Founded in 2016, Xvisio Technology is a computer vision company engaged in the development of underlying technologies for spatial perception and cognition (VSLAM+AI). Currently, the company focuses on providing high-speed (100fps) end-to-end VSLAM solutions for AR/VR/MR, robotics and other fields, including high-precision position tracking, navigation, obstacle avoidance and object recognition.

Lin Qiong, founder, chairman, and CEO of Xvisio Technology, stated, "Following this round of financing, the company will focus on building capabilities from core technology to system integration. We will also further strengthen our talent team and enhance our multi-client service capabilities to better serve the end market. Furthermore, we will open up some of our core technologies to industry users in specific verticals as a next-stage development goal."

With the increasing commercial maturity of technologies like 5G, AI, cloud computing, and semiconductors, the AR/VR industry, which had been stagnant since its late 2016 decline, has regained market attention in 2019. What has enabled Xvisio Technology to secure renewed support and recognition from the capital market during this period of renewed enthusiasm? What will its future development path hold?

Based on VSLAM+AI technology, combining scene requirements and technical adaptation to find landing

Around 2016, with the development of sensor technology and semiconductor technology, computer computing power was further improved. Especially after 2017, with the development and maturity of AI technology, machine vision and AI applications gradually emerged, and machines began to develop from seeing the world clearly and beautifully to being able to understand the world.

Among the technologies that enable machines to understand the world, VSLAM-based spatial real-time positioning and tracking capabilities are key technologies necessary for machine perception and cognition. Although there are a large number of lidar-based machine navigation and positioning technologies in the industry, the current state of computer vision development shows that VSLAM technology has become a mainstream key technology in the AR/VR field. Moreover, in highly interactive To Consumer scenarios such as small companion robots, VSLAM technology also has advantages that cannot be replaced by other technologies. However, due to VSLAM technology's extremely high algorithm requirements, a long industrial chain, and high R&D barriers, only a handful of industry giants such as Microsoft, Google, Apple, Facebook, and Qualcomm mastered the underlying core technology at the time, and small and medium-sized enterprises without independent VSLAM R&D capabilities were blocked.

On this basis, Xvisio Technology clearly defined its business model at the beginning of its establishment to solve industry pain points through the research and development of underlying technologies such as VSLAM+AI, and is committed to empowering manufacturers at all links in the industrial chain and promoting industry development with underlying technologies.

At the product level, Xvisio Technology currently offers a multi-mode fusion visual edge computing platform based on the Intel Movidius VPU processor. Specifically designed for the AR/VR and mobile robotics sectors, the 3D XR Vision and 3D Robot Vision series offer inside-out 6DOF tracking VSLAM modules. These modules combine multiple sensors with high-speed binocular VSLAM, achieving a 100fps refresh rate, high resolution, and tracking accuracy. This enables multi-functional end-face fusion for positioning, mapping, obstacle avoidance, and other functions while ensuring excellent system robustness. Furthermore, the platform not only provides powerful edge computing capabilities but also offers the flexibility to select the appropriate sensor integration solution for specific applications.

Lin Qiong said: "At present, the company is mainly positioned as an industry technology provider. We are committed to opening up our technology to downstream companies through modules or edge computing platforms to solve underlying problems, while leaving application-level issues to customers. The company provides its own tool chain to enable customers to develop industry applications."

Xvisio Technology's founder, Lin Qiong, graduated from the University of Southern California and Tsinghua University. With 15 years of experience in image sensing technology, he is a senior computer vision system architect and has held positions at image sensor companies such as Toshiba, APTINA, and ON Semiconductor. The company currently has eight PhDs engaged in underlying technology research and 15 engineering implementation personnel. Over 90% of the team members are technically oriented, with over 50 man-years of experience in high-speed VSLAM algorithm development and hardware implementation, providing ample technical support.

Empowering diversified industry development with a platform model, focusing on AR/VR and other implementation explorations

In the AR/VR/MR space, the highly interactive nature of terminal devices creates a natural need for positioning and tracking capabilities. Among the numerous perception technologies currently available, VSLAM technology surpasses other technologies in both the demand for and adaptability of these technologies to specific scenarios. This has prompted Xvisio Technology to focus its efforts on practical application research in this area. The company also offers alternative computer vision solutions for small robots, sweepers, drones, and other applications.

For high-speed, high-precision posture tracking, VSLAM applications in VR/AR generally require a refresh rate of at least 90fps to mitigate motion sickness and rendering artifacts. According to Lin Qiong, Xvisio Technology has achieved 100fps with its VSLAM technology, while the current market maximum is only 60-80fps. Regarding positioning and tracking for AR/VR headsets, Xvisio Technology's edge processing technology can directly output 6DoF information, eliminating system computing power and minimizing power consumption to under 1.5W.

