Accenture Interactive shows off top XR tools brands are already adopting

The question is no longer if extended reality (XR) can ever play a role in the customer and product lifecycle, but rather how best to incorporate it.

Proof is Accenture Interactive’s space at SXSW in Austin, Texas, this week.

The company hauled in everything from immersive shopping experiences which leverage AR, VR and 3D product visualization, to artificial intelligence that can tailor content based on emotion detection.

Jamie Posnanski, global head of content at Accenture Interactive, told Campaign US: "Accenture Interactive’s SXSW installments are intended to showcase not only the art of the possible but also to demonstrate how these technologies are already being used to drive business outcomes.

"We've reached a point where brands no longer view extended reality (XR) as an innovation investment or campaign novelty, but as a key enabler of experience across the customer lifecycle."

He added: "Our clients are seeing benefits to both top line growth and bottom line efficiency. For example, in retail uplift through better-equipped sales associates who can now tailor and customize shopping experiences for customers in a more dynamic way - or by using 3D product twins in a 'create once, use everywhere' approach to programmatic content creation that dramatically reduces production cost while improving product visualization standards."

Here’s a look at some of the tech Accenture Interactive showcased which is already being widely adopted:

The Teslasuit

Hailed as the world’s first fully-integrated smart clothing apparel with haptic and biometric feedback, climate control and motion sensor systems. In other words, Tesla has the power to quite literally control your body (in a weirdly sexy suit).

Outside of the obvious role this could play in gaming, companies are looking at ways it could seriously benefit safety training for all sorts of professions.

Here’s a brave volunteer being virtually shot:

Check out @CampaignLiveUS @Campaignmag’s @grahamnaughton getting “shot” in a @teslasuit at @sxsw at @AccentureACTIVE’s #ExperienceCantina #sxsw! pic.twitter.com/oFzjIxmedc

— Lindsay Stein (@Lindsay_Stein) March 10, 2019

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Disney’s Dumbo experience

Imagine your local cinema lined with interactive mirrors in which movie trailers are prompted by your emotions.

Disney has been working behind the scenes to majorly enhance our cinema experience. The tech responds to a variety of emotions from happy and surprised to angry and sad. A different snippet from the film plays based on the face you’ve pulled.

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Virtual sunnies

R.I.P. to the days of physically trying on a pair of fingerprint-encrusted shades from a crowded Sunglass Hut.

Salesforce is helping redesign the customer journey by incorporating AR capabilities into a shopping app. The simplistic interface includes an AI chatbot smart enough to deal with the most annoying consumer requests like a last-minute change in delivery destination.

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E-ARrings

Kendra Scott is leaning into the same tech to bring virtual earrings to life.

Developers have included product weight to envision how the jewellery would swing when there’s movement.

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Redesigning your home from your home

DuPont Corian is on a mission to turn all consumers into an interior designer.

Next-level AR has given us the power to, for example, choose a color scheme and fixtures for a new kitchen and virtually architect them within the space -- all from a smart device.