Say goodbye to headsets and glasses!

On September 12th, attendants gathered at M3D Technologies’ offices. There, they witnessed a glimpse of XR Technology’s fantastical future, led by the MERGE system.

M3D Technologies is a Central Florida-based XR tech and solutions development team that has developed experiences for the medical, military, and education industries. They were among the many local technology companies that attended Full Sail University’s VRARA event last spring, showcasing their impressive rocket launcher simulator.

Alongside M3D, two other companies, Visimir and A Square Games, presented their latest products. Visimir focuses on advanced photogrammetry technology for digital assets, VFX, and simulations. They use elaborate photo booths that perfectly recreate objects and faces in a digital space in minutes.

A Square Games is a game and software developer with a relatively similar background to M3D. They specialize in military-based simulations and have gained heavy notoriety with their most recent application, Wave Warrior. They showcased their latest in-the-works product, Project VIVI, an advanced AI language learning program. However, due to its ongoing development, I cannot say much about the product.

The biggest player that afternoon was the aforementioned M3D Technologies, which, in collaboration with District Cinema—another XR software developer based in Tampa—demonstrated the capabilities of MERGE, a state-of-the-art interactive, markerless XR platform.

MERGE was first unveiled at an AWE (Augmented World Expo) Conference and has been in development since July of this year. District Cinema founder John Makar explains the process and motivation behind the project in detail.

“We’ve been working and collaborating on the technology, environments, and working on building some cool demos to showcase to people what technology exists because a lot of people don’t know this technology exists today. They all know about VR, AR with headsets and didn’t know that you can get this sort of fidelity with a system that’s almost invicible like this.”
–John Makar

The Virtual Magician

To use it, walk into the designated area and perform some gestures. The sensors will create a 1:1 virtual skeleton that scales to the user’s bone size and aligns with their body and movements. The closest comparison I can make is the Xbox Kinect, but unlike that failed experiment, MERGE’s precision rivals that of a high-end mocap suit. District Cinema fine-tuned their sensors to a razor’s edge, thanks in many parts to their many years of live location testing. The sensors are precise enough to match facial and finger movements.

In conjunction with Visimir’s cutting-edge photogrammetry technology, the user can have a fully realized virtual avatar that tracks their every motion. From subtle twitches to explosive maneuvers like martial arts, there is nothing the MERGE system can’t capture. This is a critical selling point, as motion capture is a lengthy, time-consuming activity that can span days, but according to Mathew Hogan, founder of M3D Technologies, they managed to complete the process in less than 40 minutes using MERGE.

Who’s it for?

XR technology is limitless in its applications, and the MERGE system is the type of invention that fits in any scenario you can place it in. VFX, retail, virtual tourism, gaming, education, the list is grandiose. It will become an excellent option for theme parks that don’t want to invest heavily in multiple sets of VR/AR equipment. Because the system is markerless, Previs VFX houses don’t have to account for time or equipment when a quick visualization is needed, saving hours during preproduction. MERGE is fully compatible with the Unreal Engine, and unique controllers can be custom-made for each setup. When asked Makar about the capabilities of incorporating inanimate objects, he said:

“We are working on incorporating a set of out-the-box tracked props like soccer/basket balls, hockey sticks and a few others that are designed to support in game engagement experiences… We are also able to train in additional rigid object or deformable (soft) object props that certain customers may request. (I.e. a sword)”
-John Makar

The system is available to rent, and as far as sizing options are concerned, they range from with each one accommodating a varying number of people. From smallest to largest:

• Pico: 10×10 sq. ft. – 1-2 people
• Blend: 15×15 & 20×20 sq. ft. – 4-5 people
• Heavy: 30×30 sq. ft. – 10-18 people

While the potential is exponential, it is difficult to discern if it could become a household system. For the ordinary consumer, VR/AR wearables will be enough to satiate the XR itch, but if they’re looking for experiences that only systems like MERGE can provide, they’ll most likely have to venture out of their homes.