Codazen wants to change how people interact with the web on a daily basis.
The Irvine-based software company launched a new platform called Ready3D that transforms traditional websites into fully immersive experiences.
Users viewing websites supported by Ready3D can pan around the screen and interact with 3D elements, all without the need of a virtual reality (VR) headset.
“We wanted something that worked in VR, but didn’t require it, so it would be universally accessible,” Chief Executive Mike Merchant told the Business Journal.
While users can access the interactive 3D content from their desktop and phones, Ready3D can also be used with VR headsets for “total immersion.”
Merchant said that Codazen currently partners with Meta and University of California, Irvine students, who are using Ready3D for their interior design capstone senior projects.
Codazen is also in talks with Irvine councilmember Mike Carroll about creating an immersive tour experience for the Great Park.
Inspired by Marvel’s Iron Man
Merchant said that when developing the Ready3D platform, he envisioned Tony Stark from the Marvel film “Iron Man” browsing the web with hand gestures and pulling products directly from the screen.
“That vision is basically what we’ve created,” Merchant said.
Since the platform is built on WebXR technology, it doesn’t require any special apps or downloads. WebXR is a framework that enables developers to create mixed-reality experiences accessible through a web browser.
Merchant said he identified a gap between the way websites currently operate and the metaverse, where people interact through personal avatars in virtual worlds.
He sees Ready3D as bridging the gap.
“It’ll allow people to transition more easily and have content to experience before VR devices are made less bulky,” Merchant said.
The advancement of VR headsets into smaller and lighter devices will drive a “huge adoption” of immersive web technologies, according to Merchant.
The process began with Meta last September introducing Orion, its first pair of augmented reality (AR) glasses. Orion is an evolution of the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses but with added AR capabilities.
“Ultimately, it’s going to be like putting on a pair of glasses, and it won’t be as awkward,” Merchant said. “That’s the environment we’re getting ready for.”
The Ready3D platform is currently a “white-glove” service available to companies that reach out to Codazen, according to Merchant. The company plans to eventually launch a “do-it-yourself” platform in the future.
Longtime Meta Partner
Two months ago, Codazen partnered with Meta Reality Labs, formerly Oculus VR before being acquired by Meta, to create what it describes as the world’s first immersive email campaign last Cyber Monday.
On the left side of the webpage is the standard content, while on the right side, 3D content is generated as users scroll down.
Codazen’s collaboration with Meta dates back long before the campaign. In 2014, Codazen developed many of the web platforms that supported the launch of the original Oculus VR headset. Over the years, Codazen has helped build Meta’s web infrastructure and delivered more than 600 digital campaigns and projects.
The company has not raised any funds yet but plans to do so soon. Merchant mentioned that they aim to hire a dedicated team to scale the platform, “contingent on that fundraising.”
