2. // !
// VIRTUAL REALITY
THE MAJOR TREND IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2014
3. 3// !
Virtual reality is making a major
comeback. It's become a sure thing,
after creating a lot of
disappointment in the past (you
might remember the headsets of
the 1990s, which were heavy and,
quite frankly, nauseating).
In parallel to Facebook's acquisition
of Oculus VR, the maker of headsets
for virtual reality gaming, for the
trifling sum of $2 billion, and which
served to confirm the market's
potential, several recent projects
have successfully raised funds on
Kickstarter.
THE RETURN OF VIRTUAL
REALITY
4. 4// !
// Beijing-based ANTVR is not afraid
to challenge the Oculus Rift by
offering 3D glasses as well as a
controller than can be transformed
into a gaming gun or steering
wheel. One of its major
distinguishing features in
comparison to the Oculus Rift is
that this project is compatible with
all gaming platforms, including Xbox
and PlayStation (while the Oculus
Rift requires specially adapted
games) and is based on open
source software, meaning that
anyone can contribute to its
development.
VIRTUAL REALITY //
ANTVR
5. 5// !
// Altergaze creates 3D glasses for
mobile phones. Its lenses transform
2D images projects by a
smartphone screen into 3D images.
An added benefit is that the "frame"
is created via 3D printing and the
files are also open source.
If you've ever dreamed of playing
Candy Crush in total immersion, this
project certainly deserves your full
attention.
VIRTUAL REALITY //
ALTERGAZE
6. 6// !
// PrioVR is a gaming suit that
places between 8 and 17 sensors on
the body, allowing the player's
natural movements to be translated
on-screen or in 3D glasses such as
Oculus Rift.
VIRTUAL REALITY //
PRIOVR
7. 7// !
Is a gaming suit that places
between 8 and 17 sensors on
the body, allowing the player's
natural movements to be
translated on-screen or in 3D
glasses such as Oculus Rift.
// Virtuix raised $3 million for its
omnidirectional treadmill for immersive
headsets ;
// Jaunt, which develops technology for
creating 360° immersive films, raised nearly $7
million
// Survios collected $4 million for its virtual
reality immersive system technology
combining a headset, numerous sensors and
controllers for moving around and picking up
objects in a game.
VIRTUAL REALITY //
CASH MACHINE ?
8. 8// !
Although, for the time being, virtual reality projects focus primarily on video games,
this area is still very new and expanding rapidly, without any specific killer application
standing out from the pack.
The question of which platform (or platforms) is dominant is still up in the air: the
Oculus Rift may have attracted most of the attention until now, but other powerful
players such as Sony are getting into the business. In order to carve out a place for
themselves, they will need to not only prove their technical superiority but also be
capable of attracting a large ecosystem of applications and accessories, similar to what
iOS and Android did in order to achieve smartphone dominance.
In short, we can wager that the value of virtual reality and the uses to which it can be
put will not be developed done "solo" but will be magnified by being combined with
other emerging technologies, in particular the most innovative user interfaces. In that
respect, we think that Bloomberg’s interest in combining Oculus Rift and Leap Motion,
a sensor that allows users to control a computer through hand movements, is an
interesting proposition.
VIRTUAL REALITY // END OF THE GAME ?
9. // !
// OBJECTS EVERYWHERE
BRINGING THE DIGITAL WORLD BACK TO LIFE
9
10. 10// !
Sensors accessible to everyone are
becoming increasingly powerful and
now affect new areas of our daily
lives. They allow us to understand
ourselves better...
// Bellabeat is a digital ultrasound tool
with an application that allows expectant
mothers to listen to their unborn baby's
heartbeat.
// Cue is a "laboratory in a box" that, for
$200, will analyze 5 key health indicators
found in your saliva, including vitamin D
and testosterone levels, inflammation,
influenza and fertility.
SENSOR EVERYWHERE
BELLABEAT
CUE
11. 11// !
… But sensors are also being used
for an increasing number of objects
in our everyday lives :
// SciO is a molecular sensor that fits in
the palm of your hands (developed by
an Israeli startup) that can analyze the
chemical composition of objects to
determine, for example, whether an
avocado is rotten or to identify a
medication.
