In the afternoon on August 29, the opening ceremony of the Tencent Games & AAC Technologies Joint Lab was held at the headquarters of AAC Technologies. Focusing on the new technologies and new application scenarios of perceived experience, both parties will bring the industry and consumers better and smarter perceived experiences in the form of institutionalized cooperation.
The opening ceremony was witnessed by AAC Technologies, Tencent Games, Shenzhen Association of Blind People, Shenzhen Accessibility Research Association, and other units. Simultaneously held on the same day was also the “Forum of Innovation in Accessible Digital Scenarios 2022.” Many big names in the industry shared cutting-edge information about the haptic industry, and had intensive discussions on the new technologies and application scenarios of perceived experience.
Build a full-scene content ecosystem for haptics
Enable new breakthroughs in perceived experience technologies
During the opening ceremony, both AAC Technologies and Tencent Games expressed that they will have in-depth cooperation in sustaining technology exchanges, resource sharing, and new project launches to develop interactive and customizable haptic functions and aggressively boost the advancement of haptic technologies.
Signing ceremony of the Tencent Games & AAC Technologies Joint Lab
AAC Technologies had in-depth cooperation with Tencent Games in haptics before the establishment of the lab. In 2021, the RichTap® haptic solution of AAC Technologies was featured in Game for Peace to support Tencent Games’ MTGPA standard solutions and premium vibration on both iOS and Android systems.
The Tencent Games and AAC Technologies Joint Lab jointly supported by both parties will call on more game, music, input method, map and other software developers to join the lab, facilitate the promotion of accessible haptic features in software, enrich the content ecosystem of haptics, and finalize the technical standards of haptics.
Boost information accessibility
Make technologies more considerate
This Forum of Innovation in Accessible Digital Scenarios 2022 witnessed exchanges and discussions around the value and application of haptic technologies in the field of accessibility, made information accessible, and also marks a great start of the Tencent Games and AAC Technologies Joint Lab.
Pan Kaitai, Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer of AAC Technologies, said, “The haptic technology can not only bring immersive experiences to consumers in games or other entertainment scenarios, but also be used for accessibility and other social responsibility scenarios to help build an accessible society and realize the most important purpose of perceived experience technologies, that is to serve and include everyone in the experience.”
Pan Kaitai, Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer of AAC Technologies (second from left)
Gao Lina, the general manager of Studio S of Lightspeed Studios under Tencent Games and the head of the Game for Peace project, shared her opinions at the forum that Tencent Games will continuously utilize the capability of games in super digital scenarios and connect to the positive values of society with cutting-edge technologies.
Gao Lina, the general manager of Studio S of Lightspeed Studios under Tencent Games and the head of the Game for Peace project
Liu Qitong, the general manager of the Technology Operation Department of Tencent Games, said, “In addition to voice, the most important channel for visually impaired users to obtain information is touch. The MTGPA project team of Tencent Games expects to address the physical, safety, and social needs of disabilities by combining the vibrating haptic technology with digital life scenarios.”
Liu Qitong, the general manager of the Technology Operations Department of Tencent Games
Zheng Rui, Vice Chairman of Shenzhen Association of Blind People, shared his true feeling as a visually impaired user. He said that visually impaired people mainly acquire information by hearing and touching things in their lives. Touching can help them acquire information more directly and precisely. He looked forward to the application of haptic technology in more gaming and medical scenarios in the future.
Zheng Rui, Vice Chairman of Shenzhen Association of Blind People
The Tencent Games and AAC Technologies Joint Lab supported by AAC Technologies and Tencent Games will further advance the cooperation of both parties in developing accessible haptic features to address the pain points of visually impaired users when using smart terminal devices, and fuel the application of the haptic technology in specific scenarios. Meanwhile, exemplary standards for haptic features will be publicized for reference, bringing more opportunities for visually impaired users to experience tactile technologies.
Join the cause
Let perceived experience technologies serve every user well
According to statistical data, there are more than 17 million visually impaired people in China. For them, an ever-upgraded smart phone is nothing but a smooth glass panel that even inconveniences them in their lives. This is a digital divide brought about by technological development.
To truly achieve barrier-free audio, visual, and tactile perception, the industry needs to work together to bear the social responsibility of information accessibility. As a leading company of perceived experience technologies, AAC Technologies will live up to its mission of “creating better perceived experiences for the world,” help visually impaired people cross the digital divide, and let perceived experience technologies better serve every user.
In the future, AAC Technologies will bear its responsibility and work with Tencent Games to promote haptic technologies in the field of accessibility. Efforts will be made to help remove barriers of visually impaired people in information consumption cost, terminal devices, services, and applications, and to build a richer ecosystem for haptics, so every user can acquire and use information equally while experiencing the convenience and greatness brought by smart perception technologies.