Three communities hosting Augmented Reality Developer Challenge competitions

Three communities have been awarded $20,000 from US Ignite to host Augmented Reality (AR) Developer Challenge competitions through August 2021. In partnership with Facebook Reality Labs, the events will be held in the communities of Long Beach, Calif.; Raleigh and Cary, N.C.; and Philadelphia.

According to US Ignite, the AR Developer Challenge is a series of community-driven competition events focused on solving problems in areas including health care, education, workforce development and more. Developers will use technologies such as Facebook’s Spark AR platform and other AR solutions to compete for prizes and community recognition.

“Facebook Reality Labs is excited to collaborate with US Ignite and innovative communities to explore ways augmented reality can improve the lives of people in real and practical ways and reinvent how cities and small businesses reimagine serving their communities,” said Cindy Ball, Facebook Reality Labs policy programs manager

“Long Beach has always been a hub of industrial and commercial innovation and we can’t wait to see what creative, safe and fun AR ideas our community will imagine,” said Long Beach Smart Cities Manager Ryan Kurtzman. More information about exploring downtown Long Beach using AR to experience the city’s historic past, diverse present and future will be available on the Smart City Long Beach website.

The events in Raleigh and Cary will be hosted by RIoT, creating AR solutions for accessibility and inclusion, economic impact and workforce development in the community. “The global economy is steered by technology, and this effort helps talented entrepreneurs wielding the coolest AR tech to improve municipal services faster than cities might do on their own,” said Tom Snyder, executive director at RIoT. “I’m excited that RIoT can play a role, offering to help the best solutions to scale into sustainable ventures through the RIoT Accelerator Program and the seed capital this contest provides.”

Philadelphia will highlight using AR to make transportation options in the city more accessible, welcoming and comfortable for people with diverse needs. “Philadelphia is excited to host a challenge that will spur innovation from our own vibrant tech community and beyond,” said Emily Yates, director of SmartCityPHL. “Many Philadelphians rely on public transportation to get to work, school, stores and recreation, and we believe augmented reality can help ensure it continues to serve all residents and visitors. This aligns with our SmartCityPHL initiative’s commitment to ensuring technology promotes equity and improves the quality of life for all Philadelphians.” More information about Philadelphia’s events will be available in the coming months.