Toronto, Ontario and Bridgetown, Barbados--(Newsfile Corp. - February 14, 2023) - Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc. (CSE: LQID) (OTCQB: LQAVF) (FSE: 4T5) ("Liquid Avatar" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its controlled subsidiary, Aftermath Islands Metaverse Limited ("Aftermath Islands") has been actively engaged in developing Artificial Intelligence ("AI") powered Non-Player Characters (NPCs) avatars that are subject matter experts for the Metaverse. Having completed initial development, training and testing, AI avatars have begun to emerge in the Aftermath Islands Metaverse, with a fully interactive commercial rollout expected this quarter, which provides high fidelity graphics and a no download experience. The early-stage experience is available now at https://play.aftermathislands.com.
The Company's new AI avatar technology, using OpenAI GPT3, with over 175 billion parameters, essentially the enhanced version of ChatGPT which only has 1.5 billion parameters, has been primarily developed to provide commercial opportunities for brands and organizations to create virtual brand ambassadors that are easily accessible in the Metaverse and leverages a brand's existing web resources. Highly detailed, life-like and / or imaginative NPC avatars active in a natural looking virtual setting or in a branded location, will be deployed using the highly trainable, and interactive engagement capabilities of OpenAI GPT3 and Aftermath Islands' continuous updating and management. These AI powered avatars can naturally converse, initially by text and later by voice interaction with a user, allowing them to have a fulsome conversation with the AI avatar and navigate through a discussion or query on a particular subject or brand program. The technology will also have the capabilities to recommend products and services and provide links to be able to launch an organization's existing website, information, provide support and / or eCommerce initiatives directly from the Metaverse to a user's web browser, creating both engagement and activation opportunities for the brand seamlessly and efficiently.
"Artificial Intelligence applications like OpenAI GPT3 provide cost effective opportunities for brands, retailers, educators, travel and tourism operators, governments, and other types of organizations to move from static based information push models to truly interactive capabilities in the Metaverse, creating new and innovative ways to create awareness, engagement, activation and conversion," commented David Lucatch, CEO of Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc. and Managing Director of Aftermath Islands Metaverse Limited. "We are already seeing strong commercial interest, as AI powered avatars can naturally interact with users and can recommend solutions that can be "clicked" within Aftermath Islands to instantly launch access to a host of web activities including eCommerce sites to support revenue-based activities, and 24/7 automated and intelligent customer service and support."
Aftermath Islands Metaverse First to Deploy Blockchain Proof of Humanity by Liquid Avatar to Create Safer, Private Online Experience and Eliminate Usernames and Passwords
Georgetown, Barbados / Toronto, Canada, October 19, 2022 - Aftermath Islands Metaverse Limited, a controlled subsidiary of Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc, is the first organization to deploy blockchain-based verifiable credentials to provide Proof of Humanity assurances and allow users to establish a digital footprint that proves they are a genuine individual without having to divulge sensitive government-issued identity or proof of address, creating a high degree of trust or privacy in the Web3 world by establishing one-user, one-account verification.
This system has the opportunity to play a much larger role in the emerging Metaverse ecosystem supporting interoperability, reduction of fraud and instances of cyber bullying, and potentially creating more effective and efficient business interactions for marketing and engagement. It also eliminates the need for username and passwords, using verified biometric instead.
Powered by the Liquid Avatar Mobile App, available in most regions around the world, in the Apple App Store and Google Play, with an expanding global footprint, users can easily create an account and use likeness, device and age verification to establish an individual blockchain-based verifiable credential using W3C principles to create a Meta Park Pass™. The Meta Park Pass™ can then be presented to Aftermath Islands’ free Play-to-Earn game, Lost Kingdom of T’Sara, to play within the platform without establishing a traditional username and password. Aftermath Islands will also deploy the Meta Park Pass™ verifiable credential to access its Metaverse and other online programs as they become available.
Throughout the evolution of the Internet, both individuals and businesses have had great difficulty in establishing trust-based relationships and verification. US Federal Trade Commission data shows that consumers reported losing more than $5.8 billion to fraud in 2021, an increase of more than 70 percent over the previous year. A study released in July 2022 from Juniper Research, found that the cumulative merchant losses to online payment fraud globally between 2023 and 2027 will exceed $343 billion. In August this year, ECT News Network reported that one in three U.S. social media users has multiple accounts on various platforms, based on a survey of 1,500 U.S. social media users conducted by USCasinos.com. Of those with multiple accounts, nearly half (48%) have two or more additional accounts. According to CBS, major social media networks took down over 1.4 billion fake accounts last year.
