“For good ideas and true innovation, you need human interaction, conflict, argument, debate” – Margaret Heffernan
TeamViewer and Almer’s union was born from this idea. The idea that innovation is born from good quality human interaction.
To see each other is to understand each other. The internet and screens in general, despite the plethora of good things they brought to humanity, erased part of this very human need. Faces have been replaced by lines of coding, and the sun reflecting into one’s eye has in some cases been trade for the blue light of a computer screen.
Humans made and improved technologies to live better lives. Therefore, we should not just be content with the current state of technology, for it carries many unanswered challenges.
By rethinking the future of AR (Augmented Reality), TeamViewer and Almer are reshaping the future of human interactions.
Partnering for better Collaboration
The popular global leader in remote IT support TeamViewer has signalled its shift to AR, having struck a strategic partnership with AR startup Almer. This news comes hot on the heels of Apple’s entry into the AR market with the launch of their Vision Pro headset next month.
The Almer Arc headset enables collaboration with remote individuals as if they were physically present. It also enables augmentation of the wearer’s environment with relevant information for pointing out objects in reality.
Almer is also announcing the launch of Arc 2, it’s latest headset which features a 25MP camera, beamforming microphones, built-in speakers, and a holographic see-through screen with 8-hours battery life. As opposed to Apple’s Vision Pro, the Almer Arc 2 is a mere 138 grams, 4 times lighter. Thanks to the completely transparent display of the Arc 2, it can be employed in mission critical task and changing environment, while the Vision Pro is for a static interior environment.
This partnership will enable TeamViewer to expand into untapped opportunities with industrial companies. Meanwhile, Almer will be able to scale its operations and advance AR adoption.
“Our joint offering with Almer allows companies to explore how Augmented Reality opens new opportunities for business and operations and massively increases the speed of their digitalisation efforts.” – says Mei Dent, Chief Product & Technology Officer at TeamViewer
Wear your Helmet for Prediction
Almer was founded in 2021 by Sebastian Beetschen and Timon Binder. Sebastian was working on the Hololens 2 at Microsoft Research and felt the AR opportunity extended beyond clunky helmet-like apparatus. He felt he could make a more compact, comfortable, and affordable AR device and teamed up with Timon, a former jet fighter pilot, who recognised the potential. Timon brought his experience with AR jet fighter helmets that led to the creation of the Almer Arc headset.
“Our headset is much like a jet fighter visor, mounted directly in front of your eyes, featuring a transparent, see-through screen.” says Sebastian Beetschen, CEO and co-founder of Almer
“The Almer Arc is a lightweight, compact, and easy-to-use AR headset. When a problem arises, the frontline worker takes the Almer Arc and contacts a remote expert, who can see and hear what the worker experiences. The expert identifies the issue, highlights objects, and displays documentation in the worker’s view, simulating a collaborative, in-person experience.” adds Sebastian.
Today, Almer has 21 customers. For example, Almer works with Switzerland’s largest defense contractor, which uses the Almer Arc to service fighter jets remotely in the US, as well as several international machine manufacturers.The Almer team consists of top talent from the fields of computer vision and microtechnology, from renowned Swiss institutes of technology, ETH and EPFL.
The global augmented reality market is projected to grow from £57.09B in 2023 to £0.86T in 2030, at a CAGR of 50.7%. Within this trend, the market for AR headsets is exponentially increasing over the next few years and is set to hit over £94B in 2026.