The 17th Contents Tokyo was held at Tokyo Big Sight from July 2 (Wed.) to 4 (Fri.), 2025. The event consisted of seven exhibitions of characters, contents production, creators, etc., attracting companies from Japan and abroad. In this issue, we report on the EXE Corporation booth, which attracted a lot of attention in the spacious exhibition hall!
Report on the EXE’S booth at the 17th Contents Tokyo!
17th Contents TokyoSaiga NAK
Contents Tokyo” is…
Licensing Japan: Character, Brand, Art & Entertainment
Video and CG Production: Video/Video Production Companies, CG Production Companies, Animation Production
Creator EXPO: illustrators, picture book authors, writers, designers, modelers, programmers, photographers, advertising creatives
MARKETING EXPO: Content creation, content marketing support
communication design expo: branding strategy, communication strategy, design strategy
immersive technology expo: ultra-high-definition display holograms, 3D acoustic spatial audio, haptic feedback haptics
FAN COMMUNITY MARKETING EXPO: Community building and management support, strengthening relationships with fans, co-creation and diffusion with fans
Japan’s largest comprehensive exhibition for the contents business, consisting of seven exhibitions. 37,883 people, mostly businessmen in suits, visited the exhibition over the three days.
Naked-eye stereoscopic display attracts attention
EXE’s booth at the 17th Contents TokyoSaiga NAK
The EXIS booth attracted many displays and crowds of visitors, especially the large display. The large display was particularly eye-catching.
It looks like it’s floating (the photo doesn’t do it justice).Saiga NAK
That’s no wonder. Objects projected on this display appear to float!
This display, which looks as if the object is not only in depth but also protruding in the foreground, is called a “naked-eye stereoscopic display. We talked to the person in charge about the mechanism and future development.
We interviewed Mr. Syoichiro Yamamoto of EXE Corporation!
Mr. Syoichiro YamamotoSaiga NAK
Mr. Yamamoto said he wanted to go home early on the day of the event and play “DEATH STRANDING 2: ON THE BEACH. He has a keen interest in VR games and has played almost all the titles released around 2017 and 2018.
– Please tell us about the role of EXIES.
Yamamoto: We rent and sell Looking Glass for the Japanese market. We have a lot of experience in renting all hardware, software, and content for exhibitions and events. We also sell software packages, so if you purchase the software, you can use Looking Glass to display your 3D models and promotional materials in 3D.
Also, since we are originally a company that makes business systems, we can create a full-order system based on the customer’s requirements. We have many customers who say, “I can make the application myself,” but the way to make the software is unique, and it is not easy to find out how to make it, so we provide technical support in the form of know-how and operational support. We also provide maintenance services after installation. Our engineers provide advice on installation and content, and we have a system in place to visit the site to provide support in case of problems.
Various applications realize stereoscopic viewingSaiga NAK
– Will the various software applications be exclusive to Looking Glass?
Yamamoto: Yes, Looking Glass has a very special camera. For example, if there is a request to support Sony’s SRD (Spatial Reality Display), we just need to replace that part and the software will basically work.
The palm-sized “Looking Glass GoSaiga NAK
– Do you have any plans to sell the product to individuals?
Yamamoto: At this point, we are mainly offering the product to corporate customers, but we are actually preparing an e-commerce site. It is possible to purchase from the New York headquarters’ website, but it is a hurdle to do business overseas.
As for the 6-inch “Looking Glass Go,” we are working to start sales in the summer of 2025…in the warmer months of the year. We don’t think there will be demand for the other models due to price, but if you contact us, we may be able to offer them to you. We are working to start selling the other models in the summer of 2025, but we may start selling them in the warmer months.
Looking Glass Go: (resolution) 2K, (price) 48,000 yen
Looking Glass 16″: (resolution) 2K, (price) 630,000 yen
Looking Glass 27″: (resolution)4K, (price)1,680,000 yen
Looking Glass 32″: (resolution)8K, (price)on request
Looking Glass 65″: (resolution)8K, (price)on request
If you look closely, you can see that each image is a collection of different images.Saiga NAK
– In the first place, how is naked-eye stereopsis achieved?
Yamamoto: These are displays that can output 45 to 100 images simultaneously. If you want to project a still image with Looking Glass, you can output about 45 angles to the subject to realize naked-eye stereoscopic viewing. If the images are prepared in advance, long-time playback is possible even in a low-spec environment, making it suitable for exhibitions.
Smooth rendering with real-time rendering is also possible by utilizing game engines such as Unity. In this case, machine specs are required, so a gaming PC with a graphics board or an iPad with an M4 chip is necessary.
– So it also supports live-action video?
Yamamoto: Yes. For live-action, the camera is placed on a rail and moved parallel to the subject while shooting. We can capture stereoscopic images at a rate of about one every two minutes. Also, although we have not tried it yet, if we can prepare 45 cameras, we can also shoot stereoscopic video.
Saiga NAK
– Is it possible to further increase the display size?
Yamamoto: Technically, it is possible. However, from the perspective of the factory line and demand, 65 inches is the maximum size at this time.
Demonstration of adding depth to a certain fruit game. You can move sideways to look into the depth.Saiga NAK
– It looks like it could be used for games as well, doesn’t it?
Yamamoto: That’s right. I think Looking Glass is somewhere between games on general displays and VR games. Existing games can be adapted for stereoscopic viewing, but I think it would be fun to create original games with the added fun that only stereoscopic viewing can provide. For example, this is a demo of adding depth to a popular fruit game.
Looking Glass itself is expensive, so we are looking for ways to develop it so that large groups of people can enjoy it in a lighthearted manner at places such as game centers and events. In addition, VR content is getting better every year, but generally there is an age limit of 10 years old or older. In contrast, anyone can enjoy Looking Glass, and we have actually exhibited it at events for children. The experience of grasping objects with hand tracking while feeling 3D with the naked eye was very popular.
Demonstration of grasping a 3D model using a tracking cameraSaiga NAK
– What are your future plans?
Yamamoto: Our company is mainly engaged in business system development, but we wanted to expand the scope of our work, so we were able to connect with many more companies through Looking Glass. We are currently exploring the use of Looking Glass. So far, we have proposed the use of CAD data at exhibitions for the manufacturing and construction industries. We have been proposing the use of CAD data at exhibitions for the manufacturing and construction industries, but now we are thinking that it could also be used forentertainment with avatars, and for promotional purposes such as signage. In terms of actual results, we are currently conducting demonstration experiments for educational use in collaboration with stores, museums, and universities.
Saiga NAK
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