The Liquid Avatar Mobile App and Meta Park Pass™ challenge conventional online wisdom that allows individuals and entities to create multiple user accounts, potentially leading to predatory practices and cyberbullying, aimed towards children and seniors, and fake accounts that pump up user stats inside a platform. This system works to solve these issues for users and marketers by providing assurances that everyone in an online environment is a “real” person with 1 user only allowed 1 account, potentially increasing transparency and confidence to online communities. Aftermath Islands Metaverse and Lost Kingdom of T’Sara are the first platforms to use this technology, which can be easily deployed to other online games, websites, social media, and eCommerce platforms.
The Liquid Avatar Mobile App and Meta Park Pass™ represents a huge step forward for the digital identity and Metaverse spaces to reduce, reverse and potentially eliminate negative trends by using blockchain technologies. Without a unique digital footprints for individual users, existing new platforms can suffer the same issues of fraud, identity theft and restricted value capture by platform participants that have long plagued a wide range of other industries, from finance and healthcare to insurance, education, and more.
Aftermath Islands will use the Liquid Avatar Mobile App to create additional credentials for exclusive access to events where KYC (Know Your Customer) is required, and new and emerging opportunities in online education, business, gaming and other activities where proof of humanity and identity are required.
According to David Lucatch, Managing Director of Aftermath Islands Metaverse: “Aftermath Islands is excited to be the first organization to deploy Proof of Humanity and enhance value with real people, while eliminating the issues that plague usernames and passwords, effectively creating a one-user, one-account system. With Web3 and the Metaverse, we have an opportunity to change the failures of previous iterations of the Internet that failed to provide protection for privacy and data and assurances that only real people exist in an online space. We would never accept this kind of behavior in the real world and we now have the opportunity to create safe and unique spaces that support digital footprints and all types of interactions between people, business and other parties.”
RJ Reiser, Chief Information Officer of Liquid Avatar Technologies added: “Liquid Avatar’s app allows users to control what they share, when they share and how they share, allowing them to manage, control and benefit from the use of their digital footprint using the Meta Park Pass™ and other blockchain-based to verifiable credentials. The system also includes features to create verifiable credentials and verify them, creating and supporting identity without the need of usernames and passwords. By combining these digital identifiers for participants and players on our platforms and within the growing constellation of digital offerings and virtual platforms coming up around the world, we make it easier for platforms and players to control their data and secure their privacy wherever they operate – virtually or in real life.”
Proof of Humanity offers similar services and promises to herald a new era in which we no longer rely on centralized forms of ID (such as those provided by governments or institutions) for verification or access to services and create assurances that everyone in an ecosystem is a real person. By using blockchain-based verifiable credentials systems can assure that one user has only one account.
Proof of Humanity is creating a verified database of unique registrants. When combined with solutions such as those provided by Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc. and first offered by Aftermath Islands Metaverse, these offerings open a wide range of new use cases in multiple domains across virtual and Metaverse experiences, as well as at the intersections of the real and online worlds. These include online gaming, cashing out funds from online wallets, and obtaining real-world services using digital footprint.
To review a demo of the Liquid Avatar Mobile App and the Meta Park Pass™, please visit Liquid Avatar’s Youtube page.
About Aftermath Islands Metaverse Limited
Aftermath Islands Metaverse Limited is a Barbados corporation that is 50% owned and is controlled by Oasis Digital Studios Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc (CSE:LQID / OTC: LQAVF / FRA: 4T51. Aftermath Island Token Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aftermath Islands Metaverse Limited, is a British Virgin Islands corporation
Aftermath Islands Metaverse is an open-world, realistic graphic virtual world where users can buy, develop, trade, and sell Virtual Land (VL), property, and items using in-game collectible NFTs. From play-to-earn games to online experiences, collaboration, immersive entertainment, and more, Aftermath Islands brings live streaming, high-definition graphics, exemplary interactivity, real-world mechanics, and countless new services and experiences to players all around the world. The platform is built on the philosophy of decentralization and economic inclusivity and promises to provide captivating experiences that allow people around the world to earn their way into virtual land ownership.
Learn about Aftermath Islands’ virtual worlds here and read about how the project is reimagining Metaverse experiences in the future in the project light paper and sizzle reel.
Media contact:
Robert Penington
Robert@thronepr.com
MetaVRse’s ReMix3D Interactive Art Gallery Featured at Monaco Art Week
TORONTO, July 29, 2022 – MetaVRse is delighted to present ReMix3D, an ultra-exclusive virtual 3D exhibition celebrating the beauty and wonder of the Musée Collection des Arts, at Monaco Art Week in Monte-Carlo hosted under the High Patronage of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco. ReMix3D is a prototype of a new permanent collection that will be located on the 21st floor of TheMall, a 100-million-square-foot virtual retail, entertainment and cultural destination in the metaverse.
