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[VIDEO] Delta to Bring Parallel Reality Personalized Signage to DTW

January 8, 2020  | Written by Kristina Velan
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Misapplied Sciences showcased its parallel reality technology at Delta’s booth at CES. This is APEX/IFSA CEO Joe Leader’s view of the screen. APEX Media deputy editor Valerie Silva viewed a different message on the same screen at the same time. Image: Kristina Velan

“It really does seem like science fiction,” said Albert Ng, CEO of Misapplied Sciences, taking the stage during Delta CEO Ed Bastian’s keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show, to explain how parallel reality will transform the future of travel.

Related: Delta CEO Announces Digital Concierge, Deepened Ties With Lyft and More During CES 2020 Keynote

Delta Air Lines will launch the first-ever “parallel reality” experience at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) this summer. The technology, developed by Misapplied Sciences, uses multi-view pixels to allow several people looking at the same screen to see different information simultaneously.

“Imagine walking up to a giant flight board… and you see only your own flight information. All of the signs are in your preferred language … At the gate, you see the exact time you board,” said Albert Ng, CEO of Misapplied Sciences, during Delta CEO Ed Bastian’s CES keynote address. “You’re not wearing any special cameras or looking through a smartphone camera lens, you just look at the displays with your naked eyes.”

The trial at DTW will allow up to 100 Delta customers to concurrently view personalized content on a screen located just after security, but the technology can work for crowds of thousands, according to Ng.

“Imagine walking up to a giant flight board… and you see only your own flight information.” – Albert Ng, Misapplied Sciences

Travelers who choose to participate in the trial can opt in by scanning their boarding pass to view tailored messages including personalized wayfinding, flight information or updates, boarding time, the nearest Delta Sky Club or even upgrade/standby status. Personal data will not be stored, according to Delta’s press release.

“Parallel reality is one of the most sophisticated display technologies in the world, involving many underlying innovations … These range from inventing new processor architectures to developing new computer vision algorithms to pioneering new optical manufacturing processes,” Ng explained. “We then wove together these interdisciplinary innovations to create engaging, personalized parallel reality experiences.”

Delta invested in Misapplied Sciences in 2019 after the airline’s global innovation center, The Hangar, saw an opportunity to leverage parallel reality technology to transform the airport experience.

“When we met the Misapplied Sciences team, we were looking for solutions to reduce stress for customers in the airport environment,” said Nicole Jones, director of Global Innovation, Delta Air Lines. “Misapplied Sciences brings not only the technology but also the expertise to make a significant impact.”