For a business, apart from opportunities, digital applications also come with challenges. Help and coaching are more than welcome, which is exactly what Voka Digihub is doing. With the support of amongst others Vlaio, this platform offers advice, expertise and financial support to businesses that want to digitise. Together with Howest University of Applied Sciences, Initeam commissioned the build of a virtual showroom in the metaverse, aimed specifically at the furniture industry. 3D models Initeam builds modular software packages, tailored to a certain industry. With a team of thirty employees working on creative business solutions, Initeam’s portfolio spans over three hundred clients. One of such services is building ERP software for furniture shops. Initeam set out to extend that software with a virtual reality (VR) catalogue and approached Voka Digihub. “We envisaged a VR application that includes 3D models of our product catalogue, like chairs, tables, sofas…”, explains Patricia Vandelanotte van Initeam. “This technology is the vehicle to explore how our clients design and evaluate their room set up in 3D/VR.” VR wish list Howest, known for its extensive VR expertise, immediately started working on this question. “We built a demo space at Initeam, to imitate a real furniture shop. We created QR codes for about ten test pieces of furniture. And visitors could experience the entire user flow from A to Z”, continues Cesar De Greve, New Technology Researcher at Howest’s Cyber 3 Lab. “The system works as follows: when you scan the code of a piece of furniture, you can see it in 3D and add it to your VR wish list. You then enter the VR room, which you can decorate as you like it, with the help of the store team. Next, your personalised room is sent to the VR headset. So, as a customer, you can design your ideal (living) room and actually see it in 3D, so it seems almost real.” For furniture stores, this offers plenty of benefits. “Customers are able to make their choice faster”, says De Greve. “And the odds of customers returning furniture become smaller.” Final demo Initeam is thrilled with the final demo. “Our test audience reacted extremely enthusiastic. Each participant wanted to try the VR headset and check out their room design”, clarifies Patricia Vandelanotte. “One shop salesperson even almost sat on a virtual chair, simply because it looked so realistic.” For Howest, this has been no mean feat. “The solution is complex, but we managed to build a fully functioning demo, ready for production.” Next step “A next step could be to integrate their existing database (with thousands of items) in our application. We could also further develop the back-end, which already houses 3D objects”, details De Greve. The choice is Initeam’s. “If they choose to continue, of course we can. Our Digital Arts and Entertainment colleagues (multiple winners of ‘World’s best gaming school’) have the expertise to expand the 3D furniture catalogue.” Cesar De Greve Creative Technologist & Researcher Ask your question LinkedIn