“We’re excited to be part of this year’s exhibition, which combines the heights of Enlightenment-era European craftsmanship with technologies including metaverse virtual worlds and NFTs,” said MetaVRse co-founder Alan Smithson, who was featured in a panel discussion led by top industry professionals and artists. “ReMix3D makes it possible to experience these treasures first-hand, and will form the foundation of the world’s first premier permanent art collection in the metaverse.”
The Musée Collection Des Art is one of the largest art private collections in Europe with over 25,000 unique art items. At this year’s Monaco Art Week, the country showcased its local art scene along with an exhibition of golden snuffboxes from the collection.
More than just vessels for holding powdered tobacco, snuffboxes were ceremonial status symbols in 18th century Europe. European masters created snuffboxes from gold, gems, pearls, and other precious materials. The event and guests were brought together by art world luminary Magdalena Gabriel and included representatives from Colombian rum company Dictador and the globally revered Pace Gallery.
“Monaco Art Week celebrates our collective past while shining a spotlight on the future of arts and culture,” continued Smithson. “We’re deeply honoured to share ReMix3D with the world’s leading art collectors, and to bring it worldwide as a foundational part of TheMall.”
About MetaVRse
MetaVRse is a 3D creation platform for the future of human communication, collaboration, culture, and commerce. MetaVRse makes it easy to create and share interactive 3D experiences instantly on the web. Since 2016, MetaVRse Studio has created hundreds of 3D, virtual, augmented and mixed reality (XR) projects for the world’s top brands. Learn more at MetaVRse.com.
About TheMall
TheMall is the world’s largest virtual shopping center, featuring photorealistic 3D stores accessible by over 7 billion devices including mobile phones via the web. Private investors and retailers have the opportunity to purchase individual 1 million square foot floors in TheMall as NFTs. Landlords have the autonomy to develop this space however they want, from building stores that sell virtual and physical goods, to creating entertainment experiences. Floors can be subdivided into smaller parcels, leased, or built out. Learn more at TheMall.io.
Healthcare Expert Shruti Natarajan Joins Lumeto
Lumeto, the Toronto-based immersive learning company deploying its XR learning platform to the health care and public safety sectors, continues to build on its competency with the hire of HealthTech expert Shruti Natarajan. Natarajan will serve as Director of Product Marketing, leading the go-to-market strategy for the company’s Involve XR solution.
Natarajan brings more than a decade of product marketing and business strategy experience across technology and healthcare industries. She previously held key global roles at companies including Philips and most recently at CAE Healthcare, where she managed the global product commercialization and marketing for a portfolio of digital solutions, including Mixed Reality applications for healthcare training. Her experience and deep knowledge of the healthcare industry will help Lumeto define a customer-centric and commercially viable product vision as well as the roadmap for the team’s innovative Involve XR solution.
Contact:
Name: Rakhee Sapra
Email Address: rakhee.sapra@lumeto.com
Website URL: http://lumeto.com
UgoVirtual™ Appoints Page Petry to Key Corporate Advisory Role to Guide Strategic Global Growth Initiatives
ATLANTA – January 26, 2021 – UgoVirtual™, a leading global provider of comprehensive digital platforms designed to meet the rapidly expanding needs of the virtual/hybrid conference and event management industry, has announced the appointment of Page Petry as Senior Strategic Advisor for the rapidly growing organization.
In addition to a seat on UgoVirtual’s Corporate Board of Advisors (BOA), Petry will be a member of the executive leadership team charged with providing a framework for continued growth and expansion of both the UgoVirtual product/solution portfolio and its network of domestic and international enterprise client partners. She will work closely with the senior management team to refine internal processes and protocols designed to streamline operations and maximize efficiencies in the successful delivery of virtual and hybrid events based on the UgoVirtual’s full-featured digital collaboration solutions platform.
“We are extremely honored to have someone of Page’s caliber in this key advisory role and as a member of executive leadership, to provide strategic guidance as we continue to scale our virtual and hybrid solutions set and our global commercial capacity,” said Michael Cohen, UgoVirtual’s CEO. “We are fortunate to have the opportunity to benefit from her extensive and highly relevant experience in the international IT sector, and we look forward to her contribution toward the planning of our next generation of digital collaboration technology solutions for both enterprise and a wide range of vertical market sectors.”
