Rise to the Augmented Reality Challenge from Tourism NI
Could you improve the experience of visitors to Northern Ireland with the development of an AR project?
Tourism NI, in partnership with the Department for Communities and Local Government, Digital Catapult NI and Matrix is investing up to £70,000 to encourage tourism focussed innovation in Augmented Reality.
The Challenge
Proposals are welcomed from technology and tourism stakeholders with innovative digital ideas relevant to developing the use of augmented reality technologies. Proposals should include solutions with potential appeal to the wider tourism marketplace, which also consider the underlying operational and commercial models.
The Themes
Multi-Lingual Way Finding
Find a creative solution to enhance the visitor experience by helping people of all abilities and language requirements, find their way seamlessly around and between tourist attractions.
Solutions should consider:
- Delivery of efficient, effective and stress free wayfinding
- Multilingual provision
- How to encourage visitors to explore the environment around a tourist attraction, notifying them of items of interest, events or other tourist amenities in the area.
- How to adapt to the location and environment of the user and be capable of transitioning between outdoor and indoor spaces
- Allowing the user to navigate the environment virtually
Unmanned and Heritage Tourist Locations
Find a digital solution that will deliver an enhanced visitor experience while allowing us to track visitors to historic sites in a way that is low-cost, robust and reliable, and in a way that delivers information in a timely manner, regardless of location, connectivity and power conditions. Solutions should consider:
- An immersive experience that recreates life in the original site
- Pointing users to other nearby attractions
- A method of tracking visitor footfall
- Multilingual provision
Who can apply?
You don’t need to have an existing app or service or be currently active in the Immersive industry. You do need to have a specific product, platform or service in mind, even if it is only at idea stage. You can propose a solution to one or both challenge.
How does the challenge work?
The challenge is a two-stage process.
Stage one involves the completion of an application form and making a short innovative presentation of your idea. Six solutions go through to the next stage.
Stage two involves a live pitch and Q&A to an expert assessment panel on 18th December 2017 who will make the final decision on which solutions to fund.
Applicants can apply from 26th October 2017. There is a briefing event for potential applicants to find out more information, on 3rd November 2017 at 10.30 in the Stormont Hotel, Belfast.
To learn more about the contest and to get the application form, go to the web page for this competition.