WSI Introduces Max Reality For Local TV Weather and Traffic
Augmented Reality Product Takes Viewers Inside Storms With Stunning 3D Images
Andover, MA – April 2, 2014 – WSI, the professional division of The Weather Company, today announced the launch of Max Reality, a dynamic augmented reality (AR) product that changes the way local television (TV) stations show weather and traffic. Max Reality creates unprecedented 3D images of storms and traffic events, visualizing weather and traffic data in a whole new way, helping local TV stations attract and hold viewers longer while providing an experience that cannot be matched on mobile devices.
Creating an augmented reality on-air presentation was challenging, time consuming and expensive until now. As the newest addition to the Max EcoSystem, Max Reality utilizes the same user interface with which WSI customers are already familiar, and integrates easily into a broadcaster’s workflow so that customers can create an AR presentation quickly without adding staff.
Max Reality’s 3D imagery is fully compatible with WSI’s interactive storytelling tool, Max Studio, enabling a station’s on-air talent to stay on camera and take viewers inside weather and traffic events. This allows more engaging storytelling, especially during mornings and severe weather coverage. It enables the creation of immersive and mesmerizing content that holds on-air audiences longer, making even routine weather and traffic looks fascinating.
“Augmented reality is something of a Holy Grail for local newscasts,” said Mark Gildersleeve, president, WSI. “Max Reality is the first product that provides a full AR experience for local stations without having to add staff or learn new systems. And when viewers see these incredible images and the storytelling that this technology allows, viewers will stay longer, particularly during the critical morning hours when they watch for weather and traffic updates.”
Max Reality is the only augmented reality product on the market that incorporates traffic data and graphics so that stations can use it to produce stunning segments in the two content categories that are daily habits – weather and traffic.
To learn more about WSI’s Max Reality, visit the WSI booth #SL4610, South Hall Lower, at the 2015 NAB Show, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, April 13 -16.
About WSI
Weather Means Business™. WSI is the world’s leading provider of weather-driven business solutions that enable enterprises to make better decisions using the most accurate and precise weather data available.
WSI serves some of the world’s biggest brands in the aviation, energy, insurance, and media markets, as well as federal and state government agencies. We are proud to be a part of The Weather Company, which focuses entirely on the weather, delivering billions of discrete forecasts per day around the world, through a media portfolio that includes The Weather Channel®, weather.com®, WSI and Weather Underground. Learn more at www.wsi.com.
WSI to Resell Ross Technology with Launch of New Augmented Reality product
Agreement Will Provide TV Stations Camera Tracking in Max Reality
Andover, MA and Fairfax, VA – April 2, 2015 – WSI, the professional division of The Weather Company, today announced it is now offering camera tracking software and hardware from Ross Video, the technology leader in camera tracking for augmented reality and virtual sets. Ross technology will be an option with WSI’s new Max Reality product, enabling the company to become a ‘one stop shop’ for TV stations undertaking augmented reality initiatives for their weather and traffic reports. The combination of Ross camera tracking and WSI’s Max Reality gives TV stations the ability to create unprecedented 3D images of storms and traffic events, bringing them to life for television viewers like never before.
As a result of the agreement, WSI can now sell Ross Video’s UX (User Xperience) Virtual Camera Control Software and supporting hardware offerings that include robotic cameras, mounts and associated accessories. WSI, through its Max EcoSystem, will provide all of the necessary equipment for television stations to provide a full, easy-to-create augmented reality experience.
“Max Reality will help television audiences visualize weather and traffic in an entirely new way. As a result, broadcasters will create better engagement with their audiences and increase time spent viewing,” said Mark Gildersleeve, president, WSI. “To make augmented reality come to life requires smooth and natural camera movement, and Ross Video’s solutions provide the highest quality and broadest range of options in this area. Combined with our cutting-edge weather and traffic solutions, we can now offer our customers everything they need for a full augmented reality experience.”
“We can’t wait to see how clients use 3D Augmented Weather to enhance their weather productions and explain weather and traffic in more compelling ways.” says David Ross, CEO of Ross Video. “Working with WSI to integrate UX VCC with Max Reality is yet another component in our strategy to deliver turn-key virtual solutions.”
To learn more about the WSI/Ross Video arrangement, visit the WSI Booth #SL4610, South Hall Lower, at the 2015 NAB Show, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, April 13 -16.
About Ross Video
Passionate about live production, Ross Video designs, manufactures and delivers dependable technology and services that power exceptional live video productions seen by billions of viewers around the world every day. Ross Video’s goal is to make it easy for customers to create compelling news, weather and sports broadcasts, engaging material for sports stadium screens, legislative assemblies, entertainment shows and rock concerts, and inspiring content for houses of worship. Relentlessly innovating, Ross Video delivers the world’s widest range of products and services for augmented reality and virtual sets, mobile live-event solutions, real-time motion graphics, robotic camera systems, social-media management, production switchers, routers, infrastructure products, video servers, newsroom systems, terminal equipment and more.
About WSI
Weather Means Business™. WSI is the world’s leading provider of weather-driven business solutions that enable enterprises to make better decisions using the most accurate and precise weather data available.
WSI serves some of the world’s biggest brands in the aviation, energy, insurance, and media markets, as well as federal and state government agencies. We are proud to be a part of The Weather Company, which focuses entirely on the weather, delivering billions of discrete forecasts per day around the world, through a media portfolio that includes The Weather Channel®, weather.com®, WSI and Weather Underground. Learn more at www.wsi.com.