Introducing Daniel Vettorazi, a technological innovator and pioneer in Augmented Reality. Beginning his career as an art director with coding skills, Daniel quickly developed a passion for emerging technologies, particularly AR, leading workshops across Brazil since 2010. His journey evolved from developing AR applications using C++, Flash, and early JavaScript to mastering Computer Vision and Machine Learning. 

We hosted a Q&A with Daniel to learn more about his journey in the AR space and how he’s using 8th Wall to build engaging experiences. 

How were you introduced to 8th Wall?
In early 2019, I started using 8th Wall as I was searching for WebAR solutions that could work consistently across browsers. 8th Wall proved the reliable solution I was looking for, and ever since then, I have utilized it for all of my client and personal projects involving WebAR.

What would you say is your area of expertise?
Over the years, my area of expertise has evolved. I started my professional journey as an art director who knew how to code. However, my interest in technology grew with time, and I became more drawn towards emerging ideas in this field, especially AR. This technology was so fresh in 2010 that I was among the first Brazilians to discuss this topic in classes and workshops around the country. It's nostalgic to think about that time when I had to code AR apps on C++ or weird frameworks with Flash. Even Javascript was a new technology at that time.

AR led me to explore topics like Computer Vision and Machine Learning. These are the two areas that I am most recognized for nowadays. However, I have come to realize that my area of expertise is not limited to any specific technology. Instead, my expertise is to study and prototype solutions with emerging technologies to solve creative challenges for clients and projects.

How do web-based capabilities help you bring AR to the real world? 
The most significant signal I see in the market is the fact that people don't want to download more apps, especially if the app is only for a specific ad campaign or promotion. Over the years, I've seen so many ideas die in meetings because of this fact.

To address this issue, 8th Wall has become my preferred solution for all web-based AR projects that my clients bring to me. This framework not only provides me with creative freedom but also helps developers produce high-quality work without worrying about device compatibility or browser limitations.

What are your future goals with AR?  
One of my biggest goals this year is to bring more AI to WebAR applications. A good example of this is the work I did at Buoy in partnership with Niantic, creating the app LinguaLens. This app allows users to select three-dimensional objects using an AR bounding box and then translate them into any language. The app integrates Microsoft Azure, Microsoft's cloud service, to recognize objects in the scene and send the scene description to OpenAI's GPT, which then translates it into the desired language. This is also a great example of how GPT can be used for other tasks such as translations.

What’s a recent project that left you feeling inspired?

It was a project I worked on back in November, for L'Óreal, which I find particularly inspiring.
By scanning a QR code on a single digital billboard above the Sephora store, users were immersed in the digital twin of Times Square, where the Metal Detox hair oil was everywhere.

This not only demonstrated the power of web AR in creating captivating and interactive advertising experiences but also showed the effectiveness of using technology in marketing strategies. What was particularly striking about this campaign was how it used just one physical screen to take over the entirety of Times Square's billboards, creating a seamless blend of the digital and physical worlds. It underscored the exciting possibilities for advertisers to incorporate technology like AR in their concepts, transforming traditional advertising landscapes into dynamic, interactive experiences.

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