3rd i Announces New Focus on Quality Control for Virtual and Augmented Reality

20 Sep, 2016 By: Stephanie Prange

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Quality assurance company 3rd i has announced a new focus on testing virtual reality and augmented reality experiences and applications.

Virtual and augmented reality are poised for significant growth, due to the multitude of applications in both entertainment and industry, the company noted.

“Building upon our reputation as innovators in home entertainment quality control, we recognize that entertainment technology is at a pre-exploding point,” Al Limón, 3rd i CEO and co-founder, said in a statement. “The exploration of new technology is very important to us, as it helps us meet the needs of our clients, sometimes before they even realize they need it.”

The company press release noted that its Culver City facility is close to Silicon Beach — Playa del Rey, Venice and Culver City.

“We provide valuable third-party independent review that helps reveal what issues may crop up that may not be apparent to the content producers when an entertainment offering of any sort is released to the general public,” stated Ramón Bretón, 3rd i CTO. “With VR in particular, the user interface and user experience are merged as never before. What seems intuitive to a developer may be confusing for a consumer during their first encounter. Ensuring the smooth integration of interface and experience, along with evaluating content for any visual or auditory anomalies, is the kind of service we provide, regardless of the medium.”

Virtual and augmented reality products have unique effects on consumers, making quality control more important than ever, Limón said.

“For the first time, a piece of home entertainment content can have a severe physiological effect on the consumer,” he said. “The last thing a new technology needs is bad publicity, dampening early adoption. Part of our responsibility in protecting our clients’ valuable product, not to mention their reputation, is reporting on a virtual reality experience’s potential for cybersickness — the nausea and/or disorientation that some people feel when engaging with VR.”

3rd i has been providing quality assurance to the home entertainment industry for more than 25 years. In addition to virtual and augmented reality experiences and applications, 3rd i performs real-time evaluations of digital files for 4K/UHD material, digital cinema packages, and Blu-ray Disc and DVD releases.
 

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