Insites

The ideal platform for immersive 360º training

Insites is our in-house photoreal immersive training platform. We believe you cannot find a more functional or higher quality 360º solution than Insites. We are constantly improving Insites and adapting it to advances in technology to fulfil to the wishes of our clients.

Features

Insites are far more than mere 360 tours. We’ve developed a myriad of features which elevate the experience into something more like photorealistic virtual reality. We honestly believe that nobody does it better than us. If you think you’ve seen it before please double-check who else can really offer what Insites does.

Smart Menus

”Smart

Our smart menu  system makes it easy to find specific training information from up to 100 individual items quickly and intuitively using our folder system and floating menu access, even when you don’t have a mouse and also in VR. The menu also shows you what you’ve already seen.

3D Model Map

”FloatingGetting around the training environment is now much easier with our floating map. It gives you a sense of which way you’re facing and also how high things are. It’s also very helpful on devices when there is no mouse because the gyroscope allows you to move your cursor over the next navigation point.

Animation

”Animation”

Short sequences of movement bring the virtual environment to life. We use stop motion animation techniques to allow doors to open or fans to spin.

Arc Navigation

”Arc

Our innovative navigation tool allows you to find your way through the environment using an arc that projects to the position you are aiming for. This intuitive tool is normally only found in VR but we have adapted it work with desktop and mobile devices.

Multi-Language

”Multi-Language”

Our innovative navigation tool allows you to find your way through the environment using an arc that projects to the position you are aiming for. This intuitive tool is normally only found in VR but we have adapted it work with desktop and mobile devices.

Connect to your Database

If you have your own CMS or database we can link directly to it so that changes in your database are reflected automatically within your Insite

Progress Tracking

”Progress

The environment is filled with many different pieces of information some of which may be out of view. As you discover them and view them, the system records that fact and indicates how much is left to discover and what you’ve already seen. Progress information is also stored on and recovered from the learning management system.

Avatars

”Avatars”

A virtual host can introduce and guide you through your Insite. We embed video presenters within the space so that they look like they’re really they’re looking around which you can trigger simply by clicking on them. They help to bring the space to life and also explain how everything works.

Media Integration

”

Each information item can deliver training material in which other form is necessary. Delicately formatted text content can be accompanied by an annotated image gallery, local or streamed videos and PDFs. Each item also can refer to other examples of itself in different locations.

Virtual Mouse for Mobiles

”Finger

The mobile phone doesn’t have the functionality of a mouse. However we have to built a tool which makes it possible to find out about things before you click on them and give you feedback as to what will happen. It also works like a steering wheel for the mobile phone.

Spatial Switching

”Spatial

It’s simple to switch between different learning environments with a click of a button. So a range of different learning modules can be accessed from within any of them

Gyro VR Control

One of the great advantages of mobile devices it is the built in gyroscope. That allows you to tilt the phone and look around the environment without having to drive at all. Combined with the virtual mouse you have the ability to investigate without actually needing to move your fingers around. You just click with your thumb to select an item or navigate to the next position.

Gamification

Sometimes the best way to get people excited about learning is to turn it into a game. An example is to set a task to find an object and answer a question.By looking around the space information is gained naturally without doing it purely for the purpose of learning.

Deep Fakes

”Deep

We work using photographs but sometimes reality needs augmenting. Our expert 3-D artists are capable of creating completely convincing additions to the environment. For example, we can fill a room with furniture or remove items that shouldn’t be there.

Alternate Realities

Every environment changes – That could be the time of day, different phases of use, empty or full, in danger or safe. Insites allow you to fade from one reality to the next by simply clicking to experience multiple versions of the same environment.

Free 3D movement

We can capture your space photographically but also in 3-D and allow freedom of movement using normal game controllers. We do this by building a 3-D model of your environment and projecting the photographs onto it.

Truly compatible with the device you’re using

It’s common to claim multi platform but usually it means made for one platform and just about working on the others. At Look we actually optimise the experience to take advantage of the special features of each device – a pc doesn’t have a gyroscope but when one is available we make it an essential part of the experience.

This means that every training has wide value and doesn’t require special equipment to be viewed. We guarantee that each experience will be optimised for that medium to provide the equivalent functionality so that wherever you take the training it’s equally instructive.

Desktop PCs

In business laptops and PC are still a core tool. Insites utilises the ease of access and control that a mouse and large screen provides while ensuring that all major browsers (Mac and PC) are checked and compatible.

VR Headsets

Insites are specially developed for native web browsers found on Oculus, Pico and Vive headsets. The VR experience is of course more immersive and utilises the hand controllers to to provide navigation and selection tools. As there is no window as such, the menu items and progress bar follow the viewer in a floating tab. The functionality available is equivalent to that found on the desktop and mobile versions of Insites. As it is web-based, the VR experience can be accessed directly through learning management system which is very uncommon in VR training.

Cardboard & Mobile VR

Mobile phones open the possibility to the immersive experience using a cardboard style holder for the mobile phone. This is very simple to set up and can be distributed to at a very low cost. Viewers can be mailed through the post or pay robust and optically precise devices like the one above.
In cardboard VR is there is no hand control so all clicking and selecting is done using a single floating cursor which works by waiting for a click to take place. We’ve integrated the navigation map so that you can pick your next destination by tilting your head and hovering over a map point.

Mobile Phones

Mobile phones are the most common of all devices but perhaps the most difficult to make compatible. The issue is that the screen is quite narrow so the text needs to be re-designed especially in a three-dimensional environment. The great advantage though is the availability of the gyroscope and the touch input mechanism is actually an advantage if you use it properly. Apple devices are notoriously security conscious so we have developed a special functionality so that the highest quality device still functions as well as android.

Tablets & Touch devices

Tablets offer the huge advantage of touch control combined with a larger screen and gyroscopic control. Insites utilises this to provide a less clicky and more smooth – low energy user experience.
No need to move your finger around the screen but simply to hover the “Puck” over the object you wish to access keeping your hands on either side of the device like a steering wheel.

Apple Vision Pro

In June 2023 Apple announced their Vision Pro headset. The actual device won't be available to consumers until early 2024. The impact of Apple's entry into the VR market is to push the hardware development significantly forward and also define how they see XR being used in the future.
For Look it's great to see the much higher visual detail than existing headsets, the banishment of handheld controllers and the ability to build a model of your environment while wearing it. Also the possibility to look through the cameras on the headset and combine digital elements with the real world is Will make insights into a viable augmented reality solution.

Why Multi-Platform?

The point of digitising on site training is making it possible to learn away from the workplace but using a headset is not always practical. With Insites the same training is ideal on a VR headset but also a mobile device or at a desktop computer.

Finding the time for training can be very difficult but if employees can access that training in their down time on a mobile phone or try out a headset for a change the training has more chance to be completed

What about AI?

Our data system allows us to link directly with external servers meaning we can directly integrate artificial intelligence to the contents of info items. Rather than jump on the bandwagon too early, we will keep testing until the information our AI sources provide becomes reliably accurate. In the meantime we are checking all types of 360º and 3D generation tools such as Holovolo and Skybox and of course taking advantage of translation systems like DeepL!

Future Insites

Insites is always improving and being updated. We have a lot of plans for the future. Sometimes it’s a client that makes us push the next development forward. Here’s some of the things we’re working on.

  • Integrated search
  • Multi language CMS input
  • Apple XR
  • AR implementation
  • 3D object inspection