Nanome 2018 Roadmap and Releases
TL;DR: VR 2.0 wave is coming, we’re dropping a state of the art R&D tool onto VR app stores for free and we’re giving EDU and non-profit orgs a killer deal of a hardware bundle. This release will be a major step towards our goal of democratizing science. (Not to mention it’ll be fully integrated with Matryx at the end of the year).
Since starting Nanome, we’ve been able to take advantage of big technological paradigm shifts. As a San Diego company, we like to call these shifts “waves.” Today, a whole new set of waves is headed our way.
Nanome is a much more intricate entity than it was two years ago. We’ve got a suite of products and their interconnectivity can be a bit confusing. To understand where we are now, and we’re headed, it’s necessary to reflect.
A Trip Down Memory Lane
In 2016, Nanome launched Nano-One and Calcflow on SteamVR, VivePort, and Oculus app stores. One of our proudest moments was during the launch of Oculus Touch controllers, during which Calcflow, our 3D graphing calculator, was theonly Touch compatible app with uses outside of entertainment. Software like Virtual Desktop was technically productivity applications, but they didn’t muster up. We were the only team using off-the-shelf VR tech to enhance learning and STEM. This unique placement earned us the attention of several publications.
In 2017 we launched Matryx, an ERC-20 utility token designed to incentivize scientific collaboration — which will unlock the value of our STEM VR users’ creations. The Matryx platform allows users to post token bounties for specific scientific creations. When hobbyists and professionals fulfill these bounties, they get both a payout and immutable credit. Matryx has been integrated into Calcflow for months, now, and our Web Alpha is already in version 2.0, since demonstrating utility on day one of token availability.
2018: The Year of the Standalone // VR 2.0
We were just at F8 when the Oculus Go was launched and, thanks to HTC, we’ve got our hands on the VIVE Focusheadset, currently only available in China. Our Google/Lenovo Mirage Solo with Daydream just arrived. All of these ‘standalone’ headsets do not require a high-end gaming PC or a specific smart phone, (unlike the Samsung gearVR or Pixel DayDream). People with MacBooks and iPhones, like me, finally have a financially viable way to wet their VR feet.
This new wave of access will enable our token holders to use Calcflow-Matryx integrations on a much larger scale than ever. Full 6DOF VR should be coming to standalone headsets soon, as Oculus has “exciting updates” to share later this year.
2018 will be the year of the standalone headsets — the next wave of Virtual Reality.
Our Nanoscale R&D Tool
While riding these waves of emerging technologies, we’ve been working closely with top pharma research facilities to perfect our high-end R&D tool, NanoPro. We’ve also we also received cross industry feedback from non-profit research institutions, organic chemistry professors at smaller community colleges. They tend to agree that NanoPro is stellar.
Approaching the Remainder of 2018
Our variety of tools and products has also fruited some challenges and criticisms. “Wait, so how many products do you have? 3, 4? Whats the difference between Nano-One and NanoPro? Can users who download Nano-One for free contribute to Matryx or do you have to buy the expensive NanoPro version?”
To address this feedback, we’re simplifying our product line, combining all molecular modeling products into one, eponymous software: Nanome. This consolidated build will be offered in different licensing tiers suited to different types of users. It’s features will be expansive, an inclusion of all our proudest creations to date — molecular visualization, modification, minimization, design, collaboration, importing, exporting, private networks… the list goes on.
We’re very excited.
We collaborate with the top, state of the art, multibillion dollar research groups. We’ve built them software, pretty much made to order, and we’re giving it to a massive population of VR users for free. The target date for the Nanome 1.0 launch is early Q3. A Nanome version for standalone headsets will follow shortly thereafter.
Additionally, we’re launching a campaign to place our software in more educational organizations and non-profit institutions. The time for mass user acquisition is now. Every day, more and more researchers and educators reach out to us. We need to make it easy for them to dive into the VR waves. Qualifying organizations who purchase two Nanome Pro annual licenses receive a headset and a VR ready computer per license for free.* (If you’re wondering, this isn’t profitable for us, but we’re playing the long game.)
This launch, the new wave of standalone headsets, and Matryx-Nanome integration will make 2018 a year to remember.
Additionally, we have some other exciting news regarding partnerships, development updates, and more, so be sure to stay tuned to our blog.
Exact launch dates and an MTX bounty campaign to spread awareness of our mission will be announced soon. We truly believe that the combination of intuitive, easy to use XR interfaces and tokenized, decentralized, and incentivized collaboration will make Nanome’s dreams come true.
Thanks for riding the waves with us. Soon, we’ll all get shacked.
Keita Funakawa
COO | Cofounder
*Hardware will only be bundled with licenses purchased in multiples of two, e.g. five pro license purchases will yield four hardware bundles.