A recognized leader in the Information Technology sector of the hospitality market for over three decades, Page most recently served as the Chief IT Officer of the Americas at Marriott International in Washington D.C. During her extensive 33-year career with Marriott, Petry held a variety of roles, including 10+ years as CIO-Americas, where she led the Continent IT Organization, and was part of the integration efforts for several major acquisitions, including Starwood Hotels, the Autograph Collection, Gaylord Hotels and Delta Hotels & Resorts. In 2011, Petry was honored with a place on Computerworld Magazine’s Premier 100 IT Leaders list. Currently serving on numerous Boards for both private and not-for-profit companies, she founded PDPetry Consulting in 2020 in order to assist organizations with their product planning and go to market strategies.
“I am excited to be engaged with UgoVirtual, as they continue to address the cultural shift that has taken place in the event and corporate meeting industry by developing innovative solutions for maximizing the virtual event, collaborative and engagement experiences for all stakeholders,” said Petry. “This is a uniquely critical time for the industry, and UgoVirtual has the platform, the vision and the ability to create lasting positive change.”
A flexible, full-featured and highly configurable digital conference and event platform, UgoVirtual’s core virtual event solution enables event organizers and meeting planners to virtualize conferences, tradeshows, symposiums and more in a variety of industries and sectors, from finance, science and medical, retail, NGOs and associations, to academic and enterprise networking events. This provides a host of benefits to all stakeholders, including expanded reach, increased revenue opportunities, more active participation and extended access to event content.
To learn more about UgoVirtual’s comprehensive virtual and hybrid event platform, please visit ugovirtual.com.
Contact:
Name: Andrea Mane
Email Address: andrea@ugovirtual.com
Website URL: http://www.ugovirtual.com
Virtual & Augmented Reality Through the Legal Lens
Notes from VR/AR Association Toronto Chapter meeting March 28, 2019 at Fasken, a top tier law firm with a division focused on the needs of startups and emerging technology companies. Here are some of the ideas that were discussed during this sold-out event.
Start-Up Legal Considerations:
Forming a Corporation — Separate legal entity that will protect you from liabilities to protect founders from loss.
Issuing Founder Shares — Hold shares and guard your equity carefully. What seems like nothing on paper at the beginning (when the company has no value), could end up being millions of dollars when you could have paid thousands to have your proof-of-concept (POC) made. Think about who is really a founder and who isn’t. Create a vesting schedule with well-defined milestones. Offer stock options that allow employees and partners to buy in at a discounted rate. Make sure you have a shareholders agreement (similar to a marriage contract)
People issues — If you have a company, you will have people issues so better to have a clear system for hiring, managing, compensating and removing employees. Work with legal and accounting to decipher whether to use an employee or independent contractor framework to minimize tax implications. Create an employee stock option plan that has a vesting schedule (they earn their shares through time or deliverables). Are the founders' considered independent contractors? Advisory board? Employees? Clearly define the relationships through documentation and ensure deliverables are clear.
Intellectual property (patents) — IP is a tricky thing to plan for as it can create value and protection from competitors, but you have to show your secrets to the world and if you don’t have the resources to protect and defend your IP, what is the point? Are you going to be able to fight Google or Apple if they violate your patent? Patents offer 20-year protection in most places. Inventions must be new and novel. Canada and the US have a ‘first to file’ system. Keeping a ‘trade-secret’ or investing in speed to market may be a better investment in some cases. Co-owners of a patent can sell their share of the patent without the approval of other co-patent holders
Trademark — With trademarks, the design has to be new. Registration of a new trademark is fairly simple and inexpensive and protects you for 10 years. In software, things like unique graphical user interfaces with unique visual properties are protectable (ie. Google’s search screen)
Copyright — Copyrights protect original expression, but have some interesting loopholes that can trip companies up. Who owns the copyright? By definition, the creator of the content owns the rights except in cases where an employee was hired to generate said content and a clearly written transfer of intellectual property and copyright exists.
Contracts (Employees & Contractors)— Contracts with employees and contractors must clearly state who owns the finished products. By default, all IP is owned by contractors who make the product unless stated otherwise. You need a contract with your contractors that they waive all rights to sale.
Contracts (Customers) — Terms of service and End-user License Agreements (EULA) must be clearly written and even though most people won’t read them and they are hard to enforce, you can leverage these in times where liability is opened up (ie. a customer sues you over loss of service, etc.). You need to consider what happens if something goes wrong with your experience. If you have an AR app that takes someone into traffic, they get hit by a car and sue you, does your EULA protect you? Something to consider; you cannot enforce contracts on a minor, but you can put a caveat that they have to state they are over 18. An easier way to manage this is to use a credit card payment thus assuming parental consent.