Lin Qiong said: "The company's original idea was to embed the functions that meet specific scenario and task requirements into the hardware-level product form factor, so that the module has complete processing capabilities and ultimately provides it to users, giving them a plug-and-play experience."

With the advancement of commercialization, Xvisio Technology has gradually transitioned its business model from modules to systems integration. Lin Qiong explained, "We initially commercialized our business through IP licensing, but later realized that downstream customers were unable to develop this capability, so we resorted to deeper customization." AR glasses require strict power consumption control, which is precisely the strength of Xvisio Technology's high-speed, low-power, and low-latency technology. However, in actual use, users often struggle to fully utilize the company's technology due to a lack of understanding. This is precisely the significance of Xvisio Technology's deeply customized business model.

Xvisio Technology has reportedly been embracing a wide range of systems integration business models since July 2018. In the long term, Lin Qiong hopes to establish the company as an OEM in the AR/VR sector. However, given the industry's early stages, the company prioritizes collaboration with industry partners, leveraging its underlying technological advantages to empower the industry, diversify its product offerings, and jointly promote industry development.

In the 5G era, AR/VR industry development is booming again

The rendering capability of VR/AR content has always been a key link restricting the development of the industry. VR, in particular, has very high requirements for rendering capabilities in content processing. However, due to problems such as network transmission and insufficient computing power, traditional solutions often combine larger computers to form an all-in-one model for user consumption, which greatly restricts the convenience and ease of use of the product.

With the commercial rollout of 5G, the high bandwidth and low latency of 5G are extending rendering capabilities further to the cloud, potentially reviving the long-dormant VR/AR industry. In the future, AR, combined with IoT technology, will interconnect people and everything, while VR will create entirely new virtual worlds that will offer entirely new experiences. These scenarios and applications are not only exciting but also offer significant commercial opportunities. Since 2018, testing by telecom giants such as Huawei, China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom has demonstrated promising commercial success, further fueling the growing attention paid to VR/AR technology by the capital market and across all industries in the 5G era.

At the recently concluded World VR Industry Conference, Liu He, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, Miao Wei, Minister of Industry and Information Technology, and Wang Zhigang, Minister of Science and Technology, attended and delivered speeches, personally supporting and encouraging the development of the VR industry. Numerous signs indicate that the AR/VR industry is experiencing a renewed surge in popularity. Having moved beyond the initial period of rapid growth during the concept's introduction, AR/VR is now steadily developing towards a new stage of practical application.

Goldman Sachs predicts that the total AR/VR market will reach $80 billion by 2025, roughly equivalent to the current size of the personal computer market. Driven by policy encouragement and the gradual maturation of the industry, further growth in the AR/VR industry is inevitable.

Since its founding, Xvisio Technology has established in-depth technical collaborations with numerous industry leaders, including Dreamworld, Pacific AR, Nadejia, Lingxi Weiguang, Longjing Optoelectronics, and the Indian XR company Dimension NXG, achieving initial commercial success. The company has also received widespread industry recognition, including designation as a Shanghai High-Tech Enterprise, the CES 2019 Innovation Award, a top-three finish in the 2019 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) official competition, and recognition among the 2019 Top 50 VR Companies in China.

Lin Qiong stated, "The company will continue to delve deeper into the application of VSLAM technology in the AR/VR field. At the same time, the company will adopt a small-step, fast-paced operation model and actively explore more application scenarios such as small companion robots that have a strong demand for high-precision VSLAM technology. After the Pre-A round, the company will continue to initiate a new round of Series A financing to continue to introduce capital to support business expansion."

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Source: Yiou.com. Author: Zhou Wenmeng, a senior technology journalist. Click here to view the original article.
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Xvisio Technology (Xvisio Technology) is a computer vision company engaged in the development of underlying technologies for spatial perception and cognition (vSLAM+AI). It focuses on providing high-speed (100fps) end-to-end vSLAM solutions for AR/VR/MR, robotics, AGV and other fields, including high-precision position tracking, navigation, obstacle avoidance and object recognition.

Founded in Silicon Valley in 2016, Xvisio Technology secured angel investment in 2017 from China Science and Technology Star Ventures and is headquartered in Shanghai. The company currently has subsidiaries in the US and Europe. The company's founding team, comprised of core management personnel from leading industry companies, has a long history of entrepreneurial experience, boasts 10 R&D PhDs, and boasts over 50 man-years of industry-leading research achievements. Xvisio Technology is an Intel Movidius licensee and solution partner.