// Scribble is a pen that has not only a
sensor for detecting any color but is able
to match up to 16 million different
shades.
SENSOR EVERYWHERE
SCRIBBLE
SCIO
12. 12// !
Several projects are trying to
reinvent and connect our kids'
gaming experiences which, we'll
admit, have not evolved as quickly
as our telephones.
NEXT GENERATION TOYS
13. 13// !
// Moff is a wristband that connects to
smartphones and can transform any
object into a toy. For example, if a
child wants to use a banana as a toy
gun, he or she (or a parent) uses the
Moff application for smartphones to
select the type of toy he or she would
like it to become (a play gun in this
case, but a tennis racket, sword, magic
wand and many other toys are also
available). As the child plays, the band
reacts to each movement via
embedded sensors that produce the
relevant sound effects.
NEXT GENERATION TOYS //
MOFF
14. 14// !
// DIDI is an iPad-powered teddy
bear. The top part of the screen
becomes the bear's face while the
bottom part displays games or
children's stories. The bear's facial
expressions change according to
the child's actions. For example, if
the child tickles it, the teddy bear
laughs.
NEXT GENERATION TOYS //
DIDI
15. 15// !
Osmo is an accessory that adds a small
plastic base to an iPad as well as a
reflector that is placed over the iPad's
camera. The Osmo system can detect a
child's movements on a flat surface,
interacting with the screen without
actually touching it.
Three game applications (with their own
related objects) have been developed so
far, including a puzzle game where
Osmo finds the position of each piece
and lets players know if they're moving
in the right direction.
Although it is currently designed for
children, the system could certainly be
extended to older children and other
uses beyond gaming.
NEXT GENERATION TOYS //
OSMO
16. 16// !
As you know, France is well-
represented in the world of
connected objects, as
demonstrated by the success
stories from the latest
Consumer Electronics Show in Las
Vegas, where several French
creations were on display.
We couldn't miss this opportunity
to highlight some of the best
French designs from the past few
months.
AND FRENCH TECH ?
17. 17// !
Kolibree the connected toothbrush,
managed to raise more than
$100,000 on Kickstarter. It can not
only track the entire family's
brushing statistics, it also offers
several related games for
smartphone (including a racing
game!) to make this important ritual
more effective as well as more
interactive.
FRENCH TECH //
KOLIBREE
18. 18// !
As its name suggests,
the 360cam can be used to create
high-definition 360° videos with its
three lenses and three
microphones. This handheld device
weighs only 180 grams, is watertight
and equipped with a Wi-Fi chip for
streaming live images. With all
these qualities, the project reached
its goal of collecting $150,000 within
only 24 hours and has raised nearly
$800,000 to date.
FRENCH TECH //
360 CAM
19. 19// !
Qleek, a startup incubated at Camping,
intends to make media consumption
more concrete and more human by
embedding content (such as YouTube
videos and Spotify playlists) in wooden
hexagons known as Tapps.
You can exchange, customize (both
covers and content) and display the
Tapps, just like a bookshelf is used to
display books. When you place a Tapp
on a player, the content is played on a
screen or through the associated
speakers via a connector.
This is a fantastic example of the rise of
French companies in the world of
connected objects as well as their sense
of design.
FRENCH TECH //
QLEEK
21. 21// !
We are monitoring this movement
very closely, from the hippie-like,
generosity-based sharing economy of
couchsurfing.org and covoiturage.fr to
the extremely business-focused Uber
and beyond (including companies
whose approach seems
almost parasitic): these companies
are turning things upside down.
We'd like to take this opportunity to
congratulate our friends at BlaBlaCar,
with whom we have worked often, for
having left its mark on the history of
startups in their field and in their
country over the past quarter by
raising $100 million.
SOFTWARE NOT DEAD //
ECONOMY ON DEMAND
22. 22// !
3 European startups are focusing on
the recreational boating market,
where the cost/use ratio is
particularly high and thus likely to
attract boat charterers and renters.
SamBoat, Clickandboat and Sailsharing
each offer to arrange boat rentals between
private individuals, and the latter two sites
both raised funds last April in quick
succession.
