Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), the operator of Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR), has launched the first phase of its BLR Metaport project, with Terminal 2 (T2) now available to view and interact with as an immersive metaverse experience.
Built in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Polygon, BLR Metaport provides a three-dimensional virtual environment of T2, where interested travelers can tour and navigate the terminals using their smart devices. A 3D interface also provides customers with new ways to interact with the airport, such as checking into flights, navigating terminals, shopping, and social aspects like connecting with other travelers.
The BLR Metaport is an outcome of the Joint Innovation Centre (JIC) announced in April 2022 by BIAL, AWS and Intel which focuses on driving the development and adoption of digital solutions in aviation.
Satyaki Raghunath, BIAL’s chief strategy and development officer, said, “We are very excited that BIAL is entering into the new world of metaverse through the BLR Metaport. This is our first foray into the world of Web3 and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and we aim to delight travelers with a unique, immersive and virtual experience. We believe that it is important to connect with a new generation of our global audience through the metaverse. We also have several initiatives planned around the BLR Metaport, which promise to increase ways in which we can engage with our global audience and enhance business impact over the next few years.”
BLR Metaport is built on the fundamentals of decentralization, where control and decision-making are transferred from a centralized entity to a distributed network. It uses the Polygon Blockchain, which will act as a medium of digital economy in the future for users to trade digital assets seamlessly and securely. These digital assets could be digital artwork at the BLR Metaport, certificates that are given for completing various industry-related training courses, collectibles, and utility and commemorative NFTs. In the future, BLR Metaport will enable users to shop from their favorite brands sitting in any part of the world.
Arpit Sharma, APAC head, Polygon Companies, said, “Polygon is committed to leading blockchain innovation, which will drive a digital economy that can be accessed by every individual in the world. BLR Metaport is one example of how big enterprises can collaborate and innovate to bring blockchain solutions to the masses.”
The BLR Metaport platform is built on AWS, leveraging its compute, storage, databases and data visualization services to achieve high performance and scalability. It is optimized for Unreal Engine 5, a real-time 3D creation tool for photo-realistic visuals and immersive experiences, and leverages the full extent of the engine’s multiplayer collaboration toolset.
Additional features offered by BLR Metaport include video conferencing, messaging and spatial audio, and avatar creation.
Kanishka Agiwal, AWS’s head of service lines for public sector in India and South Asia, AISPL, said, “AWS is delighted to collaborate with BIAL and showcase the art of what’s possible in the metaverse with the BLR Metaport. The BLR Metaport is testimony to how customers can leverage AWS to build innovative, engaging and immersive metaverse experiences, while benefiting from some of the fundamental advantages offered by the cloud – agility, low latency, scalability, and cost-efficiency. AWS is committed to experiment with the latest technologies to accelerate industry innovation and drive positive experiences. We look forward to building exciting solutions through the BIAL JIC and extending the innovation center’s value to BIAL and its stakeholders.”