AR App Development Virtualizes the Sports Experience
AR App Development

Challenge

Although virtual technologies like augmented reality (AR) are progressing faster than ever, bringing exciting new capabilities to market, many organizations are hesitant to embrace such innovation. Some can’t conceptualize the value of the technology, others don’t immediately see applications relevant to their business, and still others are hesitant to explore it due to concerns over complexity.

To help clients visualize the technology, Concentrix tasked our Immersive Center of Excellence with AR App Development on a simple sports-based app that incorporates learning, e-commerce, and social networking—the three aspects we feel the technology is most broadly suited to embracing.

Solution

The Concentrix team came up with the concept of Sports Buddy, an augmented reality app to help users learn skateboarding tricks in their own environment, with the option to modify their avatars and share their tricks (and looks) via social media.

Sports Buddy allows users to load and customize a 3D avatar, and then see their virtual Buddy in the real world, with custom lighting, defined shadows, and integrated animation. By selecting from a list of skateboarding tricks they’d like to learn, they can then watch as the avatar demonstrates the trick, learning from its movements and the positioning of the skateboard.

The app’s e-commerce aspect is blended with the avatar experience, with apparel customization and custom material placing. Users can customize their skateboards (decks, grip tape, wheels, and stickers), clothing (shoes, shorts, t-shirts, and hats), and accessories (shoelaces and belts), and then have the option to purchase the products being worn and used by their Buddy.

Closing the loop on the social aspect, Sports Buddy not only allows users to share their tricks and customized avatars with others, but they can invite friends to download designs into their own apps to customize further or even purchase what they see.

Sports Buddy Screenshots

Outcomes

The Sports Buddy app was built from the ground up using an AR foundation package that leverages underlying AR frameworks from iOS and Android. AR App Development was designed with flexibility in mind, including the option to incorporate other sports (baseball, football, gymnastics, etc.) and products (watches, glasses, etc.). In addition to operating as a standalone app, Sports Buddy can also be integrated into existing apps.

The social aspect of the approach allows customers to spend more quality time with the products, seeing them in action (virtually), while sharing their creations with the community provides opportunities for organizations to organically grow their customer base with meaningful connections.

Learn more about how Concentrix helps turn touchpoints into rich experiences with digital experience platforms.

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