Next Step into the Future of 3D and XR Technologies

The EU project XReco enters its next phase. From October 15 to 17, 2024, the XReco consortium met in Madrid, this time hosted by our partners at VISYON. The 20 XReco partners from 12 European countries presented their latest advances in 3D, XR and AR media solutions, shared technology and research results. This article provides an overview of the project status and next steps.

Over the three days, the consortium reviewed the latest phase of XReco developments and discussed challenges. The focus of the meeting was on the refinement of the six work packages such as workflows, the further development of the authoring tool and licence management tools, the applications of the XR technology for virtual 3D content production and the business model and the next development phase. 

Highlights include the token-based licensing model that will simplify content rights management through the Neural Media Repository (NMR) technology. And the XR, AR, VR and virtual production test results, which showed that 2D and 3D content can now be produced more efficiently in real time thanks to the additional integration of Gaussian splatting.

The meeting kicked off with Visyon presenting the latest validation test results. Their presentation provided key insights into the effectiveness and robustness of XReco’s 3D and XR technologies in real-world applications. This set the stage for a broader discussion of 3D reconstruction technology, including current market trends and potential customer needs, as presented by the exploitation work package lead Sound.

Following this, the consortium undertook the first steps of the minimum viable product (MVP) planning with Joanneum Research (JRS), who identified the key deliverables and objectives that will guide XReco’s next phase. 

Collaboration was also a theme as work package 2 team members from Fincons, i2cat, CERTH, UPM and Atos discussed integration strategies across modules to foster greater synergy in development efforts.

Two exciting project demonstrations concluded the first day:
The News Media Demonstrator from Deutsche Welle, RAI, FFP. And the Tourism Demonstrator from Atos, Zaubar, Deutsche Welle and CERTH. These prototypes demonstrated how XReco’s tools can bring immersive experiences to the media and tourism sectors. 

The second began with an interactive session on business models, led by Sound, which sparked a productive conversation on XReco’s market positioning and revenue strategies. This was followed by a dedicated discussion on exploitation planning, where partners brainstormed ways to maximise the commercial potential of the technology.

A breakout session focused on content authoring – specifically, how to effectively use 3D models within XReco’s authoring tools. Attendees worked on cleaning and segmenting 3D assets to improve usability. This hands-on session included contributions from Deutsche Welle and members of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), and established best practices for future content creation within XReco’s tools.

Later, a plenary session on workflow and data flow, led by Joanneum Research (JRS), provided a strategic overview of the operational backbone supporting XReco’s tools. 

In parallel, KU Leuven (KUL) hosted an important session on legal and licensing considerations, focusing on token-based licensing for content rights management within XReco’s Neural Media Repository.

Back in content authoring, discussions focused on template design, particularly for 3D infographics, which could become standard across XReco’s tools. The team also explored the roles of XR Capsule and Capgemini leveraging Unity3D, emphasising versatility for future developers.

The day concluded with an update on the News Media Demonstrator project, as Deutsche Welle, RAI, FFP and partners demonstrated the next phase of media-focused XR technology.

The final day focused on summarising the insights from the previous sessions and defining the next steps for each work package. Together, the partners outlined the roadmap for the next phase of development and set clear goals to ensure that XReco’s tools can drive real-time, immersive media experiences across multiple sectors.

This meeting in Madrid not only marked a milestone in the development of XReco, but also underlined the consortium’s commitment to innovation in XR and AR for media production. With dedicated work packages, collaborative planning and a focus on legal and technical frameworks, XReco is well positioned to revolutionise digital media production.

Stay tuned as these developments unfold – more updates will be posted on XReco.eu soon. Sign up for the XReco newsletter.