Konica Minolta genARate

Main articles:

• SaaS - History. Philosophy. Drivers of development
• Augmented reality (AR, Augmented Reality)

GenARate is the cloud applicaion for integration of printed materials with materials of augmented reality. It provides to the user analytical data on the level of the involvement of audience in real time. The product is included in a line of solutions of Konica Minolta on productive printing and marketing services.

2020

Sales opportunity of the scenarios AR.Create and AR.Tile

On October 21, 2020 the Konica Minolta company announced start of upgraded version of the solution genARate. This cloud applicaion of augmented reality which can "recover" materials, integrating the "real" world with digital. Updates concerned functionality of the application and its business model and also development of the user experience.

According to the company, in upgraded version of the solution of users wait for significant changes in the interface, in particular in the web platform of "studio" in which projects with augmented reality are created. Work with genARate became simpler and intuitive – she does not demand special knowledge and skills in the field of programming. In addition, the processing speed of images and start of content of augmented reality increased.

Now during creation of projects with augmented reality there is an opportunity to select two options of implementation of the scenario – AR.Create and AR.Tile. The AR.Create mode allows "recover" the image scanned through the application completely. In turn the AR.Tile mode opens the menu with several static "buttons", each of which may contain different content. At the same time "buttons" can be deployed on the full screen. In both scenarios the possibility of placement of different content types, including animation 3D - objects in space appeared.

The solution was replenished also with the updated opportunities in the field of the reporting under the held AR campaigns. It allows to keep track of the number of unique users, transitions, depth of viewing pages and many other indicators. The obtained analytical data are provided at the levels of the project, page, content and specific interaction.

In upgraded version control functions the application and a dashborda are expanded: on a control panel it is possible to see values of key performance indicators, the last visited pages and also if necessary to address in a support service.

Emergence of an opportunity to embed functions of the solution in existing applications of the customer became one more important change, thereby adding to them augmented reality. Earlier Konica Minolta gave only an opportunity of branding of the genARate application under corporate style of the client.

Also the price business model changed. Now the customer pays not the number of the created projects of augmented reality, but real physical scans of triggers, i.e. interaction of the end user with augmented reality. Thus, business customers of the application pay only for actually taken place contacts with the consumer now.

Augmented reality for October, 2020 is an effective instrument of interaction with the consumer. In 2019 augmented reality disappeared from Gartner Hype Cycle that testifies to a maturity of technology and its cost efficiency for business. Along with this AR it becomes more and more available. Therefore, in our opinion, this extremely perspective direction for development of communications. Augmented reality for October actively gains steam and in our country: by calculations of PwC, the Russian market of VR and AR technologies enters in top-10 the most fast-growing. Maria Zhuravova, the head of marketing services of Konica Minolta Business Solutions Russia told

The cloud platform of genARate works in the drag-and-drop interface with the visual editor of WYSIWYG thanks to what the full project with augmented reality can be implemented in only several minutes. In the solution ready templates for fast creation of animation or 3D models with AR are implemented.

Free access to genARate AR service for 3 months

On April 22, 2020 it became known that Konica Minolta started the global campaign genARate#StayHome in Russia. Its main objective – to urge people to stay at home and share with each other pleasant interactive messages. For this purpose within the project of Konica Minolta provides free access to service of augmented reality genARate for three months. To receive 90 days of free access, it is necessary to be registered in service till May 31, 2020.

genARate is the cloud applicaion of augmented reality developed by Konica Minolta company. It allows "recover" printed materials: thanks to it at guidance of the camera of the smartphone on the drawing on the screen video, animation or a 3D model appears. The application opens ample opportunities for creativity and allows to create interactive content, without requiring special knowledge and skills in the field of programming.

The genARate application is distributed for free for users. However in the period of epidemic the company provided free access to the service allowing to make independently the message which can be browsed in augmented reality. For this purpose the ordinary web designer of WYSIWYG (What-you-see-is-what-you-get) and the editor of Drag & Drop with the drag and drops function of elements is provided in genARate. These tools allow to create, test and publish in any browser AR pages in only several minutes. In addition, the company offers ready templates for creation of video, animation or 3D models with augmented reality.

during a pandemic many appeared in the distance from the relatives – to protect each other, we should stay at home. We started the campaign genARate#StayHome and provided free access to the solution genARate for 90 days – we hope that it will help people to remain with good mood even in such hard time: share pleasant emotions, remember the pleasant moments and find new reasons for communication online. Augmented reality gives bright positive impressions, and therefore becomes the ideal tool for these purposes,

2019: GenARate application research

On June 4, 2019 the Konica Minolta company reported that the international analytical agency IDC conducted a research of the application of augmented reality genARate developed by Konica Minolta. Experts highly appreciated the potential of technology and came to a conclusion that customers of the company can monetize its opportunities.

According to the report, the genARate application helps to create thinking of the future at brand managers, ambassador of a brand, designers and other specialists of creative professions.

The application helps brand managers and heads of advertizing campaigns to make changes to the current projects and to collect information on the market. The possibility of operational completion reduces risks of investment into advertizing and marketing as incorrect preliminary estimates or errors in calculations can be adjusted if necessary during the project.

Last attempts of use of augmented reality in printing did not meet expectations, but in recent years in the market there were significant changes: users began to interact with content differently. It is connected with the peak of activity of "millenials" who are attracted by communication on social networks and gamification.

The application of Konica Minolta is convenient in use: the company considered a set of factors which could interfere with success. The slogan "Create, Educate, Engage (Create, Train, Act)" emphasizes that it is still necessary to inform business of advantages and benefits which can be received from use of technologies of augmented reality.

As of June 4, 2019 the Konica Minolta genARate application is available to platforms iOS and Android.

You look also Virtual reality