XR (extended reality) creation platform Volta XR has received a £400,000 grant from Innovate UK.

The government-backed agency drives productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas. 

XR covers innovations such as AR (augmented reality), VR (virtual reality) and MR (mixed reality).

Volta enables artists to turn their concerts or livestreams into mixed-reality shows. It was recently seen in action at Glastonbury Festival during sets by Bonobo, Jamie Jones, TSHA, Grove and Fumez The Engineer, which featured automated visual effects in real-time sync with their music.

“This money not only gives us government funding but the opportunity to methodically learn how to translate the best parts of live events into hybridised ones,” said Volta CEO Alex Kane.

The grant will go towards researching and building audience interaction features. The aim is to enable both online and physical audiences to have an impact on the experience of a live event in real time, as well as creating a new revenue stream for artists. 

The grant will also help Volta to incorporate gaming mechanics with in-app purchases and remote user interaction. 

Volta XR also plans on hiring behavioural scientists to discover the motivation of concert-goers live and the psychological implications of making experiences interactive. 

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