Configura to Exhibit Virtual Reality Technologies at Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair
Configura, maker of intelligent space-planning software, will exhibit and demo its industry leading space planning software – with virtual reality (VR) capabilities – at the Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair this Feb. 7-11 in booth AG:29.
The Linköping-based company is the leading provider of design, specification and ordering software that enables 2D and 3D design, photorealistic renderings, fly-thru videos, instant bills of materials and installation documents. The company offers software solutions built with Configura Extension Technology (CET), which enables manufacturers to create their own Extensions to be plugged into the core software CET Designer. The newest addition is the virtual reality experience, which will be demo’ed by Configura at the Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair.
Configura’s solutions are used by Kinnarps, Marbodal, Kvik, Bisley, Herman Miller, Steelcase, Haworth, KI, Inscape and dozens of other office furniture and kitchen manufacturers. More than 10,000 designers and salespeople around the world use Configura’s software solutions.
High-end VR experiences
Configura introduced virtual reality technology in 2015 and officially launched the CET Designer Virtual Viewer Extension in June 2016 at the NeoCon World’s Trade Fair in Chicago. Virtual Viewer lets users wearing Oculus Rift goggles to “walk around” in a drawing using gaming controls. (View a video of how Virtual Viewer works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83-xNe9yCWo.)
Virtual reality for CET Designer was the first immersive, industry-wide VR solution introduced on the market that supports multiple office furniture manufacturers’ products. It allows the furniture buyer to virtually “walk through” their space before they purchase.
“The feedback so far has been great. The Virtual Viewer gives the customer an immersive VR experience of an environment before they buy anything,” Configura Key Account Manager Johan Gustafsson said. “They can walk down corridors, along hallways and into rooms to really get a sense of a space.”
Democratized VR experiences
In its latest release of CET Designer, Configura introduced 360-degree renderings. The technology lowers the cost of VR as images can be viewed in a simple cardboard VR on a smartphone.
“360 renderings are an inexpensive way for an office furniture dealer to offer the immersive VR experience to customers,” Gustafsson said.
In December 2016, Configura announced a collaboration with Toronto-based company Yulio. With Yulio’s Extension – an addition to the core program, like an app or plug-in – the 360-degree VR experience can be shared directly to a customer’s smartphone or other devices for viewing. Livestream collaboration functionality lets designers walk and talk a customer through their designs.
“Visitors to our booth at the Stockholm Furniture Fair can get their own free cardboard VR headset,” Gustafsson said. “It’s fun and easy – whole new way to experience our technology and a designed space.”
Visit Configura at the Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair in Booth AG:29.
About Configura
Configura creates intelligent space-planning software for manufacturers, dealers and designers in the Contract Furniture, Kitchen and Bath, Material Handling, Industrial Machinery, and Laboratory and Healthcare industries. The company’s software products, including CET Designer, are used by more than 10,000 people around the world. Configura Sverige AB, the parent company, is headquartered in Linköping, Sweden, with commercial operations in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Founded in 1990, Configura is privately owned with more than 120 employees worldwide and annual sales of more than $13 million USD. More information at www.configura.com.
About CET Designer
Based on technology created by Configura, CET Designer is intelligent, highly visual and intuitive space-planning software that simplifies specifying and selling of products in a variety of industries. It’s a complete solution that quickly and accurately handles every step of the sales and order process. In CET Designer, components that represent manufacturers’ products look and behave like actual products. Users drag and drop components into 2D and 3D virtual environments; behind the scenes, the software tracks components, calculates pricing and prevents user errors. Users can create and generate layouts, quotes, photorealistic renderings, movies, installation drawings, reconfigurations and bills of materials – in other words, everything needed to propose on work and place orders. CET Designer is the future of space planning. More information at www.configura.com/cet.