After empty bedrooms (Airbnb), unused
cars sitting in the garage (Zipcar) and even
vacant storefronts (Storefront, which also
raised $7.3 million in April), what other
types of "idle inventory" in our economy
will startups decide to target next?
SOFTWARE NOT DEAD //
ECONOMY ON DEMAND
22
23. 23// !
After observing a number of projects
launched or funded during the 2nd
quarter of 2014 and which deal directly
with the management of our personal
data and the digital tracks that we leave
behind us, we have noted that a
significant divergence is underway,
without knowing which of these two
trends will win out in the long term. On
one hand, we are strongly determined to
ensure that out digital experience
remains anonymous, while on the
either hand, we see no problem in
agreeing to the commodification of
our personal data.
SOFTWARE NOT DEAD //
PROTECTION OF PERSONAL
DATA VS. VOLUNTARY
COMMODIFICATION
23
24. 24// !
– Dark Wallet promise to make all
transactions untraceable via Bitcoin.
Tails is an operating system on a USB
key that ensures total confidentiality and
can be run from any computer without
leaving a trace.
ProtonMail is an end-to-end encrypted
email service hosted in Switzerland in
order to take advantage of the country's
very strict confidentiality laws.
Olive, a Pakistani project, seeks to set
up a decentralized, secure network to
circumvent censorship attempts. 24
DARKWALLET
TAILS
PROTONMAIL
SOFTWARE NOT DEAD //
PROTECTION DES
DONNÉES PERSONNELLES
25. 25// !
TheGoodData, a rather schizophrenic
project, consists of an extension for the
Chrome browser that allows users to
surf the web anonymously (by blocking
trackers used by third-party sites) while
aggregating information on users, which
is then made anonymous and sold. Half
of all profits are donated to Kiva, the
non-profit microcredit platform.
Datacoup, a more serious and cynical
site, offers to sell your social network
data and your credit card transaction
history. According to the most recent
information, your personal data is worth
$8 per month.
SOFTWARE NOT DEAD //
COMMODIFICATION OF
DATA
THEGOODDATA
DATACOUP
26. 26// !
An increasing number of startups are using
an innovative approach to target the
massive health care market, often not by
making interactions between patients and
health care personnel run more smoothly
but by designing applications or websites
to offer therapeutic services directly.
Omada Health, which raised $23 million in
April, has developed a diabetes prevention
program. For 16 weeks, participants have
access to a health coach, lessons and
physical exercises to do, a tool for tracking
their diet, activity levels and weight (a
connected scale and pedometer are
provided) as well as a group of patients
who promote healthy competition and
accountability as well offer psychological
support throughout the program.
SOFTWARE NOT DEAD //
DIGITAL THERAPEUTIC
SERVICES
27. 27// !
Similarly, other startups use a
combination of tracking tools,
automated personalized advice and links
to health care professionals, whether to
help overweight children with
Kurbo Health, manage back pain with
Doado or improve sleep with Sleepio.
With increasingly sophisticated sensors
(similar to the trend mentioned above)
and the possibility of printing 3D
medications at home in the near future,
digital and smart self-medication has a
bright future ahead of it.
SOFTWARE NOT DEAD //
DIGITAL THERAPEUTIC
SERVICES
27
KURBO HEALTH
SLEEPIO
DOADO
28. // !
// A FUTURE TREND:
MINIMALIST USER INTERFACES
29. 29// !
2 projects, one hardware-based and one
software-based, captured our imagination
with their minimalism :
// Bttn is a connected, programmable button
that can be used in a variety of ways. For
example, your children can press the button
to generate an SMS to let you know that they
got home safely.
// Yo is an application that allows you to
simply say "Yo" to your friends (that's right,
you read that correctly). Although these
projects play around with gadgets, at their
core they all address a similar basic trend:
simplifying digital devices and applications
that are sometimes complex and have an
abundance of features.
With Bttn and Yo, you can choose what you
truly need by programming a specific
functionality (with the former) or determining
the meaning behind the "Yo" sent to your
friends. Does this minimalism herald the
liberation of users ?
MINIMALIST USER
INTERFACES
YO!
BTTN
30. 30// !
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30!
HOT OFF THE CROWD
FABERNOVEL’S WATCH BASED ON CROWDFUNDING PLATFORMS // 2