Vonage (Nasdaq: VG), a global leader in cloud communications helping businesses accelerate their digital transformation, today announced that VoicePing has chosen the Vonage Video API to power innovative virtual reality (VR) travel experiences via its Dokodemo (Anywhere) Door Trip service. The service uses 360° photography and video, as well as VR goggles and a computer, to enable users to enjoy virtual travel as if they were there in real life.  

VoicePing is a Japan-based start-up company established in 2019 and focused on developing and providing intuitive, realistic virtual experiences, including virtual office environments. As demand for immersive digital experiences grows , the company is actively developing a variety of VR-related services through a capital and business alliance with MetaReal Corp.

To  provide a high-quality VR travel service, VoicePing needed to implement superior video calling capabilities quickly and seamlessly within their application and at scale. Using the Vonage Video API, VoicePing built a VR travel service that enables overwhelmingly realistic video playback, two-way voice communication, and automatic AI translation. 

“At VoicePing, we are building solutions that empower people around the world to interact with anyone, anytime, anywhere, language-free, and enjoy their lives, work, and lifestyles through the use of the latest technology,” said Mr. Kei Shimizu, VoicePing Project Manager. "We chose Vonage to develop the video function within our advanced VR experiences because Vonage provides high quality video and audio, is easily implemented and operated within our applications, and has global reach and scale to grow as user adoption grows around the world.”

“The pandemic has greatly restricted the ability to travel and experience new countries and cultures, and caused a major shift in the way we engage with one another. As more and more experiences become virtual, demand continues to increase for experiences that rival in-person interaction," said Amitha Pulijala, VP of Product, Platform Services, AI and Video, Vonage. "Vonage is proud to enable innovative businesses VoicePing to build immersive, interactive virtual experiences around the world."

Virtual travelers can take advantage of Dokodemo Door Trip experiences through either GuideMeetup, which allows users to experience a trip while talking with a local guide in real time, alongside 360° VR images captured by the local guide, or by using the WorldRambler service, which enables users to freely tour each country without a local guide. A key feature of the GuideMeetup service driven by the Video API is that travelers are not only able to enjoy the visuals of a location, but can also have a real-time conversation and interaction with the local guide. 

In addition to Dokodemo Door Trip, VoicePing and MetaReal are developing a variety of VR services powered by the Vonage Video API, including Dokodemo Door Party, which creates a realistic karaoke experience; VR Therapy, which allows users to experience therapy in a virtual space; and VR Music, a live music distribution service. 

The Vonage Communications Platform has more than one million registered developers and offers a full suite of programmable voice, video, messaging, and email services to forward-thinking businesses throughout the Asia-Pacific market and worldwide. Through its partners, Vonage’s platform is at the center of many notable transformational projects in the region, and a de facto for startups.