Exploring the new iCentrum building in virtual reality is now possible thanks to an innovative new application developed for Innovation Birmingham by virtual reality specialists, Daden Limited.
The application, called iCentrumVR, can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store to Android phones. Users can then take a guided tour of the building, moving their phone to look around a series of 360 degree photospheres, as well as accessing information about the building and its facilities.
The iCentrumVR app was launched following the opening of the 42,149 sq ft building in March 2016. It will be utilised to market the building’s three main business offerings which include; flexible office suites from 500 sq ft, impressive event facilities with 180-seat presentation auditorium and 7m+ wide HD presentation screen and outstanding start-up support, delivered as part of the 11,825 sq ft Serendip Smart City Incubator.
Based on the first floor, Serendip co-locates promising start-up businesses with large commercial partners in one of four quarters; Digital Health, Intelligent Mobility, Internet of Things and Barclays Eagle Labs. These quarters are being delivered by Innovation Birmingham in collaboration with the West Midlands Academic Health Science Network, Centro, the Transport Systems Catapult, RWE npower and Barclays.
Providing space for 400 high-value skilled tech jobs at any one time, iCentrum will generate £25 million of GVA per annum to the local economy and is the first building to be completed within Innovation Birmingham’s £35 million development zone.
David Burden, Managing Director at Daden, said: “Virtual Reality, particularly when used with devices like Google Cardboard, is now a very cost effective way to give users a real “being there” experience, for little more than a printed brochure. We can see significant opportunities within property sales and venue marketing, and this new app for iCentrum hopefully shows the way.”
Cliff Dennett, Head of Business Development at Innovation Birmingham, said: “Having recently accepted our first cohort of start-ups on to the Serendip Smart City Incubator, iCentrum now has a real buzz about it – something we hope to share with prospective clients and start-ups across the region via the iCentrumVR app.
“iCentrum is a place for people to create and innovate and is quickly becoming the region’s leading location for digital and technological enterprise. Working with Daden on the app has been fantastic and we look forward to circulating our branded VR headsets far and wide in the near future to raise awareness of the building’s outstanding facilities and services.”
Founded in 2004, Daden specialises in immersive learning and virtual reality systems and 3D data visualisation. Daden is one of 15 companies receiving support from Innovation Birmingham’s e4f Inspire programme, which is based at Faraday Wharf. This incubator delivers a series of workshops, keynote events, entrepreneur dinners, off-site visits, funded internship/apprenticeship placements, and peer group sessions, in order to accelerate the growth of entrepreneurial tech companies.
The iCentrumVR application will be available for iOS devices within the next month.