In a partnership involving a custom SaaS product, 3D mapping, data and graphic design, a Boulder tech company born out of Google’s acquisition of SketchUp is connecting seniors to technology to help them get around their Florida retirement community.
concept3D was founded by former SketchUp employees, and initially, the company was a professional services team doing contract work using SketchUp. The team worked to create highly custom 3D work for clients, including 3D maps. But the system was hard to reuse, and custom work was big-ticket, putting some potential customers off of the idea entirely.
So, five years ago, they decided to take the maps they were creating and build them into a more sustainable and approachable SaaS platform.
Now, the company’s breaking into specific verticals, including universities and retirement communities. With their university-centric product CampusBird and the newly-launched atlas3D, the company creates custom layered, interactive maps of given areas. Clients first define the geographic area they want the map to cover, and then the concept3D team gets to work.
“With atlas3D, we share a common software infrastructure, features and functionality," said concept3D’s CEO, Gordon Boyes. "The key is how we implement it. Everybody gets what feels like a custom solution — a lot of artwork goes into these maps. We’ll typically ask clients what pieces of the property stand out, and then we build the experience around that.”
Clients can then embed whatever multimedia they want into the map, from VR panoramas and 360 shots to text, audio and video clips, embedded images and even live data like bus routes and real-time tracking of vehicles. Displayed in layers, these features add another level of customization, giving users the opportunity to prioritize the landmarks and features they wish to access.
“We’re creating a rich, visual experience we can deliver to them as a map,” said Boyes. “We bring the buildings and landscaping to life by making it 3D.”
While they’ve been working on atlas3D, concept3D has added some notable brands to their client roster, including Disney, Google and SunPower Systems. To accompany the public launch of atlas3D, concept3D worked with Shell Point, a large single-site retirement community in Florida.
Shell Point saw Atlas3D as a solution with two key benefits. It gives prospective residents and their families the ability to experience the community as if they were there, without having to bear the expense and time of getting on a plane and actually visiting the space.
But the product also helps current residents. The facility is so large, residents can use it to familiarize themselves with the area, pull in event feeds so they can see what’s happening where and even highlight the routes to get there.
It’s not the first project of its kind for concept3D, but the team felt the Shell Point project was significant in the impact it could have on residents.
"We were able to roll out atlas3D's wayfinding features while using the 3D map to profile the beauty, amenities, recreation and community of Shell Point," said Carrie Nicholson, account manager for concept3D. "We got to see that the age barrier to technology is shrinking and it's going to be a lot of fun to see how Shell Point uses atlas3D moving forward. What's next? A VR tour?"
Boyes said the company is growing rapidly, and that they’re always looking for more people on the software development, sales and engineering sides of the house. And while Shell Point is the first retirement community they’ve worked with, they have no plans to stick with just a few industries.
“Our big initiative right now is to branch out into other verticals like travel and hospitality, convention centers and healthcare,” said Boyes.
Photos via concept3D.
Have a photo or know of a company worth covering? Email us.
