QBranch has developed a robot designed for large-scale sporting events.
Crédits photos : QBranch
QBRanch, a design office and 3D studio specialising in virtual and augmented reality, has designed a new tool for the sports sector. QBot is a robot designed to (re)frame cameras during major sporting events. The QBranch team will be at Laval Virtual on April 10-12, 2024 to present their new robotic tool and immersive services.
Can you introduce your company?
Founded in 2019 near Laval in France, QBranch is positioned on the border between the virtual and the real. QBranch is a design office that aims to be the reference in terms of very high added-value technical solutions. The company’s leading project, the QBot, is a robotised system for reframing photo shoots. The QBot has already proved its worth at a number of major sporting events, including the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, Beijing in 2022, the Rolex Paris Master at Bercy in 2022 and the forthcoming Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.
Our slogan is “When virtual needs real”. We specialise in tracking and immersion technologies and also have expertise in electronics, mechanics and embedded technologies. The company has developed its know-how around virtual and augmented reality, 3D computer graphics, UI and UX, and robotics. This enables us to develop tangible products, services and devices for industry, entertainment and events. Our strength lies in using immersive technologies to meet a need in the field.
What will you show at Laval Virtual 2024?
QBranch will be demonstrating its expertise in developing “vr-ready” tools for virtual reality training. XR technologies are increasingly being deployed on the industrial market. Unfortunately, the use of joysticks, game controllers or generic XR controllers severely disconnects the training application from the gesture intended to be learned. At QBranch, we develop VR-Ready tools based on the real system/tool you want to work with. Your application is now entirely linked to the real world, so you no longer act “as you would in real life”. You are trained for the real thing.
What is your company’s current innovation?
We’re talking about the QBot. We developed for AFP (French Press Agency) a robot that remotely reframes cameras via a smartphone, used for the Tokyo and Beijing Olympic Games, the Paris-Bercy tennis masters and many other sporting events. Lighter, more compact and consuming less energy than conventional audiovisual devices, it can be placed in locations that are difficult for photographers to access, allowing them to control several cameras at the same time, from different angles. The result is unique photos. QBranch has been focusing for several months on developing a version that allows the device to be folded and unfolded quickly and intuitively. The official release of the product is scheduled for May 2024.
What innovation has most transformed the world of VR/AR?
In our view, standalone headsets and their in-and-out tracking technologies are one of the greatest advances in virtual and augmented reality.
The baseline for our 26th edition is “Act For The Future”. How can immersive technologies impact tomorrow’s world?
The fourth industrial revolution is characterised by advanced automation, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, virtual reality and much more. These technologies are fundamentally transforming training methods to meet the needs of Industry 4.0. It integrates digital technologies and new pedagogical approaches to provide individuals with the tools they need to develop their skills in a rapidly changing industrial context.
