Glimpse Group’s (VRAR) CEO Lyron Bentovim joined Trading 360 to discuss A.I., spatial computing, and the company’s partnership with the Department of Defense. Glimpse Group calls itself an “immersive technology platform company.” It works with other ventures to create virtual and augmented reality solutions.

The Harvard Business Review defines spatial computing as a form of computing that “blends our physical world and virtual experiences” – think VR headsets, or Star-Wars-esque holographic projections. While investors may remember the Metaverse bubble a few years ago, with its empty virtual worlds and clumsy avatars, the technology has quietly continued to progress. Bentovim says Glimpse uses spatial computing integrated with A.I. and cloud technologies, and that the company works with Nvidia (NVDA) and Microsoft (MSFT).

Some examples of Glimpse’s work are creating an AR-integrated menu at Denny’s where food “literally jumps off the page” after scanning a QR code with your phone, or using virtual try-on technology with Bollé to allow customers to preview sunglasses – and using the phone’s camera to create the experience of wearing the sunglasses to “showcase the anti-glare, anti-fog, and light-adaptive features of the lenses.” Their case study page also shows a variety of virtual meetings they’ve facilitated, the cartoon avatars reminiscent of some of Meta’s (META) previous forays.

Glimpse boasts customers in a broad number of fields, including schools, universities, hospitals, restaurants, and industrial companies. Founded in 2016, it has four subsidiary companies and says it has served over 100 customers so far.

Bentovim says that when the company was founded, “nobody knew anything about” the technology they were offering. However, COVID spiked demand and interest, and 2021’s “Metaverse” hype propelled them further. He adds that they’re seeing more interest with A.I. boom, saying “we’ve passed the proof-of-concept stage.”

However, so far most of their work seems to be of the opt-in variety: viewers scan a QR code, join a meeting, try a new feature. There’s still a novelty element at play here, rather than an integration into everyday life. In cases where some level of anonymity might be more comfortable (see their “First Date Coaching” or support groups), using a VR avatar might be preferable over a Zoom call. Seeing a 3D AR graphic of Denny’s eggs and pancakes won’t include the smell or texture. Do people want it?

There are strong use cases: the try-on features are interesting as retail continues to move online, and healthcare training is another intriguing direction. VR experiences at expos and conventions bring a dimensionality to the booth that might excite prospective customers. But Glimpse is also working behind the scenes.

While marketing may be one of the easiest ways of conceptualizing spatial computing, Glimpse has a partnership with the DoD. Its subsidiary Brightline Interactive announced in 2023 that it is working on automation with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory & the innovation arm of the Air Force.

Bentovim says “we have an edge as a country right now” with this sort of technology, which is primarily being developed in the United States. He thinks the sentiment across the board at the DoD is that “this needs to be where we invest our military defense dollars.”

However, it’s not a straight line up: VRAR shares fell below a dollar last year, and the company regained Nasdaq compliance (minimum $1/share price) on December 24 after closing a $7.29 million registered direct offering. Investors must decide if this is an overlooked name, or a vestige of the metaverse experiment.

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