PXR Labs and Next-System Building a 3D World

British Columbia (B.C.) is home to a thriving mix of gaming, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), film and television, visual effects, animation and post-production companies. As one of the world’s top video game and AR/VR centers, the province has shown leadership in digital entertainment. B.C.’s immersive technology companies generated $2.3 billion in annual revenues.

Moreover, being the second-largest AR/VR cluster outside of California, B.C. plays a significant role in the development of augmented, virtual and mixed reality technologies. Companies in the province are combining their best technologies to create practical tools for a wide range of applications, with opportunities available in nearly every region.

The B.C. Government’s global Trade and Invest BC Offices have experts who offer business intelligence and resources for B.C. export-ready businesses, including technology companies, aiming to enter new markets. Earlier this year, the Trade and Invest BC office in Japan organized an introductory meeting for the executives of PXR Labs and Next-System to get acquainted.

Founded in 2017 in Vancouver, B.C., PXR Labs specializes in crafting captivating immersive experiences using extended reality (XR), which includes both AR and VR. They create cutting-edge content for businesses and offer comprehensive talent outsourcing and software development services. PXR Labs has successfully delivered over 70 projects globally, covering use cases in training, simulation, education, visualization and more.

Next-System, established in 2002 and based in Fukuoka, Japan, specializes in research and development using artificial intelligence (AI) and XR (AR/VR/MR). Like PXR Labs, Next-System has implemented various computer vision and AI applications across factory and manufacturing operations, including automobile manufacturing, mining and medical operations.

Next-System is developing a comprehensive package called VisionPose, which includes solutions for behavioral analysis, posture estimation and person tracking. This AI solution accurately detects, analyzes, simulates and forecasts various human movements and postures. It is designed for use in medical, sports and security applications. VisionPose has been experimentally deployed in professional baseball training and can also be used to create virtual characters and avatars. With over 20 years of experience, Next-System has secured more than 400 clients, including major automobile companies like Toyota and Honda.

PXR Labs and Next System’s initial meeting was highly successful as both parties saw potential for technical synergy and collaboration.  Next-System proposed mutual commitments wherein the Japanese partner would showcase PXR Labs’ XR solutions, while the international partner would highlight Next-System’s AI solutions in the North America market. The proposal was reviewed by Trade and Invest BC with PXR Labs, and the commitments would be announced in a joint press release.

After several productive meetings between PXR Labs’ graphic and AI teams and Next-System’s technical teams, a mutual partnership was confirmed. Currently, the partnership focuses on local business orientation and development. The co-development of next-generated AI-powered XR solutions remains in the preliminary stage.

The partnership between PXR Labs and Next-System is expected to drive innovation and growth in the AR/VR industry. Trade and Invest BC will continue to support both companies in exploring future opportunities and will act as an observer to ensure effective communication between both sides.

In April 2024, the global strategic partnership between PXR Labs and Next-System was announced. This milestone marked a significant step forward, allowing both companies to broaden their operations and enhance customer satisfaction. As part of this partnership, both companies are presenting company and product information in their respective markets: Next-System is handling inquiries from Japanese companies that can benefit from PXR Labs’ solutions, and PXR Labs is receiving inquiries applicable to Next-System from Western markets, which are managed by Next-System’s overseas team.

Trade and Invest BC offers robust support from introductions of a B.C. company to a foreign market and continuing to assist that company with future opportunities. Trade and Invest BC facilitates connections between B.C. businesses and international enterprises, fostering partnerships and collaborations that benefit both parties. Click here to discover the locations of our Trade and Invest BC offices and learn how we can assist.