxury Hospitality, Design and Augmented
Reality to curate this experience that is a first in the region. With Moverio,
Epson believes that the potential of Augmented Reality is limitless for
commercial and enterprise usage – to create exceptional experiences using one
of the most lightweight and comfortable smart eyewear on the market. By
bringing the flavours and secrets within the heritage building to life through
our technology, we look forward to deliver new and exciting multi-sensory
experiences and showcase the familiar in a brand new way,” said Mr Siew
Jin Kiat, Regional General Manager (Southeast Asia), Printers and Visual Products
Division, Epson Singapore.

“We
are So delighted to partner with Epson Singapore to be the first to launch the
augmented reality smart glasses experience in Southeast Asia. When you step
into SO Sofitel Singapore, you will be naturally captivated by the different
elements of French design blending with local touches. With this AR smart
glasses experience, guests will be able to discover and be intrigued by the
surprising design elements,” said Mr Piotr Kupiec, General Manager for SO
Sofitel Singapore.

A
launch event was held today at SO Sofitel Singapore, where invited guests were
the first to experience the AR tour on smart glasses. At the hotel lobby,
guests wearing the Moverio BT-300 smart glasses begun the AR experience in
front of ‘The Lion’s Seal’ emblem, designed for the hotel by legendary fashion
icon Karl Lagerfeld. They were greeted virtually by Isabelle Miaja, the
interior designer of SO Sofitel Singapore. As the guests explored the lobby, a
layer of graphical information and audio narration emerged through the smart
glasses, revealing the inspiration of SO Sofitel Singapore’s beautiful design –
a story of French elegance blending with the building’s unique history, and
modern Singapore chic.

Wearing
the Moverio, guests continued to discover the whimsical secrets within the
luxurious space of SO Sofitel’s So Lofty suite. Isabelle returned on a
composite screen, sharing her thoughts for designing the hotel as well as the
special touches within the suite. Layers of dynamic information, videos and
visuals highlighted her artistic inspirations for the art pieces that fuse
Singapore’s local culture with French indulgence.

On
the pilot project, EON Reality Singapore’s Managing Director Mr Sridhar Sunkhad
added, “Collaborating with Epson to augment the SO Sofitel unique guest
experience will be an exciting journey that will teach us how Augmented Reality
will become a part of our everyday lifestyle.”

Members
of the public who wish to enjoy the SO Augmented hotel lobby tour can check
directly with the Guest Relations Officers, with sets subject to availability.
Guests who stay in the designated So Lofty suite for the pilot project can
experience the SO Augmented room tour as well.

More
information about the Moverio BT-300 is available on https://www.epson.com.sg/moverio-augmented-reality .