Product liability — Have you considered the reasonable uses and the effects on the user? Is there a potential risk to the product and how can you mitigate this risk? How can you manage risk in terms of design, terms of use, disclaimer and waivers to cover the relationship.
Insurance — you should have adequate insurance to cover liability for users, directors and officers with proper indemnities to protect the company from attack.
Privacy Policy — The basic idea of privacy is to get consent from users to store, use and share their personal information. The privacy policy should clearly indicate what personal information you are collecting, how you are using it and who you are sharing it with and how. Public perception must by clear and direct privacy terms when commercializing.
Financing — As a startup, you will need to raise capital through any number of ways; Equity (the most expensive), Sales (least expensive), Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE), Convertible Debt (loan). Choosing the right investment vehicle is something for the founders, legal, accounting and strategy teams to decide together.
Virtual, Augmented & Mixed Reality (XR) Industry Specific Questions
Burger King Augmented Reality “Burn That Ad” app Brazil — What are the legal ramifications of defacing a copyright product (poster, billboard, brand)? Who owns the digital space? If ads are in a public space, how can advertisers prevent ad-blockers and other apps that fundamentally change the messaging using AR? How are images used? Depreciating the goodwill of the trademark and infringing on moral rights?
Selling 3D Models of Branded Products — What are the rules/law around 3D models (ie. who owns the rights to a Rolex or Ferrari) that was made from scratch by a 3D artist and sold on sites like www.TurboSquid.com or www.CGTrader.com ?
Who owns Virtual Spaces? — When doing AR activations, what are the ramifications of driving people to public spaces to look at digital content? What about private property? Is the end user responsible for chasing Pokemon in your office building? Do you need permits for public gatherings if done digitally? Is it better to build and execute first and then ask permission later?
How do you apply laws in VR world — Who owns IP in virtual worlds? If I create a virtual world and someone defaces it, what are my legal recourses? Can I kick people out of my virtual space? Is this covered by my terms of service?
How much weight does an NDA hold? — An NDA is only valuable if you have the means to enforce it. If you have an NDA with Google, do you have the means to sue them should they violate it?
Using Law in the courtroom — How can Virtual Reality be used by police and the legal system to provide judges and juries with more immersive looks at crime scenes using laser scanning for accuracy and Matterport or photogrammetry to capture exact scenes for people to look at in VR later.
As you can see if you made it this far, that there are way more questions than answers at this point, which is why it is always important to review with your lawyers and get prudent legal advice before moving forward.
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10+ companies featured, 50+ listed
As the world's technology epicenter, Toronto have become hotbeds for VR and AR. VRARA positions companies of all sizes to capitalize on this next major computing platform shift.
Foreword
Toronto leads the energy of our vibrant and intelligent VR & AR community. It is made up of thriving digital startups and established businesses from Toronto and the surrounding cities of Mississauga, Vaughan, Oakville, Burlington, Markham, New Market, Aurora, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa and Owen Sound, to just name a few. Together our Ontario community makes up the VRARA Toronto Chapter.
Our members include those who have businesses developing volumetric capture for entertainment, augmented art designs, VR arcades, augmented humans, AR battle games, VR & AR for real estate, training simulations in VR and AR vCommerce along with retail experiences. We have XR business strategists and computer visionaries and together we make up a strong VR & AR ecosystem in Ontario and in Canada.
Our Chapter has seen an increased interest in VR & AR from individuals, company training purposes, business applications and the need for strategic planning to find the best solutions in a digital world. While the industry has seen struggles with adoption at times, there have also been many experiences of thriving opportunities with early VR & AR development and years of beta testing and idea implementations. What has been remarkable and inspiring is that our VR & AR economy has seen an amazing influx of organic and self-taught job creation, led by enthusiasts who see the future vision and potential of emerging technologies.
Through our Chapter, we have the acknowledged support of our Municipal Government to the VR & AR industry in Toronto and surrounding partner cities. We are also in contact with our Provincial Government to educate the need to implement VR & AR Education into our school curriculum to prepare students for the job talent needed to develop our digital connections in our places of business and work.
In 2019, the Toronto Chapter envisions the growing life of AR & VR for retail, education, entertainment and continues to foster the technology and innovation in all areas of daily life. Building all developments with ethics, best practices and global standards along with certification approval from our Toronto Chapter is important to our community and clients. We look forward to our growing Toronto Chapter full of energetic, passionate talented people who are developing the technologies that will be implemented into education and business case studies, supporting the VR & AR industry in our communities, and leaping into the global ecosystem.
