Name: Simone Kliass

Title: Vice President

Company: Brazilian Extended Reality Association (XRBR)

LAVNCH [CODE]: We know your title, but what do you actually do at the Brazilian Extended Reality Association?

SIMONE KLIASS: XRBR was founded four years ago, but many of our association’s members have been working together as a hub for longer—around seven years—sharing information and research related to extended reality (XR) technologies. As vice-president, co-founder, and XR enthusiast, my main role has been to act as a liaison. I work directly with the press, corporate and public entities, other associations, and even our own members. I strive to bring in partners that will support our day-to-day operations, such as our PR agency, Oficina. My goal is always the same: to promote our sector and provide opportunities for our members.

LAVNCH [CODE]: In your opinion, what is the most exciting thing about extended reality?

SK: I’ve always been intrigued by the limitless possibilities XR technology offers. Extended realities give us tools to add digital layers and immersive depth to the human experience. XR has applications in many sectors: industry, medicine, real estate, entertainment, wellness, and education, to name just a few. With XR there’s no rulebook—we are learning together. Every situation presented by a client demands creative, think-outside-the-box solutions. It’s exciting to research a technology that has yet to set its boundaries.

LAVNCH [CODE]: Where do you see the XR market heading in the next year?

SK: Our sector received a lot of attention last year because of the hype related to the metaverse. However, with this curiosity came confusion, as people wondered how XR and the metaverse are related. In 2021, when Facebook announced its plans to rebrand as Meta, suddenly everything shifted. The public wanted in. Everything was about the metaverse. People wondered if putting on a VR headset was entering the metaverse. Others asked the same about augmented reality experiences. We saw avatars created on apps like Ready Player Me popping up everywhere as people grew fascinated with the idea of taking part in a parallel virtual reality. One of the big challenges we will face in the year ahead is separating the hype from reality.

Our sector will continue to grow—as it has this last year and during the several years prior. We will see more practical applications of haptics, mixed reality (MR) technology, and artificial intelligence (AI). But the market will be competitive, and survival will depend on finding creative ways to apply XR solutions to real-world problems.

LAVNCH [CODE]: What new XR products and services are on the horizon for XRBR?

SK: In 2023 XRBR will be welcoming a new board and our associates will be unveiling several new projects. For instance, Arvore Immersive Experiences presented content for the Holoride at CES earlier this month. They’ll also be at SXSW, a festival where I’ve acted as a XR mentor for the past four years.

Our events director, Ana Arruda, will be a judge at Laval Virtual. Other projects include Ink and Fire, an experience created by VRXP and StudioKwO that showcases cave painting from a Brazilian national park in VR. XRBR associates Inês Maciel, Katia Maciel, Ana Cunha, and Ottis Ots in their Metaversity project will partner with the NGO Cinema Nosso to offer free workshops on the metaverse. Media Glass, another associate, is working on innovative AR/VR projects for the oil and gas industry.

Lastly, we will be holding the second edition of our XRBR Summit later in the year—bringing together XR specialists and enthusiasts from around the country. I encourage you to visit our website and social media pages to find out more.