John Cunningham believes extended reality, or XR, is prime to shine — especially when it comes to industries that are pivotal for Central Florida.
Extended reality is one of the reasons the head of government and aerospace for San Francisco-based Unity Technologies (NYSE: U) is excited for the Central Florida Immersive Technology Summit, scheduled for Friday, March 31, at Full Sail University.
"What we’re seeing in aerospace and defense is that XR technology is literally transforming the way products are designed, built, supported and how people are trained," Cunningham said. "I think the big takeaway is going to be that, over the last few years, the decrease in the cost of the technology — and the increase of applications available on XR technology — have significantly driven adoption."
Cunningham, who is based out of Orlando, will be a panelist for a discussion on how immersive technologies are shaping the defense and aerospace industries.
He said that gaming industry players such as Unity are out in front, pioneering technology that is becoming more accessible across a litany of other sectors.
"That money [from Unity's profits] goes back into investing and building better software tools — and those tools are being used by industry now."
That type of application includes flight simulators or prototypes, he said — not to mention things like Orlando's "digital twin," a virtual recreation of hundreds of square miles, including 40 square miles across Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties mapped out in high fidelity.
In addition to his role with Unity, Cunningham also helped found and is president for the VR/AR Association Central Florida Chapter, which is hosting the all-day conference.
The event at Full Sail is modeled after the Immerse Global Summit, which the VR/AR Association puts on each year, most recently in Miami. Cunningham said the idea was to invite global experts in the immersive technologies industry to pair with local leaders.
Central Florida Immersive Technology Summit will include a full-day conference, with at least 50 speakers and panelists. It also will feature a technology expo and career fair, aspiring to offer something for everyone, Cunningham said, adding that there are more than 650 registrants so far.
Of note, speakers are not being paid or sponsored to attend and Full Sail University donated space to be used. Cunningham said several of the speakers flying in from out of the area have told him they wanted to participate and see benefit in doing so.
"They recognize Orlando is up-and-coming and has tech talent, so they want to make sure they can tap into that."
The event's guest list features representatives from some big names, too.
For instance, a panel on head-mounted display technology will feature representatives from Microsoft, Lenovo, HTC Vive, Magic Leap, Varjo and NuEyes.
"These are all fierce competitors, but they’re willing to come here and be on stage together because everyone wants this technology to become more pervasive," Cunningham said.
While conference panels and discussions will run all day, beginning with a "Women in Technology Breakfast" at 9 a.m., the tech expo and career fair components are expected to run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
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