Immersal Visual Positioning System (VPS) creates AR experiences on top of Nokia 5G network at Nokia Arena

(Helsinki, Finland 15 May 2023) Immersal Oy, part of Hexagon and a leading metaverse technology provider, today announced that its Visual Positioning Technology (VPS) is used to create AR experiences in and around Nokia Arena, in Tampere, Finland.  

The pilot application which is currently employed by Nokia and its VIP visitors at Nokia Arena includes:

• Signs inside the arena
• AR experiences like the stadium decorated with the home teams’ logos
• Videos in AR
• Interactive AR experiences.

Different augmented reality applications and experiences are very interesting use cases for 5G. As Nokia Arena includes a 5G network from Nokia and Elisa, and the indoor arena is fitted with 5G base stations, AR applications have the required data bandwidth and response times. Multiaccess edge computing servers can offer the low latency needed for real-time apps like player tracking in AR.

Lauri Alho, Head of Ecosystem Development at Nokia, explains: “Nokia Arena is a pioneer in music, sports and business events, and also a Finnish landmark. The way digital and physical experiences are delivered will be transformed with the help of 5G technologies in the future. VPS and AR are technologies which can benefit from 5G capabilities.”

“We want to serve and impress the visitors of Nokia Arena and AR innovations are one way to do this. Our cooperation with Nokia allows us to offer the latest 5G technology which opens all kinds of new services which visitors, artists, teams, fans — the whole community — can enjoy in the future,” says Marko Hurme, CEO of Nokia Arena about his vision. Nokia Arena hosts many sports and cultural events, including international and local ice hockey matches. AR-based experiences are already in use now.

Located on the Central Deck in the heart of Tampere, Nokia Arena is a next-generation experience centre that represents a new era of event experiences. The arena hosts a world-class hotel, an international casino, versatile event facilities and numerous restaurants that can accommodate up to 15,000 spectators for unforgettable and unique event experiences.

"Immersive AR experiences are an effective way for stadiums and indoor arenas to engage audiences and increase revenue," says Matias Koski, CEO of Immersal. “The growing interest in AR reflects the desire of venues to enhance the overall event experience , boost audience engagement and explore additional revenue opportunities .”

Immersal, part of Hexagon, is building world-leading spatial mapping and visual positioning tools — the foundation of the metaverse. Founded in 2015, Immersal’s team is based in Helsinki, Finland, and working with partners, developers and creators across the globe to reimagine how we explore, interact and create. Immersal also has sales offices in Hong Kong and in Silicon Valley, California, and is expanding its presence and partner networks globally. The company was acquired by Hexagon in 2021 and continues to pursue the vision of a metaverse built and experienced by everyone on any device.

For further information please contact:
Päivi Laakso-Kuivalainen, CMO, Immersal Oy
Phone: +358 40 757 29 27 
Email: paivi.laaksokuivalainen@immersal.com