Virtual 3D Marketing

Today I came across a new and interesting business application utilizing 3D technology. Virtual 3D Marketing, released by an Indianapolis company, Expo 3D, creates 3D virtual business environments that can be used by business owners to present their products and services from a remote location.

The end product seems like a "mash up" of Google Sketchup and Second Life. The company builds 3D representations of an actual business environment which utilizes avatars as an online host or hostess. The potential customer is seated in a virtual seminar room, where they can listen to a presentation and interract with the live presenter's avatar using text chat or Voice over Internet Protocol.

We believe that there definitely is a value with this type of business application, although we would like to see the 3D Walkthrough graphics continue to become more realistic. Perhaps 3D Walkthroughs.com can lend our assistance in this area.

Below is a press release from the Indianapolis Star about Virtual 3D Marketing.

Fishers firm's software lets vendors show demos of products online at time convenient to clients

By Dwight Adams
dwight.adams@indystar.com
June 25, 2007


In a global economy running 24 hours a day, imagine the benefit of having your products on display to see in any time zone at any hour of day or night -- without having to be there in person.
Or consider the convenience of being able to attend that important industry trade show -- without the travel expense or time spent away from your busy small business.
A Fishers startup -- Virtual 3D Marketing -- can create custom three-dimensional virtual business environments in real time that can make possible those things and more.
"You don't have to travel. We take a lot of the time and expense out of doing business," said Todd Root, vice president of sales and marketing at the company, also called V3DM.

The company is the marketing arm of Expo3D Corp., a California-based software developer, which launched its virtual business platform last fall.
Some of the services V3DM offers, Root said, include interactive exhibit areas and 3-D products on display, online automation, and tech sessions and workshops using live, pre-recorded or archived learning tools.

Participants in online seminars are greeted by an avatar -- an online host or hostess -- and seated in a virtual seminar room, where they can listen to a presentation and interract with the live presenter's avatar using text chat or Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, functions.

A "proximity chat" function even allows the presenter avatar to hear other participants' conversations if he's close enough in the virtual conference room.
The product is useful for clients in industries such as electronics, heavy manufacturing -- even romance book publishing, which is represented by one of Expo3D's current clients. And it can be used for virtual trade shows, Web sites and interactive catalogs, according to company brochures.