Company Research Report: Birmingham Open Media (BOM)

Company Overview

• Name: Birmingham Open Media (BOM)

• Mission: Empowering communities through immersive innovation & learning. BOM aims to diversify the immersive sector and provides underserved communities with skills to become confident creators.

• Founded: 2014

• Founders: No information is available

• Key People: No information is available

• Headquarters: 12 Dudley Street, Southside, Birmingham B5 4EA

• Number of Employees: Studio Team: 18 members

• Revenue: No information is available

• What is the Company Known For: BOM is known for creating award-winning experiences in virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and games that align with a strong social purpose. Their projects focus on inclusive innovation, impacting social environments, and fostering inclusive learning opportunities.

Products

1. Calderdale College VR Assessment for Social Care

• Description: A VR experience used in clinical healthcare training for social care students, funded by the NCFE Assessment Innovation Fund.

• Key Features: Uses VR scenarios to train healthcare workers, implemented alongside Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust's Simulation Centre.

2. Queen’s Baton 2022

• Description: A 'smart' Baton for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, featuring interactive experiences between Batonbearers and the Baton.

• Key Features: Includes a 360-degree camera, air quality sensor, and heart rate sensor, capturing Batonbearer heartbeats visualized through LED lights.

3. Bringing Perry the Mascot to Life

• Description: Digitally animating and bringing Birmingham2022's Perry the Mascot to life through state-of-the-art animation and AR.

• Key Features: Interactive Instagram filters, WebAR, and WebGL launching a digital Perry accessible globally.

4. Mood Pinball Arcade Game & Mobile App

• Description: A game developed with underserved communities to gamify open data for public engagement.

• Key Features: A physical pinball machine game and mobile app exploring urban data, with a creative concept derived from neurodivergent focus groups.

5. Mother Nature

• Description: A mobile game and virtual/augmented reality experience promoting climate justice by gamifying environmental data.

• Key Features: Features a Black female protagonist tackling climate change; available on mobile and VR platforms.

6. BRUM AR

• Description: A mobile AR app blending Birmingham's cultural vibrancy and immersive technology, initially with a music-themed experience.

• Key Features: Integrates augmented reality with real-time location tracking and includes layers for key city landmarks and musical history.

7. Hidden Kingdoms

• Description: A travel companion app for individuals with travel anxiety.

• Key Features: Utilizes spatial audio and breathing techniques to support wellbeing, along with artist-commissioned designs.

Recent Developments

Recent Events and Projects:

• Immersive Arts Bootcamp: Hosted immersive arts bootcamps for creative practitioners to acquire core skills in 3D development.

• Engagement Projects: Hosting events like the "Immersive Arts Meet Up" to strengthen community ties and develop the immersive arts sector.

• XR Developer Hiring: Announced opportunities for hiring XR developers to expand project capabilities.

New Products and Features:

• Mother Nature: Continued development of the multi-platform project focusing on climate change.

• Brum AR: Ongoing project funded by the UK government as part of the 'Levelling Up' agenda with potential for further thematic layers.

Partnerships:

• Birmingham2022 Collaboration: Partnership with Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in creating technological and interactive solutions for events.

• Cultural Collaborations: Worked with various cultural organizations, such as partnering with local cultural partners and historians for projects like BRUM AR.