Member Article

North East firm pioneer location intelligent mobile product

A North East technology company have developed a new mobile application that allows users to explore their surroundings.

Virtuteq’s ‘augmented reality’ technology allows smartphone users to see information about their location through photos, videos, audio and 3D models, and even obtain directions.

It has been made possible with the support of Newcastle Science City, and is the work of Paul Smith.

At the University of Sunderland and Leeds Trinity, students are now using Virtuteq’s technology to find facilities on campus, and the company is currently working with local museums to provide an interactive guide that allows visitors to have exhibition information at their fingertips.

The technology can also be used to deliver discount vouchers for food, location maps with a ‘take me there’ functionality, and even treasure hunts for children.

Paul is looking to secure investment to take the company international, and to market the product to a wide range of potential users including local authorities and tourist attractions.

He said: “As far as I am aware there aren’t any other companies in the North East or even the UK doing exactly what we are doing.

“The closest competitor we have is in Austria but the service provided there isn’t as comprehensive as ours – so we really are at the forefront of this exciting technology and I’m really excited about rolling it out.

“The potential for the application is incredible – there are so many ways in which geographic content can be used to supplement the user’s view of reality with information relevant to their current location.

“The technology gives our clients a new, more powerful technique of engaging and immersing users into their environment much more than the equivalent paper leaflet, brochure or information board.

“It allows them to filter out irrelevant data that you get from generic internet trawls, and provide very specific information that they control so they can manage their corporate messages very carefully and closely.”

Simon Green, head of business support at Newcastle Science City, added: “The really innovative thing about Virtuteq’s location based content system is that it can be used by virtually anyone and updated in real time.

“There are a number of competing augmented reality systems out there but Paul had the insight that the ease of updating content was key.

“This is a great example of using known technology in a novel way to solve a market problem and then building a business out of it.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .