Meet Arcade at CogX 2022

Arcade is pleased to announce that we have been invited to take part in CogX 2022, with co-founder and CSO Alex Book participating in a panel discussion led by Digital Catapult on Wednesday 15th June at 9am in Kings Cross.

Having been named as ‘Ones to Watch’ by CogX in 2019 and 2020, it is an honour to be joining the festival – and London Tech Week in general – as a contributor in 2022.

Alex will be on a panel chaired by Jeremy Silver, CEO at Digital Catapult, alongside Suhair Khan, Chair, Studio Wayne McGregor, and Ben Timmons, Director of Business Development at Qualcomm Europe.

If you would like to attend, CogX have kindly offered complimentary passes to Arcade’s network. Simply visit the booking page here and enter promo code COGX2022SPEAKER1.

Alex Book Presenting at Createch
Alex Book presenting at CogX in 2019

Second Keeper Adventure Launches at NPL

The Keeper of Measurements: Metric Mayhem has launched today at the National Physical Laboratory as part of their World Metrology Day celebrations.

Visitors to the NPL’s open day will be able to explore the astonishing science that is carried out across its labs in Teddington, and embark on an adventure to help the Keeper of Measurements rescue the SI Bots that have been captured by the dastardly Croakers.

THE KEEPER STORYWORLD

The World of the Keepers is a liminal space that exists alongside our own. Overlaid, intertwined but rarely seen by human eyes. Home to the mysterious guardians of our world’s most important cultural collections and sources of knowledge.

The National Physical Laboratory’s Keeper of Measurements is one such guardian. With absolute mastery of the SI, the seven major units that measure mass, length, time, current, temperature, substance and luminosity, the Keeper of Measurements is unrivalled in this realm.

But the Keepers are not alone in their power. The shadowy legion of Croakers are intent on creating chaos and discord, disrupting the equilibrium that the Keepers work so hard to preserve.

The Keeper of Measurements is beyond even the Croakers’ abilities, but the SI-Bots, each created to serve the Keeper of Measurements, are not so strong. The Croakers saw their chance and took it, abducting the seven Si-Bots and imprisoning them around the National Physical Laboratory!

Weakened by the loss of the SI-Bots, the Keeper of Measurements needs your help to restore their power by finding the Bots and thwarting the dastardly Croakers.

Join the Keeper of Measurements on a magical quest at the National Physical Laboratory. Have you got what it takes to rescue the SI-Bots from the shadowy Croakers and save World Metrology Day?

The Keeper of Measurements is the second Keepers adventure, following The Keeper of Paintings and the Palette of Perception which launched at The National Gallery earlier this year.

More Keepers stories are planned with other cultural institutions. If you’re interested in creating your own Keeper experience, please get in touch.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE KEEPER OF MEASUREMENTS OR TO TALK TO THE TEAM, GET IN TOUCH

CONTACT ARCADE

Keeper of Paintings Nominated for an Auggie

Auggir Awards logo (AR Awards)

Just a couple of weeks after its launch at The National Gallery in London, The Keeper of Paintings and the Palette of Perception has received its first award nomination. The immersive game created for, and in collaboration with, 7-11 year olds and their families is up for ‘Best in Location-Based Entertainment’ at the prestigious Auggies, run by AWE.

Voting is open to the public until May 5th, and you can register here to vote for The Keeper of Paintings and any of the other incredible immersive experiences across 15 categories.

Find out more about The Keeper of Paintings here, and book your ticket to play the game for free at The National Gallery here!

Children and Augmented Reality Characters in the National Gallery

Get in touch to find out more

Contact Arcade

The Keeper of Paintings launches at The National Gallery

Children and Augmented Reality Characters in the National Gallery

The Keeper of Paintings and the Palette of Perception, the free mobile-based immersive game set at The National Gallery in London, has officially launched to the public.

The AR app is the first of its kind launched by The National Gallery, and has been created with the help of over 80 children.

Having been selected as winners of the StoryFutures China Storylab commission in early 2021, the launch is the culmination of a year-long project by the Arcade team, working in collaboration with The National Gallery, StoryFutures and a wider partnership group including Royal Holloway University of London and Brunel University of London.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF THE KEEPERS

This child-led experience takes place in the National Gallery, London but also, through augmented reality, a wider imagined world of Keepers where a group of magical beings who help care for some of our world’s most precious objects. 

Young Gallery visitors are asked to help guide a fictitious Keeper of Paintings to find a lost ‘Palette of Perception’ – a magical object with special gems that gives them ‘powers’ – to engage with the paintings digitally. As they move through the Gallery responding to the app’s story, a new digital world is revealed where visitors can solve puzzles, find hidden secrets, and collect the gems connected to the paintings.

The app is designed to be fun and rewarding for children and their families, but its primary goal is to foster interest and engagement with the Gallery’s masterpieces. The challenges within the game all require the kids to explore the art with their eyes, and include regular breaks in which they are prompted to put the phones away and chat about the paintings with their friends and family.

The cleverness of the app design is that the rewards only come via close study [of the paintings] with the naked eye.

The Sunday Times
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Jon Meggitt, Co‐Founder of Arcade and lead developer, says: ‘We were absolutely thrilled to win the opportunity to develop this experience in partnership with this special and talented group, but working alongside StoryFutures, the National Gallery, the wonderful kids of the Children’s Advisory Group and all the other partners has exceeded every one of our expectations.’

Lawrence Chiles, Head of Digital at the National Gallery, London, says: ‘It’s fantastic that we are able to launch our first dedicated app for children that creates a new perspective on the paintings at the National Gallery. Arcade, the children and all the partners involved have created something really magical.’

Professor James Bennett, Director of StoryFutures at Royal Holloway, University of London, says: ‘The National Gallery and Arcade have taken on a massive innovation challenge. This project shows what can be achieved in linking great storytelling with innovative new immersive technologies. Perhaps the most exciting thing is that the story of The Keeper of Paintings has only just begun.’

DOWNLOAD TODAY

The Keeper of Paintings and the Palette of Perception is designed for 7-11 year olds, will run at The National Gallery for at least 12 months, and can be downloaded for free on the Apple and Google stores now.

To plan your visit to The National Gallery, please visit www.nationalgallery.org.uk/keeper

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE KEEPER OF PAINTINGS OR TO TALK TO THE TEAM, GET IN TOUCH

CONTACT ARCADE

Old Operating Theatre Goes Immersive

AR hologram of doctor

The Old Operating Theatre, as Europe’s oldest surviving operating theatre, has some astonishing stories to tell. Standing in the space, you can almost hear the echoes of 19th century surgeons carrying out amputations with no anaesthetic as dozens of smoking students shouted their approval or concern.

The museum is open to the public near London Bridge and offers a chance to step back through history – but now gives visitors an opportunity to hear these stories from one of the surgeons themselves, thanks to the magic of augmented reality.

Visitors to the Old Op can use an app to meet Mr Benjamin Travers, a renowned British surgeon who was appointed as lead demonstrator at Old St Thomas’ Hospital and was in charge when the women’s operating theatre was created.

Mr Travers appears as an AR hologram and welcomes visitors to the operating theatre, assuming them to be medical students late for his latest class. Across three short interactions he explains the surgery of Mrs Elizabeth Raigen, a patient whose injuries required her leg to be amputated below the knee, a procedure described at the time in The Lancet, one of the oldest medical journals in the world. Hear all about this fascinating – if slightly gruesome – surgery, from the surgeon himself!

Mr Travers augmented reality experience is live at The Old Operating Theatre now, and is free with admission. Book your museum ticket here.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT AUGMENTED REALITY FOR ARTS & CULTURE OR TO TALK TO THE TEAM, GET IN TOUCH

CONTACT ARCADE

#BreakTheBias this International Women’s Day

To celebrate International Women’s Day 2022, we asked our social AR guru Abbie Peach to magic up a Snap Lens that offers a way for people everywhere to show their support.

The theme of this IWD is ‘Break The Bias’. A simple gesture – crossing your hands – can be a powerful statement on gender equality, and one to which everyone at Arcade is fully committed.

Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.

Abbie, with design support from the wonderful Dani Verburg and Zach Thompson-Howley, put together this brilliant Lens. Will you show your support and help #BreakTheBias?

Scan the Snapcode below, or tap here to access the Lens.

Arcade is an official Snap Lens Partner

Get in touch to see how Social Media AR could help you

Contact Arcade

Testers Wanted! Keeper of Paintings goes into Beta at the National Gallery

The Keeper of Paintings and the Palette of Perception, the new immersive game set at The National Gallery in London, is being Beta-tested by children and their families throughout the half-term week, February 12th-20th.

This is the last major milestone before the full public launch of the experience at Easter, and is the result of nearly a year of development by the Arcade team, working in collaboration with The National Gallery, StoryFutures and a wider partnership group including Royal Holloway University of London, Brunel University of London and Foremost.

