VR Shopping Research Tools Launched

Georgia, US-based VR shopping specialist Advanced Simulations has partnered with research firm Azure Knowledge to launch two new virtual reality research products.

Unveiled at the recent IIeX NA conference, 4D Shopper Plus and 4D Shopper VR make use of Azure's DigiWalks technology. The former puts shoppers in an immersive environment based on thousands of photographs of actual stores, and allows simplified movement through the store, which can be stocked with 'shop-able categories'. The latter goes a step further and turns these into true virtual reality, viewable on simple VR headsets, allowing shoppers to walk through the store and pick up and interact with products - including purchasing them.

Azure Knowledge, whose co-founder and Executive Director is Jay Ruparel, employs 500 people on four continents and offers multi-channel interviewing of b2b, medical and consumer audiences. The rapid growth of the company was recognised last night when Ruparel (pictured) was chosen as Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneur Of The Year 2017, at the accountancy firm's Regional Awards gala at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick.

The partners' web sites are at www.azureknowledge.com and www.advancedsimulations.com .