In the ever-evolving universe of augmented reality and virtual reality, two Milwaukee-area developers are focused on bringing the experiential technology a little closer to earth. Business co-owners Jeff Fleetwood and Hector Borges have recently launched Foresight, an augmented and virtual reality solutions company.
While much of AR/VR growth continues to surround immersive gaming experiences (think: Pokemon Go), the developer duo says they see significant potential in applying the technology to the business, cultural, education, and training sectors.
With VR devices becoming more affordable for everyday consumers, greater access to software development kits, and surging interest from major tech corporations and investors, Foresight joins a number of startups hoping to expand on the industry from one primarily focused on novelty and entertainment to one with more practical applications.
The AR/VR industries combined are forecasted to generate more than $100 billion in revenue by 2023, according to AR/VR/XR (mixed reality) adviser platform, Digi-Capital. That projected growth is something Foresight is hoping to capitalize on.
“We see a lot of existing industries that could benefit from AR/VR to make them more valuable,” Borges said during an interview at the UWM Lubar Entrepreneurship Center. “It’s such a new technology. We’re trying to fill this gap and bring it to as many companies as possible.”
One of those areas is the museum industry. For cash-strapped cultural institutions, using AR technology presents an opportunity to create immersive exhibits for visitors, while saving museums the time, money and space it takes to build out full-scale dioramas, says Fleetwood.
The pair recently returned from a two-week residency in Washington, D.C., where they helped pilot a special VR exhibit at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
The exhibit focused on bringing the Ringleblum archives to life, a collection of first-hand accounts, diaries, newspapers, photos, and other materials during the persecution of Jews in Nazi-occupied Warsaw, Poland, during World War II.
The team worked with the museum’s researchers to develop multiple AR experiences around the story about a month in advance before landing on the ground in D.C., says Fleetwood, who built and textured many of the 3D models. The pair then spent the residency tweaking the exhibition based on leadership and visitor feedback.
“Leadership from the museum gave us some real praise about our work,” he says. “I was told that visually our work looked better than the Berlin Wall VR exhibit at the Newseum. That felt good.”
The recognition was especially welcoming considering the partners didn’t set out to build a career around augmented reality.
Fleetwood and Borges first met as classmates in a video game design class at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) about four years ago. At the time, Borges was a recent high school graduate and avid video gamer who discovered the course on a whim; Fleetwood was transitioning from an established career in advertising and producing content for broadcast news outlets.
“I wanted something more real,” Fleetwood explains. “I started getting into 360-degree photography. It led me down the path of gamifying. Now, I’m coming back to AR/VR.”
Initially, the pair wanted to continue creating video games but soon switched their focus to the emerging field of virtual and augmented reality.
“AR is more exciting in the practical sense,” said Borges, pointing to the safety risks associated with VR goggle headsets. “With AR, you can see clearly. There’s a lot of places where AR can fit into everyday life.”
For example, the company is currently working on a contract with the Chicago Police Department to create a 360-degree VR experience to help train officers on emergency response.
But the team hopes to leave its mark at home in Wisconsin, too. Fleetwood said the state’s robust manufacturing and healthcare industries, and upcoming special events, such as the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, means the possibilities for AR/VR applications are endless.
“There is so much potential [for AR/VR] in Wisconsin,” Fleetwood says. “When we first started talking about it, people couldn’t get their heads around it. Now, it’s exciting when people see where the technology has evolved.”
Foresight is the second business venture for the partners. The self-funded startup is currently housed at the No Studios creative workspace at 1037 W. McKinley Ave.
