Emerging Tech Proof of Concept
Sustainable Funds Discovery
By: Jamie Barras | July 8, 2020
Can spatial augmented reality technology create an easier and more engaging way for users to review portfolio holdings and switch one fund for another? We created an interactive virtual table where users search and arrange funds by theme and compare fund attributes to more confidently select a new fund for their portfolio. The selected fund information can then be sent to their email address to help them execute the swap online.

The Challenge

Create an experience that augments an office or home setting and provides the investor another way to review, compare and select funds that is more visual and uses the key features from an Augmented Reality headset, including simple hand gestures, eye tracking, audio and the trigger functions on a controller.

The Value

The experience utilized a commonly referenced ESG data set which allows savvy investors to access detailed information about ESG funds, learn about data available to assess funds, identify an area of interest, and compare and select funds against their current portfolio holdings. ESG data is complicated to understand and includes many new data points for investors to consider. We provided a visual experience to learn about ESG data and help the investor compare this new information against existing funds in their portfolio.

What we Learned

The AR headset we used is spatial aware and can superimpose virtual interactive objects over the real world to create experiences that are interwoven with the space and objects around the user. We explored various ways to present fund data (typically in cubes and chart form) in space allowing users to interact, make selections, and easily organize information. This project helped us identify several key design principles for spatial computing including object detection and office awareness, the importance of engaging the senses and keeping experiences simple and intuitive. Although there are current hardware and software limitations, the technology is evolving rapidly, and we expect enterprises to leverage it as the cost of the headsets come down in price.

Team & Tech

Our team was comprised of specialists in immersive technology programming, product design and product management. We used an AR headset and the developer tools associated with it along with the Unity Real-Time development platform. Since this project was executed, various AR headset firms have emerged with a focus on enterprise applications, featuring services and tools to create solutions more appropriate for the workplace.

Press

FCAT continues to work with immersive interface technology (AR/VR/XR) to aid in employee training, customer education, collaboration and data visualization. We have several experiences that have caught the attention of the news media. The New York Times featured one of our team’s VR efforts designed to help investors with retirement planning. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/25/business/retirement-savings.html

Next Steps

We enjoyed experimenting with several AR headsets, and are eager to evaluate more. As we continuously scan the industry, we believe AR headset technology has a place in business, but the cost, weight and size of the headsets need to decrease. We are watching new product launches for those that may provide improvements.

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The Deep Dive

Click on the link to see a demo of the Sustainable Funds Discovery experience.

FCAT - Sustainable Funds Discovery