Each year at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Sleep Number Corporation (Nasdaq: SNBR) reaffirms itself as the global leader in sleep health, science, research, and innovation. At this year’s reimagined event, Sleep Number showcased its most dynamic technology platform yet, revealing a future where advanced monitoring, personalized insights, and health evaluations are possible from home – and from the comfort of your 360 smart bed – and empower simplified, preventative health care at any life stage. These efforts earned three CES 2022 Innovation Awards.
A starring feature of the company’s CES 2022 presence was the brainchild of Sleep Number’s creative team. Led by Vice President of Connected Brand Experience Angela Gearhart and Vice President of Brand Expression Sean Burke, the team also includes Jill Cannon, Jeff Ryan, Brian Henry, Jen Larson, Rose D'Acquisto, Miah Detjen, Sheila Anderson, and Kelly Kohlbacher. Inspired by research, they greenlit a mission to pioneer the use of Augmented Reality (AR) glasses to facilitate interactive demonstrations for Sleep Number’s industry-leading bed technology.
“Back in 2016, we began demonstrating the features of Sleep Number beds in conjunction with synchronized audio, video, and lighting experiences for tradeshow and retail visitors,” said Sean Borowski, Director of R&D at BrainHub, LMG’s technical services team. “Each year, the bar is raised.”
Borowski continued, “The challenge this year was to allow anyone to access the experience and navigate it by using AR glasses. The results exceeded everyone’s expectations; this futuristic touch is fun, amazingly intuitive, and it delivers demonstrations that are much more engaging.”
LMG’s partners in tackling this challenge once again included Fuse Animation for custom content creation, and for the very first time, virtual production and creative solutions studio Extended Reality Group (ERG). For ERG, the focus was on developing the virtual demonstrations, creating the user-driven AR interface, and integrating creative content with Sleep Number software and hardware controls.
From the point of view of Sleep Number’s CES visitors, this collaboration resulted in a hands-on interactive experience that played out in about 4.5 minutes. Provided with a Microsoft HoloLens 2 headset and invited to lie down on the bed, the presentation begins with the touch of a button appearing in the augmented reality display. Projected atop what they see in reality, the overlay content commences playback, guiding them through a tour of physical features and capabilities, while also masterfully highlighting Sleep Number’s prolific sense-and-do technology and wellness features.
“Bringing together the deep experience of BrainHub and ERG with incredible technology on behalf of an amazing brand resulted in something truly spectacular,” said Will Garrs, LMG’s Senior Account Executive. “This successful exhibit is now appearing at Sleep Number’s Super Bowl Media Center in LA, where it is educating even more people about the next generation of Sleep Number’s 360 smart bed.”
“It was a perfect fit for us to apply our talents to creating this global showcase for Sleep Number and their amazing partners,” said ERG Co-Founder Evan Glantz.
“We exist to extend storytelling into different dimensions,” explained ERG Co-Founder Zack Kingdon. “Today, using HoloLens, Sleep Number’s customers can sit back and educate themselves in an awesome new way. We’re thrilled to have been part of the effort, and to know this innovation is coming soon to Sleep Number stores all across America.”
The Centerpoint Marketing team responsible for bringing Sleep Number’s holistic exhibition solution to life is comprised of Greg Friedmann, Alena Kurylchyk, and Vaughn Ellis. For LMG, credit also goes to Media Server Specialist Steven Rumplik, Jr. ERG’s team also included Lead Technical Artist Jason Briney, Lead System Tech Keith Anderson, and Producer Kristin Carey. Complete project credits are available upon request.
For more information on Sleep Number and the company’s innovative sleep solutions visit https://www.sleepnumber.com/ces.
About Extended Reality Group
Extended Reality Group is a pioneering virtual production and creative solutions studio. We specialize in working with storytellers, brands, and creators to connect with audiences through the use of bleeding-edge technology and innovation. Through our artists, integrators, and production experts pioneering new applications for XR, MR, AR, and VR, we extend reality in phenomenal new dimensions. To learn more, please visit https://extendedrealitygroup.com.
