A talk from the Life Track at AWE USA 2018 - the World's #1 XR Conference & Expo in Santa Clara, California May 30- June 1, 2018. Jeremy Kenisky (MERGE): Future of Play: Creating a Kid-Friendly VR/AR Ecosystem The future of play is filled with magical experiences that help make kids smarter, more creative and more collaborative. Learn how MERGE is creating the future of play every day by designing a kid-friendly, virtual and augmented reality ecosystem that merges physical and digital worlds. http://AugmentedWorldExpo.com

1. Creating an XR Ecosystem for Kids
Jeremy Kenisky
VP, Creative
@prof_kenisky

2. Agenda
XR Ecosystem for Kids
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr
● Bio / Background
● MERGE Ecosystem
○ EDU
● Consumer Insights
● Final Thoughts

3. Intro
Get to the chopper!!
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

4. Current:
VP, Creative @ Merge VR
Emerging Technologies Chair @ SIGGRAPH
Faculty, Computer Graphics @ UIW
Past:
Founder @ Zoo-AR
Director / Partner / EP @ Geomedia
Jeremy Kenisky
Quick Biography
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

5. The MERGE Kool-Aid
Our view of the world
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

6. We’re a VR/AR company focused
on the future of play and toys.
The MERGE Kool-Aid
Our view of the world
1.
“Toys are the tools we use for growing up.”
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

7. The MERGE Kool-Aid
Our view of the world
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

8. The MERGE Kool-Aid
Our view of the world
Kids are the true adopters of
this tech, not us.
2.
But yes, you can still play in the sandbox.
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

9. ● First Mobile VR Goggles
on retail shelves - 2014
● Made of marshmallow soft,
antimicrobial foam
● Works with any phone
built in last 4 years
● Made for Ages 10+
MERGE Goggles & Mini

10. ● First Mobile Universal
Motion Controller
● Announced in 2014 w/
release of AR/VR Goggles
● 3DoF Controller w/ Dual
Pairing ability
● Never Released
MERGE Moonshot

11. ● Augmented Reality device
for 3D object manipulation
● 50+ games available
● Strong EDU potential
● Over 1 million sold
● Open Developer SDK
MERGE Cube

12. ● Announced at CES 2018
● 6DoF Positional Tracking
● Leverages ARKit, ARCore,
Vuforia, etc.
● Open Developer SDK
● Release Summer 2018
MERGE Blaster

13. MINIVERSE.io contains over 400 kid friendly experiences
Age ratings, motion ratings, user ratings, pricing,
platform availability, screenshots, & reviews
VR apps for most VR goggles
AR apps for MERGE Cube, ARKit, ARCore
MERGE Blaster Apps for “handheld VR”
Developers highly engaged, building content regularly
MINIVERSE.io
The #1 curated portal for AR / VR apps for kids
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

14. Digital Robin Hoods
Robbing from the tech-rich and giving it to everyone else.
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

15. Magic Pot (SIGGRAPH 2012)
Interactive Metamorphosis of the Perceived Shape - Yuki Ban, Professor Hirose, University of Tokyo

16. 1,000,000+
Pickup & Adoption
MERGE Cube is the most distributed AR product on the market.
MERGE Cubes sold in the first 3 months
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

17. 6,000,000+
Pickup & Adoption
Half of ARKit’s 12M+ in 6 months on a single platform
Total app downloads last 6 months
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

18. Supporting EDU
Educators around the US went on a buying frenzy
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

19. Supporting EDU
Educators around the US went on a buying frenzy
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

20. Supporting EDU
Educators around the US went on a buying frenzy
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

21. Supporting EDU
Educators around the US went on a buying frenzy

22. Supporting EDU
Educators around the US went on a buying frenzy

23. Supporting EDU
Educators around the US went on a buying frenzy

24. Supporting EDU
Educators around the US went on a buying frenzy

25. Supporting EDU
Educators around the US went on a buying frenzy

26. Supporting EDU
Educators around the US went on a buying frenzy

27. Supporting EDU
Educators around the US went on a buying frenzy
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

28. Supporting EDU
Facebook Group w/ special offers
Educator only FB group with beta app
releases focused on classroom use
FB LIVE events every week with influencers
Steep discounts on all MERGE products
Moderated by EDU volunteers
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

31. Tech? Toys? Moms? Kids?

32. Who are we selling to?
Am I trying to convince the mom or the kid?
Source: Alexandra Samuel, visit www.alexandrasamuel.com/families/
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

33. Consumer Insights

34. Kids don’t care about XR
They care about XPeriences. ;)
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

35. Kids want to have fun and engaging experiences. (duh)
When asked what they want to do this weekend, no kid says, “I’m probably gonna do
some AR and stuff.” They say they’re going to play Pokemon GO at the park with their
buddies.
When tested with MERGE Cube, kids described the experiences as holograms.
2 choices - attempt to correct and educate them ($$$), go along with it.
Kids don’t care about XR
They care about XPeriences. ;)
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

36. Overwhelmingly, parents who were able to experience AR/VR with kids were much more
willing to make purchases.
Testing 25+ different AR/VR products showed that multiplayer and cooperative
experiences were huge favorites amongst the kids too.
Multiplayer experiences elevated several products above the line when their single player
testing sessions showed little initial interest.
Parents want shared experiences w/ their kids
If it’s not interactive/social/multiplayer it’s probably no good.
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

37. There is tons of noise in the marketplace, and lots of crap.
Kids need to see how a product works - if you aren’t merchandising with some sort of
video display or interactivity you’re wasting your time.
AR/VR is still foreign to a lot of people, we have to carefully articulate what the product
does without stepping into the spec-overload trap.
Kids need to see to believe (& understand)
You have to educate and sell at the same time - this is challenging.
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

38. Final Thoughts

39. Create things that bring everyday value, and
are accessible - this is key to adoption.
(and ultimately, much better insight)
Final Thoughts
Don’t build awesome things nobody can experience.
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

40. Today’s 10 year olds are the future mass
market for this tech - understand them.
(Being a kid once doesn’t automatically qualify you.)
Final Thoughts
Understand the market - hint - you’re not it.
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

41. Find balance between re-educating your
audience on what you want them to $ay and
what they’re already convinced of.
(this is a runway discussion) ;)
Final Thoughts
Principles are expensive. ;)
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

42. Stop selling AR/VR technology. We’re all here
because we know this technology will enable
amazing things. Sell those things.
Final Thoughts
Sell the dream, not the warranty on the mattress.
@prof_kenisky / @mergevr

43. Thank You
Jeremy Kenisky
VP, Creative
@prof_kenisky