There’s more than chalk on the blackboard
ditional blackboard, enabling chalk writing on it as well.
When it is plugged in, it turns into a computer with a large number of educational resources in it, ready for users to unfold just by a click on the screen.
“Te c h n o l o g i c a l p r o d u c t s should not scrap the original function of traditional educational tools. Instead, they should be developed based on traditional features so that they can provide both traditional and advanced use,” says Xu, chairman and general manager of Shenzhen Weidoo High-Tech Co.
Augmented reality (AR) technology is integrated into the machine, providing students with a vivid virtual environment for learning.
The company has devel- oped dozens of software for educational use so far and is still expanding the pool. But, it doesn’t intend to work on its own. Xu hopes to make the smart blackboard a platform where all developers can create digital content.
A piece of educational software developed by the company, for example, is one for students to learn poems.
Students no longer have to make hard efforts to understand the meaning of the ancient words and memorize a poem mechanically. Instead, the 3D scene described in the poem is shown on the smart blackboard, making understanding of the abstract characters much easier.
“AR is going to become one of the most important technologies over the next decade. It will definitely have a wide application in commercial fields,” says Xu.
“The industry is expected to see explosive growth in the coming years. It’s a blue ocean with huge potential.”
At present, he notes, interaction between human and mobile phones has become mature but, in large commercial fields, man-machine interaction has been underdeveloped or, to say, it’s at an initial stage.
That’s why Xu aims to focus on man-machine integration to develop a big screen with AR functions.
According to a report released by market research firm International Data Corporation, worldwide revenues for the AR and virtual reality (VR) market are expected to grow by 100 percent or more over each of the next four years, with total spending on AR and VR products and services projecting to surge from $11.4 billion this year to nearly $215 billion by 2021, representing a 113-percent annual growth.
Spending on VR systems, including viewers, software, consulting services and system integration services, is forecast to be greater than AR-related spending in 2017 and 2018. But, after 2018, AR spending will surge ahead as industries make significant purchases of AR software and viewers, the report said.
“Augmented and virtual reality is gaining traction in commercial settings and we expect this trend to continue accelerating,” says Tom Mainelli, program vice-president of Devices and AR/VR at IDC.
“As next-generation hardware begins to appear, industry verticals will be among the first to embrace it. They will be utilizing cutting-edge software and services to do everything — from increasing worker productivity and safety to enticing customers with customized, jaw-dropping experiences.”
Among various industries, Xu has high expectations for education, believing it’s a promising sector for integrating with AR technology.
T he Intellin Blackboard has been mass produced at Shenzhen Weidoo’s factory in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, since April. According to Xu, the company is able to produce 18,000 such devices annually.
In the first half of this year, the company received orders for several thousand pieces of blackboards. The machine has been applied in classrooms at kindergartens, schools, universities and other educational institutions in more than 10 provinces across China, covering over 250,000 users.
The company is also looking to tap into overseas markets. It is in talks with partners in several Belt and Road countries, including Russia, Kazakhstan and Malaysia, to introduce the device to their schools. “We expect to enter overseas markets massively by 2018,” Xu predicts.
Although the company is on a fast growth track, Xu warns that intellectual property rights protection is a major concern as it keeps innovating and makes new development.
There is no lack of creativity and innovation in the vibrant city of Shenzhen, but innovators feel discouraged when their ideas and works get “stolen” by others.
Meanwhile, keeping a leading position in the industry requires consistent capital and human resources investment.
“We plan to set up a research institute to c ultivate more talents in the industry and promote our development in future,” says Xu.