Almer, TeamViewer Launch Arc 2 AR Headset
2024 is shaping up to be the start of what could be the next generation in augmented reality (AR) and spacial computing’s use cases as Almer and TeamViewer’s collaborative Arc 2 joins the ranks of integrated AR headsets made available to the public.
The Arc 2 is reported as being a bridge connecting users to remote collaborators with relevant visuals and information through the system’s identification of objects in the wearer’s environment. The headset features a 25-megapixel camera, beamforming microphones, built-in speakers and a holographic see-through screen with eight hours of battery life.
“We have learned a lot on how to make the headset super adaptable and users can set their preferences on how they wear it. Something new entrants like Apple still have to learn,” said Almer CEO and co-founder, Sebastian Beetschen, in a press release.
TeamViewer, known for its IT capabilities and remote access products, is using the headset’s launch to change tracks and venture into the AR space for the first time. The Arc 2 starts at €149 per month through Almer’s all-inclusive subscription program that incorporates the hardware, software and access to technical support.
“Almer has 21 customers, including Switzerland’s largest defense contractor, which uses the Almer Arc to service fighter jets remotely in the U.S., as well as several international machine manufacturers,” Beetschen added.
Beetschen and Timon Binder founded Almer in 2021 following their work on the Hololens 2 within Microsoft’s research division. At the time, the tech-forward utility from the $3 billion company giant felt less like an extension of the user and more like a ‘clunky apparatus.’
The announcement of the Arc 2 is sandwiched between the pre-order and launch dates of the highly-awaited Apple Vision Pro headset — which is available to consumers starting at a hefty $3,500 and solely in the United States upon launch. The difference in applications between the two? Almer’s Arc 2 is designed for work-intensive situations and interactions while the Apple Vision Pro system takes a backseat for static living environments.
“Partnering with Almer was a no-brainer for us, their product and technology stack is head and shoulders ahead of the industry,” said Percy Stocker, senior VP product management AR at Team Viewer. “Unplanned downtime can be extremely costly, for example in the automotive industry where it can reach up to $22,000 per minute and the experts needed to fix these machines are often not on-site.”
“The cost saving potential of using AR to service all installed machines for the ten largest tooling-machine manufacturers in DACH alone accounts for £7.9 billion per year, so the opportunity is very real,” said Beetschen.
While Almer is focusing on the Swiss industry right now, it will soon include all of the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) before launching globally.
