Toulouse Tech Transfer launches a new augmented reality project with FittingBox and IRIT. Toulouse Tech Transfer (TTT) has initiated a new maturation program with FittingBox, the creator of interactive solutions for optics professionals, and IRIT, the Toulouse Computer Research Institute.
Photo: The two founding leaders of Fitting Box, Ariel Choukroun and Benjamin Hakoun.
The objective of this program is to develop a new augmented reality technique that is ever more efficient in order to offer innovative services to optical professionals.
The installation of ultra-realistic fitting terminals
FittingBox develops, publishes and markets interactive solutions and digital content for the major players in the optical industry. In order to offer them an ever more innovative product that is as close as possible to reality, FittingBox will benefit from a technology transfer from IRIT thanks to the support of TTT.
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The project will enable FittingBox to acquire an unprecedented technology of interactive terminals for simulating the virtual fitting of glasses with a level of realism never before achieved, and thus benefit from an undeniable competitive advantage in its market.
Opticians will thus be able to offer their customers the opportunity to try on glasses virtually, without even having them in stock. This system will also allow multiple uses, particularly in terms of animating waiting times. For example, users will be able to take pictures of themselves with the glasses, share them on social networks, ask their friends for their opinions, etc. "This technology transfer will enable us to open up new opportunities in our market. We are already offering remarkably realistic solutions. Thanks to IRIT and the support of TTT, we are going even further and becoming more and more competitive. We will be able to offer a new and differentiating technology. We have passed a milestone in terms of realism. It will be difficult to distinguish the virtual from the real: the end customer will be able to see himself with his glasses as in a real mirror", explains Florian Lopez, Marketing Manager of FittingBox.
Research at the disposal of French entrepreneurship
This project of new fitting stations has been able to emerge thanks to the synergies between the different players. Ariel Choukroun, co-founder of FittingBox with Benjamin Hakoun, created his company following his thesis at IRIT on image processing and computer vision. IRIT and FittingBox have thus maintained a close and privileged relationship since the creation of the company.
As one of IRIT's current research avenues has strong potential in the Fitting Box market, the two entities decided to call on TTT to develop, transfer and apply this technology to the world of optics-glasses. TTT's mission is to create economic value from the work of regional public laboratories by making the research results more attractive to companies.
Substantial financial and human resources have been made available to IRIT and FittingBox so that this product, which is still at the experimental stage, can be marketed within 18 months. "Thanks to TTT, we have at our disposal the necessary skills to promote our work and make it available to the business world. The advice, coaching and support they provide are essential. TTT completes the tripod necessary for the development of innovation, namely: an inventor, a laboratory and a valorisation structure, represented here by DTC" adds Alain Ayache, Director of ENSEEIHT, an establishment of the INPT (Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse), one of the IRIT's supervisory bodies.
"This project allows us to be more and more innovative and to strengthen our presence on the national and international market for which we make 60% of our sales. Alone, we would not have immediately had the necessary means to finalize this project. The role of TTT is essential because it will allow us to access more quickly to a mature technology that can be used in our business, adds Florian Lopez, Marketing Manager of FittingBox.
About Toulouse Tech Transfer
Toulouse Tech Transfer, the Société d'Accélération du Transfert de Technologies (SATT) of Midi-Pyrénées, was created as part of the investment program for the future (PIA) and was allocated in 2011 a budget of 70 million euros over 10 years. TTT's main shareholders are the PRES Université de Toulouse, the Centre National de la Recherche (CNRS) and the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC). To find out more about the company: http://www.toulouse-tech-transfer.com/
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About FittingBox
Since its creation in 2006, FittingBox has been providing interactive solutions and digital content for the major players in the optics and eyewear industry. A leader in virtual eyewear fitting solutions, FittingBox has built up the world's largest database of 2D, 3D and 360° views of eyewear. Strongly focused on Research and Innovation, the company has been awarded several times in France and Europe. Thanks to its portfolio of patented technologies in the fields of virtual fitting (augmented reality), 3D compression and face detection, FittingBox has won the trust of the largest international players in the sector: renowned brands, major retail chains and e-commerce leaders. Founded by Benjamin HAKOUN (Managing Director) and Ariel CHOUKROUN (R&D Director), the company currently employs around forty people in France, in Paris and Toulouse. http://fr.fittingbox.com/
About IRIT
IRIT, Institut de Recherche en Informatique de Toulouse, is a Joint Research Unit, UMR 5505, common to the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), the Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse (INPT) on the ENSEEIHT site, the Université Paul Sabatier (UPS) and the Université des Sciences Sociales Toulouse 1 (UT1). With approximately 490 members (191 teacher-researchers, 24 researchers, 180 PhD students, 57 post-doctoral students, 45 technical and administrative staff), IRIT covers all research issues and current computing issues. IRIT is the CNRS reference laboratory in Computer Science. To know more about it: http://www.irit.fr/
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