Offers app development services based on mobile AR technology including high-quality video shoot and edits

transcosmos inc. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan; President and COO: Masataka Okuda) and Yoshidamasaki Inc. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan; CEO: Masaki Yoshida) co-developed “Beat Box OrchestAR (BeatAR)”, a smartphone app under the supervision of the world-renowned Japanese beatboxer Daichi, who belongs to Yoshidamasaki Inc. The app was released on January 12, 2018.

Beatboxing is a form of music performance using one’s mouth without any musical instrument. In addition to vocal percussion which makes the drum sound, beatboxing mixes up a variety of sounds like scratch, bass, clap, noise, and more to form music. The beatbox technique originated in the early days of hip-hop culture, and performers enjoy competing with their skills, like in dance battles.

To date, transcosmos has released two apps, namely, “Human Beat Box GAME” and “Human Beat Box LESSON” under the supervision of Daichi. Aiming to broaden their user base, this third app, “BeatAR” was developed using mobile AR technology which enables players to enjoy the AR experience on their smartphone without any special device. To use this app, users only need to download the marker (Instrument cards) from the Daichi official website, print it out, and hold their smartphone camera over the printed marker (Instrument cards). Once Daichi appears on their smartphone screen, users can enjoy beatboxing by changing a mix of Daichi performing various musical instruments.

■ BeatAR key features

1.Connect multiple contents

Most general AR apps only show one object for one marker. BeatAR is not one of them. It recognizes multiple markers, plays sounds and videos that are connected to the markers simultaneously, enabling users to enjoy composing their original own music.

2.Auto-adjust view angle

The highlight of BeatAR is letting users play dynamically. Users can make their smartphone cameras read the marker and check AR video on their smartphones whilst manually adding or decreasing the markers. The critical point is the angle of the AR video displayed on their screens. It is difficult for users to align markers by hand during play. In order to solve this challenge, developers repeated careful tunings to make users view AR videos stably on their screens even operating their smartphones whilst moving. Now, BeatAR ensures all AR videos are displayed appropriately on users smartphone cameras regardless of the angles they hold their smartphone cameras to markers.

3.Seamless sound play

With BeatAR, users play whilst continuously changing the mix of markers in real time. In order to make the audio sound seamless, it utilizes the loop playback function even for short audio clips as well as carefully tuned and layered playback points of multiple audio clips at the optimum point in order to create a harmony. BeatAR is an AR app which makes users “really into their play”.

■ App Overview

Supported OS:         iOS/Android

Supported devices:  Android5.0 and later/iOS11.0 and later

Download:               App Store:https://itunes.apple.com/jp/app/beat-box-orchestar/id1311209149?mt=8

                                Google Play:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.co.transcosmos.bboar

Price:                       Charge-free (offers in-app purchases)

As smartphone performance continues to improve and mega platformers like Apple and Google enter the mobile AR industry,the market surrounding mobile AR is growing rapidly. Acknowledging the rising demands in various industries, transcosmos continues to offer mobile AR technology to clients. In addition, its “STUDIO COMPASS”, a creative photo/video shooting studio that opened in April 2017, offers high-quality photo/video shooting and editing services with professional photo/video equipment and staff. transcosmos offers end-to-end services from developing apps to creating contents for AR. Going forward, transcosmos will offer AR services that use chroma key video clips as a solution for brochures, e-commerce, and offline stores. transcosmos continues to assist clients in expanding their businesses by making the most of AR technology.

■ Beatboxer Daichi Profile

*transcosmos is a trademark or registered trademark of transcosmos inc. in Japan and other countries.
*Other company names and product or service names used here are trademarks or registered trademarks of respective companies.

About transcosmos inc.

transcosmos launched its operations in 1966. Since then, we have combined superior “people” with up-to-date “technology” to enhance the competitive strength of our clients by providing them with superior and valuable services. transcosmos currently offers services that support clients’ business processes focusing on both sales expansion and cost reduction through our 177 locations across 33 countries with a focus on Asia, while continuously pursuing Operational Excellence. Furthermore, following the expansion of e-commerce market on the global scale, transcosmos provides a comprehensive One-Stop Global E-Commerce Services to deliver our clients’ excellent products and services to consumers in 49 countries around the globe. transcosmos aims to be the “Global Digital Transformation Partner” of our clients, supporting the clients’ transformation by leveraging digital technology, responding to the ever-changing business environment.