People have differing views on the best way to tackle climate change. In fact, some think it’s too late to make a difference. The problem has become too big and complicated. As a result, humanity can’t rely on just a small part of society to manage it.

In line with this, Augmented World Expo (AWE) launched the “XR Prize Challenge: Fight Climate Change.” The organization will accept AR and VR video concept submissions until December 31.  Each should present an impactful, creative, and functional XR-based solution to the climate crisis. AWE will award $100,000 to the winning group or individual.

XR Prize Challenge Categories

Entries should portray XR’s role in society in one of these four categories:

1. REPLACE – Replacing Wasteful Material Practices –  Concepts in this category should focus on demonstrating how to use XR solutions as communication and collaboration media to reduce the need for transportation and new property development.

2. VISUALIZE – Visualizing The Causes & Impacts of Climate Change –  Solutions competing in this category will need to demonstrate how XR can be used for creating empathy for climate change efforts through visualization. As explained in the XR Prize Challenge guidelines, these submissions should illustrate “XR’s unique ability to educate people about the causes and effects of climate change, and influence behaviors and policies to promote equity and fairness.”

3. EDUCATE – Educating About Solutions to Climate Change – This category focuses on how to use XR’s storytelling power to empower solution providers and climatologists. “As an immersive, spatial, and task-oriented story-telling medium, virtual environments can capture ideas and imaginations like no other communication platform can,” reads the guidelines page.

4. OPTIMIZE – Optimizing Design & Execution of Climate Solutions – Concepts in this category will aim to demonstrate the use of XR technology for perfecting solutions for managing or reversing climate change.

XR Prize Challenge Judging Criteria 

XR and climate experts will make up the judging panel and they will choose the winner based on:

• Creativity – originality, design, beauty, and appropriateness of extended reality to fight climate change;
• Functionality – thoughtful user experience, innovative user interaction, and ease of use;
• Impact – viability and scalability of the XR-based solution in the marketplace.

XR Prize Challenge Stages

The XR Prize Challenge will have three stages:

1. Qualification for the minimum viable product (MVP) of their concept

Firstly, AWE will send invites in January 2023 to qualified contestants. These contestants should submit their MVP by April 16, 2023. Entries should not be longer than 90 seconds, and must be in must be English or have English translation.

2. Selection of finalists 

Secondly, the judging of MVP submissions will take place between April 17 and April 30, 2023. AWE will announce the finalists on May 1, after which they will hold live demos of their MVPs in Santa Clara, USA, prior to AWE USA 2023.

3. Selection of winners 

Lastly, the jury will choose winners from the batch of finalists. They will award the cash prize during the Auggie Awards on June 1, 2023.

Help Fight Climate Change Now

As AWE co-founder, Ori Inbar, says in a press release shared with ARPost, “There is truly no more important collective challenge facing humanity today than climate change – and XR is the ideal technology platform to try and develop creative solutions to address it.”

Those interested in participating in AWE’s XR Prize Challenge: Fight Climate Change Fill can submit their concept until the end of this year through this form.