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED

If you are a parent or carer of 7-11 year old children and would enjoy spending an hour or so having fun playing together in the iconic surrounds of The National Gallery, click the image or link to sign up!

Click here to sign up!

ABOUT THE KEEPER OF PAINTINGS

Step into a hidden world of art and magic at The National Gallery. Have you got what it takes to help the Keeper of Paintings and find the lost Palette of Perception? The Keeper of Paintings and the Palette of Perception is a free mobile-based immersive adventure that encourages children to explore one of the world’s most iconic galleries and learn about some of the greatest artworks ever created. The child-led experience takes place in the physical world of the National Gallery but also – through the magic of augmented reality – in the fictional storyworld of the Keepers, a mysterious group of magical beings who watch over some of our world’s most precious treasures. Suitable for ages 7-11. Families participating in the Beta testing will help to shape the final experience due to launch at Easter, and will receive an Amazon voucher in thanks for their time.

Click here to sign up!

Lipton Ice Tea Goes Festive

Following the hugely successful ‘Share Some Sunshine‘ campaign over the summer, Lipton Ice Tea wanted to extend the experience and adapt it for the winter months ahead.

During the summer, consumers could bring out a joyful bright Lipton sun with a nod of their head, and play with a series of fun smiles and sunglasses that were linked to limited edition pack designs.

For the winter, the brand wanted to keep the successful formula but with a bucketload of festive spirit thrown in! Flashing holly tree glasses, Santa beards, presents and more were all designed and built in to the new effect on Instagram, and launched in the month running up to Christmas.

We are again working with our friends at global design agency Design Bridge, and are so excited to give consumers a new way to enjoy some festive cheer, Lipton Ice Tea-style!

Check out the full story here, or try it out yourself on Instagram by scanning the code below!

Hope Sculpture Unveiled In Glasgow and on Social Media AR

The Hope Sculpture started as a conversation with Ramboll and became a gift from 50 companies to Glasgow. It is a testament to the power of collaboration and dedication to deliver a better future

Steuart Padwick

The Hope Sculpture is a 23-metre high monument designed by Steuart Padwick, newly unveiled in Glasgow’s stunning Cuningar Loop. It features an anonymous child embracing the surrounding nature and reaching out to a greener, hopeful future, and comes at a critical time for the future of the planet and all that live on it.

The child stands atop 20m high elegant columns that take their form from the brick chimney stalks that once littered the East End of Glasgow, with the entire sculpture constructed using low carbon, reclaimed, recycled or sustainable materials, of which almost all have been locally sourced.

The team behind The Hope Sculpture have developed an impressive and diverse partnership of over 50 organisations whose generosity has made the project possible. Arcade was approached to add an immersive element to the experience, offering a way for those unable to visit the sculpture in person to participate and show their support.

The result is an augmented reality effect that lets Facebook and Instagram users place their very own Hope Sculpture wherever they are in the world, and pose with it for selfies that can be shared with the hashtag #myhopesculpture.

We are proud to be a part of The Hope Sculpture team, and pleased to be able to play a role in raising the awareness and engagement with this wonderful and important project.

Facebook users can access the effect here, and Instagram users here. The effects work on mobile and tablet.

For more on The Hope Sculpture, follow the project on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.

Get in touch to find out more

Contact Arcade

The Hundred Avatars Wins Fan Engagement Award

The prestigious Broadcast Sport Awards took place at London’s Park Lane, and on a very special night for The Hundred, Sky Sports and the entire Avatar team, The Hundred Avatars was victorious in several categories. Of greatest excitement for Arcade was the win in ‘Best Use of Fan Engagement’, which rewarded experiences that ‘put fans at the centre of the action like never before’.

The Hundred Avatars were designed to give fans the chance to ‘Meet the Heroes’ of The Hundred in immersive augmented reality, and marks the first time motion captured avatars have been presented to sports fans at this kind of scale anywhere in the world.

Our thanks go to our partners Sky Sports and the England & Wales Cricket Board for having the courage and belief to invest in this kind of cutting edge innovation, and to Dimension Studio for working tirelessly to produce the 3D avatars themselves, ready for us to offer up to fans via The Hundred and Sky Sports apps, and in WebAR via 8th Wall.

We were thrilled that Sky Sports also won for ‘Best Sports Graphics for a Live Production’, and received the Broadcast Sport Special Recognition award for everything Sky has done for cricket.

To Meet the Heroes yourself download The Hundred app, or visit our 8th Wall project on mobile.

Read The Case Study

The Hundred Avatars