Team KYS catches up with the rising star of augmented reality, Ankush Sharma, CEO of Yeppar.
For many, augmented reality sounds like a concept that only exists between the pages of a science fiction novel. They couldn’t be more wrong. A field that is constantly evolving, augmented reality has become a useful interactive tool that has been used in everything from educational modules to make up guru videos. In India, the technology is still taking its baby steps and RAMS Creation Technologies Pvt. Ltd is one of the forerunners in the arena.
The Making Of A Game Changer
Ankush Sharma hasn’t had an easy road to success. A graduate of Amity School of Engineering & Technology, Delhi, he also holds an MBA from Institute of Finance and International Management, Bangalore. This, coupled with his love for ground-breaking tech, led him to Augmented Reality (AR). Initially, he admits, the reception to this still-developing technology in India was underwhelming. He says,
While beginning a startup based on the most nascent technology – AR – I had to face rejection, unawareness and criticism, as the technology was popular but hadn’t penetrated day-to-day operations. However, my fervent vision of being a game-changer and to incorporate something unique and futuristic, yet so simple and expedient, which has the potential to benefit millions, is what resulted in my current venture, Yeppar.
A precocious child, Ankush recalls that he was constantly trying to find out how everything worked. A trait that continues to serve him well. He says, “I put this first because my passion for adventure and to try out something new goes beyond the realms of possibility. It is what motivated me to start a new venture.” He continues, “The journey to becoming the trendsetter has not been all smooth sailing for me, but with staunch determination and an incessant commitment to face and handle all ups and downs, I have come a long way to reach where I am today.”
How Does It Work?
What exactly is augmented reality? Well, Yeppar is trying to answer that question for the Indian audience. In Ankush’s words, “Yeppar is basically a well-designed app created by RAMS Creation Technologies Pvt. Ltd, with a radius spread throughout the augmented reality technology. AR has immense purpose in every facet of life, from gaming to real estate and healthcare.”
Ankush started the venture with his co-founder, Rahul Mangal. They began their quest with the idea of fundamentally changing the way we consume print media. Yeppar is the result of their research and innovative thinking. Ankush describes the app as ‘pristine’. He says, “It strives to add life-like experiences to print media by overlaying an additional layer of information (in the form of videos, graphics, texts, sounds, etc) and transforming the way people interact with print media.”
AR can superimpose a layer of computer–generated images over the real video, giving a highly immersive and panoramic view of the surroundings. Tapping into these traits of AR, Yeppar is precisely devised to make the print media more interactive and engaging.
Making An Impact In Multiple Fields
Yeppar was conceived because of Ankush and Rahul’s belief that the print media industry needed to up its game. They’ve progressed in leaps and bounds from that point onwards. Ankush elaborates,
Yeppar has embarked on this journey by teaming up with Dainik Bhaskar on a very prestigious day in the history of our country – 15th August. For the first time, the Jaipur edition of Dainik Bhaskar was embedded with AR codes, which when scanned through Yeppar, allowed users to view inside stories, additional videos, information, and much more, via their smartphone screens. The idea behind this move was to make the reading experience more edifying and engaging for all – most importantly for youths, who are racing towards the techno-savvy world.
They haven’t stopped there. Yeppar has made headway in another space – the food world! How does augmented reality lend itself to the restaurant business? Ankush says, “After interpreting the recent trends in dining and food outlets, what we’ve found is concern among the gourmets with regard to new cuisines and new food stores. To decode these complexities, Yeppar for restaurant, by virtue of 3D menu cards, allows users to analyse the food before they order. Everything – from recipes to reviews – all get rolled out to the small-screen companion (smartphones) in a just one click, making the decision simpler for diners.”
Other interesting projects for the company include a partnership with Dabur and with the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF). The festival collaborated with Yeppar to create technological solutions for 3D modeling and real time image processing technologies. The purpose was to help the literature festival efficiently manage the crowd attending and provide a statistical analysis of the visiting masses in real time.
They also used state-of-the-art technical apparatus and sensors that were placed at different locations of Diggi Palace. Additionally, they fused the power of Augmented Reality with Yeppar for making the event more engaging for the attendees. Their aim was to transform the reading experience of the attendees and provide a unique and interactive way for the publishers and authors to connect with their readers.
Looking Back, Moving Ahead
Ankush says,
Bottling my reactions to the hurdles that came my way during the initial stage has matured me more and strengthened my vision to begin this startup and foster it to help simplify life by digitizing it.
Today, Yeppar has shown a strong tendency towards spreading awareness, partnering up with responsible brands, and making a positive impact upon society. What is next? Ankush says, “This is just the beginning. We aim to make your life better and better and even better!” We’re looking forward to it!
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