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First edition of mixed reality AUREA Awards hosted by MackMedia

The very first edition of the MackMedia AUREA Awards was hosted by the company to acknowledge pioneering developments from organisations in the virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) domains

The inaugural MackMedia AUREA Awards was held on November 30, at Germany’s Europa Park. It involved a judging panel evaluated the live presentation of ten contenders. The categories of participation include Experience, Creativity, Influence, Interaction, and Innovation.

The various projects exhibited at the event include applications, games, hardware and software tools that can be used for propelling VR and AR developments.

Michael Mack, Managing Director, Mackmedia, stated that the projects being exhibited at the vent were of a high standard.

He expressed excitement for the fact that the event participants were all committed to propelling the entertainment industry to newer heights of innovation. The event was a platform where aspirants in the VR and AR fields could openly communicate and collaborate with notable industry stalwarts. Both sides were able to discuss key issues with their peers, exchange concepts, and expand their networks.

Technological innovation recognised by AUREA

The panel of judges at the event was led by Kathleen Cohen, a stalwart in the domain of digital experiences, and a key contributor to projects for IBM Innovation and DreamWorks Interactive. Other panel members included  Friedbert Pflüger, Chairman, Internet Economy Foundation;  Frank Govaere, VFX Supervisor, UFA Serial Drama GmbH; Thomas Wagner, co-founder and CEO, VR Coaster; and Emily Olman, Co-founder and CEO, Spatial First, and Co-President, VR/AR Association SF. 

Cohen talked in greater detail regarding the event, revealing that as many as 50 different technology companies had initially submitted projects for the awards. Choosing the 10 finalists depended on the level of innovation showcased. She stressed that the decision regarding picking winners for the respective categories was quite tough to make. According to Cohen, the quality of both single and multiple-user developments was quite high.

The winner for the Experience category was Aesir Interactive’s Meet the Miner, while Koliseum Soccer VR from Kynoa took the prize for the Innovation category. The winner of the Creative category was Tunnel AR by headraft, Backlight Eclipse won the Interaction prize, and the Impact award went to augmen.tv by eyecandylab.  

Other notable participants at the event included Animationsinstitut and Birdly VR.

The Awards will make a return to Europa Park next year. The venue has been closely associated with entertainment industry mixed reality developments. It is the first park to feature a virtual reality (VR) rollercoaster from 2015. Currently, visitors can experience five distinct MackMedia experiences, featured through the ‘Alpenexpress Coastiality’ ride. This particular development has been installed by the company at seventy roller coasters globally, with a passenger base upwards of eight million. 

EuroSat Coastality, the latest Europa Park addition is another notable addition. It is the first-ever experience through which participants can enjoy VR-headset content. They are able to enjoy the pre-show, get a full walkthrough, and experience a thrilling roller coaster ride.

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