Distance Technologies, a promising Finnish startup, is stealing the spotlight with its innovative approach to mixed-reality technology. Recently, the company successfully secured funding amounting to 10 million euros (approximately $11.1 million). This financial infusion came from GV, the venture capital branch of Alphabet Inc., alongside contributions from existing investors such as FOV Ventures and Maki.vc. The support from such reputed investors underlines the potential that Distance seeks to unleash within various industries, specifically in automotive and aerospace sectors.
Distance Technologies aims to transform conventional car windshields and aircraft cockpits into immersive experiences by leveraging augmented reality (AR). The Helsinki-based company claims to have developed technology capable of converting any transparent surface into a three-dimensional (3D) digital display, making the future of driving and flying significantly more interactive and engaging.
One predominant challenge in the realm of mixed-reality has been the cumbersome hardware required for an immersive experience, namely headsets and glasses. Distance’s CEO and co-founder, Urho Konttori, emphasizes that the requirement of headgear is a fundamental barrier that limits user experience. “As long as you need to put something on your head, it will never be effortless or elegant as a solution,” he stated in a recent interview. This highlights a fresh perspective: the less intrusive the technology, the more likely users will adopt it seamlessly into their daily lives.
Through sophisticated tracking technologies, Distance identifies the user’s line of sight while effectively creating matching light fields that correspond to the user’s eye positions. The information gathered enables the display of 3D digital objects that appear seamlessly integrated into the user’s immediate environment. This innovative approach is anticipated to redefine how pilots and drivers interact with their vehicles, augmenting their situational awareness and operational efficiency.
At the core of Distance Technologies’ offering is an ingenious integration of optics layering over standard liquid crystal displays (LCDs). This allows for the projection of images precisely where users are focusing their attention. By creating distinct light fields for each eye, the technology not only enhances depth perception but also ensures a high level of brightness, further immersing the user in a lifelike environment.
One of the key attributes of Distance’s system is its claimed ability to offer “infinite” pixel depth, granting a realistic field of vision in various settings. Whether used in a civilian vehicle or an advanced military fighter jet, the potential for real-time augmented overlays could lead to improved decision-making and situational awareness.
Despite the astonishing technology, the commercialization of mixed-reality solutions faces several hurdles. High manufacturing costs mean that many devices on the market today, like Apple’s Vision Pro and Microsoft’s HoloLens 2, come with steep price tags, often exceeding $3,500. As noted in recent industry analyses, the expensive nature of components for augmented reality wearables hampers accessibility and widespread adoption.
Distance Technologies aims to circumvent these issues by providing a solution that is not only cost-effective but also eliminates the need for traditional AR hardware. CMO Jussi Mäkinen asserts that the company’s software-driven innovation can potentially revolutionize the HUD (heads-up display) market: “The main difference here is that we are driven by the software,” he explains.
Competitors in the automotive industry have been exploring AR HUDs for years, with notable players like Huawei pioneering its adoption. However, Distance Technologies promises a more comprehensive coverage over any transparent surface, setting it apart from existing solutions that sometimes only address limited areas of a display.
Having showcased their technology at the Augmented World Expo USA 2024, Distance Technologies is poised to transition from the research phase into a product cycle. Konttori noted that collaboration with potential customers is vital as the company continues to refine its optics for a definitive offering.
As the startup gears up to advance its prototype into a full-fledged product, the tech community watches with bated breath. The potential impact of a mixed-reality system that integrates seamlessly into vehicles could not only be transformative for individual users but could reshape entire industries. In an era of innovation, Distance Technologies may well be at the forefront of a new technological revolution that merges the physical and digital worlds, opening up endless possibilities.